In a bold and self-promoting publicity stunt, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has announced on its public website that Jehovah’s Witnesses have just been awarded two “Telly Awards” statuettes at the 36th Annual Telly Awards.
[edit: by November 2016, Watchtower had deleted the Telly Award post from its website, along with the two videos associated with the Tellys]
As impressive as this sounds, JW Survey has uncovered details revealing that these statuettes are in fact purchased by the Watchtower organization from a marketing company which deceptively promotes itself as a well-recognized awards competition. Both registration and awards are paid for in a sketchy scheme designed to mimic legitimate, notable awards such as the Oscars and the Emmys.
The phrase “the 36th Annual Telly Awards” is designed to imitate reputable televised awards ceremonies which are recognized around the globe. The Telly awards are neither televised nor widely respected, and their certificates and statues amount to a clever way to sell membership and merchandise.
Furthermore, the Watchtower issued a carbon copy statement on its website acquired directly from Telly marketing materials, along with a fake quote from Telly executive director Linda Dey. The same quote is issued to every Telly “winner.”
The Watchtower and Awards
The practice of using donated funds from Jehovah’s Witnesses to purchase a very high probability of “winning” an award is not new for the Watchtower organization. Since at least 2002, Watchtower has amassed a collection of certificates and statues, the result of dozens of submissions to numerous for-profit organizations, bypassing legitimate and critical sources of acclaim.
Located just outside the Brooklyn, New York office of senior Governing Body aide Robert Wallen stands a bookcase featuring a collection of Telly and Aurora certificates and statues, purchased over a 14+ year period. A glass wall is all that separates this display from tens of thousands of Jehovah’s Witness tourists who pilgrimage to Brooklyn Heights each year.
During a 2011 tour of Watchtower headquarters, a visiting Witness missionary informed me that the organization had won several awards for broadcasting excellence, including an Emmy award. This was extremely impressive, but it was not until years later upon closer examination of the awards display, I found that this “Emmy” award was not, in fact, an Emmy at all, but was a “Telly” award.
It appears that the Watchtower organization did, however, register one or more of their PSA videos with the Emmys, but failed to win the award. JW Survey contacted David Winn, Senior Vice President for News & Documentaries, and Paul Pillitteri, Chief Administrative and Information Officer, but neither could confirm any nominations for 2002 or other years in which Watchtower submitted entries.
Winn admitted that the Emmys, like most other awards competitions, charges up to $400 to register a single video.
What are the Telly and Aurora Awards?
Out of every successful venture comes the inevitable copycats, the businesses which thrive on packaging a popular idea or item, then sell it for a lesser price than the competition. This is true in the film and television industry, with the Academy Awards (the Oscars) and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (The Emmys) inspiring a number of imitation awards competitions, primarily aimed at smaller, lower budget enterprises, or organizations seeking as much publicity as possible in exchange for a fee.
The next best thing to having actually won an Emmy award is apparently having someone think you won that award. For a few witty entrepreneurs, a golden opportunity emerged.
According to its website, the Telly Awards was founded in 1978 and “is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films.”
[NOTE: – in their press release package, Telly declares 1979 as the date of their founding instead of 1978]
Combining a website with a shopping cart, clever marketing campaigns and a contract with the same manufacturer who produces the Oscar and Emmy statuettes, Telly zeroed in on an untapped market of emerging video creators who would jump at the chance to showcase a trophy which bears a striking resemblance to the Emmy statue.
How does it work? When Watchtower produces a video or online news release, it uploads the video or URL to Telly using a web submission form, paying for this opportunity according to the number of entries and categories chosen. Per the Telly website: “The Telly Awards Final Entry Fee is $105 (U.S dollars) for single entries and $190 (U.S Dollars) for campaign entries.”
After the published “deadline” for entries, Telly contacts the “contestant” and advises them that they have won, in most cases, either a silver or bronze award. Once notified, the organization must cough up $210 U.S. for the trophy, which weighs approximately 4.5 pounds, one half the weight of an Oscar. You would think that a frameable certificate would come with your victory, but sadly, this too is for sale – for $45.00.
