A week ago this website covered the leaking of several videos that were used during a recent “Kingdom Ministry School” – a special training event to which only elders are invited. The videos were apparently leaked by Spanish-speaking elders.
Two of the videos showed Governing Body members Anthony Morris and Stephen Lett reminding elders to be “obedient” and “decisive” in carrying out their duties.
The other 42-minute video was a dramatization showing a young man coming forward and confessing fornication to his elders before finally being disfellowshipped.
The trouble was, the disfellowshipping video had been completely dubbed over in Spanish, making it difficult for non-Spanish speakers to get a proper grasp of what was happening. As a result, a few days ago two friends of mine set to work on creating an English transcript with a view to releasing a subtitled version of the video on JWsurvey.
As much as their efforts were appreciated, you can imagine my surprise and delight when, completely out of the blue, I received an email from a Watchtower insider offering to send me the English version of the film. This person didn’t like the thought of us exerting efforts making subtitles when we could have the original.
An interesting email dialogue ensued resulting in my contact sending not just the English disfellowshipping video but also a previously unknown video instructing elders on how to go about “shepherding” a suicidal widow.
To view an ASL version of the above video, click here.
Spurred on by hypocrisy
The main reason given by my source for sending the judicial committee video was his indignation at the hypocrisy shown by the Governing Body through its judicial policies.
As my source pointed out, the Governing Body has been allowed to repeatedly make all manner of mistakes over the decades, many of which have far-reaching consequences. But they always shield themselves from the fall-out from their own errors, or from taking responsibility for their actions.
Meanwhile, if a Witness comes forward honestly confessing some indiscretion he is leapt upon and potentially given the worst possible punishment – estrangement from his family.
In the case of the disfellowshipping video, a young man named Robbie confesses to fornication in a one-night stand, blaming a “worldly” girl for having “seduced” him using, erm… her aquarium (don’t ask!).
Robbie initially covers up the fact that he has been having sex on numerous occasions with the same girl over the past two months, but this detail is later revealed following persistent questioning from the elders. It becomes obvious that the main motivation for Robbie in his concealment of the full extent of his actions is his intense fear of Watchtower’s shunning policy and its consequences on his family and friends.
The video also goes to great lengths to remind elders that any elders who can be identified as being friends with the wrongdoer are not to be considered suitable for serving on the judicial committee. The reason? Elders need to be “objective.” The idea is that if an elder is good friends with the accused he could be biased, and would likely not reach the correct decision EVEN if he is not a relative.
Watchtower doesn’t want too much mercy being shown in these situations.
It is also painfully obvious when watching the video that Watchtower values its elitist “eyes only” approach to disseminating information. Elders are shown consulting their Shepherd books while Robbie is not in the room in order to decide on his fate. Moments before Robbie is due to walk in the room they put their books away – books containing rules that he is not privy to, but which affect him profoundly.
As I pointed out in my previous article – how can secret information affecting all but available to only a privileged elite be biblically justified?
Disfellowshipping video – Part 1
Disfellowshipping video – Part 2
The above videos are likely to be removed by Watchtower, so you are welcome to download them if you wish… Judicial 1 | Judicial 2 | Shepherding
Dangerously negligent instructions
But perhaps more disturbing was another video sent to me, also utilized during the Kingdom Ministry School and replete with similarly horrendous acting. This second video depicts the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way of shepherding a woman in the congregation who has been recently widowed.
Unfortunately, though the latter depiction is supposed to be the correct approach, thinking viewers will be horrified at the negligent way the woman is handled by her elders using the “Watchtower-approved” technique.
Two elders arrange to visit the woman named Mary after she tearfully approaches one of them at the end of the meeting. Before the visit, the elders meet together to strategize over what they will say.
The older of the two decides that the visit will be all about convincing Mary to be an “integrity keeper” (a loyal Witness), and this is exactly how the resulting discussion pans out.
At the start of the visit Mary reveals that she is so desperate following the loss of her husband, Don, that she has been contemplating suicide. She even has a plan involving asphyxiating herself in her garage using exhaust fumes.
