mt	Wednesday, January 3, 2007 @ 9:28 AM
praing to God Yes you are right. nobody can dictate what you may do or not may do. Now I have no problem at all to pray to God. But it took a long time before I could do that, because I really believed as I was told, that if you leave JW, you are not allowed to talk to God anymore. He will not listen to you. After 5 - 6 years I started to pray. It felt good. And I feel that God now is listening and answering my prayers, in a way I did'nt feel while I was a member. But all their words is stocked in the head. And it's difficult to let them control the thoughts. But it help's a lot, and it's getting better. But it takes time.
Herbert	Thursday, January 4, 2007 @ 9:03 PM
Can anyone help? Is anyone able to help me with my sister? I was the only Witness in our family, but I left the WT movement for good 15 years ago over doctrinal issues. My sister still bears a grudge against us (my mother and me); she was sexually abused at age 5 by our father, and it came out only 25 years later, when she told us. She thinks we should have konwn about it. But how could we - my mother had her own marital problems (later she divorced that man), and I was only nine at that time. My sister didn't visit my mother a single time when she suffered from Alzheimer's and had to be nursed, she even didn't come to her funeral. She only refers to mother as "that woman". How can I win my sister over again, after all that happened already nearly 50 years ago? By the way, my sister is happily married and has four (grown-up) children; I was never married. Warm regards, Herbert from Germany
Herbert	Saturday, January 6, 2007 @ 2:35 AM
Re: My previous post / to MAN Hi, M.A.N. thank you for our kind and considerate words; all the more so since I know from your posts that you suffer from abuse in your family yourself. No, my mother didn't know either. My father is dead, too. And my sister went to therapy, so often that her husband, my brother-in-law, once said to me they might as well have been able to build a house from the money they spent on her therapy. Even if I had known I could not have done something about it as a 9 year old boy. And we both suffered from that father's abuse; she sexually, I myself physically. So we later developed the same disorder (borderline). My only hope is that she does not mean me personally, but the circumstances I stand for, the town, the house where I live (whoch now is my own). I really would like to see her again after 24 years, and to learn to know my niece and nephews. Greetings to you and all the lambs, Herbert
M.A.N.	Saturday, January 6, 2007 @ 11:09 AM
News First, you are welcome Herbert. I hope things work out for you. I just received the newsletter about the Canadian situation. It mentioned that the authorities found the JW elders "uncooperative". Why are none of us surprised at this? Shouldn't the elders rush to make sure justice is done and that the victim is receiving professional care. (I don't even want to comment on how the abuser got off, I need to keep my blood pressure down.) If the fact that child abuse occurs so much in the WT doesn't bring this cult down, perhaps what will do it is how the elders handle abuse cases. From that point of view, that can be even more disgusting than the fact that the abuse rate is so high among JW's in the first place. But then when you have elders and the WT playing games, stalling, lying, misleading the media, and all the other nonsense, then maybe this will seal their fate. One thing we can always ask them is if Jesus would do things this way. I keep hearing that Jehovah is using the WT no matter what they do. My question in return is "Even if they acted just like the Nazis?" Their answer would probably be "Wait on Jehovah". I'm not waiting any longer while innocent children are harmed. It's time for the WT to go. Permanently.
mt	Sunday, January 7, 2007 @ 4:10 AM
Greetings M.A.N. I have some god news here from Denmark. JW lost a case against our news paper Ekstra Bladet. They went to the court angains them, and wanted them ponnished for injurier. Hope you understand my bad english. In the courtroom, one of the leaders, had to admit that they did,nt exclude members who had abused a child, but that they did exclude members for much lesser actions. It also came forward, that there are 23.000 cases of abusing in their archives. They loose. I could'nt agree more. No witnesses on earth. Maby this is a step more. mt---------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ silentlambs reply-Would it be possible to provide any links to the news story about this win? If not could you provide a brief synopsis of what happened and we will put it up on the website. silentlambs
AB	Sunday, January 7, 2007 @ 5:42 PM
Posted sign to direct people to SilentLambs.org website I have found it a great success by posting signs in malls and grocery stores to the silentlambs.org web site. The following message is being posted on the sign: "Learn more about Jehovah's Witnesses...www.silentlambs.org." See its very simple, not wordy at all. Grocery stores are good because people need to go to them. Imagine how many people go to grocery stores everyday.
Catherine Manna	Thursday, January 11, 2007 @ 4:23 PM
William Bowen I would like to say that what you are doing is a great and wonderfull thing in my site and in Gods site. and many many good people out there, you are very muched loved. Your works will definitly not go unoticed, for i believe that God is with you all the way, as a matter of fact he is couning on you to do this work. He has blessed you with this work for his clean people to shine and be strengthened and to continue having that hope for a better life, full of trust, happiness and true love. Keep on Moving, God is with you dont ever give up, he has given you this job. and he is so so pleased with you! I believe in you William Bowen!!! and so does Yahweh, Jehovah God...amen..
GSK	Thursday, January 11, 2007 @ 7:07 PM
Jehovah Witnesses Pedophile Protection Program a Pandemic problem It seems to me that the Jehovah's Witnesses/Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has a pandemic problem on their hands. This has brought great reproach on Jehovah God.
MSM	Friday, January 12, 2007 @ 5:12 PM
Very Grateful I am so grateful that an organization has come together (silentlambs.org) to protect our children, and provide help and support to formerly abused ones. May God help and bless you in the fight against the Evil WT Society.
Catherine Manna	Saturday, January 13, 2007 @ 9:05 PM
Amen! God is with you! never give up hope. Never give up on love. Believe in yourself, believe in God, he will make everyones path straight, if you believe in him. God is just, and that is why Silent lambs is here! He has made this happen, because he does love his sheep and he does care for them! I believe that!and he cares! Prasie Yahweh!! heavenly father, he has blessed you Bill with this very important work. Thank God for you that you have done this, even though you may have lost your former family, and friends, God is with you. all the more...you have found a special place in his heart, you care about his sheep and there is no crime in that. You are not guilty, or anything you are doing what is wright, in Gods site. Full steam ahead!! In the name of our wonderfull heavenly father and creator YHWH he is with you. God bless! Catherine Manna
Steven	Sunday, January 14, 2007 @ 8:09 AM
The world needs more people like you! It gives me great hope to see your organization taking on the Watchtower Society and calling them out on their insane child endangering doctrines. They must be exposed, and stopped. Silentlambs.org is a bold voice of reason, a fountainhead of information, and also a beacon of hope to those kids who have been subjected to the worst kind of abuse, fostered by twisted Watchtower world. Only prisons need watchtowers. Thank you so much, Steve, proud parent and WT watcher.
J.Doe	Sunday, January 14, 2007 @ 9:50 AM
I only recently found this web-site, and was shocked about the information about child abuse. But then I came to think about a TV program sent in swedish television in -04. Then i suddenly remembered and saw the connection between Silentlambs and the WT. At the time I could not really deal with it, put it back in to my mind.No I know! I live in Scandinavia, and there are no information in any paper or web-sites about Silentlambs. At least not in Norway. Are they having the same problems as the rest of the world or not? I do wonder.. Anyway, keep up the good work!
SG	Saturday, January 20, 2007 @ 9:30 AM
LIKE OLD AMERICA I was thinking the other day about all of this. The Governing Body of JWs is like old America where incest was kept a family secret, children were raped by relatives, women by their husbands and all was to be kept "Shsh! shsh!" The person who revealed it was ostrasized and considered a trouble maker. Also, education was frowned upon. In some communities, talking to outsiders was considered dangerous. The Society is a product of old America. Also, going to a psychiatrist was discouraged and mental illness was blamed solely on demon possession. Just think of how many shcitzaphrenics injured themselves or someone else because they listened to the Governing Body and did not get the proper medical help. Think of all the people who may have commited suicide from depression.
TB	Saturday, January 20, 2007 @ 8:18 PM
JW Mental Illness I concur with SG on there being a prevalence of Mental Illness among JW's. I have personally known several brothers and at least one sister that have either committed suicide or attempted it. The Elders dont even acknowledge mental illness in the ranks. It's referred to as "Depression". That one buzz-term covers everything from Manic-Depression (Bipolarism) to paranoia to Psycotic behavior, as well as to simple depression. That's why when Elders are mentally wacko, the other Elders dont delete him or try and stop his predations. For the rank and file "Brothers" it's even a bit chic to be depressed. It shows you're sensative and usually gets you some attention and the rare compassion that JW's ever show one another. I beleive at least twenty to twentyfive percent of JW's have some form of mental illness or at least depression. This is hard to diagnose by outsiders looking at us as there will be quick denials to all but elders. The Elders usually actively discourage professional help and in their "Shepherding" sessions (Confessionals to the Elders) they ferret out/glean details about everyone's weaknesses, including the taking of anti-depressants. They usually try their hardest to get the JW to quit anti-depressants, usually with tragic results. I know of one young adult that has gotten off of them due to the Elder's urging and this person has went through sheer agony. I fully predict that this person will probably commit suicide in a year or two unless he/she starts to see the utter stupidity of uneducated Elders practicing medicine. When I say uneducated, I mean in their 30's and home-schooled. And it's these guys who are micro-managing everyone's lives down to the tiniest detail. I wont go through all the dozens of things that can make JW's depressed, I think other sites do that quite well, but the sheer pressure of Elders bearing down on all of us JW's and making everyone fearful can contribute mightily to it. The love in the congs has really dried up, it's nothing but an atmosphere of fear now. Our top leadership has failed to promote love in the ranks and the lower leadership has picked up on that and has decided that fear will work nicely.
HRC	Sunday, January 21, 2007 @ 6:18 AM
WTBTS -- $111 million dollars and growing "During the 2006 service year, Jehovah's Witnesses spent over $111 million in caring for special pioneers, missionaries, and traveling overseers in their field service assignments." -- 2007 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses. That sure is a lot of spending for a religion that tells us that we should simplify our life. Did Jesus Christ spend that much during his ministry? What was Jesus' focus while he was in his ministry? Would Jesus approve of this type of spending? This religion seems to have lost control of what the most important thing in life is. If the Jehovah's Witnesses have spent over $111 million dollars, they must have made over $111 million dollars. Do you know of many companies that are non-profit companies that spend that type of money? The company that I work for made $20 million dollars less and they are a for-profit company. I find it hard to figure out why the Jehovah's Witnesses are a non- profit company. When this religion points the finger at other religions gouging their practioners of money, they are no different. Many articles in their magazines have pointed out ways the Jehovah's Witnesses can donate to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. These types of articles were never mentioned in the Watchtower 50 - 60 years ago. The United States government needs to recognize that the Jehovah's Witnesses are a "for-profit" company and tax them accordingly.
SBA	Sunday, January 21, 2007 @ 12:57 PM
Watchtower Men Exposed for protecting Pedophiles It is my God-ordained responsibility to tell the world of people who protect pedophiles. SL REPLY---------------------------------------------------- We agree that it is everyones responsibility to report known pedophiles to the proper authorities. However, due to liability issues we can not post specific names of those thought to be or known to be harboring or aiding pedophiles. There is a category on our home page where you can list known pedophiles and the congregations they are currently or previously known to have served in. We strongly suggest that if you have information that the men you listed are engaging in such activities you contact your local police department immediately.
Catherine Manna	Monday, January 22, 2007 @ 10:31 PM
Repent.... I have a site called house of israel...just because...to me the house of israel, is any person that in there heart, love and follow God, no one else...or at least tries....so last week i called JR Brown...I left 2 messages. I hope that he listen to them, they were very important. i said......You must repent for your sins, 6 millions people....the end is near,,, The messiah will come very soon this is my message to you Mr JR Brown, and it comes from God....Now you that are reading this, tell me is that not true? In the name of our heavenly father, where there are lies, deception, and a tract that misleads 6 million people, that in turn mislead the whole entire inhabited earth with this message, that they are a clean organization that they follow and that they are not guilty of the gross sins, Incest, but the rest of the world is, is not only a lie, but a serious deception that all will be held accountable for responsible for, and judged for... there is no excuse for abuse, no pardon for this is no mere error and cannot be swept under a carpet, like dust.God isnt stupid, everyone will have the chance to hear the word, hear the truth, judgement is unescapable, and i wont give up on God, he is just and he is love. He will direct his people to expose evil, and wickedness. I urge you who love our creator, to write call make a petition, sign it, let them hear your voice, the voice of truth. God is with...and he will guide you in your sincere efforts to speak the truth and help those victems, Believe in something good, Good will happen, Believe in something Bad, more bad will continue...dont stop the fight to do what is wright, because in fact you are fighting for God when you do this, and you are fighting against Satan, ...so be strong and believe you can make a difference. and do it. peace..and may God bless you allways.....catherine manna
SBA	Wednesday, January 24, 2007 @ 7:53 AM
Report those who PROTECT pedophiles This site mentions quite a few people by name who have been victims of the abuse of JW. Companies that willfully do illegal activities, such as embezzelement of company funds. The CEO is held responsible and is likely to face a judicial hearing. The name of the CEO is made known to the public and to the press. Likewise, the names of those who PROTECT pedophiles should also be made known to the public and the press. Those names are heads of the WTBTS.
Joy N	Thursday, January 25, 2007 @ 2:39 PM
That is a quote from Steve's January 14th statement about the Watchtower Society of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Yes, only prisons need watchtowers; the JW organization is a mental prison for everyone involved in it. Thanks for posting your thought, Steve. It truly says it all and explains why pedophiles thrive there.
mt	Thursday, January 25, 2007 @ 4:00 PM
Thank you so much Thank you so much, for bringing this information, about Ekstra Bladet and their loose in december 2006. And I know I am talking in behave of my friends, who is suffering so much thiese days. They are going through a very toff time right now. So I am very greatfull, that thiss is coming out, also in this part of your world. Bill Bowen, I just wants to tell you, that you are doing a big difference, (hope its the right way I write this), here in our part of the world. All though, the members of Jehovah's witnesses, are telling me that it is an ugly web site. But there are so many people, who are using the sad stories, and the other evidence, that you are writing about, when they are telling others of abusing, here in Denmark. So thank you very much. A big help to many people. My regards MT
M.A.N.	Thursday, January 25, 2007 @ 9:46 PM
Re: Denmark court case A newsletter was released here on SL about the Denmark court case concerning the WT's lawsuit and abuse victims. Silentlambs released this material on the internet and you can access this information on the home page of the website for full details on the court case and newspaper articles. There are many fine points being made and those who post here or read the posts will learn much if they consider the information being posted. Thank you.
Kathy	Saturday, January 27, 2007 @ 2:40 PM
The New Golden Calf Hi. My name is Kathy. I cannot stand Jehovah's Witnesses. If they are in my neighborhood, I call the police and file a police report. When I came across the silent lambs web site, I was completely distraught. The child abuse program that Jehovah's Witnesses pursue reminds me of when Moses came down the mountain with the ten commandments and found the Israelites worshipping the golden calf. A purely disgusting thought. No wonder Moses was angry with the Israelites. Jehovah's Witnesses/Watchtower are allowing this disgraceful conduct amongst their leadership. God will destroy these people for their badness and their golden calf.
	Tuesday, January 30, 2007 @ 2:43 PM
Trying to understand Hello, I am trying so hard to understand the mindset of the Jehovah's Witness "higher ups", trying to understand how the WTBTS and the elders can claim that they are representing God while they protect pedophiles and punish the victims of pedophiles. No matter how hard I try I cannot fathom their mindset, their so-called "reasoning" about pedophilia amongst JWs. It just about makes my head feel like it is going to explode! There is no reasoning. It is just plain cruel what the WTBTS is doing and how it is leading and influencing the elders, who in turn deal bizarrely with pedophilia. The poor "rank and file" are having their heads messed with so much, they don't seem to be able to see what is really going on with regard to pedophilia! This is just plain crazy! It really IS enough to make your head feel as though it must burst trying to understand. It is NOT Christian to cover up for pedophiles and turn on the victims. How can these people POSSIBLY think they are behaving as Christians?! I could go on and on about the bizarreness of it all, the coldness, callousness of it all. Because these people who see themselves as truly Christian have become calloused toward chidren and teenagers who have been molested. They seem to be impervious to the pain of these kids! I am sorry for rambling on so much, but I keep thinking here about the way M.A.N.'s daughter was spoken to, the way she was treated by these "Christians" after she abused, and yet her mother stuck with the religion and kept her daughter in it, too. It's all just so crazy!
mt	Wednesday, January 31, 2007 @ 1:40 AM
trying to understand It's not possible to understand. They can not at all have Gods spirit. I was a JW for 8 years ago, and even though this should be as clear af crystal, that they are so wrong in the abuse cases, I still have problems to understand that it could'nt be the thruth. And it's kind of hunting me. So when I can feel that it's hard to understand, how easy is it to them, to manipulate the members which still is in the organisation. I did'nt know anything about all the abuse, while I was a JW. And those who still are JW, and have heard a litle about the cases from the news, are not aloud to talk about it inside. And they believe on the lies, that come from the organisation. So the phedofiles (hope I have spelled it right, I am from denmark and dont write so god in english) :) have all the space they want, to continuing abusing the children. And it's simply not to understand. You are absolutely right. JW in Denmark are even saying that silent lamb, is so fullfilled with lies. I just have had a bad discussion with a member, because he wrote: When I saw Dorthe Tveitis name on the side, it was enough to tell me that silent lamb are full with lies. And it's because Dorthe Tveiti can'nt proofe the hurrible abusing, her and her sister and cussin have been through. And in all the churches in Denmark, they have been saying that Dorthe Tveiti is a big lier. But I know Dorthe and her sister, as well as if they were my sisters, both of them. And I just know they are telling the thruth. And its frustrating that they can'nt profe it. So I say to my self, how on earth can I still believe that they have God's spirit? It just can'nt be Gods will, that the abused children must wait for God to take the evil away, and while they are doing that, they have to look at the abuser, and know that he can do it again and again and again and so on. mt
Maluenda	Wednesday, January 31, 2007 @ 11:44 AM
To MT It doesn't matter if your spelling or english is so good. Your message was quite clear. These people need to reassess their attitudes, their policies, and their changing policies. If these people are inspired by the one true God then why does the one true God change his mind so often? We aren't talking little things either. I post as much of this as I can on MSN:this week in breaking news and I'm looking for other news oriented places to post them as well. Just one more way to ge the word out. I make it a point to tell someone every day about Silent Lambs and the JWs. You'd be surprised how easy it is to strike up a conversation about it. Finally, all that magazine pedaling can be put to good use. Finally, to you MT. You're a fantastic friend to have. The people of Denmark and all the Silent Lambs are lucjy to have you around to champion their cause. Blessings to you!
mt	Friday, February 2, 2007 @ 2:36 PM
Problems getting free Hi Maluenda Thank you so much for your loving words. I was so touched so I got tears in my eyes. And I will always, talk in silents lambs favor. I am so happy, that someone is rising and talking the litle kid's causes. I wish we had such a thing in denmark. I would'nt mind. But I dont know how to get it worked. I know that this side, is a side for silents lambs. But I have a crises right now. And I am so scared and have my doubts about JV. Not that I am going back, but I am afraid. So I hope it is all right,that I write this in here. I would so much wish, that I could write a book about all this. Because if I can sit here after 8 years and feel so much pain and be so afraid of Armagedon, there must be so many people out there, with the same problems. I can see with my logic, that they just can'nt have the truth. But in my heart I feel different. And espaccely when I read on the danish web sites what they are writing. Inspice of all the stuff I have been reading about in the last month. Stocks in weapon and smoking facturyes. And Russell as a mansonry and so on. And off course all the poor childreen getting abused. Like my to girlfriends, which I love so much. Maby I am standing in front of, you know, soon everything is getting so clear, and the big emptyness. I dont know. What we all need, is that we all will discover that JW really is a falsh religion. Out to the public. I cant remember the word in english. But you know, when a robber is caught, he is ?......., Everybody could see that he was falsh. This is the best I can explain right now. I hope so much, that somebody can help. And sorry for using this side, with problems that are my own, and not about abusing. Sincerely mt
Maluenda	Friday, February 2, 2007 @ 2:55 PM
To MT I know you are feeling afraid and confused. So many of us here have gone through what you are feeling right now. You don't have to a victim of child or sexual abuse to suffer after leaving the JWs. Keep in mind that this is a cult. Cults brain wash you. This helps keep decent people in line with their thinking. It also makes you feel guilty when you think for yourself. I'm sure right now your heart is telling you that the right thing to do is to LEAVE this religion behind. This contradicts everything that you have been taught. It makes you feel guilty, unworthy, and afraid. Let me tell you my friend, we have all felt this. It will get better but it will take time to heal. We will be here to help you, encourage you, and to listen to your pain as it poors from your heart. I want you to remember that GOD, whether you call him Jehovah or not-loves you. You are worthy of the love of the creator-your creator. You are his child. Do you have children? Could you ever imagine killing one of them because they didn't do what you said was right. Or killing them because they didn't believe a certain way? No, of course not. It's a crazy thing to suggest. So why would your heavenly father kill you or destroy this beautiful earth? Every religion that claims to be Christian and the only true religion has claimed an armeggeddon would occur. Many, including the JWs have even given dates that the end would come. It hasn't happened and it won't happen. Love, the love taught by Jesus and GOD does not involve killing but forgiveness. It doesn't involve punishment, just love and forgiveness. Are you a good person? Not perfect, but always trying to do good? Then why would GOD want to kill you when he teaches love your neighbor as yourself. Remeber these things my friend and let us be there for you. You are on a hard road, but you're not alone, you're not unloved. We are here for you. Many blessings and much strength!!!!!!!
mt	Saturday, February 3, 2007 @ 4:56 AM
Thank you so much Hi Muluenda I cried so much when I read your answer. so full with loving and healing words. It's a very good explanation, that if I had children, would I kill them, because they believed something else. No offcourse not. I have children and I love them very dearly. And thank you for being there for me. It is a great help. You have had to been a JW, to understand how it is to leaving it. I just can't figure out, how to get ower it. How to feel completely free. I think as I wrote, that to see some prove that realy could tell that they are falshe, would help many people. But it's difficult to find. And I also think that I'm afraid of what I will feel. Because it has been filling my whole life. Somehow. So what shall I do with the big emptyness that will come. And what are there instead. If you can follow me. But thank you so much. It is a big reliefe finaly to talk about it. Many regards mt
HRC	Saturday, February 3, 2007 @ 6:16 AM
Worship the God of All Money Covetous acts of Jehovah's Witnesses Watchtower November 1, 2003: Cultivate a Giving Spirit Ways in Which Some Choose to Give CHARITABLE PLANNING In addition to outright gifts of money and conditional donations of money, there are other methods of giving to benefit Kingdom service worldwide. These include: Insurance: The Watch Tower Society may be named as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or a retirement/pension plan. Bank Accounts: Bank accounts, certificates of deposit, or individual retirement accounts may be placed in trust for or made payable on death to the Watch Tower Society, in accord with local bank requirements. Stocks and Bonds: Stocks and bonds may be donated to the Watch Tower Society as an outright gift. Real Estate: Salable real estate may be donated either by making an outright gift or, in the case of residential property, by reserving a life estate to the donor, who can continue to live therein during his or her lifetime. Contact the branch office in your country before deeding any real estate. Gift Annuity: A gift annuity is an arrangement whereby one transfers money or securities to the Watch Tower Society. In exchange, the donor, or someone designated by the donor, receives a specified annuity payment every year for life. The donor receives an income-tax deduction the year the gift annuity is established. Wills and Trusts: Property or money may be bequeathed to the Watch Tower Society by means of a legally executed will, or the Watch Tower Society may be named as beneficiary of a trust agreement. A trust benefiting a religious organization may provide certain tax advantages. As the term �charitable planning� implies, these types of donations typically require some planning on the part of the donor. To assist individuals desiring to benefit the worldwide work of Jehovah�s Witnesses through some form of charitable planning, a brochure has been prepared in English and Spanish entitled Charitable Planning to Benefit Kingdom Service Worldwide. The brochure was written in response to the many inquiries received regarding gifts, wills, and trusts. It also contains additional useful information on estate, financial, and tax planning. It informs individuals of a variety of ways that gifts may be made either now or through a bequest at death. After reading the brochure and conferring with their own legal or tax advisers and the Charitable Planning Office, many have been able to assist Jehovah�s Witnesses worldwide and, at the same time, maximize their tax benefits of doing so. This brochure may be obtained by requesting a copy directly from the Charitable Planning Office.
HRC	Saturday, February 3, 2007 @ 6:38 AM
Jehovah's Witnesses a Moneyed Organization Do not be misled by smooth talkers. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society loves money. An organization that talks about simplicity of life, still advocates big money making and spending. As my previous post about the "Charitable Gifts" indicates a new way of thinking has been indicated in the Watchtower. About 70 years ago, the Watchtower never outlined in specific detail this type of Donation arrangement. As you can see the article was kind of bold. Almost a covetous way of pushing JW's into doing something that should be done privately and between us and Jehovah God. Are Jehovah's Witnesses being more like the churches of Christendom in this regard? Will the Watchtower find themselves taking Credit Card transactions eventually? Time will tell.
Maluenda	Saturday, February 3, 2007 @ 10:11 AM
To MT You feel empty right now because all that you knew is gone. All that you thought was right and true is false. A lie. It's hard for your head to accept what your heart knows deep inside you. It will take time. You will learn to fill your life with happiness, beauty, and most of all true love! You will be free to love unconditionally. You will learn that yes there are bad people in this world but they are a majority. Think about how many people you meet every day when you go to work, the store, etc. They smile at you, hold the door, laugh with you, coo over a baby with you. These are not satan worshipers! They are good people. You will learn to live! As you do you wil see how sheltered your life has been. How void of love and laughter. Real love that comes from your heart, real laughter that comes from deep inside and makes you feel good the rest of the day. The farther you walk away from the cult the easier it will be to see how false it is. You'll see your family in a whole new light. You'll love them more. It will be hard to celebrate holidays, at first it'll feel all wrong, you'll feel guilt. But do it anyway. The joy in your childrens eyes and hearts will melt away the fear and the guilt. Soon you'll see that these are expressions of love. You'll be free to love and grow. You know what is right and wrong. You know what real love is. Open up to it , open up to this wonderful world we've been given as a gift from GOD! You'll see how quickly your hear twill become full and even overflowing. You are in my prayers dear friend. I am always here!
M.A.N.	Saturday, February 3, 2007 @ 5:45 PM
To: HRC I'm glad you posted the material on donations. Again, we realize that the main purpose of SL is about abuse. But people continue to be healed by realizing that the WT is NOT God's organization and that they won't go to Hell or lose his favor if they quit. WT apologists and lurkers continue to accuse us of attacking their beliefs and actions. They follow the GB's quite clever and cute little articles about "what are the motives of these apostates and complainer"? This is classic propaganda, to divert the issue. Our motives are to help people NOT be abused in the first place, if they ARE abused to give them comfort, and to help them NOT to be abused ever again, we warn them of situations where abuse occurs and why. JW's suffer just about the highest rate of abuse of any religion precisely because they belong to a cult and they fear to break any of its rules. This sets them up for further abuse and the silencing of any past abuse. So it is necessary to expose who did it to the victims, how it was done, and why. Now to the donations. The WT couldn't last too long in court if they had no money, so any donations to the WTS actually are helping to keep rapists hidden in the congregations. They avoid jail time or the WT lawyers fight to hide the identities of the molesters. Many of you might remember the story we all read in high school "The Scarlet Letter", where Hester Prynne had to wear a large red "A" on her dress so the town knew her sin. I don't condone this, but in the case of abusers, the congregation should be told. In Florida, they publish a state-wide newspaper describing the abusers, with pictures, addresses, weight, height, tattoos, the works. In some cases, if one is spotted who is on the run (not having reported his change of address) citizens have arrested him by force. I find it perverted that the WT fights to hide the abusers (except from their own children) and the citizens (who are considered "scum" by the WT) care enough to do all that's needed to keep these animals in jail. Who has the better morals? You decide. Back to the money. The WT is obviously very knowledgeable and up to date about how to donate to the WTS. They continue to pump money from the JW's. Most JW's I know can't make ends meet because of not going to college or leaving good jobs in 1975. I would think the WT would be ashamed to ask for money. They should be giving every JW a pension instead of asking for money. I think HRC is right in that someday, the WT will have PayPal on its web site to take credit card donations. They have no shame. I strongly urge everyone not to give the WT one penny. Let them dismiss Bethel workers. Let them have to sell real estate in NYC and let their huge profits become known. I hope the Feds go after them for taxes. I hope Patterson goes broke and halls have to be closed. Decades ago they claimed they'd never ask for money or pass a collection plate. How is this any different? We all know how the JW's are going to feel. Guilty, so out come the wallets. Shame on you, WT. You become experts on financial affairs and ignorant as rocks about child abuse. I am now asking "what is YOUR motive for asking for money"? Don't you have enough? I know the typical JW doesn't. You attack other religions about anything you can think of. But do you run soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and give to the poor? What did Jesus tell the rich man to do? TO SELL WHAT HE HAD, GIVE TO THE POOR, AND BE HIS FOLLOWER. Why don't you try that?? Sell all the buildings (no one reads the WT anymore, it's the same old garbage), give the money to the poor (I know you'll find many in NYC), and try being a follower of Jesus (something you haven't done in 120 years). Wouldn't that be a nice change of pace?
M.A.N.	Saturday, February 3, 2007 @ 6:13 PM
To: MT I would just want to add to what Maluenda said. Most people go through a certain process when they leave the WT. It is part of the trip that all seem to follow. I think she explained everything very well, so I'll let it go at that. It might help to know that you aren't the first nor will you be the last to take this journey. I think you will be a better person for it. My best to you.
mt	Sunday, February 4, 2007 @ 3:28 AM
Hi Maluenda Hi Maluenda and thank's again for your answer. I know it will help and I will remember your words as my wounds are healing up. Off course you are right. The world are wonderfull and people around me are good and carings people. (Most of them). And I'm aware, that this takes time. What strucks me, is that it is now after 8 years, that the pain hurts. Or maby 4 years are more correct, because it's 4 years ago, I discovered that there was something totally wrong with that organisation. But in the past 4 years, I have been so angry, so I could'nt feel the pain. I can feel, inside me, that something is sitting there and can'nt get out. And I dont know what it is. If I'm afraid to see and feel that they are falshe at the same time, or what it is. You know a big stone around my heart. Or in my chest. I am writing in a homepage in Denmark, called religion.dk. And it does help a litle. Also the sime website where I dicuss with JW. But yes, it takes time, I know. I am just looking forward to live again. Without the fear and pain and anger. I am so happy to meet people like you. As I told my friend yesterday, that so far away from our litle Denmark, there are people there, helping and supporting and whom are not afraid to give out of their love. I read what you have been writing to me, and she almost cried also. She is an abused x- witness. And she is having a harder time than I offcourse. But she will also recouver. But I wish you all the luck and happiness, and it's good to know, that you are here. Sincerely mt
mt	Sunday, February 4, 2007 @ 3:53 AM
Hi M.A.N. First thank you for your wishes. It does feel good to write about it and meet other x-witnesses. I write this, because when I read your answer, I was thinking about something, I read last week. In their congretion hall here in Denmark, they used to serve food. But when the tax authorothies, (spelled right??) :-), found out that they had bought an own to 87.000 danish kr. and paied a lot more to make the kithcen up to date, they thought that they also could pay taxes. And then JW closed the kitchen. We were told, that it was because that the brothers and sisters working there, would miss some of the program. What a big lie. I was a JW when it happen. I remember, that I stood up 5 o'clock in the morning, ironing clothes for the family and making food to bring. I also remember the big summer meetings. (dont know the word in english.) When I was a child and a young girl. It was so cosy, standing waiting for food, sitting in the big tents and eat. Now everybody goes to their campingwagon, for them selfes. Not even an icecream you can get there anymore. Nothing for the childreen. Sitting there 8 hours a day in 3 days. It is a huge job for mom and dad, with litle kids. It seems so wrong, when I think back. Well came away from the money. But I agree that they should give money to the poor. What on earth, are they doing with all the money and new buildings, if armagedon is comming. That does'nt make sense. Henchel living in a big five star hotel on Malta. And they say that nobody should be a materialist. No something is absolutely wrong.
M.A.N.	Sunday, February 4, 2007 @ 12:22 PM
To mt I'm happy you feel better. I think if current and ex-JW's knew how many people were out there with something to say, the WT would die sooner. And please don't ever worry about your spelling. Did you mean the "district convention" for the summer meetings? The WT are experts at avoiding paying the tax authorities. That's why they have so much money to defend pedophiles. So if the governments hit them in the wallet, I'm glad. Someday they'll run out. No child should be dragged out of bed at 5 am and spend 8 hours sitting listening to that garbage. It's child abuse, pure and simple. And parents used to spank 3 year olds because they moved or fussed. I've even seen kids slapped across the face. My last year as an attendant, I saw that and told the parents if they did it again, I'd call the cops and take the kid and they'd have to go through me to get him back until the cops arrived. I got dirty looks but I don't care. If elders fall asleep during talks, how can any sane parent expect a 3 year old to sit perfectly still (with no coloring books) and look at the Bible story book and listen to Brother "Let's see how boring I can be so I win the award of putting the most people into a coma" deliver the GB's latest dreams at "new light". If any of you are unsure of the WT's past, or any lurkers are here, do yourself a favor. Read the past beliefs of the WT since 1879. I can't post the link, Google it and read it. You'll break a few ribs laughing. Did you know that Leviathan in the Bible used to be a "steam locomotive"?? Can you believe that? And most diseases were caused by "biting worms" and not germs? Again, this isn't to just attack a few wacky ideas. My point is to prove that WT's claim to be the slave class is false because they weren't feeding the proper food. Didn't Jesus warn against following those who claimed that he had come back? Well?? Who claims he returned? The WT, in 1914. (By the way, it used to be 1874, they changed it in the 1940's.) There are many good books exposing the WT in the library. Look under Religion, Humor, or Fiction.
silentlambs	Sunday, February 4, 2007 @ 11:38 PM
your prayers needed Please pray for my brother, J. He suffered terrible emotional and mental abuse as a child at the hands of our demented JW mother and stepfather. As a grown man, he is married to a deranged JW woman and is currently looking for a way out of the marriage and the organization. At this point, he isn't even certain of God's existence but is hesitant to be aliented from our mother through disfellowshipping. I am trying to help him as much as I can, and I am hopeful that with your prayers along with mine and those in my local community who possess a spiritual nature, he will escape the madness of this evil cult. Please, even if you don't believe that God hears our prayers, say one anyway. Thank you.
mt	Monday, February 5, 2007 @ 9:03 AM
Hi M.A.N. I would very much like to have the link you are talking about. I am right now in a discussion with the worst witnes I have ever met. He is calling all us x-witnesses liers. And he always explain himself out of every prove everybody is comming with. It's him who is calling silent lamb liers, because of Dorthe Tveiti. He is so cruel. So oh, I would like to give him prove, he never ever would be able to run from. Oh he get to my nerves. But I can also smile at him. I hope he someday get his yes up.
mt	Monday, February 5, 2007 @ 9:05 AM
to need prayers I will also pray for your brother and tell everybody I know. Hope so much your brother come out soon.
Maluenda	Monday, February 5, 2007 @ 9:52 AM
TO need prayers I have sent your request around the world. There are prayer groups in Missouri, Tennessee, Australia, England, looks like Denmark, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, etc. that are praying. Groups of people I might add. And I have also asked them to forward this request to anyone or any prayer group they know! It WILL get better. Blessings, love, and peace to you.
SJG	Tuesday, February 6, 2007 @ 4:00 PM
The Truth In: g93 1993 (7), Title: Why So Many False Alarms? Response for why the governing body of JWs promoted the idea that the world would end at various dates, such as 1975. In their own words from the above article: "They are voicing expectations based on their own interpretation of some scripture text or physical event." Am I crazy or are they admitting that this happened because they interpreted the bible on their own and not by God's Holy Spirit? They admit this, so what's to say that other interpretations aren't simply their own and not from God's Holy Spirit? I am somewhat trying to leave the organization. I am not 100% convinced that they are not the truth. I must be nutso. How are we to trust their other interpretations when they admit that in the past they did this? Is the whole religion based on their own interpretation and not God's Holy Spirit? They also admit in the footnote of that article that what they write in their magazines could be wrong at times too because they are not infallable. This from a religion that disfellowships someone for going to another church or temple and studying other literature? Does anyone else see a problem here? Maybe I've just totally lost my mind. So God is using only them and we are to follow only them or be eternally destroyed, even though they admit that they may teach us something that is in error (wrong)? Other religions are called false for doing this. Why does God consider them different?
Maluenda	Tuesday, February 6, 2007 @ 5:06 PM
To SJG I think you've answered you're own question. It's the pot calling the kettle black. Everything that they condemn other religions for doing they do themselves. The difference is that when other religions are caught-they apologize, pay restitution, offer counseling, etc. Jehovah's witnesses, hide, refuse to cooperate, blame the victims, turn their back on the victim further victimizing them, and deny they've done wrong. I wish I had a dime for every time I heard an elder remind the congregation that jehovahs organization is infallible and we should be careful never to bring reproach on it. What they meant is when a brother, elder, sister, is caught doing something against the law-don't go to the police. I personally witnessed instances were brothers were caught stealing by their jobs, child abuse where children were starved to the point of emaciation, molestation, incest, wife abuse, and that's just a start. These were swept under the carpet-let Jehovah take care of it. Yet, they have you believing they are perfect men who write, run, and counsel the underlings. Claiming to be inspired by God. A god who obviously can't make up his mind what to tell his humans. They flip-flop more than a fish out of water. If that doesn't convince you then go look up the criteria to be classified as a cult. Then you'll be able to tell for sure your doubts are definitely not unfounded. Blessings to you friend and may you walk directly into the light of love and out of the shadow of this cult before it destroys your life.
	Tuesday, February 6, 2007 @ 5:40 PM
Re: Your prayers needed How trapped your brother must feel! He must literally feel "caught between a rock and a hard place"! I know how hard it is to take a stand when you know that you are risking alienation from people you love. I have been there, but I know, that for myself, I had to leave the JW religion. I had to write that letter of disassociation and get out of that religion. I just felt too unhappy and depressed in there! I believe that your brother has to be true to himself in order not to feel tormented by being in that rut, that cult. If he stays it will just bring him down even more! He has to make that decision, but I pray that he finds freedom from this cold and callous religion, even at the risk of alienating his mother, who doesn't sound as if she has ever showered him with maternal affection, anyway. Who needs that kind of "love"? I wish him all the best and much happiness!
	Tuesday, February 6, 2007 @ 5:50 PM
To HRC When I read about the WTBTS being a "moneyed organization", I was completely taken aback by the gall they have in trying to get money out of people in so many different ways! They have a lot of nerve! It's obvious they don't care about people, they care about what they can get out of them. If only the "rank and file" were open to learning information such as this! They would surely have their eyes opened!! At least I hope so! What an education they would get about their religion, and I surely hope it would register!
	Tuesday, February 6, 2007 @ 8:08 PM
Thanks, Maluenda! I'm really feeling these days that there is no real true religion on earth. All seem to teach some truths and some false stuff, like the devil did in the Garden of Eden. One thing he said was true and another false. The problem arises when they declare themselves to be the one and only true religion on earth and refuse to let their followers think otherwise. I'm really feeling that in Nimrod's day the sin that God condemned when He confused the languages was organized religion period, but that He is tolerating it only because we insist that we have to be a part of a group that builds a building and makes a name for itself to worship God. Much like He/God tolerated the Israelites having more than one wife. I find it very hard to believe that God would back an organization that has had policies for decades that caused and allowed children to be molested, not to mention that one of those molestors could've left the organization and molested and murdered a child as a lot of molestors do. Why would God expect us to be a part of such an organization if He commands that we be loving, merciful, look after orphans and widows?
mt	Wednesday, February 7, 2007 @ 7:52 AM
JW and politic. Hi Has anybody here heard That JW are a member of Armeniens national commitee. One of the biggest political society's in the world. I just read a litle about it. But never heard about it. They donate money to Holocaust memorial day. Or so they say. I understod that it was to the military, President Bush and governments. Am I wrong in this, or have other here heard it also. If they really are doing this, we must have it out in the open. Every witness have a right to hear this. mt
JB	Wednesday, February 7, 2007 @ 9:51 AM
Thanks for your prayers Thank you Maluenda, MT and anyone else who is praying for my brother. Several people in my local community are also praying and forwarding my request to prayer warriors who they know.
