AnnOMaly

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Posts by AnnOMaly

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  263

  Poster country flags and privacy

  by Simon in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  the new forum originally had a little country flag next to each post showing the country that the post was made from based on the geoip encoding (the country the ip address is from).

  before i switched over to the new site someone made an issue about it violating their privacy and i didn't want to complicate and confuse the switchover with policy debate at the same time as technical issues so removed the flags even though i disagreed.. someone has already requested it as a feature and i think it should be added back so i thought it's now time to open the discussion and get everyone's opinions.

  first, the reason i think it should be shown:.

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  AnnOMaly

   Why should this site assist you in possibly promoting a false persona?

  Hello? We are 'asylum seekers' from the Watchtower organization and their representatives. 'Apostates' and 'doubters' have to hide who they are to survive, to be in control of their exit, to keep relationships with family and friends. This is supposed to be a safe place to express ourselves in anonymity while we work through and make sense of our doubts, our grief, our anger, our liberation.

  Have you ever asked anyone where they are from but been dishonest about where you are from?

  No. 

  It's not like we're dealing with the CIA or ISIS. There is no hit squad constantly on the lookout to track people down. They are JWs ... they don't even know what is going on in the local KH's most of the time.

  No, we're not dealing with the CIA or ISIS, but I'm sure you remember how painful it was for your family to cut you off. This is the public internet. You do not know who is watching - a suspicious wife, friend, elder. There have been cases on here during my time who were outed by someone who just put two and two together.

  Can you understand why I am skeptical that a country alone from what will inevitably be one from a list of 3 or 4 for +95% of posters would possibly identify you?

  No I don't understand your skepticism. I'm astonished by it. Canada and the USA are vast oceans for a little fish to hide in. However, some members here are from small ponds and can more easily be flushed out. You cannot meaningfully share your JW experiences or offer support (which often involves some personal information) if your country identifier narrows down the odds of who you are likely to be. And if you cannot meaningfully and safely share your JW experiences or offer support here, what's the point of coming to
  this forum? 
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  263

  Poster country flags and privacy

  by Simon in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  the new forum originally had a little country flag next to each post showing the country that the post was made from based on the geoip encoding (the country the ip address is from).

  before i switched over to the new site someone made an issue about it violating their privacy and i didn't want to complicate and confuse the switchover with policy debate at the same time as technical issues so removed the flags even though i disagreed.. someone has already requested it as a feature and i think it should be added back so i thought it's now time to open the discussion and get everyone's opinions.

  first, the reason i think it should be shown:.

  1. 
  2. 
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  AnnOMaly

  I'm not just referring to Cedars. He's outed himself anyway so it doesn't matter now (but it did matter once!). It's others here who have specified they don't want their countries revealed. Hamsterbait has just voiced his misgivings and I can think of 4 others off the top of my head.

  
  

  People should have the choice. Other forums, other ex-JW forums, give their members the choice. I was attracted to this forum 11 years ago because you gave that choice. I displayed my country for a long time as the non-existent Yugoslavia as a joke. Being 'country-less' has served me well in my online life and in my fade. I privately reveal my general whereabouts to those I trust. I do not want it displayed publicly for any Tom, Dick or Harry to see. I am under no obligation to divulge that information to the general public. They are not entitled to it. 

  
  

  Regardless of the objective risks, exiting JWs need to FEEL safe and in control of their own information on the forum, and removing their choice about whether or not to reveal their country will undermine their personal sense of security. Automatically displaying a country's flag, especially if it is that of a small country, will hand any potential snoopers an extra piece of identifying information on a plate.

  
  

  Do the right thing by faders and your long-standing reputation in protecting members' privacy. Please make it an option whether to have one's country displayed or not.  
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  263

  Poster country flags and privacy

  by Simon in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  the new forum originally had a little country flag next to each post showing the country that the post was made from based on the geoip encoding (the country the ip address is from).

  before i switched over to the new site someone made an issue about it violating their privacy and i didn't want to complicate and confuse the switchover with policy debate at the same time as technical issues so removed the flags even though i disagreed.. someone has already requested it as a feature and i think it should be added back so i thought it's now time to open the discussion and get everyone's opinions.

  first, the reason i think it should be shown:.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  AnnOMaly

  ABSOLUTELY NOT! Apart from my own situation, I know for fact that there were/are ones on here from small EU countries who have specified that they do not want their specific countries revealed for fear of their anonymity being compromised or being plain outed by any savvy hounders. Also, please remember your own attitude to AAWA's FB privacy breaches.

  It is of vital importance, on a forum such as this, that fading JWs looking for a safe place to vent, to talk about their personal experiences, can be in control of what information to reveal publicly and what information to remain private. You have assured members that you take their privacy seriously and will do your utmost to protect it.

  Please do what other good forums do and MAKE IT A CHOICE whether to reveal one's location or not. Do not take that choice away from vulnerable faders.

  Thank you.
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  31

  New layout feels very chaotic

  by EndofMysteries in

  1. forum
  2. suggestions

  i don't really know how to describe the feeling but i'll give examples, but the new layout to me makes it feel tiring being on for too long.