While Telly claims to be hosting the “37th Annual” awards contest, messages posted on their Facebook group and website indicate that there are multiple “deadlines” and “extended deadlines,” clearly raising suspicions that the Telly organization is more concerned with collecting entry fees than in maintaining the integrity of their so-called competition.
Further revealing is the fact that this “competition” is in fact not a competition against other entries, but a subjective choice of an unlimited number of “winners” chosen by the “Silver Telly Council.” Their website states:
“entries do not compete against each other. Instead, entries are judged against a high standard of merit.”
“Empowered to uphold the historical standards of the Telly competition, judges may award top honors to more than one entry or no entries in a particular category.”
[Bold added by JW Survey]
This is the equivalent of saying ‘Brie Larson, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlotte Rampling and Saoirse Ronan all did a phenomenal job this year, so they will ALL get Oscars for their movies. They will be allowed to purchase their Oscars online, and may order as many Oscars as they wish for anyone remotely connected with their efforts…’
There is no question that awarding multiple “winners” in a category is both beneficial for the Telly award participants as well as the Telly corporation, which stands to profit to the tune of hundreds of dollars for each declared winner. Considering the thousands of submissions and winners claimed by Telly, the award business is an extremely profitable enterprise.
JW Survey contacted the Telly Awards and found that with minimal effort, any person claiming to be associated with the Jehovah’s Witness video production team can easily purchase as many statues and certificates as they desire, with no vetting procedures whatsoever. If you have the money, they will bend over backwards to sell you these awards. Customization of the award takes no longer than the time it takes to enter your credit card number.
And the Telly Awards are far from being the only player in the awards business. The Aurora Awards has cashed in on this scheme, with Watchtower shelling out statue money as far back as 2002.
Based on a nearly identical set of “rules”, the Aurora Film and Video Competition also awards unlimited numbers of winners from any given category. In their FAQ, they ask:
Q – “How many winners are there per category?”
A – “Because entries are judged against an absolute standard of excellence there is no fixed number of winners. Technically all or none could be winners.”
Sound familiar?
And for only $214 U.S. Dollars, you can order your own gold or platinum colored statue, as did the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. The Aurora FAQ reminds entrants of the value of this award:
“PHYSICAL AWARDS
Besides, winning an Aurora Award, seeing your certificate, and holding your beautiful (and heavy) statue in your hands feels good! The beautiful statue on your desk or in your foyer will speak volumes without having to say anything.”
Watchtower would like members to believe that it has been recognized by well-known media organizations in an attempt to improve its public image and shake off the label of “cult” that has followed it around for over a century.
In an ironic twist, the Watchtower entered multiple pay-to-play competitions in 2002, submitting not one but three videos on the benefits of bloodless surgery. These videos were submitted to multiple “competitions” including the U.S. International Film and Video Festival and the Telly Awards.
The 2002 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses announced:
“That first video was completed in time to qualify for entry in the 34th annual U.S. International Film and Video Festival. In all, there were 1,500 entries from 33 countries… The awards show that experts within the film industry recognize the quality, accuracy, and professionalism of the video, thus contributing to the credibility of its message.”
What the Yearbook failed to mention was the fact that the judges can award as many or as few awards in any category they wish. There is no competition, and there is no festival. In fact the word “festival” is just a catchphrase designed to mimic legitimate, established events, such as the Cannes Film Festival.
By submitting multiple video entries in several categories, Watchtower practically guaranteed itself a victory. The current price to enter just one video over 30 minutes in length is $525.00 U.S. And like the Telly and Aurora awards, winners can purchase as many statuettes and certificates as they like.
In addition to the aforementioned organizations, Watchtower continued writing checks, entering multiple additional competitions in 2002 including the World Media Festival, sponsored by the German company Intermedia, and The Communicator Awards.
