The Bethel "Happy" video: the work of an individual, or Watchtower?
The Bethel “Happy” video: the work of an individual, or Watchtower?

In Spring of last year I helped organize a group of former Jehovah’s Witnesses from various countries to film our own dance video to the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. I felt this was a great way of showing the world that so-called “apostates” are not angry and bitter, but are moving on with their lives in a positive, purposeful way.

The thought did briefly cross my mind: “Could it be that Jehovah’s Witnesses would ever do their own dance video to this song?” Though not completely inconceivable, I felt this would be unlikely given that, growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, it was always frowned on to even own the music of rap/hip hop stars, let alone dance to it on camera!

Well, it seems I could not have been more wrong.

Since I made the “Happy” video there have been at least two instances of Jehovah’s Witnesses dancing to this particular track: one in a kingdom hall while entertaining international convention delegates and, more recently, a full-blown dance montage to the Happy song at various Bethel locations has been uploaded to YouTube…

The above video was initially available on a number of YouTube channels, but was taken down after complaints from JWs – including from one JW who claimed to speak on behalf of the makers of the video who strongly objected to it being posted to YouTube. (I would present evidence of this, but unfortunately the video was taken down before I could get a screengrab of the comments.)

Indeed, it wouldn’t surprise me if the embedded video above ends up getting pulled from YouTube at some point. If you’re reading this article later on and the version of “Happy” shown above is embedded from my Russian “RuTube” account, you know why.

Why would Jehovah’s Witnesses object?

It hopefully shouldn’t require explanation as to why an undoubtedly positive and upbeat video such as this would ignite controversy among seasoned Jehovah’s Witnesses, but I’ll spell it out for you anyway.

Though this particular song contains no lyrics that can be interpreted as sexually explicit, the same cannot be said of other music by Pharrell – including the following…

And the following quotes give some indication as to why long-standing Witnesses who actually read and apply the instructions found in Watchtower literature might be perplexed at this latest stunt…

“Consider the case of a young man who wants to buy a certain music album. What he has heard from the album is very appealing, but he is concerned because the back cover indicates that the lyrics are sexually explicit and profane… As a lover of Jehovah, this young man is interested in His thoughts and feelings on the matter. How can he perceive what God’s will is in this regard?” w03 12/1 p.21

“Since Bible times, unwholesome music has been a tool of Satan to stimulate unclean behavior. (Compare Exodus 32:17-19; Psalm 69:12; Isaiah 23:16.) Not surprisingly, then, music with sexually seductive—if not explicit—lyrics, profanity, and wild, arousing tempos is popular.” w99 9/1 p.10

What about the lyrics? Do they promote sexual immorality, drug use, or other wrongs that are ‘shameful even to relate?’ (Ephesians 5:12) The Bible says that such things should ‘not even be mentioned’ among God’s people, much less set to a beat and repeated over and over again. (Ephesians 5:3) What about the album-jacket design? Does it contain spiritistic themes or sexually arousing pictures? Perhaps you need to make some changes in the type of music you choose. If you have records, tapes, and discs that carry immoral and demonistic themes, you should immediately dispose of them.” w93 4/15 p.24

Would a JW teenager be allowed to own a Pharrell Williams album?
Would a JW teenager be allowed to own a Pharrell Williams album?

Regarding that last quote, young JWs who were forced to throw away albums featuring lyrics that fell short of Watchtower’s standards would have had no defense in holding on to these simply because a single song on them had lyrics that were harmless.

How, then, can the makers of this “Happy” video have no qualms about endorsing the music of Pharrell Williams when so much of it would be considered “a tool of Satan to stimulate unclean behavior?”

I believe the answer lies in the fact that Watchtower is changing – drastically. It is not the same religion that most Witnesses and ex-Witnesses grew up in.

The Watchtower of the 20th Century was unyielding, uncompromising and proud to be loathed and unpopular. The Watchtower of the 21st Century is image-obsessed, beguiling, and willing to bend a few of its rules for the sake of portraying itself in a favorable light.

The work of a rogue individual, or an inside job?

Some will doubtless argue that this video MUST be the ill-advised work of some rogue, over-enthusiastic, spiritually-weak Witness individual. But there are numerous reasons for asserting that this video is in fact a calculated internal propaganda stunt by Watchtower.

Anyone who has spent any amount of time in Bethel will tell you that you simply do not get that sort of access to the various departments (not to mention the cooperation of the bethelites working IN those departments), without the consent of the departmental overseers.

