A Russian court has ruled that JW.org should be banned throughout the Federation
A Russian court has ruled that JW.org should be banned throughout the Federation

JW.org has issued a press release warning that it is due to be banned in Russia if Watchtower is unsuccessful in appealing a Russian court’s decision against the website.

According to the report, the decision dates back to August 7, 2013 when the Tsentralniy District Court (100 miles north of Moscow) ruled that the website should be banned throughout the Russian Federation.

An appeal against this decision is scheduled for today, January 22, 2014. If Watchtower fails, promoting their website will become a criminal act in the country.

JW.org is already banned in mainland China.

***UPDATE – since this article was published, JWsurvey has learned that the ban was overturned on appeal. Click here for more details (Russian news article).***

The news comes only days after a Russian newspaper reported that a court in the country had declared several Watchtower brochures “extremist.”

According to the report, “the prosecutor’s office said that analyses by linguistic experts had concluded that the brochures contained propaganda that promoted the superiority of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and denigrated other faiths as false.”

Those like myself who believe Watchtower publications are strewn with propaganda will welcome such findings. However, the labelling of the organization as “extremist” would be far more credible coming from a country whose government is not itself considered extremist by many people due to its perceived corruption and lack of democratic transparency.

Sadly, it seems it takes an extremist to spot an extremist.

A dubious press release

The JW.org press release, apparently designed to draw attention to the website’s impending censorship and stir up opinion against it, enlists the support of a Russian academic in hailing JW.org as a “gift.”

“Commenting on the website, Yekaterina Elbakyan, Doctor of Philosophy and expert in religious studies who serves as a professor at the Academy of Labor and Social Relations in Moscow, says that jw.org is ‘a gift for anybody who is engaged in religious research. It provides comprehensive and understandable material. Significant spiritual and moral issues are presented in a simple way. When you use the website, you feel like you are being openly welcomed into the home of Jehovah’s Witnesses.'”

Ekaterina Elbakyan has proved to be generous with her endorsements
Ekaterina Elbakyan has proved to be generous with her endorsements

And so, it would seem, a neutral academic and expert on religion has given JW.org her glowing endorsement. But wait, who is Yekaterina Elbakyan? And what other organizations has she been willing to endorse in the recent past?

After a brief search on Google, we find the same “academic” lavishing similar praise on the Church of Scientology, as quoted in the book Ordinary Anti-Cultism by Sergey Ivanenko (Ivanenko being another Russian “scholar” with an inexplicable urge to support cults in Russia for motives best known to himself).

ekaterina-elbakyan-scientolAnd so, in trying to position itself as a legitimate religion worthy of respect, it seems Watchtower is all too willing to run under the same protective umbrella as the Church of Scientology with its blatant quackery and charlatanry.

Whether Dr Elbakyan is motivated by truth or her bank balance in defending cults like Watchtower and Scientology seemingly on demand is a question best answered by her (or her accountant), but she is clearly not an authority to be trusted when appraising the merits of a religion if she is so unscrupulous in throwing around her endorsements.

A “trusted information source?”

As expected, the JW.org press release also features endorsements from Watchtower representatives, who can hardly be considered unbiased.

Speaking at the end of the article, Watchtower’s PR kingpin J.R. Brown has this to say…

“The jw.org website is valued both as a research tool and as a trusted information source for families all over the world. It is so valued that an average of 900,000 people visit the site every day to access positive information available in some 600 languages. Censoring this material is clearly unwarranted.”

Nobody would question whether families of Jehovah’s Witnesses trust the information on JW.org, but whether they are right to do so is another matter entirely.

This website has already exposed a number of misleading statements in the FAQs section of JW.org that paint a picture of the organization that is unrecognizable from reality. As just one example, JW.org’s answer to the question “Do You Feel That You Are The Only People Who Will Be Saved?” begins with the word “No!”

In making his statement, Brown continues his unenviable task of spinning Watchtower to the world’s media as a benign and even beneficial religion when it is anything but.

