FINISHED!
A total of 124 signatures
darkspilver
JoinedPosts by darkspilver
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7
Petition! 100,000 signatures...
by darkspilver in....are needed by tuesday 19 september 2017 !your voice in the white house.
we the people ask the federal government to tell us what the federal government is doing about an issue: investigate watchtower bible and tract society for known child sexual abuse within its organization and not reported.. created by h.c. on august 20, 2017. save the children!
pass a law to protect children.
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darkspilver
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What's Going on In Quebec? Class action?
by Slidin Fast inaccording to these news items the child abuse front is extending to quebec.
a class action would really open some eyes i suspect.
here's hoping!
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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
FYI - winner to be announced in two weeks time....
BFI announce three finalists for £50k emerging filmmaker bursaryScreen Daily, Tuesday, September 19, 2017
The BFI has announced the three finalists for the IWC Schaffhausen Filmmaker Bursary Award, which comes with a £50,000 grant.
The contenders are: Daniel Kokotajlo, writer, director of Apostasy; Rungano Nyoni, writer, director of I Am Not A Witch and Michael Pearce, writer, director of Beast.
The bursary is for an emerging UK-based writer and/or director premiering their first or second feature at the London Film Festival (LFF).
Pearce’s debut feature Beast and Kokotajilo’s debut feature Apostasy both premiered at the recent Toronto International Film Festival. Nyoni’s debut I Am Not A Witch premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in Directors’ Fortnight.
A jury of director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech), Amanda Nevill (CEO, BFI) and Christoph Grainger-Herr (CEO of IWC Schaffhausen) will select the winner.
A panel of industry figures including Rose Garnett, director of BBC Films, Sam Lavender, deputy of creative at Film4, Ben Roberts, director of the BFI Film Fund, Clare Stewart, director of the BFI London Film Festival, and Gaylene Gould, BFI Southbank’s head of cinemas and events, selected the shortlist of filmmakers.
The winner will be announced at the BFI’s 2017 Luminous fundraising gala on 3 October 2017.
Manchester-born Apostasy director Kokotajilo said he was “over the moon” to be shortlisted for the prize.
Apostasy, which was loosely based on his own experiences of growing up as a Jehovah’s witness, was backed by Creative England’s iFeatures initiative. He said that were he to win the £50,000 prize, he would use the money to get the ball rolling on working towards his next feature.
READ FULL ARTICLE: https://www.screendaily.com/news/bfi-announce-three-finalists-for-50k-emerging-filmmaker-bursary/5122469.article
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2018 Special Talk Outline: “Who Really is Jesus Christ?”
by wifibandit inrevision date: 8/17.
the talk outline “jesus christ—earth’s new ruler” has been discontinued and should no longer be used.
it has been replaced by “who really is jesus christ?”note: this is the special public talk outline for 2018. the talk will be given in most congregations the week of monday, march 19, 2018.. .
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darkspilver
Listener: Was JC - Earth's new ruler an old outline?
I believe so - it also seems to have been originally a CO public talk from 1992.
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7.1 Earthquake hits Mexico City
by ILoveTTATT2 in2 earthquakes in less than a month.... witnesses are going to have a field day with this... bounce back from that decline.....
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darkspilver
ILoveTTATT2: 2 earthquakes in less than a month...
and 32 years ago, to the date....
September 19, 1985: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Mexico_City_earthquake
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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
Firstly
For those interested Askmeaboutmy_Beergut, who grew up as a JW in East Texas Piney Woods and went as a rank-and-file publisher to preach in Guatemala in the mid-1990s is writing about his own experiences here: https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/70qq84/my_time_in_central_america_part_1/
More answers
So you could sum it up by saying that you were a cog in the wheel of the Watchtower machine - just going round and round as instructed. Very sad! Glad you got out and saved your sanity and life.Not only could I sum it up that way - I DID sum it up that way. My bethelite friend and I used to joke around that we were "nameless, faceless cogs in the machinery of the organization."
Not kidding we really used to joke around saying that.
Not realizing it was actually true.
What it's like to be a Circuit Overseer - Part 4Thursday
Preaching for 3 1/2 hours in the morning with no break. Heat, humidity and dust, what a combination. Studies in the afternoon. Of course I didn't realize this at the time, but the Knowledge Book is filled with false premises, strawman arguments, half-truths, omissions and outright lies.
"How do we know that the earth will be a paradise?"
"Why will all false religion, that is, religions not worshipping Jehovah, be destroyed?
Why should be be submissive to those appointed by Holy Spirit in the congregation?"
I had never heard of logical fallacies, and if I had heard the term before, I probably dismissed it as not necessary. After all, the Knowledge Book was so logical!
Anyway, I sat through thousands of "Bible studies". I would usually have the sister conduct the first half then I would conduct.
