The internet, as well as better education in general, has arrived; their days are numbered. No amount of money will save them. It might not be in our lifetimes, but the sect will die.
Law suits by the Society against websites
by isnrblog 38 Replies latest jw friends
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wha happened?
The websites such as quotes are a very insignificant target to the WTB&TS. They pile on a lawsuit and it goes away. They will come and go. However, the news sites that do have big money behind them will continue to broadcast such noteworthy news such as the Pedophilia cases and blood issues. Those things will undue the WTB&TS. Along with their ever tightening grip on the rank and file. Suing them individually, starting petitions, or calling them on a daily basis, or throwing tomatoes at the buildings will do little.
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Fisherman
WTS literature is copyrighted. WTS owns it. Selling, distributing, copying, reproducing, posting wts literature may be a copyright violation but that can be for a Court of law to decide. In each country, their national laws apply and not US law. In the US, US law applies. There are international copyright agreements however. In the US, a Court having competent jurisdiction can order an US ISP or a US Website owner to document the identities of alleged copyright violators. Simply put, that means that if a person violates copyright laws, that person can be held legally liable and if you are an active jw not only wil you be embarrased when you are identified but probably, if not definitely disciplined. If you are not a jw, then you can only be sued.
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Lady Lee
The websites such as quotes are a very insignificant target to the WTB&TS. They pile on a lawsuit and it goes away. They will come and go.
Such sites are not so insignificant. The internet is available to almost everyone. In school most kids learn how to use a computer and even if they don't have one at home there are enough places where they can get access. JWs now have information that exposes the WTS for what it is. So many people here have said it is through the internet they have found out the reak truth about JWs and the WTS. And it is through the internet they get support from sites like this one. Those who choose to leave are no longer isolated. Yes they can easily make individual sites disappear. But then 10 new ones will appear.
However, the news sites that do have big money behind them will continue to broadcast such noteworthy news such as the Pedophilia cases and blood issues.Those things will undue the WTB&TS. Along with their ever tightening grip on the rank and file.
I totally agree the media is playing a huge part in exposing the WTS for what it is. The programs have presented well-documented exposees of life behind the WT walls. There isn't a lot the WTS can do to shut them down. Most JWs will believe the comments that the WTS feeds them but the public gets a heads up and that is the best innoculation to prevent people from getting involved.
Suing them individually, starting petitions, or calling them on a daily basis, or throwing tomatoes at the buildings will do little.
Some of the courtcases have received wide attention by the media. Both individual cases about the sexual abuse scandal and many of the cases of blood transfusions do a lot to sometimes gain a lot of attention. A letter writing campaing or two directed towards politicians that are responsible for child health and welfare have had an impact on how they view cases of child abuse. I do agree that harassing or nuisance activities are a wrong way to go. The goal is to expose the WTS, not to make those who leave look like angry agitators
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JK666
I do appreciate the "mirror" sites in countries such as France. The Borg is on shakey enough ground there that they wouldn't even attempt legal action.
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wha happened?
My comment about sites like quotes that are insignificant, not because of the content, but in it's ability to "shut down the WTB&TS". I read that site often and enjoyed the humor of the flip flops. But starting one up for the purpose of taking it all down is delusional.
My reference to individual court cases is directed to some of the commenter's who wanted to go against the WTB&TS for misrepresentation. The class action suits for abuse must go on and succeed.
I may have a change of heart at throwing tomatos -
isnrblog
Fisherman, I agree about the copyright laws. However, when you distribute literature to the public, it is fundemantaly in the public domain. You can reproduce any of it without permisssion as long as you acknowledge the author or owner of the material. This is reinforced if you are not profiting from it.
Basically, though the WTS can intimidate anyone with less resources. They don't have to be right, they simply have the funds to intimidate.
Most will fold, a few wont. But from the WTS perspective, the toothpaste is out of the tube at this point, so why would they bother? If they kept shutting down the little sites, I think eventually the media would smell a good "beating up on the little guy" story. For the most part their most effective strategy is the intimidation of the membership.
Interestingly, approx 250,000 were df'd in 2006, out of approx 6 million, or 1 in 24. Over the years that means there are a couple of million ex-JW's. At this rate, at some point there will be as many ex's as members. This is not counting the innactive and assuming the JW numbers are correct. After all, they seem poor at math, with all the mis calculted dates, etc.
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Fatfreek
And, by the way, Quotes is up and running -- yes, I mean the one by our Canadian friend, Quotes. Well -- sort of. And some 60 instances at that.
Just halfway kidding, of course. But in a sense, it actually is still alive by way of WayBackMachine.org.
Just for grins I just went there, entered the former web address and voila. Here is what that page looks like :
There are more than 60 snapshots taken of that site during 2004, 2005, and 2006. I tried one of them somewhere in the middle, Aug 31, 2005 and it actually came up. I drilled down, clicking on the New Light link and it took me to the quotes on that topic. I don’t know any more than what I’ve just told you.
I have a feeling that this news, now that it's posted, will nudge the WT to take legal action against that archiving site. What good would that be? It will cost them money and tie up part of their legal team for awhile. That's good news. Hey, we've still got the UK site going.
There may be more -- I haven’t tried the archive version of Google. And there may be even other money sieves to worry the WT.
Len Millerps: Interestingly, approx 250,000 were df'd in 2006, out of approx 6 million, or 1 in 24.
That is interesting, isnrblog. Do you have a source for that?