What is this week's new, new, new, light...and how it will be randomly translated by three 21-90 yr old JW elder/janitors...is a mystery. :) 15 years ago I knew a nice middle aged single sister who was disfellowshipped for being seen "riding her bicycle with a worldly man" on a local park path. She got angry for being questioned about it by meddlesome elders.....and was disfellowshipped for having a "jezebel" attitude! Another middle aged single sister was spending nights alone with a worldly boyfriend tearfully denied any wrongdoing and received a simple warning. Same year, same congregation. Go figure.
Balaamsass2
JoinedPosts by Balaamsass2
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Jehovah's Witnesses in the news: "I was exiled from my strict Jehovah's Witness community"
by Balaamsass2 ini was exiled from my strict jehovah's witness community after i broke a major convention - they'll never speak to me again.
daily mail.
"a former jehovah's witness has shared her extraordinary journey of leaving behind everything she knew after falling in love with a colleague at tk maxx.
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JWs in the news: "Must the Norwegian state protect the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses?" CNE news.
by Balaamsass2 inmust the norwegian state protect the children of jehovah’s witnesses?.
21-02-2025. northern europe.
evert van vlastuin, cne.news.
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Balaamsass2
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Must the Norwegian state protect the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
21-02-2025
Northern Europe
"The 12,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in Norway will be waiting nervously for another three weeks. The court in Norway will come with a decision about the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) mid-March. But experts already know that this verdict on religious freedom in Norway will be historic and crucial.""wo years ago, the state stopped funding JWs. Reason: Jehovah’s Witnesses commit psychological violence against minors, the state says. In February, the court spent no less than two weeks dealing with the case.
Teenagers are often baptised around the age of fourteen and can be subject to discipline from that moment on. If they are excluded, other witnesses are not even allowed to greet them, let alone have any contact with them. The words used for this are disfellowshipping and shunning.
Religious communities in Norway are allowed to have their own views on exclusion, says the state. But the JWs make free withdrawal too difficult. There are too many obstacles. Moreover, they frighten children into thinking they will never see their mum and dad again if they do not abide by the rules. And that permanent fear is psychological violence. The state sees it as its job to protect minors from this.
Money
In the Norwegian system, all registered faith groups receive the same amount of money from the government, calculated according to the number of members. Marriages may be solemnised in all these churches and Kingdom Halls. In this way, the country guarantees religious equality. The king must still be a member of the Lutheran Church, but that is the only reminder of the time of the state church.
But in 2022, the government withdrew the recognition of Jehovah’s Witnesses. That is not just about 1.3 million euros a year. It also means that young couples must get married in a different church or at the town hall. It even leads to the absurd situation that Norwegian JWs not only pay their own expenses but also contribute to all kinds of other churches through their taxes.
Of course, it is about more than money and a few wedding services. A court conviction is also a stigma. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses will have already heard it at the doors: You are a danger to the safety of our children.
The state attorney called witnesses to the hearing. They came from many countries—from Finland to France, from Iceland to the United States—to tell how terrible their childhoods were.
These testimonies from former JWs are, of course, authentic and impressive stories. But what do they actually prove? Many adults can talk about sadness in their youth. How about people who grew up in a family of a judge, a journalist, or a pastor? They can also open up about their experiences. Moreover, none of the testimonies were examined for factual accuracy. So, it all remains anecdotal.
In this court case, many Christians in Norway support Jehovah’s Witnesses and their communities. This was expressed most sharply by Vebjørn Selbekk, editor-in-chief of the Christian daily newspaper Dagen. He calls it “cowardly” to punish the Jehovah’s Witnesses. After all, this is an isolated group to which no party or movement is committed. For him, it is a matter of honour to protect the Jehovah’s Witnesses from the state’s abuse of power.
Guard rails
Now, freedom of religion is never absolute. Believers are free within the boundaries of the law. Having faith is like driving on the motorway; there are lines and guard rails along the road to keep you on track. The Norwegian Act on Religious Communities rightly contains conditions, among others, that children’s rights must be respected.
This was precisely what the court discussion was about. Children’s rights are enshrined in law. Are those rights violated when adults tell shocking facts from their childhood? Or are those rights violated when Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their teaching, call families for breaking the law?
JWs are often baptised around the age of 14. Photo EPA, Tracey NearmyIn a constitutional state, of course, the latter is essential. The democratic state does not have the authority to control religions, but it does have the authority to ensure citizens obey the law. According to the Witnesses’ lawyer, however, such a violation of the law has not been established at all.
What is interesting, too, is the fact that the state wants to protect minors against fear and psychological violence. Is that the duty of the state? During my youth in the Cold War, the world was full of fear of the atomic bomb (which never came). And nowadays, the state is spreading fear of a climate crisis. I find it strange if the state says in the courtroom that it must protect minors against fear.