Both organizations issued awards to Watchtower.
Of interest is the fact that the Communicator Awards “Frequently Asked Questions” reveals there may be multiple “winners” in each category, using the exact phrases posted on the Telly Awards site, as mentioned in this article.
Q. How many winners are there per category?
A. There may be several winners in a certain category or there may be none. Winners are chosen based on the content of their piece; there are not a set number of winners per category. Judges evaluate entries to recognize distinction in creative work – entries do not compete against each other-rather entries are judged against a high standard of merit.
Is there no honor among these awards corporations? Which is worse: plagiarizing each other’s list of rules, or awarding multiple victors in any given category to drastically boost profits?
Watchtower publishes phony quote
Perhaps equally misleading to readers of the JW.org website is the Telly Award quote published on March 7th under Global News. Telly executive director Linda Day is quoted saying:
“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, executive director of the Telly Awards. “The Witnesses’ accomplishment in the jw.org Newsroom illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”
This testimonial from Ms. Day implies that as executive director of the Telly Awards, she personally endorses the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ production. However this could not be further from the truth. In a package of marketing materials published on the Telly website, all “winners” are encouraged to insert their name into the same stock quote from Linda Day, and pass this off as an official endorsement.
This bizarre and accidental discovery reveals that the Jehovah’s Witness religious corporation will shamelessly publish a fictitious quote, knowing that in all likelihood, no one would ever audit their news post. They were wrong about that. JW Survey found scores of websites guilty of using the same form-quote. Three of these are seen below:
Examples of other websites using identical quote
Why?
This deplorable and phony quotation serves to further diminish the integrity of both the Telly Awards and the Watchtower organization. Already known for quote-mining, photo-plagiarism, and failed prophecies, the JW writing department stands on a paper-thin sheet of ice, a precarious position for anyone whose pants are on fire.
The fact that Watchtower has subscribed to such sketchy advertising tactics comes as no surprise to students of this organization. As far back as 1914, Watchtower founder Charles Taze Russell spent a fortune developing and promoting his famous Photo-Drama of Creation, a video production ultimately aimed at boosting sales of his six volume Studies in the Scriptures books, along with subscriptions to the Watchtower magazine.
Over 100 years later, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses purchased and housed an elaborate high-definition television studio in Brooklyn New York, and maintains extensive audio/video production facilities in Patterson, New York. Like never before, Watchtower is churning out an increasing number of video productions, while decreasing the printing of magazines and books.
The question then remains, if Watchtower is a genuine charitable organization that creates video productions free of charge, why do they find it necessary to spend thousands in donated funds to gain acceptance in the entertainment industry?
The Awake Magazine of May 22nd 2005 provides a clue in an article on Kona coffee. Discussing the coffee cupping competition, it states “Competition is keen, for the coveted awards can mean greatly increased sales for the winners.”
When this article was written, the JW media and public relations department had already entered multiple “competitions” in an effort to promote and legitimize their videos. This is in complete opposition to what they printed in the very next issue of the Awake magazine, June 8th. In an article on the subject of ambition and humility, the Awake stated: “People who are honest and reliable and who work hard often get noticed, find good employment, and earn respect. Surely, following this course is better than resorting to the manipulation of others for personal gain or competing with others for position.”
The article further warns “true” Christians against ambition, telling them to shun it completely. It says that Christians should “simply try hard to do their best in all situations, for God’s glory, and leave the outcome in his hands.” It would appear that the Watchtower leadership follows a different set of rules than individual rank and file Witnesses. If the JW media department applied these principles, they would clearly have no interest or need to promote their videos through questionable (and costly) “worldly” competitions. The Governing Body could choose to humbly let their productions stand on their own merits, rather than entering sketchy competitions, then boastfully declaring their victories.
