The Petitioner Ms. Blais is represented by the law firm Woods LLP in Montreal.
AKA http://www.litigationboutique.com
there doesn't seem to be anything about this on their website yet....
darkspilver
JoinedPosts by darkspilver
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Canada: class action lawsuit filed against the Watchtower about the pedophilia issue
by yalbmert99 incanada, province of quebec : class action lawsuit filed against the watchtower about the pedophilia issue.
it is now official.
see the articles in french of today:.
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darkspilver
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How Rutherford did a backflip (flop) off the Great Pyramid
by TerryWalstrom inin 1924, judge rutherford published an article which referred to the great pyramid as "the scientific bible" and added that measurements on the grand gallery inside the great pyramid confirmed the dates 1874, 1914 and 1925.. 1925 was the famous blowout date for the return of "ancient worthies" about which the judge said, "i made an ass of myself.".
just four years later, rutherford did one of his famous about-face reversals.. whereas previously the watchtower had taught that the great pyramid was probably built by melchizedek, or shem;*.
rutherford now said the great pyramid was constructed "under the direction of satan the devil.
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darkspilver
FWIW there's some more discussion here:
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September 11, 2017 Re: Global Assistance Arrangement for the 2018 Service Year
by wifibandit inseptember 11, 2017 to all congregations in the united states re: global assistance arrangement for the 2018 service year.
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darkspilver
The Fall Guy: So the answer is this - the org's insurance may cost the congregations more.
Any idea why for 2018 the GAA UK publisher rate is, once again, around half US rate??
GAA - US-per-publisher = $8.00
GAA - UK-per-publisher = $4.08 (£3.00)
That's some interesting “equalizing”
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The WatchTower and Money (A brief history)
by TerryWalstrom inthe watchtower and moneycharles t. russell, the age of 13, joined the congregational church (dumped presbyterian).. he went (like girl scouts are sent out with cookies to sell) door to door to raise money for the church.. russell hated fund raising.
he had to ask poor people to part with their money.
he said he felt he was "fleecing the flock.".
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darkspilver
Hi TerryWalstrom
thank you for your post, though...
Your whole OP seems to be a cut-and-paste repost from a year ago?
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5763303976468480/brief-history-money-watchtower-religion
which also appears to be a cut-and-paste repost from the year before that?
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/280668/understanding-money-history-watch-tower
Reposts are cool, especially for newbies, if the information is good - though I think a link would be good too?
FWIW some of your dates seem a bit 'dodgy'....
NINE MILLION people saw the PHOTO DRAMA of CREATION (a slide show) presented to audiences around the world. Stop and consider:
No collection plate was passed--however--DONATIONS were accepted. (A donation box in plain sight.)
Yes maybe they did - but they would have seen it AFTER the premiere took place in New York on January 11, 1914.
Thus the cartoon you mention immediately afterwards is unrelated to donations/income via screenings of the Photo-Drama.
On September 23, 1912, the Eagle ran a cartoon called "Easy Money Puzzle."
Actually it was from the year earlier - it appeared on the front cover of the September 23, 1911 edition
The cartoon is a play on the 'Union Bank of Brooklyn' which closed down in 1910 "as bank officers came under scrutiny for cooking the books, pocketing bonuses on bad loans and other alleged mismanagement."
Therefore Russell's unsuccessful complaint stated in part:
"That the building shown in the picture, photograph, drawing or cartoon. aforesaid, is intended to represent and does represent the said Union Bank Building and the words across the top of the door, to wit, 'Onion Bank,' represent and were intended by defendant to represent said Union Bank; that the figure of the man standing in the door of said building… represents some officer connected with the bank, and that the old man in the street represents the plaintiff 'going through the streets carrying a package of ‘Miracle Wheat,’ and as a ‘street hawker’ crying out his wares for sale; and the words, "You're wasting your time, come on in here" represent an invitation to the plaintiff to cease selling wheat and come on in the bank and join others in defrauding its depositors and patrons, that his, plaintiff's, time could be much better employed in said bank and greater returns could be realized by plaintiff engaging with those in the bank in fleecing, cheating and defrauding its patrons and depositors that the words "Easy Money Puzzle." appearing on said picture, photograph, drawing or cartoon, were intended by defendant to represent and do represent that both plaintiff and said Union Bank directors and officers were engaged in an unrighteous and unlawful scheme or business, and that plaintiff by misrepresentations, fraud and deception was obtaining 'easy money’ or dishonest money or tained money, from the people."
