Latest News Articles On Elon Oved Tragedy

by ErieGuy 9 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  ErieGuy

  Coroner urges safety shake-up_______
  26 JUNE 2002_________
  By PAUL MADGWICK__________
  Westport Coroner Peter Roselli has warned of the dangers of entering the outdoors ill-prepared, after the death of a 14-year-old boy in the West Coast bush.
  His official finding, released yesterday, was that Halswell teenager Elon Oved died of hypothermia on December 1, the day he got lost near the Lake Daniells hut in the Springs Junction area._________
  Elon was in a party of 11 mostly young members of the Halswell Jehovah's Witness church who walked to the hut for an overnight stay._________
  He was not seen alive again after heading around the back of the hut to get changed out of wet clothes. His body was found 10 weeks later._________
  While not criticising the teenage organiser of the tramp, Mr Roselli said the death was "easily preventable" by common-sense safety measures._________
  During the inquest, Elon's father, Rami Oved, strongly criticised the organiser and the two church elders on the trip both experienced deerstalkers for failing to provide safety precautions, and for abandoning the search in daylight after just 15 minutes.__________
  In his findings, Mr Roselli highlighted the "creeping casualness" of private tramps and outings._________
  Had it been a school trip it would have to comply with Occupational Safety and Health requirements: "He would have been supervised and a whole plan for the walk would have been prepared."
  _________Mr Roselli recommended a big shake-up to address the casualness of private tramps. As most of the rainforests were on Department of Conservation land, he suggested possibly involving DOC in better training people in outdoors safety.
  Mr Roselli replied to the criticism that the two elders, who had known Elon, should have done more when he was first noticed missing.____________
  "I was initially attracted to the proposition that these two persons should have left the others in the hut and gone into the bush in an endeavour to overtake Elon before he went too far," he said._________
  However, he noted that only one of the elders had a compass, the terrain was so flat it was very easy to get disoriented and lost, and the police were comfortable with the extent of the initial search.________
  "I am now inclined to the view that it was not realistic to expect them to again go out that night looking for Elon, despite the fact that he was so lightly dressed, had not eaten for many hours, and that it was necessary that Elon be caught up with during the first couple of hours," Mr Roselli said.__________
  Mr Oved had also put to the inquest that a practical joke, in which one of the party took photographs of others urinating and wearing a woman's bra, had forced Elon to go further into the bush to avoid being stalked by the camera. Mr Roselli said Elon was obviously a very shy person with high moral values, but he had been unable to "definitely" identify the reason why Elon had gone into the bush to get changed.
• 