In the jw.org Telly news report, Watchtower name-dropped Richard Polton and Jared Kushner, then concluded their article with a copy-pasted statement from the Telly Awards marketing kit, topping it off with a phony quotation from Telly executive Linda Day. From an ethical and journalistic standpoint, this is inexcusable. But, I suppose they will leave the outcome in God’s hands.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
By the Fall of 2016, Jehovah’s Witnesses deleted the Telly Award post from its website, along with the Jared Kushner interview.
Watchtower Office of Public Information declined to comment.
JW Survey contacted the Telly Awards and was permitted to purchase a Telly statuette using Watchtower’s identification code without any identification.
Additional public commentary on the Telly Awards:
- https://blog.pelland.com/2011/06/11/an-award-is-an-award-or-is-it/
- https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-a-Telly-award-and-a-Webby-award
- https://www.borev.net/2007/04/fake_news_group_wins_fake_awar.html
Church of Scientology also participates in Telly Awards…
https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/how-to-use-dianetics_wins-telly-award.html
Related video…
Its hypocritical they would look to “satan’s world” to acquire film awards… and then proudly display the worldly awards like they have some kind of value??
If satan’s world is giving approval of your video’s and thinks they are great… you must be doing something wrong no?
No part of the world.. my ass…
This would be so laughable…
Only if it wouldnt make me want to projectile vomit !!!
Isn’t one of the main reasons that the WT says it is wrong to celebrate Birthdays is bc it draws attention to the Individual and not to God? What in the world are they doing here but trying to draw attention to themselves and how “WONDERFUL” they are and how the “WORLD” recognizes them.
I smell a Rat!
Good point. But I guess because the watchtower considers itself on par with God it is okay to accept such honor and praise.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Watchtower.
WS
The Governing Body are after all the guardians of doctrine or GOD!
@Wanderer. Uou are right even Jeffery Jackson said that to the ARC under oath, He said it is the Duty o the “JOB” of the GB to interpret scriptures. They do think Highly of themselves don’t they?
It makes me furious because when i was a kid i wasn’t even aloud to play sports because having a competitive spirit was wrong… and wanting to win showed a lack of humility.
Wheres the humility in displaying these bullshit bronze statue awards?
Exactly that’s was my fillings too. The same experience in my childhood. Couldn’t believe it. I’m today 45 and since 27 years completely out of it, but my parents are stuck for life with that wicked organisation. What a shame.
@Nobody, I agree with you. They say sports are wrong b of competition. Once when I was an Elder my kid in High school wanted to play on the baseball team and they told me if I let him I would be removed for setting a bad example! WTF? Of course the WT offers NOTHING for the teenagers except pioneering and that is it. I apologized to my son for not letting him play baseball. Now we are all on baseball teams including me! They are really full of themselves.
The Watchtower scammers have been scammed, all the while knowing that they were scammed, so that they could then go scam their brainwashed followers! Wow!
Wow, what a great find uncovering this craziness! Just when I thought the Watchtower could not stoop any lower, they somehow manage to crash through rock bottom! It reminds me of how at every annual convention during the last talk, they would always pat themselves on the back, telling the audience how an alleged janitor who worked at the stadium thought they were the cleanest, most orderly organization in the world. Nothing but a bunch of haughty self-promoters, and in this case, dishonest ones.
Seems to me displaying those Awards would amount to Idolatry
Oh. My. God.
This crap is directed at their FOLLOWERS to make them sell the “product” more. Wait…there IS NO PRODUCT. It’s just a giant pyramid scheme.
Dee,
That’s the sad part. In their naivety & lack of understanding, they will try to promote it in their door 2 door campaigning thinking that this is something special to behold.
and wonder why
they might make a fool of themselves yet again…
Thanks for such thorough reporting on this subject. I am thinking, maybe I could get a Telly for my son’s youtube video, where he play acted as a half boy half dog…lol . I think it deserves a Telly…thanks for the info on how easy a procedure it is, and how really anyone can get.