Now we'd better actually see the cartoon.....
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Apostasy: The Movie - Directed by Daniel Kokotajlo
by darkspilver indaniel kokotajlo's new film apostasy has it's world premiere at the toronto international film festival in september 2017. apostasy.
family and faith come into conflict for two jehovah’s witness sisters in manchester, when one is condemned for fornication and the other pressured to shun her sibling.. this fresh, unadorned first feature from director dan kokotajlo carries an unmistakable note of authenticity from its very first scenes.
set in a jehovah's witness community in england, the film's strength and power lies in its directness.. apostasy depicts the growing rift in a family — a mother and two daughters — who are rigorously devoted to their religion.
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darkspilver
will have to wait and see if he gives the film a mention in the print newspaper next Friday
nope, no mention in today's (Friday, September 15, 2017) edition of the Daily Mail - BUT The Children's Act did get a mention..... https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5640312363941888/_post/5932694728867840
FYI
Tickets for the UK screenings went on sale yesterday (September 14, 2017) - still some tickets available!
Tickets for the Spanish screenings go on sale this coming Sunday (September 17, 2017)
More screenings announced!!......
ASIA PREMIERE of ApostasyMumbai Film Festival (12 to 18 October 2017)
Screening dates and times for Apostasy to be announced!
MORE DETAILS: http://www.mumbaifilmfestival.com/programmeDetail/203
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The Children Act: The Movie - By Ian McEwan and directed by Richard Eyre
by darkspilver inrichard eyre's film adaptation of ian mcewan's book the childen act has it's world premiere at the toronto international film festival in september 2017. the children act.
emma thompson and stanley tucci star in this adaptation of the novel by ian mcewan, about a high-court judge who finds personal and professional crises colliding when she is asked to rule in the case of a brilliant 18-year-old boy who is refusing the blood transfusion that would save his life.. adapted by booker prize–winning author ian mcewan from his own novel, this riveting drama stars two-time academy award winner emma thompson as a british high court judge tasked with making a decision that will speak to our most fraught questions regarding religious tolerance — and could mean life or death for an innocent young man.. judge fiona maye (emma thompson) is married to her work, which has become a problem for her husband, jack (stanley tucci), who announces that he wants to have an affair.
treating the matter more as an annoyance than a life-altering crisis, fiona kicks jack out and focuses on her current case.
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darkspilver
Xanthippe: What's the UK release date?
I don't believe it has one. The article above says that it is going to aim for the 2019 awards season - that would indicate a release date sometime during 2018.
A bit more PR....
It's Friday! Baz Bamigboye
The Daily Mail, Friday, September 15, 2017 (UK print edition)
Watch out for . . . Emma Thompson, who exudes luminosity with a breathtaking performance (so brilliant I saw it twice within 24 hours) as a High Court judge in Richard Eyre’s film The Children Act, which the director made using Ian McEwan’s own adaptation of his novel. It’s a study of betrayal, wisdom, religion, love, and a 17-year-old lad - played with fierce intelligence by Fionn Whitehead (the young newcomer who’s the main focus of Christopher Nolan’s masterful Dunkirk). He and his parents (who, like him, are Jehovah’s Witnesses) are seeking court action to prevent him from being forced to have a life-saving blood transfusion. Meanwhile, Ms Thompson is back in the UK, after visiting Toronto for the film festival, to shoot Johnny English 3 (she plays the Prime Minister). Amusingly - to me, at least - her judge in The Children Act is called... Mrs Maye.
READ ONLINE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4886118/A-star-Rosamund-s-maternal-love.html
Emma Thompson on ‘The Children Act’ And Why Britain’s Top Female Judges Have “A Killer Job”
Deadline Hollywood, September 14, 2017
When the filmmaking team came by Deadline’s studio, McEwan recalled that the inspiration for the original novel came from having dinner one evening with a tableful of judges. “I was handed a book of judgments,” he said. “Which sounds very biblical! I started reading it, and I realized that this was a fantastic resource of exquisite and sometimes terrible human dramas and dilemmas that the secular state has to resolve.” Director Richard Eyre said that casting the film was surprisingly easy. “Casting is always a lottery,” he laughed, “but in this case there was either Emma or the film didn’t get made.” To research the role, Thompson consulted real-life female High Court judges, whom she declared to be her new heroines on account of “the level of the workload, and the life and death situations they have to deal with”. “It’s a killer job,” she decided.
