Posts by OrphanCrow

for background on this case, which involves two jws, twin brothers:http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/282450/on-jw-org-drug-dealing-jehovahs-witnesses-on-trial-murder-spiritual-paradiseone of the twins has now been sentenced and the other is awaiting trial.manuel rodriguez after his first appearance on charges of first-degree premeditated murder at the the john e. polk correctional facility in seminole county, on tuesday, january 21, 2014.

(ricardo ramirez buxeda / orlando sentinel) (ricardo ramirez buxeda / orlando sentinel)a twin who shot and killed a man in broad daylight near a bustling altamonte springs road was sentenced to life in prison on wednesday while his brother awaits his own first-degree murder trial in the coming months.. after deliberating for almost two hours, a seminole county jury convicted 21-year-old manuel rodriguez jr. of first-degree murder and fleeing from police.. circuit court judge marlene alva gave rodriguez life in prison the mandatory sentence for using a gun in a premeditated killing.. prosecutors initially sought the death penalty against the fraternal twins involved in the jan. 20, 2014 shooting at state road 436, less than a half mile west of interstate 4.. but as the facts revealed themselves, it would have been difficult convincing a jury to send the young men,.

jehovah's witnesses with no violent criminal history, to death row, said assistant state attorney dominick leo, who prosecuted the case.. the brothers decided to kill 22-year-old tevin demetrius davis, but it wasn't an intricate plan crafted days in advance, criteria needed to support the death penalty, leo said.. the rodriguez twins were driving a gold chevy cobalt when they spotted davis walking with a friend along the altamonte springs road, a commercial stretch less than two miles west of the altamonte mall.. they recognized davis, who had previously robbed manuel, and made a u-turn to catch up with him.. christopher rodriguez got out of the car and said "this is what you get" while manuel rodriguez remained in the driver's seat, leo said.. "the way it went down ...they were driving down the street and saw that guy walking on the other side of the street," leo said.

OrphanCrow

For background on this case, which involves two JWs, twin brothers:http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/282450/on-jw-org-drug-dealing-jehovahs-witnesses-on-trial-murder-spiritual-paradise
One of the twins has now been sentenced and the other is awaiting trial.

Manuel Rodriguez after his first appearance on charges of first-degree premeditated murder at the the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole county, on Tuesday, January 21, 2014. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda / Orlando Sentinel) (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda / Orlando Sentinel)

A twin who shot and killed a man in broad daylight near a bustling Altamonte Springs road was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday while his brother awaits his own first-degree murder trial in the coming months.
After deliberating for almost two hours, a Seminole County jury convicted 21-year-old Manuel Rodriguez Jr. of first-degree murder and fleeing from police.
Circuit Court Judge Marlene Alva gave Rodriguez life in prison — the mandatory sentence for using a gun in a premeditated killing.
Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty against the fraternal twins involved in the Jan. 20, 2014 shooting at State Road 436, less than a half mile west of Interstate 4.
But as the facts revealed themselves, it would have been difficult convincing a jury to send the young men,
Jehovah's Witnesses with no violent criminal history, to death row, said Assistant State Attorney Dominick Leo, who prosecuted the case.
The brothers decided to kill 22-year-old Tevin Demetrius Davis, but it wasn't an intricate plan crafted days in advance, criteria needed to support the death penalty, Leo said.
The Rodriguez twins were driving a gold Chevy Cobalt when they spotted Davis walking with a friend along the Altamonte Springs road, a commercial stretch less than two miles west of the Altamonte Mall.
They recognized Davis, who had previously robbed Manuel, and made a U-turn to catch up with him.
Christopher Rodriguez got out of the car and said "This is what you get" while Manuel Rodriguez remained in the driver's seat, Leo said.
"The way it went down …they were driving down the street and saw that guy walking on the other side of the street," Leo said. "It was a happenstance meeting."
The trial, which started with jury selection on Monday, centered on whether prosecutors could show
Manuel Rodriguez, along with his brother, shot Davis.
Video surveillance and eyewitnesses couldn't place the gun in Manuel's hand.
But a jailhouse snitch did.
He told the jury Manuel Rodriguez admitted to shooting Davis.
The snitch, Jacarious Cotton, wasn't offered a deal in the case, according to Leo.
He came forward because Christopher said Cotton should get life in prison for his crime — child abuse, according to Leo.
Shell casings and bullets found in Davis' body also connected Manuel Rodriguez to the crime.
Witnesses saw Christopher shooting a revolver after jumping out of the car. Four guns were found in the car with Rodriguez.
There's a surveillance video but it's difficult to tell who is doing what in the grainy images.
Rodriguez's court-appointed attorney, Frank Bankowitz, said he is appealing the verdict but would not elaborate.
The trial for Christopher Rodriguez is set to begin in January, according to Leo.