While awaiting the verdict, we can reflect on a few things. First of all, children’s rights are becoming more critical. Sooner or later, this will hinder religious groups. In various European countries, for example, there is a call to ban (male) circumcision. Today, a plea for such a ban already sounds plausible.
Further, the question arises as to whether it would not be better for churches to simply work with their own money. In all countries where churches receive subsidies from the state, there is tension over government interference. That tension increases as soon as the gap between the church’s values and the political ideals widens. It is better to be free then.
We wish the judges in Oslo wisdom."
https://cne.news/article/4628-must-the-norwegian-state-protect-the-children-of-jehovahs-witnesses
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Jehovah's Witnesses in the news: "I was exiled from my strict Jehovah's Witness community"
by Balaamsass2 ini was exiled from my strict jehovah's witness community after i broke a major convention - they'll never speak to me again.
daily mail.
"a former jehovah's witness has shared her extraordinary journey of leaving behind everything she knew after falling in love with a colleague at tk maxx.
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Balaamsass2
2/2025 "
I was exiled from my strict Jehovah's Witness community after I broke a major convention - they'll never speak to me again. Daily Mail
"A former Jehovah's Witness has shared her extraordinary journey of leaving behind everything she knew after falling in love with a colleague at TK Maxx.
Madison Wilford, now 22, was born into the religious community, but a life-changing relationship at the age of 18 led her to break free from the strict rules and expectations she had grown up with.
The turning point came when Madison, from Broughton, North Wales, developed feelings for Josh, 21, who she met while working together at the retail store.
The pair secretly dated for a year, keeping their relationship hidden from Madison's family.
However, their secret was soon uncovered when Madison's family found text messages on her phone - which led to her being exiled from the Jehovah's Witness community.
Madison explained: 'I wasn't allowed to be with anyone from outside of the religion. If I wanted to be with Josh, I had to walk away from everything.'
She chose to leave her family and her home behind and 'start life again,' a decision that would come with many unprecedented struggles.
Madison recalled how difficult it was to adjust to life outside of the religious community, adding: 'It was very hard at first.
'After growing up in the community, I didn't know anything about the world or how to make friends or even speak to people normally outside of it.'
After the couple's relationship became public knowledge, Madison moved in with Josh's grandparents in North Wales until they could save enough money to rent a place of their own.
At first, Josh's family struggled to accept Madison, having heard negative things about Jehovah's Witnesses but, over time, his grandparents and mother welcomed her into their lives.
Madison, who now lives with Josh in Chester, reflected on the toll her upbringing in the Jehovah's Witness community had on her mental health.
Jehovah's Witnesses are known for their door-to-door evangelising, and their belief that humanity is living in the final days before Armageddon.
As a child, she was expected to spend up to 50 hours a month knocking on doors and distributing religious leaflets, often facing hostility from the people she encountered - including being chased away with a hosepipe.
She recalled: 'I went preaching at least twice a week. As soon as I could walk and speak, I had to be the one to knock on the door and leave leaflets.
'It was very scary, especially as nine times out of ten people would obviously not like you knocking.
'We had lots of crazy experiences like people trying to squirt us with a hosepipe to get us off their driveway.
'I hated doing it as I was always very shy and speaking to random strangers about something you know they won’t be interested in is daunting.'
As a young girl, Madison was taught to believe that the world was doomed and that she had to be perfect to survive.
She said: 'From an early age, I felt like I had to be perfect, and that was really hard. I realised that this belief felt normal when I was inside the religion, but now I see that it's not.'
Everything changed for Madison when she met Josh, with the pair hitting it off straight away before starting to sneak off on dates during their lunch breaks.
Despite being forbidden from having a romantic relationship outside the faith, Madison claims Josh was 'really understanding' and, at one point, even considered joining the community for her.
She added: 'I knew he was a good person and he was worth leaving everything behind. I also couldn't cope in the religion anymore. It was so strict.'
When Madison made the difficult decision to leave her family and her faith, she hoped they might eventually accept her choice.
+3View galleryAfter months of therapy and adapting to life outside the Jehovah's Witness community, Madison feels 'free' (pictured recently)
She said: 'I tried to tell my family that I was the same person but I had to leave because of love. They said it was my decision but I would be cut off from their world.
'We were close, so I still have hope that they'll speak to me again some day but I don't think it will happen.'
Now, after months of therapy and adapting to life outside the Jehovah's Witness community, Madison feels 'free.'
She and Josh are building a life together in Chester, working at Waitrose and settling into a normal routine.
Madison added: 'I know that I made the right decision. Everything is going really well between us.
