Interesting and educational comment, iamwhoiam. I have no problem with investing in the stock market nor the Watchtower investing in the stock market or in hedge funds. But I do have a problem with Watchtower sending out a message "that anyone who puts his trust in Satan's system will be profoundly disappointed" and used Alex's experience in the stock market as an example. For years, Watchtower condemned investing in the stock market calling it "gambling" yet did it themselves. The duplicity of this organization is mind-boggling. Even though in Alex's case, it was not stated that investing in the stock market was in itself wrong, the Witnesses will understand the message loud and clear.
AndersonsInfo
JoinedPosts by AndersonsInfo
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Alex lost his house playing the stock market
by solomon inin the january 2013 study watchtower:.
alex got caught up in trading in the stock market, thinking he could soon quit his job and enter the pioneer service.
engrossed.
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Alex lost his house playing the stock market
by solomon inin the january 2013 study watchtower:.
alex got caught up in trading in the stock market, thinking he could soon quit his job and enter the pioneer service.
engrossed.
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AndersonsInfo
In 1989, I was in the Writing Department for only a few days when Joel Eames came to my office. Joel was at Bethel at that time some thirty or more years and was Lloyd Barry's male secretary. Lloyd had a female secretary too, but the job Joel did was much more important in that he was spokesman for Lloyd and took care of highly confidential GB matters.
Once settled in a chair in my office, Joel welcomed me to the department and we made small talk. Eventually, he came to the real reason for his visit: "You and Joe no doubt have invested in the stock market for many years and we'd like to know what stocks you both recommend?"
To say I was surprised is to put it mildly. Actually, I was amazed that a long-time member of Bethel, a faithful servant of Jehovah, a JW leader, was inquiring of me about the stock market. I asked him who the others were that wanted input from me and Joe about stocks. "Why many of the other staff," he said and further explained that the department had a subscription to the Wall Street Journal for market information.
I guess I wasn't very diplomatic when I told him that we had never invested in the stock market because it was a form of gambling. I said, "That's what we were taught. And no Witness we knew was into stocks,” I said, “except one old brother in West Palm Beach, Florida, a former circuit overseer. He regularly invested in the market and one time lost all his savings. Nobody had any sympathy for him because he was gambling and we knew that gambling was wrong."
Joel looked at me like I had a screw loose and told me nothing was wrong with investing in the stock market and nobody paid any attention to that old line of reasoning anymore. Of course, I could hardly wait until that evening to tell my husband that the old timers in the Writing Department were investing in the stock market. Need I say how disappointed we were by this, but as JWs do, we soon forgot our uneasiness with what we learned and their “Do as I say and not as I do” attitude and continued to press on in our special assignment of “Kingdom service.”
Alex’s sad tale of losing his house because of involvement in the stock market as described in the January 2013 Watchtower reminds me of an idiom that applies to the Watchtower Society, "The pot calling the kettle black" which is used to claim that a person is guilty of the very thing of which they accuse another. I say this because two years ago, I learned from a Bethel insider that one large Watchtower branch was heavily invested with Lehman Brothers, the Wall Street Investment giant. However, when Lehman Brothers collapsed in 2008, that particular Watchtower branch lost millions. One would expect that if one Watchtower branch was investing in the stock market, all the major branches also did it. Who knows how much Watchtower lost when the stock market collapsed in 2008, but I bet it was plenty.
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The Mental Regulating of Jehovah is CHILD ABUSE
by PublishingCult ini was born and raised in the jehovah's witness cult.
looking back at my childhood growing up in the organization and seeing the results of my own life, and dealing with the consequences of indoctrinating my own children with these beliefs, i am sickened and disgusted.
it's never too late to learn, however.
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AndersonsInfo
BTTT
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The WT Encourages JWs to learn about the early history of the organization! - 8/15/12 WT
by 00DAD inironically, in today's wt, jws are encouraged to study the early history of the "earthly organization".
like them [the sons of korah], do you have a desire to study and recount the history of the earthly part of jehovahs organization?
the more you learn about gods organization and how jehovah supports his people, the more real gods kingdom will be to you.
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AndersonsInfo
1. Obituary: Cole, Marley Coon Rapids/New Brighton. Age 93. Died 4/17/09. Survived by niece, Carol (Gary) Peters; cousins, Hugh & J. B. Cole (Knoxville, TN); many great- nieces & great-nephews, and a host of friends. Memorial Service 5/09/09, 1:30 pm, Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 9140 East River Road, Coon Rapids, MN.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/startribune/obituary.aspx?n=marley-cole&pid=126904964#fbLoggedOut
2. Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, published 1959. Written by John Wischuk, one of the Brooklyn Bethel Writing Department staff members.