  ErieGuy

  Disagreement over 'joke'_________
  13 JUNE 2002_________
  By PAUL MADGWICK WESTPORT________
  A prank involving women's underwear had not embarrassed 14-year-old Elon Oved into wandering off and getting lost in the bush, his tramping companions told the Coroner's Court in Westport._________
  Elon's body was found near the Alfred River, at Springs Junction, on February 10, 10 weeks after he got lost during an overnight tramp to Lake Daniells.___________
  He was one of 11 members of the Halswell Jehovah's Witnesses who headed into the area on December 1 last year. The death of the teen has divided the group of formerly close friends to the point where they had to be warned by police yesterday against arguing in the courthouse._________
  As a prank on a church elder "prude", one of the group stashed women's underwear in his pack and when they arrived at the lake hut he photographed one of the boys wearing a bra._________
  Others were photographed, without their knowledge, while urinating. The photographer, Erik Sowman, said it was just a lark that appealed to his sense of humour. Everyone, including Elon, "thought it was a great joke".__________
  However, Rami Oved, a former soldier in the Israeli Army, suggested to the hearing that it had so embarrassed his son that when he went to get changed out of his wet clothes he was forced further into the bush because he was afraid of being photographed.________
  Coroner Peter Roselli heard how the group drove across Lewis Pass for a two-hour easy tramp into the alpine lake.________
  Elon was unsure about going because he had the flu but changed his mind. Reaching the lake about lunchtime, he and the two other teenagers spent the afternoon frolicking on an inflatable dinghy. ___________
  They had a break in the hut mid-afternoon, when the underwear incident took place, and then returned to the lake until about 6pm._________
  Several witnesses said Elon was laughing and having fun. His close friend, Phillip Mehrtens, 15, said he showed no signs of distress after the underwear incident._________
  In fact, Elon and his older brother, Ray, were both laughing at it._________
  "On the boat in the lake afterwards neither of the boys mentioned it. They both were happy and if they did have a problem with what I did they would have mentioned it," Phillip said._________
  Rain started and the three of them got wet so decided to head back to the hut to get changed. Elon said he would get changed in the outside toilet because there were too many others in the hut._________
  Ray Oved, 17, said the last time he saw his brother he was happy, "joking and excited because he had just seen an eel"._________
  However, he also said Elon had acted strangely when he said he was going to get changed in the toilet, and he "sensed" he was not happy.
  When he did not return after five minutes, two of the youngsters sneaked over to the toilet to give him a fright but he was not there.
  After he had been missing for 10 to 15 minutes they reported his disappearance. Church elder Trevor Mehrtens organised the group to search the bush but, after just 15 minutes and 300m into the bush, they pulled back because they were getting disoriented. The decision was made early to call the police._________
  Mr Mehrtens and the other church elder, Dennis O'Brien, both experienced trampers, said it was so flat it was impossible to see a horizon or distinguish any landmarks._________
  Cross-examined, Mr Mehrtens was asked why he and Mr O'Brien did not continue to search the 800m to the river._________
  "We didn't expect him to have gone to the river. We expected he would have tried to find his way back to the track or the lake, the two most obvious landmarks," he said._______
  Mr O'Brien said that when the West Coast search and rescue arrived about 1am "it was like the angels had come". The hearing is proceeding.
• 

  metatron

  Hey, was this guy (Rami) once featured in an Awake article?

  metatron
• 

  blondie

  Yes, he was in the Israeli army and left to become a JW.

  *** g94 9/8 16-20 Trained to Kill, Now I Offer Life ***

  "Terrorists are holding hostages in a house in northern Israel."

  I WAS on a weekend leave from the Israeli army and was camping by the Sea of Galilee when I heard the news on the radio. I well knew what those words meant. I was an army officer in a special unit that was professionally trained to deal with terrorism. I also knew that I would have to be among those who would break in, kill the terrorists, and release the hostages. Without hesitation I jumped into my car and drove as fast as I could to the scene.

  As officers in the Israeli army always go in first, I knew I would have to be among the first to face the terrorists, but the thought of getting killed or injured did not slow me down. I arrived at the scene just minutes after my friends in our unit had done the job, killing the five terrorists and releasing the hostages. I was so disappointed that I had missed that action.

  Why did I feel that way? Because I was very nationalistic, and I wanted to prove my love for my country. But how did I get into this specialized antiterrorist unit?

  I was born in Tiberias, in Israel, in 1958 and was brought up in a very nationalistic home. I believed my country was always right. So when I joined the army in 1977, I volunteered to serve in the most professional fighting unit in the Israeli army. Only a very small percentage of those applying are accepted to start the very difficult training course. Not all finish, and of these, only a couple are chosen to become officers. I was one of them.

  My success was really a reflection of my love for my country. I had good reason to be proud of myself. After all, I was an officer in a special fighting unit doing things that the average man in the street hardly sees, even in the movies. However, the success, fame, and secrecy were accompanied with a spiritual emptiness that grew until I began to realize that there must be more to life. So after more than four very difficult years, I left the army in order to travel and see the world.