This should set off major alarm bells for most thinking persons with one iota of common sense. If a person has sunk to such desperation that they have planned the manner of their death, surely they are urgently in need of help that only professionals can provide?
So, what advice do the elders offer?
First, the older elder lectures Mary about Job and how this bible figure set the example as an integrity keeper. The elder insists that Job had just as many reasons to be “messed up” as Mary, and gives a perplexing illustration involving a needle going “into the red” to show the difficulty of Job’s situation.
Mary is then told to repeatedly chant “I am an integrity keeper, I am an integrity keeper” next time her suicidal thoughts surface. She is also advised to “read a little from the Psalms,” and equate suicidal ideas with immoral thoughts.
Finally the other elder bizarrely gives Mary a homework assignment, as though she is some kind of errant school child. She is told to memorize a certain verse in Jeremiah as yet another form of incantation for the next time she is feeling suicidal.
Armed with this outrageous pseudo-psychiatry, Mary excuses herself from the conversation to get some cookies for the elders. The older elder seemingly takes this as a sign that they have done their jobs well and mouths “thank you Jehovah” heavenward as the other elder looks on.
I realise the above sounds too ludicrous to be true, but this is really how the video plays out. The Governing Body seriously expects its elders to handle such delicate life-or-death matters in this way.
Elders are not to give out numbers for suicide hotlines or encourage a suicidal person to seek professional help. Instead they are to give bible-based lectures, urge the uttering of incantations, and hand out homework assignments.
These videos show only too clearly why Watchtower, so hopelessly out of touch, is having an increasing problem maintaining its organizational solidarity. As mentioned in my previous article on this matter, the Governing Body cannot claim the total loyalty and respect of elders and bethelites while a small number continue to defy them by leaking their nonsense for the world to see.
I sincerely thank my contact within the organization for following his instincts and realizing that this material needs a wider audience. Hopefully, as more damaging material seeps out of Watchtower’s porous walls, more thinking Witnesses will realize just how unworthy the Governing Body are of their blind loyalty and obedience.
Special thanks to my contact, as well as to Daniel Ward and Adriana Wolmers-Petty even though their hard work eventually wasn’t needed.
UPDATE:- As expected, on Feb 21 2014 Watchtower had its leaked instructional videos removed from this page through a complaint to Vimeo. The videos have since been re-embedded from a different third-party host. Below is a screenshot of the email received by JWsurvey for one of the videos to prove that Watchtower does NOT want the above “spiritual food” to be viewed by all Witnesses.
Further reading…
Ok, now I see what happened here; I stopped watching it too soon(got disgusted)…….they STILL got it the wrong way! You don’t have to be an elder to know that this is NOT how to handle these kinds of situations. But what blows my mind, is that these “spiritually appointed” men DON’T know the difference between right and wrong. How can Christ Jesus look at this and give it his approval? It’s sickening.
I have felt suicidal recently also after trying to come back to the organization after some years. I just finished going thru cancer and my parents are stalking me, harassing me and suing me. I have suffered elder abuse and even though I studied and attended all meetings, for the past year, they still refuse to give me priveleges back. I even begged them, telling them that if I could be in service with the friends it would help me so much and would be my way of thanking Jehovah. One elder said “he got a NO from Jehovah” regarding me. I was appalled becos I thought the brothers were to confer together and decide! So I was sent away to be alone more , only knowing a few friends at this time. Oh, and one elder told me proudly that the best way to get to know the friends was to be out in field service, but all the while denying me to go out! I couldn’t even begin to imagine why he would even say that to me. I am sad, angry, shellshocked and crying for all of us that have been at the mercy of this evil cult!
aaarrrrggghhh. Ok, the older elder’s inane grin makes me mad. She is having business problems, problems with her home. . . .is anyone helping her? She is overwhelmed and lonely. I think scriptures are fine, and they gave her nice ones, but I don’t think that is exactly what the scripture means about taking care of widows. . . mooch some coffee and cookies? Seriously, she needed practical help and like too many elders, they overlook anything practical (likely because they are overwhelmed so much with their own lives (all the meetings, service, keeping their own families and businesses/work going + shepherding calls) that they have little time/energy to actually offer). Maybe a paid clergy that could actually help isn’t the worst thing in the world. Or brothers and sisters to actually help. I went to a church that was a little more practical in its assistance but did not ignore spiritual need. She needed more than a scripture and a rote prayer.