In the 1950s, the Writing Department sent letters to older members of the organization all over the world (mostly anointed) asking for their past personal experiences as JWs. All of these experiences, including experiences taken from branch files found in the Executive Offices File Room, were in a large file cabinet in an over-sized closet in the Writing Department in the form of hundreds of small clippings filed by subject in folders. These clippings were the experiences that were cut out from those letters received by the Writing Department, and from information that Wischuk found in those branch files and used by him to put together the Divine Purpose book.
I was told that the Divine Purpose book had many mistakes in it. In the mid-1980s, Richard Abrahamson, Overseer of the Art Department, was assigned to head a group to compile another history book to replace the Divine Purpose book. Richard had good intentions, but due to a heavy work load in the Art Dept. he could not make any headway into the project. In 1989, Karl Adams was assigned to head the project and that's when I was assigned to be his researcher. The project we were working on ended up as the book, Jehovah's Witnesses Proclaimers of God's Kingdom.
3. Why Karl chose to leave out the Olin Moyle trial from Proclaimers is not known to me, but it could very well be that the GB cut out the information as they did with the fact that the Russells had a celibate marriage because, as was quoted to me, the GB said, “the friends couldn’t handle it.” I personally know that many old-time JWs were not happy that nothing was mentioned in Proclaimers about Moyle. I know Karl read the Moyle trial transcripts because I found them in among law books in WT's Legal Department and personally handed him the material. He told me at that time that he never heard of the trial before. From circumstantial evidence, I believe Karl did not tell me the truth.
Barbara
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We will decide who is a predator! New Watchtower Instructions to Elders on Child Abuse
by Jaime l de Aragon inmust read on jehovahs witnesses watchtower arrogance in failure to warn of congregation pedophiles.. http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/we-will-decide-who-is-a-predator-new-watchtower-instructions-to-elders-on-child-abuse?fb_action_ids=10151270345663993&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582.
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AndersonsInfo
The following is what I wrote in my new article, "Megan and Candace - Casualties of Known Molesters" (Abridged article at jwsurvey.org. Longer article will be posted on the Freeminds.org website in a few days.)
http://jwsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Megan-and-Candace-Casualties-of-Known-Molesters.pdf
"In 1997, the Watchtower developed what I call a “known molester policy.” Some thought it was Watchtower’s child sexual abuse policy, but it didn’t protect kids, just the opposite, in that, before appointment, if a remorseful, repentant man wasn’t perceived (or known) by the community and the congregation to be a “former” child molester, he could be considered for a position of trust." I was actually told in defense of the Watchtower that this business about "known" molester was the WT's child abuse policy and an excellent one it was too! But upon evaluation, as many posters have presented on this thread, that January 1, 1997 Watchtower article statement about "known" molesters had in it as many holes (legal loopholes) as Swiss cheese. As far as I was concerned, WT's Legal Department had its footprints all over it. It's just great that as per the October 1, 2012 BOE letter, now WT headquarters will determine who the "known" molesters are in congregations and the elders are taken off the hook. You know it when the elders read this letter, they heaved a collective sign of relief because the WT took the decision-making out of their hands and they can sleep better at night knowing that the liability buck stops at WT headquarters and not with them.
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U.S. Marshals searching for accused child molester in Eugene, Ore. area - JW Rick McLean
by AndersonsInfo inhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49309980.
u.s. marshals searching for accused child molester in eugene-areaeugene, ore. (kmtr) u.s. marshals are putting out a public plea in an effort to track down a wanted man believed to be in the eugene area, accused of molesting dozens of children in california.u.s.
marshals from san diego are looking for 57 year old frederick cecil mclean, a suspect on the agencys top 15 most wanted list.. in 2005, mclean was charged with four counts of child molestation and one count of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14. the u.s. marshals office says mclean sexual assaulted dozens children between the age of 7 and 12 over the course of about 20 years.. however, marshals say the search for mclean has since gone to cold case status.
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AndersonsInfo
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49309980
U.S. Marshals searching for accused child molester in Eugene-area
EUGENE, Ore. (KMTR) – U.S. Marshals are putting out a public plea in an effort to track down a wanted man believed to be in the Eugene area, accused of molesting dozens of children in California.
U.S. Marshals from San Diego are looking for 57 year old Frederick Cecil McLean, a suspect on the agency’s Top 15 Most Wanted list.
In 2005, McLean was charged with four counts of child molestation and one count of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14. The U.S. Marshals office says McLean sexual assaulted dozens children between the age of 7 and 12 over the course of about 20 years.
However, Marshals say the search for McLean has since gone to “cold case” status. McLean hasn’t been seen since 2005 when he sold off businesses, divorced his wife and left California, according to Marshals.
Marshals are now appealing to the public to help find him and believe he may be in the Eugene area. Marshals say they have evidence showing the McLean mailed a letter to his family from Eugene and bought a race car in Oregon. McLean is also said to have several associates in the automotive business and mechanic trade in Oregon.
