"Dad's fight with Watchtower Society finds 50 supporters"
Growing Canadian Lawsuit Against W.T. Society
by Kenneson 9 Replies latest jw friends
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outnfree
I've not spent much time on the board this past week, so this is the first I'd heard that Bethany Hughes died on Thursday.
My sincere condolences to Lawrence as well as to Bethany's mother and sister.
My sincere hatred of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of Canada and David Gnam as its legal representative for wreaking havoc on this entire family's emotional and physical heath throughout Bethany's struggle with leukemia. While it seems Bethany was doomed to die, there is simply *no reason* the family needed to be torn apart in such a horrid manner. Just wait until Bethany's mom and sis find out in a year or two that accepting blood transfusions is now "a conscience matter." I don't envy them their guilt and their shame.
Lawrence, please know that you are a hero and a wonderful father! I am so very sorry for your pain. Thank you for wanting to continue the fight so that others might live to glorify God rather than die to glorify the Watchtower.
Sincerely,
Brenda
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Satanus
The wt has violated the rights of untold teenagers by disfellowshipping them for using their rights to decide to do things like smoking cigarettes, having sex or serving in the military. Secondly, by dfing these teenagers, the wt has thereby, driven a deep wedge between those teenagers and their families, someyimes ripping apart their familiea. Often dfed jw teens have ended up living on the streets because of wt dfing policies. The wt strips dfed ones of all rights. It's very hypocritical of the wt to change this issue from one of refusing blood transfusions and dyiing as a result, to teenagers' rights. SHAME SHAME.
Also, the wt says that the head of the family is the man , and the head of the man is christ. Why did the wt strip the calgary dad's family headship, taking over that headship for itself, a publishing corporation? The wt corporation thus put itself in the place over the man where wt says jesus christ is to be. More shame.
SS
Edited by - saintsatan on 8 September 2002 12:56:40
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Sam Beli
Yes, SS, the WTS is now suddenly fighting for teens "rights." The Edmonton Sun wrote this in the article noted above:
"A lawyer for Bethany says he will follow her wishes by continuing her fight in court for the right of minors to make their own medical decisions.
Lawyer David Day says Bethany made him promise he would do all he could to finish the fight she started.
To back up her request, she reminded him of a videotape she made earlier in the summer, to be used in court if she died, Day said.
On Tuesday, Day and another lawyer who worked for the Calgary teen, David Gnam, will appear in family and youth court before Judge Alberta Vickery to argue for the Calgary teenager's case to continue to be heard despite her death.
"She told me shortly prior to her death that she wished me to pursue all reasonable legal avenues, right through to the Supreme Court of Canada, in an effort to vindicate her charter rights," said Day.
"She wanted the right to make her own medical decisions as a mature young person."Edited to add:
We know that this is not about Bethanys rights; this is about the WTSs concern over its own rights.
Edited by - Sam Beli on 8 September 2002 12:47:5
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psalmist
I've been lurking on this board for a week or so. I was not raised in "the truth", but my mom has been a JW from the time I was a toddler. She was moderate enough in the beginning to allow her children to make their own decisions on faith. For that, I am eternally grateful. I am sure it is the only reason I escaped the organization more or less unscathed. She and my older sister are both baptized JWs, still in "the Borg".
My question concerning the Canadian lawsuit is this: What is the JW's historical stance concerning mature minors making their own medical decisions when those decisions run COUNTER to Watchtower teachings? I know that I was always glad that my dad was not a JW and would have consented to a blood transfusion if I had needed one when I was under age. I don't know if my mother would have done so. I suspect that the Watchtower would encourage parents to do anything in their power to prevent a transfusion, even with a mature minor who did not wish to follow the JW blood doctrine. Any thoughts?
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Sam Beli
>What is the JW's historical stance concerning mature minors making their own medical decisions when those decisions run COUNTER to Watchtower teachings?
If their decision ran counter to the WTSs dogma they would likely be disfellowshipped.
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Kenneson
What fascinates me is the increasing discontent with Watchtower policies and the rising vocalization in the media. The pressure is increasing. How long can the Watchtower Society remain in denial? After the coming protest march on Brooklyn headquarters, their hope is that the problem will go away. Will it?
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psalmist
I have no doubt that the minor would be disfellowshipped. I'm more curious as to whether or not the Watchtower would become involved from a legal perspective - providing representation in court for parents who want to refuse a transfusion for their child. Does their stance on a minor's "right" to make medical decisions flip-flop based on that minor's adherence to doctrine?
Sorry if I'm ignorant here. I'm just starting to research what it is my mom and sister are really involved in as JWs. The more I read, the more nauseated I become, and the more I understand how lucky I am to be an "independent thinker".
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Scully
It's incredible to me that the WTS/and or its lawyer can somehow convince a dying child's mother that Jehovah WANTS her to interfere with a court ordered medical procedure and try (on more than one occasion) to dislodge a SURGICALLY IMPLANTED intravenous central line from her child's JUGULAR VEIN while a blood tranfusion was being administered. Had she succeeded, that in itself could have killed Bethany.
It's incredible to me that the WTS and/or its lawyer could convince a dying child's mother to plan at least three known attempts to abduct Bethany from the Calgary hospital where she was receiving treatments.
If this is about "teen's rights" <eyeroll> the WTS and/or its lawyer certainly know how to behave like an untrustworthy teenager themselves. Willing to lie, willing to break the law, willing to shift the blame to others, willing to sacrifice others in order to get whatever it is they want. What a GREAT EXAMPLE they've set for youths who want their "rights" respected.
It also seems to me that this is the ONLY kind of "teens' rights" the WTS will ever support: The right to kill yourself and become a WTS Martyr by refusing blood transfusions as dictated by the WTS CULT. All other "teens rights" are null and void when you get baptized as a JW.
Love, Scully
Edited by - Scully on 8 September 2002 14:19:57
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Sam Beli
> I'm more curious as to whether or not the Watchtower would become involved from a legal perspective - providing representation in court for parents who want to refuse a transfusion for their child. Does their stance on a minor's "right" to make medical decisions flip-flop based on that minor's adherence to doctrine?
The WTS will take up a court battle if it helps set precedent that is useful to them. They have no interest in individual rights as such.