Why do these men preach separation from “the world”, and claim this as evidence that they alone have God’s approval, then seek accolades from “the world” they repudiate? Why do these men teach their followers to avoid “showy things” and the glory of men, and then pursue those exact things? Steaming great hypocrites. This is so funny, and yet so sad; pathetic self posturing. It may seem like a small thing, but what did Jesus say at Luke 16:10?
Well said dude…
Just when you think you’ve seen and heard of all the dirt inside the org, JW Survey gives us “New Light” to review. My jaw has hit the floor with this one. Maybe someone could market the “Sh**head of the year award” from the TV show The IT Crowd to WT next time…seems a bit more fitting than these phony things.
All joking aside, thank you, John Redwood, Lloyd Evans, and everyone else at JW Survey. Without your objective (read non-religious) critiques of JW thoughts, teachings and doctrines, I would still be kicking myself for fading away from what we all called the truth. From the bottom of my heart truly, thank you. Keep up the amazing work!
Great stuff… It’s only a matter of time…
Hmmm….I think u can buy these awards or look alikes…at the “$” store! :). sooo that means if my brother would have walked in toooo…the convention with a cup of Kona coffy, instead if a Tim Hortons one…the attendant would not have made him dump it out? Good job…..but what next!!!! Popcorn prizes, as poooof! And …”everybody will marvel at her”….need I say more….
Press release:
New world translation of the holy scriptures for the modern man.
The light has indeed got much brighter thanks to new LED state of the art tecnology…
Read on as the governing body through divine direction have brought Gods word right up to date….
No more worries about being an under achiever or not meeting the standards required..
No more guilty feelings of inadequacy!
Why?
See for yourself as the magnificent 7 have been enlightened with some up to date scriptual changes….
Now All can relax and chill and serve how and when you like.
Heres just a few to get you well and truly excited:
” and stop being misled and indoctrinated by watchtower teachings but be enlightened by means of the net, that you may prove to yourselves, the way to live today..
Romans 12:2
” they are to be part of the world although I was no part”
John 17: 16
” in all things we are giving cause for stumbling so our ministry may be found fault with”
2 corinthians 6:3
“Do become involved with worldly people for we are all human after all…
2 cor 6: 14
” lovers of life..do you not know that friendship with the world is friendship with God?..whoever therefore wants to be worldly and be accepted is a friend of God.”
James 4:4
Please note dear brothers and sisters these changes to your christian lifestyle in no way invalidate your standing within the organisation.
Any who feel they may have missed out on life by conforming to previously held views can file a claim through the usual channels.
However, please understand that our legal dept is exceptionally busy for the next few years.
Finally, tune in to wt org tv weekly and support our brothers who are being nominated at this years oscars..
Brad p, angelina, tom c and our boys will be there rubbing shoulders with em all…
Chill..and hang loose x
I just can’t imagine the old timers back on GB 1.0 doing something like this…these guys on GB 2.0 are nuts…this is a pointless thing to do and they have been found out, all it does is prove they are charlatans…which is great for us and those still in but on the fence!
I love GB 2.0 as they are bringing about their own downfall!
Shameful and deceitful. I wonder if this borders on idolatry too?
Great report! It’s outstanding as the Watchtower fools it’s followers, even in this case…
Special reply from the Governing Body Of Jehovahs Witnesses.
Dear Brothers
Remember!
‘We are NO part of this wicked World’**
** The Governing Body reserve the right to be part of the Wicked world when it suits us for propaganda purposes. We reserve the right to cherry pick quotes from the world, and accept awards from Satan controlled media for the purpose of indoctrination and to give the impression to the outside world that we are not a bunch of sad misguided old men, misguiding 8 million people.
(Please note. Due to the imminent arrival of Armageddon and the prospect of New Light emerging at any moment, our stance is subject to change. Sit there, smile and agree.)
Warm Christian regards
Your Brothers
According to the Telly fact sheet on ( http://www.tellyawards.com/images/uploads/pdf/36th_Telly_Fact_Sheet.pdf ) only up to 35% of the entries receive and award.