To see another demonstration of Brown’s impressive ability to spin the organization in a way that is media-friendly, you may find the following video enlightening.

Scrutiny, not censorship

I can’t deny having some sense of relief that a website that lies so blatantly about its practices and manipulates children might suddenly become unavailable to the good people of Russia. Heaven knows many Russians have enough on their plates without being hoodwinked into joining a harmful self-centered cult that ruins so many families, my own included.

But this relief is tinged with a sense of foreboding. I am a believer in the free internet, and any talk of censorship no matter how justified does not sit well with me.

It would be much better if governments could zero in on material that incites hatred and trespasses the Universal Declaration of Human Rights rather than introducing blanket bans on entire websites or the activities of religious organizations. To censor in this way only stirs the persecution complex among cults, and stokes belief among cult followers that Satan’s system is against them and the end of the world must be imminent.

If a certain article or FAQ page is found to contain false or misleading information, of which there are ample examples on JW.org, why not impose penalties or pursue legal avenues aimed at getting the specific material removed or corrected? Censoring an entire website on the assumption that ALL material is false seems draconian and heavy-handed, and threatens free speech for all.

That said, it would be nice if Western governments could pay such close attention to what Watchtower is saying and doing. The likes of Russia and China have their own not-so-noble motives for clamping down on the organization and snuffing out any perceived threat to locally entrenched religious or political authority.

The day when fair and proportionate action is taken against Watchtower by a democratic nation motivated by genuine concern for the welfare of its citizens and the upholding of human rights will be a day worth celebrating, but it is not upon us yet.

 

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Further reading…

221 thoughts on “Russia threatens ban of JW.org – but is it something to celebrate?

  • January 23, 2014 at 7:32 am
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    Reply Jenice weg
    It is very interesting to see that JW wining in many court battles. But I have a question for You. What the Bible is talking about who is the ruler of this world? What I learned, it says it is Satan. So when you reading Bible where can You see that Christian congregation are legal winners. Christians in early centuries was going through hell, not through legal victories. Read the Bible maybe You learn something.

    • January 23, 2014 at 7:42 am
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      Jenice Weg will probably be like all the other JW apologists and supporters who write on this site. Faced with questions she will disappear. No one can justify or defend the unjustifiable and indefensible. No one can point to any truth in JW TRUTH.

  • January 23, 2014 at 7:54 am
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    Many peoples have victories in legal battles through history of mankind, that does not mean that they are or were blessed from God or not for that matter, or that they are the only true religion (or not). Even if those victories are a benefit for mankind, like more freedom, freedom of speech, human rights, and so on…
    My point is… You JW are not the only Holy Cows on this World.

  • January 23, 2014 at 7:58 am
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    Hi Rowland, let me give an answer in a nutshell now, but I promise I’ll give a more detailed answer as soon as I have some quiet moment to put together.

    In a nutshell, because I’m in agreement with a number of fundamental points, not all of them, but with a number of key points. Also, despite all the proven negative aspects, I see very sincere JW’s too. I can’t dismiss it all with a single trait.

    But even this small explanation would raise questions. Just to address one of them : No, I am not hoping that millions will become bird food and I also don’t think non-JW’s are doomed. But there will be an end, if the whole idea of Armagueddon is simply false, then it’ll happen with the hands of very human beings who are egoistic, cruel and dumb enough to destroy this planet and eachother. I have no idea if it can happen now or in 200 years, or more, but it’ll happen. Rowland, your life and mine are in the hands of a small number of powerful people who don’t care what overcomes to you and I … Also, there are billions of people living in misery, who don’t care if fire falls down on our heads tomorrow. I don’t get it from the Bible, I just look around … Of course we find the claims of a nearing end offensive in our relative comfort, not some folks dying from hunger … How much do you like this life ? How free we really are ? So I see more meaning in a message of hope than anything I see in this world. If this message of hope is nonsense, then everyone thinks about the age they prefer to die ? What is your answer ? Before the Bible, you can check your instinct. When would you like to die ?