Dancers behind the reception desk at Patterson
Dancers behind the reception desk at Patterson

You cannot just wander into the lobby of Patterson with a camera and get the receptionists to dance wildly for you at your command.

Another telling sign that this is an inside job comes at 1:13 in the video, where a caption pops up that reads “Hmong RTO.” Hmong is an ethnic group from South-East Asia, and “RTO” stands for “Remote Translation Office.”

The use of organizational jargon in this caption, without any attempt to explain things for those not familiar with the inner workings of Watchtower, would seem to indicate that this video was intended for distribution only among the Bethel family.

The unfettered access to various Watchtower locations and departments, the full and enthusiastic cooperation of so many bethelites, and the use of an internal acronym that most JWs would be unfamiliar with, all points to this being an inside job – authorized at the highest level.

If I’m wrong, and it’s really so easy to roam around Bethel getting bethelites to dance for you in front of the camera, excuse me while I book the first flight to New York!

Reasons for optimism?

But forensics aside, what can we take away from this video? Are we to conclude that bethelites are deliriously happy with their lives? Can we dare to suggest that Watchtower is becoming more easy-going, down-to-earth and mainstream?

On the first question, I would point out two things: (1) you should really check out Brock Talon’s book “Journey To God’s House” and the recent JWpodcast interview with Kam Deo if you want to know whether life in Bethel is all smiles and laughter, and (2) there is a big difference between dancing on camera and being genuinely happy. Yes – I realize you can make this same argument about my own interpretation of the Happy song, but the reasons for an ex-JW to be happy are, in my opinion, far more plausible than those of a JW.

The annihilation of non-JWs at Armageddon - a reason for happiness?
The annihilation of non-JWs at Armageddon – a reason for happiness?

A JW’s “happiness” originates from knowing that he is serving Jehovah (when in fact he is serving an organization), and from the absolute conviction that one day he will live in a world where everyone who disagrees with his beliefs has been slaughtered.

Those are definitely reasons to be happy, but they are not good reasons.

An exJW’s happiness comes from knowing that they have been emancipated from the control of a small group of deluded men in New York, and from knowing they are free to live their lives according to what they think and believe rather than having their personal convictions prescribed for them.

Speaking for myself, there is also a great deal of joy to be derived from knowing that the love you have for your child is unconditional, and that no personal differences need ever threaten to separate your dearest little one from you.

As to the idea that this video represents a softening on the part of Watchtower – if only that were true!

In order for Watchtower to become more “mainstream” and easy-going it would need to loosen up its harsh and damaging rules on such matters as shunning, blood transfusions, child abuse and higher education. Rather than doing that, if anything Watchtower is circling the wagons more and more on those issues, as the recent rant by Tony Morris on higher education indicates.

Unfortunately what we are seeing in this Happy video is Watchtower trying to have the best of both worlds. It wants to be the cool dad at the party, but also the dad who, behind closed doors, spanks his child brutally for the slightest misdemeanor.

As heartwarming and endearing as this video will undoubtedly be for most who watch it, what it actually represents is a sickly propaganda stunt by an organization willing to punish its adherents in one of the most wicked ways imaginable (through family estrangement) if they fall out of line, while bending its own rules whenever advantageous to do so.

 

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***UPDATE***
Since writing this article I have had the opportunity to speak directly to the maker of the video, and I’ve been told that although the concept and execution of this video was carried out by him individually for the “Bethel Family Night” – the project was approved by the Bethel Family Night Committee and received their endorsement and cooperation. I’m relieved that the individual concerned will not get into trouble for making this video, since he seems to have done everything by the book and consulted properly with his superiors. However, his account does verify that Watchtower went into this with its eyes open and saw no double-standards or hypocrisy in using Pharrell Williams to promote life as a bethelite.

Further reading…

Related video…

187 thoughts on “The Bethel “Happy” video – unauthorized shenanigans or calculated propaganda stunt?

  • February 1, 2015 at 11:44 pm
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    Seems like “Anything goes” in the topsy-turvey world of WTland now. Those kwaaayzee kids what will they think of next!

  • February 2, 2015 at 2:07 am
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    It’s not that I have anything against the song at all. I like the song but if I had heard this song being played in my Kingdom Hall last year before I finally “woke” up, I’d have walked out of it and never returned. That is all I can say about it.