Marshals believe McLean could be using a new identity as well. They believe he is making a living by restoring old vehicles and various custom jobs on cars, trucks, motor homes or vintage Formula 1 racing cars.
"He could look like anybody you know, just a regular normal guy and he's out there looking for more victims, so that's why we're so concerned. It's going to take somebody from the public that probably already knows him or somebody that deals with him on a daily basis that's going to recognize him and that's what's going to close this case,” says Thomas Maranda, Senior Inspector with the U.S. Marshals.
Marshals say McLean built relationships with children through the Jehovah’s Witness Church, gaining the trust of parents and then access their children.
“It's not just that we want to find him so that we can cross him off the list, it's that we want to find him so that we can stop him from molesting anymore kids,” says Maranda.
Marshals say McLean left California with between 100,000 and 500,000 dollars in cash.
"That's the most dangerous thing is that he is not going to stop, he's a child molester."
“We're not worried about maybe causing him to run again, because if he starts running, then he'll be panicking and making mistakes and we can catch up with him. We do, the US Marshals does that very well, there's no better other... No other agency that does that chase better than we do. But this is a cold case which is why we need to reach out to the public,” says Maranda.
Marshals say McClean could be going by the names “Rick McClean” or “Frederick McClain,” as well. Before this, McLean had no prior criminal history. If convicted, he could be looking at prison for the rest of his life.
McLean is considered armed and dangerous. Marshals are offering a 25,000 dollar reward for information leading to his capture. If you can help, call 1-800-336-0102 .
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JWs are attending the OSCE meeting in Warsaw as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) & giving presentations
by AndersonsInfo inwatchtower representatives (jehovahs christian witnesses) are once again attending the osce, organization for security and co-operation in europe,meeting in warsaw on september 24 - oct. 5, 2012. http://www.osce.org/hdim_2012to see jehovahs witnesses listed as a non-governmental organization, click on http://www.osce.org/hdim_2012?view=conference_documents&display=page_2&arg=92455.
please scroll down under non-governmental organization and click on administrative centre of jehovahs witnesses in russia as well as european association of jehovah's christian witnesses.
once you click on them, you will be brought to a page with a list of all of their presentations at the osce.
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AndersonsInfo
There's an interesting discussion on this subject going on here: http://www.topix.com/forum/religion/jehovahs-witness/TCFE9S6B6HRRMTV3C
One person, Blue Danube, posted the following information:
From the official OSCE website, this explains the relationship between the OSCE and the UN
"The OSCE recognizes that the United Nations Security Council bears primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Thus, the United Nations is the OSCE's primary partner organization. In 1992, the participating States declared the OSCE (at that time CSCE) to be "a regional arrangement in the sense of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations". -
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Please respond to an email from a distraught dad who is losing his daughter to the JWs through a JW boyfriend
by AndersonsInfo ini received the following email through my website, www.watchtowerdocuments.com.
how would you reply to his question?
(i'll send him the link to this thread containing your replies.).
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AndersonsInfo
I received the following email through my website, www.watchtowerdocuments.com. How would you reply to his question? (I'll send him the link to this thread containing your replies.)
It is my hope that this parent will be helped after reading all the sincere and thoughtful posts made by many XJW posters. Will you offer him some advice?
Thank you, Barbara
I live in the UK and we were a happy family, none of us are Jehovahs Witnesses. My eldest daughter, now, 19, began to see a boy 2 years ago. He comes from a family of staunch JWs. When she met him, he told her he had come out of his faith, would not say why, but we do not believe in the faith and are strong church of England. I feel he said this to capture our daughter. She now wants nothing to do with us and will not talk about him or her plans. Her younger sister is devastated.
I feel she is being brain-washed against her family. What can we do???
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Scholars at International Conf. in the Ukraine examine religions with American roots-JWs included
by AndersonsInfo inhttp://www.fulbright.org.ua/91_4_e.html.
religion and "americanization": an international conference sponsored by fulbright.
signs of ukraine's diverse religious landscape are everywhere in kyiv.
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AndersonsInfo
http://www.fulbright.org.ua/91_4_e.html
Religion and "Americanization": An International Conference Sponsored by Fulbright
Signs of Ukraine's diverse religious landscape are everywhere in Kyiv. On an average weekend, hundreds of religious groups hold meetings in Kyiv: several people gather in a house church or 10 thousand assemble for the meetings of Pastor Sunday Aledjah's Embassy of God Church of All Nations. Among the most influential of these religious groups have been those with American roots, such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and different charismatic groups. At a conference organized by the Fulbright Program, scholars from five countries set out to explore this phenomenon and measure its impact on Ukraine and on Europe.
