JW Governing Body member Stephen Lett
The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been predicting the end of the world “Armageddon” since the creation of the movement by Charles Taze Russell in the late 19th century.
Some of their earlier predictions had specific dates, but as these came and passed, and they came up with explanations as to why the dates were not correct (generally that God was revealing more truth and making things clearer now…) COVID-19 has their apocalyptic juices flowing.
The JW’s are run by a group of old men called the “Governing Body.” There is a lot to know about the JW’s and my good friend “John Cedars”/Lloyd Evans (@lloydevanscedars on Facebook and @cedarsjwsurvey on Twitter) is one of the world’s leading experts on the subject.
I merely wanted to note the fact that just like scientology, the JW’s are seeking to turn the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity to motivate their followers.
My personal favorite among the Governing Body is Stephen Lett. I have watched quite a number of his cartoonish video presentations (like scientology, the JW’s do “TV” propaganda) — I call him “Howdy Doody” because he is just such a bizarre stereotype of a weird religious leader who takes himself oh so seriously. The Onion or Saturday Night Live would have a hard time coming up with a parody that tops him. Here he is, explaining about the end of times being upon us.
This is like scientology promoting OT IX and X. The final days are the ultimate “payoff” for JW’s. Their sacrifices, time and commitment will all bear fruit as they alone are saved from the Armageddon that will end the world…
Scientology and Jehovah’s Witnesses have a lot more in common than disconnection (called disfellowshipping by the JW’s). They both promise things that never actually come about as a carrot to keep the flock in line and contributing. They scare their adherents into staying with the program otherwise they will “lose their eternity”. They expect absolute obedience to every edict handed down from the leaders. And they have goofy guys at the top who talk in a very strange way and say very weird, often unintelligible things.
Here’s the JW’s version of David Miscavige.
I was a Jehovah witness for sixty years,born into it. My father and uncle were both elders as was my husband of 35 years.The abuse me and my four siblings was indeed severe and at times sadistic.When I was sixteen I tried to commit suicide,for that I was stripped down to my underpants ,made to lie on a couch and severely beaten with a thick electrical cord.I was told I had embarrassed Jehovah because the doctor at the hospital said I need to see a psychiatrist.It was a horrible way of life and still is. A woman has no say say in anything whatsoever,everyday is the last one because Armageddon is at hand! My three siblings died by suicide. When the internet came out I was finally able to do research without anyone knowing and discovered the truth about Jehovah witness. I will suffer the rest of my life for what these people teach gullible people.Please feel free to contact me.
Judith, this is truly horrible and I’m sorry you had to go through this. Hope you are happy and safe and a million miles away from these people.
If you have time on your hands during these lockdowns, I definitely recommend watching Apostasy (directed by Daniel Kokotajlo, an ex JW) and The Children’s Act (based on the novel by Ian McEwan, starring Emma Thompson).
If there are any ex-JWs here, I’d love to hear your thoughts on them – esp the former.
I was a born in 4th gen cult [Jehovahs Witnesses ] member. I was in for 40 years. I left in 1995 when they changed the meaning of the word generation because of the failed 1914 prediction that those alive then would live to see the end of the world. I remember throwing down the Watchtower that was in and said I am out. At that time we did not have the luxury to be able to do some typing on the internet and finding a host of information on the cults history. Now its as easy as sitting in your fav. chair and doing some surfing to find out the cults history. My grandfather who was a CO in the 60s and worked at Bethel knew Knor and others and was a SP and elder for the rest of his life. Once I learned the cults history I presented what I had learned and he was shocked I knew this. So he knew the BS and hid it from his family. This is such a dangerous cult. Growing up in a cult you don’t know you are part of a cult. Its just normal and the way things are. Once the scales fall from my eyes and I found that I was not going to be attacked by demons for looking at things critical of the cult I could not get enough reading material or see others experiences.
I went through something similar recently when I left the Mormon church. I had joined the church in 1985 and had been a member for 34 years. The things I found out about Joseph Smith were akin to being told as a Scientologist that L. Ron Hubbard was a highly decorated war hero then coming across his actual service record and finding out that this was not the case.
Covid 19 make abnormal pyramids to normal pyramids. The nature create what man can’t handle. In purpose to be nature the nature created men and women naked. Naked we were born, naked we live and naked we die.
Nice to see you comment on the kindred spirit of cults that is the JWs. As a “faded” ex-member whose not disfellowshipped but certainly shunned, can I point out one little thing – it’s Governing Body and not Governing Board.
Out of interest, do the Scientologists have a similar thing? Where people drift away from association and then get “soft-shunned” despite there being no formal religious/procedural sanction?
A. Postate – If you leave “quietly” without any public renunciation of scientology I believe you can maintain relationships or interactions with scientologists. If you attempt to get someone out of scientology you might be labeled an SP, Suppressive Person and communication with you is disallowed.
Many people are UTR, under the radar, and act as if they are still believers when they aren’t in order to maintain business and other relationships.
