Posts by Mephis

45

Closest to the truth?

by punkofnice in

i know many jws that state that the watchtower corporation is the 'closest to the truth'.

thus they quiet their cognitive dissonance.. i don't have access to a corporation library any more.

is this a stance that the watchtower corporation has actually claimed?.

I heard similar arguments used when I was inside. It was more the exposition JWs do to try to resolve the contradiction of being told things like righteous men in 1879 had the truth but their truth is not the truth that JWs currently believe. It was typically followed by the "and, anyway, where else would we go?" reinforcement. "Perfect organisation but imperfect people", but never the claim "doing imperfect thing perfectly".

12

ARC: WT cf VAG

by Joe Grundy in

(i never was a jw).. as a retired child abuse professional, i followed (and continue to do so - it's an ongoing process) the arc proceedngs closely.

my understanding is that the purpose of the arc is to establish what current practices exist in various organisations and institutions, how those practices compare with accepted best practice, and what organisations and institutions need to do to bring their procedures and policies into line with best practice.

(and to find a way to compensate victims for what's been done wrong).. wt is case study #29 in the arc process.

Mephis

One of the things which stands out in countries which are shaped by a more British form of common law is the very American conception of freedom of religion, as shaped by the First Amendment. It's something Candace Conti's lawyer has picked up on in the past too. The First Amendment should not be seen as a trump card to play every time one wishes to evade legal responsibility for one's actions. It's curious that a group which feels able to publish articles on how relative freedom is, should not see how freedom of religion works in many common law countries.

It's something which will come up in Britain too, I'm sure. How to frame legislation when a religion is kicking furiously against common sense on very serious subjects. It's not a new issue. eg Even in India one rarely sees Hindus forcing widows to commit suttee these days. Very minded of Napier's response to complaints about a ban there, colonial overlord though he may have been.

Realistically, I think survivors who've spoken on the issue are probably correct - ultimately it's the cost of not having those policies in place which are going to force them to 'new light' things to have them. I believe that survivors have every right to restitution in any case, but I think each one who steps forward and takes things through the legal process also is helping towards pushing the WBTS into better safeguarding children in future. It's negative publicity, it's the financial cost, and it's people inside gradually realising that the men in Brooklyn are saying one thing but doing another.

13

Wilmington Delaware Media report in another Topic

by truthlover in

sexual abuse by a female member of a 14 year old in the congregation and elders being sued by the county --- now that co's are liable for the elders only - does that mean the elders will lose everything if fines are levelled against them, since the society has washed their hands and separated themselves by setting the co in place??

.

Mephis

The individual liability is somewhat obscured in the UK given that elders are typically trustees of the local 'charity' (ie congregation) here in the UK too. So one has a situation where the elders, as trustees, are themselves personally and collectively responsible for their actions as individuals. In JWland though it typically would fall onto the congregation to pay compensation, as the elders are acting on its behalf, and via the congregation pass up the WBTS corporate chain.

They have recently tried to break that link by introducing COs into procedures, who they claim operate under a non-charitable body (Christian Congregation of JWs), but their last attempt to argue that here in the UK was laughed away by the judge presiding.

59

$1.2 billion coming, still 12 properties to go

by the girl next door in

but still, they ask for more at every opportunity.

send in that ice cream money kids!.

http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2015/12/4/sales-watchtower-headquarters-and-two-other-jehovah%e2%80%99s-witnesses-properties-could.

Mephis

The only thing which has really changed with these sales is the date of them I think? Wasn't the big move out of Brooklyn, and the sale of the property, meant to have been 2017? But now they're moving even faster, which gets the money to them a year or thereabouts sooner.

Cynical me would look at the timings of their appeals for money and announcement of cuts and wonder if they've been deliberately done before the next big property sell-off hits the news though...

155

Survey: How long were you in the cult vs what year you were baptized

by ILoveTTATT2 in

jw
friends

hi people,.

i want as much data as possible on the effect of the internet on the time captured by the cult.. please answer the three following questions about yourself or about someone you know (for example, if your parents or grandparents were jw's and left).

1) were you raised as a jw, or did you convert?.

Mephis

1) Raised

2) 1995 (aged 18)

3) 1995, what is now called a fade began before baptism. Complex situation but should have been braver.

21

WTBTS Submissions to Royal Commission on abuse: The response document in FULL

by JWchange in

it is not obvious if someone has already put the responses and excuses to the findings of the royal commission, by watchtower on this forum somewhere, sorry if it is already posted.

click on the link below, and scroll down to 'submissions' near bottom of page and you can download the full document.

if this link doesn't work.

Mephis

Agree with that Coded Logic. They are so willfully blind to what they're being told. Typical example, Angus Stewart's recommendations first.