READ FULL ARTICLE: http://deadline.com/2017/09/the-children-act-emma-thompson-stanley-tucci-toronto-video-1202170158/
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interesting EX-CO AMA ( Ask Me Anything) over on exjwreddit
by Diogenesister inex-circuit overseer here, ama.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/6usaky/excircuit_overseer_here_ama/.
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darkspilver
More answers....
What it's like to be a Circuit Overseer - Part 2
Some background first: I was raised a Witness and when I was 16 years old I was interviewed by a Circuit Overseer at the Woodland Hills Assembly Hall in Los Angeles, asking about my goals. I said I wanted to be a Circuit Overseer. Everyone applauded. That was my goal my entire teenage years, and I especially wanted to be a missionary CO, since the ex-missionary CO's we had serving our congregation when I was a kid were the best in my opinion. They were exciting, they had cool stories from foreign countries, they were legit.
Tuesday night.
When I finally became a missionary Circuit Overseer 12 years later, I really thought a lot of myself. Every week I would arrive early for the meeting and walk around talking to people. If I was the new CO and they didn't know me yet I would get a kick out of them not knowing I was the CO. They thought I was a visitor, I guess because of my age. So then the meeting would start. I would make a ton of notes. Did the meeting start on time? Was each part prepared well? Were there good comments? If they were recommending someone for elder or servant, how did that persons' talk go? They always showcased whoever was being recommended. I wrote down notes for every talk, just so I could have constructive criticism at the elders and servants meeting. I usually brought something to read in English as well during the meeting because I was bored and I liked to multitask.
Then it was my turn. The CO back then gave 4 talks a week and Tuesday night was an important one to set the "tone." I would get up on the platform and say how I was glad to be serving their congregation that week and how we had a full week of activity bla bla bla, I felt great to be in that position. I had grown up with the Circuit Overseer visit being a highlight of the year and here I was on the platform actually being a CO! Meanwhile I was wasting my youth in a cult, but anyway. Remember too, I was single. So I was also on the lookout at that first meeting for cute sisters that I might preach with that week, without making it obvious, I bet I was obvious, actually. I would even make a mental note on Tuesday afternoon while I did the congregation records of single pioneer sisters around my age who had a "productive" ministry. I would memorize their names and look around for them at the meeting. Anyway, back to my service talk, I would usually start with some commendation for something the congregation had improved on, then I would give my talk. Sometimes the Society gave us an outline and sometimes we made our own. We were always told to apply whatever talk we had to local needs. I would usually end with an illustration I had stolen from a CO in the States, then talk about the activity for the week. Thinking back now, I was oblivious to real problems, such as who was depressed, possible child abuse, those suffering from anxiety or financial or health problems. I had no real training to help those affected or to deal with real problems.
In fact, I suffered from stress myself, always beginning Tuesday night, never before. The weight of an entire congregation was on me for that week starting that day. It was heavy and difficult. I can see why now, I wasn't qualified to give real help. I was usually told all kinds of problems on Tuesday afternoon and I had a week to fix them. But how? By giving talks?
During my talks I always talked in a conversational tone, I tried to keep it real, and I tried to address real issues, but it was all cult indoctrination mixed with some Bible stories and some practical advice that I had picked up somewhere. It was mumbo jumbo with no real substance and I didn't realize that. I was anxious and frustrated all week and I didn't know why. I would say in my talks how unified we are and how the end is so close and how any problem we have can be solved with Jehovah's help etc, etc, but I couldn't help with real problems, I had no solution usually other than wait on Jehovah or try to pray and then decide, or just pray and look for a solution. I truly believed it, but inside me there was turmoil. Anyway, no matter how nice the congregation, I was always wanting the week to end. It was a heavy weight on my shoulders the whole week.