My favorite part is when the suicidal woman verbally reprimands herself for NOT setting out cookies for The Elders. ..Gee i wonder who wrote this video!
(>’ u~ ) wink*
May their tribe increase!
Michelle,
You are right, w12 8/15 p. 28 par. 13 says:
Daniel was also “a never-say-no elder,” as he puts it. He eagerly accepted every privilege that came his way. As part of his ministry, Daniel conducted five Bible studies with young men—three of whom got baptized. These newly baptized brothers needed considerable help. When Daniel was busy with his various theocratic assignments, Sarah often provided that help. Soon this pattern developed: Daniel’s former Bible students needed emotional support, and they received it from Sarah. She needed attention, and she got it from Daniel’s Bible students. A deadly trap had been set. “Months of my wife’s giving of herself drained her spiritually and emotionally,” says Daniel. “This, coupled with the fact that I had been neglecting her, led to a disastrous turn of events. My wife committed adultery with one of my former students. She had become spiritually weak right under my nose, and I was too concerned about all my privileges even to notice it.” How can you avoid such a tragedy?
I have just now sent to the BBC ‘Sunday’ programme, this e.mail. It contains a clip via. Craig Perry Stevens, of a leaked JW training vid. Hallo Rosie,
I have no idea whether a Jehovah’s Witness feature will appear on your ‘Sunday’ programme tomorrow.
I feel, however, that a media storm will break out sooner or later as the scandalous and hideous behaviour of the Jehovah’s WItness high command is being regularly exposed.
This is largely due to the efforts of some still in the organisation and vast numbers of us ex Jehovah’s Witnesses whose lives were in some way diminished or damaged by Watchtower abuses.
An example of the former, i.e. unease by a JW insider is the release of this secret training video for congregation Elders. This has been released by a worker at the US Bethel (the JW Vatican). It explains how a confessed ‘fonicator’ should be disciplined. Elders have no training in relationship or marriage guidance; indeed the whole oranisation despises and regularly berates the whole panoply of ‘worldly’ (i.e. Satanic) education. For Jehovah’s Witnesses, education is complete once the ability to read Watchtower literature and parrot its content on the doorstep has been achieved.
Here is the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbVk3vSwNPA&feature=youtu.be .
As I mentioned in a previous e.mail, my life was only tainted by the cult during childhood. I do not want other childhoods overshadowed with the terror of an imminent Armageddon. I certainly do not want to read of further deaths from the refusal of a blood transfusion, split families through the shunning of apostates or the institutional sheltering of paedophiles.
I believe that your programme could help make the public aware of what lies behind the polite and neatly dressed facade of this seemingly innocent collection of Christian enthusiasts.
Here again, some useful sources of information, and also contacts with recent ‘Elder’ experience: aawa.co http://www.jwfacts.com http://www.jwsurvey.org
Regards,
Rowland Nelken
I faded out from JW 40 years ago (did not want to hurt my dear JW mother, happily married with my never JW father) , but that was not enough , they had to disfellowship me and in my case the reason was “un-faith” ( direct quote from their statement in the Kingdom Hall ).
When I see the elder videos, I feel moved back to this event, the most traumatic in my life. Here they were, nice and kind and smiling men looking at me as if they were doctors and I was a patient with a dangerous but in their Eyes curable disease. In their minds they looked down on me, they were superior, they were closer to God. AND ( and this freaks me out) they had exactly the same s l o w manner of speaking and the same s l o w manner of gestures.