I tried to quietly leave the cult and they still attacked me and did a huge 3P campaign on me telling everyone to disconnect from me, even before they trumped up any goldenrod on me. I was happy to leave and never say a word against them. But when they attacked me, sent undercover SO in my business to try to harm my biz, and they took my kids, that is when I drew the line in the sand and became a vocal whistle blower on the church. Had they let me quietly leave, none of that would have happened.
Cindy – I’m very sorry that happened to you. It might be a significant difference between JW and the scn cult that the cult attacks members who leave. I don’t know if the Jehovah Witness do likewise.
Thanks, Richard!
Richard/Cindy
Thanks for the responses – very interesting!
It’s not typical for there to be an actual campaign to harm an ex Witness in an overt way akin to some actions I have seen from Scientology. It may be the case that elders or others might invade a person’s privacy in order to try and expose a “sin” (e.g. waiting outside a house where an unmarried couple are known to be) that might then lead to “disfellowshipping”.
There may also be some quite overt actions between family members, for example, the family of a woman whose husband leaves may try and rake up dirt.
Beyond that however there is no direct action taken in the way that some ex Scientologists have been followed, filmed, doorstepped and so on.
What always happens however is the rumour mill goes into overdrive. I am actively shunned by a number of people, including some of my family, and much of that is purely on hearsay and rumour. I’ve never directly attacked anyone’s faith or expressed overtly critical views in public. Some people believe they know what I think and therefore consider me an apostate – the lowest of the low in JW terms (even paedophiles don’t attract the same venom) . Most of them have never spoken directly to me and simply go on rumour.
Some of the rumour and speculation has been driven by actions of the elders through what they have allowed people to think based on talks regarding apostasy at their meetings.
Some people do leave quietly (“fade”) and some have varying degrees of success in maintaining relationships but once one stops attending meetings then it is inevitable that the majority at best “soft shun” (an ex JW term), meaning to draw away and exclude you from general social contact even if they don’t overtly shun you. If there is any question that you no longer believe and have become “apostate” then it’s much harder, which is where I am at.
I think the situation Cindy found herself in is one that is mirrored in as much as if JWs just let people like me leave without the threat of social exclusion then there would be no issue. One of my greatest issues is the control. Remove the sanctions, especially the control of the social contract and most people wanting out would have nothing to baulk against. The problem of apostasy is one of their own making.
A. Postate – Thank you for the feedback. Scn has an entire branch of the organization called OSA, Office of Special Affairs, which has an extensive and nefarious playbook on how to attack and destroy critics written by Hubbard. Cindy mentions a few of their tactics above.
I left scn long before the internet and was unaware of the tactics OSA uses. I just assumed that any large organization would have a branch or section designed to defend itself from negative publicity and unwarranted attacks. Little did I know.
He’s positively jubilant at the prospect of the world ending. But you can tell at the end he doesn’t really believe it himself and doesn’t want to get viewers’ hopes up. Except for the content, he could be on an afternoon channel for 3-5 year-olds. They would switch though, too boring.
Brian said cartoon religion. I love that!
Just demonstrates how stupid human beings really are. Dumb
“…COVID-19 has their apocalyptic juices flowing.”
Mike, thank you for the way you make me LOL with an effortless turn of phrase.
Just thank you, really!
Here is my prediction (apologies to Anne Elk), that I thought of. It is my prediction because I thought of it. So here is my prediction what I thought of: The world will end.
This is a little bit off topic, but I don’t know where else to post this. scientologist Athena Severi has posted links to a special Zoom meeting birthday celebration she threw for herself. She had several “upstat” scientologists come on say various things, such as Denice Duff, Stacy Francis and convicted sex offender and Broadway star James Barbour. You can find the link to the recorded meetings on her Facebook page. One thing I found strange is that NO ONE ever mentions the word “scientology” – is their PR really this bad? Having been out of the “bubble” for several years, I find a lot things they do say to be a bit odd, though you could tell by their lingo and their “reality” that they are obviously scientologists. Oh well, life in the bubble….
Interesting that James Barbour didn’t get the church protecting him like 3rd rate actor Danny Masterson has now.
It’s funny until you realize that people with similar beliefs are very close to power (e.g., Mike Pence and other leaders of Trump’s evangelical base) and WANT the end of the world. Self-fulfilling prophecy could end civilization as we know it, because our electorate is willing to support such whack leaders with whack beliefs.
Gross generalization and a useless comment. If that’s your world view have fun with it.
^^ Thank You
Thank YOU, Richard! Enjoy your stay!
Thank you for saying that, Richard.
As someone who is ex-evangelical, I can say that comment about them wanting the end of the world is generally correct. There’s a deep sickness in the church. Their full-on embrace of Trump is just the tip of the whole rotten iceberg. In many respects, the evangelicals are more dangerous than Scientology. They are less culty, and less abusive individually, but they have the numbers and desire to be destructive on a global scale.
cs – Point taken. On a politics tv show the host asked an Evan minister if he thought other religions had some truth. His reply – “No.” (period)
That caught the host off guard and after a long pause she said, “Well . . . okay”. Takes all kinds. Religious fanatics remain a minority.