Thursday night was the Congregation Bookstudy and then my Service Talk, focusing on the needs of the congregation. Usually I talked about meeting attendance and service. Sometimes judicial related stuff such as behavior that can lead to adultery. Or getting along with others. Or being a good teacher at the doors. Or being at all the meetings. I tried to be positive. I liked giving talks, though sometimes no one seemed like they were paying attention. In my first years I served congregations made up of 10 publishers and we met on their back porch. No microphone. The kids would come up to the "platform" during songs since they didn't have a songbook and sing with me then go back to their seats. Later I was assigned to the big circuits with 1800+ publishers and 100 per congregation in big Kingdom Halls in the city. The problems were the same ones though, fornication, gossip, getting along, etc. Of course, those weren't the REAL problems. I couldn't see those. Depression, anxiety, giving people false hope, discouraging higher education, marriage problems, I contributed to all those problems. There should be no Circuit Overseers, they offer no real world help. I never helped anyone really unrelated to JW stuff. I mean I always brought stuff down from the States, once a brought two suitcases full of new shoes for the poorer brothers, the kids loved them. But it was for a "spiritual purpose." What a waste.
Friday Night: Elders Meeting
I used to make this meeting go on for hours when I was first a CO, even though we were specifically told not to. I was young, zealous, and I had a lot to share. I would go over stuff from my MTS course, trying to make the elders teach better.
I would also pressure the elders to recommend whomever I liked as a servant or elder. Usually they went along. If they didn't, I would normally wait until the next visit. I had a high ratio of my recommendations being approved by the Branch. I did have some mistakes though. I remember one brother I really thought was a great candidate for elder. He was 26, a pioneer, friendly, good talks, humble. I pushed his recommendation for elder through although one elder didn't want to. Six months later he was reproved and removed. Turns out for the last two years he had been fornicating with a pioneer sister. Actually, it was defined as porneia. They didn't disfellowship him because the next CO told me he didn't want to make me look bad. Yep, that's why they didn't disfellowship him. So the youngest I recommended as an elder was 24 years old. He was appointed and last I heard is still serving. The youngest MS I recommended was 18. He is now a missionary himself in another country and is also in the circuit work. I am trying to help wake him up with no success yet. One of the biggest things I had to handle was how soon to recommend someone after they had been reproved. Usually it was around two years. And if they were appointed then after a year they could be an elder again. So many times I recommended and saw brothers being appointed as elders though they had been reproved three years ago. When I returned to the US, I was shocked at how long they make brothers wait after a reproof.
But usually I spent the time during the elders meeting trying to get the elders to do more, give better talks, preach more, do more shepherding. And try to deal with the problems of sisters dating unbelievers, MS's not doing their duties, the KH in disrepair, dominant personalities controlling the Hall, on and on it went.
Anyway, tons of crazy elder meeting stories. I thought I was doing Gods will as I tried to make those boring meetings interesting.
You had way too much responsibility as a CO. No wonder you were on what I perceive as autopilot. It's like a parts manager or a manager in charge of ordering supplies. Just figure out how much we need (elders and MS's) how many we are losing, do the math and order the proper amount to replace what we are losing. You're the manager, the Elders and MS's are the product. The rest (judicial committees, elders meetings, counseling) are store needs, or technical aspects to be addressed. You could be a district manager for walmart... same difference, better pay.Yep autopilot. I used to not even bring my outlines up onto the platform after a while because I had memorized them. Same with the elders meeting.
We had a CO once on autopilot during his visit he shows up for the Friday night elders and m.s. meeting and forgot his new outline and had to be rescheduled for Sunday. And then he gave the same public talk as his last visit. When he talked it always sounded like he had a headache too.I never used my substitute. I used to give my talks no matter how sick I was, I had a lot of headaches. Sometimes I would vomit in the bathroom after my talk. The stress was bad. Always that burning ulcer. Glad it's gone now.
You say you let the sister conduct the first half of the Bible study - did you make her wear a head covering or was it more relaxed there?Yes she wore a head covering. I never had to remind them.
Regarding the fornicating pioneer you recommended for elder and who wasn't DFed so you didn't look a fool - what about the pioneer sister he was doing it with? Was she DFed or did she likewise get a reproof?The pioneer sister was also reproved. They eventually married and now he is an elder.
Once my brother was reproved to get back at my dad who was an elder. The other girl was also an elder's kid but her elders liked her and her dad. She was privately reproved, though since everyone knew everything, it wasn't really that private.Yes the whole Witness judicial system is unjust, wrong and often manipulated.
One thing I always wondered about COs; are they aware of all the showing-off that goes on during their visit?I mean, like meeting attendance usually almost doubles that week (all the inactive people show up and act like they've been coming all the time), the Saturday service meeting is HUGE, people actually stay after the meeting on Sunday for field service, etc. This stuff NEVER happens any other time.
I just wonder if a CO could get disillusioned that all congregations are that zealous all the time. Granted, I am sure you could see by the publisher records that the actual numbers are low on average, but still. Every week having a packed house, you could probably start to think the zeal is generally much stronger than it is.
We were always aware of the spike in numbers during our visit. We knew that wasn't the normal. The same with the elders preaching with us. I asked ALL the pioneers what went on normally so the elders who were making a pretense during my visit wouldn't put one over on me.