JB	Wednesday, February 7, 2007 @ 9:56 AM
Message to MT Leaving the JW organization is very similar to going through rehabilitation for substance abuse. With correct counsel and enough time, a person eventually detoxifies themselves. When I got out almost 20 years ago, I spent time (and still do), being helpful to as many people as I could. When you put good out into the world, goodness usually comes back to you. May God bless you, and you will be in my prayers.
Maluenda	Wednesday, February 7, 2007 @ 10:01 AM
To: No true religion My dear friend, you DO KNOW the TRUE RELIGION!!!!!!!! Do you really need someone else to tell you the truth. I KNOW you can see the truth from your heart. You know right from wrong. You know how to love and be empathetic to others. You know how to do good works. Religion is a thing taught by those who wish to achieve status, wealth, control, or whatever their purpose is. Some are true to their heart and beliefs but unfortunately those good people-like Mother Theresa- are few and far between. Do you need someone else to tell you how to pray? How to talk to God? Do you need someone to serve as a go between? I don't think so. God loves you. All you have to do is open your heart and concentrate on good things and beauty. Then you'll find the "TRUTH" exists within you where it has been all along. Forget what you've been taught by false prophets. Listen to the love in your heart and embrace lifes many many blessings. Embrace the love and peace that lives there in your heart. Then you will truly, truly know God and the truth. You're not going to find it in any magazine, book, or bible. You are love, you are the ezample of true religion if you choose to live a good life full of love and peace. Don't give up my friend, open your eyes! Blessings and love
	Wednesday, February 7, 2007 @ 12:27 PM
Re: No true religion Forget about the claims the WTBTS makes about being God's "organization". There is only one mediator between God and people. ONE! That is Jesus Christ. After what Jesus went through for all mankind, He most certainly deserves to be the one and only true mediator. Besides, I think it is a violation of people for a religion to claim it is the only way to go. No religion has the right to try and control people by yanking them around. It's almost as if the "rank and file" have symbolic rings in their noses, and with these rings the WTBTS whips them around any way they feel like it! Maluenda made some very good points! She has astute insight. I am very often impressed with her posts! Your post offered real food for thought. No way can the WTBTS be teaching people the real truth! I left the JW cult about 20 years ago, and I am so glad I am out of there! I think I would be feeling so manipulated, especially about the pedophilia issue. Besides, I just don't want to feel like I came out of a mold or like a marionette. I feel so much better, so much healthier having my autonomy. Furthermore, I feel so much more spiritual not being a JW. I don't have to be in the JW religion or any other religion to feel that spirituality regarding God and His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ. And prayer? Well, prayer is a very personal thing. A religion telling people how to pray, how to talk, how to live, even how to think and feel is truly a spiritual violation of those people! People have a right to their spiritual privacy! And, to paraphrase what Maluenda said, you can KNOW the truth from your HEART. All those meetings, all those books and magazines - - they don't represent the spirituality in your heart. As Maluenda said, listen to your heart. Follow the path your heart opens up to you, and love all things beautiful and good! Maluenda's post to you is full of beautiful and kind insight. I just want to reiterate what she said. Take good care, and be happy. You don't need the JW religion in order to be happy. Quite the opposite, in fact. In the very essence of your being, though, you can find happiness and joy and feel the love of our Heavenly Father.
Maluenda	Wednesday, February 7, 2007 @ 1:53 PM
This insight is inside ALL of us. It gets hidden by religion. To me religion is about people trying to push off their beliefs in order to control others through fear. FAITH is a whole nother story. FAITH comes from within your heart! It is what connects you to the Divine! I too am out now 20 years. It took me that long to recover from the brain washing, guilt, anger, hatred, fear, and sexual, mental, and physical abuse. I thought for years the Divine had turned his back on me. I thought as an apostate (I laugh out loud and loudly at that term!!) I was the spawn of the devil. Really I did. I could see nothing as being good. No one was any good because I was left with that JW mentality that it was the whole world against me and since I left the organization it was me alone against the world. They had kept me in the dark so long that I was blinded. I couldn't see all the good people who stood in the light of truth who wanted to help. Who were reaching out to help me. Instead I thought they were out to get me and harm me. That's why it took so long to get that thinking out of my head! I turned away everyone who loved me and wanted to help me. It's all inside you, I promise! And we are all here to help you through this. You are good, you are love, and you are loved by the God you worship!
man711	Thursday, February 8, 2007 @ 9:23 AM
wonder I was wondering why I could not find my post here? Will it show up or must you only write against witnesses before it shows up.-------------------------------------------------------- silentlambs reply-Please resend we will be glad to put it up it may have got accidentally deleted.
Lyne	Saturday, February 10, 2007 @ 5:12 PM
I was the first case in San Luis Obispo to call the authorities about physical/sexual abuse by my father a JW. So glad others have come forward and can hopefully heal.
SJG	Saturday, February 10, 2007 @ 6:30 PM
The Chosen Let's just say that Jesus did return in 1914. What would he have found the people now known as Jehovah's Witnesses doing? =1)Celebrating pagan holidays, 2)teaching false things, 3)acting as a false prophet would (all according to their own teachings). Would he have assigned them as his chosen ones over all his belongings to distribute food at the proper time? THIS IS THE WHOLE FOUNDATION OF THEIR FAITH. They tell everyone that they are the chosen because in 1914, upon his return, Jesus found them dispensing food to his domestics at the PROPER TIME. If nothing else, history has proven their timing to be off. This is a fact, not someone's being misled by the devil against them.
keijo	Sunday, February 11, 2007 @ 5:52 AM
greeting, "Then ha said to them all: If anyone would come after me,he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."Christ yoke is easy that bear again today.Let us do this with love and hope and let us win many men to him,pray for blessed revival soon.Thanks and bless.keijo sweden
CFB	Sunday, February 11, 2007 @ 2:20 PM
Jehovah rules in favor of Danish Newspaper The Denmark case ruling is evidence enough that Jehovah God does not tolerate child abuse. When a well known newspaper is reporting the facts, the people will read and form their own opinion of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society/Jehovah's Witnesses. It is amazing that Watchtower accuses a Danish newspaper of slander when they slander the Catholic Church of Child abuse in their Kingdom News offering. The great God Jehovah will continue to allow court victories in favor of child abuse victims. It is time to sue the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of allowing this dispicable practice to continue in their churches!
SF	Sunday, February 11, 2007 @ 2:26 PM
Warning Just like the Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses will forever be linked with protecting pedophiles. We have to inform the neighbors of Brooklyn Heights that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society are protecting pedophiles and that their children are in great danger!!!
SJG	Sunday, February 11, 2007 @ 3:28 PM
The Truth What god's power is it that allows one to convince another that false things said about God are true? One who manipulates=a manipulator, One who predicts the future falsely=a false prophet, one who teaches false things in the name of God=false religion. God's spirit never directs someone to do the wrong thing for decades. It directs in a correct, 100% truthful way from the start. There is an evil joke being played on millions of people on this earth. We'll have to pray for them.
janemissy	Sunday, February 11, 2007 @ 6:38 PM
WT and NGO-membership Are the WT-boys still at it? The WT Society did participate in a conference in Warsaw Oct. 2006 listed as NGO-members. OSCE, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe had a meeting called: Human Dimension Implentation Meeting. OSCE is a political and military organization within the UN framework of laws. Looking at the other NGO-members on the list, you will find delegates from various organizations. Very ironic.. Just to tell you that the WT is capable on doing whatewer it takes to get what they want. Whatever that is. You may wonder............
Maluenda	Friday, February 16, 2007 @ 7:13 PM
To Lyne It's a very hard thing to do to speak against ones own family. You did the right thing-the only thing you could do in this situation. There is no way to know how many children you have saved. You are very courageous and I applaud you. Welcome to SL. Let us know if there is anything you'd like to discuss. We are here for you. Blessings!
	Wednesday, February 21, 2007 @ 12:20 PM
To SJG I enjoyed your comments! They are right on! I hope that any JWs coming here are helped by your insightful intelligence. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!
	Wednesday, February 21, 2007 @ 12:40 PM
To janemissy The WTBTS was and NGO of the United Nations as recently as October 2006?! Wow. I thought that they pulled out after ten years of involvement. And they're also involved with a political and military organization within the United Nations? Boy, they really have a lot of nerve! How do you find this NGO list? I wish I could tell the JW members of my family about this and have them take it seriously. Once I mentioned to one of my family members the WTBTS NGO involvement with the United Nations, and he made excuses for them! He thought there had to be a good reason for the WTBTS to do that. These Jehovah's Witnesses who believe that the WTBTS can do no wrong! They make me want to pull my hair out! There are many very intelligent people in this 'religion', but their intelligence is so manipulated once they become JWs that they are extremely hard to talk to about anything except the weather! They just can't see what's really what, and that is so sad!
	Wednesday, February 21, 2007 @ 12:46 PM
To Lyne I am so glad you went to the authorities about your abuse! It took a lot of courage to do that! Did you try talking to the elders first or just figure, 'forget that!' and go straight to the authorities? I hope others follow your example and go to the authorities as well. The appropriate authorities, and they are most certainly not the elders under the rule of the WTBTS! Good for you!
DJB	Wednesday, February 21, 2007 @ 9:17 PM
Can Victims Still Believe in God??? The agenda here has changed since I first wrote. Don't be mistaken I write for victims and I always have here. Some who write here are Anti-God and they push this agenda. I thought this was a site for victims of Sexual abuse and there families who were Jehovah's Witnesses not an anti-god siminar!!! I am sick of hearing them constantly pushing their Religion on all of us. Silentlambs seems no longer true to its mandate to support victims of s. abuse and families regardless of religious beliefs. My last comment should have been printed February 8, 2007. Yes I believe God sees what is happening and who are we to say he wont do anything?? For me as a religious person and a victim of watchtower policy you Silentlambs NO LONGER support me here at you web site. Respect should be for all. Some write constantly write and promote their Anti-God Relgion and I am tried of hearing them write in constantly and you know who that is and when I write you don't print my comments. Why don't you censor her comments??? Her anti-God push has nothing to do with support for victims of sexual abuse and victims of Watchtower policy. I do think you should put in my last comment and this comment to be fair. We have been victims and we live out here in the community and we are religious and believe in God!!! This is a support site for x and presently and inactive witnesses and those raised as JW is it not???? I have written and supported this site since 2002. You treat me badly by rejecting my comments... I Challenge you to read up on the comments I have regularly submitted and you tell me if I have a point here!!!!!DJB ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- silentlambs reply-Thank you for writing and due to the attempts to delete spam we may have inadvertently deleted your post. At sl we support those that have suffered abuse, some have lost their faith in God others remain active JW's while some maybe somewhere in between. We want the guestbook to be a safe place for all to talk and express their feelings. No one should be attacked for doing so. We hope you will continue to support the guestbook and this post is good advice to all our moderators to remember the mission statement for silentlambs. We simply support and believe all those that have suffered abuse.
silentlambs	Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 9:34 AM
guestbook fixed! We are happy to report the repair of the guestbook. In recent months misguided individuals have blitzed the guestbook with thousands of spams in an attempt to shut us down. They also included malicious viruses that would attack the person trying to delete the spam. Volunteers for sl have lost their computers on six different occasions just trying to keep the guestbook operational. We are happy to let everyone know that with the kind assistance of a professor from Murray State University a Capta Tag was installed that provides the letters below to cut out the spams. If you would like to express your appreciation for the efforts of this kind man please do so here. We were at the breaking point with over 1,000 spams a day. Now we can operate again. We greatly appreciate his kind assistance. silentlambs
M.A.N.	Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 10:53 AM
Thank you I just wanted to post this to thank the person who worked on the guestbook. I am a network engineer and computer "geek", and I realize how much work websites require. I just wanted to point out how difficult a job this person performed in order to make the guestbook operational. I'm sure we all appreciate this and hopefully abuse victims can post more easily and others can quickly offer consolation and comfort. M.A.N.
Maluenda	Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 12:20 PM
To All Isn't it wonderful that the GB is fixed. A huge amount of praise should go out to this kind professor that has helped us all. Good really does triumph over evil in the end! Love, Hugs, Blessings, and THANK YOU a MILLION TIMES OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
silentlambs	Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 2:11 PM
guestbook If you would like to write the Murray State University and express appreciation for the assistance with fixing the guestbook you may do so here. This link provides address and information to the president of the college. I helps them to know that their professors are rendering great service to the community. The person that fixed the website's name is Victor R. http://www.murraystate.edu/president/contact.htm
	Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 5:02 PM
To DJB For the record, it helps many victims to recover when they are able to discuss their belief (or not) in God. Some stop believing, some still believe and blame him, and some hate him for allowing abuse. Every victim is different. I see no pattern of anyone posting an "anti- God" agenda. I know that MAN became an agnostic and there is a female poster who hates the WT but believes in higher power (s). Abuse victims need to go through stages in order to recover. You stated that you thought this was a place for JW's who were abused. It is not only for them. All abuse victims are welcome here. The majority who post here may be JW's or ex-JW's, but that may be due to other factors. No one has to prove his/her faith or lack of faith to post here. You complain about having "religion pushed on you", yet you state that you believe God sees everything and infer that he will do something. Isn't that YOUR religion being now pushed on others who don't believe? The issue isn't belief in God, it is how the abuse happened, how to stop it in the present and future, and how to help victims to recover. Then you again state you are religious and believe in God. The agnostics here would claim you are pushing your beliefs on THEM, since they don't believe in God. To be fair, you should consider that you are maybe doing the same thing that you complain about, but in reverse. You then again make the claim that this site is for victims associated with the WT, either currently or in the past. As the SL reply stated, it is NOT only for WT or JW victims. ALL are welcome here. I hope that you can view my comments objectively and will post here and benefit from the comments of everyone. We at SL care about ALL victims and this site is necessary until abuse ceases forever no matter where or when it occurs. Thank you for your support.
M.A.N.	Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 5:22 PM
To SJG re: the chosen I usually avoid doctrinal discussions, but this one can help victims. Many victims are afraid to disobey the WT or elders because they firmly believe that they and God are one and the same. You brought up the 1914 issue. Actually, the WT claims that Jesus made his inspection in 1919 and found the WT dispensing "proper food at the proper time". Since virtually all their teachings from that year are now "wrong", it knocks the support for their claim to be the "faithful slave" out from under them. My point is that many victims fear to displease God if they report the abuse. If they believed that God preferred that they DID report it (possibly saving others from being abused), they would feel better and heal more fully. "Captive of a Concept" is an excellent book written by an ex-JW elder whom I know. The book debunks the doctrine of the WT being the faithful slave class. I know that if victims feel that God loves them and does not blame them for seeking professional help or coming to this site for comfort, they will recover sooner. I hope this information helps.
Maluenda	Thursday, February 22, 2007 @ 8:15 PM
RE: SL site I think it's wonderful that DJB can express himself on this site. I think it's a perfect example of how many of us feel. It's so easy to think of this site as our home, belonging solely to us. So many of us find comfort, solace, and love here. We make it our home. Sometimes those who have different beliefs than us may post something that goes against our personal opinions or thoughts. I think we all need to keep in mind that the purpose of the site was to give victims a voice. It really doesn't matter if you are agnostic, Catholic, JW, Pagan, or what you call your higher power. What matters is that we are all here to have a voice. To tell our stories. To help others cope when times seem darkest and to share in the triumphs when progress is made and sometimes to vent against our abusers. That is the thread that has brought us together. The bond is that we, either directly or indirectly have suffered from the abuse (emotional, physical, or sexual) of a religious cult. Now we are all trying to shed the darkness and step out into the light of the real truth. It's a horrendous task to undertake alone, especially when chances are your lifelong family and friends have left you out in the cold. Being a moderator is a tough job. We have to give Bill and his team credit for the endless hours they put in to keep this site up and running. Especially Bill and his bride who more often than not fund this site solely with their own earnings. So with that in mind we should all keep in mind the real purpose here is not to convert anyone to a particular way of thinking. It is to offer support when support is needed, encouragement when it's needed, love always, and to not put anyone down for their belief or disbelief in anything. It is to help victims and their families who have been abused by clergy. This site is not for everyone. There are sites that encourage bible study, pursuing Christianity, and God as the path to healing from abuse. There are sites that support agnosticism as a path to healing. This site accepts all abuse victims from all spiritual paths, condones nor condemns any of them. So if you find the fact that SL allows everyone to express their personal views (as long as they do not attack or condemn anyone else on the site) then perhaps this isn't the site that would feel most comfortable to you. That statement isn't meant to discourage anyone from being here. It's just another side of the coin to look at. Since the point is healing we want everyone to heal in the most conducive, supportive environment possible. So like with anything else in life: Find what works best for you. As always Blessings , Peace, Love, and most of all a healthy path to healing.
	Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 12:40 AM
Question: Where are True Faith Jehovah�s Witnesses located? Answer: Well, let me say from the start that I am in the United States where I became a TFJW partly by reading on the internet as well as conversation, book reading and the Bible in particular. But I will answer this and all your questions as well as I know how. The answer, then, is that although TFJWs have now become worldwide most of us are still in Romania and other nations of East Europe such as Moldova, the Ukraine, Russia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. I have no documented statistics to give you but from what has been related to me there are also some in Slovakia, Poland, Austria, Germany etc. Similarly, relatively small groups are in large capitals of West Europe such as Berlin, Paris, and London. In North America here there are very scattered individuals and very small groups in places such as larger cities like New York City and immigrant-magnets such as Dearborn, Michigan, in the United States. In Canada some TFJWs are in Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, and Vancouver. You will not, however, find any listed in a telephone directory as homes and public meeting places such as parks and community centers are good enough, though we have had some really large conventions in East Europe. Up to 35,000 have met at conventions in Romania, for example. Because of the internet, I feel confident that every day people including from related groups around the world in Asia, Australia and Africa are also learning the truth about us and Jehovah�s will. Question: Where are most TFJWs located in Romania? Answer: In Romania TFJWs are throughout the nation in both cities and rural areas. Some cities for example I frequently hear of Cluj Napoca and Tirgu Mures. Question: How many True Faith Jehovah�s Witnesses are there around the world? Answer: Although only about 35,000 meet at TFJW conventions in Romania, due to barriers such as borders and expenses, there are about 60,000, in addition to which there are nearly 40,000 in about nine other related groups in Eastern Europe. Question: How do TFJWs view Watchtower Society-led Jehovah�s Witnesses and other groups that have split from the Watchtower Society? Answer: All Jehovah�s Witnesses who are still loyal to Jehovah ahead of any earthly group of religious leaders and actively in proclaiming the Good News of Jehovah�s incoming kingdom are viewed as brothers and sisters, warmly welcomed when visiting with TFJWs. A true friend of Jehovah is a true friend for us too. At the same time, we as TFJWs are fully aware of the fact that there are JWs and smaller groups who put the interpretations of their human organizations� religious leaders over Jehovah�s Son, Jesus Christ. So, I again say that for a True Faith Jehovah�s Witness it really depends upon if a particular JW from another group is putting the will of Jehovah God and His Son first or, for example, giving primary allegiance to the governing body of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society which has elevated itself in apostate fashion. Question: Can you quickly name the common beliefs and differences regarding TFJWs and Watchtower Society JWs? Answer: Yes. As to God�s nature, the condition of the soul, the resurrection hope and so forth the beliefs are exactly the same. The major difference is that True Faith Jehovah�s Witnesses in contrast to Watchtower Society- headed JWs do not have formal Judicial Committees with harsh disfellowshipping. Instead those in congregations decide for themselves how to react to someone who has done something seriously wrong, doing so in a spirit of reasonableness in consideration of many different factors. This applies for example to the use of tobacco and blood. Also, TFJW women typically wear scarves as a sign of respect in line with what the Bible says. All TFJW husbands take very serious the need to be upbuilding Christian role models as older men for their families. For example a TFJW father would not want his children to be involved in Western style �dirty dancing,� but would encourage them to be loyal to Jehovah above all, also to enjoy some well-balanced wholesome Christian activities such as witnessing and picnicking. Question: What about the nature of God meaning the trinity doctrine? Answer: There exist Jehovah God Almighty, His Son Jesus Christ, and Jehovah�s Holy Spirit. They are different from each other although they are all holy. Jesus is not identical to Jehovah as a person although the same in regard to beliefs even as a mirror reflects a face. Let me make clear that we differ from the beliefs of persons in the churches, even strongly on some things, but we seek to be respectful and kind all the same. Christ visited with and helped people who were not only worshippers of Jehovah but also some who were sinners and pagans, is that not so? Question: Okay, moving on, why do True Faith Jehovah�s Witnesses believe the Watchtower Society headquartered in Brookyn, New York, is apostate, meaning against God�s will? Answer: That will take a minute or two. You see, during the Cold War the Watchtower Society leadership compromised in the Western group of nations which was led by the USA and its agencies such as the CIA and British intelligence, which we believe the Bible speaks of as the King of the South. Also they compromised in the Eastern Bloc of Communist nations headed by the USSR and its agencies including the KBG and Romanian secret police, a group which the Bible collectively calls the King of the North. Yes, the men in Brooklyn were infiltrated and at the same time Communist secret police used moles and traitors to try to destroy groups of TFJWs meeting underground in places such as private homes and outdoors in East Europe. The Watchtower Society also interpreted and still interprets the �superior authorities� to whom Christians owe ultimate allegiance to be the world�s governments while TFJWs continued, despite persecution, to see the truly �superior authorities� as Jehovah and the Christ. The Bible says to be respectful of governments, and we can do so well enough especially when those are respectful of us as Christians. However we have always refused to go so far as to have our faith bow down to the dictates of any dictatorship including those of the Nazis and Communists! Nor will we bow down to any U.N. demands against our faith! And, by the way, we know full well from reading the internet that on the sly the Brooklyn apostates have had a harlot-like liaison with the U.N. as an N.G.O affiliated with it. They still have a relationships but have hidden it a little more under the bedsheets. That may burn up some to hear it but, well, it is the hard truth! Let�s be reasonable. In all truth, many good-hearted JWs in the West can see for themselves that the Watchtower Society�s doings have brought reproach upon Jehovah�s grand name. Such JWs do not feel though that they can easily cut ties with the Watchtower Society because when they do the apostate leaders from Brooklyn have the local elders declare those who dissent are apostates and that they are to no longer be associated with as before. The best many have been able to do is cut down or cut out their money donations to the apostates. Back in the 1970s the Watchtower Society began setting up Bodies Of Elders who must obey their idea of a religious �Theocratic Arrangement� which in fact is a dictatorship. In particular by disfellowshipping those who dissent, their apostate dictatorship has caused great unhappiness and we sometimes hear of suicides or deaths. Unlike this dragon-like dictatorship, we who are True Faith Jehovah�s Witnesses allow dissent and encourage newcomers to express it so that the can all grow in our faith. It is also a fact that Watchtower Society-appointed elders are ordered to send any pedophiles they or Brooklyn head over them have judged repentant to also go preaching from door to door. As said, among TFJWs not a committee of Watchtower-appointed elders but all in a congregation freely decide how to deal with a serious sinner. Among us, all things being equal, we normally say of every Christian man who is an older man with children behaving that he merits our respect as one of our elders, but this word �elder� is not a kind of title or position for lording it over others and judging, even misjudging them harshly as it is with the Watchtower Society. Question: Okay, and how does Field Service differ for TFJWs? Answer: We too take Field Service seriously but do not use it to destroy the normal lives of our families. Instead it is kept regular but enjoyable. Those who can do more are encouraged to do so but not given unChristian pressure to do so. We seek to be reasonable and encourage people, young and old, in good health and in declining health, to do what they can reasonably do in view of their God-given talents, as said their health and other considerations. Question: Do you count time, and write down how many things you place? What about regular meeting attendance? Answer: No TFJWs are �forced� to do those things. Witnessing in an orderly way is encouraged and many do so, but it is not a requirement for being seen as a brother or sister in the faith. Nor is robotic rigid attendance written in stone. Hebrews says to not stop meeting but it does not order how frequently that absolutely must be. No, mercy, love and kindness go ahead of harshly inflexible Pharisee-style rules or laws! Above all, Jehovah knows our amount of �time in service� and as to things that get placed or left with people, usually for us such things are not made of paper but they are the speaking of scriptures from a Bible. We do have some literature about the Bible for studying and sharing, but the main tool for witnessing is the Bible. Question: So, how do you get the preaching work done if you do not have a human governing body, district overseers, circuit overseers and appointed local elders? Answer: We are an Association of Christians. This means there are local groups and sometimes in some places isolated Christians who all understand from studying the Bible what is to be done, that is that we must preach and conduct ourselves as much like Christ as is possible for imperfect, therefore sometimes failing but sincere humans. There is no need for an enormous publishing corporation and overseers elevated above other Jehovah�s Witnesses! That�s a business, not faith! We�re a FAITH, not a human organization like those bossed by corrupt big businesses, governments and religions. Instead, the One we all look to as our spiritual king is Jesus Christ, the Son of Jehovah God Almighty. There is a kingdom which is securely in heaven where no rust, moth, nor apostates can ruin it. And it extends down upon earth into the hearts and minds of all true Christians whom we seek to draw together in the faith which is an association of those witnessing to the goodness of Jehovah. Jesus Christ is the one and only truly faithful and discreet slave, the only needed leader over all true Christians. All the same, the Watchtower Society�s Governing Body says they, the sinful men sitting on that body, are the Faithful and Discreet Slave as class. What kind of sense does that make for any Jehovah�s Witness who truly is for Jehovah and His Christ?! Jehovah�s Holy Spirit was used to create the heavens and the earth, and His Holy Spirit will create a new heavens and a new earth as well as continually comfort and move us ahead in the ministry as a healing unto all the nations. We don�t need a pretend kingdom out of Brooklyn over the earth. That�s just a cult of darkness in the palm of Satan. Question: And do you have any idea how long it takes newcomers to become True Faith Jehovah�s Witnesses? Answer: The basic scriptures can be explained from the Bible in a single setting, but for many people it may take weeks, months or years because they need time to associate and gain strength to give up some bad habits. So the answer is it can be from an hour all the way to many years. For most, then, the length of time is somewhere in between. However, staying Christ like is something that is a lifelong exercise in the faith. Question: Interesting. Did someone from Romania, in the U.S. or another nation appoint you to be a spokesperson for the TFJWs? Answer: Jehovah�s Spirit can make the rocks speak if that is what it takes. I am a little rock who is rock solid in faith to Jehovah Himself. Therefore His Spirit comforts and encourages me to declare the Good News, set the record straight and to encourage others to do the same. Jehovah made my mouth and it is used to glorify Him. The one true Rock is Christ, not some modern Peter or Paul or Knorr, Franz, Henschel or other apostates of darkness. I myself am a puff of air but even when one little rock leaves Jehovah can and He does raise run a hundred, even a thousand others. Each can cry out what needs cried out. Question: So, were you previously a Jehovah�s Witness? I know I studied and attended a little with them. Answer: The fact is that I have always been a Jehovah�s Witness and a witness for Jesus Christ, and I pray to always stay so even to death. As to if I am a JW in the True Faith belonging to the truly superior authorities, or if I am a JW whose heart is for the Watchtower Society, as if that contraption actually were Jehovah, well, I already know that you know that answer! Question: Where can interested persons find out more information? Answer: I believe you pretty much have it. The Bible is the main light. We also make use of literature produced for JWs prior to about 1962 when the apostates tightened their grips in Brooklyn. As Christ said, you will know us by our fruits of love, joy, peace etc. We are dedicated to doing God�s will and making disciples for Christ. Question: Then it looks like we�ve come to the end of the interview, and I want to thank you for coming. As soon as possible you will be given a transcript of the interview. Answer: You�re welcome, and I thank you in turn.
Maluenda	Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 3:12 AM
RE:TFJW's Interesting reading. This is the first time I've heard of such a group. It makes sense though. It seems to me that these folks are on target as to what their bible says they ought to be doing. I wonder though how they would handle a peodophile case? If a member of their church admitted or had charges brought against him that he was molesting children. Would you decide as a congregation to go to the police or would you let Jehovah handle it in his own time? Second question I have: What happens to all the good people on the earth when armeggeddon comes? Do all the people who have lived good , decent, useful lives die eternally because they aren't JW's? What happens to them? If whoever posted about the TJW's could answer those questions I would be most grateful. Blessings to you.
janemissy	Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 7:47 AM
how to find WT and NGO If you want to look for yourself about WT and NGO, go to www.randytv.com. On the left side you will find UNITED NATIONS and the WATCHTOWER site. The famous beast will appear, and then again om the left side all the information you want. OSSE is the name to look for on any server. Its called OSCE in Norway. (For scandinavians to read) Randy Watters is the best and the most well informed person I have read about in these matters. Good luck on the internet! Best wishes from Jane.
SJG	Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 12:48 PM
The Truth Thanks M.A.N.! You're so right. It's not just the molestation victims who have suffered at the hands of the governing body of JW. To the so-called TFJWs, you are not the only ones teaching basic bible truths. This "We're the truth faith and everyone else false" crap is causing children and teens to be molested, people to commict suicide, possibly homicide, and it is destroying families. But we can't be surprised that after given the evidence there are still going to be those who insist that the people claiming to be victims on this site are a fake because there are still people who uphold the beliefs of Hitler after seeing the damage his regime did to people. I really feel that the problem is some people need to feel that they are on some kind of pedestal over other people cults like Jim Jones and false religions like the JWs cater to this in people "the elite, chosen who will be saved when everyone else is destroyed. The special ones who God loves more." It's crap and we all need to concentrate on loving our Creator with our whole being and our neighbor(everyone on earth) as ourself & stop worrying about being better than the next person.
Maluenda	Friday, February 23, 2007 @ 2:42 PM
To SJG I think you and MAN have got it right. If we just lived peacefully and loved our neighbors as ourselves what else would we need. I think that superior attitude breeds prejudice and where there is prejudice there is injustice. It's such a basic childlike concept. Blessings
M.A.N.	Saturday, February 24, 2007 @ 2:09 PM
Re: Catholic/JW newsletter I have seen this comparison quite often. It is an excellent analysis. I don�t know if you could find any other two religions with the same amount of hubris, unless you included the Islamic terrorists. Although, to be fair, the Jews, Mormons, and others do insist they alone have the truth. Actually, I know very few religions that DON�T think they are the �truth�. (When you back them into a corner.) Why else would they belong to that particular religion? If anyone�s faith is �okay� then no religion would care how many of its members left and they wouldn�t care which other religion they joined. I somehow don�t think this is going to happen. (By the way, the word �hubris� means a kind of �religious arrogance�. It�s not found in some dictionaries.) There are many interesting facts about the Catholics and JW�s. The second largest religion in Italy, after the Catholic Church, are the JW�s. In fact, the JW�s are the second largest religion in many Catholic countries. The Pope has often bemoaned the fact that Catholics should be going to the people with their faith. The Catholic Church, when asked questions about illogical things and doctrines that they cannot explain, calls them �Blessed Mysteries�. The WT, when asked about doctrines THEY cannot explain, calls the people who asked �Cursed Apostates�, �Diseased So-and-Sos�, and other flattering and Christian terms. There are many similarities, and reasons for them. The Catholic Church produces a climate where homosexuality and child abuse flourish because priests, often healthy young men, cannot marry and satisfy a normal desire for love and sex. So they turn to nuns and children. There are hundreds of nuns in convents who had babies fathered by �Father Whoever�. Wearing drab, brown baggy outfits, their pregnancies often went unnoticed. JW elders, often frustrated by a lack of love at home (often their own fault for ignoring their wives for months while busy �snooping� on the congregation and holding petty judicial committee meetings) then turn to willing single women and/or children. The Catholic threat: �Tell and you�ll burn in Hell.� The JW threat: �Tell, and you�ll lose your family and burn alone (after they commit suicide or whatever they do). Not too kind of a shepherd to say, is it?? Another thing. The Catholic Church ravished and destroyed entire countries to �convert the natives to Christianity�. Many died. The Watchtower destroys families using shunning and lying to the public. Many died here also. The Catholic Church thinks the WT is the �man of lawlessness�. The WT thinks the Catholic Church is the �man of lawlessness� and the �whore of Babylon�. Oddly, both are correct on this one. The Catholic Church lets you �buy� your way out of Hell, Purgatory, Limbo or wherever with money and prayers. The WT lets you �buy� your way out of dying at Armageddon by selling the required amount of propaganda (known as �Bible study aids�) and spending at least ten hours a month lying to the public about God and the WT itself. The Pope acts like he is �God on Earth� and talks like he is. The WT�s leaders do the same thing. I think I have a solution. Since the JW�s are cutting back on how many people they use at their headquarters (Bethel) and the Catholic Church is having trouble finding new priests for the seminaries, why doesn�t the WT send the extra men to Rome so they can become priests? It solves many problems. It shouldn�t matter to either religion. Neither of them teaches the truth, neither follows the Bible, and neither of them would be allowed in my home because I don�t trust them. One last similarity: The Catholic Church has many members who only go to church on Easter and/or Christmas because they really don�t believe and can�t stand to be there. The JW�s have many members who only go to the Memorial because they don�t believe anymore and cannot stand to be there. I guess it doesn�t matter which religion a person belongs to here.
SKB	Saturday, February 24, 2007 @ 3:00 PM
Barbara Anderson is beutiful in Jehovah's Eyes Barbara Anderson's personal loyalty to Jehovah God and Jesus Christ will be rewarded when Jehovah displays his disfavor on the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and its "unfaithful and indiscreet slave class" on this earth. These men clearly do not read the Bible and its standards. They slander all religions in favor of their own. They have pointed fingers at others and have not pointed to the faults and falicies of their own religion. The pride and covetous attitudes of the Watchtower/Jehovah's Witnesses are a disgrace and they deserve to be sued for their cowardess handling of pedophiles. Any individual can see the absolute hypocrisy in the Jehovah's Witness religion. Barbara Anderson did the right thing by coming forth and shedding light on this religion. She obeyed God as ruler rather than man.
Maluenda	Monday, February 26, 2007 @ 9:39 AM
RE: Religion I find all religions very interesting whether they be Pagan or Christian in origin. I understand different ways to worship. Different beliefs in the afterlife. I can even kind of understand why people would want to believe in an armeggeddon. The one thing that I just can't figure out, that I cannot come up with a logical explanation for is why a human being who is at the very least a son or daughter (put aside brother, sister, mother, father, cousin, friend, teacher etc.) would want harm to come to another. Now, the Christians all profess love as their main guidance for their thoughts, actions, and teachings. Yet, they can't wait for their God to destroy unbelievers whether they are honorable and good or evil. Many Christian cults like the JW's practice shunning, disfellowshipping and other tactics that are the opposite of love. I find it quite confusing. I asked my parents if they prayed every day for me. Prayed that I would find their "truth". They said no because I had made my decision so basically I was already dead to them and Jehovah. So how can you preach, "Love thy Neighbor..." and then discard nonbelievers as already dead? Especially, your own flesh and blood! We all know this is prevalent in the JW cult but it is also prevalent in other religions as well. I prefer to try to find something likeable in all people no matter what they believe. I truly believe their is good in all of us even though we choose at times not to show it on the outside. It's very sad to me when a person or group of people have to degrade or lessen the value of other human beings to elevate themselves to a superior position. Why do people need to feel superior to others. Isn't that what is responsible for all the wars, bigotry, hatred, and evil acts in this world-superiority? Well, all this is just my personal opinion of course. The post about Anderson sent my mind on a tangent. Hope all of you are having a beautiful day full of love!
SJG	Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @ 2:18 PM
In Response to Re:Relion How can a man and a woman who chose to get together, make love, create a child, love God if they can not love the child they created? I've been thinking that the governing body of JWs reminds me a lot of Nazi Germany. God loves you and you are not dead to Him. He sent His Son to suffer and die for all of us and Jesus 'hungout' with the prostitutes sometimes because although sinners, they are one group that needed to feel his presence and needed his love the most. God HELPS people in their hour of need. He does not discard them. Look at the example of King David. He is with us through our mistakes and arrogance. He is working with us overtime to help us get our act together so to speak.
Maluenda	Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @ 2:54 PM
To SJG So I'm not crazy. It is illogical. I can't imagine not loving one of my kids. Even if they did something terrible, I would still love them and not wish them to die. I may not agree or like what they do but LOVING them has NOTHING to do with that. I feel so sorry for those who have hardened their hearts to their own families and dear friends. The very ones who love and adore them. They have no idea the joy they have given up. By doing so they can't even see that they have judged and condemned them to be unworthy of God's love. Yet, they profess that only God can know the true state of a man's heart. Very, very sad. But I can tell you now that I look at people ain a whole new light. I don't want to be superior to anyone. Not a movie star, political figure, relative, or jw. I just want to live in this beautiful world, enjoy it's gifts and blessings and encourage others to practice peace and love.
Lynn	Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @ 4:13 PM
For TRUE FAITH JW's? I have many questions do you have a membership list. Is your group legally incorrupated (sp)??? I was always told the witnesses have no other groups braking off... I find this fasinating but very understandable. Tell us more. Is there a website one can go to????
Maluenda	Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @ 7:20 PM
To Lynn I looked them up on the net and visited their official site. I wasn't impressed. It almost seems like a joke. I asked many questions and never got a response here or from emailing them directly. They use old books and watchtowers from the 30's and 40's. All the woman have to have head coverings. They haven't responded and don't seem to have a large following. They don't have an eldership and don't believe in Bethel. They say the congregation as a whole responds to issues or problems that arise. So that's what I know about them. Funny though they won't respond to emails. I wonder why?
M.A.N.	Tuesday, February 27, 2007 @ 8:19 PM
To Lynn and Maluenda I also had questions about the True Faith JW's. They somewhat seemed to be an offshoot of the WTS. A little similar to the Book of Mormon sounding very much like someone took the Old Testament and inserted a subplot. The style of writing was copied, names, things like that. The TFJW's are too similar to the WTS for me to take them at face value. Almost like that "conform to non-conformity" behavior. They also believed in certain things that I thought had been done away with or else were not accepted from the WTS, so why accept it from them? I don't like organization, and this one seems to still have more than I want. I don't know any members personally, so I cannot judge their motives. Maybe more info will come out soon. I would have thought we'd have heard of them by now. Any thoughts? Thank you.