    This really requires some further explanations, so please let me come back and write about it, for you and anyone who care reading about it. There isn’t JW’s versus Non-JW’s, black vs white – please consider my comment as such. I’ll write more as soon as I can.

    • January 23, 2014 at 8:06 am
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      Ok, so, like thousands down the ages you are an apocalyptic doomster. Doom mongers have littered human history since at least the time of Zoroaster. They have all been wrong, and down the ages, human life has improved no end. Of course problems remain, but doomster sects and individuals are no help whatever. They are a total hindrance.

      Why, JB, if you do not agree with the basic JW precept, that God will soon murder all non JWs at Armageddon, do you have anything whatever to do with them? You appear to be an equally misguided, albeit freelance doomster.

      For the JWs, you are bird food. Yes, as a kid I remember some decent JWs at the local Kingdom Hall, tragic individuals who had been beguiled by this monstrous money grabbing cult. Why do you want to be of their number when, whatever their outward show, if they are sincere JWs, they look forward to your imminent divine murder?

      Thanks for attempting an answer. I hope you recover from your tragic delusions.

  • January 23, 2014 at 8:06 am
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    If you JW, are blessed from God in this legal battle or any other in past or in future, why do you think that God did not blessed other peoples on this world for theirs legal victories. If he blessed them, then you are not the only people on this world on which God is looking with interest and love. You are self-centered, and that is not fruit of the spirit.

  • January 23, 2014 at 9:09 am
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    Rowland, you’ve got a point about the doomster thing :-) But let me come back and explain further later on. Also, when I was writing those things, I know many people are hurt by JW “rules” and I would like to make sure to make it clear, I don’t support these rules. I have no intention to insult anyone by my comments. It’s a whole different thing I have in mind and I’ll explain about it.

  • January 23, 2014 at 9:09 am
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    “This man John Cedars has been on the inside and knows what is true or false. And lastly the first giveaway to your arrogance and unintelligence is your “Ad Hominem” tactics which are clearly displayed in your comments. You see if Mother ship says you can only read what we say then guess what You are involved in a brainwashing cult. Peace to all!”

    John Cedars like Judas Iscariot was a man on the inside …. thus your contention means zero; never believe a blind fool.

    • January 23, 2014 at 9:19 am
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      Please explain yourself clearly. Is ‘The Bible is Right Again’ some sort of ironic moniker?

    • January 23, 2014 at 10:14 am
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      “Judas Iscariot?” Brilliant. I don’t think I’ve been called that one yet. Thanks!

  • January 23, 2014 at 9:20 am
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    “Ok, so, like thousands down the ages you are an apocalyptic doomster. Doom mongers have littered human history since at least the time of Zoroaster. They have all been wrong, and down the ages, human life has improved no end. Of course problems remain, but doomster sects and individuals are no help whatever. They are a total hindrance.”

    When warned a fool will put his hand in the fire. Noah and Lot (Genesis) followed the warnings. And we await Jesus’ warnings!

    • January 23, 2014 at 9:31 am
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      Jesus predicted some End Times goings on within the lifetime of the apostles- ditto St. Paul. The Noah’s flood myth is as disgusting as the JW Armageddon one.

      The Bible will be wrong again! (Or did Armageddon occur in 1914? Was Harold Camping right? Maybe St. Augustine of Hippo’s End of World Date (1658) was the correct one).

      Rapture anyone?

    • January 23, 2014 at 12:16 pm
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      The Bible is right again,
      Aren’t you ashamed about mentioning Noah and Lot (Genesis)!! I can now see who you are…

      1) Noah, it is a long story

      (Genesis 9:20-22) . . .Now Noah started off as a farmer and proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 And he began drinking of the wine and became intoxicated, and so he uncovered himself in the midst of his tent. 22 Later Ham the father of Ca′naan saw his father’s nakedness and went telling it to his two brothers outside. . .

      2) Lot, another long story
      (Genesis 19:30-32) . . .he began dwelling in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn proceeded to say to the younger woman: “Our father is old and there is not a man in the land to have relations with us according to the way of the whole earth. 32 Come, let us give our father wine to drink and let us lie down with him and preserve offspring from our father. . .

