A publication of Advocates for Awareness of Watchtower Abuses April 2014

AAWAs Latest Endeavors In this Issue

by Steph le Gardener

In the past couple of months, Our main AAWA site has been AAWA Endeavors
AAWA has been busy behind the far more active as well. You may have
scenes working on some projects that noticed that weve added a lot of new Speaking out: Mike & Kim
will bring more exposure to the voices to the blog area. It is our goal to
antiquated and harmful policies of the post new content every few days to
Meet-Up Groups for Ex-JWs
Watch Tower Society. One of those keep it fresh and engaging. There have
projects has been the introduction of a been some powerful personal stories
series of petitions addressed to the shared recently that are definitely Education on a Budget
United Nations, United States worth a read. Understanding the
Government, and other official impact the Watch Tower Society has
agencies to recommend change in had on the lives of members is a good
laws that will protect the human rights reminder for WHY were doing this
of former and current members. work. We want the public to know
The first petition highlights the whats going on behind the curtain,
Watchtowers shunning policy and its and how they are impacting lives.
damaging effect on individuals by way When the public begins to care,
of separating and creating divisions in change is far more likely to happen. A publication of
families. Psychologists have proven the Advocates for Awareness of
damaging effects of shunning; the Watchtower Abuses
harm done is incalculable. Familial
relationships should be a personal issue,
without undue unethical influence from
a religious corporation.
The second petitions focus is HOW TO REACH US:
titled Mandate Child Molestation
Reporting In All Religious Faiths. EDITORIAL STAFF:
Instead of allowing the current legal [email protected]
loopholes that allow the Watchtower
to squirm through without reporting WEBSITE TECHNICAL ISSUES:
allegations of child molestation, we are [email protected]
encouraging laws be passed to make
Working on yet another area
reporting mandatory, letting the PUBLIC RELATIONS:
near and dear to AAWA, we are now
professionals sort it out. [email protected]
partnering with Associated Jehovahs
Links to both petitions will be
Witnesses for Reform on Blood (AJWRB)
shown below, and we encourage REQUESTS FOR HELP AND SUPPORT:
to re-develop their website with the
everyone to not only sign these, but to [email protected]
most current information as it relates to
share them. We want to send a
Jehovahs Witnesses and their blood
message loud and clear that change is
policies.
necessary.
This group began with the sole
Using Coercion to Force Members to Stay
mission of educating Jehovahs
Mandate Clergy Reporting of Child Witnesses regarding the many
Molestation inconsistencies in the Watchtowers
blood policy so that they could truly
We recently shared with you make an informed choice about their AAWA.co
the new AAWA Facebook page. Our medical treatment and that goal has
followers there have tripled since that never changed.
announcement, and wed love to The plan is to have updated
have you like our page, as well. Be information, pages, links, etc.,
sure to check it out at completed by May 15. The site can be
https://www.facebook.com/AAWA.Of accessed at awjrb.org.
ficial.Page Events, news articles, and
hot topics are posted regularly.
Speaking Out: Mike & Kim
by Jeni Lundblom-Valdez