M.A.N.	Wednesday, February 28, 2007 @ 9:45 AM
Re: Barbara Anderson I agree with you about Barbara Anderson. In fact, I would find it difficult to understand it if she knew what she did and did NOT come forward. One of the KEY issues here and with the WT�s attitude concerning child abuse is whether or not the abuse of children is more important than the reputation of the WT or its interpretation of their faulty Bible. All Christians need to analyze what Jesus taught about God�s standards and then make a personal decision. There are dozens of cases in the Old Testament when loyal and faithful servants of God refused to go along with the wicked kings and/or the majority of the population because they were NOT obeying God�s standards. God rewarded these faithful people, he did NOT approve of their being killed by the evil kings because they �spoke their mind�. The same thing is true today. Most JW�s are too brain-washed, ignorant, or even stupid to realize that they are defending leaders who have strayed so far from decency that they don�t know how to find their way back. We here at SL see that God could never want these precious children molested and not reported just so his supposed �organization�, along with a twisted verse about �two witnesses� would be upheld. May I remind everyone that Deut. 22:25-27 REQUIRES that the man be punished and the woman released. If this verse doesn�t provide for the protection of innocent girls, then what the h*** is this verse in the Bible for?? Aren�t little children �screaming� silently in their hearts and minds, but there is no one to hear them? My God, how can the WT leaders expect a 7-year-old to tell on her own father or an elder and be believed when they laugh at her or call her a liar??? When I got my degree in Psychology, many courses used the practice of �putting yourself in the other person�s shoes�. If anyone needs to appreciate the terror a small child endures while being raped, then I leave it to you to mentally picture the scene and her feelings. It is especially horrific if it were to be the child�s father or a trusted elder. Now please picture that this father or elder is denying the accusation and calling the child a liar or a whore. Pretend you are a nine-year-old girl and picture the entire scene. I know this isn�t pleasant, but I had to do this during MY therapy since this happened to my child. Now pretend you are God (or a NORMAL human being, not a JW) and decide which scene is more disgusting, the one where you pictured that you were the little girl, or a scene where you as an elder are picturing a family or two quitting the congregation because they knew about you raping your child and you are concerned about the loss of donations. Which scene SHOULD bother a sane person more?? I challenge any person, especially JW�s, to defend their choice to protect the WT instead of the child. I think you all know what my reaction would be. Now read the following concerning God�s opinion and his punishment of STONING. Does anyone else feel like executing these animals, or is it just me?? Stoning to death is NOT a pleasant way to die. Think about it for a moment happening to YOU. Now, remember that this punishment was God�s main method for executing people who committed certain crimes, including sexual misconduct. GOD WANTED PEOPLE TO THROW LARGE ROCKS AT THE HEAD OF THE RAPIST UNTIL IT BROKE OPEN AND HE DIED, BLOODY AND GORY!! Am I not correct in this appraisal?? This is God�s verse, not mine. I want to shoot them. That�s painless and they die in a fraction of a second. Think one more time about stoning. Is God barbaric? Or is he so disgusted with child abuse that he wanted the abuser to suffer stoning? I have no answer, he doesn�t talk to me. I know in my heart that the WT doesn�t have much longer to survive. All that is needed is one good TV show and they are finished. These topics are discussed on Freeminds quite often, and there are dozens of articles that Randy Watters posted to help abuse victims to heal. (He was a Bethel elder for six years in NYC.) I know him and his site has an interview with him and Bill Bowen. To conclude about Barbara, at times we must all draw our personal �line in the sand�. A line beyond which we WILL NOT GO. When I�ve tried to talk to my soon to be ex-wife, she yells, �We�re not going to go there.� Meaning, she will NOT discuss anything bad about the WT. Now I say to her and the world, �WE HERE AT SL WILL NOT �GO THERE� (TOLERATE ANY MORE ABUSE OR LIES FROM THE WT).� Another way to phrase it would be �We will not let YOU (the WT) go there (molest children and then lie about it) any more.� If you lie about us or to us, you WILL pay the price. There are courts and we will use them. If you slander us, we will sue you. Your money will not be enough. We have more money than you do if we fight you together. We outnumber you one thousand to one. You CANNOT win, since you do NOT have God on your side. I respect Barbara (and her husband) very much for taking the stand that they did. They no doubt lost many friends. But sometimes principles (and saving who knows how many children from being molested in the future by the WT) are more important than �friends�, if that�s what you want to call JW�s who will drop you like you are poison if the WT tells them to. Any JW who believes that the reputation of the WT is more important to God than the safety of our little children is SUB-HUMAN.
	Wednesday, February 28, 2007 @ 2:09 PM
More on religion I used to go to a Bible study once in a while with some friends, and the women all had their heads covered. I tried that, but it felt so wierd! It was as if my body wanted to reject the scarf (I know this may sound corny!). I just can't handle, just can't stand, the idea of covering my head in a Bible study. Also, this is the 21st century, and some of the Bible teachings make me think of the mid- east 2000 years ago or more. Men weren't supposed to have long hair, and women weren't supposed to have short hair. Yet so many Christian women have short hair! So, why don't they have long hair and wear head coverings and go the 'whole route' if they think they should wear head coverings? The mid-east still has the 2000 + years attitude about women, but common sense seems to indicate, at least to me, that in this day and age - - well, things should be so different. Nobody should be oppressed. Nobody should be suppressed. Nobody. Not women. Not children. Nobody. And repressing JWs, so that they can not do the right thing about pedophilia - - well, that just takes the cake.
S DALEY	Friday, March 2, 2007 @ 6:02 AM
I live in Spain although im english.I have to say im astonished how jw can call themselves christian.If people knew from the start they werent christian,people wouldnt go near them.If they were honest and said they dont believe JESUS is GOD.They wouldnt be able to trap innoccent peopleThey spout hate about all other religions, but are completly unabable to read about their own history.I go out evey night and put 100,s of posters about their history,its so sad when you see people tearing my posters down,and when i ask them why.they say im doing the work of satan.When i point out its there own history,they call me a lier.how is it they can know the history from 2000 years ago , but they dont know their own short history.I often think its ok for freedom of belief, but if a sect is able to lie and control people so much, why cant goverments intervene.The other thing is, they always phone the police to complain about my posters,and when i point out to them about their propaganda ,they are completly unable to understand.Thanks just for being here, its a great site.
Maluenda	Friday, March 2, 2007 @ 7:40 AM
To S Daley It is amazing that they avoid their own history like the plague! I would WANT to know how my church was founded etc. When I mention anything about it to my father who is an elder he changes the subject or denies it. I am noticing that the average person is waking up and hearing "the truth" about the jw's. We have one at our school and she was trying to secretly pass mags on to another mom and a group of moms saw it and all rolled their eyes in disgust. Onesaid,"Those people are just horrible!" Another said,"If they're so Christian why do they have to hide?" Keep those posters going up. I don't know about the laws in Italy but here you have freedom of speech and posters are everywhere! Stay in touch with us and let us know how things are going!Blessings to you
M.A.N.	Friday, March 2, 2007 @ 12:39 PM
To S Daley They are not Christians. Christians wouldn't lie about anything, especially their history. And they wouldn't destroy signs that others put up. This is how we know that God is NOT with them. As Maluenda said, the law might be able to help you. Good luck to you.
M.A.N.	Friday, March 2, 2007 @ 12:46 PM
Re: latest elder arrested I found it disgusting that this elder did this in the first place, but as we all know, the WT is full of pedophiles. But what was really terrible was that the elder tried to make excuses for his crime. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR CHILD ABUSE, NEVER!!!! NOT A BIRTH DEFECT, NOT A GENETIC TRAIT, NOTHING!!! In the Mosaic Law, you DIED, period. Why does an elder, someone who supposedly has all the answers (the WT claims to have all the answers and they tell the elders what to say and do) need to molest someone because he's "having problems"? We ALL have problems, and we don't molest children to solve those problems. Psychologically, what does this say about the WT?? That it has "culture" so to speak, that lets people act this way. JW's have no normal coping skills for life, so they turn to unnatural things for their answers. This cult is sick and should be outlawed throughout the world. They truly are "emotional terrorists". How many more people will be hurt or die before this cult is stopped for good??
Maluenda	Friday, March 2, 2007 @ 2:26 PM
I think it's very interesting that he said BECAUSE he was an elder he couldn't seek help for his problems and THAT's why he molested the girl. Classic Pedophile case! First of all he groomed the mother to get to the child and second has absolutely no sense of responsibility for the harm he caused to a child and no sense that what he did was wrong because he is unable to blame himself for his own actions. Text book case-don't you think MAN.
M.A.N.	Saturday, March 3, 2007 @ 9:24 AM
To Maluenda Yes, he fits many of the classic behaviors. Blame the victim, it's not my fault, I couldn't help myself, "God made me this way", etc. It's funny how elders hate to admit that they are imperfect. JW's LOVE to say in general "we are all imperfect" but if you ask any elder for a specific fault in his character, you will get a dirty look. When I went to the local hall seeking help and to see what they'd do, the elder (secretary, I think) told me "We know that a few mistakes have been made concerning the handling of abuse cases, but they are rare and are being taken care of." I wanted to puke. "A few mistakes??" Mistakes??? NO WAY!! The WT has an official policy and it is more than a "mistake". It is hiding evidence from the police. It is non-cooperation whenever they can get away with it. There is lying to the congregation and the public, not to mention the media and in court. These are not mistakes. Threatening to DF a victim is a BIG mistake, if it were my child and some elder told her that. I hope people can begin to see how twisted JW minds can become when they decide to give up their right and their ability to think. There is a verse about "through USE" people's consciences become mature. Since the WT tells all JW's what to do, even which hand to wipe their nose with, how can they make decisions on their own and develop their minds?? What minds? They don't think, they just obey like robots. Where is the Christian freedom that we are supposed to have? This is the danger of allowing a cult to make your decisions. This is how Hitler got power and how he did what he did. One final thought. Why is there such a high percentage of abusers among the elders? I know from my studies that fathers are often the abuser, but why elders?? They have wives, why abuse children? My point is that the WT loves to bash the Catholic priests for abusing children because they can't marry and have no healthy outlet for their needs. But JW elders can marry and most of them are, so what is going on here? Next post.
M.A.N.	Saturday, March 3, 2007 @ 9:38 AM
Re: elders as abusers My most important point here in this post is how so many elders slip past "Jehovah's Holy Spirit" appointing them as elders. I brought this up years ago when an elder no one liked was DF'd for meanness and some secret sin from his past. I could care less about his past, but he was the cruelest elder I ever met. I was a MS at the time or I swear (and please forgive me, he hurt our family but wasn't the one who abused my daughter) I would have punched his lights out. Dozens of publishers came to me, a MS, to beg me to talk to the elders about him. I did and was told to mind my place. You all know me well enough to know I don't take that from even an angel, so I quit as an MS. NO ONE tells me how to think. Basically, the elders told me that he qualified "at the time" and if he "changed", then God's spirit would remove him. I said since he lasted less than a year, it was a waste of time of god's spirit and the damage he did wasn't worth his being an elder for one day. Now take the case of an elder who IS a child molester, has been one for years, and is currently abusing a child. He gets appointed as an elder. He abuses more children and finally gets found out and removed and maybe arrested. How did this piece of slime slip past the GB and "God's spirit"? I mean no disrespect to those who believe, but back in Rutherford's day, god's "spirit" was joked to be 160 proof Bourbon. (Rutherford was an alcoholic.) But now they supposedly cleaned that up. Can anyone answer this question? How does the GB make such terrible misjudgments when it comes to appointing elders?? I can't believe God would want these animals appointed to positions where it would be easier for them to find innocent victims. Does anyone have an answer?? Would any of you JW lurkers care to explain this insanity?? Thank you.
SJG	Saturday, March 3, 2007 @ 5:04 PM
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here. The JWs use the calculation from 607BCE to 1914CE to prove that in 1914 the Gentile Times ended and Jesus began to rule as King or returned invisibly in Kingdom power. The calculation is supposed to be such strong proof. Now, where was Jesus when the calculation was being written? We say he was in Heaven and could see and hear everything. We believe that he knows and understands the entire bible, not just some parts. But in the first century in Matt. 24 of the JW bible, he tells his apostles that no one knows when he will return, not even him, only Jehovah. Couldn't he have just done the calculation and come to 1914? Doesn't this prove that the calculation is erroneous, a false teaching. If JWs are teaching false things and insisting that they are THE ONLY CHANNEL GOD IS USING ON EARTH, they are a part of what they call false religion and God is not with them. Therefore, say what they must, we do not have to be afraid of them and their tactics. The whole religion is a sham. I forget the exact article, but they have declared themselves to be prophets, God's only true prophets in the earth and claim that each member is a prophet because of the "house to house" work they do. So, sometimes a prophet of God predicts the truth and sometimes he predicts false things. Humm! There is a god using trickery here. If you can get the CD and skim through all of the garbly-gab, their entire teaching is like this. They make a play on words to manipulate. Jehovah is not the trickster God. I think we pretty much know who the real trickster god is.
Mike	Saturday, March 3, 2007 @ 7:08 PM
Another Bad JW Elder bites the dust. Still more problems with Jehovah Witness' Elders and the world of child pedophilia. Another California JW man has a twelve year jail sentence and more excuses to tell the judge. Hey Watchtower, what is the excuse this time? Are we truly to believe that Jehovah's Witnesses are the "true religion". How many more Elder pedophiles do you have? Does your God, Jehovah, tolerate this practice or are you guys plain stupid? While Jesus was on this earth, did he practice this child pedophilia practice? Watchtower. If you are reading this web site post, let me recap the law for you. A simplified version, if you will. 1. The law states that protecting child pedophilia is wrong. That's right, wrong. 2. Telling judges excuses for such a practice. Plain wrong. Watchtower, do you see a pattern? 3. Using the Bible to justify the practice of your elders badness. You guessed it. Wrong. 4. Sueing newspapers for truthfully telling the story of victims of JW pedophilia. Wrong. 5. Disfellowshipping individuals who truthfully tell the authorities about illegal practices in your religion. Wrong. 6. Seeing Watchtower's "dirty underwear" for the world to see. Priceless.
M.A.N.	Monday, March 5, 2007 @ 10:46 AM
To Mike First, I like your name. LOL. You made some excellent points against the WT. Clearly, history (whether Bible or secular) shows that God "punished" his people whenever they disobeyed him or lived contrary to his standards. Sometimes the entire nation suffered for the sins of a few, be they kings or whatever. Not very fair, but hey, I can't beat God. However, there is a pattern of the Jews NOT being blessed by God when they were bad. So why would God use the WT today when it is more corrupt than the Mafia? (Sorry, Godfather.) What HASN'T the WT done wrong? They own stock in war industries, lied in court about their money, evade paying taxes, lie in court during child custody cases and say their children have "normal" lives (that's a REAL puker), call Jehovah the "editor" of the WT magazine, elect Rutherford as the President (he was a drunken bully), and deny in court the concept of "theocratic warfare". I could list thousands of points, many of which Silent Lambs has exposed right here. The WT has NO conscience at all. It's pretty sad when the WT and Hitler showed the same level of remorse: NONE AT ALL!! I'm glad that California is stepping up and putting the WT in its place. Florida is big on taking pedophiles and throwing them in jail for life or killing them. I complain about the heat, but I love their laws and hobbies (guns, boating, and the right to protect yourself). Mike, a good point on elders. Why the heck are so many JW pedophiles elders? We know it is often a father who molests, but an elder?? I know many of them are fathers, but wouldn't you think they wouldn't be allowed to be appointed? Where is God's "Holy Spirit" in this process? I thought it couldn't make mistakes? Either the HS makes mistakes, God makes mistakes, or the WT is NOT from God. I leave it to all of you to choose. (Guess which one I chose.) The "two witness" rule does NOT apply in child abuse. First, look at Deut. 22:25-27. Secondly, think about God's viewpoint. Do you think he wants children raped because of some technicality? And then have the elder defended because of some stupid verse? I don't think so. Another good point was lawsuits against media. I find that SO hypocritical. You at the WT almost get cramps whenever anyone in the world says something bad about you. In fact, the more true the accusation is, the madder you get. Gee, that makes sense. Yet you attack the world and its religions all the time. We all know how much you love the Catholic Church. It's against the law to threaten people if they go to the police. You might be allowed to DF them, but if you imply anything further as a threat, you might be able to be charged with a crime. I state again, if my child is ever threatened with ANYTHING because she told the police or warned others so their children could be safe, and she suffered because of it, you will pay dearly. And I'm not talking about the fact that we won't exchange Christmas cards with each other anymore. I'll see you in court. I never lose.
M B	Monday, March 5, 2007 @ 12:15 PM
How many members are there in the Silent Lambs? I need help to stop the JW's from putting a "Hall" on my Dad's farm. He married into the cult almost ten years ago, and now is letting them build on the "home place." Anybody out there got any suggestions?? Thank You!!
Maluenda	Monday, March 5, 2007 @ 1:44 PM
To MB My best advice to you would be to consult a real estate attorney in your area. There are so many variables here it would be impossible to advise you. For example: Is your father alive/deceased? Do you have any stake or claim to the farm? If you do and your father is deceased you could probably force them to buy you out or you might be able to stop them from building. If your father is alive and in a sound mind then there is nothing legally you can do to stop him unless there is a prior stipulation based on inheritance that says the farm is to stay in the family, etc. If it was left to your stepmother and your father is dead I would advise you to look into what the laws are in your state regarding what rights you have to claim a percentage of the property even if you were left nothing in the will. A trust is a different matter. There again you need to spend the 100.00 or so to lay everything on the table and have an expert advise you of your legal remedies. You may be able to get some type of order to stop the building until the matter is resolved. I would definitely encourage you to go to the media regardless. It would be a good human interest story for them. If your father is alive and you have a good relationship with him maybe you can plead with him to leave the farm for his grandchildren. To not give away his legacy. Keep us informed and good luck! Blessings!
M B	Monday, March 5, 2007 @ 2:17 PM
Thanks for the reply... And, my dad is still alive but has been brainwashed by the JW's, plus on top of all that, he is in the early stages of Alzheimer's....Dementia is the state he is in now..delusional if you ask me....but, I would like to organize some kind of protest if they do start building there...have the silent lambs ever done anything like that? Thank You Again!!
Maluenda	Monday, March 5, 2007 @ 2:43 PM
To MB They have done protests but not for building KHs. Their protests revolve around child abuse and the policies that protect the pedophiles in the congregations from being exposed and brought to justice. It will be a plus for you if your father has dementia. You may have a case that he is not in his right mind and the stepmother is using his property for her churches gain when you have a claim to it as a rightful heir. Get an attorney quick! Call the local newspaper all of them the news stations and any magazine anyone who will listen. Rally neighbors, town officials, talk to the mayor, civic leaders, other church leaders. Emphasize the fact that these so called harmless people that knock on your door have policies in place that place children in harms way, protect pedophiles from prosecution, and lie in the name of theocratic warfare to get what they want. Write letters, but get an attorney! If nothing else you can stall them. Are you friendly with your stepmother or is she classic Cinderella?
NF19	Monday, March 5, 2007 @ 3:26 PM
To MB Dude, find a lawyer right away! If he has Alzheimer's, then he shouldn't be able to do legal stuff. I think a few doctors have to sign that he has it, then he's not allowed to let the JW's rip him off. Make sure whoever gets put in charge of his stuff won't help the witnesses. Find a family member who hates them and if they get put in charge, they can tell the Watchtower to get off the place and stay away! You don't want a JW church there, do you? Maybe you can ask some nieghbors to help keep them away.
M.A.N.	Monday, March 5, 2007 @ 8:10 PM
Re: GB help I've been reading the article on Freeminds that was written by Barbara Anderson. She was involved in the database at Bethel and either wrote or helped to write many articles. I just thought I would remind everyone here that there are and were good people at Bethel who tried to do the right thing. But as she brought out, the leaders were not of this group. She specifically mentioned one member of the GB (Ted Jaracz) as being dead set against victims seeking therapy from "worldly" psychologists because they were "Satan's world" and that the WT could offer all the assistance any victim should need. As we all know by now, this is total garbage. I met Ted Jaracz and many other GB members and many of them are arrogant and rude. If you are new here or don't know what to do if you've been abused (especially if you are a JW) I promise you that you will receive NO help from the WT. They are NOT therapists. You will only heal if you get professional assistance. The reason that many victims remain in agony for years, or commit suicide as the one young woman did who helped Barbara with the article, is that they are afraid Jehovah will be angry if they go to professionals outside the WT. You must do so, because there aren't any professionals INSIDE the WT. They simply don't have the training nor, in many cases, do they care if you get better. They only care about lawsuits and how the public views them. Since it's way too late to save their already destroyed reputation, I don't know why they keep trying. To conclude, I hope any who are in pain will realize that even the highest elders at Bethel do not care about your problems like they should. Please seek help and my best to all of you.
M.A.N.	Tuesday, March 6, 2007 @ 12:43 PM
Re: repressed memories Another point from Barbara Anderson's article on Freeminds, and which has also been dealt with here on Silent Lambs, is "repressed memories", "forgotten memories" (isn't that an odd expression, how do you forget what you remember?) or whatever term they use (there are several). Again, in most cases, there is something to this. Many people who have a quick flashback memory of some type of abuse are not necessarily remembering a dream, some movie they saw, or something that a friend told them. If these memories persist, or are usually similar, it is a good idea to seek professional help. Again, the WT belittled these even more rudely than they did current or recent accusations, but we all know by now why. One of their favorite tactics is to try to weaken the statement or the person's resolve. Often they outright attack the victim and ridicule them. Loyal JW's then feel that there is something wrong with THEM, but I assure you, it's not YOU, it's the WT. Let's think about this a moment. Even any decent stranger on the street, if hearing of such a story, should have the kindness to urge the person to seek help. The WT is supposed to have a "superior love" compared to the world's religions and people, or so they claim. So why would the WT be MORE cruel than a complete stranger? I've discovered that down here in the South, people care about others more, or at least slow down and take the time to show it. In NJ everyone's in a hurry. The South, especially Florida, also has a higher percentage of older people. Most of these people have grandchildren, are more mature, think more carefully, and have more experience in life. Since many in Bethel are younger, newer, and often from that area, they don't have the compassion or knowledge to help victims. Plus, to be honest and blunt, they just don't give a damn. It's just one more item on their "to do" list, and they do NOT like any list or items that reflect poorly on their reputation. Does anyone see a pattern in all of the observations that people report here, including me? I don't condemn people without the facts, but it's usually true that where there is smoke, there is fire. And the smoke around Bethel is so bad, it's almost dark as night. The WT forbids "gossip" about these "memories". But as a person in the field of psychology, I strongly urge anyone who has these memories to seek help (NOT FROM ANYONE IN THE WT) and if you hear of others, I would ask around if it's the same "brother" whom everyone is "remembering". As I've proven many times, pedophiles RARELY reform. My offer still stands about giving money to the person who can prove to me that any JW who was a pedophile is now cured for life because he's now a JW. I still haven't had to pay a penny yet. So if you remember being abused ten years ago and you hear rumors about the same brother abusing a child now, I would try as best you can to see if it's true. You both might be part of a long string of victims. Maybe a case can be made in court if this all ties in together. Of course, the WT will deny it, but since they know nothing about psychology, I would ignore them and their threats. Remember, you might save some children from being raped in the future if you report what happened to you NOW. Why allow these animals to continue doing this? Why let them get the last laugh at your expense? My family was destroyed and a fortune was spent to help my daughter and a fortune was lost because it happened. Now a fortune will be spent to bring them down. I'm not materialistic, I just wish to point out that victims that don't get help will suffer emotionally, financially, and psychologically for a long, long time. You are not a bad person if you try to follow up on this. I urge you to do so, using only legal means of course. But this doesn't require you to obey the WT's rules. Their lawyers lie and the elders also lie. The GB has committed perjury in court many times. My final point is that you won't make God angry at you if you defy the WT over this issue. You are trying to do the right thing and help victims. God will take care of the WT, believe me. You victims need and deserve to care for yourselves now. You may already have suffered terribly as a victim but you don't have to suffer any further by listening to the empty threats from the WT. The way to deal with bullies is to call their bluff, ignore them, or hit back. Believe me, they'll stop if you hit them hard enough. Remember, they are cowards and weasels. My best to all and my sympathy to any out there who are in pain.
Maluenda	Tuesday, March 6, 2007 @ 1:07 PM
RE:repressed memories MAN is correct. I started repressing my memories of the rapes as a small child. It was the only way I could sleep, eat, or function. If I didn't block them I would throw up, be awake for days, and shake horribly. (And no one at home or the KH noticed this behavior as abnormal?) I still am afraid to sleep because of what I might dream. Not the crazy stuff normal people dream. I dream my attackers come back and the scene of being raped replays itself. Chronic insomnia another gift from being raised as a JW. Pills don't even help because I am so hell bent on surviving that my body refuses to process the meds, rendering them useless. I'm just that afraid to sleep and when I do it's for short periods of time. No dreams allowed! I started having flashbacks at about age 20. There are still whole years of my life I barely remember. Just the simplest details. The elders told me it because as a new mother and stay at home mom I had too much time on my hands. They showed me some scripture about an idle mind is the devils workshop or something like that. And then told me to become a pioneer. I never spoke of those things to them again. They basically told me Satan was in my head and I needed to become more theocratic! I suffered in silence. Hiding the pain, not understanding what it all meant, living in terror not knowing what would trigger it. It was hell. There are certain smells and things that trigger flashbacks like thin mints candy and chickens. It can be a sound or the way something is said. I still have memories that I have never acknowleged until they rear their ugly heads from a trigger. So it's real, theymay sweep it under the rug but it's still there and if you don't get help you will kill yourself because it is a torture chamber in your head and you have no control over what happens in there and you have no warning when it will happen. Professional help is the only way to get it out of your head and under control so it doesn't control you. Blessings
someone you know...	Tuesday, March 6, 2007 @ 9:31 PM
feeling bad my husband disassociated himself last year and i did too and his family wont talk to him. We love God, but hate religions and there hypocracy. We write music for God freely give it away for anyone who asks us. at no charge and when my husband sees his family in public, they dont even talk to him or look at him yesterday, he said hello to his niece, and she reply'd im not talking to you.... my husband is very well known in this town, and respcted by many, but his family. 2 days ago, our house, that we rent out burned. he called his father to tell him, no response. from no one we are shaken up over this, we have a small family ourselves. no conmfort from these people, what so ever. its like we are dead to them what an eye opening. its so strainge, so unnaturall, so in human! do you know who I am? anyways, we dont deserve this, because we matter, and we are worth much more than this and God does love us. peace...
Maluenda	Wednesday, March 7, 2007 @ 7:58 AM
RE:Who are you? You are the face of thousands. I am so sorry for these terrible events. Being shunned is a ridiculous and HATEFUL practice. You'd think by now they'd figure out it doesn't work. Well rarely! Doesn't the bible say you catch more flies with honey? Anyway that's the truth! As far a the house the red cross will help you with whatever you need, including housing. Also I'm sure other local churches will rally to help you if you tell them your story. After it's all said and done go to the local story and tell them how your family rejected you , the JWs rejected you , but the local churches took you in. Hang in there. I wish I knew who you are but I don't. But I will pray that this all works out for you and better than before. And that your family can recognize their ungodly ways and repent!
M.A.N.	Wednesday, March 7, 2007 @ 9:55 AM
To: Someone you know I'm sorry about what happened to you including the house. Why don't you contact the TV show "Extreme Makeover"? They rebuild houses for those who have had a tragic situation happen and I think you qualify. It would also bring some publicity to this shunning and the WT. It's possible the fire was not an accident. I hope that you can have that checked as well. My best to you.
M.A.N.	Wednesday, March 7, 2007 @ 1:52 PM
Re: Barbara Anderson I was typing a comment and the power went off, which I�m sure JW�s would say was a sign I shouldn�t be posting here. Well, now I type into a Word doc, which autosaves every 2 minutes, then I paste it into the SL box. So I�d like to see whatever? try to stop me now. LOL. The point I was making was that people who visit the guestbook should really read Barbara�s story on Freeminds. She also has been involved here on Silent Lambs. She was faced with a moral decision and was DF�d because of it. As usual, the WT, through JR Brown (who has no conscience at all, he is a lying swine), denied that she was DF�d because of the child abuse issue. They called it �causing divisions�. I have a feeling that Jesus himself would have been DF�d for this very same thing if the WT had any influence with the Pharisees. Actually, they ARE the Pharisees of today. They apply their own man-made rules and value them over the rules in the Bible. I found this quote to be very applicable to the WT�s methods and actually its very existence. �Morality is doing what�s right no matter what you�re told. Religion is doing what you�re told no matter what�s right.� I think this says it all. Barbara made the point that child abuse is a CRIME. It may be a �sin� depending upon which religion you ask. But in the US, ALL suspected cases of child abuse should be reported to the police. I would certainly think that a religion that claims to be holier than any other on earth (the Watchtower) would be leading the way when it came to running to the police with ANY suspected cases of child abuse. But no, they are usually the LAST religion to do so. This is shameful. If they want to have a JC meeting on fornication or adultery or even masturbation, that is their business, and if these acts are not against the law, then they can have their little court cases and not let some brother handle the microphones because he doesn�t handle other things in his life properly. The police clearly do NOT care if some JW young man engages in �self-abuse�. But I bet they care VERY MUCH if a JW child is molested, and especially if the elders hide it. Another point I was trying to make was that they continue to require TWO witnesses before they believe anything. I have a challenge. And I don�t mean any disrespect to any believers who post here, but I need to make this point. I now want TWO witnesses that Moses existed, and Paul, and particularly JESUS. I never saw him, I know there are no living TWO witnesses who did see him, and there is no video tape of him doing miracles. Yet billions of people believe in him and the WT demands total obedience to their rules because they come from Jesus (whom we haven�t proven ever lived). Their claim is that thousands of people were and are willing to die for the teachings of Jesus, so he must be true. They also say Jesue is real because the Bible says he�s real. That�s circular reasoning and patently false. That�s like my asking everyone to believe that I�M Jesus Christ because I say I am. I doubt that would work. So now on to my main point. Would thousands of victims go public, risking the embarrassment and shame they feel, risking being DF�d, being ignored by their own PARENTS and friends, if they didn�t believe in what they were saying, that they WERE victims or else like me, that they KNOW victims personally and know they are telling the truth? Most victims don�t have two witnesses, yet we know they are telling the truth. And if that�s not good enough for the WT, why is the total lack of witnesses that Jesus lived no problem for them? Can someone please help me with the logic here? Or maybe LACK of logic, since we ARE discussing the WT? (WT stands for �Won�t Think�). We have over 6,000 victims who have contacted Silent Lambs. We know there are over 23,000 pedophiles in the Bethel database. There are millions of child abuse victims and family members who know they were victims. And NONE of this matters at all to the WT. Yet the WT demands belief in Jesus based on �upwards of 500 people who saw him after he was crucified�. Uh, WT, I think you should check the odds here. Five hundred for Jesus and he�s a fact. Five million for chld abuse victims, and they are lying?? Are you all crazy?? I�ll let all of you do the math.
M.A.N.	Wednesday, March 7, 2007 @ 2:39 PM
Re: Barbara Anderson, part 2 Taking the information in the previous post about what Barbara Anderson did for the victims, I think it would be fair to require the following. Since the WT claims to be so moral, then they should report ALL cases of suspected child abuse to the authorities, no matter what state they live in, whether it is required by law or not, and even if the victims are NOT JW�s. (Why would that matter? Didn�t the Good Samaritan help a �non-believer�?) The WT should not only report ALL cases, but after doing so, they should provide ANY information they have to the police, no matter how private they feel it is. It ISN�T private. In fact, if they had any previous information about any pedophiles, the police should already have that information because the WT should have reported THAT info when they first got it. In other words, there should be no �secrets� or �surprises� locked up in ANY kingdom hall or at Bethel. We have the right to know if animals live near us and certainly if they sit next to us in �church� or go out in car groups in field service. Do you know that �repentant pedophiles� are allowed to go door to door as long as there is someone with them? But what the hell does that matter if the person with them doesn�t know that they are a pedophile?? How can this �chaperone� watch what the pedophile does when they don�t know what to watch for? What if the person with the pedophile at the door is a young brother or worse yet, a child, especially a girl? What child or female is going to feel right about �monitoring� an �older man�? Can everyone see how this rule about men being treated as gods is scripturally stupid? And how do you think the householders would feel if they knew that the elders knew this man on their porch was a pedophile and was free to roam the area using a Bible as a �holy cover�? And remember, all the ELDERS know who the pedophile is, so THEIR children are safe. But what about the children of the other publishers? Isn�t this favoritism? I thought there was no �clergy class� in the WT? Now we see there is. Not only are the children of the elders safe, but only the elders know the whole story. And they have the power to DF others, yet the publishers cannot DF an elder for hiding these animals. That�s not fair. If we are all equal, then we are EQUAL, period. And that means that WOMEN (perish the thought) should be elders (but that�s another story). SO THIS IS MY PERSONAL CHALLENGE TO THE WT AND I HEREBY MAKE IT PUBLIC. IF YOU WANT TO DO THE MORALLY PROPER THING, THEN DO AS FOLLOWS: You will immediately report ALL cases of child abuse to the authorities, no matter what the state law requires. If the state doesn�t require it, we will work with lawmakers until they ALL do. You will provide ALL information about ANY pedophile that you have to the authorities. You will cooperate in EVERYTHING they ask you to do. You will punish NO ONE for going to the police or for warning others in the congregation about who the pedophiles are. In other words, there will be NO cases of �slander�, �gossip�, or �causing divisions�. In fact, you will warn them yourselves. If this isn�t required by law, THAT will be addressed with the courts. You will publish an apology in the WT magazine for your failure to do the morally right thing over the last several decades. You will compensate ALL victims and their families financially for ALL damage that your policies and actions have caused. You will NOT mark or attempt to get revenge on ANY person who ever opposed your actions in this area. You will stop lying in court concerning child abuse cases. You will cease encouraging JW�s to go to court and sit on the side of the pedophile in order to serve as a �cheering section�. If you fail to perform even ONE of these demands, you should pay dearly, no doubt with your lives (if the Bible is correct). You will certainly pay financially. And you will answer to God personally. In the future, I intend to make sure that Silent Lambs is funded and I will arrange for additional funds to be made available to Silent Lambs until their work is done. I will organize people, ex-JW�s, the media, and any other resources that I can in order to force you to comply with these demands. I hope I have made my position clear. I consider you to be a plague and a pestilence on the face of the earth. I will not rest until you comply or are destroyed, either by God or by the efforts of decent people who care about morality, and you clearly don�t qualify as such. It is such an irony that a religion that has existed for over a century and has repeatedly claimed to be the ONLY source of spiritual and moral guidance in the world has turned out to be one of the most hideous and disgusting group of people I have ever seen. I am thoroughly ashamed that I was ever a member of this evil and satanic child-raping cult.
Re someone you know	Wednesday, March 7, 2007 @ 8:32 PM
its me.......... the someone you know is me Catherine Manna and my husband Darryl Taylor thank you for your kind words, everything will be allright, and we will carry on with our song for healing, ourselves, for you and anyone who needs uplifting we try to do the wright thing allways, but at the end of the day its you, your loved ones, and the one and only who loves us our creator...thank you maluenda and man....peace God be with you, thank you thank you....keep the faith and search for truth "outside the walls of man made religion" the power of love is from God, and he gives freely to anyone who wants it...i believe.........
mt	Thursday, March 8, 2007 @ 2:40 AM
What can I do? Hi Everyone I was reading what M.A.N has been writing. And I was thinking, why is'nt anybody doing anything here in Denmark. I dont know why, but it seems so difficult or maby it's just me. I would so much like to help here from Denmark and the danish childreen who are abused, and them who already has been abused. But I dont know where to start, or who to go to. Has anybody any surgestions? And for my self, I am so ready to work with it. I do not feel so frightend anymore. I am so happy about it. It was Raymond Franz's book, that helped me. Also what I have read here, and on the danish webside, Religion.dk. So thank you to all of you also, for helping me out into the real world. Smiling. And thank you silent lamb, for the great work you are doing.
M.A.N.	Thursday, March 8, 2007 @ 12:11 PM
To: mt I appreciated your comments. I would contact the local media, maybe the editor of a newspaper. They could get you started with some columnist who writes articles on religion. I think SL has brochures and info you can download and give out. Check with Bill personally. There may also be a link here with suggestions. Many people put up flyers in grocery stores or on cars if that's legal. You can also email all your friends and ask them to do the same. If you know about newsgroups, some post there as well. Many ex-JW's have good websites and if you use Google and contact them, they will help you. Good luck to you.
PCC	Thursday, March 8, 2007 @ 12:55 PM
Where Can I find a list of JW Pedophiles in a certain area? Hi, My aunt attends the Kingdom Hall in a place called Newport News, VA., in the Hampton Roads area. How can I find out if persons in that area are known JW child offenders? Are they listed as these types of offenders? ___________________________________________________________ Silent Lambs Reply: Go to our home page and in the middle column you will see a link titled: Locate towns where alleged sex offenders were reported to SL. If anyone knows of a sex offender in a particular area please contact us so we can add it to the list.
mt	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 5:46 AM
much more information out in the open air. Thank you very much for your help. I will go on working with it. I am harmed, that no one is working harder in this world, especially here North. We do not hear very much about anything, and I am thinking, why does'nt anyone response to all the awfull things, there is going on in the JW. If we just could somehow create a circle, there is getting bigger and bigger, you know like circels in the water. It's fine with the web-sites. But not enough. Much more informations must out in the open air. So the witnesses who are warned to read any stuff from x- witnesses, will hear about it anyway. I think it's so great, that you are challenging the Organisation. Something much more people should do. And I think it's great, that so many in USA are puting posters up everywhere. But here in Denmark, is nobody reacting. They have a few web-sites, but thats it. So therefore I was thinking, I will try and do something. But it's difficult in Denmark. Sincerely mt
adrienne england	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 5:49 AM
fear of j.ws its almost 15 years since ive come out of the j.ws it is still fear that is not allowing me to move on with my life, i cant even pick a bible up without reading it through there eyes i have now seeked help and am having a help by a profesional person in the form of talking these things over. both my children needed help they both suffered depression i feel so guilty in letting them become to believe what is a complete lie about life , at least they have been able to make a life for themself and there children and we are free from control of the elders who some need help themselfs as they are completly brainwashed to the point of cruilty to others. when i lost my dear son aged 16 in a river accident they said i would never see him again as he wasent one of them, how dare they they are not god, although they think they are gods people, god would act in a more kindly manner and they do not know him, they only give there love to an earthly organisation that is man made while condeming the whole world as being evel exept themseves. by presuming this they are setting themseves up as being fooled by there own lies.when I came away from them they said i was dead in there eyes, and in gods eyes but i was set free to think for myself but the fear sometimes comes back to me .
George	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 7:45 AM
Question Does Silent Lambs support the French Government's document? I do not support child pedophilia of any sort. However, I feel the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses on their no blood transfusions belief is a personal one. If they have biblical evidence that they should abstain from blood, then its their own personal decision to either accept blood transfusions or not. If the medical community offers a waiver of procedures to these patients, then the medical community should respect their beliefs. What is the goal of this web site? ______________________Silent Lambs Reply: The purpose of this site is to offer support to the victims of sexual abuse and work for the strengthening and reform of laws regarding this issue. We are also working to see that internal religious rules protecting pedophiles and causing further harm to victims are changed to protect all children.
Maluenda	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 10:58 AM
To Adrienne I know what your going through. It's called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sudden panic attacks, depression, sadness, guilt. It will get better over time but in order to heal you must live. Go for walks. Take in the beauty around you. When a stranger is kind to you remind yourself that this person was nice and not at all what the JWs teach you. You have to actively talk yourself through the process. Everytime you have a guilty thought talk yourself through it logically. It may feel strange at first but after a while it will calm you and the fear will subside. For example: You here of a earthquake where thousands die. You think: Armeggeddon. Reality: Earthquakes have always happened. Years ago the earth was not as populated and people didn't have high rise buildings so their chances of getting hurt or killed were slim to none. You have to do this constantly. Your brain has been trained to look for doom and gloom. Now you must retrain it to see the beauty and love that God meant for us. My advice would be to put the bible down for a while. What do you really need to do is just talk to God to ask him to show you the way. You don't need magazines, bibles, and other things that need to be interpreted. Pour out your heart in prayer and you'll get the answers you need. Just don't be afraid to be open to new answers. God isn't going to answer you like an elder would. He will answer you with love and kindness and empathy. Blessings to you and hang in there!
Maluenda	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 11:12 AM
To George Welcome. It must seem like we are all over the place on this site. The real purpose is to help the abused who suffer at the hands of this horrific cult. It's hard for someone who has never been a witness to understand what goes on inside this cult and how it's negative effects last for generations. We do discuss all issues here on the site because part of the healing process is healing the whole person. Many people were told organ transplants were a no-no only to be told after their loved ones died, oh we changed our minds it's OK now. Their policies flip-flop all the time. The problem with the blood issue is that , I too, believe adults should be able to make that decision based on what they believe. But in most instances they have elders breathing down their throat threatening disfellowshipping, losing Gods favor and a host of other horrible things if they accept blood. Children are in no position to make that decision. They lack the knowlege. Many children have died. That's not fair to the child. Having a sick child with a life threatening illness is bad enough without elders telling you to let them die so they don't bring reproach on the organizations name. Scarry stuff. Everything is done so as not to bring reproach on the organizations name. They want people to think they are perfect-literally. They don't want you to know about the rampit sexual and physical abuse of children that is blaitantly covered up. They don't want you to know about the money they've got socked away. They don't want you to know all the ways they contradict themselves and what hypocrits they are. If you meet or know an exjw sit down with them and listen to their story. It'll make your skin crawl. Hang out here, read some of the personal stories on this site and other exjw sites. This is a cult not a religion. It's dangerous to the health and well being of children, woman, men, and their relatives. We as a group are trying to protect the children-the Silent Lambs.Blessings to you.
M.A.N.	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 11:55 AM
Re: location of pedophiles Some states, counties, or towns maintain lists. Floridad publishes a newspaper and I've seen a county paper here. It has picture, name, residence, physical description, place of employment, everything. Some states are behind in their promise to provide online lists. New Jersey is not good in this regard and the man who raped my child was supposed to be put on the list. He wasn't. Alaska has a good online list. You could ask the local police or social services what is available in your area.
