JWs

Researchers Beware: Wikipedia Entries About High Control Groups Are Not Very Trustworthy 

We have been living in the Information Age, the Knowledge Age, with access virtually 24/7 to anything and everything. Many in today’s world go to Wikipedia to learn about cars, animals, medicines and even cults. And that is okay. For the most part, Wikipedia is fairly reliable. With over 20,000 new entries added every month, it no surprise that YouTube, Facebook, and Google rely on its content.

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Undue Influence, The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu, and Current Events

Hulu has created a television series based on Margaret Atwood’s book, The Handmaid’s Tale, and it is highly recommended viewing*. Last year, Hulu produced The Path and I was interviewed by Vanity Fair for my perspective. This time, I am blogging about The Handmaid’s Tale as I believe this is a very upsetting but well made dramatic series that is worthwhile watching. It is especially disquieting for me as it is set in New England. A political cult takes over the U.S. after a staged terrorist attack and martial law is declared. When the book and the 1990 movie came out, there was some speculation Atwood had used a New Jersey cult as well as an alleged witch as a creative basis for her story. The series has been creatively adapted to a feared Trumpistan authoritarian dystopia.

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Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

JW Leadership Fails to Protect Children

When I was a Jehovah’s Witness, I prided myself on knowing I was part of the only true Christian organization on the planet earth because of the love shown in “Jehovah’s Organization.” I told myself and others this for decades. One of the largest “comforts” to me was knowing that Jehovah’s anointed spirit was directly with the Governing Body, as the “earthly” connection to God and the leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I thought these men were scholars, theologians, and well-read individuals. Most of all, I felt they cared for the wellbeing of all mankind. Now, as a person who is no longer associated with the group, I discovered that their “love” is conditional and that the Governing Body is a group of men with no credentials or qualifications other than skillfully recruiting people into the group and maintaining control over them. A recent review by the Australian Royal Commission reminded me of my disillusionment. In 2013, the land down under created a government sponsored committee to investigate instances of child sexual abuse in institutions like schools, churches, sports clubs, and government organizations. The goals of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse can be found here. So far, they have reviewed hundreds of organizations.

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