After the meeting, I was left alone with one of the men and then he told me that my mother could be banned from having Contact with me. That gave me the biggest blow I had ever experienced ( I had anticipated Another theological discusson to win me back to the “truth”) and I collapsed in tears. When I straighten myself , I looked this man firmly in his Eyes and asked him: “How can y o u decide such a thing” ( I said the Word “you” as slowly as could ). Then he said calmly , without hesitation: “It is not me, it is not me”.
He saw himself as an instrument. He just repeated what he had been trained to say. He was a robot. And when I see the same manners, the same condescending smiles, hear the same monotonous tone of voice from ALL the men in these films – then I feel a shudder in my spine. This is how manipulation works, this is how people are manipulated to abdicate from their own judgment.
PS. One detail strikes me as somewhat odd: it is when the older elder thanks Jehovah and looks up at the ceiling. I do not remember that kind direct Contact with the Master of Universe from my youth in the Kingdom Hall. Is it intended to give a humorous twist to the “happy end” or is this the way JW leaders nowadays communicate with their god?
PS: Thank you , John Cedars for sharing this. And special thanks to the Anonymous distributors from inside. For the first time in my life, I can show people in the real World what is it like inside the Tower. ( Sometimes, I feel it is hard to tell, because it seems so absurd )
Here is a psy analysis from an ex-JW friend of mines, imperfectly translated from French with Google:
If you like to uncrypt gestures that speak for us, here are a few ( the most egregious recorded on video ….)
LETT
Closed jacket , standing, ring on the auricular right.
– Clothes reveal the degree of an individual space . The amplitude of the garment betrays
contrast to a space shortage . Skimpy clothes reveal an inability to
free from stifling territory.
– Standing position : he gives the final blow . He is ready to attack , ready to face the enemy.
– Small right finger : Finger vanity , curiosity, indiscretion and careerism
in all its aspects . But it is also the finger of curiosity, and the the future of the
projection on the environment , dreams and projects that sometimes come true. adorned
a ring he reveals a more ambitious than the average person and sometimes people
as vain or pretentious and intrusive.
MORRIS .
Open jacket , seated , left hand on the right ring on right ring finger .
– Need to exchange .
– Do not like what is tiring, somewhat lazy .
– Sitting on one buttock : Fearful Attitude . Complexed individual with a sense inferiority
.
– Right Ring : Finger voluntary schemes , and the spine, the
determination to succeed , tenacity , perseverance , voluntarism , and inclination .
This betrays a ringed finger structure depressive personality , so a tenacity
perseverance disabled .
– Sit on the desk , he put his left hand on his right hand. It is in the emotional and
refuses to be dictated by structures of reasoning. He wants to please !
The president of the congregation with its commettee .
I only take this example, because it is a characteristic one. Both hands are flat (palms on the desk ) throughout the sequence.
– Hiding ostensibly his hands is a way of concealment, and a refusal to grant credit to its partners. Great concealer before the LORD … ” You will not know what I think” He is deeply rooted in this position.
Thank you google’s translation…..
Guy CHARLES
Ignorant and arrogant. Self-righteous.
When I was in the cult, I was told we were the ‘happiest people in the world.”
There must have been something dreadfully wrong with me, because I never felt the emotion of ‘happiness’ until I was driving away from the KH, or when my hour of so-called ‘field service’ was over. Relief was the emotion I felt most of all when I had walked away from the robotic repetition of WT propaganda.
So…if the congregation is supposed to be full of smiling, bright-eyed, wonderful Christian people, how come they have to advertise how to deal with a possible suicide?
Surely the hope of the new system should eradicate all those negative thoughts? Isn’t that what the WT says? Look forward to stroking lions and tigers very, very soon?
I suppose when the hope is just a pipe-dream and you realise you’ve been duped for most of your life, suicide is a real option for many people.
What puzzles me is that the Org need to advertise the fact that we need to deal with these type of people. If they truly were the happiest people on earth, why advertise the way to deal with possible suicides?
Isn’t that rather strange to others?
Here’s a link to ‘the happiest person on earth’. And not a word about JW! Strange!
http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/article/4915/matthieu-ricard-what-ive-learned/
Cedars,
A big thanks for posting these and a HUGE THANKS to the courageous elder that forwarded them to you.
