Watching the World - MEGA THREAD of topics

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

an esoteric hotchpotch of topics, from the mildly interesting to the rather boringi'm posting here to avoid the 'new topic' forum limitations, and besides it also helps to avoid clogging up the forum if you think something is of passing interest, and you wish to comment on it, please feel free to re-post as a new topic - thanks!

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darkspilver

AUSTRALIA: JW AFL Alex Rance Interview

The Sunday Herald Sun 25 February 2017, page 12

Large picture and interview with Alex Rance.

Girls' team my next goal

A footy school started by AFL star Alex Rance is set to enrol its first female students.
...
The school uses Essendon’s spiritual home, Windy Hill, for training and has classrooms up the road.
It simulates life inside an AFL club but focuses on "emotional intelligence, resilience and critical thinking".
The school wants to produce good people, not just good students or footy players.
That’s something Rance had tussled with over his 10-year AFL career, deciding at the end of the 2014 that he would hang up the boots when his contract expired as the game sucked time and energy from his family.
He had tried landscape architecture, trained to be a pilot, took up a carpentry apprenticeship and dabbled in real estate to get a good balance outside of footy, but nothing stuck.
His latest venture — created with education adviser Luke Surace and Casey Helman, who had experience in secondary schools — has got him hooked.
...
[Rance] is also learning to deal with the added attention that comes with being a footy star, club clown, Jehovah’s Witness, family man, and media identity with spots on Channel 9’s Postcards and The Footy Show.
"I’m not a stereotype,” Rance said.
"There are so many things about me that potentially break the mould."

Watching the World - MEGA THREAD of topics

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

an esoteric hotchpotch of topics, from the mildly interesting to the rather boringi'm posting here to avoid the 'new topic' forum limitations, and besides it also helps to avoid clogging up the forum if you think something is of passing interest, and you wish to comment on it, please feel free to re-post as a new topic - thanks!

.

darkspilver

WT: Warwick World HQ Tour Brochure

The new world headquarters of JWs, located at Warwick, New York, will open for tours on Monday, April 3, 2017.

In anticipation, a new eight-page glossy brochure about this facility has now been released:

DOWNLOAD PDF: https://download-a.akamaihd.net/files/media_cmsassets/70/fo_s-WHQ_E.pdf

MORE INFO: https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/offices/united-states/

Please note that the earliest dates available for tours are now in from mid-August 2017 onwards

Now you can play the WT's version of 'Where's Wally?'... 'Where's the GB?'... can you spot them all?

SEE ALSO: Letter July 1, 2016 - Re: Information for Touring the World Headquarters at Warwick, New York

SEE ALSO: Letter December 31, 2016 - Re: 2017 Annual Meeting and Warwick/Wallkill Dedication Program

Feel free to repost as a New Topic

32

Watching the World - MEGA THREAD of topics

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

an esoteric hotchpotch of topics, from the mildly interesting to the rather boringi'm posting here to avoid the 'new topic' forum limitations, and besides it also helps to avoid clogging up the forum if you think something is of passing interest, and you wish to comment on it, please feel free to re-post as a new topic - thanks!

.

darkspilver

An esoteric hotchpotch of topics, from the mildly interesting to the rather boring

I'm posting here to avoid the 'new topic' forum limitations, and besides it also helps to avoid clogging up the forum

If you think something is of passing interest, and you wish to comment on it, please feel free to re-post as a New Topic - thanks!

7

SWEDEN: JWs Have Right to State Funding

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

fyi - from sweden.

first an article from the swedish newspaper svenska dagbladet (via google translate).

jehovah's witnesses won against the government.

darkspilver

FYI - from Sweden

First an article from the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet (via Google Translate)

Jehovah's Witnesses won against the government

Monday 20 February 2017
Witnesses applied for state subsidies, but the government said no on the grounds that the community encourages its members not to accept blood transfusions to minors. Hence meet community requirements not to contribute to society's fundamental values, according to the government.
But now the Supreme Administrative Court has given Jehovah's Witnesses law and remit the matter to the government.
The Court considers that the Jehovah's Witnesses at the same time urge their members to cooperate with medical care in deciding whether a child to get a blood transfusion. Additionally pointing rights including the freedom of religion and the right of individuals.
According to the law, "a religious community is not considered to be in conflict with democratic values it urges its members to act in a manner consistent with the right to express opinions and oppose medical treatment due to them under the law."
A judge of the five dissented and wanted to give the government the right.
READ ORIGINAL: https://www.svd.se/jehovas-vittnen-vann-mot-regeringen

The judgement is explained in more detail (in native English) along with links, by the the American Library of Congress Law Library

