Mephis

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Posts by Mephis

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  12

  Judge questions whether confession privilege should extend to Jehovah's Witnesses

  by GodZoo in

  1. social
  2. current

  a us judge is considering whether it is constitutional to have a law that protects the clergy of just one religious denomination from disclosing what is said to them in confession.

  (including what's said in judicial confessions by peodophiles.

  )http://www.christiantoday.com/article/judge.questions.whether.confession.privilege.should.extend.to.jehovahs.witnesses/70169.htm

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  Mephis

  Not sure what point you're trying to make to me OC. But, no, I don't believe Applewhite's testimony was influenced by internet concerns over the Catholic confessional, if that's what you're suggesting.
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  12

  Judge questions whether confession privilege should extend to Jehovah's Witnesses

  by GodZoo in

  1. social
  2. current

  a us judge is considering whether it is constitutional to have a law that protects the clergy of just one religious denomination from disclosing what is said to them in confession.

  (including what's said in judicial confessions by peodophiles.

  )http://www.christiantoday.com/article/judge.questions.whether.confession.privilege.should.extend.to.jehovahs.witnesses/70169.htm

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  Mephis

  There's a distinction there I think OC. Catholic confession is to the priest and stays with the priest. A JW judicial committee, as others have already pointed out, involves three elders plus more elders plus any other elders in other congos who are told, plus the CO, plus the branch. And then whoever in future years then gets access to the files. It's less a confession and more an announcement to an audience of unspecified number. But that number doesn't include the authorities who can protect a child and serve justice on an abuser.

  Applewhite's reasons were her own, but I'd suspect that it was easy money for not a lot of work. She was carrying out a literature review and then testifying on it.

  It shouldn't really impact upon Catholics, although there's some interesting discussions within other churches with sacramental confessions on when a priest will refuse to keep it to him (or her) self. The formulation often used is 'some things you tell me may not be things I can keep to myself'.
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  26

  Our assembly expenses were $16,900 for ONE DAY - Please share yours

  by nmthinker in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  ~2300 in attendance.

  one day cost of $16,900!.

  this was at romeoville, which was built ground up in the 90's and was fully paid for by the illinois circuits!.

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  Mephis

  The cost charged to accounts for Manchester Assembly Hall (Northenden, a listed building and former art deco cinema) for an entire year were £99,629. This excludes a cost of £48,381 for 'refurbishing' the building. Income for the year? £190,141.

  If anyone was sat there last year (2014) and told there was a deficit, well, you can do the addition and subtraction.There's a reason the circuit has £289,000 sat in its bank account...
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  12

  Judge questions whether confession privilege should extend to Jehovah's Witnesses

  by GodZoo in

  1. social
  2. current

  a us judge is considering whether it is constitutional to have a law that protects the clergy of just one religious denomination from disclosing what is said to them in confession.

  (including what's said in judicial confessions by peodophiles.

  )http://www.christiantoday.com/article/judge.questions.whether.confession.privilege.should.extend.to.jehovahs.witnesses/70169.htm

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  Mephis

  Aussie Royal Commission dismantled the nonsensical idea that JW judicial committees are in any way like Catholic confessions. Going to be interesting to see what this judge decides, and her question there already indicates which way she's currently leaning short of some mighty fast explaining. They'll fight this one tooth and nail, they have to or the whole sham of 'confessional privilege' to avoid reporting collapses in every common law country.
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  183

  JWs have more good points than bad

  by lsw1961 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  1) many who were on the destructive path have been transformed by their teachings (this includes me who was once vicious, and presumptuous and atheistic).

  2) equal monthly pay to all members of the bethel community regardless of whether they are bc members or sweepers.

  this is something that still remains as an unattainable dream for the world.

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  Mephis

  Carefully read the OP. A little confusing to be honest. The conclusion doesn't match the points being argued.

  1.) I guess we could really use some definition of 'destructive'. Personally I don't find atheism registers on that scale. But, agree, if something helps someone to manage an addiction, brilliant. There isn't just one way to do this however.

  2.) The Bethel allowance really isn't something to brag about. Does it meet minimum wage levels for the area? Does it meet living wage levels for the area? If the answer is no, equality in poor financial renumeration isn't a good thing! It's certainly not an answer to the world's problems (for reference, vulgar communism).

  3.) I've always found JWs reliant on set phrases, pre-learned sentences and unable to engage in meaningful conversation on religious subjects. Some of that carries over into their personal conversations too. Watching the governing body give speeches highlights the huge problems with the JW method of teaching public speaking. To contrast, watch some of the best TED talks.