      They needed more warnings!!

  • January 23, 2014 at 9:34 am
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    I see from your response – that you are suffering. Try and understand that all your errors can be reversed by turning back to Jesus and his Father. Put your course behind you and you will return to the true path.

  • January 23, 2014 at 10:00 am
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    Err, the only errors I can see here is when someone comes along saying that someone else has an error and that by turning to their god they will be sorted.

    I feel very sorry for you. I hope you do not spend the rest of your life trying to please your god who threatens to destroy you unless you conform.

    Life is joyful.

    • January 23, 2014 at 1:27 pm
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      “I feel very sorry for you. I hope you do not spend the rest of your life trying to please your god who threatens to destroy you unless you conform.”

      As you know God is “Love” – thus anyone that accepts Jesus and his Father will be saved. All those against God make that decision. Most ignore God because they do not want to come under his laws. Thus you have the choice …. accept Jesus and start doing what Jesus preached.

  • January 23, 2014 at 10:01 am
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    Recently in the “States” a man was up to his neck in 3 foot of water having fallen over !!!!

    He argued that their was no Great Flood because the Planet Earth is presently ‘only’ 70% flooded ……. and YOU contend ….
    “The Noah’s flood myth is as disgusting as the JW Armageddon one.”

    Read a few chapters of Gensis as from Chapter 6 and see what Captain Noah recorded in his log book.

  • January 23, 2014 at 10:10 am
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    The Bible is right again

    You are making no sense. If you are trying to convince with rational arguments or indeed irrational arguments you are failing.

  • January 23, 2014 at 10:11 am
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    You can tell he is suffering from just his posts? Wow! Impressive. Thank you for expressing your superiority in such a passive-aggressive way!

  • January 23, 2014 at 10:16 am
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    hmmm
    who is suffering?

  • January 23, 2014 at 11:08 am
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    Genesis 1:1-3 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
    2  Now the earth was formless and desolate,* and there was darkness upon the surface of the watery deep, and God’s active force was moving about over the surface of the waters.”
    Genesis 1:27 ” And God went on to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.”

    Psalm 83:18 “May people Know that you, whose name is Jehovah, you alone the Most High over all the earth.”

    Psalm 100:3 “Know that Jehovah is God. He is the one who made us, and we belong to him.”

    Isaiah 42:8 “I am Jehovah. That is my name; I give my glory to no one else, nor my praise to graven images.”

    Roman 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”

    JW, not a man made religion.

  • January 23, 2014 at 11:46 am
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    You all apostates get a life! In the end we will find out whos right and whos wrong. If you dont want to believe JWs are the truth religion, THATS FINE! YOU DONT HAVE TO! Move on with your life and leave them alone!

    • January 23, 2014 at 11:52 am
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      Apostates aren’t free to leave Jehovah’s Witnesses and “move on” with their lives. They are punished for leaving by having their family members weaponized against them in the most sadistic fashion through shunning and horrendously disparaging propaganda.

      Just to clarify, this website is about Jehovah’s Witnesses. Did you have a more benign religion in mind, where people CAN leave without ramifications?

  • January 23, 2014 at 11:56 am
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    Jenice weg

    Do you really think quoting a load of words from a book is going to make people quake in their boots and start wanting to be loved by the god you have chosen? Any intelligent person will just say, does this person need help?

    I feel sorry for you, that you believe this stuff.

    You must be causing a ripple Cedars for Jenice weg, to just hit and run with quotes from an old book. It would be much better if Jenice weg were able to think and made the connection with all the contradictions. Oh well, Jenice weg choice to be told what to think.

  • January 23, 2014 at 12:06 pm
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    LRM,

    I am so glad you have said in the end we will know who is right and who is wrong. When my brother was 4 (he is now 56) my mother said he never go to school caused the end was coming. 30 years ago I realised how many contradictions and lies JW’s are sold. Sadly my sister and brother carried on buying into the lies. My sister is now dead, so is her husband. My brother is very ill. Many of their children have auto-immune illnesses that have been directly linked to cognitive dissonance and the suppression of emotions. Find out how many in your congregation have such illnesses.
    Its only me thats had a good life because I educated myself and got out.
    I did get a life, sadly the ones that are still JW’s have not been permitted to “get a life”.