'The religion can be dangerous and I’m having therapy to help me deal with what I've been through.
'Thankfully, I'm getting a lot better at making friends and learning a lot about the world outside of the community. I feel free now.'
There are more than eight million Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide and 130,000 in the UK, using their glossy magazine The Watchtower and online videos to promote their message. The religion was founded in the 1870s by American preacher Charles Taze Russell on Christian principles, although it diverges from mainstream Christian churches.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that at the End of Days those who strive for goodness will inhabit a paradise on Earth.
In pursuit of goodness, they operate a strict moral code which rules out adultery, smoking, drinking, homosexuality, gluttony, and swearing. Most famously, they are banned from having blood transfusions.
In recent years the global organization has faced questions about how it handles allegations of child sex abuse and its child protection practices."
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Dodge has found 4.7 Trillion Dollars in Untraceable money
by liam inelon was looking at the way they audit within the government agencies.
he found there are no links to payments made.
250 million payment………..to………………..consultant……..name ………..unknown.
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Balaamsass2
It is very sad to see so people who spent years in captivity to Watchtowers Bull Shite stand in line to now eagerly swallow politician's and billionaire's Bull shite. :(
Free yourself and your mind from these new "cults" "gurus" and "leaders". They all have agendas.
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Coroners Report New South Wales Australia
by jonahstourguide inhi folks.. spotted this.. coroner condemns jehovah's witness blood transfusion rules after follower's hospital death.
by giselle wakatama.
abc newcastle.
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Balaamsass2
JW reasoning is faulty. I believe orthodox rabbis are correct. Blood represents life. Life is sacred. Watchtower is blood guilty.
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PIMA is best so it’s not a shock to the system if the tower collapsed
by JohnR1975 ini know most people here are totally out and that’s fine.. many these days are staying physically in for the social life and that is also fine.. i feel being fully mentally in is dangerous as it could be such a shock mentally if or should i say when the tower collapsed.. im sitting in the fence like so many others here.
mentally agnostic if god exists or not and if the bible is his word.. when i talk to people who are physically and mentally still in i can tell that they so need it to be true.
i’m worried for them when they wake up to the fact that they have been lied to 1914 wasn’t true 1975 wasn’t true 1999 wasn’t true and now here we are 2025 it’s all not true.
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Balaamsass2
Depends on your character and convictions. Some folks don't mind living a double life or belonging to criminal groups or selling harmful substances. Dealing drugs, joining the mafia, big tobacco, and Watchtower all have many members.
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On the anniversary of Anthony Morris' Resignation
by Vanderhoven7 instrange that after 2 years we still don't know the facts about anthony's resignation.
grant davus writes:.
the announcement.
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Balaamsass2
Relatively few people at Bethel have day-to-day contact with governing body members, and even fewer converse with them daily. Those that do, can keep secrets well.
I traveled 3xs a week to meetings and service with Knorr's personal secretary for a year,(district overseer) and he never ONCE talked about his job or Knorr. I got more info from a Bethel nurse friend about the condition of GB members. Don't rely on random Bethelites for any accurate information.
My wife and I both had JW alcoholic parents. It is a real issue in the Borg. It makes a person unpredictable and difficult.
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Depression and big pharma drugs
by Anonymous666 ini'm going to drop a bomb shell here for all you who think you know something about depression.
most depression cases are being cause by the food and drug administration.
they are putting things in certain foods that they know will affect certain people especially those who have gluten problems.
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Balaamsass2
Your Scientific credentials and research sources for your "bombshell" please.
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2025 Kingdom Ministry School Program for Elders!
by Atlantis in2025 kingdom ministry school program for elders.. click the 3 dots at the top right by the word (share) and scroll down to the word (download).
there are 3 pages.. .
https://jumpshare.com/s/qggtjgoste9xhl5oytyq .
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Balaamsass2
What a change! Kinder gentler treatment of inactive faders.
Wives attending!
They are trying to salvage the sinking boat. :)
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On the anniversary of Anthony Morris' Resignation
by Vanderhoven7 instrange that after 2 years we still don't know the facts about anthony's resignation.
grant davus writes:.
the announcement.
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Balaamsass2
Tony was an ass on the platform. No doubt an even bigger one in person.
Can you imagine trying to effect any change with a guy like him in an elder body? Old "roast the heretics like a hotdog" and pass me another drink, had to go.
Getting kicked off the GB and out of Bethel broke the proud stiff-necked ass. He is probably drowning himself in scotch at home streaming old movies in his recliner. Probably has groceries and booze delivered. He has contacts in the area from when he was a CO for basic needs.
JWs are often baptised around the age of 14. Photo EPA, Tracey Nearmy