    If Bethel is supposed to be the “House of God” like what the Governing Body likes to say it is when they are telling Witnesses that they need to go there before taking their kids to Disney World, then to me, it should be respected as such and the same thing should apply to any Kingdom Hall the same way. It isn’t the building that is supposed to be the “House of God”. It’s the fact that any gathering where they are supposedly worshipping God, is the “House of God” and should be dignified and respectful. That is why the Society requires proper dress when going to meetings and in service. I was disgusted by the playing of “worldly” music for the international convention delegates this summer for the same reason.

    I think the Society is losing members at an astounding rate and are resorting to “anything goes” now to retain the younger ones.

    It’s gradualism that keeps the older ones in. If they do this too quickly, it has to be hard for the older set to take it.

    In that one part of the “Happy” video, there is an older guy that is being surrounded by a bunch of young people dancing around him and you can see he wasn’t happy about being included in it and I don’t think he was acting. I think he didn’t like it at all.

  • February 2, 2015 at 2:47 am
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    @Anonymous. I echo your sentiments exactly about the House of God & Dress code & appropriate behaviour in a place of worship !

  • February 2, 2015 at 3:50 am
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    Place of worship alright,of the GB and all their organizational suck ups.
    Why can’t ISIS just blow it up,actually no it won’t be them because the structure of JW is almost the same as Islam,no mediator,not in any covenant,don’t receive the indwelling spirit,and have more rules than the law covenant.Damn

  • February 2, 2015 at 4:18 am
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    Cedars: Not that I am posting anything of great importance, but just curious as to why they are not showing up. Did I get on your subversive list? haha!!

  • February 2, 2015 at 6:14 am
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    Here we are, on the brink of “Doomesday”, with the prospect of billions
    being horribly killed, but here in the houses of God ( Bethels) every body
    In happy clappy mood. Prancing around to a Motown type song, The
    whole thing videoed and presented like a commercial for an “Energy
    Drink”.

    There’s something mentally distorted here, it’s another “Blooper”,
    even more nauseating and witless than the : “Tight pants” and “Anti-
    education” Rants!

  • February 2, 2015 at 6:38 am
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    @Ted .Reminds me of Butlins & Pontins holiday camp I went to in 1970s .Howdy there CAMPERS!!! Those in the UK will understand this??

  • February 2, 2015 at 8:40 am
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    The org gave me the “privilege” to work some weeks (in my holidays) in the Bethel in Germany.
    And the impression which they try to make at the video is just not true. Not everyone is happy there. They controll everything in the Bethel, of course you have an strict timetable, bounded internet, instructions for clothing and goals you have to achieve in your work. There is pressure. They nearly kicked me out and threated me that they will right an letter to my elders, because in our room were some clothes on the floor on a sunday.
    I have never consumed that mass of alcohol in my life than in these weeks. They have a high-price-store there, which is ran by a brother from the local congregation, where you
    can purchase things for the daily need (sweets, cosmetic stuff) and mainly alcohol (lots sort of beer, wine, whiskey, rum). I think the brother makes good money. Of course this store is not part of the visitor-tour :)

    I felt no lovely atmosphere in the Bethel, in my opinion its a quite cold place. Of course I had fun too, you have a lot of possibilities of doing sport and there are lovely people as well. But I felt very akward there.
    Surely there are persons which fit better there, but you must be able to exist with an minimum of freedom…

  • February 2, 2015 at 9:33 am
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    @ewc
    thanks for your contribution and perspective!Noting can match personal experience in life ! What is not personal is just a kind “fiction”hard to empathize or comprehend.Everybody experience is unique and therefore also subjective.Freedom has a subjective frame or boundaries as well what one consider as restriction the other still may perceive as freedom or otherwise.Our tolerance is subjective therefore you have people which can withstand some environment with ease & smile whereas others loosing their minds.
    This uniqueness of human kind is mind blowing it source of joy also bitterness.

  • February 2, 2015 at 10:24 am
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    Cheers Karl Marx’s;-)

  • February 2, 2015 at 10:29 am
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    Have your beliefs:-), whatever they are but remember, “man of peace”, song.x

  • February 2, 2015 at 10:38 am
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    I’m owed by me. You be owned by you:-)x

  • February 2, 2015 at 10:40 am
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    @Garyyyyyy…
    u funny & obscure gypsy ,now all of us have think who is the Karl Marx :-) cheers back bro !

  • February 2, 2015 at 10:54 am
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    @gary
    I did check out the lyrics of Bob D “Man of peace” song .wow !!!