  4.) JWs have often been canary in the mine on religious freedom issues, agree with that. At the same time, there's a lot of history there in how they've compromised, and pandered, with authoritarian regimes. Would highlight too that it's a very American view of religious freedoms which they promote and they fairly regularly have to have explained to them that other countries have different laws, especially when there's conflict between a public good and freedom to be a religious asshat.

  5.) Being against evolution and for Arianism? Really? That's a good point? Your understanding of what constitutes a scientific theory is rather flawed. Perhaps something to research for yourself. Arianism is not new. Kind of unfashionable true enough, but then one does need to play with biblical interpretation to get there. None of this makes people responsible citizens though. Your point here is kind of logically incoherent I'm afraid - causes and effects are all sorts of confused. If your argument is that lots of people around the world believe the same things, yeah, that's a fair point. But that's one of the curious things about religions, people who don't share the belief leave, and those who remain get the religion to themselves. Not sure what it proves? JWs aren't unique in having shared dogma.

  Curious really. Hope the OP has the time to explore some of the ideas which can be found on this forum. Perhaps weigh up whether a symbol can ever be more important than what is symbolised, whether allowing others to dictate one's interpretation of language (and then behaviour) should ever be a good thing, whether constantly getting things wrong but never owning to them is really a model to be encouraged etc etc. If the general point is that many JWs are nice, even good people, absolutely. I'll agree. But that doesn't stop them doing pretty terrible things in the name of their 'good'. Banality of evil as many clever people have commented upon since the Enlightenment.
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  37

  Do You Think 10% Tithing is Coming?

  by xjwsrock in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  firstly, there are cash flow problems in wt town.

  i don't think it's necessary to list all the cutbacks and layoffs, but there have been many.. their thirst for money seems higher too in my opinion.

  more entitled may be a better way of putting it.

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  Mephis

  Agree with Divergent and Beth Sarim. Can't see them pushing it directly on the individual, but they already do the 'per publisher' mandated donations. One for this, one for that, etc etc. Quickly builds up over the year. 10% of total income for a publisher? Probably not. It's not like that many could afford to do that. Their real tithing comes from the hours people put in knocking on doors and sitting next to carts. 10 hours a month? 160 hours a month is a full time job in many countries. Free labour for that. Free labour for everything else they want building. Plus all the time preparing for and attending meetings etc etc. It's quite the time sink when the person demanding things isn't paying for it.
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  33

  Letter to be read at meeting this week about the downsize

  by dropoffyourkeylee in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a family member who is a bethelite informed me today that there is a letter to be read soon ( this week or next) concerning the downsizing.

  so probably someone who has their midweek meeting early in the week will be able to fill in the details.

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  Mephis

  The congregation letter was leaked soon after the AGM. If it is that one, it's a rehash of what Herd said with directions to go to the website and watch him say it. There's also another letter saying there's going to be a video to be played on a mid-week meeting night to go with a bit telling dubs to give more money.
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  12

  Does God hear the prayers of unbelievers?A stupid question you may say, but wait.

  by James Mixon in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  jonah 3:5-10 the people of nineveh prayed that nineveh might be spared.

  god.

  answer their prayer and god did not destroy the city.. mark 7:24-30 the gentile woman prayed that jesus would deliver her daughter.

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  Mephis

  
  
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  19

  Disfellowshipping Spree In My Congregation

  by jw07 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just was looking back at a group photo on social media from exactly one year ago.. there are 12 persons in it, and since last year 3 of those persons in that photo have been disfellowshipped, plus one more not in the photo.

  so that's a total of 4 persons from my congregation of a little over 100 publishers.. unfortunately 3 are back at the meetings and taking the shunning, but one seems to be fully awake and has disappeared completely.. that's the most persons i recall being disfellowshipped in my congregation in such a short while.

  usually it's like 1 every 2 or 3 years.. i wouldn't mind seeing more people leaving.. there are currently 3 persons who i wonder about.

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  Mephis

  Really disagree with where you're coming from there Storm. People have to make the choices which work for them and their circumstances. For some people it's pretty darned easy to walk out of the door and never look back. For others, it's a hell of a lot more complex. Don't think anyone should be giving others grief for the choices they make around this.
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  22

  Does it ever just hit you...It all may be a dream

  by LevelThePlayingField in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  that the paradise may or may not be real?

  that the things you have been taught for many years from the jehovah's witnesses may not really be as they say?

  has it really ever really hit you with that "pow" of reality ever?

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  Mephis

  Hmm. Row Row is a C19th nursery rhyme, so probably laudanum.