6

Anyone got pictures of the interior of Bethel NY

by Truthexplorer in

jw
friends

just wondered what bethel in ny looks like from the inside.

i would like to get a real sense of what the corridors of bethel looks like now or in the past.

i have seen the odd pic here or there, but would like to see more.

OrphanCrow

I realize that this isn't NY Bethel...but I have a photo taken somewhere in the interior of Toronto Bethel. (?...did they call the Canadian Branch that?)

It looks like a classroom. The year is around 1965. Kingdom Ministry School, I think...something like that. My dad attended.

47

Taking bets on how long this cult will last and what will happen to it

by macys in

i wanna make a poll here.

how many years do you think the jdub cult will exist as is and what will happen to it?.

i say the growth stops this year and starts to decline.

OrphanCrow

finklestein: Note the similarities to this cult and the JWS...

Examining the Children of God is like looking at a microcosm of the WTS. The cultic pattern of dissolution, restructuring, and transformation is very evident in the Children of God/Family of Love/Family/Family International and it provides a template for understanding the morphing and shifting that occurs in a larger cult like the JWs.

The Family International was founded by Grant to sidestep and hide the Children of God past. In that, he has been rather successful. So successful that most people don't even know that Grant is the one who founded the Family International.

I see much the same thing happening with the WTS - the Jehovah's Witnesses will fade into obscurity and become known as "that cult that had child abuse problems". And, as the Children of God morphed into Family International, so too will the Jehovah's Witnesses become JW..org. A safe, santitized version of a model that was no longer financially viable.

155

Headline: "Islamic Invasion: Europe now scrambles for guns." How true is this?

by cappytan in

jw
friends

a year to a year and a half ago, i would have taken this article at face value and believed it.. now, i realize this article comes from a dubious source.

world news daily has a die-hard right-wing bias.

so, in an effort to get real information, i'm asking my european exjw's, is this article all true?

OrphanCrow

bohm: It is true correlation does not imply causation but it's usually indicative of it.

Correlation allows someone to examine all things that could create that correlation.

For example, in the above analysis of the rape statistics in Sweden, many factors could contribute to the increase in rape statistics.

1. Sweden reports rape data and other countries don't

2. Sweden has broadened the definition of what constitues rape

3. Sweden police have improved their policing methods which accounts in an increase in reporting

47

Taking bets on how long this cult will last and what will happen to it

by macys in

i wanna make a poll here.

how many years do you think the jdub cult will exist as is and what will happen to it?.

i say the growth stops this year and starts to decline.

OrphanCrow

done4good: Children of God - Was that not the cult that original Fleetwood Mac guitarist Jeremy Spencer joined?

Yes. The Children of God was a California cult that came up against the State law back in the 70s. The ramifications of those legal battles are still felt today in legal cases such as Candace Conti in California.

The Children of God went through transformations in response to legal pressure - Berg (main leader) dissolved the Children of God and remade the cult with a new name: "The Family of Love" aka "The Family".

The Family International eventually, in 2004, was established by one of the leaders of the original Children of God, Grant Montgomery, and operates to this day. Jeremy Spencer is actively involved in the Family International.

155

Headline: "Islamic Invasion: Europe now scrambles for guns." How true is this?

by cappytan in

jw
friends

a year to a year and a half ago, i would have taken this article at face value and believed it.. now, i realize this article comes from a dubious source.

world news daily has a die-hard right-wing bias.

so, in an effort to get real information, i'm asking my european exjw's, is this article all true?

OrphanCrow

tragical: The point I am making is that there is a direct correlation ...

Correlation does not prove causation.

Using correlated results to make conclusive statements is a dangerous practice that misuses the purposes of statistical study.

47

Taking bets on how long this cult will last and what will happen to it

by macys in

i wanna make a poll here.

how many years do you think the jdub cult will exist as is and what will happen to it?.

i say the growth stops this year and starts to decline.

OrphanCrow

vidiot: I don't know about "ceasing to exist", but child abuse scandals brought the Hare Krishna sect to its knees.
It's technically still around, but it's a pale shadow of its former self.

Child abuse scandal also brought the Children of God to its knees. However....good ol' Grant rallied the troops and created The Family International. The leopard changed its spots. But it is still there.

A pale shadow is still a shadow. And you never know what that shadow conceals when it comes to cults and money.

49

Dissenters in Watchtower History: Differing Departures

by slimboyfat in

i'm reading an excellent book about defectors from the mormon church called differing visions: dissenters in mormon history.

through a collection of essays from many academic authors it looks at the life stories of dissenters and reasons for departure, as well as analysing the impact of their dissent on the church itself.

fascinating stuff and makes me wish there was a similar volume looking at the key dissenters from jws/watchtower and the impact they had.

OrphanCrow

slimboyfat: and a brother called John something who resigned the Ireland branch in the fallout of Franz's departure too.

That would be John May and Martin Merriman.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/23073/dublin-ireland-apostasy-1970s?page=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwigZN6OOMc