Posts by OrphanCrow

47

Putin presents the Order of Parental Glory to a Russian Jehovah's Witness family

by OrphanCrow in

jw
friends

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/54643.

presenting the order of parental gloryon the eve of international children’s day, vladimir putin presented the order of parental glory to parents of large families.

the recipients included families from astrakhan and yaroslavl regions, the republics of karelia, buryatia, north ossetia-alania, perm and primorye territories, and khanty-mansi autonomous area – yugra.the order of parental glory was established by a presidential executive order signed in may 2008 and is awarded to parents (or adoptive parents) raising 7 or more children and ensuring due care for their health, education, and physical, spiritual and moral development.

OrphanCrow

steve: I doubt this will be mentioned on JW.org - or if it is, a watered down account will be provided, with readers spared a photo of Mr Novik wearing the badge.

It is being talked about over on jwtalk. Complete with all the material I posted, including a full copy of Putin's speech. And a big photo of the Noviks wearing the medal. And everyone over there are peeing their pants...Jehovah! is working! Regardless of how or why - the reason this is happening is Jehovah!

Of course Jehovah! In time for the appeal - to show that Putin likes the JWs.

Eh...I am more inclined to think that this Russian 'ban" (kicking the organization out of Russia) is going to play out much like it did in WW2 Germany. Some of the JW$ will cooperate and align them$elve$ with the 'enemy' while others will be sifted. The poor ones - the ones who "hold fast" because they have nothing el$e to hold fast to. They will be, and are, the ones who are the WT's poster persecution victims. While other JW$ will coast through, making the mo$t of a bad situation. The ones who Jehovah will ble$$ through this hardship.

In other news in the rest of Russia...some Jehovah's Witnesses are losing their jobs. Anyone who holds a position connected to public service is in risk of being fired. Forced to retire. Laid off. Apparently. As reported on the jw-russia website.

47

Putin presents the Order of Parental Glory to a Russian Jehovah's Witness family

by OrphanCrow in

jw
friends

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/54643.

presenting the order of parental gloryon the eve of international children’s day, vladimir putin presented the order of parental glory to parents of large families.

the recipients included families from astrakhan and yaroslavl regions, the republics of karelia, buryatia, north ossetia-alania, perm and primorye territories, and khanty-mansi autonomous area – yugra.the order of parental glory was established by a presidential executive order signed in may 2008 and is awarded to parents (or adoptive parents) raising 7 or more children and ensuring due care for their health, education, and physical, spiritual and moral development.

OrphanCrow

Steve: The Russian Supreme Court recently upheld the banning of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia on the grounds it is an "extremist" religious movement. And Mr Putin now awards the JW parents the Award of Parental Glory! Awkward moment, Mr Putin, huh?

A little awkward, isn't it? And it raises all sorts of questions. Did Putin know that he was giving the award to an "extremist" family? If he didn't, he should have. And if he did...it might be worthwhile to consider that this is not a typical JW family.

Putin may very well be saying - "this is how a JW family should be - lots of kids instead of restricting family size in order to give service to the org rather than to a family. And...a family that allows their children to be engaged in sports." Maybe that is the message. I dunno.

Note that the father claims that his kids are engaged in athletics. Sports apparently figures prominently in their family - at least prominently enough that it is mentioned by the father in his acceptance speech. Was that made up for the benefit of the "worldly" people giving him the award? Because it certainly goes against what the org tells families to do. And yet the award was posted on an official jworg website so it appears as though the org has implicitly approved kids to engage in sports.

I am a little curious about the two oldest children - are they really away working (in a Bethel somewhere?...maybe in Finland?) or, as in so many JW families...have the two oldest been disfellowshipped or "fell away"? (note that the reports from official sources say that the Novik family has "8" children but the jworg site only mentions a family of 6)

It is rather strange that a family that belongs to a religion that practices shunning can receive an award for raising a socially responsible family. A family that is being raised to not engage in the socially responsible acts of voting and serving in the military.

*it is also noteworthy that this story comes out of the republic of Karelia - right up there next to Finland. From some of the chatter I have read online, that area of Russia boasts some very wealthy JWs. Ones who give choice pieces of land to prominent people...jus' sayin'

waton: One things the dictators have right, ( not the left) fill your land with bearers of your own genes, do not surrender it to invaders.

