As of today, July 25, 2014, my latest Youtube video has received 8,000 views and almost 400 comments.  Not bad for a video that was uploaded on June 11, 2014.

One of my favorite comments comes from Jeremy, a fifteen year old JW.  He wrote (all comments are unedited):

“I was born into the religion and still am a Jehovah’s witness. I am currently 15. I said my age that way you know I am not too immature to understand. I am appalled by what I saw and I would like to give you an apology for the treatment you received.

But I would like to say that not all of us are like that. Some of us do believe in what we preach. However, you are correct, they wrongfully treated you. That is not the correct way we were taught to handle a situation like that one. The way I learned to allow to you visit and listen to what we have to say. You are free to have your own beliefs and opinions.

But please don’t make it seem like all of us are like that. I personally believe that it was your right to see what we had to say. Catch whatever you needed on camera. The mere fact that you showed up says that you were interested in seeing us how we really are. I am just sorry that you had to see the behavior demonstrated that day. It was completely disrespectful and I apologize for the  behavior of my people.  –  Jeremy”

For 15, Jeremy  has some real insight; I was impressed with his comment and thanked him.  My intent on going to JW conventions like this one in Tucson are for people like Jeremy.  He was born into this cult and is being raised as a JW, which means he is being brainwashed into believing this organization is “the truth” from an early age.

When a teen-ager like Jeremy sees a video like mine and reacts in the manner he did, there is hope for him.  If he can see the blatant hypocrisy at such an early age, hopefully this will be a seed planted in his mind that will grow into a tree of knowledge that will one day lead him out into freedom.

Jeremy wrote that he “was appalled by what I saw.”  That is another good sign, because if you read some of the other comments posted on the video, you will see that other JW’s don’t share his views.

Here is an example from “Moe”:

“So you wanted to go to a place where everyone is peaceful and trying to worship God to aggravate them? No wonder God wants to get rid of people like you.”

Or this one:

“… he’s a drama queen, causing disruption.. it accomplishes nothing to do this, but make a scene, and stir up trouble. I’m an ex jw, but this si the kind of guy that DOES need his *ss kicked. he’s lucky they are jws, or they would have.. get a life, go home and do something worthwhile to help the people… but then,thats not your point is it? idiot”

One thing I have learned from my long associations in dealing with JW’s and ex-JW’s:  they are among some of the most hateful and violent of people; not as bad as the Muslims, but a few steps down from that insane crowd.

Hopefully, Jeremy’s family is not raising him this way, but I don’t have much hope.  We are dealing with spiritual issues, and there are certain “principalities and powers” that energize, guide and direct religious movements.  In my dealings with your typical JW at the summer conventions, the spirit guiding this group is not the kind of spirit you want to have sitting down with you at dinner.