So that's Tuesday night. After the meeting I would get out of there so fast. I would go back to the missionary home and just crash. Still a long week ahead.
How many visits does a CO do per year?
We were required to make at least two visits per year per congregation. If we could not fulfill that due to illness or assemblies or vacation then we were required to use our substitute CO.
You visit a congregation every week outside of conventions/assemblies right? Do you get any weeks off?
Missionary CO's have the most vacation of any special full-time servants. We got two weeks a year plus one day each year for every year of full time service. I had 12 years by the time I was a CO. And as a CO I didn't have to count Mondays and half a day Tuesday. So I could add on a day and a half for every week of vacation. That meant over a month a year of vacation. My family would buy my ticket and I would go back home and work at odd jobs and give a bunch of talks and come back with about $2000 or so, which would last me a year. Pizza and movies.
What did you do when someone came to you for advice instead of the elders?
Ha ha I listened to them. It usually was either of two things. One, they had committted a sin and they were afraid of the elders and knew I was merciful and I would tell the elders to be merciful. And two, it would be about a mean or spiteful elder. I always listened.
The reason I said ha ha is because we werent supposed to listen to problems or complaints of individual members of the congregation unless it was the week of my visit. I did it anyway. Eventually I got another letter from the Branch telling me I wasn't the Branch Office and to only talk to the friends about their problems during that visit and to refer those situations to the Branch or to the local body of elders.
So once you woke up, your view on who would make a good companion or wife, obviously was affected... So how difficult was it to change your view from what the Watchtower teaches - as to what a good mate/spouse is - to what normal people view, what makes a person good marriage material. Especially since there are many people who have long, happy marriages, (50 years and above) who never factored in things like (pioneering, studying WT publications, etc.) How long did it take to discard WT Ideas on what makes a good partner/wife.
Fantastic question.
I had no idea how twisted and wrong I was about women. I thought I viewed everyone equal and respected women. I was wrong.
When I returned from my assignment and I was working secularly I had a habit of mentioning the fact that someone was a woman although that was irrelevant. For example I would say "female manager" and "female doctor." I was called to account on that by management.
Little by little I changed my viewpoint. I will write more on that later. Eventually I met a sister who didnt respect my past CO career at all. She also dressed the way she wanted, going against elders counsel. And she didn't fawn over my "spiritual comments" in car service groups either.
I married her.
It took her a couple of years after me, but she is out mentally now also. We are faded. But I am still adjusting my viewpoint, what a mess of our minds the Watchtower makes.
Tell us some times and examples about removing elders from position and for what reasons? Was their any times that you needed to make a major change to the body of elders in certain halls?
I removed a lot of elders during my 7.5 years in the circuit work. Usually i gave them six months to improve. Low service hours, never prepared for talks, being unkind to the friends, borrowing money from everyone in the hall and not paying any of it back, heavy drinking, missing a lot of meetings, pornography.
I also was assigned by the Branch to a lot of special cases in other circuits to assist the local CO with prominent elders being accused of something. Alcoholism, married elders having an emotional affair with a sister telling her he loved her, stealing from the congregation accounts, stealing from work, fraud, homosexuality, lesbianism, stalking, porneia, dating two sisters in two different congregations at the same time, voyeurism, having a sister at work perform a striptease. Lots of sordid stuff. In my role as a CO, I never was excited by any of this. I was appalled and although I rarely disfellowshipped elders, I would really lay into them with the Bible and remove them and reprove them. I was used by the Branch a lot because they trusted me to be fair. Once I was assigned to investigate a City Overseer who was giving huge monetary gifts to a young sister and his wife found out. He was prominent and haughty and called everyone a liar. I enjoyed removing that guy. Another elder got angry at an assembly hall cleaning and lifted a chair over his head and chased brothers around threatening to hit them. He denied it even though we had 17 witnesses. He said it was a conspiracy.
In cases of fraud, I had a team of elders who owned businesses. If an accusation of fraud came up in an elders business, I used them to investigate and form a committee if necessary. The reason? Too much time involved, i just couldn't do it. That and experience. Fraud is hard to prove and all those invoices and paperwork from businesses and subtle tax laws took forever, plus trying to figure out if the elder or servant was lying. Some elders were under investigation for months.