NF19	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 12:00 PM
To MT I think MAN gave you good advice. Just keep telling everyone you know. Use whatever things you have there. Posters or signs on telephone poles, signs in stores, stuff like that. People will see it. It just takes time and time is free. I hope you do okay with it. nf.
M.A.N.	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 12:09 PM
Re: adrienne england I think you have a very good outlook on life and an accurate picture of the WT elders and what happened to you. Please don't feel badly, we ALL were fooled by the lies of the WT and the elders. The elders, by the way, only become elders because (and if) they follow the WT closely enough. In other words, they are company men. There are good men serving as elders. Bill Bowen was one and I've met others. I was a servant for years. But when the WT says one thing and your heart doesn't agree, then the good elders have to make a decision. Bill did and so did I. We all lost things because of it. But we gained our self-respect and we gained TRUE knowledge of God and life, including love. The elder who told you that you'd never see your son again is a jackass. You won't see HIM again after he dies. Jesus said that people like him would be tossed into the sea because they were hypocrites. If your fears come back to you, then talk it over with the people helping you. I think you are a brave person and you are the kind of person that the WT doesn't want out there telling people that the WT is what it is. Please continue your progress and you will get better. Plus you will be free. My best to you.
M.A.N.	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 12:20 PM
To George I wanted to add something to SL reply. Child abuse is not just sexual. If adults wish to die for their beliefs about blood, many would say that's their right. But no one has the right to allow a child to die (called MURDER by some) because of the beliefs of the parents. What if that child, when it grows up, doesn't wish to be a JW? He will never have the chance to quit this cult because he will have died at the age of maybe 14 because his parents told him that God wanted him to die and the WT said so. Murder is child abuse, isn't it? And here's something no one ever wants to deal with. If the mother doesn't take blood and dies, then what is the effect on the child? Maybe she's his only parent. Now what? Isn't that child abuse, to take a child's mother away for a reason most people consider stupid and for a reason that the child doesn't understand or agree with? Another purpose of this site, although it's a very indirect one, is to help people break loose from cult thinking. Following cults and being afraid to disobey their rules is how many children got abused in the first place or is the reason many don't report it. If we who post here can help victims and the public to realize that the WT has no special power over them because they are NOT God's organization, then many are helped psychologically. It sounds like you agree with the WT. Are you a JW? "If they have Biblical evidence....." is what you said, to paraphrase. Most here don't think they do. Doctrinal arguments aren't the usual posts here, but they are behind some abuse or the fact that much abuse isn't reported, as I said. The medical community doesn't have the right to accept the parents' request that the child not be given blood and then die. The child's life doesn't belong to them. That's why it's against the law to beat children, abuse them in other non-sexual ways, not feed them, etc. Do you understand?
M.A.N.	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 12:23 PM
To Adrienne I posted my comments before reading Maluenda's. I would follow what she suggested. It's very good advice. Especially about magazines and books. People were happy centuries ago and they didn't have books. People went to nature or other people for help. My best to you.
M.A.N.	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 12:32 PM
To George I answered you before reading Maluenda's comments. She said many of the things I said or meant. People can't heal when they continue to live a lie. And being a member of the JW cult is a lie to many still in it and those who quit. It would surprise you to know how many active JW's wish they could quit without any trouble. I've been to the hall, I see it in their faces, and I hear it when they talk. I also am active on many JW discussion boards and I bet half of all JW's would quit tomorrow if possible. If the WT told all JW's that they didn't have to go to meetings, out in service, or read any literature, and to just live their lives and wait for Armageddon, many halls would be empty. I live in Florida, it's 80 degrees now, dry and sunny with blue skies. Last night at 10 pm, I watched a NASA rocket go up while sitting on my boat dock ten miles away. There are more birds than I can count and our area is a wildlife sanctuary. Now, do you think many JW's would like to knock on doors all day with no success or would they rather be out like me and now enjoying nature? If they had the truth, then I could see their devotion. But I don't think they do. And many JW's don't think it's the truth. This may sound strange, but that's a form of abuse as well. It's called "cognitive dissonance". It's holding two ideas in your head that contradict one another while you try to stay sane. It's hard to do. And if it's a child, I call that "child abuse". Do you see how many ways children can be hurt? I hope this information helps you.
william	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 3:42 PM
whatcanidotohelp? I would enjoy participating in this ministry! I am a personal friend of Randall Watters from freeminds.org. Please let me know how to help and buy dvd's and videos, etc. Also can you help me with ideas on how to get more people involved in this ministry. Thank You, And Jehovah Bless you.
	Friday, March 9, 2007 @ 3:56 PM
The legal system M.A.N., have you ever considered going to law school or at least becoming a legal assistant? If you were to do this on top of your degree in psychology, plus your past experience and your knowledge of pedophilia in the JW world, I bet you could REALLY make great waves, especially with your writing talent! And I bet you could make a great impression in court when you speak on behalf of the victims. This is just a thought.
mt	Saturday, March 10, 2007 @ 2:06 AM
Hey Thank you nf19. I will work on it, and see what I can do. I have been writing a lot on homepages until now. And working with my fear, so I'm almost ready to work further with it. I have got a lot of help and have been reading so much. Have had bad discussions with the JW, who called me a liar severel times. In fact one of the headlines at the homepage was: manjana (nickname there) is a continuing with her black lies. I got so mad. And now 3 witnesses has said goodbye to the homepage yesterday. But you must know that we all who writes there, have been showing them the link to silent lamb's severel times. So in DK they know. But I dos'nt care what they do to stop me. The thruth must out in the open. And I will find out how to do it. I live in a small city, and have some people to think about also. And that is holding me back a litle. But my heart is burning to do something, so I will. I shall inform you, when I start and how I am doing it. Have a nice weekend. See you all soon again. Sincerely mt
George	Saturday, March 10, 2007 @ 7:00 AM
Blood Transfusions or not According to SilentLambs post of my comment, the protection of children from pedophiles is the main goal. As a lawyer, I have read countless articles regarding medical malpractice from the American Bar Association's publications. Many medical institutions have been taken to court and sued due to not following patients written orders. This site should be extremely careful regarding medical issues it posts. However, child pedophilia either by family or outsiders is a growing menace in society and needs to be dealt with seperately. We have to seperate what is indeed a religious orders direction and what is clearly not a biblical, or religious direction. Obviously, child pedophilia is not a Biblical direction. My observation of this web site is that it should be governed by a legal source. If not, this site could have serious legal issues in the future. ------------------------------------------------silentlambs reply-Silentlambs reports on issues that affect children. The commentary posted on the website is a government investigation of JWs and how they might endanger children. This is of concern to JWs worldwide and certainly important information for all that may read the website. As an alleged attorney you should be aware that investigations by government officials are not subject to lawsuits and people that attend law school generally know how to use a spell checker before the make public comments on a guest book. If an adult chooses to make a life threatening decision due to religious coercion it is their prerogative. If a child is involved the rules of the game are changed due to the same laws that protect children from sexual abuse. At silentlambs we support the welfare of children.
M.A.N.	Saturday, March 10, 2007 @ 11:14 AM
The legal system Thanks for the compliments, but I don't have the health or time to do this. I'm a little older than you might think. Maybe I can get some legal person near me to help out with this issue. If I work in the therapy field for the county or state, I may be asked to speak about victims in court. Perhaps the agency would have its own legal people and I could work with them. I hope to write a book about this from the angle of how the children/victims are affected and what type of therapy helps them best to move on with their lives. I'm not going to write much about doctrine, there already are hundreds of books on that. I'm going to approach it from the psychological viewpoint. Thanks again for your compliments.
Maluenda	Sunday, March 11, 2007 @ 10:47 AM
To MT You are wonderful. So many people sit back and do nothing but let that fire burn in their hearets. You are taking action! I applaud you! Blessings and be sure to keep us all posted!
George	Sunday, March 11, 2007 @ 10:51 AM
Silent Lambs I wish Silent Lambs well.
adrienne england	Sunday, March 11, 2007 @ 2:21 PM
thanks thanks everyone for your answers they have been a great help in the last few days i have aranged to speak to a proffesional person who deals with what i am going through and i think it will help me , although it was a while ago all this happened, its time i moved on but i needed help and with your kind words and helpful hints im determined to put the jws behind me. i do pray and love god dearly, and the guilt will go when i can learn to love me. once again thanks to you all.
Jane	Sunday, March 11, 2007 @ 4:10 PM
To mt I would like to get in contact with you. I do agree with you that nothings seems to happen in Scandinavia. Are we too fed up with all? Maybe it is that we are so few compared with the US. If you could mail Poul Dal, he will give you my E- mailadress. Those at the supportgroup in Denmark seem to be nice people and they have had their fair share of "silentlambsstuff" to handle too. Lets try to figure something out, or maybe just talk. Yours sincerely Janemissy.
Maluenda	Sunday, March 11, 2007 @ 6:58 PM
To Adrienne I'm so happy you are seeking help. You are a good person. Remind yourself of all the people you love and all the wonderful things you do for them. Do you realize that just by being here and sharing your experiences and thoughts with us it helps others to have the courage to reach out for help. You have friends here on this site. Please stay intouch with us. It is a hard road to travel alone. You and all the other people hurt by this cult are not alone. We are here to listen, offer advice, and support you when you need it. Just make sure that you choose someone who is familiar with cults and how they work and has at least a small understanding of how this particular cult works. Blessings to you my friend!
mt	Monday, March 12, 2007 @ 1:49 AM
Hi Jane Hi Jane Thank you for writing. I am so happy you wrote to me. Like a sign from heaven. smiling. I will mail Poul Dal. I know who he is. You may also ask him, my name is Maja. Not so many with that name. My lastname starts with T. Tell him I think he knows. I have been early awake, thinking what to do, and I think I know. So I will later write to Bill for some advice. I dont think scandinavian, and especcially Denmark, is fat up. I think it's because the countryes are to small. And people are afraid to be recognised. Some are'nt disfellowshipped, and are afraid of it, because of their family. And others (many I think), are afraid of us who are out, because the JW compair us with satan. Awfull thought, but they do. Makes me so angry. So I will do something to help all those people and victims of phedofils. (Suddenly I forgot how to spell it). smiling. But Jane I look forward to hear from you, and very very happy if you would help. Thank you so much. Sincerely mt
	Monday, March 12, 2007 @ 8:23 PM
To all I have been reading some posts from very brave and courageous people here. I want you to know that I admire all of you so much! I wish you all well, and please keep coming back!! About blood transfusions: I have a cousin, an adult now, who was born a "blue baby". If it weren't for a blood transfusion, she might not be here today, and it is hard to imagine her NOT being here alive and well. Her parents were not JWs, thank goodness, or who knows what they would have done when she was born. They are not JWs, though, and all turned out so well. I do not think, do not believe for one second, that having a blood transfusion, is the same as 'eating' blood. Not at all. That concept seems so illogical to me. Eccentric even. I watched part of a documentary on cults last night and wished that the Jehovah's Witnesses were included in it. The documentary was about extremely controlling and abusive cults, like Jonestown, etc. Well, there is child abuse in the JW religion (so-called), also. And it is promoted, permitted by the JWs guru, the WTBTS. I wish the media would recognize how manipulative and controlling the WTBTS is. It's all about power. Just like a cult.
mt	Tuesday, March 13, 2007 @ 10:51 AM
Hi Jane I just want to tell you, that I have been writing to Poul Dal. And he wrote back, that he had send my mail.adr. to you. So I look forward to hear from you. Sincerely mt
Joan	Tuesday, March 13, 2007 @ 1:03 PM
Comments on the French Study Words that come to mind when talking about France and its government: Unstable, untrustworthy, high unemployment, and unpopular with the people. Can you really trust a French Government study?
Maluenda	Tuesday, March 13, 2007 @ 6:37 PM
RE: Cults I hope that you will send the producers an email or letter asking why the JWs weren't included in the show. I hope you request they do additional research and include them in a second show. I also hope you post the link here so we can all do the same. If everyone would send an email we could help yto draw attention through the media. Every week we see new articles exposing them. We need to support the writers, producers, and other media personnel who bring this issue to the public eye. You can bet the JWs are sending emails, letters defending themselves why shouldn't make sure the TRUTH is known! Blessings
Marilyn	Wednesday, March 14, 2007 @ 3:24 AM
Moving into freedom Because of your experiences with JW/WT I've been able to walk in a different path. One full of freedom, hope and thruth. Thank You very much. I won't be a Silent Lamb. MBN
Maluenda	Wednesday, March 14, 2007 @ 10:19 AM
To Marilyn Welcome and good for you! Blessings!
M.A.N.	Wednesday, March 14, 2007 @ 12:34 PM
Re: Cults I agree with Maluenda. I believe that TV shows and producers pay a good deal of attention to what the "regular" people have to say. After all, we are the ones who watch Oprah, Dr. Phil, and the other shows that can expose cults. I watched "Dateline: To catch a pedophile" last night and they did a behind the scenes episode showing how they got started, the close calls (one guy coming to meet a "young girl" was a cop with an arsenal of weapons in his car) and they also showed Chris Hanson (sp?) on the Oprah show. So she DOES do shows on sex offenders. Why can't we be next? Dateline has caught 260 men in 10 or 20 towns. Warning the world about the WTS would prevent hundreds, if not thousands, of children from being molested. And if the database in Bethel should be made public and ALL the names reported to the police, then over 23,000 pedophiles could be investigated. That's far more than Dateline caught. (I'm not knocking their work, but the problem with the WT involves far more pedophiles than Dateline caught.) I urge EVERYONE to research ways of getting the attention of ANY show, TV or radio, that might do a program. I tried the Montel Williams show a few years ago and got a response that they received my email and would contact me. Well, they didn't. But if hundreds of us contact the few major shows I mentioned, I bet we'd get far better results than just if a few did so. I hardly think any producer would ignore 5,000 emails in one week coming in to the Oprah show. Does anyone have an idea as to how to do this? Do we choose a date and all do it on that day? Or choose a week? Is there a "protect children" week? We've all heard of "take your daughter to work" day, and "secretary's day" and things like that. Maybe there is a day dedicated to abuse or something similar that we could use. Any ideas would be welcome. Thanks to all for your help.
	Wednesday, March 14, 2007 @ 5:44 PM
It's a very good Idea. Let us stand together in this. The more people, the better. How come the danish are'nt so "agressive" as you are? I wonder. But I am working at it. I will proceed in my work. I can see that there are much to do yet. So let's stand together. Even thou I feel like standing alone here in litle Denmark. But that does not keep me from doing anything. I promise you I will do what I can. I am working on it. I will get in touch. But let me know the date, and mail adr. to Ophra and I will join you. Blessing
Alex	Friday, March 16, 2007 @ 5:57 PM
Not worth it. The Watchtower religion has brought nothing but sadness to my life. My family is never a family. There is always unhappiness and turmoil. I personally will never go back to that life.
Baby Girl	Friday, March 16, 2007 @ 6:33 PM
Liars Hi. My Father is a Jehovah's Witness, My mother is Disfellowshiped ,and my step-father is a Catholic. They are all child molesters and liars. That will be all.
James	Saturday, March 17, 2007 @ 2:03 PM
Question I have known non-Jehovah Witness children that were given blood transfusions and have died. The hospital staff did not give the right blood to the child and the child died of blood poisoning. Does that mean that the parent was abusing his/her child? Thoughts???
Maluenda	Saturday, March 17, 2007 @ 6:34 PM
To James No James what it means is that the hospital and the doctor/nurse who administered the blood are guilty of malpractice and you have the right to sue the pants off them. You are due compensation because your child died and they were negligent. However, if you are the parent as well as doctor/nurse that administered the wrong blood type then YES you are guilty of neglect and should be held responsible. I doubt that is the case, so you tried to do what was medically necessary for your child's health. Those who administered the life saving measures screwed up - get an attorney. And I am very sorry for your loss.
TB	Sunday, March 18, 2007 @ 4:06 AM
Whatever they say is from God Not long ago I attended a Sunday meeting at the Hall and the visiting speaker strayed completely off of the talk outline. After five minutes he had resorted to his �Stump Speech�. A �Stump Speech� is an hour�s worth of a varied assortment of that Elder�s pet peeves and whatever else he wants to jabber and soapbox about. This tripe wasn�t even distantly related to the title of the talk, but no matter. The boys were already tuned out, the girls were writing their names over and over again in tablets (a cry for their individualities?). The adults had already found a �Happy Place�, judging from the glazed looks on their faces. What snapped me out of a mental inventory of my sock drawer was a statement he made. �We Elders are sooo imperfect (pause) just ask our wives (insert audience laughter here) (pause) but obey the Elders, because everything they say is from God.� Let�s examine that. Let�s see, you�re imperfect, yet you�re infallible (perfect). The Ignorant, like this Elder, like to think that holding two contradicting ideas in your mind at the same time is a mark of sophistication, intelligence. An educated person who is logical-minded would be appalled. That is a strong reason that Education is denounced and discouraged among the �Rank and File�. In the average audience in the U.S. about half of the people would start to get up and leave upon hearing that remark, many of the remainder would not be back for a second meeting. Reverends and Priests in the rest of Christendom do not make such claims, unless perhaps at a meeting of the Branch Davidians, etc. This audience, however, was not an educated one and most folks (Sheeple) just �Zoned Out�. I asked a brother later about the visiting speaker�s Bio. (BTW every JW Elder is peer-encouraged to develop what I call a Ninety Second Bio, it usually has nothing to do with reality). It turns out that he quit school in the tenth grade just prior to nineteen seventy five. Explains a lot. He�s a tenths grade dropout janitor who�s chief hobby is watching Gilligan�s Island reruns, who only reads Watchtowers and Awakes (Thank God for all of those pictures and illustrations I guess) and he�s telling everyone to obey him because he�s on a direct pipeline and downlink from God. Everything the Elders say is from God? I think not. What about all the Molesting and Wicked Elders? Does that include them? The astounding claim that this Elder made on our platform was not greeted with any shock or even notice from the audience, they�ve heard it many times before. The reason I recount it here is that it goes a long way to explain why the Elders tolerate and cover up Molestation. I am not carrying someone else�s football on this, I have seen the cover ups first hand. It involves the very important concept of �The Credibility of the Body of Elders (BOE)� . Most of the Publishers (Pubs) never hear about this, but if you�ve ever been an Elder or MS you�re quite familiar with it. Anything and anyone is expendable just so long as the local BOE never loses face among the Pubs. No Elder will ever apologize in behalf of his own position or that of the BOE no matter what suffering they have caused. To do so will get an Elder deleted. This is at least a USA-wide policy on which the BOE is hung in every Cong. They pounce on even the slightest glimmer of dissent, run �Bitter Ones� (EG: Molested ones and their families) out of the hall thru endless run-arounds or library meetings, reverse-blaming or simple discouragements or verbal put-downs. Proof: Where do you find molested ones and their families? Not in the Halls, they�ve effectively been run out of the Congs. (This makes it harder to put together cases against the offenders as the victims are long gone). Most of the abusers are still in the Halls though. The Elders will sacrifice anyone in the Hall for the credibility of the BOE, be it young child, his or her parents, or little old ladies (unless she�s generous and rich). Their Massive Male Egos equate God�s will with their own prestige, and they become intrinsically intertwined. The more they pray before each and every decision the more they mantra- hypnotize themselves into believing that �Everything They Say Is From God�. Our best and kindest Elders nowadays are the ones who have already resigned their Elder�s positions. Look around you in the Halls. The best guys are never Elders. Many of the few balanced, humble good Elders who have retained their Elder�s posts report that it�s a never ending battle to keep the New Breed of Elders from ripping the Halls apart. No wonder Non-JW�s call us the �Borg�.
SJG	Sunday, March 18, 2007 @ 6:49 PM
Abstain From Blood Greetings All! I have left the JWs and have never been happier. My constant prayers for God to get me to worship Him were answered A Jewish person told me that the word used in that scripture ("abstain from blood") is 'damin' which actually means 'abstain from blood guilt'.
Maluenda	Sunday, March 18, 2007 @ 8:32 PM
To SJG Congratulations! May your life be long, healthy, and happy! It's amazing how they changed the words, no wait, they're inspired by THE god so god changed the words to fit their agenda! Crazy! I'm sure your decision to leave made God smile and his heart happy! Blessings friend!
Maluenda	Sunday, March 18, 2007 @ 8:42 PM
RE: infallable imperfect elders That's amazing! But I'm not surprised! It shouldn't be Jehovah's Witnesses it should be Jehovah Hypocrites! I loved your take on the whole meeting. It temps me to go to a hall and sit through the hour just to observe from an outsiders point of view. Thanks for sharing that with us. My dad is an elder. He has an eighth grade education and get this: A requirement for him to be elder-he had to learn to read! Yes, you heard me right-learn to read! When they were grooming him they said they wanted him to be an elder but the first step was to be a MS. To get to MS had to learn to read. So when I was in first grade and reading every book I could get my hands on dear old dad was practicing reading my older preschool books. He learned to read and now he has been an elder for thirty years. Of course, his marriage has always been rocky. He cheats on his wife, lies, tells dirty jokes, cusses like a sailor when angry, and says brilliant things like, " All child molesters have to do is pray to Jehovah with a sincere heart and he'll heal them. Then if they go to meetings and service and live a christian life everyone else knows they are healed too." And to think all those college graduates with PHD's in psych wasted all that time and money on false info. They should have just asked an 8th grader! Blessings to you!
mt	Monday, March 19, 2007 @ 3:50 AM
Hi everyone I just want to inform you, that a new understanding seems on its way. The JW, has always said that in 1935, the litle flock, 144.000 was collected. A question not to be questioning. Because it was absolutely the truth from the bible, and so the bible doesn't lie. But now they have changed this. So now it's an open date, and if you feel like it, you can enjoy the symbols, without anyone asking questions. I have read that it will be stated in the watchtower in May. In the place called readers asking. Isn't that amazing, and I bet they get away with it. Just a litle information. I hope you all are well. God bless you all.
Maluenda	Monday, March 19, 2007 @ 8:23 AM
To MT Would you be able to tell us how you found this out? It's just another example of the huge stinky fish flip-flopping on the bank while it slowly dies. Anything to keep the flock from running away. Like changing the 1914 date as the beginning of the end. Funny how quickly a century can pass and you can get caught in a lie. When I was a kid they would always say that the generation born in 1914 would not pass away before armeggeddon would come. I wonder what they'll change next? Blessings
TB	Monday, March 19, 2007 @ 11:13 AM
Certified to Procreate Certified to Procreate -- I post this because I believe it may be helpful in understanding part of the thinking and MO of the Elders. The main problem we JW�s have today is the Elder Problem. A while back a post commented that most of the Elders were married, that the Elders and WTS made fun of Catholic Priests for their staying single and for some of them molesting young people. You don�t hear so much about their antipathy towards Catholic Priests anymore since the media has finally bucked the WTS platoon of Long Island Lawyers and publicized the massive Elder and MS (and others) Molestation problem. As most of you know, we JW�s have a much more immense problem of covered up molestations than the Catholic Church ever had. At least the Catholic Church is making admissions and apologizing and making financial amends. The Elders themselves often encourage singleness: Many Sisters are encouraged never to marry so they can carry the bulk of the door to door work as pioneers. The Elders usually decide that they want the Eceptionally Pretty Sisters to marry their sons and can usually get this to happen by manipulations, all the rest they want to Pioneer. In any City KH the Pioneer Sisters are pumping in a massive amount of hours into the box in the back of the Hall, thus making the Elders look good to the CO on his next visit. (Thus becoming our NUN culture). Elders monitor the Pioneer Sister�s �Progress� and try their hardest to thwart them from ever marrying, running off suitors if they have to, lying to them (Excuse me, Theocratic Warfare). Marriage would take the Sisters out of Pioneering and thus take those hours out of the box. JW Elders constantly preach from the platform (at Assemblies and also Cong-level) that Sisters should only marry Ministerial Servants (MS) or Elders. I�m married now but in years past I have courted sisters, been in excellent zealous standing but had the Sister�s Elders secretly urging them to dump me because I didn�t have a �Position� at the time. The Elders go to the Sister and breathlessly swear her to secrecy �This is confidential�, and say, �If you continue in this course you will sooo discourage the other brothers and sisters�. When a non-programmed person hears such a statement as that they can see it for the manipulation that it is. The Sister (always hearing from the platform that everything the Elders say is from God) does her �duty� and dumps the Brother who doesn�t have a Position. The Elders not only try and announce the policy of �Sisters only marry a Brother with a Position� from the platform fairly frequently, especially in �Marriage and Family� talks, but also at Assemblies (Why not, that is where all the young JW�s are trying to find each other to get honorably married). Usually the brother will never find out that the Sister�s Elders have made her drop him, they swear her to the utmost secrecy, and she feels that to tell her suitor will be letting down God himself. I have gotten the sisters to admit it to me after being very persistent. I found out the first time it happened by accident, after that I always suspected it and queried the sisters after the breakup and they would finally give in and admit to me that they broke up with me on orders from their Elders. The Sisters think that somehow the Elders have special powers of divination and must know something about the brother, so they go along with it. Actually the Elders swear her to secrecy so she won�t tell her suitor so he won�t get enraged and come back and knock their blocks off. (I say this because it�s actually their thinking). This is all a numbers game, Hour, Hours, Hours. Whatever lives they can manipulate or wreck to �Pump up the Hours� in a KH, they will do. If you have Daughters they will be taken from you and they will start to be programmed by the Elders for whatever purpose they have for them. Your own daughters will hang on every word the Elders say and will even be contemptuous of what their own father says. If they�re exceedingly pretty the Elders will swing them towards their own sons or their buddy�s sons. If they do not meet with their visual approval, they try and regulate them to Pioneer. This is so manipulative as to be beyond belief. I feel so sorry for the poor sisters involved. My own wife would never win a Miss America contest, but she�s the most beautiful woman in the world to me. I can barely imagine what it�s like to be a woman in �The Truth�, they are way more programmed than us brothers, it must be horrible. If you look, you will find that very few women actually convert to be a JW nowadays, it�s usually only if they come in �the Truth� with a husband or father. If a Woman studies and gets baptized by herself you can bet she has had a horrible childhood, been abused, etc.. The way the Elders manipulate courting couples and sisters and how they try and get a brother to �Reach Out� first, marry afterwards, reminds me of the scripture in Jude, �In the last days, Men will be forbidding to marry�. Earlier in life I always put my education and Job-Skill first, Marriage second, Position in KH third. The Elders Want young men to put it exactly in reverse, but to do so brings upon them lots of problems. So many never amount to more than welfare receiving Janitors. And the Sisters, when they marry only an MS out of Duty, usually wake up ten years down the line and realize they don�t love the guy they married. Depression and/or divorce follows. What are the two main causes of depression among JW�s?: Money problems (Due to poor jobs, lack of Job-skills) and Marriage (Lack of it or to the wrong person). Male or female: If you hang on the Elder�s every word, you will be sorry for it, if not then than after years of depression later. Watch your children closely and Do Not let them go out in service with anyone that you don�t know very well. And if you�re a father, don�t let the elders steal your daughters out from your household. You and your wife are the only ones who deserve to influence your sons and daughters, don�t give birth to them only to throw them at the whims of the Elders. These guys have Massive Male Egos and eat up all of that Power, often with little to no education. When the courting couple meets with the Elders (They try and meet with every one of these couples) this is really an interview that may determine whether or not they even allow the two to get married at all. If you are a JW Courting Couple, refuse to meet with them, to meet with them will get them to try and establish persuasive power over the sister. They want to be the ones who �Certify to Procreate�. They want you to have to get their approval to exercise your most basic human right (Marriage) that is protected in most constitutions and human rights documents around the world, The UN�s and the EU�s in particular. Thus you will see Marriage as a Privilege to be dispensed by the Elders, rather than a basic Human Right that was given to us by God and our Humanity. When they admit they do these things at all, they say, �We�re just trying to keep the Congregation clean�. How can it be unclean when people are just trying to honorably get married? How about them Deleting Elders who are mean or molesting? How about them keeping the Congs clean by not tolerating Molestations and Molesters?
mt	Monday, March 19, 2007 @ 5:24 PM
Hi maluenda I must admit that I only have it, from a x-witness from the danish web-site religion.dk. But he is totally okay. But I will write and ask him just in case. But I have no doubt in not beliveing him. I will be in touch as soon as I know. Sincerely mt
Maluenda	Monday, March 19, 2007 @ 5:29 PM
To MT I don't doubt it, I was just curious. I think it's wonderful what you are doing. Be sure and keep us posted. I hope you find many Danish people to help you with this quest but don't forget about us here! Blessings to you!
mt	Tuesday, March 20, 2007 @ 2:59 AM
Hi maluenda I will not forget about you. You are also doing a great job here. I admire you all, for what you are doing. It was because of you, I got the idea, to start this project. And also because of you, that I have come so far, with my own fear. So thank you so much. I can see, that so many people are suffering, and need help. I am writing with some x- witnesses in DK and Norway. And they all have physicall pain. A good friend wrote to me, that it is spooky, that after I have been out for 8 years, a witness still could get to me. Yes it is spooky, that the Organisation have been able to put words so deep in our mind's, that we still can be hurt, so many years after. But I am looking forward to get this project running and getting started to help people. But I still need advises, and contacts. I will see what I can do this week. I will be in touch. Bless you all. mt.
Maluenda	Tuesday, March 20, 2007 @ 8:16 AM
To MT It is spooky but it also has a medical name: Post traumatic stress disorder. I have been out of this cult for over 25 years yet when I hear of a great disaster I immediately think armeggeddon is here and my heart beats faster. Now I am able to say to myself: These things happen as a part of nature (earthquakes, mud slides, etc) and the true God would never purposely hurt anyone-it's not armeggedon. So yes, you'll live with the fear and maybe some guilt for a long time. Just know that soldiers who have been to war, and any person who has suffered any type of trauma or abuse suffers from the same thing. The important thing is that you recognize it and learn to deal with it so that the symptoms can become less and less frequent. The more you do to empower yourself and others will help too. You come across as a strong and sincere person who really cares about others. What a blessing you are to the world! We are always here for you!
M.A.N.	Tuesday, March 20, 2007 @ 8:30 AM
To: MT I also wanted to add to what Maluenda said. We all benefit by helping each other. You said Denmark is a tiny country and it might be compared to the USA. But you are just as important a person as anyone else. One of the earliest stories about the WT abuse policies broke in Denmark. All we have to do is keep planting seeds in the minds of any person who will listen and someday the WT will be destroyed forever. My best to you, and if you need anything, let me know. M.A.N.
mt	Tuesday, March 20, 2007 @ 11:31 AM
Hi maluenda Thank you so much for your kindly advisses. It goes directly to my heart. It is good to know, that you are here. And I hope so much, that when I am going in the air, with my project, people also will know that I am there for them. But is'nt it awfull, you know in your heart, that they just cannot have the truth, but anyway you can get scared. What a controling mind Organisation. You asked about my source to the new understanding. He who wrote it, have been reading about it in one of your own web pages. jehova's-witnesses.com. Under the discusions forum. Did the heavenly calling cease in 1935? Not anymore! There a 2 pages from the wachttower 1 may 2007, where you can see it. Yes what they can get along with. Bless you all. Have a nice day, here in Denmark it's 6 am, and I have to go cook now. smiling.
Maluenda	Wednesday, March 21, 2007 @ 9:13 AM
RE: Just in time I think it's interesting that when a small snowball rolls down a snow covered hill it picks up momentum and when it reaches the bottom it's the size of a boulder crushing everything in it's path. I also find it interesting that the screams of people who might be in the snowball turned boulders path can not be heard. Why? Because when something is on it's way down it usually goes so fast that it's not seen coming? Now, you're asking yourself what does this have to do with the issues we discuss here? Just this. Bill along with others have started a new site to help the little lambs caught up in a custody battle. How I wish the site was in place when I went through this. Anyway, there are those, though I can't say for sure, are jws who are intimidated and frightened by this site. Rightly so. They have chosen to speak out against Bill and those involved and call names, tacky and immature at best. They make statements like he's doing it for the money, (When I heard that,I had to belly laugh), Bill doesn't care for the lambs just himself. That's what made me think of the snowball. Societies and courts around the world are becoming familiar with the JW tactics. Their inner circles are being exposed by elders who are leaving due to ineffectual and harmful policies regarding children and abuse passed to them by the GB who are suppose to be inspired by a "true god." Even the JW's are having a hand in their own downfall by distributing door to door their own publications with headlines like "Must we always tell the truth?" The answer to that according to them is -NO. They are contributing to the avalanche with each magazine they distribute. Then there are those trying to scream out statements designed to make the work of SL look bad. Unfortunately for them, the world knows the truth about SL and turns a deaf ear to those screams. It also looks on with pity for those swallowed up by the giant snowball of jw policies that is heading to the bottom of the mountain. Poor brainwashed , misguided souls. All the way down the mountain they cry out against those that expose the cult and its policies and secrets for what they truly are. The Jehovah's Witness cult is on it's way down the mountain, no one hears it's name calling and cries. Even it's flock is trying to get out before the snowball becomes a boulder and crushes this horrible monster that preys on innocent children. Blessings to you all and may you escape JUSTIN TIME
mt	Wednesday, March 21, 2007 @ 9:33 AM
Hi M.A.N. Thank you so much for you offer to help. And for your kind words. Every day, I got testemony, that what I am working at, is so right for me to do. And it really means a lot to me. Yesterday, my sister in law, said that I should stop what I am doing. Because I would loose the entire family. They would support their father, which is a strong JW. That make me think a litle but only 2 mn, if I should stop. Then I said to her, that if that happened, there was nothing to do about it. So many x-witnesses can'nt get the help they want's. And need so badly. So I would carry on no matter what. My husband and childreen supports me, and that means of course everything to me, in this important work. I also said, that no one should ever again tell me what to do or in any other way stop me for what I am standing for now. And I am burning for this. Really burning. I have a hard time getting connection's, but I will find a way. It will come, with God's help. And of course you are right. No matter how small a country are, the people in it, must have a place to get active help. I will try anyway. Thank you again, bless you.
m.s	Wednesday, March 21, 2007 @ 6:04 PM
im new hi i barely left the organization i was raped by 7 ppl in the organization 4 were elders. and it feels so good to come out of it !! hope to be here more!
Maluenda	Wednesday, March 21, 2007 @ 7:50 PM
To MS I am so sorry to hear of your situation. You will find many people here who have had similar experiences. Post as often as you like , we hope to get to know you better. You will certainly find comfort and healing here! Congratulations on your escape. Blessings to you.
	Wednesday, March 21, 2007 @ 8:45 PM
To M.S. You were raped by seven people, four of whom were elders?! Oh, how horrible!!! Didn't anyone try to help you?! Seven people!! That's incredible! I am so sorry! I hope that you are getting help with the aftermath of such horrific abuse. As Maluenda said, please keep coming back for support from people who care about you and who feel friendship for you. This is a healing place. Please keep coming back!
ms	Thursday, March 22, 2007 @ 11:21 AM
changing of times None were ever charged. I lost my family and friends what sadness me more is the fact that you almost feel guilty for doing it for tlking about it the worse case is that when i did confess they were only censured and i had to see them every meeting. Until i had enough i couldnt take it my mom kicked me out of my house and im fortunate enough to have a brother who loves me dearly. He gives me shelter and support. I thought i was alone .... but to my suprise WOW im not. I never got counseling because it wasnt gonna help me according to the elders. They expected me to get over it. I just feel like if all my life they tlk about this god who has this organization who will protect you from evil and i would see evil within the organization. I wanna right down my story here... and it will take time for me to do it ive never done it...... BUT I WILL!
Maluenda	Thursday, March 22, 2007 @ 11:48 AM
To MS Take your time. Take it slow. As you write it down somany emotions will flood out of you. It will bring up so many emotions too. Anger, grief, relief, hatred, confusion, sadness. Thank God for your brother. It's not to late to seek professional help. If you choose to do so look for someone who is familiar with cult activities and rape. Not every counselor deals with cults. As always you are free to tell us your story and we will listen and help anyway we can. We all know how hard this road is. You'll find many people will respond with that's what happened to me or that's what I was told. You are not alone. We have all lost family and friends because we spoke out, did the right thing, or left this dangerous cult. We understand what you've been through, we understand the pain, guilt, anger, and other emotions. We understand the post traumatic stress symptoms. We are here to help you anyway we can. We are all here to help each other through our experiences and stories. Blessings to you!
	Thursday, March 22, 2007 @ 12:07 PM
To MS Yes, please post your story!! Maybe you could still go to the proper authorities about what happened to you, about all you have been through. How old were you when the sexual abuse started? It is just terrible that your mother kicked you out! That is just not natural. She should have been there for you! I am so sorry. Well, you have family here, so please keep coming back! Take care. I hope you are now getting counseling to help you work through your pain, your Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
mt	Thursday, March 22, 2007 @ 12:36 PM
We are here for you Dear ms I feel so sorry for you. But it is a good thing that you left the organisation. They dont want to help you. I have never tried what you and unfortunally so many others has gone through, or are going through, but I have 2 girlfriends who are sisters. And they have been raped by 4 elder. And afterwords hanged out to be liars, in every church in Denmark. Every single one. Because they are very dearly to me and have heard and seen all their pain, I can deeply follow you. It is so right that you speak out, but as maluenda says, in your time. I know you will find help and healing here, because I has. And I dont speak for my self. Many others have had help through here. So write all you can, it help's you. My heart is crying with you. But be strong we are here for you. Cincerely mt.
M.A.N.	Friday, March 23, 2007 @ 6:21 PM
To MS Again, I'm sorry to hear what happened to you. For those who are new, I'm now beginning to collect stories and notes for my book. I intend to write it from the angle of the psychological damage the WT does to people, not the doctrinal issues. There are already many books about that aspect. I have a BA in Psychology and will utilize that when doing the book. If anyone wants to send anything personal or wishes your situation to be in the book, please leave your email on the guestbook and SL will get it to me. I will never divulge names or any information that you don't want given out. Also, if anyone just wants to email me just to receive encouragement, that is also fine. There are so many cases out there, I'm sorry to say, that I could use 10% of the stories and I'd still have a twenty pound book when I was finished. Next week, I'm speaking to a few people that I've known for awhile to formulate a plan concerning contacting the media in order to get this issue brought to the American public. After reading about Eva Braun (the woman who abused those poor children that we all received an email about and whose picture is on the main page of SL) I decided that I've had quite enough of the JW's. It's time to take them down for good. I have the ability and the time. Oh, while beginning to type this message, the power went off. That happens often here they don't know how to trim tree branches that are next to electric lines. (Too much alligator beer, I guess.) In any event, as you can see, I won't be stopped no matter who or what tries to do so. I would also like to remind everyone that the WT's latest tract strongly condemned "false religion" and said that one of its identifying marks was protecting clergy who molested children. If that isn't the must disgusting, lying, hypocritical statement that the WT has ever made, I don't know what is. I'm getting sick and tired of their lies and the damage they are doing. This year is the year that we are going to attack. I also feel that it is necessary to remind any victims that if you feel the need, to please get professional help. As I said, I would be willing to email anyone who just wants to talk, but I must stress the need to see someone in your area on a regular basis if you need that. I think we all need to remember the "iceberg theory". For each single thing that we hear about, another nine are happening under water, so to speak. Just like we only see a fraction of the entire iceberg (above water), we only know about 5% or 10% of what is really going on out there. So for each victim that posts here and for each elder or JW who molests a child and it gets in the news, another nine are doing it and we don't know about them. So this problem is ten or twenty (maybe more) times worse than we believe it to be. If you look at it that way, it might sink in how bad the WT really is and how critical it is that we begin to save ALL of the current and near-future victims ASAP. Again, my best to all and I urge anyone and everyone who wants comfort to post here so they can receive it. We are all willing, able, and eager to help anyone who needs it. Most of us who have been posting for awhile have been molested or know of family members who were molested. We care about all of you victims and wish to help. M.A.N.