After being officially disfellowshipped, the pair decided it

was time to speak up. They joined the ranks of YouTube
apostates and started making videos. The response has
been a positive one. "We receive hundreds and hundreds
of encouraging emails every week," says Kim. This
feedback is what gives them the strength to keep going.
For those looking to leave the Watchtower, the
couple recommends researching, getting involved and
getting support from other ex-JWs. They encourage you to
take a look at what's available. There are a variety of
groups with members who all have different viewpoints. If
one group or contributor isn't right for you, keep looking.
While losing family and friends is still hard to cope
with, in the end they don't regret their decision to leave
the Watchtower. "We're all happy, living life without the
horrible guilt... because we can no longer go to meetings
or service. People aren't so bad out there in the world. The
Ex-JW community has become our new family and we
love them all no matter what."
Anyone who follows the Ex-JW movement has
no doubt noticed the recent explosion of Mike & To find out more about Mike & Kim, please visit their
Kim Brooks. In less than 6 months, they have uploaded YouTube channel at:
over 100 videos and amassed over 650 subscribers on http://www.youtube.com/user/kimmymbrooks
their YouTube channel. Their videos offer
encouragement, information, and points-of-view that
resonate with a wide variety of people. I recently had
the chance to correspond with this dynamic duo and
learn a little more about what makes them tick.
Both Mike & Kim were introduced to the
Watchtower as children. They met, fell in love, and were
married in 1979--when Kim was just 16 years old.
Their Romeo & Juliet romance sparked gossip that Kim
was expecting. Although it was false, this was first of
many rumors that would eventually surround the couple.
Throughout their tenure as Witnesses, the two always Non-Religious Meet-Up Groups
considered themselves misfits. Many a visit was made to
the back room to discuss what the couple considered to for Ex-JWs
be hypocrisy within the organization.
In 1983, the two became parents to a daughter, You are not alone, though the shunning policies of
Shyla. They did their best to set a good example for her. the Watchtower can sometimes make us feel that way.
Mike was appointed as a Ministerial Servant and Why not get together with other former JWs in a religion-
together with Shyla even pioneered for a time. In order neutral social setting and take the sting out? To that end,
to allow this, Kim took on the role of breadwinner in the AAWA would like to promote social meet-up groups
house. Instead of lauding her efforts, the elders around the world.
counseled Mike on Kim's "lack of joy" and low service We know there are already a few meet-up groups
time. This "shepherding" created friction and resulted in in place, but we'd like to see them all over, accessible by
Mike being removed from his position and his eventual the thousands of ex-JWs out there. To start us off, we
retirement from pioneering. wanted to let you know about a new meet-up group in
Over time, health problems prohibited the two Northern Utah, USA organized by Michu Gracey. This group
from attending meetings regularly. Though they were still is both religiously and politically neutral. Here's the link:
Witnesses, the other JWs, including family, stopped http://www.meetup.com/Ex-Jehovahs-Witnesses-in-Utah/
associating with them. Eventually, they moved away, If you have a successful meet-up group in place,
reconnected with an old friend and learned "the truth please let us know. We'd love to share the info with others.
about the truth." Shyla and her husband James followed You can send your meet-up group info and link to:
along. [email protected]. Check out the gallery of photos on the
next page from recent meetups in New York, Utah,
Toronto, and Washingtonlots of smiling faces.

Page 2 Volume 2, Issue 2 .

 Education on a Budget Happy Faces From Recent
by Steph Le Gardener Ex-JW Meetups
Higher education, one of the top ten
Watchtower no-nos, is something most former JWs
were denied. So, what do we do when we find
ourselves in a situation where we are an adult on a
shoestring budget but could really use some extra
education and training to give us a leg up in the job
market? Or, perhaps we simply want to keep
improving our critical thinking skills and expanding our
worldview.
There are many who have taken the leap
into higher education as adult learners, but we know
that learning usually comes with a pretty hefty price
tag. While youre sorting out your finances, why not
take advantage of FREE learning?
Some of the teaching facilities noted below
even offer certificates, a definite help when looking
for employment. Some of the classes are great tools
for transitioning into higher learning. From personal
experience, Ill share something: you will likely have
far better study habits than your classmates

750 Free Online Courses from Top Universities:

http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses

Coursera Free Online Courses:

http://www.coursera.org/

Online Courses: www.OnlineCourses.com (a

sampling of areas of interest here)
http://www.onlinecourses.com/accounting/
http://www.onlinecourses.com/information-
technology/
http://www.onlinecourses.com/writing/

EdX: https://www.edx.org/how-it-works

Education Portal: http://education-

portal.com/academy/get-credit.html

Stanford School of Engineering:

http://see.stanford.edu/

Khan Academy: http://www.khanacademy.org/

More photos from the Brooklyn meetup can be

found in the gallery at Karama Sadaka Photography.

Page 3 Volume 2, Issue 2 .