Once I served a congregation that had a perennial deficit. I called my handy-dandy missionary buddy elder who had been an accountant to help me investigate. The Branch allowed this and they liked my thoroughness. The missionary/elder/accountant found this Ministerial Servant was cooking the books and stealing congregation money and had been for years. I of course wanted to disfellowship him but the Branch wouldn't let us. The Coordinator said we would never get our money back. So we reproved him and put him on a payment arrangement. He paid it off in two years. So much for basing decisions on repentance. This reproof decision was based solely on money, the Branch wanted their money back.
I have a million stories, good, crazy, weird, funny, sad. But I wasn't a hatchet man. If it wasn't a judicial matter I would almost always give the guy until the next visit to fix whatever it was.
Sometimes I felt like I really helped people, I often went to the Hall on an off day and coached elders and ministerial servants in giving talks in my spare time. I tried to give good counsel during my visits. I guess some of it was practical, sometimes. Mostly though I was judging and interfering in personal lives. And recommending and deleting men from a position that shouldn't exist. That whole system is garbage and I took it seriously for years and years.
Ridiculous
I recently DA'ed. I know the elders aren't supposed to read the letters. What questions would you ask regarding those situations? Would you ask the elders what led up to it or what their thoughts were?
When someone stopped going or became inactive or disassociated themselves the policy is always to find out why. But that depends on the CO. Some will spend less than 30 seconds on the matter. The CO will say, "So I understand you received a disassociation letter. What is the gist of the matter?" Then the elders say, "Well, he had some doubts and we tried to help him and then he sent this letter." Then the CO says, "OK well he made his decision. Keep the letter on file and inform the Branch."
That's it.
Maybe an elder will secretly read the letter. It's possible. But remember that as soon as someone doesn't agree with the Society they are viewed as wrong. They have "doubts". That's their fault. We all know the organization isn't perfect, but we keep on serving Jehovah. Bla bla bla. If someone disassociates themself then they are soon forgotten.
At least that's the way it used to be. It seems more elders are willing to talk about why people are leaving. I have read a lot of conversations on this forum of elders having discussions with those who later disassociate. That can help them to think later on.
I think what is going on now in terms of conversations taking place about the UN, the ARC, blood, shunning, is unprecedented. People ARE waking up. I did. Is it a huge exodus? Not yet. Is it more and more people? Yes it is.
Let's keep it going.
I knew of a CO who rolled into town one day and people started getting removed from positions and pioneering. Then people started getting df'd for nothing. A few petty, grudge holding people used th Co's toxic presence to get revenge. He stayed his full time, even with all the turmoil, and to my knowledge was never disciplined or removed.
I tried not to get embroiled in those big rifts and controversies with one family against another and all that. I would just move the elder to another hall. Hat usually helped. Unless he was a mean person, then I would delete him. I would always work with those problem elders in service. I could tell if they were a nice person in general by how they treated people in the territory. It seemed to work most of the time.
But there were problems in congregations I could never fix and I was never qualified to fix. Congregations shouldn't exist, elders and ministerial servants shouldn't exist, neither should there be deletions and reproof and disfellowshipping.
How much cash was palmed to you, on average, per week?
$50 average. That covered my gas and a little more sometimes.
Any secret "sin", masturbation et al?
The District Overseer meets with the Circuit Overseer once a year to encourage him and to give him any needed suggestions. So that week I give some talks and he gives others. Then on Sunday we have a private meeting where I can bring up anything I want. So this one DO, a real intrusive guy, starts asking me about my personal habits, he specifically mentions how almost all the single CO's and single special pioneers and elders have a "problem" with masturbation.
I was surprised at his candor about everyone else. I was also not going to tell him anything personal about myself as I had personally witnessed him drunk at a special Branch dinner for missionaries, saying crazy things into a microphone and just acting drunk. He also hated me for going above his head on a bunch of different matters. So I didn't tell him anything. Every week at least one brother confessed to me about masturbation. So did sisters occasionally, even a couple of older sisters confessed to me. I just told them that Jehovah is patient and to keep fighting against it. Of course, I had my own fight against it, so I tended to go easy on everyone else.
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UK: Revised UK child sexual 'consent' rules provoke backlash
by darkspilver inthere was some discussion here the other week regarding the updated letter:.