  • January 23, 2014 at 12:27 pm
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    The Bible is right again,
    Yes it is right again! See what happens when Jehovah is a Judge:

    (2 Samuel 12:11, 12) . . .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.’”

    (2 Samuel 16:22) . . .Accordingly they pitched a tent for Ab′sa·lom upon the roof, and Ab′sa·lom began to have relations with the concubines of his father under the eyes of all Israel.

    (2 Samuel 20:3) . . .Eventually David came to his house at Jerusalem. Then the king took the ten women, the concubines whom he had left behind to take care of the house, and he put them in a house of confinement, but he kept on supplying food to them. And with them he did not have any relations, but they continued shut up closely until the day of their dying, in a widowhood with a living [husband]. . .

  • January 23, 2014 at 12:31 pm
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    Russia should find disgusting websites to ban than disturbing the only
    religious group who actually is doing the work Christ Jesus left behind. In fact porn sites, witch craft sites and a lot more of these crazy sites which gives no benefit to views should be looked at and banned not J.W website which only talks of bible articles and better social life. Cedars you know nothing of Jehovah’s Witnesses so please just report and keep your pointless editing to your self. Do you know how negative life styles of people have changed through J.W sites? Any good christian will embrace what is the truth of a fine bible articles pasted on J.W sites, take time and visit it, read with a searching heart and perhaps you will learn some thing.

    • January 23, 2014 at 12:37 pm
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      Steve, your reading skills could do with a bit of improvement. If you were to read my article to the end, you would see that I’m not calling for JW.org to be banned.

      I’m sorry you believe the Governing Body are the only ones who are allowed to have an opinion about Jehovah’s Witnesses. I have to say, I don’t share that view and won’t be told to pipe down by anyone. The sooner you deal with that, the better.

  • January 23, 2014 at 12:33 pm
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    The Bible is right again,
    Read a few chapters of Gensis as from Chapter 6 …

    Jehovah’s children LEFT HIM (Escaped) and came on earth and raped beautiful women, made children with them and Jehovah killed ruthlessly his grand children! Am I right?

  • January 23, 2014 at 12:37 pm
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    Steve,
    Have these ones changed?
    *** w86 1/1 p. 13 par. 12 Days Like “the Days of Noah” ***
    Shocking as it is, even some who have been prominent in Jehovah’s organization have succumbed to immoral practices, including homosexuality, wife swapping, and child molesting. It is to be noted, also, that during the past year, 36,638 individuals had to be disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation, the greater number of them for practicing immorality.

  • January 23, 2014 at 12:41 pm
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    Steve,
    You seem very angry and scared. Is this really how your god wants you to be?
    As for JW sites – let people decide for themselves what is right and wrong through reasoning for themselves. Telling people what they should do and condemning someone is not really very loving is it?

  • January 23, 2014 at 12:56 pm
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    LRM,
    what are you saying, who is right, who is wrong?
    I am afraid the answer is somewhere in California, USA if not mistaken. Russell’s TOMB.
    It is full of his bones though the 1st resurrection started shortly ofter 1914 and your founder died in 1916.
    At least, the Tomb of Jesus was empty!!!!!
    *** my story 102 Jesus Is Alive ***
    Do you know what happened to Jesus’ body? God caused it to disappear. God did not raise Jesus to life in the fleshly body in which he died. He gave Jesus a new spirit body, as the angels in heaven have. But to show his disciples he is alive, Jesus can take on a body that people can see, as we will learn.

    The answer is there, in that TOMB (Russell’s)!!!