The conference "Exporting Religion, Translating Belief: Exploring American Religions in Europe" was the result of collaboration among different organizations and individuals. Sponsored by Fulbright and the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the conference brought together scholars from the Department of Religion at the Institute of Philosophy, National Academy of Sciences, Odesa National University, Ukrainian Catholic University, and Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Foreign participants came from the University of Utah (USA), the University of Madrid (Spain), Kaliningrad State University (Russia), and Aristotle University (Greece).
The conference began Friday April 16 with lectures from two prominent scholars — Dr. Colleen McDannell, Professor of History and Religious Studies at the University of Utah, and Dr. Liudmyla Fylypovych, Director of the Center for Religious Information and Freedom in Kyiv. Examining Western and Eastern Europe separately, McDannell and Fylypovych made surprising conclusions during their talks. Both agreed on the low impact of religions with American origins. These groups represent only a small percentage of practicing believers in Europe and Ukraine. Fylypovych argued that the impact of Americans working in Ukraine is greater than statistical data suggests. Growth rates among American religions are high and their influence has included movements toward technology, an interest in the Ukrainian Bible, and extensive charity work. She believes that the Ukrainian press too often disparages the work of missionaries and overlooks its positive aspects.
Conference panels on the following day focused on religious movements, including Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Church of Scientology, the Church of Christ, and charismatic movements. Pavlo Pavlenko and Eduard Martynyuk provided differing overviews of American religions in Ukrainian society. Pavlenko argued that American religions could never be fully integrated into Ukrainian identity while Martynyuk proposed viewing the impact of American religions in Ukraine as "convergence" rather than replacement.
An afternoon panel highlighted legal aspects of non-traditional religious movements in Ukraine, Spain and Russia. Speakers from these countries look to the United States as a model for religious tolerance manifested in legislation and governmental structures and all acknowledged limitations. At the same time, speakers suggested that a replication of the U.S. system would not satisfy particular needs of individual countries. Mykhailo Babiy summed up the consensus when he said, "All religious organizations are functioning in a multi-cultural, poly-religious atmosphere, and legal structures need to do more to reflect that."
The conference was very lively: participants stayed to talk for a full hour after the library's closing; the translator became excited during Saturday's panels and left the booth to participate; conversation and panel sessions were dynamic.
Amy Frykholm,
Fulbright Scholar in Ukraine at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and at Drahomanov Pedagogical University (2003-2004).
Research field: American Culture and Literature -
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JWs are attending the OSCE meeting in Warsaw as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) & giving presentations
by AndersonsInfo inwatchtower representatives (jehovahs christian witnesses) are once again attending the osce, organization for security and co-operation in europe,meeting in warsaw on september 24 - oct. 5, 2012. http://www.osce.org/hdim_2012to see jehovahs witnesses listed as a non-governmental organization, click on http://www.osce.org/hdim_2012?view=conference_documents&display=page_2&arg=92455.
please scroll down under non-governmental organization and click on administrative centre of jehovahs witnesses in russia as well as european association of jehovah's christian witnesses.
once you click on them, you will be brought to a page with a list of all of their presentations at the osce.
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AndersonsInfo
Watchtower representatives (Jehovah’s Christian Witnesses) are once again attending the OSCE, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, meeting in Warsaw on September 24 - Oct. 5, 2012. http://www.osce.org/hdim_2012
To see Jehovah’s Witnesses listed as a Non-Governmental Organization, click on
http://www.osce.org/hdim_2012?view=conference_documents&display=page_2&arg=92455.
Please scroll down under Non-Governmental Organization and click on Administrative Centre of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia as well as European Association of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses. Once you click on them, you will be brought to a page with a list of all of their presentations at the OSCE.
Who is the OSCE? http://www.osce.org/who
“With 56 States from Europe, Central Asia and North America, the OSCE is the world's largest regional security organization. It offers a forum for political negotiations and decision-making in the fields of early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation, and puts the political will of its participating States into practice through its unique network of field missions.
“The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities.
“All 56 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.”
Participating States - http://www.osce.org/who/83
The OSCE has 56 participating States from Europe, Central Asia and North America:
- Albania
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- Czech Republic
- Finland
- Germany
- Hungary
- Italy
- Latvia
- Luxembourg
- Monaco
- Norway
- Romania
- Serbia
- Spain
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- United States
- Andorra
- Azerbaijan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Croatia
- Denmark
- France
- Greece
- Iceland
- Kazakhstan
- Liechtenstein
- Malta
- Montenegro
- Poland
- Russian Federation
- Slovakia
- Sweden
- the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
- Armenia
- Belarus
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus
- Estonia
- Georgia
- Holy See
- Ireland
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lithuania
- Moldova
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Slovenia
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United Kingdom