Sweden: Jehovah’s Witnesses Have Right to State Funding

(Feb. 24, 2017) On February 20, 2017, the Swedish Supreme Administrative Court decided that Jehovah’s Witnesses have the right to state funding and that not providing such support would violate articles 14 and 19 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
...
The ruling sends the application back to the government, which will have to make a new decision consistent with the verdict. If there are no reasons other than the practice of refusing children’s blood transfusions to deny the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ application for funding, the application should be granted.
Religious organizations may soon see another set of rules apply, however, as the Swedish government is researching a new law on state funding of faith-based organizations; a report is expected to be issued in March 2018. Among the reasons for the review is to evaluate whether the government should withdraw funding when it is discovered that the faith-based organization receiving the grant has developed in a non-democratic direction. Moreover, the committee reviewing the state-funding program has been asked by the Department of Culture to look at ways to make the law more religiously neutral by using language other than "ceremony and service". The committee was also directed to propose language that would permit the recovery of funds that have been used to fund non-democratic ideas.
Several Members of the Swedish Parliament, representing five out of seven political groups, have previously voiced similar concerns and objected to the funding of religious organizations that promote gender inequality and discrimination against sexual minorities.
READ MORE: http://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/sweden-jehovahs-witnesses-have-right-to-state-funding/

This has been an ongoing issue which seems to have been going back-and-forth:

Yearbook 2016, pages 40 to 41

In May 2012, the government of Sweden rejected an application by Jehovah’s Witnesses to receive the economic benefits granted to other religious organizations. The Governing Body gave the approval for the decision to be appealed to the country’s Supreme Administrative Court...
The Court ruled in our favor, and the case was referred back to the government for a new decision.

haha - I posted this new topic 24 hours ago - and its now only just turned up here

1

CANADA: When Syrian Refugees Open the Door to JWs

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

fyi - from canada.....when syrian refugees open the door to jehovah's witnesses.

https://thewalrus.ca/when-syrian-refugees-open-the-door-to-jehovahs-witnesses/.

how do you explain proselytizers to a friendly newcomer?.

darkspilver

FYI - from Canada.....

When Syrian Refugees Open the Door to Jehovah's Witnesses

https://thewalrus.ca/when-syrian-refugees-open-the-door-to-jehovahs-witnesses/

How do you explain proselytizers to a friendly newcomer?
By Emma Waverman - 24 February 2017
Safa stood there with teacups in hand looking bewildered. Google Translate and I tried to explain about Jehovah’s Witnesses, but a round of charades couldn’t quite get the message across that those nice white women wanted her to abandon her religion—one of the last remaining constants from her life in Syria. I told her that they were selling Christian Bibles.
She nodded at me, smiling, but I recognized the perplexed shrug she gave me. It is the look of resignation when confronted with another ridiculous Canadian habit, such as tobogganing in sub-zero snowstorms, strapping screaming children into car seats, or using measuring cups while baking. She has been in Toronto for nine months and a couple of pretty, white women in her apartment telling her what to do no longer surprises her. Sometimes, I am amazed that she lets any of us past her doorstep.
READ MORE: https://thewalrus.ca/when-syrian-refugees-open-the-door-to-jehovahs-witnesses/

Article: Pinoy Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia face deportation (About Philippine JWs in Russia)

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/152841/pinoy-jehovahs-witnesses-russia-face-deportation.

pinoy jehovah’s witnesses in russia face deportation.

philippine daily inquirer / 05:40 am february 24, 2017. .

darkspilver

TBH I believe the newspaper made the mistake with the mix-up of using the '8,000' figure - there's also the coincidence of the figure matching up with the Moscow Times article - also the next sentence the newspaper says 'hundreds' will be effected, which doesn't match-up with 8,000, but is still apparently generous.

This should really have been picked up by the copy-editor / subeditor - unfortunately it seems many newspapers are doing away with them nowadays

in answer to my question above--this newspaper confirms 8000 pinoy in Russia--of which " hundreds" attend kingdom halls.

OK, that makes more sense regarding what has happpened - thanks for finding it!:

The original web article by Gobleth Moulic dated Thursday 23 February 2017 in a 320 word article stated:

There are more than 8,000 Filipinos in Russia, and hundreds of them have been worshiping in various Kingdom Halls there
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/152815/religious-group-asks-dfa-protect-members-russia

The same article re-edited into a 300 word article that was published on page 5 in the print newspaper on Friday 25 February 2017, and was re-published on the website - which stated:

more than 8,000 Filipino Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia.
Hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia are affected
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/152841/pinoy-jehovahs-witnesses-russia-face-deportation

So it looks like some VERY poor editing by the newspaper

( in case youre wondering about my interest--my wife is filipina--living with me in the UK. )

Yes, I remember

13

Article: Pinoy Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia face deportation (About Philippine JWs in Russia)

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/152841/pinoy-jehovahs-witnesses-russia-face-deportation.

pinoy jehovah’s witnesses in russia face deportation.

philippine daily inquirer / 05:40 am february 24, 2017. .

darkspilver

stan livedeath: if there were 8000 JW' pinoy in Russia--we could expect the TOTAL pinoy ex pat population in Russia to be around 3.8 million.

