My Old KH in the News - "Vicar fury at new home for Jehovahs"

by cofty 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  cofty

  

  My old Kingdom Hall at Berwick-on-Tweed has finally been sold to an art dealer after being on the market for a couple of years.

  This week they were granted planning permission for a quick build on a site in a village just outside the town.

  "Rev Matthew Knox, Vicar of Tweedmouth and priest in charge of St Peter’s Church in Scremerston, argued the plan should be turned down because it is not a place of Christian worship as stated in the application."

  The story is the front page headline today in my local paper, The Berwick Advertiser.

  Here is a couple of gems from the article..

  "It is not part of Churches Together in Berwick, it has its own translation of the bible and to my knowledge discourages independent thinking with the real threat of members being shunned by all other members if they dispute their governing body’s official doctrine."

  "In the parish council’s letter, clerk Isabel Hunter wrote: “There is already a Christian church in Scremerston which is grossly underused and underfunded, therefore the parish council would like to suggest that an agreement could be reached with the vicar/preacher of the existing establishment."

  Hahahaha priceless! More chance of Celtic and Rangers ground sharing.

  I served with the two elders Brian and Harry that are quoted in the article and they were both on my JC.

  I feel a letter to the editor coming on.
• 

  serenitynow!

  I like how they call them Jehovahs!
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  Band on the Run
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  mummatron

  Hahahaha priceless! More chance of Celtic and Rangers ground sharing. - Cofty

  Damn right. This really made me chuckle.

  I like how they call them Jehovahs! - serenitynow

  It's a very British thing that. I spent my entire school years being called a "F*ing Jehovah".
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  St George of England

  Whoever wrote that article knew a fair bit about JW's - shunning, GB, independant thinking etc.

  You have a PM Cofty

  George
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  InquiryMan

  The Kingdom hall looked rather spooky in a way ...
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  wobble

  I see the argument was used that it does not matter whether it was a place for christian worship or not,

  I bet they would cavil if it were for Satan worship though !

  If you do write Cofty, I would also major on how the application is dishonest, whether the facts matter or not, the dishonesty may be enough to get a rejection, as the planning comm. were not voting for what they thought they were.
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  nugget

  The problem is that people who have never been JWs will make suggestions based on the rational rules that apply outside the organisation. We know that they will not liaise with other faiths because they see this as interfath. They have arrogance born of self belief that they are right and everyone else is wrong. They certainly would not be part of any group that encourages success and growth of other churches. Having a kingdom hall in the community does not add anything to that community, it is not the focus for any community groups or events and is used exclusively for JW services. It isn't as if they are attractive buildings either.

  I fully understand the vicar's anger but if the planning has already been granted then his protests will become another experience at an assembly.
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  erbie

  Wow! Your old Kingdom Hall looks like it came complete with real authentic Watchtowers. Did you find this helpful in keeping on the watch?

  I've been to quite a few different halls here in the UK but nothing tops this one. There is one just up the road from me at Stroud in Glos which still has an asbestos roof on it or at least it did the last time I saw it a few months ago. It doesn't have Watchtowers though. Well, only the ones at the magazine counter but they don't count.

  Keep on the watch faithful brothers and sisters!
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  dozy

  Planning committees tend to be wholly disinterested in the minutae of religious doctrines & definitions (in response to the vicar , I dare say there are a few Protestants who would claim that Catholics aren't christians either - maybe Ian Paisley would offer an opinion on that one!) Maybe there is scope nowadays in the UK for a more generic description of "building for religious purposes" that would include other religions.

  The saddest indictment is the statistic that 20% of the members can't use the stairs & to my knowledge , at least one the elders mentioned must himself be getting on a bit. Increasingly JWs are an aging religion and perhaps it won't be too long before the expression "grossly underused & underfunded" would apply to JW Kingdom Halls as well as some churches.