Org. Re-orging in JAPAN (page 7)

Moxy

stand firm seminars were held thru-out north america as well. the toronto branch even put together this little and apparently little-known website: http://www.standfirm.ca

mox

I`m not sure if I mentioned it before,but when they started the Stand Firm exhibit here in Japan they went around to various media
agencies (newspapers,etc.) and asked for permission to use their
name as `sponsers`.Several media organizations, believing it to be
an education exhibit, allowed their names to be used without knowing
that the WT was behind it.The `Stand Firm` board members are all
elders, but they were apparently hand-picked because of their
social status.The list includes teachers,former police chief and
others who had some position in society before they became JWs.
When the media organizations found out,after the fact,that it was
actually an `arm` of the WT several `spsonsers` expressed great
distress that their names had been used to lend authenticity to
the exhibit.
JWs were told to go to the exhibit near their home, but not to refer
to each other as `brother/sister` while there as it would sound starnge to non-JWs who also went.
I obtained a list of the `branch offices` of the Stand Firm exhibit
and the address were all the addresses of Kingdom Halls throughout
Japan.

In January 2000 the most popular news program, a program entitled
`News Station` had a special on cults during their prime time show.
They had one of the leading cult experts in Japan,a professor named
Sadao Asami on as their guest. Professor Asami is the man who translated Steven Hassen`s book `Combatting Cult Mind Control` into
Japanese and is nationally known. During the program they focused on
four `cults`.The four included `AUM`,the Japanese group which did the
nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway,Life Space(another indigenous
group) , the Moonies and the Jehovah`s Witnesses.That one program in
itself did great damage to the WT`s public image and it seems they
have been trying to remake their image ever since.

JWD

Moxy,

Thanks for that link for the Stand Firm Canada site.It was interest-
ing that they say `it is not a religious presentation` and `It is
sponsered by a group of volunteers`.They also have a bit about
`tolerance`. Makes one wonder if tolerance is always a one-way
street. I don`t remember the WT being terribly tolerant of other groups...

Here in Japan the info I saw listed several other groups which were
persecuted by the Nazis.The list included homosexuals.It was curious
to me that the WT would be willing to put homosexuals on the same
`victims list` as JWs.That`s obviously for external consumption in
order to perhaps make the WT seem `open-minded` and sensitive to
other suffering `minority` groups.

JWD

outnfree

Hi, JWD!

Was wondering if you had had the time to translate that blood card yet?

Thanks.

Moxy,

That Stand Firm link was interesting, Moxy. Especially the comments on the "non-denominational" quality of the presentation!
Also interesting that there exists a "Scholars' Edition" of the video?
The Patriarchs protecting the dumb little r/f members from 'worrying their po' lil heads about it'?)

Best,
outnfree

JWD

I`ll get on it today or tomorrow... JWD

JWD

Sorry I haven`t got back to you regarding the `No-Blood` card.After
logging off last time I pulled it out of my drawer and looked over it
again.It is a 4- page 8 by 10 inch document which I believe is to be
folded and put in the case which JWs here wear around their neck.It
has a 4 page explanation accompaning it.Both of those documents contain much medical terminology.I contacted an aquaintance of mine
who is a doctor and is very familiar with the JW blood issue.He is
a Japanese man.I asked him to comment directly on this board and
trust he will in the near future. If that`s not possible, I will try
to give a synopsis of the contents. I`ll get back to this subject
later. Thanx for your patience. JWD

outnfree

Hi, JWD!

In that case, what you might be referring to is the "Health-Care Directive and Designation of Patient Advocate" form which is a 5-page form here in my particular state (apparently each state has its own applicable laws and so the forms have been vetted for validity). This is something that JWs have been advised to have in a very accessible place for relatives, to make copies of for the said Patient Advocate and physician files, and to submit to the hospital to be part of their chart in advance of any surgical procedure or admittance.

If, in fact, that is what you are looking at in Japanese, there is NO NEED TO TRANSLATE IT for the Board. If it seems others on this board are unaware of this form (which is several years old now), I will be happy to post it in a new thread.