So it must be a real award, right?
Or…is paying the entry fee more like gambling, where one could or could not win the desired prize by chance?
Right, but who knows how many entries they placed. Maybe they entered their entire online video series from last year.
Hang on a sec…jw org entered a “every child wins a prize” type competition and STILL only came third? That’s friggin hilarious! They really do suck.
How desperate! To take the money of the donations for publicity and to fool their followers that the jw broadcasting info they listen to is reliable and credible. This to me is really sad because as others mentioned we were told as children not to be competetive, but this is worse because if you are competetive and win because of your abilities you earned the trophy. Watchtower hasnt earn anything and are cheaters!
It’s so sad:-(, how desperate.
It’s a bit like taking part in a sports day at school and buying your own award to impress your parents when you get home, you all won.
The worst thing is though this has been done to deliberately deceive people.
Have to say, what great article and research , many thanks.
The Internet is such a powerful force! (By the Internet, I mean great reporters, such as yourself, JWSurvey and other great websites, and the ability to reach almost everyone).
When I was younger, I would have read the Watchtower’s propaganda and believed it 100%, as I’m sure everyone who visits this site would have done. The Watchtower had this huge printing organization and there was simply no way to compete with that corporation to get contradictory and truthful information across. Well, the rules have changed in this game, haven’t they?!?
It’s so wonderful to see that the Watchtower, and other liars and scammers, can now get caught INSTANTLY! A couple of intelligent people with computer access can take down a 140 year old, billion dollar cult (who uses the cheapest IKEA bookcase to display their bogus awards and certificates!)
I’m hoping-against-hope here, but some news item like this might just break the back of the mighty Watchtower.
… “(who uses the cheapest IKEA bookcase to display their bogus awards and certificates!)” …
LOL
hmmm…pretty sure those cabinets were ordered thru the Bethel Carpentry Shop. No glass doors or locks, tho…I’ll leave that to your deductions ;-)
Let’s face it, who’d steal them?
Thank you doesn’t even do justice for your work. Thank you so much! Again and again. Silent Red Sonja
It reminds me of mr. Bean :)
https://youtu.be/PiuSoU0kjHA
Fantastic article John. As a JW I had heard rumors that certain Watchtower videos had one awards, but I had no idea this is what was going on.
Think I just snorted my coffee through my nose….. So who accepted the award? Did they get their picture taken on the Red Carpet in tight pants? Did Tony finally get to wipe away his tears and blow his nose on his big blue hanky? What about the after show party? Anyone have a dress malfunction? Excited for the pictures in PEOPLE magazine…. or is that Women’s Realm. Will AWAKE do a special addition! Maybe a Who wore it best? section…..
Those “statues” are reminiscent of the “Nike” sneakers they sell at the flea market with the misspelled logo for 5-10 bucks. Goes to show you the “true value” of this religion…
PS I cringe at the thought of my family still in gleefully sharing this “news”, which they probably think is further proof that they are in “the troof”.
There’s lots of these phoney award scams advertised on
the net. There’s one where for about 30 quid you can buy
a square foot of land in Scotland and they send you a
certificate which claims you are now a Lord.
My brother in law purchased one of these tin horn lordships
and uses the title on all his correspondence. He tells me it
works like a charm, getting him preferential treatment and
prompt attention to any requests. – What a Phoney !
I’m thinking of recommending him to the gov, bod, He could
easily claim to be anointed, after all you don’t even need a
certificate to prove it. By their own stated time line, hardly any
of the present lot qualify.
Oh! I forgot they’ve now abolished the 1935 cut off point.
They can now keep producing young guys to the top brass
any time they like. My brother in law would fit in nicely.
I lost it when I saw the donkey at the bottom in that article because that’s exactly what they look like! People around me think I’m crazy laughing the way I am since I’m in public. They are so stupid that’s it’s sad. I have officially heard it all.