BTW, you might want to read this article about the difference between estrangement and alienation:
http://divorcesupport.about.com/od/childrenanddivorce/qt/The-Difference-Between-Estrangement-And-Parental-Alienation-Syndrome.htm
The WTBTS’s policies alienate and destroy families and blame the person the disfellowship and expel.
Keep up the good work.
Markw1509, if you have a chance, look up about Abdul Sattar Edhi and Narayanan Krishnan.
One Pakistani Muslim and another Brahman Indian, who really understood a lot about what Jesus meant … And they also look quite happy.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On a separate note : I’m desperately looking for a Watchtower archive, namely the issue of 15 March 1990. Is there anyone who could help me ? Is there any kind of “archive” somewhere I could get it ?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My JW dad excitedly told me that the society now understands mental illness much better than they used to. Seeing this disturbing video proves that they don’t… They can’t even understand depression. The fact they don’t call professional help with suicidal claims is frightening. Who do they think they are being so reckless with lives?
And the video with the guy who had one night stand made me taste bile. The guy never once claimed responsibility for his actions in his confession. It was all this worldly woman’s fault. Did the elders ever find anything wrong in that? I stopped watching the video early, I can only take in so much ignorance at one time.
I usually just read the articles and the comments, but, after viewing these videos, I just became so incensed that I felt I needed to reply.
On several different forums, I have read posts from young “worldly” women who have made the fatal mistake of falling in love with a JW man. Generally, the relationship has led to intimacies, and, generally, the young woman has looked forward to the relationship progressing to marriage.
Sadly, these JWs, who know quite well that a sexual relationship with a worldly woman will not (if they are careful) result in any JC repercussions for them, so they use these women and then dump them in order to marry a “pure” JW sister.
I found myself wondering why those “esteemed” elders didn’t remind Robbie of his obligations to support his child in the future, even if he did not want to marry the young woman he used sexually for months. Nope…they just opined about the “manipulative worldly woman” who “seduced” him. And, of course, Mr. Stupid couldn’t be bothered to use protection? Everything was about the congregation, with no regard for the two lives this idiot had adversely affected–namely, his lover and his soon-to-be-born child.
And the suicide video? That one was pretty scary. That elder is thanking Jehovah when Mary goes off to get cookies, when her suddenly acting as if everything is hunky-dory and normal after being so depressed and suicidal just minutes before should have been a flashing warning sign that she quite likely had decided to pretend to be fine so that they would go away and let her carry out her plans.
How abysmally idiotic can this group GET?
As an ex-JW with a degree in counselling psychology and now working in the field, I have to say this “suicide prevention” video shocked me to the very core. What an incredibly ignorant and insentive way to treat such a situation. The minimalisation of the true extent of the situation and the presentation of “Jehovah’s way” as the solution is something I’ve seen too many times. I wont go on as like other commenters I found this hard to watch and wanted to scream obcenties at my laptop in protest of the delusionment of these guys and the organisation they belong to. I also echo the sentiments of everyone on here, these videos need to go viral, big style! It is frightening, truely frightening that this kind of “advice” is being dished out on a daily basis. It has to stop. My thanks to Cedars and his source, putting this out there must have really taken some guts and unimaginable courage. You are giving ex-JWs an invaluable gift, information and answers, and most of all validation of our experiences, thoughts and feelings and concerns. Thankyou!
The problem in the suicidal sister’s case is a simple one. This woman should have been in the kitchen from the start. That’ll truly solve her pathetic woes. She should make cookies and share them out to the congregation. Thank Jehovah we men can shepherd these ‘weaker vessels’ with practical wisdom found in the scriptures.
james: your video is Scientology propaganda, better rendered in English as “Psychiatry: industry of death.” There. Just so people know you’re pushing another cult on them.
@ Max – The Download Helper plug-in for the Firefox web browser is simple to install and very simple to use. It’s officially free but I always think it polite to Paypal the programmer a few dollars (as a gift so you pay the fees, not them) for their work.