How the Internet is Helping AAWA Educate the World
by John Hoyle

When I began to write this article, I realized that In many ways, the very fact that we had to suffer
it was exactly one year ago that AAWAs website went through that horrible first month made us stronger and a
live online. As I look back, it seems far longer than just a great deal smarter. As a result, we continue to have broad
year because so much has happened. The good news is support from other JW discussion websites and a steady
that most of our experiences have been pleasant. stream of new volunteers looking for ways to help us
A well-produced video announced AAWAs succeed. At the same time as our critics fade into the
inauguration in March 2013. It was a compilation of shadows, secular media is beginning to take notice of us in
snippets by former Jehovah's Witnesses who are known more meaningful ways.
to be activists and critics of the Watchtower's Being AAWA.co's webmaster I am beginning to
destructive policies. That video was widely praised at the understand what works and what doesn't. For example,
time of its release and remains a classic. our best day ever was November 4, 2013. We had 15,612
Our first website posts included a greeting and unique visitors to AAWA.co, over 11,000 referred to our site
description of AAWA's mission and objectives by then by Facebook alone. That week we saw over 28,000 unique
Board President John Cedars. Other articles included visitors (until that date our average weekly unique visitor
news about the Candace Conti Court Appeal, a rate was about 5,000). Why the sudden jump?
personal account about Jehovah's Witness funerals, and One article that week
a scathing (and somewhat humorous) critique of the ("Shameful Shunning in a
"real" door-to-door preaching work by Jehovahs Thousand Words") showed a
Witnesses. simple photo of a man eating
The euphoria of that first week soon turned to a his breakfast in his kitchen with
state of panic. Critics immediately attacked the names his back turned to the camera.
of both our group and website, branding them as being In any other context, this photo
too negative and too aggressive. When we opened would have never been pub-
our new Facebook page to everyone, certain lished. The simple point that
individuals who claimed to be our "friends" decided to photo so eloquently made
"refer" all of their Facebook friends without warning them brought tears to thousands of
in advance. At first we were ecstatic about the huge our readers. It eloquently
number of new members that had joined in barely three exposed the real effects of the
days (over 1000). Unfortunately, we soon realized that Watchtower's shunning policy in
some of those new members did not know they had a way unlike anything I'd ever
been automatically signed up by someone else. A few seen before.
(who were still trying to hide their connections to ex- Many other articles brought new viewers to
JWs) discovered they were "outed" before they were AAWA.co in droves ("Watchtower and Teenagers with the
willing to take that step for themselves. Paris Jackson" video). Lee Marshs Support Forum also
At the end of our first week, I realized that a brought a steady stream of regular and new visitors. Since
totally unaffiliated Facebook account had copied our our website went online we've had almost a quarter million
header and AAWA logo - and then posted them as their visitors (and, Im sad and glad - to say, well over a
own. When our identity appeared on the other 100,000 spammers, hackers and other trouble makers who
Facebook page, it immediately created confusion for were blocked from the site).
those looking for our Facebook account. It took a few We live in a wonderful time. While television and
days and a couple of phone calls, but we soon got radio are still viable technologies, there isnt any other
everything sorted out. It took creating new names for media strategy that could begin to have that kind of
both our group and our website and setting higher reach to the world's population that the Internet has. It is a
levels of online security (for Facebook and our website) fact that AAWA.co became truly global in its reach within
to finally solve the problems. just a few months - and it is all due to the Internet.
We had not foreseen the stumbling blocks we You can actually see for yourself all the places in
would encounter that first month. We survived the critics the world that we have reached over just the past ten
and our resolve grew stronger. By mid-May, we were days. Just click on "Map of Vistors" in the Who's Online
well on our way to achieving our goals. Many critics widget in AAWA.cos lower right sidebar to see dots
continued to forecast AAWAs quick demise (and representing locations of just 2000 of our most recent
several actively pushed for it.) visitors.
______________________________________________________

We are pleased to announce that a new and

completely redesigned AAWA.co website is planned to
go live about June 1, 2014. It will have a new look, lots of
new features and will provide portals to other groups
and websites that we feel will enhance our message.
Watch for the official announcement on AAWA.co
sometime in May.

Page 4 Volume 2, Issue 2 .