Maluenda	Saturday, March 24, 2007 @ 6:49 AM
To: The Bowens I just want to thank you for the new custody site. I wish you had been around when I was fighting my battle. The information you will provide is so valuable to attorneys and their clients. It will help save so many children from the doom and despair of the wbts. Thanks for caring so much for those who wouldn't have a chance at life otherwise! Blessings.
mt	Saturday, March 24, 2007 @ 5:56 PM
Hi Maluenda I would like so much if I could have a copy or link to Bowens new site.
Maluenda	Sunday, March 25, 2007 @ 8:34 AM
To MT www.jwchildcustody.com This is the site. Please send it to anyone you know who might be getting divorced or fighting for child custody. I went through this and you can't even imagine ! These people will lie about any and everything to get these children.
M.A.N.	Sunday, March 25, 2007 @ 2:27 PM
Re: Child custody site I wanted to add a few points to the comments that Maluenda posted. First, I'm very glad that this site is available to those who need it. Make no mistake, the WT HAS and WILL continue to LIE, CHEAT, TWIST THEIR BELIEFS, and do ANYTHING short of shooting the judge in order to get their way. I have access to copies of the "secret" Elder's Handbook as well as much of the "child custody packet". What the WT teaches at its meetings and in its literature is the very opposite of how they will attempt to portray themselves in court in order to pretend to the judge that they are "normal" people. It's enough to make a person throw up. I forget which commandment it is, but they definitely violate the one about "not lying". And to the WT: "If you don't like it, too bad. Sue me. (Bring lots of money, you'll need it.)" Most of these websites are only quotes from WT literature. I find it odd that 20 years ago, the elders verbally had to beat the publishers in order to get them to try to place this "new light" with the public, and now that a few people who no longer are JW's put it up for free so that the whole world could see it, and therefore did the WT's work for them for free, and far more effectively, the WT now finds this objectionable. What hypocrites!! If anyone reads the elder's handbook (but especially the child custody material) I urge you NOT to eat first and you should drink some tea to calm your nerves first. Those of you on anti-anxiety or anti-anger medication will need it very much. It is no secret that I would never win "Most Mellow Person of the Year" when it comes to the WT. Let me assure you all that I have to count to ten after reading each and every paragraph, that's how disgusting this material is. I have never seen more lies in my life. As far as what the WT lawyers will attempt to do in court, all I can say is that NO ONE should try to get custody of his children (if your mate is a JW) without a lawyer. I have seen videos on Freeminds of elders actually lying about what books they have as elders, the existence of "theocratic warfare" (one elder of 15 years said he never heard of the expression or the concept), and he also denied that a booklet existed. He got in trouble when the judge held up a copy of the very booklet and said, "This one?" (A few details may be different, I saw it once and the audio was not the best.) I want to encourage every non- JW parent not to give up if you are trying to obtain custody of your kids. I assure you that the WT won't give up. My advice is to obtain the material that the WT will try to use against you and then find literature of theirs that teaches the opposite of what the lawyer will try to lie about. One thing most judges hate is when lawyers lie to them and commit perjury. I know it makes them angry that the WT lawyer will try to make a fool out of them. I'm not a lawyer, so check all of this with your lawyer. But I do know Psychology, and the "proofs" that the WT quotes from in their material are out of context and twisted. If you are using a lawyer, make sure he is aware of the scholastic dishonesty of the WT writing committee, along with its legal department. I hope some of this will help any of you good parents out there in your fight to keep your children from being brought up among liars, lunatics, pedophiles, and mentally ill people. We all want the best for our children. A life in the WT and sanity are mutually exclusive. My best to all. M.A.N.
M.A.N.	Monday, March 26, 2007 @ 12:17 PM
Re: Child custody site I just wanted to encourage people who are going to be involved in custody battles not to give up. The WT will throw a lot of money, time, and lawyers into this battle. But more and more judges are seeing through the WT lies. Some have obtained copies of the WT publications and studied them on their own. I will post the link when I find it, or possibly it can be done privately. I cannot warn people strongly enough not to underestimate how far the WT will go in order to help the JW parent to get the children. As we have seen, in many, if not most, cases just being raised as a JW from infancy to adulthood could qualify as child abuse in many countries. If any non-JW parent is tempted to give in to the JW parent, remember that your child will be taught to lie when it suits them, to look forward (drooling) to the death of most of the human race simply because they didn't "get it" (assuming the WT is true, which it is NOT), not to enjoy the normal things in life like sports, music, arts, after school clubs, etc. Then this same parent will testify in court that their child is free to do all of these things ("No problem!", I can just hear them now.) No band practice, no football, no senior class prom, no joining the chorus or putting on a show, etc. Think of "Mr. Holland's Opus" and all the fun the JW kids would miss. If my parents had been JW's and raised us as JW's. I would not have been student conductor of the HS orchestra, would not have started to write a symphony, never learned to play the few dozen instruments I know, no chorus, no drams club, no weightlifting club, no chess club, etc. I think you all get the point. I think, from a psychological point of view, that at least half, if not more, of the education that HS kids receive is from the extra activities, not the classroom history tests. Outside the classroom is where we develop normal social skills, self-confidence, and the other things that we will cherish and need all our lives. To prove this: What do you remember about HS with the most fondness, your English teacher or if you played in the band or were on the football team? But according to the WT, God forbid that we should have some fun, right? At Bethel, I don't think they have "after work" activites. You work five and a half days, go out in FS, study several times for the same meeting, and wear a fake smile. I have never met a person my age who left Bethel a happy person. Most of them couldn't wait to get out. In the 70's, it was glamorous to say you had been a "Bethelite" (source of new "lite"). Now if you say that, my first thought is to send you a sympathy card. I know for sure that people leaving Bethel will have psychological issues for years to come. There are exceptions, but that's the norm as I saw it. Now, my point is, if the adults from Bethel can't take it, how could anyone subject a child to this upbringing? Would any parent want to forbid his child from being in the band, only to find out years later, that they had a talent like Mozart? Wouldn't that be a terrible waste? My question to all: Does anyone have a story about how a life or a person's talents were tragically thrown away because they didn't join after school activities? Thank you for your input. M.A.N.
Maluenda	Monday, March 26, 2007 @ 12:54 PM
To MAN Hello friend! You are so right! I was not allowed to do anything. I was backwards socially because since there were no other kids my age in the congregation I was constantly with adults. My parents would go out to eat on Sundays and sit for two hours at a time while I just sat there starring off into space. I never had friends at school because all the girls would have birthday parties or play dates and at first I was invited. Then my mother would explain we didn't celebrate any of those things and the invites stopped. There was a neighbor girl a year younger than me right next door. Once in a while we would sneak and play through the chain link fence. Several times I got caught and was stripped naked and beaten head to toe for associating with a worldy person. On the play ground I would just walk around by myself or there was a boy everyone hated that would chase me to hit me. When I got to high school I was recognized by an English teacher for my writing talents (don't laugh) but I would cower and skip class because I was afraid of his attention. He nominated me for a prestigious summer program through one of the universities. It could have opened doors for me for college and who knows what. I was the only one nominated out of a very large school. Parents said no even after the teacher pleaded for my future. Then they beat me again. I quickly learned that if you smoked pot, did dreads, and drank you fit in with the druggies because they didn't care who you were as long as you didn't do well in school and partied. Finally, I'd found a place to fit in. And learning to use drugs was a bonus because it eleviated all the pain and loneliness. I really wanted to play on a team or play the piano. I desperately wanted to take dance lessons. The things all the good kids were doing. I began to rebel and refuse to go to meetings, run away, use heavier drugs, run with the older drug dealers and engage in risk taking behavior. I really didn't care if I died or lived to me it was all the same. I had no reason to live. My parents never sought help for me once but they constantly reminded me that my father could be removed as an elder for not being able to control his family. That was their sole concern. So, yes, MAN, the answer is yes! It devastated my life, took away any chance of a childhood or happiness I might have ever had. It forced me into a dark world to feel accepted, and it almost cost me my life on more ocasions than one. I had no self esteem, and felt completely stupid, backwards, unloved, and unwanted. So if you're thinking of backing out a custody battle think twice, long and hard.
justin time	Monday, March 26, 2007 @ 4:32 PM
Grateful to you Bill, You are such an impressive person. Thanks for all you do to expose the truth about this cult.
M.A.N.	Monday, March 26, 2007 @ 5:01 PM
To Maluenda Even though I've known you for a long time, your story always makes me feel sad for you. I will never understand how human beings can treat children this way. Here I lost my daughter at the age of 16 because her brain-washed mother moved out due to my finding out the real "truth" about the "truth" (isn't that ironic?). Then we have parents who have children just dying to be loved and they ignore them or worse. I never had the chance to ignore her or do things with her, she was just GONE. And gone for good. She's now 21 years old and it's been over five years. I also had to move, so I'm over one thousand miles away. There is little chance of her wanting to see me in the near future. The WT produces family breakups like this due to their shunning policies. I wonder how God feels about a CULT teaching family members to purposely inflict pain on those who just cannot stomach the lies and treachery any longer. I find it extremely odd that a CULT that pretends to be the only one approved by God ends up breaking most of his commandments concerning love and how to show it. Has anyone here experienced what you consider to be hypocritical behavior to the point where it made you doubt if the WT was God's people? Because if you did, it might make healing more difficult for you if you have been abused. The reason? If you are taught, and really believe, that the elders speak for God, then whatever they tell you to do seems like it comes from God. So if any elder was abusing someone, or one of his friends were doing so, he could tell the child to "drop it" and what else would the child be able to do? This is why I keep hammering on the point that elders have NO BUSINESS getting involved in child abuse cases. If they are going to report them to the police, then fine. And that's ALL they should do. They do NOT have the qualifications to counsel the victims WHATSOEVER. I don't care what "holy spirit" they think they have or that appointed them as elders. This "holy spirit" makes mistakes daily, so is it holy spirit? (actually Bethel's quick vote on "we have a list of 385 men up to become elders, all in favor, say "aye", okay, make them elders. They used to molest children? Weellllll, that was over a year ago. We need elders. Tell them to knock it off. Motion passed. Let's go to lunch, I'm hungry." It's a shame when theocratic activity occurs with the only consideration being if the elder will keep his job, not whether or not it pleases God or even is good for the child. (As if they'd even know.) So Maluenda's future was decided by how certain people would look to others, not what was best for her. That is a shame. I'm sure she would have loved to been trained as a writer (although she still is a good one). So we have 20 years of a man being an elder so he can look good (and according to her previous posts, not a good one at all) versus a lifetime of a talented, precious child getting to do what brought her joy and happiness. Any guesses as to what Jesus would have said? I hope those who read these posts begin to see that the WT causes damage much more extensive than just chld abuse, which of course is heinous enough. My best to all. M.A.N.
Tony	Monday, March 26, 2007 @ 10:59 PM
I hate Jehovah's Witnesses Hello. I know hate is a strong word. But despite that even God said there are seven things he "hates." So I'm not ashamed or chagrined to use that word to describe this cult. I was emotionally and spiritually abused by elders in this false religion. I would love to mention their names but I do not want to disrepect this website. But someday I will confront brothers X and Y and Z and let them know how they ruined my life. But I'm not writing this about me ... What I would like to say is that as a grown man I'm still feeling the pain of what they did to me. So imagine what it's like for a child who is molested. I love to read the words of M.A.N. and Maluenda. You spread love and healing to so many victims. And I want to thank Bill for the courage and conviction of instigating this website. I want to see the JW organization come to an end NOW. My parents and older brother are still involved. Often I hear about the bickering and animosity and disenchantment that is going on with this so-called "true" religion. They are constantly flip-flopping on beliefs and pawning their lies on people. Someone please tell me what I can do to help bring them down. Please. Anyway, God bless this website and those of you who have suffered. I pray you all find peace and healing. I love you all and wish you all spread your love to others who need it. Let's all unite to bring this cult to an end. Thanks.
TLA	Tuesday, March 27, 2007 @ 1:15 PM
Will write later. I to was a molested JW child. I am no longer a JW, I was beat out of the congregation @16yrs old. The Elders also knew of my molestation and my molesters wife went to the Elders with her husband so he could repent of his sins. Out of all people I thought she would (wife) understand because she was raped as a teenager and had a baby. My Uncle is one of the Elders who knew about this and refused to tell my Mother. The wife told me if I told my Mother she would kill me and that the Elders took care of it. She later divored her husband but they both are still JWs. I dont know were to go with this because I still wonder if he did this to others after me and if he is still doing it. Do the nightmares ever STOP?
justin time	Tuesday, March 27, 2007 @ 1:32 PM
A good website doing a good work Thanks for posting my comment. Even though you deal with such a terrible and tragic crime, I did get a good feeling that you are doing your best to expose the WT's wicked policies. I hope that you can do this as often as needed until all children are safe. Can I assist you in any way? Oh, by the way, I love the front page of your home page. It is very professional and I believe that it presents this issue in a fair light. I'm eternally grateful that Bill Bowen and others have the moral courage and integrity to confront the WT in order to see that justice is done. I will pray for your success daily and I look forward to the time when child molestation, especially when done by hypocritical religions, is gone from the face of the earth. Please give my best to Maluenda and M.A.N., who work so hard to comfort those in need or those who are hurting. I offer you my blessings.
Lynn	Tuesday, March 27, 2007 @ 10:50 PM
Custody?? Always fight for your kids. Go for Custody even joint custody. Your kids need your in put. That way later when they see the witnesses the same way we do(about the Watchtower and Child abuse) they will realize that you cared as a parent. THEN THEY WILL HAVE SOMEONE TO GO TO WHEN THEY NEED SOMEONE AND THEY WILL ONE DAY. My brother is not an active witness any more but he always kept up seeing his kids and paying big support payments, who were raised by their witness mother. He is very close to them now as they are in their twenties. They often go to him for support and advice. He did not make religion or their mother the issue but made sure he was there for them.
Lynn	Tuesday, March 27, 2007 @ 11:22 PM
JWcustody website!! I just went there. It is very interesting. I do disagree with the comments on the blood. Let me tell you my experience. I have a blood disorder(my blood is thin) and when I was pregnant my x arranged circumstances where I would have a miscarrage as he had tried this before, his mother said also with his first wife(apparently he almost killed her). I never took any blood. I hemoraged for 5 hours but I survived because when I first came in the nurse told me that with all JW's they give you right away the biggest IV they can in your arm. My sex offender husband was so sure I was going to die that he sexually assaulted my daughter and told her I was going to die and she would have to live with him(He told her in a humorous way). They gave me a dnc the next day. I survived... So you see one can survive without blood and do well...I got my children away from their step father witch when we went to court resulted in a restraining order on him for eight years... HE WAS FORBIDDEN TO CONTACT ME OR MY THREE CHILDREN... a friend of mine who went through the Holocost and was in one of the camps told me when he saw him he thought he walked and acted like one Hitler's sss men one of the gastapo. The brutal look in his face... He was right he was extremely violent and cruel...
Maluenda	Wednesday, March 28, 2007 @ 9:36 AM
Welcome Lynn What a horrific event to have to suffer through. Just remeber that all cases of blood loss without a transfusion do not turn out so happy. Many children have died. Many adults. The issue isn't really about whether it's right or wrong it's about children who are not old enough or have the mental capacity to fully understand the ramifications of such a decision to deny needed blood. Children should not be placed in harms way for any reason. They are innocents and deserve every advantage and adventure this world has to offer. They can decide these things when they are adults. Your x-hubby does indeed sound like a Nazi. A brutal man with no empathy or appreciation for life. I'm glad you were able to escape him and this cult! Blessings!
Maluenda	Wednesday, March 28, 2007 @ 9:45 AM
To TLA and Tony Welcome to both of you. I am glad that you found us here at this site. everyone here is an exjw or a family member seeking help in healing, answers, a place to vent where people understand, or just to be heard. I have made many wonderful friendships at this site. People who have helped me through the rough times, got angry when I was angry, and shared in my joys and triumphs as I have made my own escape from this mind altering, child molesting cult. It's hard for the average person to understand what it's like to leave this cult. They equate it to leaving the Catholic or Baptist churches. You just kind of stop going and maybe feel a little guilty. They have no idea how deep this cult sinks it's roots into your soul and mind and the stress, fear, and confusion it causes when you break free. Not to mention the heartache, anger, and loss. I hope you'll visit often and get to know us here. We are always here to help or listen. Blessings to you both!
	Wednesday, March 28, 2007 @ 1:52 PM
To M.A.N. I am happy to report that there are some exceptions to JW kids and extracurricular activities. At least when it comes to my great-nieces and nephews. I have a great- nephew who plays the trombone and is in advanced band, which played at the jazz festival in February. His little sister has recently started taking gymnastics a couple of times a week (she's four). Her seven year old cousin performed in a ballet at Disneyland, and eventually the four year old will also be taking ballet. I'm so glad! She loves ballet! My seven year old great-niece has also been involved with a soccer team, while a couple of my great-nephews have been on baseball teams. And look at the famous tennis players, the Williams sisters! So, there are exceptions, but they may be rare. I am so happy for my great-nieces and nephews that they are not being held back from their talents and abilities, which are fullfilling for them and help make them more well-rounded individuals!
	Wednesday, March 28, 2007 @ 2:23 PM
To Maluenda Your childhood was so horrific! I am so sorry, and I wish there was a way to wake your parents and so many other JWs up!!! How any adult could possibly think it is okay to abuse a child (in any way!) is beyond me! It's incredible that any parent could do the kinds of things that were done to you by your parents and be able to live with themselves! It is just sickening, and I am so sorry. How they can make excuses for themselves is beyond comprehension! In spite of the abuse you underwent by your parents, you have turned out to be a very wise person, with a caring, loving, and warm heart. And you have great empathy, compassion, and sympathy for other victims, which is truly therapeutic for them! You are a real asset and a true Godsend to this site!
	Wednesday, March 28, 2007 @ 2:42 PM
Another thing about children Something that is very sad to me is when children get baptised in the JW religion, when they are too young to really know THEMSELVES as well as the religion they are committing themselves to! And then if they decide later that they made a mistake in getting baptised, that the JW religion is not for them after all, they are pretty much stuck, literally "caught between a rock and a hard place". They might feel they have to stay in the JW religion in order to still have relationships with their JW families and friends. They might be terribly unhappy in the 'religion', but not feel that they can leave it. What a spot they are in! I urge young people to please hold off on baptism, at least wait until you are 18 before considering making that commitment, because if you don't wait, you may be making a huge mistake! Huge! Besides, other religions don't make people answer zillions of head questions before letting them get baptised! And then make a commitment to an organization! Baptism has to do with the heart! And a commitment to Jesus Christ. NOT an earthly organization, a corporation, a glamorized book company! Please, if there are any young JWs who check out Silentlambs or Freeminds, DON'T jump into the baptismal pool until you are old enough to really know what you are doing! Take a lot of time to ask YOURSELVES very thought provoking questions. Don't put yourselves on the line with premature baptisms that you may come to regret someday! PLease.
	Wednesday, March 28, 2007 @ 2:58 PM
To all you victims I was thinking that maybe you victims of sexual abuse from JWs could try contacting Nancy Grace of Court TV. Some of you have been victims of MULTIPLE abuse! That is just so terrible, so horrible (just ONCE is terrible and horrible!). Maybe you could share your stories with Nancy. I am sure she would find them appalling!! She might be a good person in the media to approach for help and publicity about the JWs and pedophilia, also other types of abuse. Spousal abuse, verbal, mental, emotional, and spiritual abuse. She comes across as a very caring, empathetic, and sympathetic person, and she sure cares about justice!!!
SJG	Wednesday, March 28, 2007 @ 5:01 PM
To Tony, PRAY! PRAY! PRAY! I left the JWs, sent a note over a month ago and the elder came to my door today to get me to meet with them and go the that memorial. I thought once you sent the letter of disassociation they left you alone. I know that particular elder means well, so I didn't want to hurt his feelings. BUT, when I used to study their CD, I found that their governing body does declare themselves and each witness to be God's only prophets on the earth, yet they made false predictions. God's true prophets will not sometimes predict things correctly and sometimes incorrectly because it is really God Himself making the prediction. If it's false, obviously it's not Him. Jesus did say that the false prophets would give great signs so as to mislead even the chosen/elect. There's no way the governing body can be who they claim to be. Worse yet, that all-seeing eye that used to be on their literature is an occult symbol. Are they rooted in the occult? God is a god of order, not of disorder and confusion. So I'll be praying to that the damage they did to their former members, etc. can be undone. You don't have to worry about taking them down. God will do that in His time. I would suggest, and I'm taking the advice myself, to just keep praying and working on being close to Him. Take care!
Concerned	Thursday, March 29, 2007 @ 5:54 PM
Bill How is Bill Bowen doing? ___________________________________________________________ Silent Lambs Reply: Bill is doing great. Working hard as usual and busy helping those in need.
	Friday, March 30, 2007 @ 8:02 PM
Origins of certain teachings Where on earth did the idea of pyramidology come from? I couldn't find anything in the Bible regarding pyramids. I couldn't find anything about the Pleides (sp.?). Somebody told me that heaven is in the Pleides, something about "the sweet influence of the Pleides". I tried to find something about this in the Bible but couldn't. The concept of these teachings had to come from somewhere! But where? And why? I don't ever want to use Bible "aids" for learning about the Bible again. I just want to use the Bible. Period. Exclamation mark! Does anyone have any ideas about these teachings, how they got started? Did I miss something in the Bible? I'd sure appreciate any thoughts about this!
	Saturday, March 31, 2007 @ 8:25 AM
The truth will set you free of false religion After so many truthful stories of Child pedophilia that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has, they still feel that their code of conduct is far superior than the majority of religions. However, with the Jehovah's Witnesses pandemic issue still going stronger than ever before, their protecting pedophiles is still in great use. Thank Jehovah for allowing the court system to illuminate this modern day disgusting thing in a holy place. Eventually the judicial system will have enough of this issue that they will have to confront their board of directors of their non-involvment. Their "Governing Body's" non-response on this issue has brought great approach on Jehovah. I thank Jehovah every day!
TB	Saturday, March 31, 2007 @ 11:30 AM
Must We Always Tell The Truth? Headline Article -- "Must We Always Tell The Truth?", Watchtower February 1, 2007 (This is a slightly non- current issue so it's probably being given out as an 'oldie' in malls near you right now). Page six is a restatement of the "Theocratic Warfare" doctrine ('It's okay to lie for a good cause, EG to help an Elder dodge something, or whatever else that the Elders deem is necessary to conceal'). This astounding statement is made on page six: "Every Lie is an untruth but not every untruth is a lie". Most of page six goes on to re-support the notion that 'little white lies' and half truths are okay and are not really lies. Under a veil of my former JW Zealousness/ Blindness I would not have been able to see the outrageousness in such statements. God does not need us lying to protect his assets here on earth. Only wrong minded Men would lie. If the Elders or anyone else did not want someone to have some information, then they could simply say, "None of your business", end of story. Evasion, Trickery, White Lies, Half Truths, promote distrust from substantial numbers of the Friends and a promulgation of it as a policy (to counteract the publicity and attack on the "Theocratic Warfare" doctrine from the Internet) serves no purpose but to cleave to a policy totally lacking in Nobility and Honesty. I've met Atheists who would not stoop to such things. I've met many Elders who lied, lied, lied. This policy (Often referred to as 'Theocratic Warfare') becomes the basis for coverups of the numerous cases of Molestations of Children in the Halls. Also it provides a moral backdrop for the WTS manual for child custody which urges the JW Rank and File, (when under duress) to Lie, Conceal, Spin, etc.. You can really tell the Manuals, Letters of Protocol to Elders, and Policies are being written by the Long Island Lawyer set among us JW's but apparently they are at least counselling the writing of the WT itself. Why are Pubs punished (DF'd) for lying to Elders but they can lie to the Pubs? I know I've seen the written basis for Theo-Wr before, but I thought that due to the exposure of this wrong doctrine on the Internet we would back away from it, instead a WT comes out and imbraces it all the more. It's a big mistake and a WT page that will probably be introduced into courtrooms everyuwhere now.
NF19	Sunday, April 1, 2007 @ 2:14 PM
To Tony Yeah, I read somewhere in the Watchtower that witnesses are supposed to hate people who don't agree with them, Satan, wicked things, and lots of other stuff. I'm sorry you got hurt by those people. I also like reading the stuff that the people post who are here all the time. We need time to get over what happened to us and they help. I know lots of witnesss who fight at home. ONce I went to a meeting and it was about love in the family. When the elder got outside his wife didn't get the car fast enough and he screamed at her. At least 10 people saw it happen. Funny, huh? If you want to help stop them, maybe you should write to Bill or someone here. I think they have ideas.
TB	Sunday, April 1, 2007 @ 2:21 PM
Origins of certain teachings Question: "Where on earth did the idea of pyramidology come from? I couldn't find anything in the Bible regarding pyramids. I couldn't find anything about the Pleides (sp.?). Somebody told me that heaven is in the Pleides, something about "the sweet influence of the Pleides"." Answer: Pyramidology and The stuff about the Pleiades was what Russell was interested in. It definately has not been taught by JWs for many decades. Some sites present fairly accurate info on excerpts from the early Russell books, which I won't get into because they've already been discussed fairly accurately elsewhere. I think if Russell had lived a few more decades he would have repudiated it, he was a genuinely good man. He had a Beroean outlook and was willing to discard eroneous beliefs. He never claimed "Infallability" like modern day Elders do. The connection with the Pleiades comes from the fact that they are a cluster of bright stars and almost form a visual stellar "Gateway". If you look into the western sky at night with binoculars you will see them clearly. The ancient Greeks believed that they were a stargate for their Greek Gods. Russell was a voracious reader and truthseeker and viewed that there were 'truths' even in otherwise false readings and materials ("Truth Harvesting"). EG: The channelled book "Women and Angels" (written by a non-JW at the turn of the last century) obviously formed the basis of the elaboration of the understanding on 'nephilim' and all the preflood imagery used in many modern publications. These things have never been Core Doctrines though. There's nothing about Nephilim and the Pleiades (etc..) on the couple hundred questions new recruits go over in the "Questions for Baptism". I have to admit, we need to focus mightily on Core Bible Study and get away from the speculations of the past. If Witnesses would be allowed to go to College then their intellectual yearnings and minds would be satisfied and fullfilled by matters that were more beneficial to them (such as jobskills and career goals) rather than some stuff about Nephilim and other Demonclature.
Tony	Sunday, April 1, 2007 @ 9:45 PM
Thanks To SJG and Maluenda. I wanted to thank you for your kind and loving words. I will pray and do nothing else. God is love and he will heal and comfort all of us. Thanks so much for repsonding.
Maluenda	Sunday, April 1, 2007 @ 10:21 PM
To Tony I'm happy for you! That's all you need. Keep your heart open and you will find the way to your personal spiritual higher power, God, whatever you deem it to be. I am always here and so are many others! My heart is always open to you and all the others who come here. Blessings!
Anonymous	Tuesday, April 3, 2007 @ 12:15 AM
The Memorial Did anyone attend this years memorial at their local Kingdom Hall...I'm just curious!
Maluenda	Tuesday, April 3, 2007 @ 5:24 PM
RE:Memeorial I had planned on going but something came up with my kids and that ended that. I just saw a blurb on Utube where the Wilmington KH had pickiters outside and you could see the JW cars slowing down to read the signs. But the good news is that my parents-remember dad is an elder --are planning on coming for Easter dinner Sunday! Yep! Easter dinner. They are full aware that there will be egg hunting and a house full of guests and they're coming! I'll be taking a lot of pics and video! Blessings to all!
Earl	Tuesday, April 3, 2007 @ 10:42 PM
the truth will set u free Just a friend of any abuse victim, trying to do my part to stop more abuse. Love and prayers to all here. God loved you long before you could obey him. Part of the article that broke the camels back. A wt or awake asked Are you among those loved by God. Then went on to say what you had to do to be loved by him and I got mad as no one can live up to all the stuff all the time that WT says.They are always implying you have to earn your salvation or you will go to hell. Thats witnessing out of fear and guilt. I quit then and read the Purpose driven life and never felt so loved before. What a breath of fresh air. Praise God. Yes there is truth out there, I find it everywhere.Love and Prayers to all
Maluenda	Wednesday, April 4, 2007 @ 8:02 AM
To Earl I woke up and read your comments first thing this morning. It was so full of love and hope it made me feel great! Thanks for posting those words of encouragement. You are so right! Blessings to you!
SJG	Wednesday, April 4, 2007 @ 4:33 PM
Jesus' Death Greetings to all! It's that time of year again when everyone is thinking about Jesus and why he came and died. I am recovering from my being a JW and I know God is working with me. I have since began to worship at a church that I feel is great. I've never been happier about my worship. Jesus came basically speaking to teach us about true love. God wants us to be loving, not judgemental and looking for an excuse to point a finger at someone. He doesn't want us to be uptight and in morbid fear about Him. He wants us to be happy. Jesus died basically speaking, so that we could ALL be healed, and be reconcilled to God, and learn to love God and each other truly. The JWs makes you suspicious, uptight, a fault- finder, judgemental and condemnatory towards others. So against what Jesus taught. Even if you don't believe he was the Messiah, you have to admit his teachings and lifestyle are great for us to follow & in his heart he was suffering and dying so that everyone regardless could grow closer to the love of God. God helps us to get better, not out of fear of destruction, but because He truly loves us and sees our true capabilities even when abuse, etc., prevents us from seeing the truly wonderful, loving, giving person we can ALL be. Peace to all!
Maluenda	Wednesday, April 4, 2007 @ 9:16 PM
To Earl and SJG You both made some beautiful comments today. I could feel the love emminating from both of you. I have no douby that you have found the path to God. A loving path. Blessings to you both and thank you for posting. Your words give hope to those trying desperately to recover.
Idrisa M	Friday, April 6, 2007 @ 12:09 AM
Congregational Discipline Because of JW me and my Boy friend had a broke-up coz we had a different religion and for them that's against the law of Jehova. That site is the story of mine... I decided to wrote this because I need some advice that help me to decide. Thank You Very Much... May Jesus Christ Bless All of Us...
SJG	Friday, April 6, 2007 @ 10:48 AM
To Idrisa Greetings! The best advice I can give and I have to follow it myself is to pray, pray, pray for God to lead and help you and show you the way. He will. I had for the first time in my life prayed to Him for Him to get me to worship Him His way and loh and behold He did a 360 degree turn on me and brought me to a better place. It seems to me that the morbid fear of destruction, judgemental attitude and the concentration on stringent rules and regulations prevents people from thinking clearly about the true things of God. How can we claim to be studying so much of the deeper things when we haven't even gotten to the love part? If you "pray incessantly" as Jesus told us to do, God will clear your mind and help you to concentrate on the healthier things and you'll be more at peace and happier for it. Peace! Thanks Maluenda for the comment.
Maluenda	Friday, April 6, 2007 @ 1:39 PM
To SJG I really meant what I said. You and Earl are an inspiration to me. Blessings!
	Friday, April 6, 2007 @ 5:20 PM
To Maluenda WOW!!! I could've fallen over when I read that your parents were going to your home on Easter day! I am awestruck and oh, so happy for you! I hope that all of you have a beautiful, beautiful day and many, many wonderful, warm memories after it! Yes, take a lot of pictures! Have a great time! I am so happy for you!
	Friday, April 6, 2007 @ 5:38 PM
To TB Thank you for your reply to my questions about the origins about certain things. I appreciate that! I do have a hard time with the Questions for Baptism. I think there is something wrong with expecting people to answer many questions on an intellectual level when baptism is something that should be heartfelt, not cerebral. I personally think it should be enough for someone to say they have thought it over very carefully and that in their heart of hearts they want to be baptised for Jesus Christ, NOT for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. I don't think the WTBTS should have anything to do with the reason for baptism. Being baptised for an organization is just plain wrong! Jesus is not about doctrine and dogma. Christians want to follow in his footsteps, not be under the thumb of the guru WTBTS. Also, I most certainly don't think children who are still learning about themselves and teenagers who are working on their own identity issues should even think about being baptised. They're not ready. The kids should be left alone. Jesus, himself, wasn't baptised til he was thirty. And He was God's son! I think perhaps pressure is put on young people to hurry up and think about getting baptised. Let the kids be!
Earl	Friday, April 6, 2007 @ 8:27 PM
maleuenda and all Thank you for the kind comments. I have been around the jW's many years but never joined. My father took us to the hall as little kids but never joined either.I looked for love in the different groups and never found much. If I did find some it was very conditional as if I didn't come to meetings I was dropped. It was always the feeling that I had to earn my love and salvation. I found most halls a cold stoic place, even the songs were joyless, the people tired from all the meetings and trying to raise families.It was like the WT made them feel guilty and they could never do enough. One witness said the WT had to do that to get them to go out in service, otherwise they wouldn't. Again guilt and fear inspiration. I noticed finally that the members were taught that they could never be sure of their salvation and I made a point to ask them why but never a clear answer. Over the years I could see the brainwashing as my two family members are jW's and can't even get along. It was not too dificult for me to break away as I had friends that were Catholics that helped me out when I became disabled. They actually gave me money and came to visit and treated me like family and I realised I never got that from JW's as they were always trying to recruit or get in their hours. I found them very greedy with their money. I prayed for wisdom and it came to me in many places and people and I thank God I was not so brainwashed that I could not see through the workings of the WT group. I realised that most witnesses do not understand what the governing body is doing, they have put them on a pedestal and almost worship them as if their words are from God, They overlook all the mistakes and hide stuff and don't take the iniative to look at the facts. I realised many join the group because they finally found an exclusive group where they could say we are right and the rest of the world is going to hell, they wont say that but subconsciously that is a huge attraction. Many of the JW's were never well adjusted or fit in so they finally found a group where they could look down on others. Why do I say this because I got honest with myself and looked back to see why me and others found the group so attractive. I finally decided I didn't believe most of the world of Christianity was condemmed. I went to a big church one Christmas eve and they had beautiful music and a loving Bible message. In this church I did my first communion and at first I felt guilty but reminded myself that feeling was from the brainwashing then I felt so good that I could partake of the bread and wine and honor Jesus. I started feeling more love in my life day by day because I wasn't judgeing the world any longer and I didn't feel like a freak with all the dogma of the WT.The Bible says we can have all the gifts but if we don't have love we have nothing and I took that to heart. How can one have love for mankind when they feel only they are right. My heart goes out to the children forced to live and die for the JW's. I have seen how one is treated if they speak out. I have seen long time members divorce their wife without grounds and marry a week later. I have seen the guys getting drunk and then see them knocking on doors. The worst part of this is that it was swept under the rug.So when I went to silent lambs all the abuse was totally believable as I had seen it for years. Now I know why I never joined as I question things and observe people, I watch how they treat others and an inqusitive mind will not be tolerated in the org. So I know how outcasts are treated and we all deserve love and acceptance. I know that the more love I feel the more I want to do for God. It's not about guilt and fear anymore for I know I can not earn my salvation. Jesus took all of our sins to his grave and all he required for salvation was a belief in him and to repent of our sins. He said his way was not a burden. What a contrast from the JW dogma which burdens it's members with doctrine from the WT. Remember all the people that were baptised by the thousands in the bible, there was no signing anything, if you believed you were baptised. I could go on with how wrong they are on so many levels but I just wanted to show how I found real love and acceptance apart from the JW's and what a relief I feel today and the feeling that yes I am saved am I am a friend of Jesus, I pray that all who have been harmed from the JW's find healing in Jesus words and to seek help when necessary from counselors or where ever one feels comfortable. I have healed by releasing my secrets in a safe place and by drawing close to God and friends. My love for mankind is growing each day as I am now free, truly by grace I am guided as I heal one day at a time. Love and prayers to all
Maluenda	Friday, April 6, 2007 @ 9:43 PM
To Earl I am so glad you came here too. I just hope that you stick around and share your story of hope, peace, and love with those lambs who come here in the future. So many people pop in occasionally. You have a very honest writing style that flows and draws people to read your words. There are so many people who will need to read the words you write. You write with such sincerity and openness directly from your heart. I know from experience that what you say is true. I found love and true faith from searching my own heart and listening to my own prayers. I established my own relationship with the higher spirit and didn't need anyone to serve as a go between or to tell me what I was suppose to know. If you ask from your heart you will be answered and the answer won't change from year to year either. Thank you for your encouragement and I hope to get to know you as I have so many others like M.A.N. , a very dear friend of mine I met here. Have a blessed Easter weekend. Blessings to you.
M.A.N.	Saturday, April 7, 2007 @ 1:28 PM
To Earl I just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed your post. On occasion, I have posted what I hoped was a reasonably comprehensive (and not just 2 sentences) summary of several points about the issues here. You covered many good points with a very analytical style. I think you have a good handle on the situation with religion and if you follow your heart you will do well. My best to you.
Earl	Sunday, April 8, 2007 @ 1:56 PM
Thanks MANN I have been accused of over-analising things:) There is a reason why people do things and I like to figure that out. I have discovered in my own family I have been rejected because of exposing the wrongs of the WT org. and I realised that witnesses believe their org is infalliable and most will refuse to admit there is a problem. And why do they put so much faith in man when the bible says not to.? again because they have to be right and others wrong.My only reason for pointing out what I see is so others can understand the total brain washing that goes on in the org. The org. has made a point to expose other groups for years to the point that witnesses believe there is no other place in the world that teachs the truth and if they left the org. they would be condemmed. Many are like programmed robots as they parrot what the org. tells them. Many times I would see a witness in public and they would most often say" I havn't seen you in some time We have a good talk coming up or Brother x is in town. Never did I feel they cared about me and never would they ask if I needed anything, it was always a pre planed speech. Never would they come visit as a friend without a suit on and I suspect the one that did come around was just getting his service hours in. and I realized they were just as busy as the world and many were building bigger and better houses and having more children while preaching to the world to scale down as the end is near. I had witnesses tell me that they only had one or two families in the Hall that really lived what they preached and would associate with. I would say but I thought you were the ones that were recognised as the group that showed love and unity to each other. The answer was usually well we are not perfect, that was always the answer when you challenged their behavior. But then I would say you are all modern day prophets, how can you be wrong so often, we are not perfect. Well neither are any other religions. I have studied many religions and have come to the conclusion that they are all wrong to a degree and right to a degree.I believe God does not comdem us for our ignorance but for what we know and don't practice. For example we all know or have seen the brightest minds who would give there life for their beliefs, whether they were Catholic, protestant, etc.These bright minds have studied the Bible their entire lives. So does anyone believe that because they can not conceptualise a certain idea that they will go to hell.How can anyone think that who is a loving soul. We know every religion has been wrong at one time on some level but the witnesses won't be humble and say we were wrong but we have new light even though it may have been in the bible for thousands of years, to them it is new information?.Even they can't believe this. So why can they be wrong and not go to hell but everyone else is condemed? They have even said the Catholics are the anti-Christ. I am not a Catholic but the Bible is clear that the Anti- Christ will be anti-Christ and Catholic theology certainly believes and teaches about Christ. Then they wonder why they are not a respected org and why some would just as soon see them gone.They are making themselves an enemy of the people. The members think they are doing Gods will by following the WT guidelines and some are very sincere but doesn't there come a time when each person looks around them and asks questions. Will they be judged for turning away from the information about abuse againts are little ones. They say others will be condemed because of their heartfelt beliefs but when Jesus said " The way you treated the least of them is the way you treated me" it would seem that if anyone knows of abuse and does not do all they can to stop it is as guilty as the abuser. I believe any one including myself has been emotionally abused from the witnesses if we disagreed at all. Personally I have been rejected, ignored, probably called many things. So much for un-conditional love. One of the meanest things one can do to another is ignor them and quit calling them and this is just what happens. To some who don't have friends outside the hall this can be devastating. To me it just proved how un-loving they are and to move on. I have found a church and friends who care for me whether I show up or not, My group has an on line list of people to pray for and it is nice to know that complete strangers would pray for me. There is much hope and love for all who have been hurt and rejected.If fact the farther I get away from the judgemental, conditional loving people the more love I feel. I pray for those who are bruised and battered and thank God there is love for all of us and there is nothing we have to do to have it.Blessings to all:)
CR	Monday, April 9, 2007 @ 1:44 PM
Needed outlet Silent Lambs is a needed outlet for a little light. Many pious are, in fact, the most viscous. The Dark Ages were named the Dark Ages because there was nowhere the light of truth. The Church was in command. Please make a "Bar Sinister Lamb" sign for us to put on our front doors to protect our children and our privacy. Just say "NO!" to JW!