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5072996442046464/september-1-2017-boe-re-protecting-minors-from-abuse.
including paragraph 14 - the issue appearing (?
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darkspilver
There was some discussion here the other week regarding the updated letter:
Including paragraph 14 - the issue appearing (?) to be the difference between the 'age of majority' (often 18, but sometimes older) (ie when a person stops being a 'minor') and the 'age of consent' (often 16, but can vary).
But actually it may be more aligned with the latest draft guidelines from the UK's Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority as featured on page 21 of today's Guardian newspaper (Friday, September 15, 2017) - a larger and more fuller article is available from their website.
Revised UK child sexual 'consent' rules provoke backlashGuardian, September 14, 2017
Children as young as 12 could be refused compensation under guidelines criticised as ‘victim blaming’.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) began a review of its guidelines earlier this year when it emerged that almost 700 child victims had been denied payments, even in cases where the attacker had been jailed.
CICA’s revised guidance states that victims of child sexual abuse can still be disqualified from the scheme on the basis that “consent ‘in fact’ is different from consent ‘in law’.”
The draft revised guidelines state: “The legal age of consent is 16. It is a criminal offence for a person to engage in sexual activity with someone under 13 regardless of the circumstances, and to engage in sexual activity with someone aged 13 to 16 unless certain narrow defences apply. Normally, where such a criminal offence has been committed, the child will be the victim of a crime of violence and therefore eligible for compensation under Annex B.
“However, consent ‘in fact’ is different from consent ‘in law’. The scheme recognises that there may be situations where a person aged under 16 has ‘in fact’ consented to sexual activity. Where the sexual activity is truly of the applicant’s free will no crime of violence will have occurred.”
It continues: “Such cases will be rare where an adult engages in sexual conduct with a child. There can only be consent ‘in fact’ where you are satisfied that consent was freely and voluntarily given. Even if it appears that the minor expressed consent to the acts in question, the surrounding circumstances may indicate that the situation was abusive and the consent was not true consent.”
The guidance also states that children under 12 could also be found to have consented to sexual activity.
It says: “Where the child was 12 or under when the incident happened, we will presume that the child did not consent in fact unless the evidence to the contrary is very clear. For example, where the incident involves children aged 12 or under who, on the evidence, both appear to have agreed to engage in sexual experimentation with each other, it is unlikely that a crime of violence will have occurred.”
A CICA spokesperson said: “Child sexual abuse is abhorrent. Our guidelines are designed to make sure that controlling and abusive behaviour is taken into account when handling compensation applications. We want to be sure that we never get these decisions wrong. That’s why we are reviewing our staff guidance to make sure that we identify every instance where grooming could be a factor. We are actively engaging victim support groups and relevant charities to make sure the revised guidance is as robust as it possibly can be.”
READ FULL ARTICLE: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/14/revised-uk-child-sexual-consent-guidelines-provoke-backlash
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The Children Act: The Movie - By Ian McEwan and directed by Richard Eyre
by darkspilver inrichard eyre's film adaptation of ian mcewan's book the childen act has it's world premiere at the toronto international film festival in september 2017. the children act.
emma thompson and stanley tucci star in this adaptation of the novel by ian mcewan, about a high-court judge who finds personal and professional crises colliding when she is asked to rule in the case of a brilliant 18-year-old boy who is refusing the blood transfusion that would save his life.. adapted by booker prize–winning author ian mcewan from his own novel, this riveting drama stars two-time academy award winner emma thompson as a british high court judge tasked with making a decision that will speak to our most fraught questions regarding religious tolerance — and could mean life or death for an innocent young man.. judge fiona maye (emma thompson) is married to her work, which has become a problem for her husband, jack (stanley tucci), who announces that he wants to have an affair.
treating the matter more as an annoyance than a life-altering crisis, fiona kicks jack out and focuses on her current case.
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darkspilver
Looks like it's been picked up for distribution in the US now....
A24 & DirecTV Acquire Emma Thompson Pic 'The Children Act'Deadline Hollywood, Tuesday, September 12, 2017
EXCLUSIVE: A24 and DirecTV have teamed to acquire U.S. rights on The Children Act, the Richard Eyre-directed drama that premiered in the Toronto Film Festival’s Special Presentations section Saturday at the Elgin Theatre. The film stars Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci and Dunkirk‘s Fionn Whitehead, and has drawn strong reviews for Thompson’s performance.