haha - mea culpa! - yes, thanks for picking that up! my mistake - misread my calculator - for 8,000 JW with a ratio of 1-in-483 there would need to be a base of 3.8 MILLION

39

June 2017 Watchtower - Jehovah's Sovereignty is at stake if you disagree with us

by Listener in

four years ago the watchtower made the following demand.

all of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.

they are not content with obedience and in the upcoming june watchtower they have this to say -15. how does respect for theocratic headship reveal our love for jehovah’s way of ruling?15 what is our response to divinely authorized headship?

darkspilver

thanks. FYI - here's the run down of the three quotes, with references and links

Watchtower (Study) 15 November 2013, page 20

Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today
Paragraph 17: Elders who are reading this article can draw some useful conclusions from the account we have just considered: (1) The most practical step that we can take to prepare for the coming attack of “the Assyrian” is that of strengthening our faith in God and helping our brothers to do the same. (2) When “the Assyrian” attacks, the elders must be absolutely convinced that Jehovah will deliver us. (3) At that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not. (4) Now is the time for any who may be putting their trust in secular education, material things, or human institutions to adjust their thinking. The elders must stand ready to help any who may now be wavering in their faith.
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20131115/seven-shepherds-eight-dukes/

Watchtower (Study) February 2017, page 23

Who Is Leading God’s People Today?
Paragraph 12: The Governing Body is neither inspired nor infallible. Therefore, it can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction. In fact, the Watch Tower Publications Index includes the heading “Beliefs Clarified,” which lists adjustments in our Scriptural understanding since 1870. Of course, Jesus did not tell us that his faithful slave would produce perfect spiritual food. So how can we answer Jesus’ question: “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave?” (Matt. 24:45) What evidence is there that the Governing Body is filling that role? Let us consider the same three factors that directed the governing body in the first century.
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-february-2017/who-is-leading-gods-people-today/

Watchtower (Study) June 2017, pages 30 to 31

Uphold Jehovah’s Sovereignty!
Paragraph 15: What is our response to divinely authorized headship? By our respectful cooperation, we show our support for Jehovah’s sovereignty. Even if we do not fully understand or agree with a decision, we will still want to support theocratic order. That is quite different from the way of the world, but it is the way of life under Jehovah’s rulership. (Eph. 5:22, 23; 6:1-3; Heb. 13:17) We benefit from doing so, for God has our interests at heart.
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-june-2017/uphold-jehovah-gods-sovereignty/

13

Article: Pinoy Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia face deportation (About Philippine JWs in Russia)

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/152841/pinoy-jehovahs-witnesses-russia-face-deportation.

pinoy jehovah’s witnesses in russia face deportation.

philippine daily inquirer / 05:40 am february 24, 2017. .

darkspilver

haha - funny, I was actually going to post this myself but didn't want to waste one of my 'new topic' slots because....

If it doesn't sound right, it probably isn't right.

8,000.... or 17??

Even though I understand that the Philippine Daily Inquirer is a well-regarded and reliable newspaper which stated in the OP article...

more than 8,000 Filipino Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia.
Hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia are affected

As stan livedeath writes above, 8,000 JWs in Russia sounds like a lot, an awful lot!

Seems like The Moscow Times reveals that the OP article is probably badly written because in a 2015 article it stated:

In 2004, there were 2,010 Filipino nationals in Russia. In 2013, that number had soared to 4,335, according to the most recent statistics from the Commission of Filipinos Overseas, a Filipino government agency that monitors migration.
Local Filipinos said the current number is probably much higher — they estimate Russia houses around 8,000 Filipinos, if unregistered migrants are taken into account. About 93 percent of all the Filipinos in Russia live in Moscow, said Lalunio.
https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/moscows-filipino-domestic-staff-no-longer-an-expat-preserve-50725

So actually around 8,000 Filipinos in total in Russia - hence the following line in the OP article regarding "hundreds being affected", but even that TBH is suspect - the publisher ratio in the Philippines is 1-in-483, so out of 8,000 that would actually make only 17 Filipino JWs in Russia.

Or in other words, using the same publisher ratio, there would need to be around 385,000 Filipinos in Russia in order for there to be 8,000 JWs. (btw there are just over 200,000 JWs in the Philippines)

Therefore the OP's article just didn't add up as being correct for me, but, hey ho! I might be wrong of course....

Ah, the joys of Fact Checking!

3

Fun with anagrams!

by Captain Schmideo2 in

jw
friends

after running the name "reince priebus" through an anagram creator (my favorite?

be prices urine),i wondered what appropriate anagrams could i get out of certain names or terms associated with jw'shere are a few good ones:watchtower society - theocratic stew yow.

charles taze russel - research zeal sluts.

darkspilver

Take a look at: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/132543/inconvenient-watchtower-anagrams

and: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/62516/joannes-anagrams-watchtower

darkspilver

Posts by darkspilver

AUSTRALIA: JW AFL Alex Rance Interview

WT: Warwick World HQ Tour Brochure