Posts by Mephis

18

Time Magazine Article: Now’s the Time To End Tax Exemptions for Religious Institutions

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

http://time.com/3939143/nows-the-time-to-end-tax-exemptions-for-religious-institutions/?xid=newsletter-brief.

june 28, 2015 .

nows the time to end tax exemptions for religious institutions.

Mephis

From a British perspective, I'd be very much in favour of a much tighter restriction on charitable status being given to religions. I really do not think that 'preaching' should automatically count as a 'public good'. Maintaining a listed building (as JWs do in eg Manchester), should give some exemptions. And those religions which do offer charitable works should of course get an exemption or be able to have those parts of the religion listed as charities in their own right. In effect, push the charitable aspects away from the religious parts as much as possible. Many religions do this already.

The Plymouth Brethren case here in Britain has already indicated that there is some appetite to look at the idea of 'public good' more broadly. I'd like to see it pushed further, although I think it is an unlikely scenario here without really looking at the role of religion in British society. We still effectively have a state religion after all.

26

Sir David Eady to give judgement on the Watctower Appeal in the Otuo v Morley and Watch Tower case at the High Court tommorrow

by Adwoa Kromo in

sir david eady sitting as high court judge will hand down judgement tomorrow at 11:00am in the appeal of the decision from master leslie for refusing to strike out the claim as an abuse of process.

in his judgement in november 2014 he stated in his judgement delivered ex-tempore " i am bound to say that this case causes me a good deal of trouble".

from notes that i have from the hearing last week, i will be utterly surprised if the retired judge sir david eady takes a different view.

Mephis

Currently this is to get things heard at a trial. The WBTS has been trying to get it dismissed on various grounds for a couple of years now. Initially they complained that the lawsuit was filed a day too late. A judge agreed with them. Then Mr.Otuo found that the judge had made an error and the action was filed just in time. He was allowed to appeal and won that. This latest round is the WBTS appealing against a decision to not dismiss the lawsuit on other grounds (that there was no defamation and no damage done to reputation). Mr.Otuo has won again and this should now move towards trial once more.

26

Sir David Eady to give judgement on the Watctower Appeal in the Otuo v Morley and Watch Tower case at the High Court tommorrow

by Adwoa Kromo in

sir david eady sitting as high court judge will hand down judgement tomorrow at 11:00am in the appeal of the decision from master leslie for refusing to strike out the claim as an abuse of process.

in his judgement in november 2014 he stated in his judgement delivered ex-tempore " i am bound to say that this case causes me a good deal of trouble".

from notes that i have from the hearing last week, i will be utterly surprised if the retired judge sir david eady takes a different view.

Mephis

Did the WBTS really try to claim they could re-define the meaning of the word 'fraud' so it wouldn't be defamatory? Just too funny. They keep turning up to British courts thinking they're in the US and that the word 'religion' grants some automatic immunity from being made to answer in court.

Can't imagine the pressures on Mr.Otuo as he does this himself. All the best to him really as he seeks answers and closure.

21

Videos at the a$$emb£ies?

by punkofnice in

my spies tell me that they are getting shown videos very regularly at the 2 day convention(tm).. i figured it may be because the wbt$ wants mass indoctrination using their tried and tested propaganda techniques.. the average elder won't be aware that the wbt$ uses these thought reform techniques so will be incapable of using them himself.

also, the elder might not put the money grabbing, 1984 ministry of truth spin on things and actually say something good instead.

we know the wbt$ don't like 'good'!

Mephis

The constant appeals and pressure for men to 'reach out' points towards a shortage. Smaller pool from them to choose from and then you get what blondie says magnified even further. Videos help allow them to cover over that.

35

What Would Happen if the Watchtower Loses Their TAX EXEMPT STATUS?

by John Aquila in

would it really affect them?

how would it affect volunteers at any construction project since that work would now be taxable.

any materials they buy would be taxable.

Mephis

I don't think they will lose tax exempt status here in the UK. The only recent applicable case was with the Plymouth Brethren, and they cobbled together a deal with the Charity Commission to allow them to have it. I'd imagine the WBTS will twist and do sufficient to pass the 'public benefit' test here, whilst telling the faithful nothing has changed. They'd have to try really hard to lose charitable status and there doesn't really seem to be a need as they can airbrush those changes however they like.

9

William Malenfant: Do Not Be Misled By the Wicked

by wifibandit in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snvmn13dyym.

the irony is killing me!.

Mephis

The biggest hoax ever perpetrated on the human family.... took place about 6000 years ago. When a snake spoke to Eve.

I cracked at that point and am still giggling.

48

Candace Conti Case

by truthseekeriam in

jw
friends

filed:.

letter dated june 22, 2015, notifying the court that petitioners, watchtower and fremont congregation have reached a settlement with respondent, conti.. .

click here to request automatic e-mail notifications about this case..

Mephis

http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/dockets.cfm?dist=0&doc_id=2109889&doc_no=S226656

Link to the posting the OP mentions.

58

Strange Moment During The 2015 Regional Convention

by JW_Rogue in

hi, i'm new here but hadn't seen this mentioned anywhere yet.

during the "imitate jesus" rc there was a strange moment where they played a video of a brother trying to explain the 1914 teaching.

the brother quickly goes through all the scriptural "proofs" and the householder is dumbfounded.

Mephis

The thing I took from that video was that the empathy was with the person doing the study trying to understand the batshit crazy stuff. And the message to me was 'it's ok not to understand it - don't worry about it... it doesn't really matter, it's true because we say it is, you don't really need to know why'. Not a surprise that they're doing jazz hands on it, but it's still fascinating to watch them in the process of trying to untie themselves from older and increasingly uncomfortable doctrine.

48

Candace Conti Case

by truthseekeriam in

jw
friends

filed:.

letter dated june 22, 2015, notifying the court that petitioners, watchtower and fremont congregation have reached a settlement with respondent, conti.. .

click here to request automatic e-mail notifications about this case..

Mephis

Glad the court proceedings are at an end for her now and that she has been proven right that Brooklyn can't just wash their hands of things. She's an exceptionally brave woman and she's really pushed the issues of child protection within the JW community right into the spotlight.

42

Where are the Young Elders?

by James Jack in

i was appointed as an elder when i turned 30, 25 years ago.

which was the norm back then.. now, i very rarely here of a young man becoming an elder.

in our town we have 2 english congregations.

Mephis

I wonder whether there's an attempt to dodge liability with that change. I know in Britain that they've tried to claim that if the CO is involved then they can no longer be held responsible under charity law, because the CO is acting for 'The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses' which isn't registered as a charity here. The tribunal where they tried that approach called bs on it all the same.