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:10 pm
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    The bible is right again, “turning back to Jesus and his Father”. What about his mother, I mean, Asherah, Jehovah’s wife (See w08 6/1 p. 10)!!
    YAHWEH + ASHERAH = JESUS (in Heaven)
    YAHWEH + MARY = JESUS (on Earth)

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:17 pm
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    Why are you picking on Captain Noah because he had a bit too much to drink one night? Plus, Lot did no wrong! It is strange that you pick on these two men of old … who followed the instructions of their God when it mattered.

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:26 pm
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    Moramo se boriti da Rusija ima vjerske slobode . Da Rusi imaju osnovno ljudsko pravo da sami izaberu u što će vjerovati i da budu poštovani od bližnjih za svoj izbor da postanu Jehovini svjedoci . Ali kad ostave vjeru Jehovinih svjedoka treba da prihvate ti isti Rusi ponižavanje i okretanje glave od strane svojih najmilijih porodice i svojih prijatelja koji su ostali biti Jehovini svjedoci . Jehovini svjedoci moraju imati pravo da svojim učenjima i ponašanjem maltretiraju ljude . A njih ne smije niko maltretirati . Od svijeta traže da imaju razumjevanje za njihov vjerski izbor i slobodu a svoje bivse članove kažnjavaju za svoj izbor i slobodu . Kako ? preko svojih najmilijih koji su ostali u Jehovinim svjedocima . To su opaki ljudi . Vi nas morate razumjeti a mi vas ne moramo . 15 godina i vise jehovini svjedoci u porodici okrecu glavu jedni od drugih i Rusi trebaju to da razumiju . Da takvo ucenje dozvole u svojoj majci Rusiji . Nikad . Jehovini svjedoci Rusi ce imati i vecih problema od ovih kada ih Rusi detaljnije budu proucavali .

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:28 pm
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    So you’d get drunk and have sex with your daughters?

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:32 pm
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    “You are making no sense. If you are trying to convince with rational arguments or indeed irrational arguments you are failing.”

    The Bible warns that Satan has blinded many … THUS you have taken the wrong path being led by a blind man …. READ the first chapter of the Bible and see that God is our Creator.

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:41 pm
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    The Bible is right again

    Now come on, I can categorically let you know I have not followed a blind man, woman or dog.

    Do you really think a rational person would say the kind of things you keep saying? BTW you have not answered JoBass question
    So you’d get drunk and have sex with your daughters?

    Surely your god would want you to make sense and to not just spout ridiculous sentences. Think about what you are saying. Is it loving, respectful, kind or even reasonable. I do not think so.

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:43 pm
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    “Apostates aren’t free to leave Jehovah’s Witnesses and “move on” with their lives. They are punished for leaving by having their family members weaponized against them in the most sadistic fashion through shunning and horrendously disparaging propaganda.”

    You are not putting the full truth forward. My understanding is that there is a great difference between an Apostate and a person who suddenly decides he does not want to follow a set of believes. If it is correct that YOU deem you are an Apostate it means that you have made the decision to be in oposition to the God of that particular religion and that you wish to go to war against THAT God.

    Otherwise – you would just go about your business and get on with your life. But remember the Bible tells of many that have fought against their God and returned to him; Thus do not give up on God!

    • January 23, 2014 at 2:04 pm
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      Oh dear – we have, it seems, at least three apologists for that global publishing and property corporation who are flailing around trying to convince themselves (for they convince nobody else) that spending their lives augmenting the capital value of said WT corporation will win them eternity in a Paradise Earth.

      None has made a case for the existence of a God. None has made the case for the Bible being anything more than a man made book. None has made the case for the JW bosses being the Bible God’s exclusive earthly reps.

      There have been accusations that Cedars and others know nothing of JWs. I was ensnared in the outfit as a child and Cedars served as an elder. It is because we know the destructive ways of your cult that we campaign to make the public aware of its dangers.

      How can anyone believe in an outfit whose track record over 135 years is a series of duff prophecies, doctrinal flip flops on, amongst other issues, blood transfusion and Christmas celebrations, a series of unnecessary deaths through murderous diktats on blood, broken families through shunning, wasted lives through the sneering at education and nightmares on account of the Armageddon fantasy.