  • February 2, 2015 at 11:01 am
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    Love you Tony, please release another another:-)

  • February 2, 2015 at 11:11 am
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    The W,T, regularly carries articles, designed to convince J,Ws that they
    are the “Happiest People in the World” no less! Articles which would
    be unnecessary were it in fact true. Scriptures can always be found to
    support a statement, Ps, 144 vs,15. Is often quoted. “happy is the
    people whose God is Jehovah” N,W,T, of course!

    The claim of that text though is open to serious question when you
    look at the history of Gods chosen people? — 400 years as slaves in
    Egypt, 40years tramping the the wilderness for “Moaning” , 70 years
    weeping by the rivers of Babylon, Jerusalem razed in 70ce. Not to
    mention the slaughter of Abrahams descendants by the Nazis.

    W,T’s sweeping claims too, are low on verification. 6 suicides and one
    attempted, in my former cong. Could the reason be, the impossibly
    holy people were expected to be, constant reminders of how exacting
    JHVH is, how he hates this and that, till in the end, you start hating
    yourself. Un-warranted guilt, and there’s plenty of it, doesn’t produce
    the happiest people in the World.

  • February 2, 2015 at 11:13 am
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    Apparently they’will judge you by your words.

  • February 2, 2015 at 11:19 am
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    @Pickled Brain,
    I’m glad you mentioned your experience with the elder and sanctioning the use of the song. A wise man once told me, “The rules ONLY apply to you and ONLY when convenient.” He was telling me this when I had an issue at a corporation I worked at for many years. This is similar to how “God’s Organization” (i.e. WTS) works in this case as well. Kinda flies in the face of a god of unchanging integrity, leading through a group of “faithful and discrete slaves”, doesn’t it? The leadership condones the dancing to a worldly artist or using technology produced from higher education, WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT to said leadership.

    Obviously, this is MORE irrefutable proof that this is neither an organization that can rightfully carry the moniker of “God’s Organization” nor an organization that can claim to have the only direct link to Jesus Christ and God himself.

  • February 2, 2015 at 11:22 am
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    @WhiteRabbit,
    Really?! Honestly?! I agree with Lloyd. Your initial comment was off-topic and a distraction from the original point to be made and discussion topic. What in the world does copyright law have to do with pointing out that a cult is bending it’s own mandated internal rules to suit its own agenda? Don’t take it personally when someone calls you to the carpet on a comment as a guest on a blog discussion. Just say “OHHHHKAAAYYYY!”, smile, go on and make an on-topic comment.

  • February 2, 2015 at 12:21 pm
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    @WhiteRabbit, please don’t be discouraged from commenting. I don’t think you meant anything bad by your comment. It was just worded wrong. I make off-topic comments too and fortunately, usually they are flagged and nobody ever sees them and I also worry that my comments get too long.

  • February 2, 2015 at 12:29 pm
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    @searcher. Glad you enjoyed my related experience. & found it helpful.

  • February 2, 2015 at 12:39 pm
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    @Ted you are right about the Watchtower spurious claim about being the ‘most happiest people on earth. Your congregation had 6 suicides!! Wow ! I thought mine was bad enough with 2 Suicides(one an Elder) !! Sooo many have Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia , M.E. It is an EPIDEMIC in the Truth . In reality many suffer from SEVERE DEPRESSION because of Unfulfilled Expectations!!

  • February 2, 2015 at 1:36 pm
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    @Ted, I echo Picked brain’s comment. I can’t imagine any of Jehovah’s Witnesses being truly happy and I also know of several suicides in the “truth”.

    My first cousin who told me that I was her best friend (in my congregation here) has only emailed me one time since I told her about the book “Gentile Times Reconsidered” several months ago. She told me in that last email that she didn’t want to hear anything like that from me and that was the last time she had any contact with me until a couple of days ago when she finally emailed me again. She didn’t say anything about the “truth” but mentioned she thinks about me every day so what I emailed her back is this comment:

    “Don’t worry about me. I am the happiest I have been in the last 50 years”. Then I told her that I can’t say anything more than that or else I’d get disfellowshipped for apostasy. Of course, she isn’t going to take anymore chances with talking to me, either in an email or stopping by to see me.

    No person should be afraid of a “Christian” religion that you have to be afraid to talk to even your closest friends or relatives about that religion.