As for these videos. Words fail me. They must go viral, the world needs to see how vile this organization is.
Well, Bettine, if you are following this one, how does your ‘By their fruits ye shall know them’ apply here? Are these crazy and dangerous vids. evidence that the the Gov. Bod. who commissioned them, are genuinely God’s exclusive earthly agent?
Does Jehovah really think counselling for the suicidal is best administered by ignorant amateurs? Is Jehovah keen that men should act irresponsibly towards their lovers and children?
When is the Gov. Bod’s contract with Jehovah up for renewal? After these vids it is clear that exclusive earthly representation of God should go out to tender!
“Aside from the ‘canned’ banality of both videos, I was struck by the subtle message reinforced by the WT producers of these films which is to always refer to the Society’s literature to determine how matters are to be handled..”
This is one of the problems Raymond Franz had with the GB, when he was on it. We always imagine them piously consulting scripture for every decision made. But that’s not the truth. They only ever consulted, “What have we said in the past…?”
First, I just want to say thank you, Ceders, for your wonderful job with this blog. I know it’s been said time and time again on this site by others, but there truly is a need for this information to be shared with the public, non-witnesses, ex-witnesses, and current witnesses alike. You have made many great contributions towards this goal, and it does not go unappreciated. Please continue your outstanding work here.
I have been waiting for the right article to come along to strike just the right chord to initiate my first comment. After watching both videos, I just couldn’t stop thinking about what I had seen. As a disassociated and shunned individual myself, I have a very personal disdain for the Watchtower Society, and the policies found therein. This religion claims love and mercy, but their practices tell a very different story. I was just 16 when I underwent my first judicial committee, being dragged in front of three men (and my mother since I was underage), to be asked very specific questions about my intimate relations with another teenager. Though an experience like that is traumatizing in itself, I realize now that the elders in my situation showed far more mercy towards me than the society expects of its so-called shepherds. If my case had been handled by the elders shown in the video, I have no doubt I would have been disfellowshipped right then.
I remember the countless times the elders would claim that disfellowshipping was only used as a very last resort, but this video shows otherwise. The elders relied on the way he answered questions and some assumptions of the man’s motives to deem that he wasn’t repentant. The impression given by the society is that those who have committed so called “serious sins” will first be helped to see their error in a loving way, and then given a chance to respond to the direction. Putting aside the fact that I’m personally an agnostic who has no qualms about the morality of premarital sex, I didn’t even see any provision for spiritual direction in this video, only judgement. You are right Ceders, the society does not want much mercy being shown in these situations. As I see more and more of what the GB are doing, I’m left with no choice but to believe that at least some of the members must be wicked, control-hungry men.
Back to a personal note, I was amused by the implication that the holy spirit could somehow guide the elders into revealing all the information of the case, and reaching a just verdict. Without going into any details, I’ll just say that I left out a huge chunk of information at my hearing, even deliberately deceiving the elders at some points, and not one of the elders ever seemed to second-guess my answers. The fact that the elders in the video were able to ascertain that a woman would not know she was pregnant 2 weeks after intercourse takes no miracle of God, it only takes a working internet connection and the ability to read.
:)
Thanks again Ceders!
As a former elder (and Bethel member) I feel the same way. When my wife and I were disfellowshipped, the
person responsible for betraying our trust and bringing our doubts to the attention of the judicial commitee did
commit suicide some months later, even after I had warned them about his instability. My chief reason for leaving (at the time) had to do with the blood issue. I couldn’t conscientiously enforce what I thought to be wrong.
Real therapists with degrees are undependable enough…amateurs are downright dangerous and these people have the cloak of religion to hide the damage done.
Just wait. These are the people that are going to run our lives once Armageddon finally comes!
Yes Chuck. Which is worse- the traditional ‘hell’ or ‘hell on earth’! I can just see a set of gallows placed at regular intervals in the ‘new world’, as a reminder for all paradise dwellers ‘to listen, obey and be blessed’!