Thank you Richard. I don’t know to what specific segment (and maybe those saying it don’t, either) people are referring when stating “All evangelical Christians.”
I am a person of faith, Christian. By category I attend a non-denominational church that would be considered evangelical as there’s not a “bucket” for many of us who’ve stepped away from rigid doctrinal wars to exclude (like… Noah’s flood… was it a “great area” or the whole world… women speaking in church, was that just speaking to that segment of church where local women didn’t understand the language and context so would ask their husbands which disrupted service, or to all women, etc) eachother and instead focus on what’s important.
ALL of that (;tldr alert) said, I’m not hoping for the end of the world. Many Christians overtly do look towards “end times” which is when Jesus is supposed to come back and reign for 1000yrs, but not an end to the world and it’s definitely not positioned as not caring about the rest of society.
Also, not all of “us” blindly follow others just because they claim to be Christian just as not all of us are fans of Trump. Many people forget that it’s a choice between two people and many viewed T as a not-Hilary vote. (Navy SEAL brother…)
So there’s the long-winded version of what Richard said. Not all of us are fundamentalists, same with our Muslim and Jewish brothers & sisters. I know there are Christian cults and find them just as vile as scientology. But not all scientologists are bad people…
There are murderers that are mammals… serial killers are predominantly white males… and so on. So please be careful of relegating every one in any category to a distasteful bucket due to bad actors or a view with which you disagree.
Jennyfurrr – Your comment was not at all too long. You expanded on exactly what I was thinking. Thanks!
A large part of the electorate certainly does have a “burn it all to the ground” mentality in this era. But they tend to skew older, so we will see.
You are limited for options in the US, unfortunately. Money is the one true god of your political system. Both parties are beholden to their donors, to Wall St, health insurance, big pharma and the military industrial complex. Those who strayed, be it Trump, Bernie, Tulsi, et al., have all since capitulated in one form or another.
The left screams racism, sexism, Russia! The right screams religion, guns, China! Fear is peddled to distract voters from the fact that there is really only one party in charge: big business.
Very well stated!
It is a scary time when both sides of ones “representation” have skewed to such extremes so as to only represent opposing extreme views, leaving a large segment of “moderates” on both sides without accurate representation.
Agreed 100%
I tend to agree with you. Not to make a generalization, but the religious right DOES influence politics in a huge way in this country. For the last couple decades. Despite “separation of church and state”.
Espy,
It definitely does… and sadly it doesn’t represent itself (or a large segment of its member) well at all. Instead coming across as small-minded, unaware that the basis of the freedom which allows “us” to worship as we choose, also extends to others who may choose differently. And it’s important to be transparent to keep those using that designation as a shield from being able to do so, and therefore hurt people and denigrate the very freedom we so value.
The fatality rate of COVID-19 is (fortunately) nowhere near what it would take to wipe out the human race. Clearly, they are looking for any excuse for the end of days and it appears they can hardly wait for it.
To clarify, I wasn’t saying that COVID-19 might wipe out civilization as we know it. I was saying that people who actively want the end of the world, and who have influence over people who control the nukes and national policies, could end up causing the collapse because they believe so much in their obsolete prophecies (which were supposed to be fulfilled almost 2000 years ago, while some of the people who first heard them were still living). False prophecies, yet they could still end up fulfilling themselves through their deluded believers. That’s not a world view. It’s an observation of the beliefs and behaviors of evangelicals and the effects of these on the world — denial of climate change, continued militarization, etc. Evangelical Christians are not very different from the JWs in that way, but they have way more power and influence.
O/T but regarding climate change hysteria here’s this from
http://www.climatediscussionnexus.com
This site has several short ten to fifteen minute videos for the “other side” of the story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewJ6TI8ccAw&feature=emb_rel_end
Edit to add: The above video addresses the “97% Consensus” myth.
Fun math calculation:
Air is composed of (round numbers) 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen for 99% of the total. The remaining 1% is mostly argon.
Since 1950 atmospheric CO2 has increased from 300 ppm (parts per million) to just over 400 ppm.
300/1,000,000 = 3 molecules of CO2 in 10,000 molecules of air. 400/1,000,000 = 4 molecules of CO2 in 10,000 molecules of air.
Conclusion:
The air I’m breathing today has one additional molecule of CO2 in 10,000 molecules of air than the air I was breathing in 1950. Cough!
Cat, no worries. The people who control the nukes in all countries except Pakistan aren’t influenced by nut-ball extremists like Bernie Sanders nor right wing ones like Franklin Graham
Best comment of the day goes to Mary Kahn. A whack leader acting Whack. Don’t feel bad, my younger self wouldn’t have listened either. We can just hope our kids will mature and grow up enough to see, believe what they see, and run out the door and into our arms again.
Can’t wait.
Harold Camping made a similar prediction. He bit the dust after that….
