Recently Received Wacky JW Spam re: UN Destroying Religion

I recently received the following email. I don't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the sender. It looks like I'm not the first person on this board to receive this email (see http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/166981/1.ashx).

Note: the following email was sent to me after being forwarded several times.

==================== Email below =========================

Dear Friends,

> The following is an experience related by Bro. Albert Olih who is a Branch Committee member in the Nigerian Branch. The experience was sent to a sister that I have known for 30 years in the truth. I have also verified this experience directly from Bro. Olih himself. Bro. Olih's life experience has been published in a 1981 issue of the Watchtower and the 1986 Yearbook and has been quoted in two other Society publications. (Search in Watchtower Library under "Albert Olih" to read his life experience) The experience is very exciting considering the times we are living in. Enjoy!



From a Circuit Overseer in Georgia.... Brother Steve Kormendi

We had an interesting experience at our recent assembly.

Though he has never been to college, this brother who grew up in the truth, is so talented that he was able to obtain a very high paying job. A while ago, his company assigned him to give a talk to the United Nations. He worried over what to speak about.

After much deliberation, he finally managed to prepare his speech and showed it to his sister for her to read. His sister is also in the truth. As she read the proposed speech, she couldn't believe her brother would deliver it, so she asked him if he was going to give that talk to the U.N., to which he replied 'yes'.

Well, he talked about the fighting and total disunity of the world and cited the major cause of it all - religion. After stating a series of facts and statistics, he explained that there is one group that will never be found in that category - Jehovah's Witnesses - and then went on to show why that was the case. He spoke at length of the sovereignty of God's kingdom and how that kingdom will unite the planet.

The talk wasn't given to the whole U.N., but rather to a division of it having to do with economics. When he finished, he nervously wondered how his speech had been received. Eventually the chairman, who like the rest of the committee held a variety of university degrees, said that the last thing he expected to hear about at that time was religion. He went on to say that there was certainly no doubt that religion was the cause of so many problems. You can imagine our brother's relief!

Later, as the meeting was breaking up, he approached the three members of the committee with a question: 'So, when are you going after religion?'

They were stunned. They asked him: 'How do you know that is what we have planned?'

Our brother quickly replied: 'The bible foretold it in much detail.' After consulting together for a few moments they declared that it would be happening soon because everything was already in place. As they left the room, one turned to our brother and quietly said, 'Whatever your mission is, get it done quickly, for it won't be long now!'


Wow! Talk about excited - This surely shows Jehovah our God has entrusted the truth of his word to the right organization!

========================= End of email ===========================

So, obviously this is a classic JW urban legend. This is pretty well-done, in my opinion. By dropping a couple of names, this lends an air of legitimacy to what most JWs would probably consider to be a far-fetched story. It also distracts the reader from the fact that there are lots of unanswered questions. These unanswered questions prevent the reader from checking up on the veracity of the story. Some of the questions are:

1) What is the brother's name?
2) What company did he work for?
3) Who did he talk to at the UN?
4) When did this happen?
5) Why isn't this in print?

It is completely not true. As a matter of fact, Steve Kormendi is no longer Circuit Overseer for more than several years. He is an elder and he does not live too far from me.

I heard this from my brother in law a long time ago, probably 7 or 8 years.
I haven't talked to him for at least 5 years and it was a while before that.

Old rumours die hard.

More interesting is that I've heard of three teenagers in a Congregation near me that have left the Jehovah's Witnesses in the last few weeks because of an e-mail about the Society and the UN. I assume it's the NGO thing.

Steve Kormendi 223 Charlie Smith Rd Braselton, GA 30517 (706) 654-0899 Add to Address Book | Map | Driving Directions 0.7 miles 0.7 miles © 2008 Microsoft Corporation © 2008 NAVTEQ © AND © 2008 Microsoft Corporation © 2008 NAVTEQ © AND Road Aerial Hybrid MORE INFORMATION ON Steve Kormendi * (706) 654-0899 is a Land Line phone. * The local time is 5:51 PM. * Location: Braselton, GA Who wants to call him?

Steve Kormendi is pretty old brother, keep that in mind before calling him.

As I said, I first heard a variation of this rumor circulating twenty years ago.  I think we can safely deduce that this email is a buch of baloney.  Certainly not the first time JWs would forward falacious experiences and stories. 

I found his name on the peoplefinder. No, I am not going to bother the fellow.

oh gag I remember this story from years ago

That story was going the rounds for the 30 years I was a JW.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/169363/3138004/post.ashx#3138004

Welcome to the recycle bin. This first hit the rounds after the Knowledge book was released in 95.....