Russia has a problem with declining population. Quite a large problem, actually.

Russia's population peaked in the early 1990s (at the time of the end of the Soviet Union) with about 148 million people in the country. Today, Russia's population is approximately 143 million. The United States Census Bureau estimates that Russia's population will decline from the current 143 million to a mere 111 million by 2050, a loss of more than 30 million people and a decrease of more than 20%.

Russia has a very high death rate of 15 deaths per 1000 people per year. This is far higher than the world's average death rate of just under 9................
Russia's total fertility rate is low at 1.3 births per woman. This number represents the number of children each Russian woman has during her lifetime. A replacement total fertility rate to maintain a stable population is 2.1 births per woman............

47

Putin presents the Order of Parental Glory to a Russian Jehovah's Witness family

by OrphanCrow in

jw
friends

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/54643.

presenting the order of parental gloryon the eve of international children’s day, vladimir putin presented the order of parental glory to parents of large families.

the recipients included families from astrakhan and yaroslavl regions, the republics of karelia, buryatia, north ossetia-alania, perm and primorye territories, and khanty-mansi autonomous area – yugra.the order of parental glory was established by a presidential executive order signed in may 2008 and is awarded to parents (or adoptive parents) raising 7 or more children and ensuring due care for their health, education, and physical, spiritual and moral development.

OrphanCrow

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/54643

Presenting the Order of Parental Glory
On the eve of International Children’s Day, Vladimir Putin presented the Order of Parental Glory to parents of large families. The recipients included families from Astrakhan and Yaroslavl regions, the republics of Karelia, Buryatia, North Ossetia-Alania, Perm and Primorye territories, and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra.
The Order of Parental Glory was established by a Presidential Executive Order signed in May 2008 and is awarded to parents (or adoptive parents) raising 7 or more children and ensuring due care for their health, education, and physical, spiritual and moral development.

*read full text of Putin's speech at link and view photos of ceremony

For more information on the Order of Parental Glory:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Parental_Glory

Parental glory.jpg

The following is a report from the Press Service of the Head Office of the Republic of Karelia and it describes the Order of Parental Glory being given to a family from Karelia - the Novik family. Valery and Tatiana Novik.

http://www.gov.karelia.ru/gov/News/2017/05/0531_37.html

(google translate):

On the eve of International Children's Day, President Vladimir Putin has awarded the family of Karelia
Today in the Kremlin Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded the Order of "Parental Glory" citizens of Karelia Valery and Tatiana Novik. In their family is brought up eight children of different ages.
Order "Parental Glory" from the hands of the President received in the Kremlin family of Astrakhan and Yaroslavl regions, Karelia, Buryatia, North Ossetia-Alania, the Perm and the Primorsky Territory, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra. regional leaders were invited to the awards ceremony, including the Acting Head of Karelia Arthur Parfenchikov.
- In this room a lot of really happy people. Day after day with their children you again learns the world, share with them a sense of pride in their success, see how thanks to your efforts reveal their best qualities, talents, and I am sure, are doing everything that they grew honest, decent people, decent citizens of our country.Of course, a large, large family - it's not just luck. First of all, it is a big job and, of course, is a huge responsibility. This work without breaks and weekends. Children, their needs, concerns, and their good - for you are always in first place, - said Vladimir Putin.
Novik's family - eight children. Elder sons Yuri and Boris have received vocational training and work away from home. In Petrozavodsk school № 35 study Matthew, Konstantin and Nadezhda Novik. In addition to schooling, they are successfully engaged in athletics. Nazar kindergartners and Vsevolod already showing themselves in sports and little Agatha while sitting still at home with her mother.
All his spare time, Valery and Tatiana Novik spend with their children: with clean area near the house at a volunteer, many working at their summer cottage. Valery helps kindergarten, which is visited by his children, walks with his sons on a fishing trip, the master with their bird feeders. Tatiana teaches kids to cook and often bake cakes together with them.
Family Novik is a worthy example for the others in the education of children and strengthening the family traditions.
Order "Parental Glory" is awarded to citizens of Russia, have at least seven children. This takes into account the lifestyle and social responsibility of the parents, their concern about physical health, education, spiritual and moral development of children.

