AAWA is pleased to announce that a new edition of AAWAke! is now available on our Newsletter page as a PDF to download or for reading online.
Featured articles in the November issue include descriptions of our plans to improve this website and to expand its reach. Our goal is to introduce some new features over the next few weeks and then announce a major redesign of this website sometime during the first quarter of 2014.
Video Expansion
One new feature that we are very excited about is a planned expansion of our Media resources. AAWA will continue to produce original videos that focus on our five “core issues” (Watchtower’s shunning, child abuse, domestic abuse, restrictions on higher education, and medical uses of blood). In addition we will be expanding our collections to include videos produced by non-AAWA groups and individuals. We know that there is a treasure trove of exceptionally well-made material just waiting for us to introduce to our readers. Here is one example:
Brad Zook loves Jehovah’s Witnesses…
Brad became enlightened to the abuses perpetrated by the Watchtower Society in the spring of 2011 when some of his friends became Jehovah’s Witnesses. He was determined to learn all he could about the Watchtower organization for the purpose of freeing his friends from the cult. He found out – as anyone who has attempted to do this knows – that is not an easy task. The result? His JW friends are shunning him even though he has never been a Jehovah’s Witness. Brad defines his purpose very clearly:
“I now want to put my years of study to use to create awareness of Watchtower abuses so others will not get involved without knowing what this organization truly is. I also want to help anyone who has been affected by this organization’s damaging policies and practices.”
You can help us by identifying other quality videos like the one above on YouTube.com, Vimeo.com, and other online media resources. We can also publish privately made videos not currently available on existing commercial websites. While video presentation and subject matter must meet our general editorial standards for publication on AAWA.co, we are open to a broad range of subjects. That includes biographical stories, critiques of books and other media, humor, and historical information. If you already have videos available on YouTube or Vimeo and we’ve noticed them, you may soon be contacted by one of our volunteers about allowing their presentation on AAWA.co. Email your suggestions to webmaster@aawa.co.
Nice video, Brad Zook. A better person is always going to be kind to others regardless of their personal beliefs.
However, for you to say “I love Jehovah’s Witnesses” is kind of a fallacy. There are lots of innocent people who are JW, most are completely brainwashed, those I can feel sorry for. I should, I was one for 40 years. But, there are also some truly evil people within JW, just like anywhere else. It’s kind of like saying “I love all Muslims” because by and large their religion teaches peace and kindness. But do I love the terrorists Muslims who distort the religion as an excuse to harm and kill? Do you know anyone who does? Just like the Muslims, there are among JW many who are just as evil, just as deadly in their dealings with others as any over-zealous terrorist.
Also, if you’ve done your homework on what kind of people are attracted to high-control religions, you will also see that there is an unnaturally large percentage of JWs who have problems with mental illness. They are drawn to such religions because it much easier to be told what to do than to think and do, than to think for yourself. If this kind of mind-control can distort the thinking of normal people, what do you think happens to the mentally ill? They will give up and sacrifice their children and all common sense in a heartbeat – just because some old men on the east coast told them to. Don’t you think that harms the innocent bystanders and children of these people?
So, do you REALLY want to say you ‘love all of JWs?’ Spend a couple days reading on any ex-JW forum about the horrendous experiences of child and domestic abuse and extreme psychological abuse that thousands, perhaps even millions have suffered at the hands of these ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’ and you will be forced to change your mind. After all, Watchtower may be in charge, but people under them still have to take responsibility for their own actions. In a court of law, saying, ‘they told me to do it’ didn’t work for the Nazis, and it shouldn’t work for JWs either.
Just my two cents.
Do keep up the good work on your videos!
Hi Isabella,
I understand what you’re saying, but I don’t think you understand what I am saying. I never said, “All JWs are good people.” There certainly are despicable people within the JWs. I am fully aware of the abuse as I’ve spent not a couple of days, but daily for years on ex-JW forums. I don’t think there exists an ex-JW recorded testimony that I haven’t heard; probably twice. That’s why I work for AAWA and work to expose the WT on my own.
Human beings have intrinsic worth; even the despicable ones. So, I can stand by my statement but, like I made very clear in the video, I DO NOT love the Watchtower organization; it’s policies, practices, beliefs, culture, actions, or the actions of those people who by in to the lie and use it as an excuse to hurt others. No question, the JW “religion” is a curse on the human race for all the reasons you enumerated above.
Just clarifying. I bet we’re actually on the same page! : )
Thanks,
Brad
Thank you Brad. For years now I have felt torn by my Love for the witnesses and my detest for the practices of shunning and false promises and prophecies. I never before saw it in the way you explained! Your video was a real eye opener for me in terms of how seperate the two, JW’s and the WT organization really are. Helps me to rederect my conflicting anger in the right direction. Keep up the Good work!