Maluenda	Monday, April 9, 2007 @ 8:51 PM
To all I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend spent with people you love whether you celebrated Easter or just the Easter Bunny or just Spring. I had a wonderful group of people at my home. We had great food, egg dying, egg hunting, and more great food. One couple are exjws and they celebrated this holiday for the first time. It's amazing to see the joy and inner child come out of an adult who was never allowed to participate in children's activities. My parents didn't show up for dinner like they said because my mother was sick. But maybe next year. It didn't matter. My house was filled with joy and laughter and love. No one was related and no one cared. No one judged anyone for their beliefs. We were just living in the moment and sharing the joy. It was wonderful. I wish I could have shared it with all of you. I think of you all every day and hope you are happy and feeling loved. To my old friends, AR, ANN, PCW, TOVA, KIKI, I hope you're all well and praythat I hear from you soon. You have my love still. Blessings to you all and may joy and happiness fill your hearts.
PCW	Tuesday, April 10, 2007 @ 11:41 AM
To the Author of I know it was you, Maluenda and thank you for wishing us well. I am still visiting the site and amazed at all the newcomers. This is wonderful. Although I am kept busy, my heart is still here and happy with the fine work you continue to do, along with M.A.N and all the others. My heart dances with delight whenever my initials are mentioned.
Maluenda	Tuesday, April 10, 2007 @ 12:07 PM
To PCW I'm glad you're still here with us. I haven't heard from AR, Ann in months. Do you ever hear from her? I miss her so much. I hope she is doing well where ever she is too. Thanks for letting me know you're there. I do think about you and AR every day! Blessings.
SJG	Tuesday, April 10, 2007 @ 1:09 PM
Thanks Earl Greetings and love to all! Just when I'm doubting things, I come here and read what you wrote and I feel I'm in the same exact boat. Thanks! Thanks to Maluenda too. You hit the nail right on the head, Earl. Peace to all!
PCW	Tuesday, April 10, 2007 @ 2:10 PM
Maulenda Please let me tell you how impressed I am with reading of Earl's thoughts and views well expressed. Not only is he interesting but honest, as well. He is one who really cares about what goes one in people and I hope and prays he stays around. We need people like him to keep us motivated. Oh, just maybe I should take the opportunity to tell him this. EARL -- YOU ARE THE MAN. THANK YOU FOR HAPPENING ON THIS SITE AND DON'T BE A STRANGER LIKE ME.
	Wednesday, April 11, 2007 @ 12:52 PM
To Earl Your comments are very well and beautifully said! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings at Silentlambs.
Earl	Thursday, April 12, 2007 @ 10:57 PM
exodus Greetings to all. I watched the story of Moses during Easter and got to thinking how the plight of the abused is similar to the Israelites. For many years they were persecuted and made dependant on Pharaoh for all their meager needs. After a while they lost hope and couldn't free themselves as they were victims of a cruel dictator. Not until Moses came along and gave them hope and a promise of a new life could they dream of being free.Like many of us taught that we were not worthy of love and respect and a mind of our own we could not imagine a life free of our opressors until we gained strength and with the help of our Creator we took the chance to reach out for help. Like the Israelites we were scared but we knew that we had to do something as anything was better than where we were. Even when Moses promised a land of milk and honey their faith was still weak and some wanted to return to thier opressors. The farther they moved away from Egypt and the more miracles they experienced,slowly they gained some strength but they had been so abused that every challenge they encountered they wanted to quit and return as that is the nature of abuse as it changes us and we will return to our abusers if we aren't careful because at least it is familiar. WE don't have to wander for 40 years in the desert because we have a God that loves us and unlike Moses people we do not put our faith in man because that is idolotry as sure as worshiping a golden calf was to the Israelites. That was the great problem of the Israelites in that they either worshiped a false God or they depended on Moses too much and when he was gone longer than they liked they got crazy, even after seeing the sea parted and other miracles it took a long time to acquire a faith in God. Breaking away from anything or anyone is often difficult and we won't do it perfectly. We may want to go back like the Bible speaks of a dog returning to it's vomit but we have faith that our new life will be better and we have friends who really care that we heal and we have Silentlambs to help us on our way. We can be sure our Creator will guide us and heal us and we will understand that our opressors were wrong on so many levels and we will gain our sanity if we lost it and eventually we will look back and see that our exodus was planned for us all along and we were never alone.Bad things happen to good people but we have escaped and we are here today to heal and to help others escape. I could never have known the pain of others if I had not been through it myself and it has made me a more compassionate person. I believe God will use us to help others. Possibly that is part of our purpose in life now. My spiritual growth has always come after much pain after the bitterness subsides and I pray to not become bitter with all that life can throw at us. I would not be here today without my faith because I know at my most hurtful times when I thought I didn't want to go on God carried me along and sustained me and brought a measure of peace and even joy. Free at last-free at last.Sorry for going on so long here, sometimes when I get started writing I can go on forever. It really is healing for me and I hope more people share their thoughts here. Love and prayers to all
mt	Friday, April 13, 2007 @ 11:59 AM
Hi Earl Hi Earl It's so much healing to read your words. It's okay to me, that you write long letters. I enjoy reading them. I am also spiritual now. You write so good, and explain your self so well. I also think that God will lead us to those who need help to feel the freedom. And I will begin to pray much harder, that more and more JW, will come out of that prison called The Watchtower. Though I still have some difficulties to pray to God, this could be a good reason to try much more. Thank you Earl, for sharing those thoughts. Sorry my english is not so good, I am from Denmark. My hope for you is that you will have a wonderfull life. Fullfilled with love from God. And it's go for everybody else here too.
	Friday, April 13, 2007 @ 12:22 PM
Exodus Earl, I just finished reading your post and it really has power. My heart was heavily weighted down because of a phone call I received from a sibling who distances herself, until she needs something. Anyway, reading your post took my mind off of a monetary favor she seeks that I agreed to help her with. In your post you stated "God will us us to help others ..." Well, I agree with you totally and I am happy to do whatever his will is for me because I know he will not put more on me than I can bare. Therefore, this thing with my sibling is a small thing. I especially appreciate your stating "God carried me along and sustained me and brought a measure of peace and even joy." Those are words truly spoken from the heart and I thank you for sharing.
	Friday, April 13, 2007 @ 4:12 PM
Hi Earl I agree with everyone else about your posts. They could be twice as long and still be wonderful to read. You have a gift for writing and for putting things in perspective. Your perception of things is comforting to others of us here at Silentlambs and helps us to understand so much! I have not been a Jehovah's Witness for approximately twenty years, yet your posts still bring me understanding and comfort. And I thank your for that. You give so many people hope that they can come out from under the burden the WTBTS puts on them and that they can indeed become free as Jesus said they could when He said His yolk is LIGHT. The WTBTS places a yolk on its 'rank and file' that is very heavy, very, very oppressive. I can't understand how there are JWs who haven't recognized this, who think they should be so happy, because they are Jehovah's Witnesses, heavy as the load is that they are carrying. I wish that I could help them, too, as so many others here want to help them! You have helped, though, to give me a deeper understanding. Compassion is so, so important! And with the guidance of God, our loving heavenly Father, maybe soon more and more JWs will come out of their prison of a "religion".
JG	Saturday, April 14, 2007 @ 1:59 PM
Pointing fingers is not wise Anytime someone points the finger at someone else's failures, that individual(s) have their own failures that they fail to realize. Watchtower has been pointing the finger at Christianity since they use billboards claiming that "religion is a snare and a racket". To any professional, they have several problems that they too are not admitting to. The Apostles had failures and they were clearly written in the Bible. There is a big difference between what is written in the Holy Bible and the Jehovah's Witness doctrine.
JF	Sunday, April 15, 2007 @ 7:25 PM
Thank you for this Website Dear Ladies and Gentlemen: Thank you so much for publishing this website. I too, have many similar stories to all of you and I am so happy that there is a group exposing these injustices that destroy lives and steal irreplaceable time and destroy finances. I was a JW from the time I was 2 to the time I was about 36 years old. My father was also an elder and I knew a lot of details in regards to "protocol and organizational procedure" even though I was female. I also had retained a lot of biblical knowledge and began to see that procedure and protocol was becoming more and more contrary to biblical direction. I understand how I was "marked" for questioning these inconsistencies. However, because I loved Jehovah God very much I stayed with this organization much longer than I ever should have and it cost me a great deal of loss financially and socially. A good 25+ years. Thankfully, I am doing GREAT and I am in a successful career in the legal field and I am also in college. I have always been able to pray to God consistantly and I do want to say that there are some Good JW's who are "trapped" just like we were, and are trying to do the right thing with everyone they meet. These people also know that something is wrong with the organization they are with, however, are afraid to leave or are waiting for Jehovah to do something about it which he is obviously, and will continue to do. With the Most Sincere Thanks, JF
Maluenda	Monday, April 16, 2007 @ 7:52 AM
To JF Welcome!!!! It was nice to hear from you. It always inspires everyone when we hear a success story. Life after the borg can be happy and fullfilling even though for some who suffered a ton of abuse it can be a long and difficult road. It's nice to hear you were able to escape and pull your life together. I hope you'll share more of your story with us here. Blessings
JR Smith	Monday, April 16, 2007 @ 10:25 AM
Watchtower settles out of court Anyone heard anything about the watchtower recently settling some abuse cases out of court? I heard a rumor but want to confirm that they finally stepped up to the plate.
M.A.N.	Monday, April 16, 2007 @ 5:03 PM
To JR Smith I haven't heard anything, you might check the many forums about the WT. I hope they someday make up for the cruelty they have inflicted on thousands. But I somehow doubt it will be soon or to any great degree. Probably only if they have to legally or if it would further their purpose. They have a long history of spending whatever money is necessary to prove a point, and that point is usually that they are never wrong and will tolerate NO defeats in court and will admit to NO wrongdoing ever. In other words, they will spend one million dollars to defeat someone in court that they owe one hundred dollars to if paying that money would make them look bad. Penny wise, dollar foolish. They will stop at nothing to save face. I remind all JW's that a huge part of all donations go to defend child rapists and other fees connected with publishing their lies about all of the victims here on SL and elsewhere. I doubt that Jesus would approve of his disciples spending money donated to the apostles to feed the poor on helping pedophiles to find new victims. But I forget, the WT is not Christian and doesn't know God. And he certainly does not know them. Only time will destroy them forever, when Judgment Day comes and the WT has to pay the piper.
Dennis D.	Monday, April 16, 2007 @ 6:10 PM
cbc documentary I just finished watching a powerful CBC documentary on how the church protects pedophiles. That is how I became aware of your organization. Can anyone tell me how the court case involving the young Canadian women and the church ended? All the best to your organization.
Maluenda	Monday, April 16, 2007 @ 7:43 PM
To Dennis Which documentary are you referring to and do you mean BBC? There have been several cases out of Canada. I'm sure if you google it you could find the exact case and the details.
JJCK	Monday, April 16, 2007 @ 10:41 PM
Confused and Afraid I have been reading your site for quite sometime now. I am not a JW but I have been associating with them for over 30 years off and on. Because I feel like I don't know where else to go. You see, if I go to the KH I hear about Jehovah, very little about Jesus. If I go to church I hear about the three-in-one God, Jesus Christ and nothing about Jehovah. Right now I go to neither. I sometimes feel that it is up to me to stand up to the KH and the WT and I don't have a problem with that, I just don't know if I just want to tell them off or if I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do. Jehovah needs somebody to stand up for HIM, can't see it being me. Are there any Silentlamb organizatons in Milwaukee, WI? ________________________________________________________ Silent Lambs Reply: We will be contacting you shortly with the information you requested.
Maluenda	Wednesday, April 18, 2007 @ 8:15 AM
To JJC Welcome. This issue can be very confusing. It seems every religion difnes God in a different way and has different rules for how he is to be worshipped. Having escaped the clutches of this powerful cult-The JWs, I can honestly say that it is not a religion but a machine designed to control the masses and gain power through money. The other thing I have learned and I think most people on here will agree with me is that the God, the true God, is in your heart always. No one person or religion can tell you how to find him. That's up to you. If you search your heart you'll find him and his truths. After all, no one knows your heart but him. Do you really think he cares how many times you go to church a week over how you treat others? Wouldn't he rather have you doing the right thing and treating people with compassion and love like Jesus did than going to church 3 times a week, and going out in service every day but then going home and molesting a child or beating and degrading your wife. So my advice to you is to search your heart for Jehovah or what ever name you choose for your supreme being. He is there. He is love. Don't worry about protecting him. That's not your job. He doesn't need you to do that. The truth is the truth and will be known. Wrongdoers know in there hearts what's right and wrong. That's why they hide. That's why the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society hides and encourages it's members to lie, because it knows it's teachings are wrong and go against God. Just worry about your heart. Reach out to God in prayer through your heart and you'll find him and really be able to feel the love. It's out there just waiting for you, for all of us. What path you choose to be right for you is up to you and God. No man or organization can prescribe that for you. Welcome and blessings! May you find the answers you seek.
M.A.N.	Wednesday, April 18, 2007 @ 9:43 AM
To: JJCK As usual, Maluenda provided a very thorough and loving reply to your post. I just wanted to add a few of my thoughts. It is true that God is viewed differently by many people. I personally don't know exactly who he is at this point in my life, but her advice was good. Some people believe in the trinity, some don't, etc. I think love and doing good to others will always mean more to God, and to the world, than how accurate a few doctrinal points are in a person's mind or heart. I always got the impression from the teachings of Jesus that mercy and love meant more than rules and sacrifice. That is why the WT doesn't get the point of Christianity and has injured so many people. The rank and file mean well, but by listening to the leaders, they have all become the very Pharisees that they condemn. And we all know how Jesus felt about those people. Many consider the WT to be nothing more than a book publishing corporation whose sole topic is religion. I wouldn't go quite that far, but they are getting to that point to some degree. The word "church" used to mean a group of people who met in order to worship God, not a building. Yet that is what people today think of when they hear "church". People's hearts count more than brick walls and pews. Maluenda made a good point about protecting God or standing up for him. He doesn't need our help, but standing up for him can be done by living a good life and loving others, and just as importantly, loving ourselves. I use the analogy of a dead battery in a car. If we are to "recharge" others with our love and joy, our "battery" must be on full charge. If we are weak or dead, then we can't help others and might even drain their battery, so to speak. The Bible talks about people being "past all moral sense" and she pointed out that the WT hides and lies. They must do this now because they have gone past the Bible's moral sense and painted themselves into a corner. There is no escape for them, so they will just walk out of the room on the wet paint and blame the footprints on someone else. Maluenda also made a good point about seeking God. The Bible says it's a personal relationship. It doesn't involve corporations, books, CD's, tapes, cell phones, high-tech conventions, or any of that stuff. Early Christians got baptized in small ponds, or rivers, and they did it low key. They didn't use swimming pools and put it on video or TV. No corporation can give you a relationship with God nor can they take it away from you. Especially when that corporation doesn't have a relationship with God themselves. I think if you follow your heart you will do well. My best to you.
Clara M	Wednesday, April 18, 2007 @ 9:44 AM
My story.... I just like to thank everyone here on silentlambs. Your being proactive against child molestation,especailly within the Jehovah's Witness congregation is very informative, and your just hitting the tip of the iceburg! The whole world needs to be aware of such illegal acts within an organization that percieves itself as "witness' of god." Would "all loving Jehovah" allow members of his congregation to commit such acts? Apparently not if you read the bible and are a follwer of his word. Why then is it that so many child abuse cases are being "brushed under the carpet?"This is my story! I was a Jehovah's Witness from the age of 1-14 and me, my family and everyone else I knew were never aware of all these child abuse cases. We were taught that molestors were worse than murderers! I was 6 years old when i was sexually molested and abused by an elder of the congregation! But because of all the things i was taught and how i percieved things(from a brainwashed state of mind), I was so afraid to tell, it took me 8 years! 8 horrible years of keeping my mouth shut in fear of being disowned by the congregation, or being known as a slanderer. For 8 years i attended regulary(3-5 times a week) and had to looked into the eyes of my abuser, and acted like nothing happened! He was also well respected and a family friend so i saw him many times through out my lifetime. I don't know how a person like that can go to sleep everynight, get up on stage and give "talks" to the fellow members of the congregation and preach the "word of god" door to door, knowing how he had sexually molested a innocent young girl! In january 2004 my cousin died in a horrific car accident, i started to slip into depression, and wasn't being so "active in the truth." Skiping over to april, as you know the time of the passover, an important event for a jehovah's witness, so "i had to go". When we arrived there , there he was! The man that took my inocence away, the man that took away my life and happiness! He approached me and my family shook hands with my father, saying "oh it's so nice to see you guys attending, we all miss you so much" and winked at me!!! That's when it hit me! I was very afraid and upset and when we went home i tore up the whole place started crying and freaking out. When my parents asked me "what the hell are you doing?" I couldnt speak so I found an issue of the Awake, had a purple cover, with something about child abuse on it. I just showed it to my mom, and as she looked me in the eye i felt a sort of mental connection...."it was art c. wasnt it?" I broke down, I never felt such pain in my life! When my parents atarted askin me questions i told them that i was pretty sure i wasnt the only one, seeing as how my best friend was always over at his house, i knew he had done something horrible to her. My parents were outraged! They both were physically sick, but they did the smart thing...went to the authorities! Then the elders, when they found out about this(2 elders) took her(my best friend) into a room all by herself and interegated her like it was her fault!! She lied at first which was why they were such Assholes to her, because she was so ashamed of the whole ordeal. When she finally did come out, they were pretty slow at telling the authorities! In fact they didnt even go to the authorities with her case! When art was questioned by the police officers they talked to him , and asked him many questions. When his wife(who was always in the house at the times of abuse, but never therer to help me or my friend)Asked him if he knew who told on him he said it outright, Clara did. He then later on confessed to the elders and the police and when asked "is there anything you want to say to clara?" He said he was sorry. SORRY!?!?! I was an absolute mess! I tryed killing myself at least half a dozen times, weather it be by cutting or popping pills. In the end he was only sentenced to like 3months in prison and i do believe he is on probabtion. He was also found out to have molested other girls within the truth prior to me and my friends case. Oh and because I left the truth, Im no longer able to talk to my best friend! We grew up together! I havent talked to her in almost 4 years! Everyboody from the congregation who sees me gives me very very dirty looks! I recently started talking to one of my old friends from the congregation and he asked me where the hell have i been! I said to him, do you not know what happened?! He was like, all i heard was that you were very bad and rebelled and that no one is allowed to talk to your family. So i asked him, yeah does art c. still attend meetings? He told me, yes, he was disfellowshipped for about 2 years but has just recently started coming back. I asked him, well do you know why he was disfellowship? No was the answer. Good lord did i trip out! He's a frigin child molester! He molested me and my bestfriend! Omg! was his response, i talked to him for like the rest of the night and he told me that nothing was addressed to the congregation! NOTHING! it's all hush hush!!! Now you the reader what do you think?!? This most definately should not be allowed!! To knowingly have a child molester in any congregation without telling the parents is against the law!!! I'm just so outraged by this, I'm 17 years old and it still haunts and effects my everyday life. Please if anyone here has words of wisdom and help please write back. I appreciate you takin time to read my story.
Maluenda	Wednesday, April 18, 2007 @ 11:30 AM
To Clara First let me say: I love your name. It's one of my favorites. It evokes a sense of love and peace in me. Second: I'm so glad you found us here. Your story is heartbreaking. Unfortunately , it's a very common story we here almost daily from exjw's. My story is very similar to yours too. I having been molested and then told by the elders it was own fault. The important thing is that you realize that no matter what THEY say the truth is you were the victim of a heinous crime they have obviously tried to cover up. Kudos to your parents for going to the authorities. I emphasize that you were a victim. Now you are a survivor and though the experience is and will always bring great pain and sadness to you it can also be the source of your healing power. You have to decide that the control this jerk had over you when you were a child is no longer valid. YOU have the power and the control now. You can decide to let it control your life and further destroy it or you can decide to fight back and tell everyone you know what is going on with this dangerous cult. You can decide to look for the good in what you used to hate-namely, the world. It is a big , beautiful place full of loving people and wonderful adventures. All waiting for you to come and live. You see, Clara when you were under the mind control you couldn't live in the world because that was condemned. Now you can breathe, live, explore, and learn. In that comes strength. You said you are 17 years old. The future is a blank slate for you. I do hope you plan to attend college. Education will open doors and posibilities to your future that you never dreamed exisited. I will be paying my college loans until I'm 60 years old but I never begrudge making the payments because my college education taught me to think something you will never learn as a witness. It taught me how to live in the world and be happy. It taught me to trust and love and not to judge others because they are different than me. I am forever grateful for that oppurtunity. I hope you will go to school. I was 25 when I took my first class. Anyone can go at any age! You have been through hell and back. Now take control and live. You will get angry, you will feel sad, you will get depressed but you don't have to live every day that way. You are always welcome here to vent, seek comfort, ask questions, opinions, advice, whatever you need. We are here for you, for each other. The really beautiful thing is that by helping each other we help to heal ourselves. Blessings to you Clara and I hope to get to know you better. Maluenda
Earl	Wednesday, April 18, 2007 @ 11:49 AM
JJCK Welcome here, as this a is a wonderful place to share your thougts. Maluenda is right on the mark as there are many paths to God but being associated with the JW's one is taught there is only one way and if you don't do it their way you will loose God's favor. Well I needed to get over this idea and it takes some time. I too was associated with the org. for many years and I know now why I never joined as I think they are so wrong on many levels and my conscience wouldn't let me go along with their doctrine especially as it refers to abuse victims. Once I found that out I knew I had finaly found some truth and it wasn't hard to move on and find a loving Bible preaching church. Here is one of the problems as I see it for former members. JW"s think because they use a name for God that only they have his favor and when other groups don't use that name former JW's feel that God is slighted and like you said you felt like you had to defend Him. I have thought about the name and I question if God really wanted it known I think he would have preserved it like he has preserved the Bible all these years. I am told there is no J used in their alphabet at that time and some say Yahweh is the correct spelling. The fact is we don't know for sure as vowels were left out and we lost the pronounciation over time, so why the big deal. God is also called Abba in the Bible so a group could distinguish themselves with that name and call themselves Abbas Witnesses and therefor claim to be the only ones using his name.So I guess my point is that separating ones self from the world and using a form of Gods name does not make one necessarily holy.They also emphasise Christ dying on a tree instead of a cross, what the heck does it matter?? We need to get away from the idea that only JW's have Gods favor. It is not so. There is no one church that will have the mind of God entirely. The churches that teach the trinity will someday be found to be right or wrong but one could say that they are waiting for new light just as the JW's do. Because a church may not have all the answers and most Christian churches will tell you they don't does not make them bad. If they teach the Bible as best they see it and believe and honor Jesus as the son of God which most all of them do and really try to love one another then to me that is a good church. JW's believe they have to follow a strict list of things and they never are sure of their salvation. This is not Biblical. One needs to read the book of John in the bible to see that our salvation is an unearnned gift and Jesus said that those who believe in me will have life. In other places he says we need to repent so his burden is light. I feel sorry for people who are always questioning their salvation. How can that be a joyful experience? It does take some time to reprogram our brains with new information and it takes a measure of faith to believe that God is with us and not just JW's. After a while I found myself thinking-How could I have believed so much that wasn't true. I let someone else tell me things and I didn't listen to my heart and common sense. Ask God for truth and you will find it, it is all around us, it is in so many different people and groups but when our mind is closed we can not see it. I am glad that you have come here and I hope you stay around and share with us and help in the healing.LOve and prayers to all
clara	Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 4:07 AM
thanx Maluenda,you have a very uplifting spirit, i'm glad there are people here i can talk to that relate to me and understand my situation, you all are so nice :)
Maluenda	Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 7:19 AM
To Clara This is a safe place for everyone who comes here. That's why the people who post hateful messages. (And I understand they do try to post them) are not allowed to post. This site is a place for healing. Rest assured your safe here and will make many lifetime friends. I'm glad you're here. Blessings!
Earl	Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 11:37 AM
To Clara Thank you for shareing your story, difficult as it must be.I don't know why such egregious acts happen but you are a special person and your story will help others. I know you can recover and start a clean slate. One of the best things for recovery from any trauma is a good support system. It sounds like you have people in your corner. I had to get professional help and it was the best thing I ever did as I would come away from a session and feel like a weight had been lifted off of me. But it took many years as I never told anyone and I suffered too long in silence. So God Bless you and hope you continue to share with us.
P.C.W.	Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 11:55 AM
JJCK What great advice you offered to JJCK and the rest of us, as well.
P.C.W.	Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 12:05 PM
Clara Clara you have come to a place where you can cry, pour your heart out, leap for joy.... You are truly welcomed here and we extend our love and opened arms to keep you safe.
	Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 2:10 PM
Heartrending posts I appreciate the beautiful things people are posting here at Silentlambs, and Clara (I love your name, too!), thanks for sharing your personal story. I hope that telling it brought you some peace and comfort, and I hope that you keep coming back for moral support. I am so glad that your parents went to the proper authorities about your abuse! They did the right thing. You are so blessed to have had your parents' support, to have your parents there for you! It's so sad, but not all the victims have their parents's support. Everything is just so cock-eyed with how the elders deal with child abuse and spousal abuse, at least that's true so very, very often. Please keep coming back to Silentlambs! There are many people here who care about you and want to help.
	Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 2:31 PM
Confusing Yesterday my sister dropped by to see our dad, and while there she mentioned that she thinks I am in denial about the 'truth' being the truth. Well, we ended up having a long talk about religion and life. I think that she may be one of those people who would crack if she lost her faith in the Jehovah's Witnesses' religion. She said that if I were to convince her that the WTBTS isn't really God's (Jehovah's) organization, then she wouldn't be able to believe in any organization, probably not even in God. When I told her about the WTBTS's NGO membership for ten years with the United Nations, about the WTBTS's investment in the Philip Morris company and so on, including a few things about Rutherford (including his referring to women "as a hank of hair and a bag of bones"), she asked about verification of these things. She told me I need to separate the WTBTS from the Bible, even if there are people in the governing body who are doing things that are not right. She said I could go ahead and dig up all the dirt I want, but the religion is still the truth, because it is based on the Bible and everything that Jehovah's Witnesses are taught comes from the very top, and these teachings are true, because they are from the Bible. She, of course, defended the Watchtower magazine as teaching the truth, because it teaches what is in the Bible. What's confusing is she told me not to think about the WTBTS, to think about the Bible, but that the Bible says there is an organization on earth representing Jehovah, and it has to be the WTBTS. She said she is a part of this organization, she's a part of it. So, if I'm not to concern myself with the organization, but the Bible, then why did she make it so clear that she is a part of the organization? This is a lot of rambling I am doing here, and I am sorry about that, but I feel a little bit like, "Huh?". If there is anything I don't want to do, it is to destroy my sister, and if somehow convincing her that her religion is not the truth as she sees it, then I should probably just let her be. But, I do wonder, who is really in denial here?
Maluenda	Thursday, April 19, 2007 @ 5:20 PM
To Confused You're in a very hard position. First let me ask you a question. You know your sister well I presume. Would she crack or just be really, really upset for a while and be very confused? Most of us felt like it was the end of our world. IT WAS! The world as we knew it or were brainwashed to believe it was. Once the smoke cleared a little we began to think. Think for ourselves, many for the very first time. Then two and two no longer added up to five. It equalled four and we were shocked, angry, surprised, relieved, depressed, happy, and confused all at once. From what you said your sister contradicted herself several times. It's good that you wrote the conversation down. Go back and reread your post line for line. You'll see how she contradicted herself. Gently point that out to her and use your proof to back it up. Remeber, she won't be alone like most of us were or are. She has a sister who loves and cares about her and will be there to catch her when the mask of sanity is pulled off the face of the WTBTS. Keep us posted. I'm sure others will have ideas on how tohelp your sister and ease your confusion. Blessings!
SJG	Friday, April 20, 2007 @ 7:42 AM
Greetings and love to all! It's so encouraging and healing to read everything here. I, like you, JF, left the JWs at an older age. I'm 43. I was in that brain-washed mindset since I was 16. I came from a house that had people doing witchcraft in it, so I went from one satanic place to another. BUT NOW I AM FREE, THANKS & PRAISE BE TO GOD WHO WATCHES OVER US. We really do have forever, so one day all of this will be like a bad dream. I went to school late and have a huge student loan to pay off. When I start thinking that I'm too old and have nothing to show for my life, I think of this story of a 95 year old woman. She was a dancer. At 95, she was jogging 5 miles per day and working on getting her black belt in karate. Look at Grandma Moses. So it's never too late. Life is a beautiful adventure, especially when we continue to pray and seek God truly. The words "Nazi Germany" keep popping into my head when I think of the governing body of the JWs. It's an old American born religion that comes out of the old America and remember old American was severely repressive. They told 'white' people they were free, but if that 'white' person used the 'colored' bathroom they would be ostrasized, possibly murdered. It was a system of judgement, condemnation, hatred and oppression, just like the JWs. My biggest prayer is that I can truly become a non-judgemental, truly loving, caring person. Thanks all for the wonderful comments. They really are very helpful. God will take care of us. I have felt, even before leaving the satanic cult, that if we continue to pray and seek God, He will take care of us and correct anything negative we have going on. The gb of the JWs is a secret men's society, which is like the ones that existed before Jesus was born. And does anyone know anything about the eye symbol they used to have on their literature? I have actually seen an old magazine with that on it. And the pyramid? Does anyone have any info about this stuff? They are considered emblems used in satanic cults. It this really true? If so, and I believe it is, it explains a lot about the JWs. I keep reading Matthew 24 over and praying. It totally discredits the JWs because it is the basis for their whole faith in the gb. Jesus says one thing and they teach the opposite. Their excuse for doing so is so lame I was angry upon discovering it on their CD. Thanks again all and peace. Have a wonderful weekend!
M.A.N.	Friday, April 20, 2007 @ 10:03 AM
To: Clara M. I am very glad you were able to tell your story and I�d like to welcome you to this site. You will find many caring people here. Some were victims and some were not, but they all know the pain that child abuse causes. A few people here are professionals with degrees that can offer you general advice. And of course it is always a good idea to seek counseling if that is necessary or desired. You are correct about it being �the tip of the iceberg�. I happen to be in the field of psychology and I have encountered hundreds of cases in this religion alone. Silent Lambs welcomes people from any religion or background, but the majority of people do happen to be or were Jehovah�s Witnesses. To be honest and blunt, the Watchtower�s own policies have caused this to happen, so they bear the blame. You are right to question if Jehovah would allow so much abuse to occur in his �clean organization�. Perhaps this observation answers the question by itself. The apostles would not have brushed anything like this under the carpet. This is why many JW�s and ex-JW�s are in such torment, because they wanted to believe they had the truth, yet they couldn�t believe that the truth would have leaders that would do such things. Perhaps, then, the WT is NOT the truth. I am so sorry for what happened to you and that you feared the consequences of reporting the abuse. My own daughter went through the same thing. But in our case, I was the one who criticized the WT and my wife left me and took my daughter. This is the result of people being so brainwashed that they can no longer think for themselves and just blindly follow articles in a magazine that has printed some of the most outrageous nonsense in the world. I�m also sorry you had to see the abuser wink at you years later. That had to be so insulting to you to watch him do that. I cannot even imagine how you felt. But this can remind all of us how �Jehovah�s people� act right inside the Hall. I�m glad you told your parents and I�m proud of you for being astute enough to suspect that he might be molesting other children as well. Many times the victim thinks they are the only one. Going to the authorities is the right thing to do. The elders should never have spoken to ANY person alone in a room. I am sorry about your thoughts on suicide. I live in Florida, and the laws here are very strict. All molesters are put in a special newspaper with their picture, address, where they work, everything. They are also in the database on the Internet. The prison sentence is usually 30 years to life. So if anyone lives down here and knows about any molesters, please help other victims and report it. You will be saving others from becoming victims. I am sorry you lost your friend because of the shunning, but again, the Watchtower will answer for that. Again, I�m sorry it happened to you. And you are right in saying that it is wrong not to warn the rest of the congregation. The elders will know, and if they have children, they will be safe. But the other children will not be safe and often become victims later on. This is another reason that the WT stands condemned as a perverted cult and NOT God�s people. I sense that you are still in great pain and my heart goes out to you. Please get whatever help you need in order to feel better and always remember that you can post here at any time. We have all types of victims here. We all love each other and care about all the victims. We want victims to recover and to heal. I wish you peace and comfort and I hope that you will find the help you need. My best to you.
M.A.N.	Friday, April 20, 2007 @ 10:21 AM
To: Confusing I think your sister is confused. She says to separate the WT from the Bible, yet says that they are the same. I think she might be having doubts and if you keep planting seeds of "real truth" in her mind, she might start to think about things. Most JW's really don't know anything about the WT's background. Many don't even know about the UN and other current problems the WT is having. "Ignorance is bliss." It's easier to allow others to think for you while you go door to door and try to convert others to a religion that you don't understand yourself. Ironic, isn't it? As we all know by now, the WT does NOT teach what is in the Bible and never did. Good luck in helping her.
	Friday, April 20, 2007 @ 1:17 PM
Emblems and so on I know someone who has really studied the pyramid of Giza and done a lot of research on it, only his purpose in doing so is to prove some kind of Biblical timetable and maybe some other things based on the Bible. He is a Russelite and really believes in this pyramid. I've seen this eye symbol on their old literature, also. I have seen an eye emblem on the back of the dollar bill. It's a very strange looking symbol. Rather bizarre. There are these secret societies that have particular symbols and rituals. It's rather fascinating, all this, but bizarre, too. What did Jesus say that the WTBTS says just the opposite of? I'll read Matthew 24 very carefully. Contradicting what Jesus said is disgusting! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings! You sound very intelligent and spiritual.
	Friday, April 20, 2007 @ 5:18 PM
To Maluenda and M.A.N. Thank you for your support and for your comments regarding my sister. I really think she needs to be handled with 'kid gloves' because of the possible emotional problems she might have if she quit believing in the JW religion. I think you are right that she might be confused, herself, because she was certainly confusing me! She doesn't seem to want to know, to find out, that her religion could be wrong. I don't care that if she lost her faith in her religion she might not ever believe in an organization again. Neither do I. I don't think an organization is what a spiritual life is about. But, if she were to stop believing in God, because she stopped believing in this man-made organization, to me, that would be tragic! In no way do I believe in the WTBTS, in the Jehovah's Witnesses' religion, but my faith and trust in God has not been sullied. They are separate to me. I don't' associate God, our Heavenly Father, with this false religion, this cult. I just don't connect them. I can't. People run the JW religion, not God. I would like to help my sister, but it is really hard when she bases her faith in God in this awful organization, and she thinks that in the JW religion everything comes from God (Jehovah) down through the WTBTS, down to the elders, and so on down to the 'rank and file', who are supposed to go out and preach what they learn from this pyramid style of so-called teaching. Oh, boy.
Carmen	Saturday, April 21, 2007 @ 1:13 AM
It is nice to see a website such as this. My heart goes out to all those who have had to deal with issues such as molestation within the organization. I am a former JW and have noticed many things that haven't added up. I personally was never molested but my mom was by her uncle who is still an elder in a congregation in Alabama. The family knew it was going on but they were encouraged to keep it quiet. I believe after the story broke on Dateline back in 2002 a letter was circulated within the organization encouraging elders to step down from their positions if theyhad been affiliated with any molestation cases. My great-uncle never did step down. Instead he caused many to "stumble". I must confess that if I didn't know that my mom was molested and it swept under the rug I would think all the other stories were Satan's doings. That's how poisoned my mind had become. It's hard to believe something when you've had one thing pounded into your head for several years. Good luck with your mission Mr Bowen and good luck to all the families fighting this terrible ordeal.
Maluenda	Saturday, April 21, 2007 @ 8:37 AM
To Carmen Welcome Carmen! I just wanted to welcome you and make a suggestion. Onthe home page there is a place to add known child molesters to a list that SL keeps of known child molesters and what congregation they are in. I guarantee you that your uncle is still molesting children. They don't just stop. This list is being compiled so that one day when the laws change we'll have a place to start. I really encourage you and anyone else who has not done so to take a minute and put the names on the list. Blessings to you!
M.A.N.	Saturday, April 21, 2007 @ 3:27 PM
Re: Confused The issue of "organization", whether God has one, who has the right one, can there be two or more, etc., has been debated for decades. Perhaps this quote from an old Watchtower magazine would interest you and others. "Beware of 'organization.' It is wholly unnecessary. The Bible will be the only rules you need. Do not seek to bind other consciences, and do not permit others to bind yours. Believe and obey so far as you can understand God's word today, and so continue to growing in grace and knowledge day by day." - Zion's Watch Tower, 1895, p. 216.--- So we can all see that the WT has changed its mind on this issue as well as hundreds of other doctrines. I also saw a web page that pointed out that Job, Melchizedek and others were used by God and never had anything to do with being part of the Jewish nation. God has dealt with individuals several times when these people were loners or on their own. This tends to weaken the WT's argument about "one ark" and all mankind must be in it to be saved. Personally, I'd rather be outside the ark. The way the ark is being run today, if a "flood" did come at Armageddon, I'm sure the leaders would manage to run aground or sink the ark by mistake. I don't believe that people must be in this "ark" in order to survive Armageddon.
mt	Sunday, April 22, 2007 @ 2:30 PM
New x-witness group in Denmark Hi everybody Just wants to tell you, that now there is a new webpage in denmark for all x-witnesses. Active witnesses is not aloud, because there has to be one safe place, for x- witnesses to come to. I have started in this group, where we a a few people, who are ready to do everything we can. The name of the link is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zofuzgruppejv/ Hope so much, that you all are doing so well. I follow you every day, and read everything. God bless you all. Sincerely Maja
PCW	Monday, April 23, 2007 @ 7:44 AM
Just Wondering Hi All, I am curious if comments are being made in the various congregations of the JWs about the VA Tech tragedies last week which would justify why rising seniors or any school-aged in the religion would carefully weigh contemplating attending college since college is not encouraged in this organization?
Maluenda	Monday, April 23, 2007 @ 3:16 PM
To MT Congratulations MT for a job well done! It's always great to see someone take initiative. I went to the site and saw you have several members already and I'm sure that number will grow and grow. I hope you'll keep us updated on what's going on in your country. It's good to hear about the progress in other countries. Plus we'd miss hearing from you!!!!! Blessings
Maluenda	Monday, April 23, 2007 @ 3:22 PM
To PCW Haven't heard them say to much except comments like , "Isn't that terrible." etc. My dad is an elder and all he said was ,"Satan really had a hold of that boy to make him do something like that." I replied," Couldn't have been mental illness, had to be old Satan. Which made me think how easy is it for the JW's to transfer blame from themselves to Satan. I can just hear them saying, "The Devil made me do it. It wasn't my fault!" Anyway that's all I've heard. By the way, do you ever hear from AR (Ann). I think of her every day hoping she's OK and doing well and happy. Just like I did you before you joined us again! Blessings!
Herbert	Monday, April 23, 2007 @ 3:49 PM
To: PCW Hi, perhaps the tragedy you refer to is used now by many Witnesses to argue against college or university education, like "We have alway said ..." But in my opinion that would be too short a reasoning. It is always difficult to judge someone's reasons from the outside (here: Germany), but I think, apart from psychological reasons within the person of the perpetrator there is another reason that makes it at least easier for people to run amok. In many states of the USA, as I see it, you can buy your gun as easily as your bread at the baker's or your food in the super market. Visiting a college is quite another matter. I think the main reason is envy. The JW's "upper class" do not like to see rank and file members who are more educated than themselves (who mostly have only high school degrees - at most). It was Fred Franz himself, if I recall it correctly, who boasted himself with his knowledge of the Hebrew language, but was not able to translate a simple Hebrew text when standing in court and having been asked to do so by the judge, wasn't he? My best to you and all the victims of abuse, Herbert
mt	Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 9:50 AM
Hi maluenda Thank you for your roses. :) But its the young man, at the picture who has started the site. But we are working as a group. But I have more good news. I am going to start a cooperation with Sweeden. They has agreed and they wrote to me, that there is a need in Scandinavia. That also made me very happy. I am still trying to find a contact in Norway, and I hope so much, it is possible. I have meet a woman in Norway through your guestbook here, and she is so sweet and offered me, to try and contact the man, we think might can help us. Jane-doe, I think you know her. I have also meet two other people, who also has offered to help. You know I have been writing about how I would like to have a cooperation whith psycologist's and they both are. People I can trust. Thats wonderfull. Hope you all are doing fine. And it's nice to be missed, I will try and write more often. God bless you all. sincerely mt.