Available findings on the Jehovah’s Witness organisation’s policy on reporting
F57 It is the policy and practice of the Jehovah’s Witness organisation in Australia to not report allegations of child sexual abuse to the police or other authorities unless required by law to do so.
F58 The basis for this policy is said to be respect for the ‘right’ of the victim to herself decide whether to make a complaint to the authorities.
F59 That basis has no justification where the victim is still a minor at the time that the abuse comes to the attention of the organisation, or where there are others who may still be at risk at the hands of the alleged abuser.
F60 Since the organisation cannot remove an alleged abuser from the family or take other positive steps to safeguard children in the family from continuing risk, the organisation should have a policy to report all allegations of child sexual abuse to the authorities unless an adult victim specifically requests that a report not be made and there is no appreciable risk of children being abused.

What they think it should say.

F.58 Jehovah’s Witnesses respect the right of a survivor or victim of abuse (or their parent or guardian) to decide for him or herself whether or not to report the abuse to the authorities.
F.60 The Scripturally-based beliefs and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses require that they obey the laws pertaining to child abuse. In jurisdictions that require it, they obey laws requiring the reporting of such allegations to the authorities. Elders of Jehovah’s Witnesses will obey any newly enacted laws requiring ministers of religion to report allegations of child abuse.

Gives the lie to Lett's broadcast statement:

If anybody takes action against someone who would threaten our young ones, and takes action to protect our young ones, it's Jehovah's organisation.

No. No, it really isn't Jehovah's organisation doing what it should to protect children.

23

Awesome New Books on JW's, MUST READ!

by johnny depp in

hey, i just thought i let you guys know about these two books i read:jehovah's witnesses, what lies behind the truththe watchtower society, organizational misbehaviorboth books by gabriel h ibarra.

awesome!

Mephis

I recall somewhere else which got spammed with information on these two books.

Surprisingly little available on the background of the writer - he previously was offering a work called Hystory of the Gregorian Calendar on lulu, but that seems to have vanished now for whatever reason.

For £38, I'd expect an academic work from a small academic press, but no academic qualifications are given for why I should be buying these books and why such a high price on Lulu.

Not really sure what to make of this, but I'm certainly not even tempted to buy at that price.

Sorry Gabriel, you need to sell these better and give some reasons why anyone would want to pay £38 for your thoughts on JWs.

36

Elders now ORDERED by the Org to fleece the sheep

by The Searcher in

the org is now demanding money from the witnesses, via the latest letter sent to elders regarding the circuit's excess funds.

succeeded in getting elders everywhere to hand over their own congregation's "excess funds" - now their circuit's bank balances are going to be plundered.. the spineless and subservient elders will cooperate without a whimper, because they're afraid of losing their little bit of power which the org has bestowed upon them.

(john 11:48).

Mephis

Not rocket science, but it does say they have money issues. Its not big funds.

I pulled up the accounts for just two assembly halls I used to go to. £640,000 ($1m US) available, cash, in their accounts. Each year the surplus from them amounts to £150,000 ($225,000 US) which will now go straight to London rather than remain at circuit level. edit: ha, just looked for another one, and whilst they've not claimed a surplus for a while, they're still claiming £900,000 in cash at their bank account.

One question I do have is whether this is just a paper exercise to prevent the funds being reclaimed from London HQ at a future date, and the money has already been spent by mother.

It will pull in a few millions of pounds, and then the surplus which they never seem to own up to when they announce shortfalls from the platform. It's not much in comparison to the big Brooklyn sales, but then there's only 135,000 of them here and London Bethel typically operates on £30m a year.

30

New British terror attack just occured train station!

by Witness 007 in

a man yelling "this is for syria" slashed a strangers throat and was quickly tasered by police and arrested.

video avalible...looks like war is coming soon.

Mephis

There are 2,500 firearms officers in London. Another 4,000 in the rest of the country. Total police in the country is 150,000. Our police do however use tasers a lot instead. It's usually sufficient. Even now it raises eyebrows to see police openly armed in public away from high profile protection or at obvious targets. Terrorism isn't a new thing in Britain. An idiot with a knife attacking people isn't something which makes me think 'what we're really missing is our entire police force being militarised'.

35

2015 November 19, BOE! Circuit Account Balances!

by Atlantis in

delete if already posted.. .

2015-november 19, boe.

.. re: review of circuit account balances.

Mephis

£640,000 in cash in the accounts of just the two closest assembly halls to me here in Britain. It'll add up. Of course, when the next time the plumbing fails and a major refit needs to be done, I'm sure it won't be the local brothers who'll have to contribute to make it right again...