  1. there is the top menu, then a big add between that and the next part, a big ad between the bottom and where you reply, then on the right column you either have 2 ads on top or some type of summary, then ad, then either related posts or other areas.

  there are no borders, the adds have the same color and text type but larger font, and it all seems chaotically merged into one thing where you need to constantly sort out what you are viewing.

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  AnnOMaly

  Ahh. IE. Yeah, IE's glitchy on here. It's one to add to Simon's list. 
• 
  31

  New layout feels very chaotic

  by EndofMysteries in

  1. forum
  2. suggestions

  i don't really know how to describe the feeling but i'll give examples, but the new layout to me makes it feel tiring being on for too long.

  1. there is the top menu, then a big add between that and the next part, a big ad between the bottom and where you reply, then on the right column you either have 2 ads on top or some type of summary, then ad, then either related posts or other areas.

  there are no borders, the adds have the same color and text type but larger font, and it all seems chaotically merged into one thing where you need to constantly sort out what you are viewing.

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  AnnOMaly

  Hmm.
  Still doesn't work ...

  Hmm. I'm on Chrome. Maybe you're on a different one?
• 
  31

  New layout feels very chaotic

  by EndofMysteries in

  1. forum
  2. suggestions

  i don't really know how to describe the feeling but i'll give examples, but the new layout to me makes it feel tiring being on for too long.

  1. there is the top menu, then a big add between that and the next part, a big ad between the bottom and where you reply, then on the right column you either have 2 ads on top or some type of summary, then ad, then either related posts or other areas.

  there are no borders, the adds have the same color and text type but larger font, and it all seems chaotically merged into one thing where you need to constantly sort out what you are viewing.

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  AnnOMaly

  BTW, Simon; how do you get the "quote" function to work?

  Copy, paste, press the double quote button. :-D

  
  
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  24

  what is 'the arrangement' exactly?

  by sowhatnow in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we often hear the phrase.

  its used to accuse.... they did not follow j's arrangement, you have to live by j's arrangement.

  or to brag.... its all due to j's arrangement , we work with his org, and according to the arrangement.

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  AnnOMaly

  "Jehovah's arrangement" = "theocratic order" = meeting/congregation/WT corporation procedures. 

  (1 Corinthians 14:33) . . .For God is a God not of disorder but of peace.. . .

  (1 Corinthians 14:40) . . .let all things take place decently and by arrangement.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
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  28

  WTF... what happened? or - I'm old and hate change

  by undercover in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i leave you people alone for one holiday, and you go and change the whole dern place around.

  i can't find anything, don't recognize anything, i'm lost... wait, i sound like my grandfather... .

  why, would you look what you've done to the place.

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  AnnOMaly

  At the moment I visit much less often as I used to like the 'active' page having, what was it, about twenty thread titles with just the titles and not the post included. 

  Ahh TC, depending on the layout you have (I'm on Chrome), you should, on the 'Active' page, be able to see a right hand column toward the top that's headed 'Snippets' where you can select 'None.' (Opera Mini on the phone doesn't give the 'Snippets' option so I'm stuck with lengthy previews on there, unfortunately.)

  At the bottom of the 'Active' page, you have a choice of viewing 5, 10 or 20 posts/headings at once. It defaults to 10 but you can make it 20.
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  180

  Please post new forum feedback or questions here

  by Simon in

  1. forum
  2. tech-support

  well, the switchover happened - there were a couple of things i had to fix which meant the posting was disabled for longer than i planned but it's now enabled and some people have already posted.. if you have any questions about the new format or suggestions on how to improve it, please post them here.. if you are having trouble signing in or posting then you'll need to email me instead.. many thanks to everyone for their patience during the changeover !.

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  AnnOMaly

  OUTLAW!

  Good to see you but I miss Mutley.

  Coloring shows up in the reply box but does not transfer to the final post :( The highlighting seems to work, though.
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  19

  New Understanding of Slave Class

  by mrquik in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  good morning all (good evening to those on the wrong side of the world);.

  could someone explain the new arrangement with the "anointed"?

  is anyone other than the gb in this class anymore?

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  AnnOMaly

  Re: prologos' 1st post on this thread:
  

  only the Governing body gets the reward when they are raptured before Armageddon

  Well, yes and no .... All the 'anointed' get raptured before the Big A and get the same reward - even though all but 7 or 8 of them don't comprise the appointed 'faithful and discreet slave' class. IOW, the vast majority of 'anointed' get the same lofty reward as the 'faithful and discreet slave' for having no responsibility whatsoever! Neat that, huh? 

  w13 7/15, p.25

  19 Does the faithful slave receive a
  greater reward in heaven than the rest
  of the anointed? No. A reward promised
  to a small group in one setting may
  ultimately be shared by others. For example,
  consider what Jesus said to his
  11 faithful apostles the night before he
  died. (Read Luke 22:28-30.) Jesus promised
  that small group of men that a fine
  reward awaited them for their faithfulness.
  They would share his throne of
  kingly authority. But years later, he indicated
  that all of the 144,000 will sit on
  thrones and share his rulership. (Rev.
  1:1; 3:21) Similarly, as stated at Matthew
  24:47, he promised that a small group of
  men—the anointed brothers who make
  up the faithful slave—will be appointed
  over all his belongings. In reality, all of
  the 144,000 will share his vast heavenly
  authority.—Rev. 20:4, 6.