The last day of the last days will be the last of the last last days before the last day, heralding the era leading to the last day…
NED – New Era of last Days
Wow! Now even the JWs have a tech!’
At last.
I dread when they come to our local arena twice a year for the three day “fest”….dressed to the nines…they flood the local stores & restaurants & hotels & are some of the rudest people pushing their way ahead of others on line, racing around in the stores & on the streets because they’re only on their “lunch break” & they think nothing of cutting you off. I am talking about over 3000 people….
Personally I know three…..they claim they love JW religion because they sit at the meetings with the Bible in their laps…..uuummm…NONE of them obey the tenets & do birthday parties “holiday parties” on or around Dec 25…etc…..their “belong when it’s convenient for them”….
Balletlady, Jehovah’s Witnesses came to Disneyland once. People walked around them, not making eye contact them.
And they also let them abuse the kids. How fucked up is that!
They bring their kids to these HOURS LONG “religious fest”….the kids have to remain quiet & well behaved….in the stores they run around like lunatics & the parents pay no attention to them. One of our BFF’s dated a woman who is a JW….he’s Catholic….she “obeys the rules when it’s convenient for her & she ADMITS it”….she “does Christmas out of state with her daughter & grandkids so the local “meeting hall” doesn’t know….too funny.
They broke up when he poked fun at her “Holiness” since she paid no real attention to the tenets.
I found out my hair dresser is a Jehovah’s Witness. I was shocked because she seems like a successful and intelligent woman. I bet lots of people say that about Scns once they find out their friend or colleague is a Scn. Now that I read Mike’s article about the End Times etc, that might explain why when I emailed her for a hair appointment on May 1st, the first day after lockdown is supposed to end in my area, she put me off and said to wait till later to see what’s up. Maybe she is planning to not be here then to do anyone’s hair! Maybe she will be risen to go to heaven as one of the faithful.
These JW’s who “hit our arena twice yearly”…..aaarrrggg I can’t say enough about their inappropriate behavior. They are so damned rude as I noted, push their way in front of you, etc….no “excuse me”…
Last year I told one of them to BACK OFF…..rude rude rude grabbing items off the shelf & trying to push in front of me….their kids will knock you right off your feet & no apology from the parents either…
Now THAT’S strange!
Dump her, and preferably tell her why.
Well, you’re in luck, my friend. The COVID-19 crisis did the one thing we never thought possible. It caused the cancellation of almost every three day convention this year.
The next one comes up around Aug…..I HOPE they cancel it. They actually have to partially close off a street so all their vehicles can enter the Arena parking lot unencumbered which keeps US…the local taxpayers…waiting in long lines to get to the stores we shop at.
They their mass exodus, they floor the gas pedal, go through red lights… tail gate….awful.
Imberrated: He DID dump her….they fought constantly because she tried to “convert him” & when someone does that when they THEMSELVES are NOT fully following the tenets of their OWN religion, why bother. She was told it was her MISSION to get him to covert…he’s so glad he dumped her.
We have cancelled it. Zoom is a wonderful invention.
Neat trick…since we eat lunch at the convention cite and are encouraged to eat there and no where else. Do these people have their name badges on? If they don’t they’re likely not Jehovah’s Witnesses, as we’re encouraged to wear them even when we’re out and about. Yes, i’m One of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You may now roast me.
If you are a JW, then why are you on here? This is apostasy to you..
Not if the people i’m speaking to on here one on one have never been baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, it’s not…just some misinformed folks.
What you are doing is called Theocratic Warfare….that makes it ok to lie under any circumstances to protect the reputation of your god Jehovah. I know this because I was one of Jw for sixty years.
It’s ok for him to lie because it is called theocratic warfare.
This is NOT a “convention center”…this is a SPORTS ARENA….. haven’t seen any one who was out & about wearing a name tag outside of the Arena.
A friend “Nancy” decided to exit JW…she had to submit a written letter etc….AFTER that letter was submitted, reviewed, “cleared”….her FORMER FAMILY & FRIENDS SHUNNED HER (disassociated) ….sounds a lot like Scientology.
How shall I “roast you”…rare…medium…well done???
Sorry, I should have explained better. We call anywhere we meet for our regional conventions convention sites, whether it’s at a convention center, or an arena, etc. and the majority do wear name tags that also has the name of their congregation on it when they do things like go out to eat, or go to the grocery store afterwards, as we feel it’s a good witness to others, because many ask about it. Perhaps you just never noticed. Oh, and I prefer medium, but you probably prefer to ‘roast me’ well done.
Never noticed the name tags despite the group visiting here twice a year for several years……many seem to be Latina background. The group swarms the local Walmart….& as noted restaurants. We are HAPPY for the income they provide, the Arena is “restaurant row”….many fast food “joints” and Bob Evans, Red Robin, other popular restaurants “around the corner” on the main road.