      Merely posting afew disconnected Bible quotes, Kingdom Hall style or failing to read Cedars article before making comments, as the JW apologists are doing, is rendering a great service to the campaign to utterly reform JWdom.

      Please – JWs- stop protecting pedophiles with your 2 witness rule – bin all that silly Armageddon stuff – stop demanding that family members be shunned should they conclude that the Gov. Bod. are not God’s appointed and thus do not want to push the WT mags any more – stop dictating murderous nonsense about blood transfusion and stop sneering at education once the ability to read and parrot JW lit. has been acquired.

      If you really want to continue imagining that your little spinoff Adventist sect, your latterday Protestant denomination, your insignificant little corner of Christendom, is God’s only church, nobody, in a democracy, should stop you.

      By all means gather in your dreary little buildings to listen to boring talks peppered with a blizzard of disconnected Bible quotes and wear your cheap neat suits as you sing some of the least inspiring songs in Christendom.

      If you want to spend your spare cash on miserable little mags and try and plug them door to door in your spare time – feel free. Keep publishing your website, in Russia and elsewhere – but if you want to be left alone by campaigns to expose your horrors – then stop being so horrible!

    • January 23, 2014 at 2:06 pm
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      I’ve indulged you so far, but I draw the line at people who use this site to twist the facts and purposely mislead people.

      You say…

      ” My understanding is that there is a great difference between an Apostate and a person who suddenly decides he does not want to follow a set of believes.”

      There is no “great difference.” I know education isn’t a given among JWs, but please find a dictionary and look up what “apostate” means. You will find it refers precisely to one who abandons their former religious beliefs.

      “If it is correct that YOU deem you are an Apostate it means that you have made the decision to be in oposition to the God of that particular religion and that you wish to go to war against THAT God.”

      I am not in opposition to Jehovah for two main reasons: (1) I doubt the existence of a caring God, so by default I cannot be in opposition to someone of whose existence I am doubtful, and (2) even if God were proven to exist, there is absolutely zero evidence linking the God of the Bible with the Watch Tower Society. It therefore cannot be said that to leave Watchtower is to leave Jehovah, unless you believe Watchtower and Jehovah are synonymous?

      “Otherwise – you would just go about your business and get on with your life.”

      I do get on with my life, but my life now involves helping indoctrinated people like you wake up from a harmful cult. And I will NOT have it said by you or anyone that Jehovah’s Witnesses are free to leave because it simply isn’t true, as evidenced by the fact that a considerable portion of my family is now shunning me for renaging on a pledge I made when I was only 11 based on incomplete information.

      If people could disassociate themselves without being shunned by family you would have a point, but until that change is introduced you are lying to say otherwise, which is why I must temporarily suspend you from commenting on JWsurvey.

      Once you are ready to contribute meaningfully to the discussion by not lying to people, please let me know and I will let you back on.

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:48 pm
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    “You must be causing a ripple Cedars for Jenice weg, to just hit and run with quotes from an old book.”

    THAT is the difference …. The Bible cuts your arguments down … thus you cannot accept the truth. It seems that you are not against any particular religion or idea about the truth … But I think you are searching for the truth! Look into a mirror and see the wonderful creation of God.

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:55 pm
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    When i became a JW, I left off from being a Catholic.

    Was I shunned by JWs for my “apostacy”? No.
    Was I shunned by ANYONE? No.

    When I left being a JW (disassociated… i committed NO sin and did nothing wrong, even tho the announcement from the podium to the congregation is IDENTICAL to a disfeelwship one), did I get shunned? You bet your sweet Aunt Bippy I did.

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:57 pm
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    Cult vs religion definition:

    Question: “What’s the difference between a cult. . . and my church, my service club, or, say, Alcoholics Anonymous?”