  Why

  I Left Israel

  My travels around the world came to an end when, in Thailand, I met Kunlaya, my wife to be, who was then studying art at Bangkok University. Neither of us had had plans to get married, but our love was stronger than we realized. So Kunlaya stopped her studies, I ended my trip, and we decided to share our lives with each other. Where? In Israel, of course. "I have to help protect my country," I said to her.

  In Israel a Jewish man can marry only a Jew; so I was well aware that Kunlaya, who was then a Buddhist, would have to be converted to Judaism, something she was happy to do. But the religious Jews responsible for such a conversion did not want her. Wherever we turned for help, we met the same negative response: "Someone like you should find a nice Jewish girl and not marry this Gentile." Not only was Kunlaya a Gentile but she was also of a different race.

  After six months of trying, we were at last invited to the religious court to be interviewed by three rabbis who would decide whether Kunlaya would be converted or not. There I found myself being reproved for wanting to marry a Gentile. They told me to send her home. "Why not take her as your slave!" one rabbi then suggested. They rejected our application.

  I had had enough. While they were yet speaking, I took Kunlaya by her hand and left the courtroom, declaring that Kunlaya would never be a Jew even if permitted and that I didnt wish to remain one. A religion that treats people this way is worth nothing anyway! I thought to myself. Now that I had made my decision, special efforts were made to separate us. Even my dear parents were pulled into all of this by strong religious feelings and the pressure that was put on us to leave each other.

  In the meantime the war in Lebanon between the Israeli forces and the Palestinian guerrillas had started. I was, of course, called to join the fighting, and while deep in enemy territory risking my neck for my country, Kunlayas passport was taken from her and she was asked to leave the country. All of this was part of the effort to get us apart. The very moment I found out what had happened, my love for my country died. For the first time, I began to realize what nationalism is all about. I had been willing to give so much for my country, and now I was not even allowed to marry the woman I loved! I felt very hurt and betrayed. As far as I was concerned, getting rid of Kunlaya was getting rid of me. Thus, fighting to win that case was in fact fighting for my own place in Israel, something I was not willing to do.

  We had no choice but to fly overseas to get married and then return to Israel to make final arrangements before leaving the country. We left Israel in November 1983, but not before we made peace with my parents. I had always seen the hypocrisy in religion as the main cause of our troubles, yet I had never been so far from religion as I was then.

  Finding

  the Truth About the Messiah

  We were very surprised to learn that a particular immigration law made it impossible for us to live in my wifes country. We had to look for a third country to live in! Our first son was born in Australia, but we couldnt stay there either. We continued moving from country to country. Two years had gone by, and gradually we began to lose hope of finding a place where we could live permanently. In October 1985, we landed in New Zealand. Just another country to go through, we thought as we were hitchhiking north with our 11-month-old boy. But how wrong we were!

  One evening we were invited for a meal by a nice couple. After hearing our story, the wife offered to help us with our application for permanent residence in New Zealand. The next day, just before saying good-bye, she handed me a small book entitled The New Testament (Greek Scriptures). "Read it," she said. "All its writers were Jews." I put it into my bag and promised to look at it. I had no idea what was in that bookJews usually dont read Christian literature. We later bought an old car and proceeded to move south, making the car our home.

  At one of the stops, I remembered my promise. I pulled the book out and started reading it. I found myself learning about the man the Jewish faith taught me to dislike, even to detest. I was surprised to read that Jesus had spent most of his life where I had spent most of mine, around the Sea of Galilee. I was more surprised to see the things he said. I had never heard anyone talk like him.

  I tried to find fault with that man, but I couldnt. Instead, I just loved what he taught, and the more I read about him, the more I wondered why Jews had lied to me about him. I began to see that although I had never been religious, I had been brainwashed by religion even as I had been by nationalism. I wondered, Why do the Jews hate him so much?