Haven’t heard anyone out of control with their voice. My friend “Nancy” WAS a JW….she converted to it & forced her husband to join or she’d “leave him”. They were in for over a decade & both OPTED OUT…..they didn’t like what was going on. with things “hidden”….I won’t go into detail, it would be way tool long…but add to it the disassociation & some overly strict parents who were aggressive to their own children.
Anyway, her former friends disassociated themselves from her entirely, which was heartbreaking for BOTH of them…they’d actually had some Bible Readings in their home & were lovely hosts offering snacks & allowable beverages.
Their life is full & they are happy.
BTW…I HATE “well done roast”….prefer medium rare. YOU are too much of a treasure to roast! Thanks for your feedback.
So true BL and the ones my husband works with (very nice people) openly admit that. It seems much of the younger generation of JW’s eyeroll and recognize leadership is out of touch, yet dare not take it beyond lighthearted joking amongst the “worldly people” who won’t turn them in or disfellowship.
The child abuse accusations definitely elicit a defensive response as the average JW finds abuse abhorrent, yet can’t fathom their leadership condones via action or inaction by being party to sweeping it under the rug. But it’s become such a known issue, all of the JW’s we know are quite aware of the public charges being made but don’t want to take it deeper OR answer it. Just hoping that it will pass so they’re not forced to make an uncomfortable choice.
Sadly dear friend Jenyfurr….hiding wrongs is all too common in religions. Nancy did mention “overly aggressive strict parents”….I won’t go into detail….and the fact that you have to WRITE a letter to “get out” (sounds like COS)….& then your are dead to them…including your friends & relatives who remain in….disassociation/defellowship…all too much like COS.
If you can find joy & happiness in a religion, good for you. But NO religion should be HIDING ANYTHING…nor should they enforce a “disconnection/defellowship/disassociation policy on “former members”.
I hope you are well…I can imagine how the little one is growing….hugs! I miss our conversations & pictures. Have had some close family members who are dealing with a medical crisis which has me distracted & out of touch, please forgive.
You are right they continue to hide even though it is even happening to them still . I hid it for sixty years ,they know the sexual abuse is happening when it happens but you are told you must be quiet about it because it will make them look bad and besides that if you are a woman they will say it is your fault. I lived it for sixty years. Those nice jw you see and work with are monsters behind closed doors.
Lol! These cartoon religions crack me up!
Out of control self importance and arrogance makes for a dangerous cartoon character. His demeanor is almost like he is forcing himself to believe what he’s saying.
Cartoon religions always use crisis to justify their cartoon doctrines.
These people are a dangerous comedy.
The end-of-the-world kooks have been predicting armageddon for so long they have to add this to the end of their predictions: “And this time we mean it!”
Chris. Laughing. Good sense of humor. And I mean it.
This guy seems to be lovely like DM.
By the way I was considering that the cult is not afraid of the virus because they have something more dangerous: the COBid 19!
Soooo, it wasn’t the “end times” in 1918 when the “Spanish” flu pandemic killed 23 TIMES more Americans than the Covid virus has this time?
Hey — some were worried as they hadn’t heard from you in a while. Nice to see you back!
Thanks Mike. Just been spending time with my family on our boat on the Inter-coastal waterway rather than being stuck in the house. Back home now sequestered after a large grocery shop with mask and all.
Great to see you shrinking the CoS ranks week after week!
Welcome back Captain Wynski!
thanks Richard. Long time no see.
Wynski!
You black sheep, you, just wandering, la di da back into the fold 🙂
Seriously, glad you’re OK; GLAD you’ve been staying healthy and safe on your boat with your family.
Glad you are well Aqua. Time flows at a different rate when at sea and on deserted islands with nice beaches. 🙂
The last day of the last day of the last day of the last day. Jehovah’s witnesses are very strange people. They don’t allow blood transfusion so that person just dies.
Almost like Scientology except they don’t kill anyone. (That we know of)
OSD. True. In Italy time ago a kid died because of their believe. They applied a sentence from the Bible like `don’t take the blood of others’ that obviously meant don’t kill.
And…they CELEBRATE the death!!! CELEBRATING!!! I’m sorry, but, these people are brainwashed! And they do with children!!!
OSD. Right. Sure enough that kids get implanted with that kind of reality since they are still very young. The easier beings to implant.
Good point, LMR. Back when it was written in their religious books, “don’t take the blood of another” was before blood transfusions even existed. And it is obvious they are speaking of don’t shed the blood of another as in killing someone. So how they can twist it into don’t take blood transfusions is dumb, they must have cognitive dissonance all the time to make that make sense.
Cindy. True. They have real problems to see things how they really are and to interpretate properly what they see or read. I know a lot of people hit this blog daily and even if they don’t comment they read what Mike says and our comments and experiences.
I really hope and believe this helps always someone somewhere.
We are voices out of the matrix(es).
Patients who are Jehovah’s Witnesses find transfusion of stored red cells, white cells, plasma and platelets unacceptable, but other blood products, such as albumin or forms of erythropoietin containing albumin may be acceptable to the individual.
From what I’ve seen of Stephen Lett his grip on reality is very tenuous to say the least.