Part 1 of the form does narrow down a Witnesses choices as to whether or not any, some or no blood fractions at all are acceptable, what type of "non-stored autologous blood" procedures/equipment are acceptable, whether or not one desires one's life prolonged or not in cases where recovery seems hopeless, and space for any other health-care instructions.

Part 2 is the designation of a patient advocate who would not be consulted unless matters of care came up that were NOT COVERED under the choices outlined in Part 1. Then the patient advocate (or alternate patient advocate) would be consulted as the Witness would expect them to make decisions in their best interest and in accordance with what they know of the Witness' conscientious stands.

The Advance Medical Directive ("Blood Card") that is carried in each JW's wallet and the children's card have not changed much over the years.

JW's here do not generally carry the Health-Care Directive and Designation of Patient Advocate form around with them, although many keep a copy in the glove compartment of their cars.

outnfree

JWD

OutNFree,

The form which you described is the same as the Japanese one I
refered to. I also received an e-mail from the Japanese doctor
friend of mine who is very informed on the JW blood issue. The
e-mail said that he has a copy of the Japanese directive on blood
in front of him and although formated to fit Japanese law, it is
essentially the same content as the one used in America.

On another totally different subject there was some interesting
legal manuvering of late. The WT brought an official complaint
before the national board for lawyers (Nichibenren). It was a
request for the lawyers to officially chastize a protestant minister
who has been heavily involved in exit-counseling JWs. At times the
families have cohersed their JW family member to stay and listen to
the pastor even when they didn`t want to. A well known university professor sided with the pastor saying that since `cultists` were
trained to listen to NO critical information, in some cases families are justified in using extreme measures to try to inform their loved one with information outside the Watchtower. The pastors lawyers
filed a counter-complaint against the WT demanding that they tell their believers to `listen to the arguements of concerned families` in the name of freedom of information. It will be very interesting to see what kind of official statement is issued by the national lawyer`s board (Nichibenren). The opinions they render carry a lot of weight here in Japan. However, legal matters move very slowly,so it could be a couple of years before any action is taken. If something happens I`ll let you know. JWD

JWD

Don`t know if I mentioned in but the org. has built several assembly
halls throughout Japan. On at least one occasion, they kept the plans
very secret and even listed the project as something other than what
it was so that the local people didn`t get wind of it before they got
under way. The reason is very likely the fact that on many occasions
there have been grass-roots level community movements to keep the JWs
out of their town. On one of those occasions, things got carried away
and the locals used speaker cars to `harrass` the JWs during meetings.
It ended in a law suit claiming that the locals were interupting the
local congregations freedom of religion rights. The part of the incid-
ent which isn`t spoken about among the JWs is the fact that the congregation had promised not to build a KH in that small town, but
later reniged on the promise and built it anyway.That really got the
local people pretty hot.

JWD

Don`t remember if I mentioned it or not, but a branch of the Japanese
police force which is charged with maintaining `public order` has
developed a task force which keeps an eye on cults. The branch is
called the `Koan` (literally `public safety`). One of the groups on
their list is the Watchtower. The Koan regularily sends detectives
around to various people who are known to counsel Jehovah`s Witnesses
and asks for information on any recent changes or new movements within
the WT. They collect that information and analyze it.
The Bethel headquarters here is very aware of whats going on and issued a directive to all elders not to co-operate with the Koan.

There is an extremely heightened awareness with regards to image and
legal matters. A while ago I talked with an elder from Chiba near
Tokyo and mentioned that a certain letter to the elders listed the
name of an individual who was considered very damaging to the WT.The
elder was very quick to point out that `individual`s names` were
never specifically printed in those letters. After arriving home I
pulled out my copy of the letter and re-checked it and sure enough it
listed his location, but not his name. Naturally, everyone who knows
anything knows who it was refering to. So, apparently commiting
actual names to print is avoided in view of future legal reprecussions. JWD

Org. Re-orging in JAPAN

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