    I remember a book that was printed in 1965 called: “Make Sure of All Things, Hold Fast to What is Fine”. That book was misleading to me. It made me think that I was entering a loving, family like relationship where we were all equal and I was free to “test it out” to make sure it really was the “truth”.

    Most of those people who were in my first congregation were the sweetest, nicest people I’d ever want to meet but I can’t go to a Kingdom Hall anymore or to assemblies anymore, once I found out that this religion disfellowshipps a person for actually “making sure” that what we are being taught actually measures up to the Bible. If we were freely allowed to “make sure” that what we are being taught was according to the Bible, there should be no need to disfellowship me for doing that because if it really was the “truth”, it would stand up to lies, right?

    I can honestly say, that I feel so much happier now that I have left and it breaks my heart that I can’t tell my former friends how much they are being lied to so they can also have the choice to leave and finally find some real happiness in their lives too and stop supporting a publishing company with free labor.

    That Happy video is just a weak attempt to dress up a pig to make it look pretty.

  • February 2, 2015 at 3:39 pm
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    @Pickled brain, as you point out, there are many reasons in this
    Org, why people reach the end of their tether, and take such
    drastic measures. It’s so pressurised in many ways, and because
    of the indoctrination, even when they are low they feel they’ve got
    to keep going , otherwise they’re not relying on JHVH and are
    spiritually weak. At one time there was a big campaign to get us to
    make out a schedule for every activity, secular and spiritual. I tried
    It for a while, then decided we were not meant to live life by the
    “Stop watch”. Maybe the cavorting in the corridors is an attempt to
    release the pressure valve.

    @Anonymous, Your point about being, “Freely allowed to make sure
    that what we are taught is according to the Bible” strikes a chord.
    I kept on in the org, for 7 years after the 1975 fiasco, then in 82 at a
    Sunday W,T, study, it was stated that, “If we have “Private thoughts”
    that are not in accord with the F&DS, we were proud, independent,
    rebellious, like Satan”. This was followed by the comment, “Why
    would you want to study the Bible alone to find answers to your
    Questions when we have bros, at Bethel to do this for you?

    The implication was obvious, “Don’t you bother to think, we”ll do the
    thinking for you and our word is final. That was the last meeting
    I ever attended, and like you it was a happy decision. and strange as
    It may seem, I took up Ballroom Dancing, and I think I could show
    Bethel Bros, a move or two.

  • February 2, 2015 at 3:44 pm
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    Anonymous, I feel the same way as you about not being able to tell my friends that they are being lied to. This propaganda video of being happy is so annoying when you know what is going on behind the scenes. You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to see what is happening here but because our friends are ruled by fear & guilt they can’t bring themselves to see the whole picture. Sometimes I feel like yelling from the roof tops. Other times I feel like writing a letter to the editor in my local newspaper about weighing up whether a person is in a cult or not by pointing to the BITE model for those who are questioning their faith.

  • February 2, 2015 at 3:48 pm
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    @Anonymous. I remember using ‘ Make sure hold fast to what is fine’ book( greeny blue in colour) on the ministry. It was a precursor to the Reasoning book. But a lot of it became OLD LIGHT!! Like the Reasoning book has Old Light on the Sheep& Goats; The Generation, Gog of Magog etc. & will have to be replaced as well. Every time a New Book comes out it is usually because so much Interpretation by the GOVERNING BODY has changed e.g. Finished mystery of Russell replaced in 1931 by Light book by Rutherford then in 1963 was replaced by Babylon the Great has Fallen(by Franz& Knorr) Then in 1989 Revelation its Grand Climax(which has been itself updated 3 times) !! All of these books attempted to interpret Revelation all with different facts ?? Why would Truth Change Soooo Many Times! Dates change, times Change,meanings of symbols Change!!! Everything Changes!!! I cannot believe JEHOVAH would confuse his people so much!!!

  • February 2, 2015 at 4:05 pm
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    @Grace& @ Anonymous. I agree with both of you. If it is the Truth? Why are so many brothers suspicious of you when GENUINE Questions are Raised?? And suddenly you are viewed as a Possible Apostate?? Please this is so SAD when FRIENDS?? We have had for years& years suddenly steer well clear of you & the GOSSIP MILL starts!! I have had it happen to me. I had to sacrifice family& friends to come into the truth & then sacrifice my career to pioneer in 1980& now I am BLANKED by many because of a FEW Questions. But I know how to play the Game !! Two can Tango!! So I am playing the Theocratic Warfare Card .If the GB can lie when it suits them like Rahab did in the bible SO CAN I .I am going to SAVE As Many as possible from this Organisation by surreptitiously sowing seeds of doubt!! That’s why I like the comment from someone earlier called ‘MI6 Operative’ . I have the advantage of not coming into the Truth until I was 20. I know how to SURVIVE without the Need for close friends. You learn in the world not to trust anyone & I never thought I would say this,BUT it is becoming a bit like that in the truth!!