*Note the date that the Novik family received their award. May 31, 2017

At the bottom of the above article, at the link posted, there is a video of the ceremony and at 6:40, you can watch Putin pin the Order of Parental Glory on the chests of the Novik parents. One for the father and one for the mother.

The above reports don't mention it, but the Novik family are Jehovah's Witnesses.

From the jw-russia website:

https://jw-russia.org/news/17060606-176.html

The family of Jehovah's Witnesses took the order from the hands of the head of state
May 31, 2017 in Moscow, at a meeting in the Kremlin, the president handed Valery and Tatiana Novik, Jehovah's Witnesses from Karelia, the Order of "Parental Glory". At the awarding ceremony was also attended by all six children Novikov.
The Order is awarded to parents of large families, who are setting an example to strengthen the institution of the family and the upbringing of children, form a socially responsible family and lead a healthy lifestyle, provide a full and harmonious development of personality of children, a high level of care for their health, education, physical, spiritual and moral development.
In reply, referring to the spiritual and moral development of children, Valery Novik quoted text from the Bible, which serves as a reference for it, both for the parents: "Train up a boy on the right path; he will not depart from it, even when you are old "(Proverbs 22: 6).

14

Can we talk confidentially?

by wheelwithinwheel in

jw
friends

the lot video shows what most elder’s offices are like.

actually it a pretty well-equipped one and with the video context is, without a doubt, org-approved.

but let’s face it.

OrphanCrow

BluesBrothers: ...a quiet coffee shop

A noisy one is better. Background noise makes it more difficult for a sneaky elder to decide to "get a second witness" in the form of a voice recording. Jus' sayin'...

16

Visiting Japan and saw one of those Carts. What is the purpose of those book carts for the borg?

by adjusted knowledge in

i'm in japan for three weeks visiting my sister-in-law and brother.

the people are so polite and i came across two female jw using the cart.

it is the same experience i noticed back in the states.

OrphanCrow

Brooklyn Brothers SignWorks

Who We Are
Brooklyn Brothers SignWorks is a small sign services business owned by brothers that serves local businesses and enterprises. Our commercial website is located here: www.brooklynsignworks.com
Where Public Witnessing Started
Brooklyn was the birth place of Public Witnessing! It all started here and expanded throughout the city. Prototype equipment and signs were tested in New York City where over 8 million people travel every day of the week. Later, public witnessing was expanded worldwide. What a joy and privilege that all publishers can now participate in public witnessing that is organized locally in your congregation!
All prints are high-resolution and goes through an 8 step professional process by hand. We understand that the high-quality appearance dignifies the message you preach. We understand how it needs to be done! OUR GOAL is to help by making it simple and easy as possible to obtain the best quality signs for public witnessing at a fraction of what others charge. Customer service is our #1 priority, so that you can make field service your priority.

$$$$$ to be made. What a joy and privilege it is to spend money on changing those literature stand promotions all the time! No need to worry about the literature - all provided free of charge! But...those signs and posters...dig deep - it is called the new and improved donation arrangement.

No longer able to charge for the literature? What? No more easy stream of money coming in from the publishers? Time to give them something else to spend their money on...tada! Literature cart signs. And make them changeable - a new promotion every once in a while will keep those sign orders coming in. Don't forget to donate back!

*edit to add:

Just been doing some simple math...

Special promotions/events generate huge $$$ in literature cart signage

Convention 2017 - a simple 18x24" sign costs $20-25.

https://www.publicwitnessing.info/product/convention-2017-horizontal-large-copy/

The org boasts that there are over 165,000 carts worldwide.

Let's say that each cart goes the cheap route and buys a $20 sign. That translates to $3.3 million. Just for the one cheap little sign. Which is almost pure profit for the company printing them. Once the set up is done, the print run is pennies. Maybe that is how the org dumped out some of their printing equipment. The literature stands are the reason d'etre for the defunct literature - and a way to keep printed material viable as well as create a huge spin off, guaranteed, support business in providing that turnover of literature carts signage for all those "special events", etc

And don't forget the 'literature stands' and store fronts that require rotating signage

16

Visiting Japan and saw one of those Carts. What is the purpose of those book carts for the borg?

by adjusted knowledge in

i'm in japan for three weeks visiting my sister-in-law and brother.

the people are so polite and i came across two female jw using the cart.

it is the same experience i noticed back in the states.