  My question was partly answered when I read chapter 23 in Matthew. I literally jumped off my seat as I read that Jesus courageously exposed the hypocrisy and the wicked conduct of the Jewish religious leaders of his time. Nothing has changed, I thought. These very words of Jesus apply fully to the Jewish religious leaders today. Ive seen it and experienced it myself! I could not help having a deep respect for this man who fearlessly spoke the truth. I was not looking for another religion, but I could not ignore the power of Jesus teaching.

  Hearing the Name Jehovah

  I had finished reading about half of the Greek Scriptures when we arrived at Milford Sound, in the Fiordland of New Zealands South Island. We parked our car beside another car with an Asian woman sitting near it. My wife started talking to her. When her British husband arrived, we briefly told them our story. The husband then proceeded to tell us that in the near future, God will destroy present-day governments and will have His government ruling a righteous world. Although it sounded good to me, I thought: This man is dreaming.

  The man continued, telling us about religious hypocrisy and the false teachings of Christendoms churches. Then his wife said: "We are Jehovahs Witnesses." It struck me, What are these Gentiles doing with the God of the Jews? And with that name Jehovah! I knew the name, but it was the first time that I had heard it spoken. Jews are not allowed to pronounce that name. The couple gave us their address and some Bible literature, and we departed. Little did we know that meeting these two would change our lives.

  Finding the Truth

  Two weeks later we were in Christchurch. It was arranged for us to stay and to help on a sheep farm owned by members of a Pentecostal church. On the farm I completed reading the Greek Scriptures and started rereading it. I noticed how obvious Gods existence was to Jesus. For the first time in my life I wondered, Does God really exist? I began searching for the answer. I was able to get a copy of the complete Bible in my own language, Hebrew, and proceeded to read it, in order to find out more about Jehovah, the one claiming to be Almighty God.

  My wife and I quickly realized that the teachings we learned from the owners of the farm were not in line with what we read in our Bible. Nor was their conduct. In fact, at one stage we were so upset by the way we were treated on the farm that I wrote a letter about it to the lady who had given us the Greek Scriptures. "Up till now, I believe, God has shown us which Christianity is false, and if God is really there, he will now show us true Christianity." I wrote to her, not knowing just how correct I was. It was then that I remembered what those two Witnesses had told us about the hypocrisy of the churches. We decided to meet with the Witnesses again.

  A few days later, that couple arranged for two other Witnesses of Jehovah, who lived nearby, to call on us. They invited us for dinner. At their place we discussed the Bible, and we loved what we heard. The next day we were again invited and had another long discussion. What they showed us from the Bible made so much sense that both my wife and I felt we had discovered something wonderful, yes, the truth!

  We could hardly go to sleep that night. We knew that life would not be the same again. I began to read the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, published by the Witnesses, and as I was reading it, I felt as if I had been blind but now could see! I was able to understand the purpose of life, why man was put on earth, why we die, why God permits so much suffering, and how world events fulfill Bible prophecies. I borrowed as many books as I could from Jehovahs Witnesses and spent hours going through them. I could easily see the falsehood of the teachings of the Trinity, hellfire, and immortality of the soul. I loved the logic and the powerful Bible reasoning used by the publications.

  Comparing Bibles and Believers

  The owners of the farm tried to discourage us from studying with Jehovahs Witnesses. "They have a different Bible, a false translation," they told us. "Well, I will have to check it out," I said. I borrowed a few translations of the Bible from the farm owners and also got hold of a copy of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures and compared them all with a copy of the Bible in the Hebrew language. I was thrilled to discover that the New World Translation was the most accurate and genuine translation. My confidence in the publications of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society grew.

  The first time we attended a meeting at the Kingdom Hall, we did not understand all that was discussed there, but we had no trouble understanding the marvelous love that was shown to us by the congregation. We were impressed that the name Jehovah was mentioned so often. "Jehovah, Jehovah," I said over and over again on the way back from the meeting. "It is not just God now, it is Jehovah God," I said to my wife.