  • February 2, 2015 at 4:16 pm
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    @Pickled brain, I actually believe if you want a “real” friend, it ain’t going to be in the “truth”.

  • February 2, 2015 at 4:18 pm
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    Pickled Brain, coming in to this religion at an older age was one of the things that I think helped me not to be completely mentally hooked by this religion. We’d had 30 years of being ‘worldy’ so we knew that the world was not the bad, evil place that the wt painted. Yes there are some bad eggs out there but there are bad eggs inside as well. I’ve never been a black & white thinking person anyway & felt uncomfortable when jw’s would get on to the judgement of the “worldlies” rhetoric, especially when it came to homophobia & xenophobia.

  • February 2, 2015 at 4:20 pm
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    @Ted. I enjoyed your comment about let the GB do the thinking for you in 1982!! Then you left .I bet your good at ballroom dancing if they are like your comments!!’ But SERIOUSLY who are the Governing Body KIDDING!!’ Have they never read
    1 John 4 v1,2 about testing every Inspired Expression & Especially every ‘SPIRIT DIRECTED ‘ Expression ???!! Wouldn’t you say everyone?? It’s Pretty Scary when the GB want BLIND FAITH & Blind Obedience !! Very Very Worrying!!

  • February 2, 2015 at 4:46 pm
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    @Grace you are right about Bad Eggs inside the congregation. I know of sooo many broken marriages& stepfamilies which seems more common than those have been loyal to their mate. I have experienced MORE WICKED People in the Truth than ever I experienced outside. The Number of BROKEN MARRIAGES & the Devastating emotional fallout for the Children is an EPIDEMIC in the Truth. I have come across Brothers who have Ditched Older Wives to purposely commit Adultery so they could scripturally divorce& then get REINSTATED by professing mock repentance so they could speak to their children& grandchildren. I know of couples who had a foursome & swapped partners,were disfellowshipped BUT NOW reinstated. I know brothers who have attempted to Drive over a sister after they fell out & arrested by police. An ex Regular Pioneer tried to kill his wife & now living rough on the streets.Another Elder jumped into bed with a Regular Pioneer sister & deserted his wife& 2 children . An Elder who gave a talk at my dads funeral jumped into bed with a sister who had an unbelieving husband & when he found out came to our hall during the Watchtower meeting & hauled him outside which ended in a BRAWL outside the Hall. I like a Fool offered to help this Elder. BEST Watchtower I ever attended!! I could go on! When I first came into the Truth I thought everyone was so LOVING but gradually I have been DISILLUSIONED & I Realised that I was Loved Bombed because I was a Bible Study & I was another Notch on the Belt of the Organisation who could be used until my Sell By Date had Expired! Very Very Sad & Eye Opening!!

  • February 2, 2015 at 5:14 pm
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    @Anonymous. Liked your comment about ‘If you want a REAL Friend it ain’t going to be in the Truth’ I never in a million years would have thought this BUT I am coming to the same conclusion .Met some lovely people in my line of work who have been Faithfully Married for 40,50 & 60 years .The most Gentlest, kindest people you could me & more importantly Non-Judgemental!!! Unconditional Kindness& SOME GO TO CHURCH in Babylon !!! Can you believe people in Babylon behaving MORE Christian than a Self Righteous JW??? Perish the thought!!May JEHOVAH strike me down with LIGHTNING !!

  • February 2, 2015 at 5:17 pm
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    OKAY SO JUST GOT AN EMAIL FROM MY SISTER WHO ALWAYS FORWARDS ANY JW STUFF AS SHE IS A TOTAL JDUB AND WILL NEVER CHANGE AND SHE DOESNT KNOW THAT I AM FADING.

    THE EMAIL READS…

    Regarding the happy video… Hello all,

    My name is Josh Chang and I was one of the producers and creators of the video. Thank you for your appreciation of the video. It took many hours and a lot of effort to create.