OrphanCrow

The org does business in China. Carts are manufactured in China.

Carts are a capital expenditure. This may reflect positively on the org's tax returns. Are there depreciation benefits?

And just think of all the spin off business for those JWs who supply all the bells and whistles for the carts:

http://precisionsignsnc.com/public_witnessing.html

http://jw-supplies.com/

https://pdh.ca/cart-witnessing-cart-signs-jw-org.html

http://jwcartposters.com/

https://publicwitnessingsigns.com/

https://www.vastdesign.com/public_witnessing_signs.php

http://www.graphics4jw.com/

http://candhbookbinding.com/Public-Witnessing-Cart-Signs-1-c480/

https://www.literaturecart.com/pages/about-us

https://pdh.ca/for-kingdom-halls/public-witnessing-cart-signs.html

http://www.jwimprints.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=24

http://www.publicwitnessingartwork.com/

https://www.whcartsigns.com/

https://jensensigns.wufoo.com/forms/m6pkiuz1eql9hd/

https://www.wcanfield.co.uk/posters/magnetic-posters/

http://ma8434.wixsite.com/graphics4jw/_p/prd2/2807245861/product/plastic-cart-cover

http://kingdomprintsllc.org/products/free-sample

http://publicwitnessingsigns.com.ourssite.com/

https://www.publicwitnessing.info/

etc, etc, etc.........

So. Let me guess. Would any of those companies, that sell the supporting material for those cart frames from China, have a spot on their tax returns for non-taxable donations to charities? By donating to the WTS/org? I wonder how much donation$ the org gets from these spin off businesses.

50

A JW explains Blood Fractions

by OrphanCrow in

i was looking around from some information on the wt's stance concerning the use of stem cells, and i came across this article on a defending jehovah's witnesses blog.. rather than informing the reader all that much about stem cells, the author diverts the conversation into a discussion of "blood fractions" (*note: the term "blood fractions" appears to be another one of those wt bloodspeak terms coined by the wt.

"blood components" or "blood products" are the terms used more frequently by the medical world.

"fractions" implies tiny amounts).

OrphanCrow

You are welcome, Possum. It is difficult to stay on top of where blood research is actually at.

Finkelstein: ...added that the blood did not come from a dead human being as in the original conception and understanding

Actually, that is a wee bit incorrect, Finklestein. The "original conception and understanding" had nothing at all to do with human blood. The directive from "Yahweh"/Moses/priests concerned animal blood. A dead animal. Not a dead human. Or live human, for that matter.

It was not human blood that was either to be "put on the altar" or "poured upon the ground". It was animal blood that was used for sacrificial rites. Like cow's blood. Which, according to that old scriptural directive, was to be poured on the ground. Not collected and processed into blood for "god's chosen people".

Jake: So, you can take blood as a witness and say that it was only a blood fraction and remain in good standing.

Uh...no. And yes. It depends.

It depends on whether the WTS says you can or not. And, only WT "approved" fractions allowed.

The WT controls which blood fractions the JW population can use and when. "Minor blood fractions". Another WT bloodspeak phrase. Only the WT calls fractionated blood components "fractions" and only they call those components "minor".

Those "minor blood fractions" are what some psychologists would term a "small favor". It is one of the techniques that a captor will use on their victims to get them to be compliant and to "turn" them. Make them loyal to their captor. This has happened in hostage taking situations. A prisoner is deprived on something basic and essential. And then, the captor "gifts" a tiny amount of what is being held back. This cements an emotional contract between the prisoner and the captor - the prisoner is grateful for small favors and in turn, becomes loyal to the one who captured them.

50

A JW explains Blood Fractions

by OrphanCrow in

i was looking around from some information on the wt's stance concerning the use of stem cells, and i came across this article on a defending jehovah's witnesses blog.. rather than informing the reader all that much about stem cells, the author diverts the conversation into a discussion of "blood fractions" (*note: the term "blood fractions" appears to be another one of those wt bloodspeak terms coined by the wt.

"blood components" or "blood products" are the terms used more frequently by the medical world.

"fractions" implies tiny amounts).