OSD – That’s one that gets me! No matter what, we are blessed with our children and given charge for their care and wellbeing. So how in the world can that mean becoming a “martyr” for false doctrine when there are simple means to save their lives?!?!
Ugh I knew a woman who was raped and became pregnant (in her late 40’s) which created life threatening blood pressure issues. She terminated and a “lady” (extremely, judgmental, B…) from church harassed her over it. Yet she went on to be principal of the Christian school and positively impacted hundreds of children which wouldn’t have happened if she died. Um logic?!
That was an outstanding post! Bravo!
What a whack job.
The believers must be deep in their cups of Kool aid to watch this and still keep showing up at their church and forwarding this.
Having been in the cult of Scientology I have remembrances of people making unbelievable pronouncements and not even questioning it.
I remember going with a high networth individual scientologist to a special CCH R event that was paid for and this person paid for my ticket and insisted that I dress up. And I’ve looked good. Heber made some really outrageous statements about the Psychs and the industry of psychiatry and their aims, which were very much the kind of thing Ron would say about Marcabeans and people who supported Lord Xenu.
All these well dressed people around me were hooting cheering and clapping and I didn’t question it. But as I look back on it now I realize I was in a Room full of lunatics. And unfortunately lunacy is catching and at that moment in time I caught the lunacy virus and didn’t question the bullshit that I heard.
I have to say that this guy’s delivery as you pointed out Mike, is verging on comical. His earnestness, is a strange and creepy reality, that only a true believer can wallow in.
Listening to this video which thankfully was short, left a little bit of lingering ick factor in my mind.
I took a deep breath to cleanse the ick away, and was washed in a feeling of joy. I thought again how grateful I am to have my own mind and faculties back.
It is joy be free of the cult.
“It is joy (to) be free of the cult.”
Right on the money, Clearly Not Clear.
“The very lastiest of the lastestestest days!”
What the JWs need now is some good, old-fashioned ShermanSpeak.
Yo Danny Boy,
Is the cult keeping you busy enough?
Can’t believe there’s much happening lately.
Probably not much demand for your valuable services lately I would think,
Int Events cancelled. COB holed up in Hemet and not even going on TV.
Is your income drying up, DB ?
Should you be doing 1st Dynamic Danger Formula?
You know, as in “Bypass Habits and Normal Routines”, etc.?
Here’s a suggestion from Little Us:
How about piecing out on the side for the JWs?
They could really use some of your purple prose about now, DB.
Maybe the Dwarf would loan you out.
After all, these JWs have a Failed Purpose on the world ending.
They just cannot make this happen!
They’ve been postulating Armageddon for decades; over and over and over and yet…shit, we’re still all here!
A HUGE failed purpose.
You could help, DB.
One 3- hour long word salad event written by you and delivered by their own Dear Leader to the JW faithful would convince every last one of them that the world IS ending, and SOON, DB!
And if it didn’t actually CONVINCE, them, at the very least, they’d WANT it to be true.
You’re THAT good, DannyBoy.
Wasted talent is a shame.
All this word salad ability – wasted.
Wasted talent.
Think it over.
Much love,
Aqua
Aqua. Good point. Almost all kind of spiritual leaders have already made at least one appearance and I mean by video to give a specific message to their followers or to the world in general. Damn! We are missing David!
Despicable scum like him should hide their faces.
To: Aquamarine
From: David Miscavige COB RTC
Re: your insolence
DAMN IT, AQUAMARINE, THERE YOU GO AGAIN! HOW DARE YOU QUESTION MY ABILITY TO CONTROL COVID-19! WELL. IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT YOU DON’T KNOW THE TECH! HERE’S HOW YOU HANDLE COVID-19; YOU NOT-IS IT! THAT’S RIGHT, YOU SIMPLY DENY THAT IT EXISTS! APPLY THAT TECH AND YOU WON’T CATCH COVID-19 BECAUSE IT JUST ISN’T THERE!
NOW STOP THE ENTHETA AND BE A GOOD GIRL
ML
Dave.
To Scum Everywhere Far and Wide:
I have just received some communication from Captain David Miscavige of the Church of Scientology.
Reading it over gave me a realization, or, as Scientologists would call it, a “cognition”.
I must now apologize for calling David Miscavige “despicable scum”.
Scum is diverse.
There are all types of scum.
Scum and should not be lumped into one category and painted with the same, huge, pejoritve brush.
Hurling that insult at him, calling David Miscavige “scum” was effectively a generalization and as such unfair and insulting to scum everywhere.
Please accept my apology.
Respectfully,
Aquamarine
CC: ALCOBOY
To: Aquamarine
From: David Miscavige COB RTC
Re: coming to your senses.
Glad to see that you’re finally duplicating my comm. And you are right. I AM NOT SCUM IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM!
So keep working your way out of lower conditions.
ML
Dave.
What always cracks me up about the JW videos is the way the Governing Body members always speak to their “flock” as if they’re five-year-olds.
