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apostate
I joined the JC's because they were going in the same direction I was. I was interested in their free work programs because I saw that as meeting ideals I believed in. I was not aware of ALL their beliefs when I joined as that would have entailed too much effort.[/color:a169881b9c] I liked the camaradarie that was represented within the group and enjoyed the appeal to my ego their beliefs that they were "elect" and "chosen" "children of Abraham" gave to me. I became a prisoner of the poorly formed ideals of my youth.
Yes Apostate but Dave was aware of ALL his beliefs and the consequences they would eventually have in your life. He had ALL the information and choose not to impart that to you because , to use your metaphor, you would have got [i:a169881b9c]back on that bus or found your own way around town[/i:a169881b9c]. You were slowly drip fed. The [i:a169881b9c]experienced city slickers[/i:a169881b9c] had the same experience initially, were equally deceived by a spiritual conman who engaged them in reinforcing the web of deceit. They prove themselves to Dave by recruiting others or collecting donations and are rewarded within the group when they do this. Everyone of us needs to feel special in some way and the friendly faces of the equally deceived provide that invitation into the web that Dave continually spins.
There are ethical religious groups who insist that new members are aware of ALL of their main tenets before joining. They have nothing to hide. Their members do not need to avoid family and friends because of some Dave who is afraid of their influence. If Ash had joined such a group, he would not be [i:a169881b9c]holed up in a hotel room in Canada [/i:a169881b9c] now with Dave. He may still have made a free decision to donate but his family and friends would be there to support him.
On the donation situation
Is the hospital involved aware of Dave's insatiable craving for media coverage, the present plans for a documentary coinciding conveniently with another organ donation?
Are they aware that many critics of the group support/ have no objection to organ donations outside of the JC's ?
That Dave dismisses ex members traumas, concern and need for mutual support as gossip.
That Dave is considered to be a serial bully.
Are they aware that the JC teaching that[i:a169881b9c]you do not do your good deeds in public[/i:a169881b9c] is in direct contradiction to the media coverage Dave arranged during the Kidneys for Jesus filming? Dave chooses to cite that teaching whenever he is asked about charity work or where the proceeds from members inheritances or forsaken property go. He chooses to cite that teaching when he wants to hide things. The teaching is placed neatly back on the peg when Dave's craving for attention takes over and demands feeding. Then the JC teaching conveniently changes to [i:a169881b9c]do your good deeds in a glare of publicity.
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Normal intelligent people can see the contradiction here and young intelligent idealistic people like Ash would have spotted it from 10k before they became members. Before they got [i:a169881b9c]holed up in a hotel room[/i:a169881b9c] with a man who reconstructs their lives inside his web and keeps them very busy during the process.
Have you noticed his need to collectively demonise us ( and all critics) using a convenient label that trips that critical thinking switch to OFF. This new term added to that growing list of short curcuiting labels used in the group serves that purpose [i:a169881b9c]Dave haters[/i:a169881b9c] that is what they call us. Dave who teaches members to be open to criticism and correction is trying to dead bat the valid criticisms raised here Dave should clarify Either the [i:a169881b9c]Lord corrects those he loves[/i:a169881b9c] OR [i:a169881b9c]Anyone who corrects Dave is a Dave hater
[/i:a169881b9c] You can not have it both ways. If the first premise holds true, then by preaching the second, Dave could infer that the Lord is a [i:a169881b9c]Dave hater[/i:a169881b9c] According to Dave, God can use many different ways to correct us, remember? Even use a RR website. We are not Dave haters but we do hate many of the things he does which damage peoples lives.
Another interesting article for comparison about the conman who choose a spy scenario to create his web of deceit.
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