Why did the entire Elder Body learn of Robby’s sin? The Catholic Church will listen to a confession on a one-on-one basis. Jehovah’s Witnesses are not good at keeping secrets from their wives, we had Elders on the body whose wife’s would badger them until they spilled their guts on “who” and “what” sins were confessed to. Elderettes withheld sex to gain confidential talk, is this what Jesus Christ would have done, John 7 and 8 show Jesus Christ’s willingness to forgive, he forgave a woman who the Jews wanted to kill.
The Watchtower is like the Scientologist, they desire to expose all your sins so they can throw them back in your face thirty years after you sinned like they did to me! I did commit fornication and they brought it up thirty years later on some B.S. judicial committee having nothing to do with this sin! These are the folks poor JWs are putting their trust in, as Mr. T. said, “I Pity the Fools!” because Jesus Christ is going to deny them and all their pseudo Good Works on Judgement Day!
They asked me more questions than they asked Robby, I can attest after coming forward they wanted to know every style of sexual act I did with all my girlfriends.
The video is dishonest, one thing not explained strong enough is everyone on the Elder Body knew what I did and this followed me from Kindom Hall to Kingdom Hall on my personal record. A sin that happened when I was 17 to 18 years old was following me in my late 40s!
These are men who claim they can help fix your broken spiritual heart, all they do is badger you in to telling them everything and than they go and share your sins with all the elderbody and all the women who withhold sex until they know everything about everyone in the Kingdom Hall. We had Elders who could not wait to share what happened on a Judicial Committee with their Elderette wife!
I think JJ can attest to a brother we both know whose wife knew everything, all the juicy gossip and all dirt on everyone this lame ass Secretary Elder shared with his wife!
What makes me sick is that the accused poor young man despite his tears was looked down because he did not mention Jehovah among those who will be SADDENED… and this was a SIGN OF LACK OF REPENTANCE according to the judicial committee…
Who is that Jehovah saddened by a guy committing fornication?
Here you are, he is planning rape…
(2 Samuel 12:11, 12) . . .This is what Jehovah has said, ‘Here I am raising up against you calamity out of your own house; and I will take your wives under your own eyes and give them to your fellowman, and he will certainly lie down with your wives under the eyes of this sun. 12 Whereas you yourself acted in secret, I, for my part, shall do this thing in front of all Israel and in front of the sun.’. . .
There is need of a Judicial Committee for Jehovah, too. This god must be INSANE.
The thing that is most refreshing about these English videos is that an elder with access has given them to you Cedars. This just highlights the dissent among JWs still in the organisation and how far it goes.
I, like many, am nauseous when watching, it reminds me of my ordeal. But I did pick up on the same point as you Cedars where the elder excused himself from being on the JC as he could not be harsh sorry I mean “objective”. This just goes to show, they are telling elders to pursue a negative outcome and Df ones as they cannot be repentant even if they confess.
I am sure many have been DF’d unjustly because of this instruction, They want the rank and file to believe Dfing is the last resort, but it’s not it’s the first solution.
As far as shepherding the widow, things are a lot clearer to me now. I knew a grieving widow, who just needed love, care, time and compassion. She was given brief scriptures here and there and felt left alone by the elders.
Thanks to your source for helping us see why so many elders behave in a harsh manner.
Kate xx
Thanks for this
The suicide direction video especially infuriates me. The poor woman is obviously pouring her heart out. They think that you can just get over it by clinging to a belief that you will be re-united again. The process of loss, denial, anger,bargaining,depression and finally acceptance. Some people skip depression as in the deep dark cloud that you can’t shift, but some can’t. Depression is a horrible illness and these men are not qualified to treat it. I am angry that she is not directed to a trained psychologist/psychiatrist, speak to her gp to put her on the path of help. If it was physical, like a heart attack or she came out in a rash that was purple, they would take her to hospital surely, or would they sit and try and read from scripture to make her heart attack or rash disappear. Mental illness although unseen is just as important in getting treated by the proper people as physical ailments. These people who are trained, have studied in great lengths mental health theorists such as Erikson, Piaget, Freud and others. They have a wide experience of dealing with the illness and helping people overcome it. They also need their own supervision in helping these people so as not to burden themselves. These people care, like any other normal empathic person in the care sector. Still furious that the gb direction is to direct to the scriptures and not to professionals.