Pic ups the ante of the A24-DirecTV partnership, as the film will be released next year but will be qualified for 2019 awards season. The deal was made by CAA for FilmNation, BBC Films and the filmmakers. Pic is produced by Love Actually‘s Duncan Kenworthy. Ian McEwan adapted the script from his novel.
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interesting EX-CO AMA ( Ask Me Anything) over on exjwreddit
by Diogenesister inex-circuit overseer here, ama.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/6usaky/excircuit_overseer_here_ama/.
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darkspilver
More answers....
With regard to the Tuesday afternoon looking over the records - One hour does not seem long to gather all of that information and get a good feel for things?You are right. I did two or three hours at first every Tuesday and then I got more efficient after a couple of years, that or more lazy.
How were inactive ones viewed by you. Did you or were you supposed to whip the elders into taking action. That is, get them back to meetings or disfellowship them. Or did you just basically leave them alone. And was there a time limit for reproved bro/sisters. As in could a brother remain reproved for a year without lifting restrictions and still go unnoticed.On each visit I would have to report how many had become inactive, that is, no field service report for the last six months. I would ask why, sometimes they just didn't know. I also had to report how many were reactivated. I wasn't very good at reactivating people. But we had to report that. So I would go to their house and read them scriptures. It didn't work most of the time.
As far as people on restrictions, sometimes it went on for years. They were forgotten. They had been reproved or recently reinstated and then they missed meetings. You had to be regular at meetings to get your privileges back so some people just weee never regular enough at the meetings. Years would go by. What a horrible system.
So if a guy is going to college but is still in good standing, instead of attempting to strengthen him by giving him responsibility, they basically pre-shun him?Yep. I was talking to a CO serving in Africa last year. He doesn't yet know I'm faded. Anyway we were talking about college and young people. I said how it's great to get a good education and he said, "Don't you realize how many young people we are losing to college?"
I used to think that too.
With regarding to the lack of training materials (previous question) - So there was nothing back then even comparable to the Circuit Overseer Guidelines book that has been circulating on the internet recently?We didn't have a booklet like that, at least where I was. We had those letters, over a hundred, dating from 1973, with all the policies in there.
Note: Circuit Overseer Guidelines 2016 PDF: https://jw.servehttp.com/handbook.php?is=tg16-E.pdf
What if a single MS started dating and got engaged?The elders would not want to recommend him as an elder, even if he were old enough and otherwise qualified. But since the MS was engaged, a high percentage, I would say over 80%, committed some form of porneia with their fiancée, so they always wanted to wait on recommending him as an elder.
How long can a MS turn in low hours due to chronic health issues before he is deleted? There's a MS at my hall, he's been sick for a while, he still gives a part every now and then, but he only turns in like 4-6 hours. I know there is an unwritten hour-requirement, but I assume there is some gray area when it comes to illness. What do you think?
There also was an elder that was the same way, except he went inactive, and was very sick. They let it ride about 2 years then silently (no announcement) deleted him. So I assume time runs out on these type of things.There is no set time. Some CO's use the "national average" of hours as a guide, some don't or they say to take into account individual circumstances. Usually I wouldn't remove anyone for low hours on my first visit. I would talk to them and then wait until the next visit. If things hadn't improved or I couldn't think of a reason to keep him on, I would recommend his removal. However, if someone was sick or elderly or they had a big family and a job that required travel and they seemed to be "sincere and humble" then I wouldn't recommend their deletion. I would cut hem slack. And I also took into consideration what the congregation thought of them. Did they respect the brother even though he couldn't fulfill all his duties?
Each CO Is different. Hours are spent discussing all these situations at elders meetings and some want the guy deleted and some don't. It's just nonsense really.
I would like to ask if the COs buy into the WT rhetoric, or are they aware that there is so much lying and duplicitous dealing going on? I find it hard to believe that they are unaware of ttatt. And, if they are, how can they in conscience, 'encourage' the congregation to remain loyal to the organisation?I bought into it. I was raised a Witness so I ignored any outside ideas as apostate. I often wonder how many active CO's are actually awake.