OrphanCrow

darkspliver: Sorry, I didn't post it for you to read.

Oh...please don't apologize. I didn't mean that your posting the story wasn't wanted or needed. I hope other people read it. Phil's story should be shared.

Thanks for posting it. It is relevant.

Vidiot: So basically, "bloodless" surgery actually requires blood.
Which makes the term "bloodless" essentially meaningless.

Yes. "Bloodless" surgery/medicine is a misnomer. A made up created term that the WT has exploited and misrepresented in order to give the impression that "bloodless" means "not using blood".

Not true.

"Bloodless" actually refers to the creation of a bloodless surgical field. The term was first used by surgeons such as Denton Cooley but it did not mean "without blood transfusions". It meant that the heart was drained of blood and became bloodless - therefore making it accessible to surgical procedures. That was back in the early 60s. Incidentally...right before the WTS made taking a blood transfusion a disfellowshipping offense (1961).

The WTS, and their affiliated medical "professionals", appropriated the term "bloodless", along with all the blood transfusion technology developed up to that point, and promoted the heart and lung procedure for surgery other than heart surgeries. Voila! The birth of the WT's so called "bloodless" surgery. That uses blood transfusion technology and blood products/fractions. To creat a bloodless patient.

Bloodless? No. The patient is bloodless - the procedure itself is anything but bloodless.

Watchtower bloodspeak. Deceptive and misleading. Intentionally.

50

A JW explains Blood Fractions

by OrphanCrow in

i was looking around from some information on the wt's stance concerning the use of stem cells, and i came across this article on a defending jehovah's witnesses blog.. rather than informing the reader all that much about stem cells, the author diverts the conversation into a discussion of "blood fractions" (*note: the term "blood fractions" appears to be another one of those wt bloodspeak terms coined by the wt.

"blood components" or "blood products" are the terms used more frequently by the medical world.

"fractions" implies tiny amounts).

OrphanCrow

Darkspliver, Phil's story - and many others like him - is what exposes that underbelly of the no blood world that the WT doesn't talk about.

The media is full of the fluff press releases that appear from time to time that extol the miracles of someone surviving a no blood procedure or something like that. And medical studies analyze case reports of JWs to determine "How Low Can you Go?" to get baseline measurements of death.

And mortality rates are compared (with poor methods of analysis) but morbidity is ignored. What is almost never spoken about is the increased suffering and increased pain that accompanies no blood options. Contrary to what people would expect, death (and sometimes survival) from blood refusal is long and painful. Not a happy way to endure what is already a horrible condition.

I know this personally. When I was 6 years old, my uncle was diagnosed with brain cancer. It was an operable tumor. Except it wasn't because of blood refusal. It was a long and painful year - my uncle was buried just before my seventh birthday. A horrible year of pain and suffering - because of refusing blood.

That is why I didn't have to read Phil's story, Darkspliver. I am happy he survived. My uncle didn't. And I watched him die. Slowly. When I was six years old.

50

A JW explains Blood Fractions

by OrphanCrow in

i was looking around from some information on the wt's stance concerning the use of stem cells, and i came across this article on a defending jehovah's witnesses blog.. rather than informing the reader all that much about stem cells, the author diverts the conversation into a discussion of "blood fractions" (*note: the term "blood fractions" appears to be another one of those wt bloodspeak terms coined by the wt.

"blood components" or "blood products" are the terms used more frequently by the medical world.

"fractions" implies tiny amounts).

OrphanCrow

Vidiot: Personally, I suspect the fraction justifications that started out back in the 90s were really the Org's fumbly attempts to explain why many blood-related treatments (like Hemopure) had already been allowed, in response to some of the smarter rank-and-filers out there asking "why?"...

Of course. That is the history of the shifting blood doctrine.

Almost all of the "now allowed" procedures/blood products etc that have been officially published in WT literature, have been preceded by those procedures/products already being used for sometimes years before reaching that "approved" status.

For example, it was in the 90s (94?) that the WT finally approved acute normovolemic hemodilution and yet the medical literature has many cases of JWs who were having that procedure long before the WT approved/admitted it. The same with cell salvage machines.

Most WT approved procedures are simply admitted procedures. When they have to. Or when they want to brag /promote a procedure or product.