I realize that many of their viewers are non-native speakers of English — only about 20% of the JW membership is in the US where it was founded. So I can understand wanting to speak clearly so that non-native speakers can understand. But they certainly have the money and the production facility to add subtitles in many different languages, or to provide an audio translation over the English language track.
So the only conclusion I can reach is that they’re treating their flock as if they DO have the intellectual capacity of the average five year old. And that’s ultimately bad for business. Anyone who’s not infantile in their emotional and intellectual level is going to take one look at these videos and tir cartoonish depictions of Armageddon in the literature they hand out and go, “yeah, right.”
The other problem is that JW’s are the least educated and have the lowest household income of any major religious group in the US. So your marketing strategy is focused on the customers with the least money out there. At least Scientology has a different strategy, “selling” stuff like IAS trophies to people with some money. There is at least one Scientology billionaire, but I bet there’s nobody even remotely close in the JW world.
I have said it many times. Any “religion” that can put you in the position of having to choose between your family and your church is inherently evil.
True Dat, Jerry Hack.
F*** yes!
It’s the today day. The right here and now day! That’s the day after the last day…. Lol 😁
Oh boy oh boy oh boy! Another version of DM! Just what the world needs. The pathetic thing is there are other versions of him, and when they fall off the map (and they will) no doubt there will be someone ready to take their place. And, there will be those who gobble up their crap. It’s a global thing and probably as old as man.
Did he say the last of the last of the final part of the last days. Or was it the final part of the last of the last days.
Or is he just in a daze??
This is exceptional Mike. I will cherish this clip. It will bring the dead back to life because it’s so dang funny.
Or was it the last, last day?
Laughter!
I’ll laugh, BUT, I need to get cash.
The Book of Revelation, which is the last in the Bible, is 100% Occult. It was put in for various reasons and it has twisted Christians for centuries. Personally, I do not mind if anyone accepts it as literal truth.
But I do get JW’s knocking on my door and that is not cool.
Totally agree with you on the Book of Revelation being occult nonsense, George, but personally I DO mind if people accept it as literal truth ONLY because the people who take it literally are freaking nuts jobs driven to impose their beliefs on the rest of us. Now, if they could or would just mind their own religious business and pursue their own spiritual group death wish together that would be fine, but, no, no, we ALL have to believe this. Grrhhh! And I might add that it is this zealotry that made me cringe when I observed Scientology practicing it, even when I was in the cult and wholly on board.
At last count astronomers have identified almost 200 Billion galaxies with trillions of stars. Most religions are rather Teegeeack centered. You gotta look at the bigger picture.
??? can’t figure out that one. Book of Revelation?
George – I haven’t read the Bible, at least not cover to cover, so I don’t know exactly what is in the Book of Revelation. I believe Buddhists and maybe some Hindus believe in a continuation of universes.This universe will end and another one will begin. Whether “I” as self conscious awareness continues along with it would be a belief.
Science has determined that galaxy clusters are speeding away from each other at an accelerating rate so pretty soon, maybe a trillion years or so, there won’t be any stars in the sky. We need to be prepared!
(Idle thoughts while in lockdown in New Joisy – haha)
Mr. Hubbard determined that the REAL beginning of everything was several quadrillion years ago. I forget the exact number.
Four quadrillion was the approx date of Incident 1. But he also claimed some have even earlier incidents in other universes. And afaik, he never said when the first separations from theta took place. That would be the real origin story, no?
mwesten – For people, practices, religions and cults interested in addressing such things, contemplating the beginning of one’s own self awareness might be an easier task then contemplating the beginning of Everything.
In the past some people have retreated into a cave for a few years and emerged enlightened!
In Buddhist lore it’s said that if monks began contemplating on such things as The Beginning Of Everything the Buddha advised, “Just focus on the breathing.”
“Most religions are rather Teegeeack centered. You gotta look at the big picture.”
Yes. Yes, yes, yes, YES!
The likelihood that Little Planet Earth Us is the only place in the entire universe is highly unlikely!
Now, as to how long ago the REAL beginning of “everything” began, well that’s interesting, surely, but also beside the point of whether or not we on Earth should believe that we are IT and there’s nothing else, anywhere, simply because life other than earth life is not mentioned in the Bible.
I’ll bet there are millions of ants each residing in their own individual tiny ant hill groups who believe THEY are “it” too 🙂
To: Aquamarine
From: David Miscavige COB RTC
Re: getting your facts straight.
Stop quoting verbal tech! Let me explain to you how the universe came into being.
Umpteen millions of years ago, Our Most Holy Lord Xenu placed the SPs of his homeworld into suspended animation. After loading them onto DC-10s he flew them to our world and dropped them into various volcanoes which were then hit with hydrogen bombs. I know this because in one of my past lives I was dropped into Mount Vesuvius long before Pompeii was even thought of!
Now that I have delivered some OT tech to you, I’m afraid that I must now bill you $675,000.00. Failure to pay will result in total seizure of all your assets as well as your imprisonment at Int Base as my personal servant.