    The thing is, it was meant for a private audience and spreading it around is causing potential legal issues with the song copyright as well as the fact that we did not obtain releases from all the almost 900 participants who were in the video. Also, it might cause issues with our assignments here at Bethel, which would be heartbreaking.

    Therefore, we are requesting that you please inform everyone you notified as well as deleting all copies that you may have downloaded or been sent. Please do not post it or share it. Also, if you have, please notify those individuals to do the same. This is especially critical if you have posted it in a format that allows others to download it.

    Thank you so much for your support and understanding.

    Your brother,

    josh I 24655 I US-RDC I WATCHTOWER [BROOKLYN]

    JUST THOUGHT YOU ALL MIGHT FIND THIS VERY INTERESTING.

  • February 2, 2015 at 5:30 pm
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    @MI6 Operative. Fascinating Email!!! 900 participants of DANCING to WORLDLY Music!!! May be Aaron could show them all how to Build a Golden Calf & Get up & Dance around that to HAVE A GOOD TIME!! Have you ever read John Le Carre’ Novels about MI5 & MI6 ??? I was a big fan before I came into the Truth.

  • February 2, 2015 at 6:03 pm
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    @M16 OPERATIVE. If that is all true what that email said, I can’t imagine that Bethel would kick out 900 people because of that video and why in the world wouldn’t those people agree to it since they so willingly participated in it? It doesn’t make any sense but if they get kicked out, not only will they not be “happy” about it, but hopefully it will be a big enough “downer” in their morale that it might just make them wake up to what the “truth” is all about and walk away from it. It could end up being a blessing in disguise for them then.

    I can’t see the Governing Body losing all that free labor though. What would the Governing Body have to do then???? Maybe pick up a dust cloth and a dish rag and sweep the floor by themselves??? God forbid!

  • February 2, 2015 at 6:17 pm
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    This is the WEIRDEST video I’ve ever seen. BTW you have to suppress your real emotions to stay in “the truth”.

  • February 2, 2015 at 7:20 pm
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    @M16Operative

    If this email is true my reasoning in above posted comments about the video was right !
    I said “something went wrong ” 900 participant didn’t sign the usual form called “model/participant release form” so now with the back fire from outside & inside they can reason they were mislead ,they did not know it ,that it will go public etc…so they have legal excuse…it will be interesting to see further development with this for sure…
    the reaction within congregations is controversial for sure I got feedback from few EU countries and it’s mixed, some love it some hated and feel offended.

  • February 3, 2015 at 2:15 am
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    I watched the latest jwbroadcasting last night and I can’t think of a more depressing hour to spend. It was like attending a funeral talk but I think funeral talks are more uplifting. If these people are happy, it sure doesn’t show in their talks.

  • February 3, 2015 at 3:36 am
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    It looks like the video was for “propaganda”, to be used within the
    org, maybe to boost morale and aid recruitment for Bethel and
    generally. But now they’re getting jittery because it’s gone live
    with the possibility of litigation due to copyright and not getting
    release signatures from participants.

    But isn’t JHVH guiding this org? When they set up their broad–
    casting station, we were told how smoothly it had all gone and
    how JHVHs hand was evident in setting it up.

    You’ve got to wonder, where is JHVH when there’s a “Screw up”?

  • February 3, 2015 at 5:23 am
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    Pickled Brain,

    “You learn in the world not to trust anyone, and I never thought I would say this, BUT it’s becoming a bit like that in the Truth”

    I have never learned not to trust anyone in the world. I learned not to trust people in the cult known as Jehovah’s Witnesses! I learned that “worldly” people were bad associations and were under the thumb of Satan.

    The Jehovah’s Witnesses have NO truth whatsoever. It isn’t a little bit like that “in the truth” it is fully like that!

    Granted, individual, rank and file JWs are mostly sincere, kindly folk. But their leaders brsinwash them into thinking that their borrowed theology is “the truth”.

    There are many sincere Christians who would have a lot to say about the JWs’ theology!

    We have people commenting here that conduct bible studies for this cult and still believe, it seems, the twisted theology of the WTBTS!

    Let me repeat for emphasis – the WTBTS have NO truth whatsoever. They are blind men leading the blind. They have denigrated CHRIST, and reduced him from his proper place.

    Let us all beware from using the cult language. The WTBTS is not the truth. It has no blessing from the Holy Spirit, and has been exposed as a cult that covers up child sexual abuse, along with many other serious crimes.

    Peace be with you, Excelsior!

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