Slimboyfat said: I did not say quotes was an apostate website, though you may be correct in inferring that I think it may be reasonable to characterize it as such from a Witness point of view; however my argument emphatically did not turn on that point as you seem to have assumed.
You said nothing about it coming "from a Witness point of view" and it baffles the mind as to why you would write such a thing without stating "this is how a Witness would probably view it." Therefore, it's only natural to conclude that you mean what you say. I've read enough of your other posts Slim. This isn't the first time you've made comments that seem to support the organization and I find it interesting that you always seem to refer to your fellow posters on this site as "the apostates here"-----lingo that those in the Organization still use.
I disagree that the Witnesses went after quotes because it was embarrassing. I think they would pursue the same action against anyone who stole their material on such a scale and broke copyright laws.
'Stole their literature'? Surely you jest. There was nothing on Quotes that had not been offered to the public at one time or another and passed off as "truth". Where the hell do you get that it was 'stolen'? In the lawsuit, it clearly inferred that they felt the owner of Quotes put up all their literature to cause them "embarassment". If the GB really, truly felt that they were the only religion approved of by God, and that His Spirit guided them in their writings, there would be absolutely no reason for them to be embarassed about what they wrote. Get your head out of the clouds-----they went after Quotes for the exact reason they cited: It was embarassing to them.
The literature is the one commodity the organization actually produces, and they don't want to share the benefits, not even among the Witnesses themselves as they seem touchy even about Witnesses reproducing literature in different forms for the Ministry School and so on.
And this doesn't strike you as very odd? For a religion who claims that their sole purpose is to "preach this good news of the Kingdom" to "all the inhabitants of the earth", then why in God's name would they not "want to share the benefits" of their literature via the internet, especially as there are no personal interpretations of their literature given by Quotes? That makes NO sense at all.
You seem to assume that because I believe apostates don't have an impact on the organisation that means I am glad that apostates don't have an impact. That is not true. I would actually like the idea of apostates (reasonable ones that is) having a greater influence over JWs as an organisation and upon more individual Witnesses. However that influence remains slight.
'Slight' eh? I think not. There are countless websites that blow the Organizations doctrines out of the water. Then we had Dateline, 20/20 and The 5th Estate that exposed the pedophile problem in the Organization. Then we have the blood issue that reveals their hypocritical stand. If the influence of 'apostates' was only 'slight' then they wouldn't be mentioning the internet and 'apostate' websites at every opportune moment. It's having a much bigger impact than what you think.
Your statement:
they would have no problem with anyone quoting their literature on a website---if fact, they would welcome it. Since they did the exact opposite, it's obvious that they've got plenty to hide
Simply does not follow for reasons I have explained. They may indeed have plenty to hide, but the fact they objected to the quotes site does not prove that point.
Well if you believe that they went after Quotes solely for copyright infringement, you go right ahead and keep on believing that.
minimus said: Mary, I love your point about Jesus not being concerned about his words being publicized. He wouldn't be getting lawyers involved to halt whatever he said. He clearly had nothing to hide.
Exactly. I don't recall the first century congregation having a team of lawyers, or the congregations being split up into different corporations for tax benefits. Really----can anyone see Jesus at Crooklyn in the 21st century? They'd put him to death faster than the Romans did.......