Everyone needs to download these so there are numerous backups. It’s leaked, it’s out, and it’s propaganda like this that could end up shutting down this organisation, or at the very least save more from it.
But my sentiments after watching little pieces of the videos (as I couldn’t stomach much) were: “what the hell did I just watch?!”
Ridiculous.
Totally understand where you are coming from. I got absolutely grilled by my JC. Half the time I was thinking “why the hell do you need to know the answer to that?” Seemed like they were getting their kicks from what I’d done. And with regard to stuff following you around it’s amazing that at my JC they showed me “do not fornicate” scriptures rather than Jehovah has forgiven you scriptures. “Crimson becomes as snow”, “your error is as far away as the sunrise to sunset”. I’d hardly say that is the case if your escapades and mistakes follow you from hall to hall.
They wanted to know why I had avoided going to see them about my error. I told them that A) I didn’t want to upset my already fragile family and B) that I firmly believed that God had already forgiven me. Needless to say they weren’t impressed.
Vagabonds!
I have shared this on Facebook, sent it to the BBC ‘Sunday’ Programme and also to the comments section of the Essex Chronicle following the UK WT plans to move their HQ to Chelmsford. This genie is out of the bottle and the JW Vatican won’t be able to put it back!
Remember those who publish here are only apostates and they dont know what was the real use of video it self but Salty idea they give!!
Please, Jovin Kaluna, explain the ‘real use of the video’ and how it differs from any ‘salty ideas’.
Without an explanation your comment makes no sense whatever.
I can now see how my wife was cruelly treated by three stupid elders. My wife spent something like 3 hours with them and when it was my time to be questioned, it was beyond imagination.
One elders started telling me “Your wife told us that…”!
I immediately told them “Was she serious? How can someone’s wife tell 3 men like all those private lives of a couple?”
They were expecting me to be like my wife and get “emotionally raped” and it took me less than 5 minutes to tell them that I had FINALLY understood all about the cult. “Killing people psychologically and rule over them”!
I was shocked when they started telling stories about Oral and anal sex, pretending my wife had told them things like that about our private life. I do not know they were lying or if my wife had told them such thing I know I had not done. We were both disfellowshiped, may be because I had cried during my trial.
I was emotionally killed and felt my wife had betrayed me! She was now their ambassador, invading my family trough her and now I can see how they had gained her. She had no more her private life, sold as a captive to 3 stupid elders who in turn, sold her to many people late!
We expected help, with soft voices from elders in the beginning, but the trial ended in agony, the family totally destroyed!!
I can see now what had happened!!!
jovin kajuna,
“the real use of video” is to train Elders on how to hide their secret manual (ks10)! Admire how the robots hide it! why don’t they hide the bible, too?
I have the copy of the book, I can’t help laughing whenever I see them hiding that rubbish!
Hi Jovin Kajuna, you started making a comment on this, are you planning to proceed with what you started ?
I also would like to know about what you have in mind regarding the use of this material.
I guess there are still lots of copies in circulation. What do they hope to achieve, (other than making themselves looking stupid and creating a cover up) by making you take down the videos?
Shouldn’t they be concentrating on righting some wrongs, such as writing another secret letter to Elders explaining the two witness ruling is wrong or perhaps making a public apology to all those who have suffered child abuse? No, too busy taking down the evidence and burning the files.
Perhaps the cynical part of me was saying that the reason it was leaked was because WT, was wanting it to be. But now that they have ordered a take down, I can now put this doubt to rest. The fact that this managed to get into your hands in the first place is telling as to the condition the organisation is in, and the type of relationship they are having with their members. I think there is something very nasty brewing underneath that is slowly rotting from the inside out. I’m guessing time will tell. Once again Ceders good work.
BTW sorry I forgot to add. Shame on you Watchtower for looking at Apostate sites.