PCW	Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 10:08 AM
Maluenda Hey, I never left Silentlambs. Have been very busy but I still visit when I am able to. I left the JW organization, not Silentlambs.
PCW	Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 10:26 AM
Herbert Hi Herbert. Thank you for your response. I don't know, it seems that whenever a situation arises, I immediately question how the JWs would respond on it. My neighbors are staunch believers who regularly attend meetings faithfully. I used to go inside my house when I knew it was time for them to leave for the Kingdom Hall, until I realized that I have the right to believe as I wished and to make my own choices. Took me a while to feel comfortable in realizing that I should not be afraid of mere man who cannot direct his own step, even after I got the boot. Laugh is fun so bring it on.
Maluenda	Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 12:23 PM
To PCW I guess I should have refraised that to say while you were just observing? Besides you can never leave SL if you're in our hearts! Blessings
PCW	Tuesday, April 24, 2007 @ 1:33 PM
Maluenda Hey Ms. Sunshine. I extend the olive branch back to you with Blessings.
tgh	Wednesday, April 25, 2007 @ 8:46 AM
8year old My sons father is a jehova witness and I need help to show him this is not right
	Wednesday, April 25, 2007 @ 12:43 PM
To M.A.N. Thank you for your comments. I wouldn't want to be in the JWs' so-called ark, either! You make a lot of sense, and I agree that people as individuals, not people as part of a collective mass, can be used by God. Everyone stands alone before God, not bundled up in an organization. I much prefer it that way, anyway. Thank you for sharing the quote from the Zion's Watchtower. The WTBTS needs to have that quote told to them over and over. I think people can grow in spirituality better alone than with an organization. It's a personal thing for everyone. Thanks again for your comments and for your sharing.
	Wednesday, April 25, 2007 @ 2:20 PM
To Herbert and PCW Well, maybe the WTBTS should discourage the 'rank and file' from going to the mall and the post office, too. Shootings have occurred in these places and in other work places, as well, not just colleges. What happened at Virginia Tech was horrid, horrible, horrible, terribly tragic. All those young lives, those young people with hopes, dreams, and goals just snuffed out! What a horrible waste! And the damage done to their families and friends is irreparable. There will never be comfort for these people. But, almost everywhere people go anymore, they are taking chances. This is an unpredictable world we are living in. Also, I think it could be true that envy could be part of the problem with the elders, the so-called "upper class", the privileged class, when it comes to anyone in the "rank and file" who goes to college. Well, that's too bad. There should be no "class" system in the JWs. It's not a country club!! It takes a lot less energy to be happy for someone than to be jealous of that person for any reason. And to be happy for someone is a very uplifting feeling! If people have what it takes to go to college for an education the more power to them! Go for it!!! And have a good, good life, a very happy future! Don't be discouraged by any negativity about college from the elders or anyone else. Don't be stifled. Don't let anyone repress your dreams or repress you from pursuing them! Know yourself and follow the right path for yourself, the path that feels right for you. As Shakespeare said (only I'm paraphrasing here) "this above all things.....to thine ownself be true". Do it.
Maluenda	Thursday, April 26, 2007 @ 12:47 AM
To TGH Is your sons father a long time JW or newly initiated? It will also make a difference if you were a witness or have never been. It's harder to convince the ones who have been brain washed for many years or grew up in the cult. If you and your son have never been a JW or you have escaped the clutches of it's brainwashing I would suggest that you focus on your son. Reassure him that he is loved by God and that God loves everyone and isn't prejudice towards one group. We are all his children. At 8 he's old enough to understand that people may have different beliefs than we do, choose to celebrate or not celebrate holidays etc, but it doesn't make them bad, just different. Remind him that even though his father believes differently it doesn't mean it is set in stone it is just what he believes. If you do a google search on the jw's learn so much information about there dark history. Also, if he's willing direct him here and ask him to read the information on this site. But whatever you do make sure you talk to your son on how to protect himself against child molesters. His father may unknowingly be putting his son in harms way if there is a molester in his congregation that the elders are not exposing. Regardless it's a good thing for every child to know. Blessings and good luck!
	Friday, April 27, 2007 @ 1:16 PM
Proof or assumption? Hi, I've been trying to find information about Michael the Archangel, becuse the Jehovah's Witnesses claim that Jesus was Michael before He came to earth as Jesus Christ. My sister said that someday there would be a great battle between Michael and Satan. I don't question that, but what proof exactly do the JWs have that Michael and Jesus are one and the same? I haven't had success in finding out information about the Jehovah's Witnesses and their belief about Michael. Does anyone know how I can find out more about this? I'd like to be able to set my sister straight if/when the religion topic comes up again. Well, thanks, and I'm sorry for straying away from the issue of child molestation here. I know that's what this site is really for
Cheri Romero	Friday, April 27, 2007 @ 8:52 PM
To answer your question Go to this site http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/default.ashx you should find what you are looking for there Peace
SJG	Monday, April 30, 2007 @ 2:19 PM
Hello All! I hope all of you are doing great! Praying is key when overturning any of satans tools, tactics, so I would suggest that people pray and teach their children to pray to God for Him to help them worship Him His way and to receive His correction and to be able to worship Him with a pure and complete heart. I had never prayed this before October 2006. I started praying this everyday and God opened my eyes and heart as to the truth about Jehovah's Witnesses. We can pray for and about almost anything and ask God the whys and hows of things. His spirit is stronger than anything in the universe including satan and a person's arrogance, ignorance and ego. As for proof that Micheal is Jesus. Humm! Isaiah 9:6 refers to Jesus as our Eternal Father, Prince of Peace and Mighty God. Micheal is an angel. Jesus is Mighty God. It will definitely take God's Holy Spirit to get a JW to see these things. The JWs teach exactly the opposite of what Jesus said in Matthew 24. You could ask the JW, "Why did Jesus say that he is going to be seen as he returns, coming on a cloud if it is not so?" The explanation that the JW CD gives as to why this is not true is that when a plane is in the clouds, you can't see it, therefore, you wouldn't be able to see Jesus in a cloud. Ask the JW how much sense this explanation makes as to why you should believe their words over Jesus'. Hope this helps. Peace and love to all!
	Tuesday, May 1, 2007 @ 12:58 PM
To Cheri Romero and SJG Thank you both for your responses to my question about Michael the Archangel and Jesus! Cheri, thanks, I will check out the site you mentioned. And, SJG, thank you for the scriptures you mentioned. I appreciate you both for your feedback, and I will check out the site and the scriptures. As for the WTBTS's analogy about the cloud, well, that has got to be one of the dorkiest things I have ever heard. Sheesh. Where do they get some of their stuff that they push down the throats of the poor 'rank and file'? Thanks again, both of you.
	Tuesday, May 1, 2007 @ 4:33 PM
To Cheri Wow.....um, I looked up the site that discusses Michael and Jesus. That's quite a discussion. It sounds as if I am not the only one who is confused about this! But, I still have quite a few comments left to read. And then, to me personally, it just doesn't make sense to say Michael and Jesus are one and the same. It just doesn't fit. And I learned some things from what I read that back that up. So, thanks again very much, Cheri. I appreciate your guiding me to this site! It's very helpful and useful.
Maluenda	Wednesday, May 2, 2007 @ 9:53 AM
To Bill Bowen and all the people here With May 1st here (MAY DAY) I was thinking about all the people who have greatly impacted my life in a positive way. Bill Bowen was one of the first people who came to mind. A very nice Catholic nun that I had confided in saw an article on SL in her local newspaper. She forwarded it to me. Up until that point, I truly believed that I was the only person in the world who had these experiences, I believed that I was the devil's daughter for rejecting the organization and its practices. My life was devoid of love because I was made to feel unworthy of love by the elders. Anyway, I called Bill and we talked for several hours. It opened my eyes. I realized I wasn't alone, I had support and people who cared about me through the SL organization. I was able to see the world in a whole different light. Through the years, I've watched the endless hard work, self sacrifice, and dedication to victims that this selfless man has given as a gift to all the victims. His tireless effort boggles my mind. There are others who help behind the scenes, unknown to us they help however they can to make sure victims have the support they need. Little children who send a dollar to support victims, those of us who send a few dollars here and there to help defray the costs of operating this site. Many of you who post here regularly helping those who come for advice or support are important too. You have helped me over dark days and the rejection of my parents. So I just want to give a big hug to Bill, those few people who work with him behind the scenes, and to those of you here who support Bill, me, each other, and all the Silent Lambs coming out of the darkness and into the light and love that was really meant for us all to experience. Blessings, peace, and love to you all!!!!!
	Wednesday, May 2, 2007 @ 12:03 PM
To Maluenda and everybody I don't know what so many people would do if they didn't have Silentlambs to turn to. Feel totally lost and depressed, I'm sure. This site has done so much to help and support people, and to lift their spirits. I was never a sexual assault victim in the JW religion, but I did feel really, really down toward the end of being in this 'religion', so sites like this one and Freeminds are very upbuilding to myself and to many others, I'm sure, whether they have been victims of molestation or rape or not. These two sites are full of caring and supportive people, who help detox those who come here to Silentlambs or go to Freeminds. And it does feel as if the WTBTS feels the poor 'rank and file' full of toxins. Maluenda, I join you in thanking Bill Bowen, and I thank Randall Watters, also, for all their help and assistance, and for all the information they provide to former JWs and the current struggling ones. And a lot of thanks goes to you, Maluenda, and M.A.N. and others who post here often with upbuilding messages. Thanks to all of you, too.
M.A.N.	Thursday, May 3, 2007 @ 9:14 AM
Grateful for Silent Lambs I just wanted to add my thanks for all the hard work that many do to keep this site in operation. I appreciate Bill Bowen's hard work, as well as Maluenda's also. I know these people spend hours a day helping anyone who needs it. I'd also like to thank those who have mentioned my name with appreciation. I don't always know who you are, but I wanted everyone to know that I truly appreciate being mentioned. My best to all. M.A.N.
Maluenda	Thursday, May 3, 2007 @ 9:19 AM
To MT I was just wondering how things are going in Denmark. Be sure to tell everyone on your sight there about us. If there's anything we can do to help or answer questions- we're here for you! I think it would be interesting to share stories and how different situations are treated in different countries! Blessings!
mt	Thursday, May 3, 2007 @ 4:37 PM
Hi maluenda Thank you for asking. I think that so far, that it's going all right. We have in forteen days got 9 member on our homepage, and more than hundreds posted messages. Links and files. J. M E, an ex-witness here from USA, has been so kind, and join our group, and is quite a big active for us. He is informing us, sending us pictures, links and files, and I write with him almost everyday. He is very good at danish. I really are very greatfull to him for joing us. The cooperation with Sweden are going a litle bit slowly, but I think that they are very busy. I have difficulties to find a contact in Norway, they has as far as I know, no web-page. 2 news, an ex-witness from Denmark has been sued by the watchtower society, for putting out the handbook used by elders, on the internet 10 years ago. Funny, that there has to go 10 years, before they sue him. The other news is, that we are producing, litle advertisement papers, where there are standing: no thanks to JW, to place on our houses, doors. If the whole world got those, the JW's would have a very hard time, preaching. It is my birthday today, and I thougth again, that it was so nice, celebrating it with my family. To share a speciel orcation and have lovely memories, for the rest of my life with my family, it's so giving love to my life. If you know what I mean. To get mails from a lots of people, who are thinking of me today, it means a lot to me. To be free to do such things, it's simply wonderfull. Well all from now. I hope so much, that you all are doing well. I read here every day. And every day, I find comfort in reading here. You are so kind and share so much love here, that you are helping me going on with my litle fight here in Denmark. So thank you so much to every one of you. I just must tell you about a post I just send, to a homepage called sol.dk. It was about love between the witnesses. I wrote, that I find more love from the ex- witnesses, that I did when I was a witness. Very thougtfull I think, because in the bible you can read that, you shall know that it is the truth shall becourse of the love between Gods people. Something I never found, while I was a witness. All for now. Take care, thank you so much, and God bless you all. mt
Earl	Thursday, May 3, 2007 @ 5:17 PM
To Mt and all Happy Birthday MT. It's hard to believe anyone would not celebrate a birthday, but that is what happens when one is misled.I have yet to go to a birthday party where someone was beheaded:) but thats the excuse JW's use to not celebrate.The idea of not wanting to make a kid feel special is beyond me but the farther one gets from the org the more one can see how ridiculous they are. MT mentioned love in the org and I have said that I never felt it when I was going to a hall. people would walk right by you and not even notice . And once you quit going you find out who your friend are. I too felt love once I got away from them and found that God unconditionally loves us and always has.There is a sense of love here, I just wish we could all meet each other in this world. I bet in the new world or heaven whereever we go we will meet and recognise each other for the love we have shown to all. Everyone keep up the fight and know that you are loved and our Creator never made two of us alike, evidently he likes diversity and didn't want us being like robots and wants us to use our talents for good. Bless you all and keep reporting here.
Maluenda	Thursday, May 3, 2007 @ 6:06 PM
To Earl If anyone is near Tennessee there is going to be a big meetup soon. Ill be there and so will a few others. I just made my travel arrangements today. If anyone is interested let me know.
Alex	Thursday, May 3, 2007 @ 8:10 PM
Hate...such a proper behaviour Just wanted to comment and question about Watchtower hate. A person I know seems ok with someone till that person says anything against the Watchtower organization. Then it comes. "I hate that person" is the new response from this JW person. Why can someone hate so fast and for so little? Where is all this love that is supposed to be Christian? One time I tried to have a calm discussion with the Jehovah's Witness and all I ended up getting was "when you cut up Jehovah's Witness, your cutting up me because I am a Jehovah's Witness" What if a Catholic person responded to that JW person when they cut up the Catholic Church? Talk about brain washing.
Maluenda	Thursday, May 3, 2007 @ 10:08 PM
To Alex Isn't it sad that they claim to walk in Jesus footsteps of love and peace yet they hate the world, hate those in it, hate other religions, and on and on and on! Because they are so brainwashed they can't even see that they contradict themselves often in the same sentence. A friend of mine has a daughter who just had a baby. They went to visit and be there like good loving supportive parents to witness the birth of this new little life and were treated like strangers because they are ex jw's. No love there. And it isn't that these people are incapable of love it's just been buried by superior attitudes with foundations in hatred. Do they sound like Jesus-no. They sound like terrorists. Unable to see how their hatred affects others and not caring about anyone but themselves and their own views. It's very, very sad. Everytime I come across this situation I pray desperately for them that their heart will be defrosted and the they will find the warmth of love again. Blessings to you!
mt	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 2:14 AM
to maluenda and Alex About hate. It's so ironic, that they claim, that they does not hate a disfellowshipped person, it's because of love, they are ignoring the person. I don't get it. Now when I meet the JW's at the street, and they totally ignore me, I just think, that I never could go back to those people, who are ignoring me so bad. Even if I know, they are thinking, they are showing me love. And also it has absolutely nothing with love to do, when they are disfellowshipping the victims of abuse, and let the phedofile go free. It was when I discovered that, I began to think, that they could not have the truth. It's 4 years ago. I have been out for 8 now. I have been so angry so many times in the past month. I just started 4 month ago, to investegate it, seriously. I realy hope that everybody, would get their eyes open, and leave the Organisation and find the true love here outside in the world. Yes maluenda we must pray for the love in their hearts. You have such a big warm heart, you think like that. Me, I just get so angry about it. But I surely can see, that they are thinking like that, because of the brainwashing. And Alex, thank you for your answer. You are absolutely right, that the further you get away from it, you can see how silly they are. I also wish that everybody could find love in the world. Hate are so destroying. Have a nice friday everybody. I dont know you in person, but I have come to love you all anyway.
Jane	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 2:58 AM
Any change of policy? Are there any changes in WT policy against child abuse yet? Could anyone in Silentlambs please comment if there has been any sort of move foreward in this issue? The other day I heard a comment from a JW that the elders are forced to go to the police if anyone is accused as a child molester. The person I talked to was convinced that this was the proper thing to do. "We have no other choice" he said. In Norway this is regulated by the law.Have the witnesses in this country a better understanding than many other places in the the world? If anyone has another view to this, I would appreciate if you made a comment. I hope this is a result of maybe some elders in Norway have read this site.
Maluenda	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 8:18 AM
To Jane Individual KH or elders may do the right thing but to my knowlege the old policy still stands. Once in a while you get an elder who does the RIGHT thing. Like Bill Bowen for example. Most of them just report it to the GB and are told to keep it under wraps so they don't bring reproach on Jehovah's anme. To change their policy would be an admission of guilt. Since we, the people who serve Satan, according to their teachings, asked for the change in doctrine then they would be doing what Satan asks instead of what the GB asks then to do. I say what the Gb says because we all know that any God no matter what name you call him or her by would NEVER allow a known child molester to go unproscecuted. Now here's something interesting. I know a couple who belong to the Church of Satan. They worship Satan as a God but do not beieve he is responsible for evil acts and wrongdoing. They are some of the most peaceful, loving, charitable people I know. (FYI orgies, blood sacrifices, etc are against their religion) . I asked them how their church would handle it if they discovered or even thought that someone was molesting a child. Without hesitation they stated: We would get all our information together, witnesses, the victim, anything pertinent and go to the local police. The victim and their family would be referred to a counselor who handles sexual abuse and we'd help them pay for the counseling if they couldn't pay for it or didn't have insurance. I asked,"What if it was your husband or close friend?" His wife answered,"It would make the situation all the more painful but the police would have to be called in and the evidence presented. It's wrong for everyone to behave like this not just some. I asked if it would be kept a secret from the other members of the church? He said initially yes until the person was formally charged because if it turned out to be a false accusation they wouldn't want to damage a persons reputation falsely. He went on to say they wouldn't allow the person to be in a situation where they could harm someone else and it wasn't just child molesters it would apply to any crime. Now this is the church of Satan's policy on child abuse. Satan's policy and yet the jw's hide and protect child molesters to protect their God? I have also talked to a Rabbi,Lutheran,Baptist, Methodist, Buddhist, and Wiccan church leaders. Guess what. They all said they had situations like this come up and they all supported the victim and let the police handle it. I don't recall anyone pointing a finger at then and saying their God or their church was disgraced because of it. Maybe they should review other churches policies to find out what they should be doing! Especially, the policies of the Church of Satan. Blessings to you all.
PCW	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 9:45 AM
Maluenda, M.A.N. Bill and others I originally found this site when I went looking for information I heard from our local TV news station one evening about the J.W.'s involvement with child abuse. It stuck with me all night and the next morning when I got to work, I typed in "Jehovah Witnesses'- child abuse", or something to that nature and man! was amazed because I was actually looking for children being physically abused in the sense of beatings or corporal punishments of some sort. To my surprise, I was shocked to learn that it was the case of forms of sexual abuse. I can't remember how I was led to Silentlambs, but found comfort in knowing that other former members of the JW's posted here, and those like myself who had been disfellowshipped. Once on this site, I learned of Bill Bowen and immediately emailed him, introducing myself and shamefully admitting my reason for the disfellowshipping. After the initial contact with him, I shedded pounds of guilt I'd carried from a stranger and I have been feeling "human" again, the way I felt before ever knowing about Jehovah's Witnesses. I remember thinking 'he (Bill Bowen) has to be a true "Man of God"' I have been coming here ever since and it is my plan to continue. As far as the rest of Silentlambs family goes, I wish everyone the best. Recently, my next door neighbors left a tract with my husband (who is a catholic), that I remember handing out in field service, years ago. I sat and read it with more focus than before and what I read recently, sounded like the perfect thing, coming from perfect people, until I snapped back to reality with what is presently going on.
	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 3:42 PM
To mt Well, Happy Birthday (a day late)! I am glad you celebrated your special day with family! It means a lot to celebrate the day someone was born with loved family and friends. Even when I was a JW I had a problem with this birthday thing. Imagine not celebrating a child's first year of life! That's terrible! Life is to be celebrated, especially each year on the day of one's birth. I think everyone's birthday is a very meaningful day, and I am so glad that I am free of the WTBTS's silly 'rule' about birthdays. Being able to give birthday cards and gifts and to have a celebration on someone's birthday is a beautiful, special thing! So, Happy Birthday, mt!
Maluenda	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 4:05 PM
To MT Oh Happy Birthday to you! I hope you had a wonderful day! I now have a daughter and throw fabulous girlie parties for her. It's what I used to dream of as a little girl and now I make my dreams come true for my daughter. She loves it because it's over the top. But I don't spend a lot of money because I'm always on the hunt for stuff people throw out or the clearance rack! This year we made a huge pink castle out of cardboard refrigerator boxes!!! I told my dad the elder , the other day, that he doesn't act like a normal grandparent because every oppurtunity to share in the joy of a child's life is forbidden to you. Even when you are allowed to participate like a school play or recital , it's on a meeting night and you refuse to miss just ONE meeting. That's so sad for them and the children because they are denied the love and support of their grandparents. Anyway! Celebrate! Your dear to us here and I'm sending you tons of birthday hugs!!!!
	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 4:56 PM
To Maluenda I am so sorry to you and others who couldn't celebrate their very special birthdays as children. Children need these "over the top" days. Childhood should feel like an enchanted and magical time that gives them warm and glowing memories when they grow up. Your little girl has one very special mom, and I know that she is also having a very special, wonderful childhood, thanks to you! And your "inner child" can celebrate with her, as well as celebrate as a parent. I am so happy for you and your daughter, and I hope that your relationship with her, your experiences with her help make up a little bit for what you missed out on as a child yourself. May you always nurture that beautiful, vibrant, and carefree child within yourself! Always. And this goes for all you!
Jaskolka	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 5:54 PM
My deepest respect to your courage! I am Catholic, but I have to tell you that this does not matter - because the deeds SPEAK OUT !!! I admire your decision to go against such powerful organization like the Watchtower. You are just and honest people! Child abuse is one of the most horrible experiences somebody can go through, and it is the biggest blessing that those poor children and women have safe place to turn to. KEEP YOUR GREAT WORK and GOD BLESS !!!
Earl	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 9:29 PM
maleuenda and all You are so right about the loss of enjoying a childs birthday, they don't realise that one can not get back those lost times and how precious they are.I am glad you are enjoying a birthday celebration. I was talking to my son about SL's and how kids feel like freaks growing up in the org and in school and he told me how he cried as a little guy when he told the teacher he couldn't participate in something and had to sit in a room all by himself. His mom was involved in the org but he said he never knew why he couldn't participate in things. I have made ammends with my kids for the stuff they went through. I know it affected them negatively. I am so sorry for all that had to go through such things. I guess I can be grateful that more didn't happen to my kids. They both have no respect for the JW's. I have forgiven myself for bad parenting but it still bothers me. Maybe someday I will meet the sL's members, I live in Michigan but would like to visit the south and get a break from our cold winters.Bless you all
Maluenda	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 10:10 PM
Welcome Jaskolka I hope I spelled that correctly! WELCOME! It's always nice to hear from non jw's who support our cause. As survivors of such harsh abuse we need all the support we can get. I hope you'll stay here and get to know our little family. Thank you for your words of encouragement! Blessings!
Maluenda	Friday, May 4, 2007 @ 10:16 PM
To Earl and ? Thank you both for your comments. My children are so precious to me. To see them so happy and seeing the reflection of their parents love in their eyes and the way they treat others makes me so proud and fulfilled! My son is 9 and he doesn't even know who the Devil is. He only knows of love. Earl the Catholic nun who sent me the article on SL livee in Michigan. She retired there from the South because she wanted seasons! She didn't have family and just one friend there. Isn't that funny she loves the cold weather! Maybe some day , when I hit the lottery, I'll throw a big party and fly everyone to Disney for a convention! Wouldn't that be awesome. Instead of sitting for hours in the hot sun listening to the drone of brother anfter brother we can run around like kids giggling and wearing mouse ears! Now that's a convention!
M.A.N.	Saturday, May 5, 2007 @ 10:19 AM
To Maluenda I just wanted to add my thanks to you for all the work you do on the site. You are always encouraging people and I think that is what the world needs more of. It's easy to be negative about the WT, especially since many who post here have been injured by them directly. But you always share blessings along with your personal life with all of us so that others can have hope. I too deeply regret the loss of such things as birthdays and other holidays. I wasn't raised a JW, so I had holidays. But my daughter was denied all of the wholesome fun that could have been hers if we had not deprived her of that because we were JW's. I hope that more people can find comfort on this forum. My best to all. M.A.N.
Anonymous	Saturday, May 5, 2007 @ 9:56 PM
Jehovah's Witnesses are a business I have been a Jehovah's Witnesses all my life. I am deeply sorry for all the victims of child abuse that are seen on this site. When pedophiles think they can hide behind a religion and do their dirty deeds, they are surely mistaken. The Holy Scriptures do not condone these disgusting acts. Even though the Watchtower is trying to protect their material assets, one must ask oneself the following question: Does Jehovah God approve of the Watchtower's handling of this global problem? We can be assured of one thing. Jehovah detests this evil and those taking the lead will have an accounting with Jehovah God. Its one thing for a religion to write about this topic, but its another to act upon this wicked practice. This has brought great reproach upon Jehovah's lofty name. When religion acts like a worldly business, is it any wonder why there are so many issues that come forth.
mt	Saturday, May 5, 2007 @ 10:36 PM
I am sorry that I did't answer earlier, but I have been busy. But thank you so much, for your birthdays hugs. It is a big relieve, that I can celebrate birthday, but also as you maluenda, my childreen are precious to me, and that I can celebrate them, celebrate the day I got them into my life, is wonderfull. I am thinking that God gave humans the gift, that we could have baby's, and he gave us life, what could be more pleased to him, that we show him how gratefull we are, when we are celebrating our birthdays. Then I must tell you this. I write with a girl on Topic. She has also been abused as a child and now she i trying to deal with it, the best she can. I wrote that she should contact Bill, so I sure hope she does that. The reason I am writing this are, that while I wrote that she should contact Bill, I was so greatfull for you being here. So greatfull that I had someone I could send her to. It's such wonderfull job you are doing all of you, so thank you so much for being here. I have a deeply respect for what you are doing. Now when I am trying to do what I can to help exwitnesses, I can see how much it takes. So thank you again. And God bless you all. Have a nice sunday.
DJB	Sunday, May 6, 2007 @ 9:17 PM
Still reading! I did not stop reading here. What I liked was this site still had the religious touch. When I would recieve e-mails the occasional scripture was put in. I found that encouraging it supported my stand regards the organization but also because I knew that you were not the anti-christ the scriptures were talking about......The comment MAN submitted was interesting. The scriptures do support the idea that there will be surviors other than just the witnesses through their organization. My father an active witness felt my Aunt had no hope and now she had died it was too late as she just died of cancer. My Aunt & Uncle refused to have any religious talk for her funeral and my dad an active witness kept talking how they should not stumble and should forgive the brother they were upset with.(My aunt and Uncle have not attended meetings in 25 years) I defended their position. I pointed out that we don't know. They were Good people who lived what they believed. There were those in the community that actually thought they were witnesses (A widow they assisted when her husband died told me they had been such a help and comfort to her) I reminded him Jesus promises when he comes that he would gather the scattered sheep. In other words not all the sheep would be in the organization or he would not need to gather them. In Matthew 24:31 it says the "chosen ones would be gathered from the four winds...one extremity to...the other extremity." not just in one place or one group. We know we are a sheep when we are distressed at what we see just like Lot who was upset about what was going on around him. He had to flee the city of Sodom to survie. Same today we have had to leave\quit going\flee to another city to escape the false brothers (abusive husbands etc.) who were suppose to be God's people we are just like Lot. To keep our kids safe from Petophiles we can't attend meetings. King David was on the run from the King (King Saul) and he could not go the Jerselem (Centre of worship) but even thou he go could not go there didn't mean he had any less of God's favour. The protection of our children is not something we can compromise. Any witnesses in doubt about whether to stop going to the hall should consider what is said in all these posts here. If you need bible examples to support your stand I have just given you two here. NOW IS THE TIME TO GET OUT OF A SINKING SHIP. As before the destruction of Jerselem (their center of worship) the faithful ones were told by Jesus to flee to the mountains. I believe we have to do the same today. Matthew 24:15, 16 tells us to flee(leave)when we catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation. Doesn't Child Molesting\Wife abuse etc fit the description of disgusting????? This is part of an answer give to Jesus Aposles when they asked 'what would be the sign of your presence and the conclusion of the system of things?' at the beginning of Matthew 24. Jesus is very clear as to what we are to do when we catch sight disgusting thing (Child Abuse)standing in the holy place!!!!!Who here has not been a victim of child abuse at the hall or seen it at the hall or been hurt by those who go there???????? Now is time to act!!!!
M.A.N.	Monday, May 7, 2007 @ 7:56 AM
To: DJB I wanted to thank you for mentioning me but I don't know which comment I made that you are referring to, since I sometimes post many things. I firmly agree that many people will be saved at Armageddon. In fact, Russell taught that virtually ALL people would make it through and then be judged by what they did DURING the 1,000 year kingdom. There is no "one ark" today. The WT teaches that if a loyal JW of 40 years were to quit one hour before Armageddon, they would die eternally, but if a person became a JW one hour before, he/she would make it. They also teach that the children of JW's are safe, while those of non-JW's are not. Yet the Bible plainly states that the "son will not answer for the sins of his father" and vice versa. So in effect, in most cases, surviving Armageddon is not a case of "how you lived your life as a Christian" but "when you died". If you are not a JW and you die one hour before Armageddon, you get resurrected, according to the WT. If you live till Armageddon, and you aren't a JW, you die. This is ridiculous thinking. It is unloving, unkind, unfair, and against everything Jesus taught. And of course the final straw is that God would NEVER use any organization with the blood of raped and molested children on its hands. The scriptures say to "get out of her, my people" and the "her" is the WT. Its skirts are covered with innocent blood. All of us here have seen it. In fact, in many cases, it is our own personal blood that is on the skirts of the WT. My best to all. M.A.N.
Alese T	Monday, May 7, 2007 @ 8:55 PM
Thank You Hi, My name is Alese T, There are news articles about me on here. and I just wanted to thank the creators of silentlambs, as an abuse victim myself I can truly appreciate this. Thank you so much. And for anyone that is still a victim or knows one please call that number, and get help. all my best wishes go out to all of you.
	Tuesday, May 8, 2007 @ 12:41 PM
To Jaskolka Thank you for your support of this site! Bill Bowen put himself on the line to start this site, and, boy has it paid off! There are many, many people who are very grateful to him. Please keep coming back here and reading and providing feedback. Your support is well appreciated!
	Tuesday, May 8, 2007 @ 12:49 PM
To mt Hi, mt, what a beautiful way to look at birthdays, that celebrating them is a way to show gratitude to God for giving everyone life! That is truly a magnificent gift that our Heavenly Father has provided for each and every one of us - - life! And what better way to show appreciation to Him than by celebrating someone's life, celebrating someone's anniversary of their birth! That was such a good thing you pointed out, that we can show how grateful we are to God by celebrating birthdays! Thank you!
David W	Wednesday, May 9, 2007 @ 5:28 PM
Door to door canvassing? Hello all, first I would like to say that I used to post on here regularly, but kinda drifted away. I have an idea, and I want everyone's opinion. Back in 2002 (I believe) The WT Society went to the Supreme Court against the Village of Stratton Ohio, and they won. Stratton Ohio proposed a law that required anyone going door to door to register with the local police. The Supreme court sided with the JW's on this issue. My question is---Do you think there is a way that municipalities could pass a law requiring convicted sex offenders to register with the local police, a law that would be wide sweeping and would require this from everyone-- vacuum cleaner sales, JW's,Mormons, etc etc etc. Do you think we could get this kind of law passed in view of the above Supreme Court case?
mt	Thursday, May 10, 2007 @ 3:33 PM
Too all and ? Thank you for your comments about birthday. Me myself, got a great feeling when this thought came to me. And now, about those news released today. I am so angry that this really took place. I have known it for at couple of days, and ussually my anger gets away, througt a day. But this time, it does'nt. I just spent an hour and a half, to write in the danish web-page religion.dk about the directions to the elders from the Organisation. I am stunned. One thing is knowing about it, another thing is reading about it. So I do not even think about how it is feeling about it. The abuse. I am so so sorry, for all of you going through this. And to you Bill I can not saying it often enough. Thank you so much, for what you are doing to those victims of abuse. Today I have been writing to a witness in a home page: I am sure that all those victims are so greatfull to Bill Bowen for the great work he has been doing supporting them while needed help. Another witness claimed, that there were no victims at their congregations, everybody just could come and visit and see to them selfes. Is'nt that just a joke? I got so mad and wrote to him. He is very difficult to argue with. Well I have also had a busy day. I have first at all, been mailing the news to all the home pages and ekswitness I know about. Then I have been calling all the newspapers here in Denmark, the big ones. And I called Ritzau's also and a televission canal called TV2. All of them, besides one, sounded very interessted so I mailed them the links I got. So I am very exited, if anything gets in the news here in Denmark for the next few days. Well Now I am tired. Have been up since 7 this morning, and have been sitting here for now I think 14 hours. So everybody, good night when you get there. And thank you so much and God bless you all. Sincerely mt
Maluenda	Friday, May 11, 2007 @ 5:04 PM
To Dave W Hi Dave! Wish you could have been at the press conference it was amazing! The media did an excellent job and the word is out! I'm sure there will be more so I hope you can make one of those! As far as the registration of sex offenders: Most stats require sex offenders to register already. The way it works is that the person is placed on either probation or parole by the state where they are convicted. Some people are placed on probation and do not serve any prison time with the stipulation that they follow the directives set out for them by the court and report to a probation officer who monitors them. If they break the rules their probation is revoked and they are sent to prison. When you are released from prison early you are released on parole with specific conditions to follow and report to a parole officer. There are variations to these scenarios but this is a simple explanation. If you have questions I can explain further. As part of the conditions of release, they are usually required to go to the municipality where they are approved to live and report as a sex offender. They are automatically registered with the state or in some cases the probation/parole officer will register them. So with this in mind, we actually need a federal law which would cover the USA that says convicted sex offenders can not go door to door for any purpose. Now, there are several legal problems with type of law. The most important being that JW's don't report sex offenders so they aren't convicted and any laws passed wouldn't apply to them. I hope that answers your question. It seems to continuously go back to one point: JEHOVAHS WITNESSES NEED TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT THEIR REPUTATIONS AND REPORT ALL THE PEDOPHILES THEY ARE PROTECTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Blessings to you!
Maluenda	Friday, May 11, 2007 @ 5:14 PM
To All I just returned from Nashville! It was amazing. The response from the media was wonderful. They were furious with the JWs after hearing our stories!!! The best part was when Bill and several others were leaving stuffed lambs and service bulletins on the KH doors! An elder showed up and told them they wereon private property and to leave. He was furious!!!!!! The media got it all. One reporter even made the comment that when the cameras are in your face you should be polite, kind, nice, smile not act belligerant and rude, especially to the media! It was very healing to stand there in our SL t-shirts holding our lambs and telling the worls our stories. It's all over. You can go to www.wsmv.com It's one of the Nashville tv stations that carried it! Enjoy! I hope next time more of you will be able to join us. It was worth every dime I spent. Oh and one thing you won't see on the video is the people who saw it in the paper and didn't want to be on camera but were there for support! Blessings and joy to you all!
M.A.N.	Friday, May 11, 2007 @ 5:26 PM
Re: Nashville I'm glad the rally went well. I'm also glad that you, Maluenda, were there. I saw you on TV. There are links all over various anti-WT websites that are showing and discussing the WT, its selling of some of its Brooklyn properties, and other damage that the WT has suffered. Many people know folks in the newspaper/media business and are already feeding them the information about Nashville. I believe the WT was fatally hurt today and that it is only a matter of time before they crumble into a small group of hard-core cultists still intent on defending this religion no matter what. I think many borderline JW's will now jump ship due to the shame that they will feel from the public. I am sorry I couldn't make it, but I am grateful to Bill and everyone who did go for their hard work. My best to all. M.A.N.
justin time	Friday, May 11, 2007 @ 6:31 PM
Maluenda "It was very healing to stand there in our SL t-shirts holding our lambs and telling the world our stories." Maluenda, haven't you yet figured out that now that Satan has you, he has no interest in your story. ___________________________________________________________ Silent Lambs Reply: This poor young person is just another example of the hatred Jehovah's Witnesses teach to the very young and impressionable. I'm sure we will receive many hate filled posts as more and more practicing Jehovah's Witnesses become aware of the huge settlement their parent company, The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, will have to pay out in order to silence the victims who have suffered unbelievable acts at the hands of elders, MS, and others within the JW organization. This comment was posted as a reminder to all of just how dangerous this cult really is. However, because this is a place for support and healing, future posts of this nature will be deleted.
Maluenda	Friday, May 11, 2007 @ 7:31 PM
To Justin Time Satan may have me but the world has my story. I can't and won't be silenced. It's obvious you are a child and have a life time of learning ahead of you. I pray that the first life lesson that you learn is how to love and be loved. In order to do this you must allow your heart to release all the anger and hatred you have been taught. We will all pray for your healing and growth. Blessings your friend, Maluenda
M.A.N.	Friday, May 11, 2007 @ 8:26 PM
To: Justin Time I too will add a few points in the hopes of helping you. I need to establish my credentials so that you and others will realize that I am not a raving apostate. I was a Ministerial Servant for years. I was a book study conductor even though there were elders without any due to my teaching ability. I have read EVERY WT publication from 1940 to the present. That means every WT, Awake bound volume, the Aid book, the Insight Books, yearbooks, the works. I have been invited to join Mensa, which requires an IQ of genius level (140) and mine is 150. I have a BA in Psychology and took extra courses in "Abnormal Psychology". I am nearly 60 years old and have spent thousands of man hours researching the WT and its perverted policies on molestation. My own daughter was raped and molested from the age of nine until she was thirteen. I trust this proves my knowledge and expertise. Now, you happen to belong to a cult. I understand how it happened, it also happened to me. But I did not know the WT's history when I joined over 30 years ago. Now that the Internet is here, all JW's can learn of the WT's past and present conduct and beliefs. If you can defend the WT's policies on molestation, then in my professional opinion, you need serious psychiatric treatment. If Satan has anyone, he has the WT and all JW's. Many individuals might be "nice people", but they share the blame for being a part of this crime. They are no different than the German people (and I am half German) who supported the Nazis. Hitler could never have done what he did without the German people. JW's are the same when they support the WT blindly. I cannot ascertain your age, but you are probably a younger person with much hatred, as Maluenda said. No matter what age you are, you have serious problems with your emotional and psychological development. I have been kind to you and I have treated you with dignity and compassion. But I refuse to validate your statements about Silent Lambs and its members and purpose because I don't condone lies. What you believe about Silent Lambs is twisted. You also know very little about how the WT works. I know many Bethelites and members of the Governing Body, having lived in the NYC area for over 50 years. I know what I am talking about. You do not. If you are as young as you appear to be by your actions and statements, you can get treatment and still live a productive life, free from this cult always controlling you. Self-righteousness is a classic sign of insecurity, immaturity, and ignorance. However, you can change all of that and become a better person. As Maluenda stated, "LOVE" is the theme here. The WT likes to say that the theme of the Bible is "the kingdom", but it is not. The Bible's theme is "LOVE", pure and simple. Since most JW's hope for the death of six billion people and gloat over it coming soon, I must question THEIR sanity and understanding of God's purpose and of his essence. Like Maluenda, I hope that you can grow and someday be rid of the sad attitude that you still appear to need to maintain. If you require any supporting evidence for any of my statements to you, then I would be happy to supply them. But I believe that there is enough information on Silent Lambs to show ANY honest-hearted person that Satan has the WT and JW's, not rape victims. How could you possibly believe that Satan has US because we try to protect children from being raped? Satan would logically have the people who DO the raping and approve of it by their policies. Those people are the WT and JW's. I think if you see a psychiatrist as soon as possible, you might be able to be given the treatment and medications that would help you regain your mental health. My best to you. M.A.N.
mt	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 3:40 AM
To all Hi everybody I am so disapointed. Thursday afternoon, I called 8 or 9 news-papers and one TV-station. Everybody expect one, wanted the links, so I mailed it to them. And not one of them has brought the news fra Nashville. I surely think, that this are more important than our Grand Prix singer, was woted out. Useless news. Or anyway, not so important news. Yesterday I translated a text from the internet. It is a woman, a victim, who describes what the consekvenses are, when you sign a gag order. It got to me, very hard. I posted it everywhere I know. No response. The witnesses here in Denmark are so silence right now. But there was no response from anybody but one, at the danish support group. Offviosly, Denmark is a very non active country, and it stresses me. What can I do, to open peoples eyes here in the north, in Norway there are also very quiet. Something has to be done. I am so frustrated. But it was so good to follow you in Nashville. I was with you in my heart all the time. Hope you all are doing well. God bless you. mt
MB	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 7:05 AM
UK policies question I was abused when I was around 10,11 or 12 by my elder father. I don't know over what period of time, just that it happened more than once. I came forward in 1998 when I was 22, partly prompted by the 1/1/97 watchtower which had set me off on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. My father confessed was removed or stepped down and had the opportunity to get responsibilities once more about 2 years afterwards, the last time he had the opportunity he phoned me AT WORK to ask what I thought about it, I just about held myself together for the rest of the day but he obviously thinks it is quite unimportant. When I had firt came forward in '98 an elder did say to me that I could tell whoever I wished but no more than that. At that time I felt ashamed and also felt that speaking outside the organisation would bring dishonor to god's name. Has the UK ever had letters stating that they should encourage ones to go to the police or get outside help?