I can’t BELIEVE my parents had me mixed up in this BS. And because I knew it was bs as a child and resisted getting baptized until I was about 16. I got treated like I was the stupid one. They are are at a one day assembly right now. What am I doing? Making that money, saving up for retirement. I’m im my late twenties and I know I need to save up. I will not sit around listening to the same ‘ol mess and donating money so they can buy some fake awards. They got the wrong one! I wish I could burst my parents haughty bubbles so bad! Forget being respectful. They laughed and called me ignorant for leaving and not reading and following the Watchtower. My parents have literally laughed in my face and said I was stupid on several occasions. So, no, they get what they deserve. They can sit in this cult and have other people laugh at them like they do to everyone else.
To be fair, the Telly Award is for artistic creativity, and as I (and many others) have discovered since leaving the JWs, the Watchtower is certainly extremely creative. It keeps those turds of Truth™ so well polished that they gleam! They have turned lying and their psychopathic ability to get away with it into an artform!
Wow, this is a new low for WT. I cannot believe they can so conceitedly tell their followers to work hard for recognition when they’re themselves just going and buying it with someone else’s money. Disgusting.
Thanks for your excellent research into this.
Kinda tempting to go and buy one of those JW awards and put it up at home – bit of “self promotion”, see what the family say when they see it and I gotta explain that I bought it just like the Brooklyn office.
Wow what a great great article… Did not know about all these fake awards. You’ve done it again Watchtower. Never cease to surprise me.
JWSurvey should apply for one of these awards for their last video exposing WT child abuse.
These today’s Pharisees. In their Yearbook 2008 (yb08 p. 46), they wrote:
Rwanda
A teenager named Gentille became famous because of her ability to score goals when playing soccer. People called her Manayibitego, which means in the local Kinyarwanda language “God of Goals.” Some Italians noticed her ability and gave her additional training. They then invited her to participate in soccer games in Italy. Moving to Europe and having the opportunity to become an internationally known footballer was an attractive prospect. However, Gentille knew that accepting the offer would involve leaving her family. Her mother is a Witness, and although Gentille had studied the Bible, she never took the study seriously. What came first in her life was soccer. Gentille discussed the matter with her mother and came to realize the spiritual dangers involved. She decided to decline the offer and to put Kingdom interests first in her life. She was baptized at a recent assembly.
Reminds me of that King of the Hill episode where Peggy took an online test and found out she was a genius. And for only 49.99 each she could purchase a book listing her along with all the other geniuses.
The “Head up their Ass Award” goes to… Watchtower Babble and Tract Society for their JW Broadcasting television monthly series, “Keeping up with the Governing Body” and their renowned leader Anthony Morris III’s closet video series, “Tight Pants Tony and the Revenge of the Wedgie”
So glad you guys covered this story. This is a shameless propaganda piece Watchtower is using. To see that it’s an easily proven fraud is just…DELICIOUS!
I can’t wait to share this story with JWs. Complete with the copy and pasted quote from Miss Day used for other organizations. This proves that they know exactly what they’re doing to purposely mislead people.
I remember some years ago, the Society getting a reward like that and I couldn’t believe it because I thought their videos were so cheesy awful and now I know why I didn’t believe it. How low can they go to get attention?
Isnt it amazing that an organization that for decades has spoken so harshly against idolatry, and being no part of the “world”, has resorted to proudly, and boastfully, puffing themselves up, with a LITERAL idol, from a worldly organization.
Hypocrites, that is what they are. A tree of rotten fruit, who’s days are numbered, and is soon to be cut down, torn asunder, and thrown into the fire. The WTS, will soon be ashes, upon the earth.
This is simultaneously hilarious and sad. It feels like WT is going through an organizational mid-life crisis, where they are trying to stay relevant and hip with the cool kids by getting a new suit and a toupee. It went over about about as well as most mid-life crises do, too.
I’ve faded, but stories like this don’t inspire to rekindle my faith and go through the grind and drudgery of meetings and field service again. I guess I’ve outgrown the seven dwarves.