ML
Dave.
LOL!
Hi Dave,
Thanks so much for being there and communicating.
Understood on all except for one thing:
Back in the day, umpteen million years ago, when Xenu had you dropped into a volcano, did you land on your head?
Because that would explain a lot.
Much love,
Aqua
Is there any religion that has predicted anything correctly?
Not asking to be a jerk…I’m seriously wondering.
I was just told the story about Easter. The point of it (i guess). It doesn’t make sense to me. I was told it is all about having “faith”.
I want to be supportive of anyone’s faith in everything just to stay in harmony. I have faith in eating differently helping my health. That’s my “religion “ i guess.
All of these beliefs are confusing to me. I try to understand things and i just get more confused.
What does Scientology or Hubbard day about having “faith”?
Sarita. What scientology says about ‘faith’ is usually something for someone who is not inside. It’s just PR. Those inside are well aware of this.
They don’t believe in any god. They only believe in hubbard’s mythology.
Furthermore, it is not a religion, it is a group of self-improvement ‘changed’ into a spiritual movement and then religion for obvious fiscal reasons.
It is not a free criticism I was there for many years I know exactly what I am saying.
People have the right to believe what they want but this cult is not a ‘faith’
Scientology has turned me off all religion. I know that it’s not quite the same thing, because it’s a cult, but they both have blind belief.
Religion is nothing but superstition, born of a time when man didn’t understand the universe. Science negates they need for religion.
I’m always turned off when I find that someone is in a religion. Bluntly, I think it’s all bullshit.
“…born of a time when man didn’t understand the universe.”
And man STILL doesn’t understand the universe. That’s the pitfall of people empty of religion and faith: they overestimate both their own knowledge and the capacity of human knowledge and power in general. “Remember, man, that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return.” Maybe learn to develop some humility, it’ll do you good.
Sincerely, someone who comes from a family of scientists who are also religious.
Resurrection had already occurred in the new testament, to the point it was almost common place and rather uneventful. So, in typical cult fashion, JC’s followers had to spin yet another yarn to make him “special”. To celebrate this bs, and to appeal to the masses it was attempting to convert, the early church simply appropriated the pagan festival of spring and rebirth. That’s the real story of Easter.
As for faith, scientologists despise the word. To a scientologist, faith is fodder for the weak, the degraded and the enslaved. They don’t believe, they “know”. Scientology isn’t a faith, it’s a body of knowledge; a science.
The reality, however, is that scientology is 100% faith. Not just in Hubbard, “the tech” and the expectation of results, but in the literal interpretation of preconditioned subconscious narratives revealed in therapy. In the significances assigned to the guided imagery of upper level processes. It all lies at the very heart of scientology’s efficacy: the placebo effect.
I never looked at scn as my religion. It was Western science applied to Eastern philosophy. At some point after leaving I looked back at my scn experience and realized that while I was ” in” I believed that Everyone should eventually become a scientologist so I guess it was my “faith”. I had to eat some crow on that – lol
At least I was never pushy about it. 😇
Sarita,
I was born and raised Christian and I never believed that Jesus Christ rose from being dead on the cross.
I believe in and admire and try to emulate Christian principles but I’m not much for the magic attached to Christianity, i.e., feeding 5 thousand people with 5 loaves of bread and 5 fishes, raising people up from the dead, water-walking.
I do believe that Jesus was an amazing, highly evolved MAN who might well have healed people of their diseases somewhat because there are people who are healers and the laying on of hands etc. from someone with – how should I say – the right kind of “energy” has been demonstrated to heal people. I’m not sure how MUCH of that I believe but I believe SOME of it is possible, let me put it that way.
But the Virgin Birth and all the rest of it? Pure fiction invented and promoted widely with the intent of posting up a god-figure for the masses to worship and attach themselves to whilst disattaching themselves from the pagan gods. That’s my opinion.
Works for me that I believe Jesus was a highly evolved HUMAN who preached brotherly love and understanding and whose message caught on. To each his own. And if he married Mary Magdalene or some woman and had children, so what? Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t – so what? Is it important? Not to me. He had a remarkable, beautiful, over-all message about love and personal responsibility and being responsible for others, for mercy, for unselfishness. If he was actually born of human intercourse, if he didn’t actually walk on water, if he didn’t raise himself from the dead and all the other magic, who cares? I personally don’t need that. But apparently many people do need and have always needed that – a magical God-Figure. Which is fine; to each his own.
Edit: “Disattaching”…no such word. Should have said, “Detaching”.
Oh man. Watching another whack leader act whack …. Oh man… I want to reach back through time and pick up my younger self and show her my reality now. Sigh. I wouldn’t have listened.
You’ve been listening all your life. I know a little bit about what you went through. And it was tough. You’re a wonderful person, dear. And you have a lot of strength. Keep that in mind.
Peace & Blessings
Funny. It seems that this guy in the video is almost rubbing his hands:
Finally, I know that now is the end of the world. It was time! I told you! Damn!