drofoffyourkeylee, the WTS is currently fighting court cases determined to make them report these cases to the secular authorities. The WTS tries to hide behind the clergy-penitent policy: discussion between one clergy and member (like Catholic Church). The WTS has for a long time said they did not have a clergy "class" but have amended that to "paid clergy class" which is a legal trick. But it is not between one "elder" and the person, but 3 elders, shared with other elders, and a report sent to WT headquarters. Some cases are still pending in court in many countries. Even if found liable, the WTS just takes it up the legal chain as far as they can, probably paying for the legal fees from donations of individual jws. The government cannot "force" the WTS, but the WTS must be tried in court, evidence presented on both sides, and a decision made by the court has to liability. Progress is being made, not just about jws, but other religions that hide behind the clergy-penitent
Posts by blondie
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12WASHINGTON ST PASSES BILL MANDATING CLERGY REPORTING CHILD ABUSE
by blondie inhttps://www.thereflector.com/stories/washington-legislature-passes-bill-to-make-clergy-mandatory-reporters-of-child-abuse,378913 .
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July 2025 WT Study Article comment on Advice/Blood
by blondie in17 how might a similar situation arise today?
consider the matter of blood fractions.
each christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions.
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blondie
17 How might a similar situation arise today? Consider the matter of blood fractions. Each Christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions. c We may find it a challenge to understand this matter fully, but making decisions like this is part of the load that each of us must carry. (Rom. 14:4) If we were to copy what somebody else decided to do, we could weaken our own conscience. We can train and improve our conscience only by using it. (Heb. 5:14) So when should we ask a mature Christian for advice? After we have done our own research but still need help in understanding how Bible principles relate to our situation (and Endnote https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/enjoy-life-forever/section-3/lesson-39/#p37-p41 For a detailed discussion of this topic, see the Enjoy Life Forever! book, lesson 39 point 5 and the “Explore” section.". LInk to the WT Study article (yes it is one) https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-july-2025/Why-Seek-Advice/
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15
Inviting People to Meetings
by HereIam60 inthe current memorial invitation campaign got me thinking about the few times over the years that someone i invited to a meeting actually came: .
1) once when i was "new", i invited a friend to a sunday meeting.
neither of us drove, so the brother conducting my study picked us up.
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blondie
Ugotbekiddingme (sp) This must be a new thing for them to be a pest to DA 'd and Df'd ones. I hope I didn't say the WTS was encouraging their members to contact DA'd people. Those are people who have effectively, chosen themselves to separate themselves from the WTS and/or spoke out publicly against the WTS and are considered "apostates." If I remember, only elders can contact disassociated jws under special circumstances. As to df'd some accounts I have seen about the change about contacting jws, it might have included df'd ones, but only in the spiritual context, inviting to come back to the WTS, but not associating socially. I will check on that. But quite a few ex-jws or "inactive" like me, have been contacted by phone (cell), email, snail mail and perhaps with texts. A difference, before elders were directed by the WTS to make an annual call (of course unscheduled) on inactive and even df'd jws. There must be a link on here to an original post discussing this change.
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Inviting People to Meetings
by HereIam60 inthe current memorial invitation campaign got me thinking about the few times over the years that someone i invited to a meeting actually came: .
1) once when i was "new", i invited a friend to a sunday meeting.
neither of us drove, so the brother conducting my study picked us up.
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blondie
LV101, "but I observed there was a definite BIAS against people who were converts and not born-in Witnesses." 1) I have seen biases about born-in and converts. One is in the appointment of MS and elders, those born-in are considered more spiritual than converts and will be selected sooner, having learned WTS teachings from baby on up 2) if you have a non-jw father (supposed the spiritual head even not jw) and mother has to teach you, you are considered as spiritually contaminated, even after you choose to be baptized as a jw. I have seen many cases of both as I grew up up in several congregations. It is all across the organization so it has to originate from the "top."
"In addition, the congregation elders arrange to visit and offer help to disfellowshipped ones in the congregation territory who may have left their past practice of sin." (My husband was an elder and the elders were directed to do this after the circuit overseer's visit and before the next circuit overseer visit and report to him what happened then. Many elders made a show of this, "driving by" and determining from the street that the person is not-home. My husband would tell me some days that he and long-time elder had done this. My husband was not a jw growing up and thought this was bizarre).
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59
Jephthah's Daughter
by cantleave ini have read somewhere that jephthah's daughter did not really go into temple service but was a victim of ritual sacrifice.
the bible says that after weeping over her virginity that the maidens would visit her annually.
how could they visit her if she was killed?.
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blondie
The WTS interpretation of this story, is not the only way Christian religions interpret it. Four ways: 1. Perpetual Virgin: Many Christians believe Jephthah's vow was to dedicate his daughter as a perpetual virgin, a lifelong service to the Lord. 2. Literal Sacrifice: Some interpretations suggest that Jephthah did kill his daughter as part of his vow, but this is less widely accepted 3. Symbolic Dedication: Many scholars and theologians believe that Jephthah's vow was a symbolic act of dedication, not a literal sacrifice 4. Other Interpretations: Some see the story as a cautionary tale about the dangers of rash vows and the importance of careful consideration before making promise
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Jehovah’s Witnesses administrator confessed child abuse without substantial consequence, lawsuit says
by blondie inhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/21/jehovahs-witnesses-child-sexual-abuse .
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Inviting People to Meetings
by HereIam60 inthe current memorial invitation campaign got me thinking about the few times over the years that someone i invited to a meeting actually came: .
1) once when i was "new", i invited a friend to a sunday meeting.
neither of us drove, so the brother conducting my study picked us up.
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blondie
I have no contact with them at all for 20 years. I had someone call me after the "new light" about being able to talk to people. I was never df'd and I never da'd myself. Just inactive. Took 20 years to contact me, live in the same place, same phone #.
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Blood decisions are now your problem: WT JULY 2025
by raymond frantz inthe following is from the latest study watchtower july 2025, study article 28, paragraph 17:.
each christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions.
we may find it a challenge to understand this matter fully, but making decisions like this is part of the load that each of us must carry.
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blondie
17 How might a similar situation arise today? Consider the matter of blood fractions. Each Christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions. c We may find it a challenge to understand this matter fully, but making decisions like this is part of the load that each of us must carry. (Rom. 14:4) If we were to copy what somebody else decided to do, we could weaken our own conscience. We can train and improve our conscience only by using it. (Heb. 5:14) So when should we ask a mature Christian for advice? After we have done our own research but still need help in understanding how Bible principles relate to our situation (and Endnote https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/enjoy-life-forever/section-3/lesson-39/#p37-p41 For a detailed discussion of this topic, see the Enjoy Life Forever! book, lesson 39 point 5 and the “Explore” section.". LInk to the WT Study article (yes it is one) https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-july-2025/Why-Seek-Advice/
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15
Inviting People to Meetings
by HereIam60 inthe current memorial invitation campaign got me thinking about the few times over the years that someone i invited to a meeting actually came: .
1) once when i was "new", i invited a friend to a sunday meeting.
neither of us drove, so the brother conducting my study picked us up.
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blondie
Yes, I did, I was on the 1) lower level because my father was not a jw and was considered to have contaminated my brother and me. 2) Then I became a pioneer and had many jw relatives, 3 elders and one MS. 3) Then my husband became an elder and one elder up came up and intimated that now I was considered more "spriritual" and I also learned how many parties the elders had for only elders and their wives. Moving on up?
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17
the pope has died
by stan livedeath inmost people on the planet have heard of the pope.. most people on the planet have never heard of the governing body..
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blondie
And so the fights being :(