"Mentally Diseased" are confirmed as offensive words of hate crime. Help needed, please.

by Amelia Ashton 122 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  wobble

  I think the WT, if actually called to account on this, will claim that the words "mentally diseased" were used in a metaphorical way in the article, which is just about true.

  We often in conversation here use the word "cancer" or "cancerous" in a similar way. Of course Paul is using the word in Gk. which could be translated "sick" as in the margin of KJV, in a metaphorical way, what he is sayingis that the peson has an unhealthy interest in disputes and debates etc.

  Freddie Franz's "mentally diseased" is simply in error as tranlation, it does not convey the writers thought, but it suits the WT's purpose, as does the use of the phrase in the article, your average Dub will apply it literally.

  This is not to say that what you are doing Amelia, is a waste of time, far from it, I am just looking at ways the WT will wriggle. The point is that if publicity can be gained ,that is a good thing. Our local paper had a story on someone objecting to the sale of toys we used to call "Golly Wogs", saying the toys were racist.

  Of course, this person was shown to be in error, but it got discussion going for a good while on what exactly was, and was not, racism.

  Your excellent idea is going to put the spot-light on JW's weird and hatefull attitudes, very well done !

  I would be careful to not overload the police with info, just stick to the pertinent points, and offer to give them any extra info they may need, do not come over as someone who wants to get back at the W.T, just express that you are mortally offended by this hate crime.
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  punkofnice

  Oh, that's just brilliant no matter how it ends up. Damage is already done as those coppers will see proof positive that the WBT$ isn't just your favourite aunt being harmless but as nutty as a fruitcake. It's a big business protecting it's finances with hate crime!

  That they almost admit to calling Jesus a liar in this famous quote, albeit from 1961.........(I'm not suggesting this should be shown to the coppers but you never know!)........the WBT$ has never clearly retracted this statement as far as I know.

  "Jesus encouraged his followers to love their enemies, but God's Word also says to "hate what is bad." When a person persists in a way of badness after knowing what is right, when the bad becomes so ingrained that it is an inseparable part of his make-up, then in order to hate what is bad a Christian must hate the person with whom the badness is inseparably linked." Watchtower 1961 Jul 15 p.420

  Well done Amelia!
• 

  St George of England

  "The 1st Amendment will protect Watchtower, in my opinion."

  This is the UK; we don't have any 'amendments' here

  My concern here is that the words "mentally diseased" are quoted from the bible.

  But only JW's own version of the Bible, have a KJV or NIV at the ready

  George
• 

  TimothyT

  Well done Amelia.

  See if you can get them on homophobia too for me! HEHE! :) Although I was dissfellowshipped for 'loose conduct', i was realy disfellowshipped because im gay and they dont like gays! :) Hateful!

  Cant wait to hear how this all plays out tommorow. Have a good day.

  Timmy xxx
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  Aussie Oz

  Fantastic i reckon

  even if nothing comes of it legaly, the police dept will remember...

  I am sure, one of these days the shunning practice will have its day in a western court system.

  oz
• 

  cantleave

  The US and UK are very different when it comes to what constitutes a "hate crime". I think Amelia has a point, but I am sure the WT have a defense. I too am raising this as a police matter, I would love all UK ex-jws to get together and make a class action.

  We can discuss it at Dabs' BBQ on the 1st October Amelia
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  punkofnice

  Timmy - <<See if you can get them on Homophobia..>>

  That's a subject for another report methinks!
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  cantleave

  Punk, there is a case running in the European Court on Human rights dealing with religion and homophobia. The right for Christian hotelliers to refuse to take in gay couples! That will be interesting.....
• 

  cedars

  Just for those of you who need an example of how the UK police are forced by their own legislation to take these things seriously, I offer the following anecdote:

  When I was living at my parent's home in the UK, not long after 9/11, I was approached outside my home by the son of a neighbour who had long had a chip on his shoulder about our family because we were Witnesses. He hurled a load of verbal abuse at me in which a certain phrase stood out, "you f*ing Jehovah's Witness!" I was shocked and appauled by the incident, not least because it happened virtually on my doorstep, so I felt very threatened. Also, this guy had been causing us trouble for some time, vandalising our cars parked outside when nobody was looking. I decided it was time to do something.

  I called the police and reported it as a hate crime. Within minutes they were round taking statements. They confirmed that the remarks constituted a hate crime and intolerance towards my religious beliefs, and went and took the guy into custody! They then effectively put a restraining order on him, so that he wasn't allowed to approach me for quite some time after the incident, or risk doing time.

  THAT'S how seriously the UK police take this kind of thing. The Society is now starting to break the very laws it hides behind for protection from its opponents. I hope they are taught a lesson after this article. On an earlier post of mine, I described the July 15th Watchtower (with its attacks on apostates and disfellowshipped teenagers) as the "Watchtower of Hate". I really hope they are called to account for publishing it.
• 

  trailerfitter

  I am not an ex JW but disike the WT organisation intensely. I am also in the UK. I have been thinking about this issue since first reading it in a pulication my wife gets. It is very hateful and also cribs on about other religions being false teachers etc etc. You know that the WT will firstly say that the devil is influencing you. I have been told it too many times now it is untrue. My wife has fallen for it hook line and sinker.

  Some other issues which bother me.

  1. Homophobia is promoted in the WT group. Why has this issue not been tackled legally on an international level?

  2. The WT policies on blood are detrimental to children and the hospitals are ensuring that children are not effected by this policy in the UK. They accuse the blood services of supplying contaminated blood to patient. This is a slander on the Blood Collection Authorities and the NHS itself.

  3.This specific apostate hate issue is not just contained to ex JWs is it?. the notion Apostate refers to other religious and secular groups and material including literature.

  I am now looking for an article in the on line guardian to find out who the journalist was. A pastor Stahl was reported to want to gather a list of atheist in the USA so they could be put on a register along with sex offenders. I would like to see if the journalist will follow up this particular story/.

  The Best of luck with the police. I know we have a hate crime unit in the UK which is much more effective than other sections of the force. We went through something a while back with our neighbours.