  Eventually we moved to Christchurch in order to associate more with Jehovahs Witnesses and to attend all the meetings. The publication LifeHow Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? left no doubt in my mind that Jehovah God does indeed exist and that he is the Creator.

  We Meet Palestinian Brothers

  After getting in touch with the branch office of Jehovahs Witnesses in Israel, I received some letters from Witnesses there. One of the letters was from a Palestinian living in the West Bank, and her opening words were: "My Brother Rami." I thought that was incredible, as Palestinians were my enemies, and here one of them was calling me "My Brother." I began to appreciate the unique worldwide love and unity existing among Jehovahs Witnesses. I read that during World War II, Jehovahs Witnesses in Germany were put in concentration camps, were made to suffer, and were executed because they would not learn to fight their spiritual brothers in other lands. Yes, this is what I expected of true followers of Jesus.John 13:34, 35; 1 John 3:16.

  We continued progressing in our study. In the meantime the immigration office of New Zealand kindly permitted us to live there permanently, which only added to our joy. Now we could settle down and worship Jehovah in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

  My Parents Face the Truth

  Of course, as soon as we learned these marvelous Bible truths, I started writing about them to my parents. They had already expressed a desire to come to visit us. "I have found something worth any amount of money," I wrote, building up their anticipation. They landed in New Zealand toward the end of 1987, and we started talking about the truth of the Bible almost immediately. My father thought I had gone mad because of my belief in Jesus, and he tried hard to prove me wrong. We had arguments nearly every day. In time, however, those arguments turned into discussions, and the discussions into a Bible study. With the genuine love extended to them by the Witnesses, my parents saw the beauty and the logic of the truth.

  How joyful I was to see my parents being released from bondage to false religion and later from nationalism as well! After a four-month visit, they returned with the truth to their hometown by the Sea of Galilee. There they continued to study with two Witnesses from the nearest congregation, which was 40 miles [65 km] away. They soon started telling others about Jehovah and his Word. A few days before the Persian Gulf war started, they symbolized their dedication to Jehovah.

  In the meantime my wife and I had joined the worldwide family of Jehovahs Witnesses when we publicly symbolized our dedication to Jehovah God in June 1988. I well knew that for me there was only one way to serve Jehovah and that was as a full-time minister, so I seized the first opportunity to enter the full-time service. I will never forget how much I was willing to do for my country, even risking my life. How much more should I be willing to do so for Jehovah God, who I know will never let me down!Hebrews 6:10.

  We thank Jehovah for the incredible hope he gives us, the hope that soon planet Earth will be a beautiful home for those who truly love righteousnessa home that will be free of nationalism and false religion and, therefore, free from war, suffering, and injustice. (Psalm 46:8, 9)As told by Rami Oved.
• 

  TheStar

  ErieGuy,

  Why do all your sentences always end with a ___________ ?

  Edited by - TheStar on 9 August 2002 21:11:50
• 

  Kenneson

  There's one more article on that topic: "Teen's death no one's fault." That was the coroner's conclusion. It's in the New Zealand Herald.

  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?thesection=news&thesubsection=&storyID=2048602
• 

  avengers

  ATTENTION JW.COM NEWCOMERS:_______

  This TOPIC is an old one, that is continously "recycled" by unscruptulous posters who deceptively try make this "issue" much larger than it truly is.______

  PLEASE do not let this particular DECEPTION (this poster and his cronies have more) cause you to believe that all posters here are "unscruptulous LIARS" or that issues such as "the WTS's molestation reporting problem", or "the WTS's United Nations NGO membership" are not GENUINE SCANDALS._______

  wonder who said this?
• 

  deddaisy

  ErieGuy,

  Why do all your sentences always end with a ___________ ?

  TheStar, looks familiar doesn't it......................

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=31869&site=3
• 

  deddaisy

  !
• 

  ErieGuy

  Avengers, DedDaisey, and Gerard are LYING FOOLS, who are the the BEST ALLIES the WTS has on the internet.