MB	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 7:08 AM
UK Silent Lambs? Are there any organisations like Silent Lambs in the UK?
David W	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 7:24 AM
My plan Ok, I think I will do a better job explaining my plan. What I would propose is finding one city willing to pass a law that requires all convicted sex offenders to register with the police every time they go out door to door, religious solicitors included. If we can get something like this passed, it will be sure to make it to the supreme court, as the WT Society would challenge it. I realize that most JW offenders arent "convicted" because of the coverups involved, but still there has to be a few cities that have JW convicted sex offenders. Folks, I believe in the not too distant future, we will have that city. All it takes is one person dedicated to doing this, and it can be accomplished. I cant say too much here yet, but I will avail more of this in the future, as plans unfold. This may lead to overturning at least one aspect of the WT Society's victory in the Stratton Case. Yes, the federal law would be a good one too.
	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 9:51 AM
laws There are several problems with a law like this. 1)There are too few convicted JW sex offenders. 2)Finding a city that would agree to put this into effect would be time consuming and a losing battle. People have fought for years just to get a registry. Micromanagement of sex offenders is NOT a criminal justice priority. 3)Enforcing this type of law would be next to impossible. Police agencies are already overtaxed with duties and policing door to door salesman or JWs would be classified as nonpriority. If someone complained the police would want the name of the sex offender so they could verify it via registration lists before sending a unit out to investigate. You couldn't call and say you thought they might be sex offenders or that they were sex offenders without a name. If they did send someone out and it turned out to be a false report the person who made the complaint could be charged with a crime. 4) It isn't going to put a damper on JW sex offenders going door to door. The bottom line is that the law would have to be policed by the JW community and we already know they are not going to do that. I suggest everyone order the "no child molesters at my door" stickers from SL and put them on your door and then buy extras for stocking stuffers at Christmas for all your family, friends, and neighbors. However, if you've got the time , money, and patience to pursue somethng like this you might be able to get some small municipality to put it on their books. Now would be a good time with the elections in the near future and politicians building their platforms. Good luck!
Maluenda	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 10:05 AM
RE:laws I agree with you. I think exposing the truth about this cult and it's horrific policies is the only way to put a stop to it. The more the public knows about the secret lives of JWs the better. Bill Bowen's work has helped to bring this subject to the forefront through the press conferences and assisting with court cases, etc. We have to continue to focus the fight on the laws that exist. These laws are flawed and need to be reworded so there are no loopholes that TWBTS can use to elude prosecution or judgements that force them to admit their guilt and compensate victims. The recent judgements Bill announced in Nashville are a step in the right direction. They had to admit guilt and pay! Well, actually, they don't have to admit guilt(you lawyers know what that means) but they admit guilt by settling out of court and placing a gag order on the victims. This is what we need to be fighting to change. After we win the right for victims to speak freely then we can go after the smaller issues. Let's face it, anyone who comes to your house could be a sex offender- the plumber, cable tv installer, appliance delivery man- are we going to expect our governments to police everyone because when you introduce a law like that that's what your asking them to do. That will be the oppositions arguement. Of course there are other issues but to in depth for this forum. I really think that our energies are best served changing the existing laws. After all we will accomplish a lot more if we are all on the same page. If everyone goes off on their own agenda nothing will be accomplished.
M.A.N.	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 10:52 AM
Re: Laws Down here in Florida, they are very strict with molesters. A teacher about 35 years old just got life in prison for ONE act of child abuse. There is a newspaper that comes out and lists ALL abusers, their pictures, addresses, height, weight, the works. They are not allowed within so many feet of schools and possibly churches. So they couldn't go door to door near schools, could they? If anyone wants to check into how their county might pass a law, it might help to contact the Brevard County Sheriff's Office here and see about it. Also, they are so strict that if a molester fails to register, he is hunted down with helicopters and dogs and dragged to prison in shackles. I'm serious, they don't play around down here.
Earl	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 12:09 PM
keeping public safe Good discussion here. I once had a conversation with an elder who was bashing the Catholic church. I said to him, why don't you concentrate on keeping your congregation clean and quit judging outside the hall.The bible is clear that a church has a responsibility to keep the congregation clean. The WT does not want outside interferance but they will make the argument that they are not the police, I hear that all the time from witnesses so it must be preached by WT. Yet we all know that they want to keep their issues from the public, to make it look like they are Gods only people.They surely police when they try to keep information hidden or manipulating people to do what they want with threats of expulsion. A witness will tell you that they can not stop a pedophile member from going door to door. Well how can they disfellowship someone then for lesser violations. Does anyone think a pedophile would continie in service work if they were not encouraged to do so by the society.,or if they were told that it wasn't allowed in the JW org. If they were shunned like others have been for speaking out about truth they would not be at your door. So the truth is that they could be stopped. I discussed this with a witness lately and they keep referring back to forgiveness and I keep bringing them back to that it is not about forgiveness as I understand scripture we can be forgiven for just about anything short of blasepheming. The point is about the church accepting them back in without them paying for their crime according to Caesors laws, and in the mean time protecting the public. The bible is very clear about submiting to the civil authorities. The trouble goes back to thinking that they are the only group approved by God and logic would tell someone that surely God's organisation wouldn't have such criminals.The org needs to be humbled and I believe it is in the process at this time.Those that are exalted will be humbled, Right? And they surely have exalted themselves above all others. I had a longtime JW tell me that they are the only ones doing a worldwide witness and I said you are absolutely wrong as groups by the millions have been reaching the peoples for many centuries and I had to remind him what a small group they really are. But the point here is the smugness that is built on lies and told over and over to the members and like any liar they start to believe their lies. If love was the theme none of this nonsense would happen. LOve motivates one to protect the helpless, to bring justice to victims, to keep a congregation clean and safe as possible. They shall be known for the love they show to others, enough said. Love and blessings to all
M.A.N.	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 1:15 PM
To Earl You brought out many excellent points. I liked the one about forgiveness. When I question an elder or the WT about their lies and abuse cover-ups, why am I DF'd as an "apostate". What about a little "forgiveness", hey WT??? What is worse, protecting child rapists or my asking an elder WHY they protect them??? Where is the logic here?? Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. Silly me. I thought we were dealing with people who actually used the BIBLE. How careless of me. We are dealing with people(?) who use THEIR Bible. But of course, the WT publications come before the Bible, so those have to be followed first. Wait, now I'm confused. Does anyone know how this works? (Sarcasm intended.)
David W	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 2:35 PM
Own agenda Well sometimes I just wish I was included on that page. I basically went on my own agenda, because no matter how much help I offered, no one even accepted.I havent even received an email update here in almost 2 years. I have offered my time, my home,my help. I even offered to contact local TV shows in person to get some local coverage, but yet nothing. That is why I had to go out on my own. Actually Im not alone as I have a helper or 2. I'm making contacts through my helper. I have the desire and the potential to see this through. During these next few years I will have the opportunity to network with some high profile lawmakers, and Im gonna use every opportunity I get._________________________________ Silent Lambs Moderation Team Reply: Dave we would love to have you on our page. We are truly sorry that you haven't received anything from us for two years. We had a lot of problems in the past with spammers and hackers on the web site. This has all been resolved and the only explanation we can offer is that your email address may have been omitted accidentally or as a result of the problems. You're one of our old timers here and we missed you while you were away but that doesn't mean we weren't thinking of you. Many people ask about you all the time. Several members have access to politicians and it would be great if you could get together and petition them as a group. It would make a difference. Thanks for all you do to help the victims and let us know if you'd like us to put you back on our email list and which address. We'd love to see you back here on a regular basis lending your support, creativity, and motivation to press forward with this important cause.
Earl	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 4:15 PM
Thanks Mann:) You also bring out many good points. I notice when I use my God given brain and reasoning from the scriptures I get irratated because I see the Org has been able to say anything they want and if you disagree you are an outsider. There are many examples we know of but one that comes to mind is the Bible states that all will see Jesus as he returns. To anyone else that would make sense as it is clear he has an agenda and he wants all to know about it. To a JW who has set dates that is clearly against the bible's admonition not to, they said he already came but because of clouds or whatever we missed him or that he set up his kingdom in heaven etc I can barely type this nonsense even with half my brain tied behind my back I could't believe this:) I have to jest rather than get angry because look at all they have misled. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer but my goodness, how far does one have to dumb-down to accept this.Over the years they have gotten progressively desparate to explain their false prophecy. One of the reasons I comment on these things is I hope that some JW's are reading what we all write here with hopes some may come to their senses. I am glad Florida has such laws and Bill Oreily from Fox network and the Oreily factor radio/television show has helped by pressuring states to adopt guidlines related to Jessicas laws, one of many gals abducted, raped and killed by a serial offender. He is pushing for mandatory life sentences after a first conviction. Michigan has laws and a pedophile registry also but still no mandatory fines and jail time, and I read some are getting out on good behavior after a 10 year sentence they may get out in 5 or less but at least the public is warned. But that doesn't prevent the JW's peds as they are not reported, clearly a violation of the law and clearly a moral violation. How do they justify 20 some thousand peds on the WT list not being reported when we all know that each ped can on average offend 70 kids 70x20.000, that number should get any elder thinking I would hope. before being caught.The scriptures say to hate evil and I do. Now I must go calm down but this stuff bothers me so. Everyone of us can influence someone else to stop this madness and the more we get the truth out there the more lawmakers will step up and bring about justice. I promise to do what I can. You all keep up the good work and I hope to see and hear from more people on SL's. My thoughts and prayers to all :)PS Happy Mothers Day
adrienne	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 4:21 PM
have they the right when you leave the jws as i did why have they terantrecord in there files and put you down on record as a undesirable person i think its discrimanation against the person. why have they the right to brainwash people into not speaking to you and making your name unworthy in there eyes in the neabourhood. i feel this is wrong it makes me angry they have my name down on paper. and still possible have me on there files. im glad they dont speak to me as i want no contact with them but i still feel hurt that indivduals can be treated like this in a society that is soposed to be more tolerant they feel there above this law. they have done me a lot of damaged in the pass and sometimes it plays on my mind thanks for being there you have helped me from time to time.
Catherine Manna	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 5:41 PM
Watchtower your so guilty your so guilty Watchtower, and your members, too. there is no room for forgiveness, here. Forgivness requires a change, repentance, and your not that watchtower. no nothing like that at all, you like even love yourselves and the way things are, you are sick, perverce, evil, and you have no place in Gods new world. and you will get exactly what you deserve, watch how God creator of us all here on earth, exercises his power, watch, watchtower, watch....Revenge comes from God and he will see that it is complete..God have mercy on the victems of watchtower abuse.In the name of God, in the name of this wicked false religion where God is not a part of or will ever be. God is one, and not a religion. seek him outside these organizations...you will be happy, and you will learn who God really is. Not there...
Maluenda	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 6:29 PM
To Dave W Hey guy! I told you people were asking about you while you were gone! We miss your sense of humor too! By the way, I don't know if I told you this but Bill contacted me to see if I had your email addy to invite you to Nashville! I had to dig through a ton of papers to find it and emailed you as soon as I found it. Now that I've got it I'll be able to give you the heads up ASAP! Now don't stay away soooo long! You've got friends here! Blessings!
David W	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 7:07 PM
Thanks Maluenda I dont know if I have a sense of humor anymore, I believe I lost it when Amanda left. Im just feeling really down right now, I just dont feel wanted or needed anymore. Im just wore out from fighting this battle for the last 10 years. I have tried to make friends, but its all failed. I have tried to organize events here, its all failed. To top it off,my local newspaper wont carry any of our articles because they have JW's working for them. I have a rare opportunity coming up, but Im starting to get discourged there too. Im thinking I just need a break from the JW world, to save my energy for this opportunity.
Maluenda	Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 8:40 PM
To Dave W We all get discouraged. Believe me. It's a hard fight and an uphill battle. But we are making great strides. The latest is this court case! Maybe there's a gag order but it sets a precedence. I wish you could have been there in Nashville. It would have done your soul good. But like the rest of us you have to work. I just got lucky ths time and things worked out for me to be there. I don't go to the site you mentioned because of the bickering and bashing that goes on. After reading some of the things that have been posted on there the last week I can see why you feel depressed. It's such a shame that they can't see the benefit of working together instead of trying to outdo each other. I just don't get it. But anyway, you have friends here. Even when you went visiting we were still here thinking about you and everyone was so glad to see you here and posting again! Your sense of humor will return soon, you'll see! I can't wait to talk to you on Tuesday! Until then- we're always here for you!
M.A.N.	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 7:07 AM
To: David W. Hey, David, how are you? Maluenda asked me for your email address but I couldn't find it. We are doing a major cleaning out of my house here and it got lost along with other things. Believe me, we tried to find you. You have been missed. If the local papers have JW's working there, then find another place. There can't be that many JW's in town so that they control it. Call a town a few miles away and try that. Stay active here on SL. Write letters to editors of newspapers from other areas. Hey, you might even tell them that the local JW's on the newspaper are covering up child abuse by refusing to publish letters about it. If that's what you are encountering, that would hurt the WT very much. Please keep in touch. My best to you.
Maluenda	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 10:08 AM
To all I just wanted to take a moment and say Happy Mother's Day to all the moms on the sight. I woke up to a beautiful sunny day and am getting ready to go do some gardening! My hubby and kids made me pink pancakes that spelled out MOM and a yellow sun with a red heart pancake. My son made me a beautiful card too. Another special moment to add to my collection of wonderful memories. I hope you all have a beautiful day full of love! Blessings!
Karolyn	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 1:33 PM
Happy Mother's Day Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there who try to do what's right for your children. I hope you get pampered a little and have a good time with your kids, no matter how old or young. :)
Maluenda	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 1:53 PM
To Karolyn Thank you! TY! I'm covered in mud from digging in the garden and happy as a lark! A little stinky too! LOL! Hope your having a great day too! Blessings
Jamie J	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 3:01 PM
Hello & Happy Mother's Day This is my first time actually viewing the guestbook, but I have viewed the webpage on numerous occasions. My husband was abused by an elder when he was about 8 years old. We were able to attend the press conference in Nashville last week, and are so glad we did. Silentlambs is doing a wonderful job. We love you guys. If anyone in the Maryville or Knoxville area needs someone to talk to, please feel free to post to the guestbook. We will be checking it regularly from now on.
Charlie J	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 3:21 PM
Dear Brenda B This would be my reponse to the email received from the mother in Hot Springs: I am one of the victims abused by Jehovah's Witness elders, whom your son has helped. For 36 years I have been abused by Witnesses in more ways than one, one of which was sexually. At 36 I was on the verge of suicide from manic depression. I found your son, and he saved my life. Yet you say he is a terrible person?? I don't see how a person who puts himself at risk for other human beings could cause you humiliation. If you are humiliated by your son who knowingly puts himself on trial for victims benefit, then your loss. If you choose to believe that following the rigid rules of such imperfect men, like the Pharasees of Jesus' day, is more important than proctecting a child, then your priorities are wrong. This has nothing to do with you, this is solely about protecting victims. Your son has a new family of thousands that loves him.
Maluenda	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 6:43 PM
Welcome To Jamie and Charlie Wasn't Nashville empowering! I'm so glad you joined us here on the GB! It was great meeting you both and the family too. Dave W lives up your way maybe you guys can get together and picket some KH's. He promised to take me out picketing when I go to see my in laws up that way. It would be awesome if we could all get together and do it! Let me know if you want me to email you the pics I took. They turned out great! I hope you had a great mother's day Jamie. I sure did! I feel very loved and appreciated. But I had already come back from Nashville on cloud 9 that was a great way to start the weekend! Love and blessings to all!
Charlie J	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 8:22 PM
Dave W I have met Dave and have spoken to him recently.
Maluenda	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 8:56 PM
To Charlie That's great! Maybe we should all plan a date to get together over the summer!
JB	Sunday, May 13, 2007 @ 11:15 PM
Is Brenda B. Bill Bowen's Mother? If Brenda B. is Bill Bowen's mother, I have nothing to say to her, but I would like to address him. Please ignore her ramblings. They are nothing more than the chants of a person driven insane by a dangerous, brain washing cult. My mother disowned me 20 years ago when I was disfellowshipped for leaving an abusive JW husband who was trying to kill me. Sometimes I have to wonder who is crazier, him, a diagnosed paranoid psychophrenic or her, a woman who would turn her back on a daughter who was physically abused for years at the hands of a JW. Then I am snapped back to reality and realize that my mom, like Brenda B. is no better off than a mumbling, fumbling mental patient who refuses to get help. ___________________________________________________________ Silent Lambs Moderation Team Reply: Yes, Brenda is Bill's biological mother. Isn't that a shame that she's so brainwashed she has lost her God given love for her son. His crime: exposing crimes and protecting children. Sad. Very sad.
David W	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 6:13 AM
That's great I would love to meet up this summer. I have a spare bedroom and would put up as many that could sleep on the floor.-------- --------------------------------- --------------------------------- There was a misunderstanding, apparently my email got deleted off the email list when this site crashed. I thought maybe I was being overlooked, and wasnt even wanted. If you ever lose my email again, remember I go by the name "Junction-Guy" on all of the JW related boards, so you can find me there if needed.----- --------------------------------- --------------------------------- Yes I met Charlie a while back, and we had a long discussion over his lunch break. We have recently started emailing again, and I will meet again with him shortly, and also meet his wife.
Maluenda	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 8:46 AM
To Dave That's great. I just met him and his family. They are wonderful people. I'm glad you guys are in touch. Wish we were closer. We definitely have to get a group together this summer and see if we can't get the media to do a story on us picketing. Does the news station have a big window? We do here and you can watch them tape the news. People stand out there with signs all the time and then they come out and interview people at the end of the show. Do you have anything like that? I bet we could get a nice size group. Blessings!
David W	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 9:24 AM
To Maluenda Im not sure if the local media here has anything like that, but I will check.-------------------- --------------------------------- It would be cool if we can plan something for this summer. I havent picketed a Kingdom Hall in 2 years, and Im getting a little rusty.
CJH	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 10:40 AM
Save Our Children The cover-up has and does go on. I was the wife of an Elder.........WAS is the key word! I could not continue to look the other way, while women and children were abused (including myself) and the authorities were not contacted. Everything ugly was swept under the rug in the name of protecting Jehovah's name and his organization. Threats of disfellowshipping kept members quiet. I got help through an organization called Refuge House. I still have a strong faith in God and through counseling have let go of my anger. Keep up the good work!
Crystal K	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 11:42 AM
Keep up the great work!! Hello, I watched the news clips from last week. My cousin Charles J and his family were there to speak out. I'm so proud of them and all of you who are working so hard to protect children and put these people behind bars!!! Keep up the great work!! Crystal Keli Los Angeles, CA
Janet Bowen	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 12:22 PM
Thanks to All! I just wanted to say 'Hello' to all that post here on our silentlambs guestbook, and thank you for your kind words and support either here, emails or phone calls. Bill and I have been married for 1 1/2 yrs and I have had the privilege of only meeting some of you. I wish I could meet you all in person. I sit by Bill's side everyday in our office as his side- kick and do what ever possible to help him continue the work of supporting abuse survivors. You are the true hero's. Hero's for standing up and courageously saying 'NO MORE' to Watchtower in shamefully covering up child abuse. It is a team effort to help save the children from future abuse due to Watchtower's unwillingness to change their policies that hurt children. My favorite saying is "If we can only save one child"!!! Thank you also to our 'silentlambs team moderators' who take time out of each day and moderate our guestbook. Your tireless effort gives everyone a chance to speak out and find true comfort and support. We appreciate you greatly!! Please continue to come here and post. If you have any questions or concerns, email us. We will be glad to give you the facts!!! Once again, thank you for your comments and support as we continue to fight for what is right. Janet Bowen
Maluenda	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 12:56 PM
To CJH Welcome! I'm so glad you were able to escape the abuse. Many are still trapped in silence and despair. I hope you'll stay with us and help with this fight. Often times we forget that the parents want to go to the police but feel like there hands are tied after being coerced by the elders with threats of disfellowshipping if they go to the police. Hearing and being able to communicate with people like yourself gives others hope that they too can find an escape route. If anyone out there feels trapped we are here to help you escape. Just call the 800 number or email us. Blessings!
Maluenda	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 12:58 PM
To Krystal Welcome Krystal! I just wanted to tell you I had the pleasure of meeting your family and they are wonderful and brave people! It's not easy to stand up and say you've been victimized. I too was very proud of them! Blessings to you!
PCW	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 2:01 PM
Jehovah's Witness Mother Responds How could any mother disown a child this way? Doesn't she see she is disowning a part of herself? She has very serious problems that go far beyond her son.
Maluenda	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 2:10 PM
RE: The mother This woman is Bill's mother. Maybe we should all write her a letter explaining what a positive impact Bill has had on our lives. Maybe we should all explain to her that she is anything but a witness of God. What do you think?
Milena Morris	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 6:17 PM
Thank you Silent Lambs!! Hello, I just wanted to say thank you so much for what you are doing here. Standing up for those who were abused in so many ways by the JW organization, is very honorable. I wish nothing but the best for the silentlambs organization, and I SEND MY UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND SUPPORT TO EVERY BRAVE SURVIVOR of abuse. You are loved beyond measure. Many Blessings, MJ
	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 6:45 PM
Bill's mother I thought Bill's mother's letter was kind of hard to follow, as she came across as perhaps rather unstable. It's very, very sad that she has reached a point where she can't seem to recognize who her son really is, what a courageous, kind, caring person he is to put himself out there to help terribly hurting victims. Anyone who could make excuses for a religion that demonizes victims and pampers molesters and rapists has to be sick. That is how her letter struck me, as kind of sick. This woman is not well, I don't think. She needs help with her thinking. It's truly so very sad that she is in such a confused mindset. Her letter was not rational. I hope that she gets help, and, of course, I don't mean from any elders. They will only intensify her illness with their own irrationality and lack of real logic. I feel for her. I think she needs our compassion and sympathy. She should admire her son and be so proud of him! He is a giver, and he has given so much of himself to so many people! He has even put his own self on the line to do this. He deserves his mother's loving admiration, not her sick contempt.
Maluenda	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 7:54 PM
To Milena Thank you so much for your support. It makes us feel so good to know that we have support. As the witnesses are exposed more and more our support grows larger. That's good because as an abuse survivor it lets me know that more people are watchingand hopefully as a result more children will be saved or rescued from the grasp and abuse of this horrible cult. Please tell everyone you know to come here and learn about what is really going on with this cult. Thanks again for your support. It means so much. Blessings and peace to you!
M.A.N.	Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 8:18 PM
Re: Bill's mother I realize that many here ask about me if I don't post on a regular basis. Some know that my health is not good. I just wanted to say that I'm feeling okay and will post within a day or two. I need to do some research first in my college psychology books. No matter how we feel about the victims and our disgust at the WT, I try to understand why certain people believe the things they do and then try to help them. Although I doubt that this will change Bill's mother, the principles involved might help others. I also am going to indulge my hobby tomorrow, which is target shooting. So I should have something to post by Tuesday evening. It might be in two or three parts, but I'd like to be thorough. I also hope to include some of the information that is available here in Florida, where as I stated before, they take this topic very seriously. Some child molesters receive the death penalty. Florida does NOT play around with this. I will try to include the psychology and the legal aspects of abuse in my comments. I appreciate all the effort everyone is making. I haven't seen the guestbook this busy in all the years that I've been posting. Oh, and I also need to include the information about my own situation, since my child was raped and molested by a JW when she was 9 years old. So I have much to consider. My best to all. M.A.N.
TB	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 3:39 AM
True Courage I just wanted to comment about Bill Bowen's Website, and that I'm so glad he started it and puts all this work into it. There is not another like it. Bill's mother should be proud of him, I am. I'm a JW. I have no desire to dissasociate myself or otherwise repudiate JW doctrine and yet I know of many cases of JW molestation and have fought it and it has happened to my own family (by Elders). How can people blindly follow JW Elders while those guys molest and cover up molestation. They will sacrifice anyone in order to cover up things which will keep their precious Elder Positions intact. There are more ex-JW's in the US than current JW's. Many, Many, Many of these Exes, Push-outs, Fade-outs, Run-outs and Walk-outs have been molested or their family members have. I talked to an Elder about this and with all sincerity he said to me: "I've never seen any molstation victims around here (in his hall)". The reason there are no victims around his hall is that the Victims have all left the truth, the Perps are still there. Is that fair? Our Org is bleeding and we definitely need this Sunshine to cleanse us. I would change the rules so that Rogue Elders could be voted out of the BOE by the rank and file Pubs, "Voted off the Island". This would empower the Pubs and would be the only thing to protect them, since I've never known a single case of Elders kicking out other Elders for molestation. I'd bet there are hundreds of current JW's like me that "Lurk" on the site. Believe me, it's a relief to know that there are others who are not blind to this. Only by publicizing this issue to the media can our Elder Regimes and ORG ever get cleansed. I like how Robert King describes our current state and that we as JWs are in for a refining. This is the refinement work that is prophesied in JW Publications. But they think that the refinement work will weed out those who don't blindly obey Elders, what they don't know is that it will weed out all the Rogue Elders and molesting creeps.
JamieJ	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 6:00 AM
Welcome CJH and Melina & Crystal!! Welcome to silentlambs and thanks for your posts. I also want to thank Crystal for being such a support for Charlie. It has been wonderful for him to be back in contact with family members he was cut off from all his life and whom he was told were bad people. Funny, those so called bad people are the ones that are there for you with true love.
Maluenda	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 8:18 AM
To TB WOW! I wish I could hug you. I think you should start a elder training school. Many times, jw's think we are trying to do away with their religion all together. That's not the point here it's to change policy and save children from abuse. There are so many good and faithful people in this organization it's a shame that egocentric men ruin everything. Again, I wish I could hug you! I'm sure you have Jehovahs blessing and he smiles down on you and your insight and love! Blessings to you!
joy!joy!joy!joy!	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 3:17 PM
Local person mentions local cong had sex abusers In my eagerness to spread the news of the recent court settlements by JWs with their victims, I started a thread at a local news forum, in which someone came forward that a local congregation had covered up sex abuse of someone they knew. I urged the respondent to contact you and report this. Here is the thread address: http://forums.starnewsonline.com/eve/forums? a=tpc&s=5331088265&f=1661088265&m=7501063426&r=1371037426#1 3 71037426
mt	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 3:48 PM
To Bill Hi Bill Just now I read that the mother I recieved a mail about, was Your mother. I am so truly sorry for you. I find it so difficult to find words. My father lost his mother when he was 9 years old, he is now almost 84. She died of cancer. And he has talked about her as long as I remember, and I am 45 now. And I thinking, what a shame, what a shame, that your mum does'nt want to know you anymore and my father miss his mother so deeply. What if my father could explain your mother the meaning of having a mother in life? Oh, this differents lanquage's, it's so difficult to explain. I hope you, dispite your message from you mother, are doing just fine, and I feel deeply with you. I so much hope, that your mother realise, what a mistake she is doing. I don't know, what my son's should do, not to get forgiveness. God can see all the great work you are doing, and he is blessing you, because you really get somewhere, and you really help victims. And he will continue blessing you. Bill keep up the good works, we are so many supporting you. Also here in litle Denmark. To your mother: shame on you, stand up for your son, be proud of him, he really deserve it. I have only a litle clue of, what he is going through. Love him, but also love yourself. And how can you do that now? Many thougths to you Bill and your wife Janet. I hope you can follow my thougths. God bless you for your good work, mt. ___________________________________________________________ Thank you, your thoughts come through loud and clear!
Maluenda	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 4:07 PM
To JOY JOY........ I went their and posted. Thanks for sharing that with us and helping to get the word out. I hope everyone will take the time to do what you did and put it on their local news blog, discussion forum etc. Blessings!
Maluenda	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 4:10 PM
To MT You are such a loving person. There is no language barrier. When you write your love shines through and everyone knows exactly what you are saying! We are all so happy you are a part of our extended family! Blessings to you!
Natasha	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 4:11 PM
This is so necessary... First of all, thank you for providing an outlet for those still living with hurt because of this organization's irresponsibility. Next, I want so much to be involved with your cause as I work from home and have some flexibility. Finally, this site and organization is definitely necessary for the safety of any child still within the system under their parents who are still afraid to come forward. I have a little brother (9yrs) and sister (13yrs) still going with my mom and stepdad, who, by the way, have proof of wrongdoing with other minors that I grew up with by elders that are still leading the same congregations. What can we do to get through?
Jamie J`	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 9:09 PM
MT Wow! Your words brought tears to my eyes. That was absolutely beautiful.
Janet Bowen	Tuesday, May 15, 2007 @ 11:16 PM
To MT MT wrote, To your mother: shame on you, stand up for your son, be proud of him, he really deserve it. I have only a little clue of, what he is going through. Love him, but also love yourself. And how can you do that now? Many thougths to you Bill and your wife Janet. I hope you can follow my thougths. God bless you for your good work, mt. ---------------------------------------------------------- Thank you so much, mt for your comments and words of encouragement. Bill wrote an article awhile back called 'A Family Lost, A Family Gained'. It is truly rewarding to see that we are surrounded with people that are genuine and love you even for the simplest acts of kindness. What a refreshing thing to come here to our Guestbook and read words to build each other up, and not like other ex-jw forums that love to get into heated discussions and bash each other for petty things. Thanks to all here, for banding together like true family and friends should!
Maria	Wednesday, May 16, 2007 @ 12:37 AM
Thank you for all you do to protect innocent children with no voice of their own...God bless you both! Much love
Maluenda	Wednesday, May 16, 2007 @ 9:26 AM
To all I would like to encourage everyone on this site to call Bill O'Reilly once a day and request that he do a show on the JW ped problem. The number is 1-888-369-4762 press 5. You will be asked to leave your name and telephone number and the idea for your show. I suggest that you first leave the the fact that the case was settled in Cal. and a gag order placed because the JWs are so afraid that their stellar rep will be tarnished they sacrifice the childrens safety. Then every day after that I would call and request that the show be done and state one fact about the JW cult. Social isolation, no therapists, two witness rule, you get my drift. If we all pull together and do this then maybe he'll take notice and at the very least they'll check into the issue. If they check into it they'll be surprised at what they learn and do a show. Let's focus our efforts. Blessings
M.A.N.	Wednesday, May 16, 2007 @ 10:47 AM
Re: Maluenda's post I think Maluenda's idea is a good one. I have rarely watched his show, though, so I don't know how he is like. Another idea might be to do the same with Oprah or the Dr. Phil show. I believe that BrendaLee, who wrote a book "Out of the Cocoon" said in her newsletter that the Oprah show was considering having her on the show. Does anyone know of any other TV show to try? Thanks. My best to all.
Earl	Wednesday, May 16, 2007 @ 11:13 AM
maleuenda and all Good idea Mal. I wrote to Bill O a while back as I know he is fighting for changes in the ped laws and was vocal during the Catholic scandals. The more we contact these people the better chance we have, though I did not hear back from him I will try again. Another guy is Sean Hannity, he is a moral man and takes on all kinds of stories. They both have webb-sites. We have strength in numbers so please people contact these guys and anyone else who can look into the wrongs out there.Someone once said that the only thing needed for evil to exist is for good people to do nothing.This makes me think of people in the org who turn their heads away when they know abuse is happening. I know there are many sincere witnesses that don't know what is going on but the ones I talk to bury their heads in the sand and refuse to believe what is happening .I don't think we are held accountable for what we don't know but if we see evil and don't help the poor victim we are not loving one another. To some it is more important to belong than to deal with the hard truth. I'm sure Bill Bowen could have gone along and still be an elder in good standing but for his conscience. I commend him and all that work to stop abuse. I am glad to see new people reporting in here, you all keep up the good work. Love and blessings to all:)
M.A.N.	Wednesday, May 16, 2007 @ 4:20 PM
To Janet Bowen I also lost my family because I gave my support to Silent Lambs. And since most of us long since gave up "worldly" friends, if we lose our families, we usually have no one left. But here on SL we all can enjoy a large family of people who love one another "just because". Not because the WT orders you who you can like or not, but based on the love taught in the Bible. I think that God prefers His type of love being practiced in the world rather than the WT's "love".
mkb	Thursday, May 17, 2007 @ 10:56 AM
Call to Fox News I just called that number (888) 369-4762 to leave an idea for a news story and the mailbox was full. Trust me, I will be calling back on a daily basis, and I encourage the rest of you to do the same! God Bless You All!
M.A.N.	Thursday, May 17, 2007 @ 3:18 PM
Re: media contacts I lived in or near NYC for 50 years. There are hundreds of cable stations. Several universities, colleges, and even high schools have radio and/or TV stations. You know what groups might want this story? How about religious colleges? I'm sure the WT will say this isn't playing fair, but when have they ever done that? In Wheaton, ILL, there is a large Bible college. In NYC there are several. How about the Mormons in Utah, Pat Robertson, and the rest. I see Jim Bakker (PTL:pass the loot) is again on TV here on our cable station in Florida. I'm sure the Baptists and Fundamentalists would love to do a story about these abuse cases. I don't like wording it this way, but this is war. If you want to get through to your enemy or beat him, wouldn't it be a good idea to find others who are also enemies of the WT? They then could be allies in this battle about child abuse. And we've all read several complaints against the WT for their latest tract on hiding sexual perverts and we have seen many outraged Catholics bashing the WT for doing for 100 years the exact same thing it accused the Catholic Church of doing. Sauce for the goose, right? Just an idea. I emailed Montel Williams a few years ago when I lived in NJ. I believe he's based in Philly. If anyone lives up there, it might be worth a try. My best to all.
justin time	Thursday, May 17, 2007 @ 5:00 PM
What's Next Don't you love me anymore? ___________________________________________________________ _Silent Lambs Moderation Team Reply: Yes, Justin, we do love you and our hearts all go out to you. As we have stated many times before, posts that are degrading to members of this site or to any human being will not be posted . Compassion for the victims of child abuse, their families , and friends remains the theme here. There are many other sites that allow posts that threaten and bash victims and other peoples views. If you want to degrade others perhaps they will welcome you on their forum. We know you have the capability to post supportive and uplifting comments. When you do they will be posted for all to read. When you behave in a childish, negative, and disruptive manner I'm afraid we will have to delete your comments no matter what name you post them under. The choice is yours-delete or post. But the rules are the rules. The only reason why we do not ban you from the site completely is because the team feels that you are probably an abuse victim yourself and are displacing the anger you feel towards your abusers to the members of this site. That is a reaction that some victims experience. Since most of your posts are directed towards Bill it makes one think that you have directed your anger at him since he fights to save children from abuse but couldn't save you. So you are allowed to remain here out of love and hope that one day you will have released ALL the anger and hatred in your heart and we will help you to learn to love again and feel compassion for others. We do wish you love, peace, and happiness Justin. Our work here will never be done as long as there are victims out there crying for help either directly or indirectly. We hear your cries Justin and we are here to help when your ready.
justin time	Thursday, May 17, 2007 @ 6:04 PM
Kindness Thank you for your kindness. However, it appears from the facts of the Popper lawsuit that she was abused at home. It does not appear that she reached out to the elders for help and was refused, thus allowing the abuse to continue. If she, or I was abused at home without the knowledge of elders, the WTB&TS is not responsible for our abuse. I agree that Bill seems reasonable after talking to him, but I question whether he is fully weighing the implications of such matters as allowing the posing of the Popper litigation. That is one reason I am upset. Assuming this site is sincerely motivated, this would be an improper imposition on that motive. Posting a lawsuit authored by a practicing lawyer such as Melanie Popper for abuse she suffered at home, I believe, is highly improper. Her motive appears only to be for the purpose of a shakedown of the WTB&TS or trolling for clients.
Mod Team 1	Thursday, May 17, 2007 @ 7:53 PM
To Justin I would just like to add a flip side to the coin. Silent Lambs decides which cases are posted on the homepage and distributed in the newsletter. Laws vary greatly from state to state and what may be allowable in one state is not allowed in another state. So what may be stated in a brief may not confide all the terms, conditions, or facts of a case. Each state dictates what is allowed or necessary. Bill and his wife are often contacted because they have had so much experience in dealing with class action attorneys and cases as well as private attorneys and cases. Bill is privy to a lot of imformation that we are not even if we read the brief or any other court documents. Having a law background I can tell you that things are much more involved than they appear to the general public. As far as the abuse is concerned ,where it occurred makes no difference. It's the fact that occurred, someone had the oppurtunity to prevent it or to expose it so that other children would not fall victim and they chose to remain silent. That's where the fault lies. Failure to report a crime, a crime against an innocent helpless child. In regard to not naming her father there are several legal reasons for this which I'm not going to go into here but I can say that it is a psychological fact that children, even adult children, who have been horrifically abused all still seek the love and affection of their parents. I have often found it hard to implicate my own father for his role in allowing children to be victimized when he had the power to stop it. This is because it is natural to love and want the love of those we are genetically and emotionally attached too. Finally, I think you should know that it is illegal for anyone who advocates in any type of case to recieve compensation. Therefore, Bill despite all the time and effort he puts into these cases receives nothing. Not one dime of compensation from the courts, attorneys, or victims. Silent Lambs is run solely on the contributions of it's members. We have all experienced abuse in some form in our life. Some people have experienced horrific abuse, others have experienced minimal abuse. What we all must remember is that it is all relevent to our own experience. I can't tell you that what you suffered was minimal because to you and your experience it may have been the worst thing you've ever known and affected you deeply. There is always someone who had it better and someone who had it worse than you. So we have to remember not to judge others because we don't know everything that goes on. I'm so happy to see you growing Justin. This last post presented your opinion in a positive manner. When I say you are loved here-I mean it. We want to help and be here for you.
mt	Friday, May 18, 2007 @ 12:51 AM
Real family Thank you maluende, Janet and Jamie J for your answers. I have been thinking a lot about this after leaving JW. I have found so much true love, among the people outside the walls. The friends me and my husband have got, shows how much they really care about us, and coming to different's forum's incl. here, and meet people who really mean what they write, really show from their heart, that you are somebody and dare showing the love inside them selves, are telling me, that JW cannot be Gods true organisition. I could never be my self, and when I was I always got pushed down. So they say, that when you become a JW, you got a world of family, so saying godbye to relatives dos'nt matter, because you get a much bigger family. What a lie. I now say, get out of JW, and get the real loving and caring family. I hope so much Bill's mother wil realise that some day soon. When I write here, I feel safe, because I can be the person I am. This is "only" a home- page, but the love get to me anyway, it show's so clearly. And I am glad that inspide of lanquages, you can understand me. It is so difficult for me to describe feelings in danish, so I am happy that you do know what I mean. I now have some day's, where I am taking a litle break, from working with uncovering the witnesses and helping x-witnesses, because I suddenly got a breakdown. I am going through feelings that hurts, because I am realising with my heart now, what I have been knowing for some time now, that the believe I had, was false. I know it had to come, but still its hard. I will re