    There are lots of differences, but the major difference is that of ultimate goal. Established religions and altruistic movements are focused outward–they attempt to better the lives of members and often, nonmembers. They make altruistic contributions. Cults serve their own purposes, which are the purposes of the cult leader; their energies are focused inward rather than outward (Singer, 1995). Also, religions and altruistic movements typically lack the distinguishing characteristics of overbearing authoritarian control, the use of deception in recruitment, the use of coercive influence techniques, and the replacement of one identity with another which would not have been freely chosen by the individual before joining the group (Hassan, 1990).

    taken from:
    http://www.workingpsychology.com/cult.html

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:58 pm
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    “Jehovah’s children LEFT HIM (Escaped) and came on earth and raped beautiful women, made children with them and Jehovah killed ruthlessly his grand children! Am I right?”

    I see you have read the script of the new film …. Noah – coming out this year!

    You are missing the main point THAT God is the Creator and that he must pursue love and justice. As you say some of God’s angels went against his instructions and came to our Earth ….. THUS from this action of going against the Creator they brought evil to our planet. But Noah was upright and was used to save mankind.

    You are the only person to be on these evil angels side – that I know. It has now been put in black and white.

  • January 23, 2014 at 1:58 pm
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    The Bible is right again
    You clearly are not able to think for yourself. You are still spouting what you have been told you should believe or you will be destroyed. That is not truth that is a mind control game that is played in an attempt to keep people from thinking for themselves.
    I would not want to be a part of a group that has to use scare tactics to get members.
    You have avoided the questions put to you.

  • January 23, 2014 at 2:06 pm
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    “BTW you have not answered JoBass question …”

    When one goes to the cess pits and twists the truth …the question is not a question but a sign of the questioner’s poor state of mind.

  • January 23, 2014 at 2:13 pm
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    A cult is any religion or organisation that has control over you. This is exactly what JWs are. And as Cedars pointed out, JWs are hardly worldwide honey. I’m assuming your American, cuz outside the US, for instance you can pack every JW from India & China in your convention hall and still be half empty. And people of these two countries alone make 1/3 of the world population.

  • January 23, 2014 at 2:17 pm
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    the Bible is right again said: “When one goes to the cess pits and twists the truth …”

    And JW(dot)org wrote:
    Q. – “Do You Ban Certain Movies, Books, or Songs?”

    A. – No. Our organization doesn’t review specific movies, books, or songs so as to rule on what our members should avoid. Why not?

    The Bible encourages each individual to train his “perceptive powers” to discern right and wrong.

    […]
    Outside the family, however, no one is authorized to ban specific films, songs, or artists as being unacceptable for members of the congregation.

    ^ Lies. Twisting the truth. Don’t think so? carry a copy of a “harry potter” book under your arm into the KH and see what happens.

    I had two shepherding calls to my house because my kid played “pokemon” games. They wanted me to throw away all of her games and merchandise (a tee shirt and a handful of trading cards). That was specific. And it was none of their business, to boot.

    Behavior control
    Information control
    Thought control
    Emotional control

    It’s not about love. It’s about control.

    It’s a cult.

    • January 24, 2014 at 11:46 am
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      ‘The Bible is Right Again’ , in common with all the JW apologists who contribute to this blog, is doing the campaign to discredit and undermine the Watchtower outfit a great service.

      Any curious readers from outside JWdom or doubting JWs within, will see before them the tragic and limited mindset induced by conformity to WT edicts.

      Keep up the good work, oh Faithful JWs!

  • January 23, 2014 at 2:22 pm
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    The Bible is right again
    More insults, no answers. Do you really think your loving god would want you to accuse people? You do not seem to have empathy, or the ability to think about what you are parroting. This is very sad for you and other JW’s who will spend there lives repeating what they have heard without thinking it through. I do hope you try to think for yourself.

  • January 23, 2014 at 3:28 pm
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    er, Rowland, would it be OK if we postpone our initial discussion for some other time ?

    I promised to chat with you on some topic but there seems to be quite some fun going on on this thread, along with some stress. I think a quieter exchange would be more productive. I’m sure we’ll have opportunities. If you would like to me to continue though, I can still write on this thread, I just hope I don’t get into the eye of the cyclone, I don’t enjoy that.

Comments are closed.