As far as meeting attendance, if you can believe this we actually checked to see what attendance the last CO had at his public talk. Then we would compare. I followed a CO who had huge attendances at his Sunday talk. I don't know how he did it. He was stern and strict. But they turned out in droves for his talks. I tried to be nice and I had way less attendance for mine.
Questioner replied: I think the stern COs gather the large crowds because it's entertaining. I know some in my family love the stern COs, because it gives them a chance to guess who the CO is talking about when he gets all "correctional" from the platform. "Who was that talk for? I bet it's Sister Gossip! or Brother Beardsly!". Etc. And, the good ol' "Anthony Morris III Effect", AKA- crazy and stern is entertaining if it isn't directed at you.
What was your defining wake up moment? Or was it more of a gradual process?It was a gradual thing and I am working on a long version of it now to be posted later.
Regarding "I used to make this meeting go on for hours when I was first a CO" - I am so triggered by reading this, excuse me while I go outside and scream at nobody in particular.Sorry man. I remember some of the faces of the elders who had families or long working hours. They were so tired. But I was tired too. I tried to show how we need to be zealous. Seriously sometimes I had 4 hour elders meetings. Not for a specific judicial matter, just going over recommendations and reviewing the congregations "progress." Barf.
It doesn't really surprise me with that appointed brother/elder having sex. You can really see the Holy Spirit™ in action.There were always appointed men hiding their sin. We were told by the Branch to have substitute speakers ready for the assemblies since often the assigned speaker would have his conscience bother him about whatever sin he was committing and would confess two days before he was to give his part.
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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
UPDATE
There is an article in today's edition (Tuesday, September 19, 2017) of the French Quebec newspaper Le Soleil which gives some more background, including about Lise Blais.
Leaders accused of aggressionLe Soleil, Tuesday, September 19, 2017, page 19 print edition (via Google Translate)
A class action lawsuit accusing Jehovah's Witness leaders of maintaining an environment conducive to sexual assault and breaching their duty to protect minors under their wing was filed last week at the Montreal Courthouse.
The motion in the Superior Court is directed at The Watch Tower Bible and the Tract Society of Canada and its counterparts in New York and Pennsylvania. These are the main decision-making places of the Governing Body, a high-level body responsible for leading the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses around the world.
Lise Blais, a former Jehovah's Witness, filed the motion on behalf of all the children or adults who have ever been in the religion and who have been sexually assaulted by other Jehovah's Witnesses. The prosecution will charge $250,000 (US $203,000) for each victim, the number of which is unknown to the plaintiffs.
According to the motion, Ms. Blais alleges that she was the victim of repeated sexual assaults committed by her brother in Amos in the 1970s and 1980s. Four members of the religion, including his parents and an "Elder", one of the greatest authorities in his congregation, would have been briefed at various times. But the authorities were never contacted, and Ms. Blais had to flee the family home at the age of 17 to get away from her aggressor who still lived there, also deplores the request.
CULTURE OF SILENCE
According to this judicial document, there is "a culture of silence" in the religion, which is largely attributable to the policies of the Governing Body, which "provoke fear among the Witnesses and force them to adopt an attitude of submission". In particular, the Governing Body encourages Jehovah's Witnesses to deal with cases of sexual assault in an internal justice system without recourse to outside authorities.
"We are still very early in the proceedings, but if we filed the motion, it is because we believe in the cause," simply told La Presse Me Sarah Woods, who is piloting the case.
In 2011, there were 27,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Quebec. Hundreds of people may be entitled to compensation.
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Special Talks now via video
by AverageJoe1 intired of listening to your local elders giving the "special" talk ever year after the memorial?
well don't worry, as of next year we will be spicing things up for your enjoyment.. not only will we be having the talk before the memorial (i know, wild huh), but we will be treating you to the talk via video starring our famous speakers from bethel so you can see how a talk should be given (after all bethel does boast the best speakers in any country, right?!).
here's a copy of the text from our latest letter as i'm sure that with so much excitement you won't believe it at first!.
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darkspilver
pale.emperor: I remember when they replaced the Kingdom Ministry School with the Christian Life And Ministry.
The 'Kingdom Ministry School' is the 'school' for elders/ms's - see Drearyweather's post above.
The 'Theocratic Ministry School' is the weekly congregation 'school' which became included within the CLAM meeting.
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The special talk is now BEFORE the Memorial
by wifibandit inaugust 11, 2017 to all bodies of elders re: 2018 memorial invitations and date of special talk .
fyi:.
the 2018 memorial will be held on saturday, march 31, 2018.. the 2019 memorial will be held on friday, april 19, 2019..
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darkspilver
Since the speaker in the video recording will demonstrate how to develop an outline and effectively teach from it
A Branch Committee member rather than a GB member.....
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Petition! 100,000 signatures...
by darkspilver in....are needed by tuesday 19 september 2017 !your voice in the white house.
we the people ask the federal government to tell us what the federal government is doing about an issue: investigate watchtower bible and tract society for known child sexual abuse within its organization and not reported.. created by h.c. on august 20, 2017. save the children!
pass a law to protect children.
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