Joseph Reed appears before a judge in the Supreme Court, which is the highest court in British Columbia, in Victoria, B.C., September 29th, Thursday at 9:30 A.M.
Joe Reed filed a complaint asking the attorney general to open an investigation into whether Watchtower congregations follow Canadian corporate law when electing officers (elders) or have corporate members (the congregation) vote to throw out a member (disfellowship). On Thursday, the judge will hear Joe's evidence and subsequently decide if the complaint has merit or not.
It is unknown at this time if the Watchtower will have an attorney present or if the judge will order the prosecuting attorney to require the Watchtower to have an attorney at the hearing to represent them. Mr. Reed notified the Watchtower in Canada about his complaint and the hearing date, so they can't say they knew nothing about it.
Barbara
AndersonsInfo
JoinedPosts by AndersonsInfo
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Wt tax exempt status challenged in Canada
by JosephMalik in.
joseph reed is challenging the wt in bc canada.. http://home.earthlink.net/~jmalik/reedvswt.html.
joseph.
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AndersonsInfo
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118
C.T. Russell: a confirmed Pittsburgh Free Mason
by kid-A inthere is overwhelming evidence that the spiritual founder of the wts, c.t.
russell, was a prominent free mason in the pittsburgh community.
he went so far as to declare: "i am a free mason" in several of his lectures.
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AndersonsInfo
This is a long read but worth the time and effort to see how Charles Taze Russell viewed Free Masonry. Note the first quote is from the very first copy of Zion's Watch Tower. I don't think I've ever seen these quotes in discussions, such as this one, used before to reveal that Russell did not have a very high opinion of secret societies such as Masonry. Please note that I capitalized important words or thoughts to highlight the point.
Barbara
September 1879 ZION’S WATCH TOWER, “THE DAY OF THE LORD”
Page 26, paragraph 6:
Rev. vi. 15, figuratively describes that time of falling of kingdoms when every mountain (kingdom) and island shall be moved. The kings and chief ones as well as bondmen will recognize in this trouble that “The great day of His wrath is come,” and will seek to make alliances and to hide themselves from the sure coming storm. They will seek to be covered and protected by the great mountains (kingdoms,) of earth and to be hid in the great rocks of this world’s societies, (MASONIC, ODD FELLOWS, &c.,) but they shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s anger, for “all the kingdoms of the world shall be thrown down, and instead of three mountains (kingdoms) “the kingdom of the Lord becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth.” Daniel ii. 35, 45.
June 15, 1895 ZION'S WATCH TOWER, Page 1827
SECRET AND BENEFICIAL SOCIETIES
Dear Brother [Russell]: I would like to have your opinion on the subject of life insurance. They are organizing lodges all around here--United Workmen, Knights of Pythias, Red Men, Masons, Odd Fellows, etc. They are working it just about like sectarianism in the churches. Would like to see an article in the Tower on the subject. W. E. KILLAM
OUR REPLY TO THE QUERY
In our judgment the majority of "secret societies" are merely beneficiary and have no secret schemes antagonistic to the general public welfare, the secret rites and ceremonies being merely "boys' play," occupying the time and attention of persons who have no greater aims than those which pertain to the present life. We not, however, that several Roman Catholic Societies seem to have schemes connected with the use of fire-arms, and are therefore to be classed as malevolent rather than benevolent.
We note also that the ORDER OF FREE MASONS, if judged by its past history, has some secret object or scheme, more than fraternity and financial aid in time of sickness or death. And, so far as we can judge, there is a certain amount of profane worship or mummery connected with the rites of this order and some others, which the members do not comprehend, but which, in many cases, serves to satisfy the cravings of the natural mind for worship, and thus hinders it from seeking the worship of god in spirit and in truth--through Christ, the only appointed Mediator and Grand Master.
In proportion as such SOCIETIES CONSUME VALUABLE TIME IN FOOLISH, SENSELESS RITES AND CEREMONIES, AND IN SUBSTITUTING THE WORSHIP OF THEIR OFFICERS, AND THE USE OF WORDS AND SYMBOLS WHICH HAVE NO MEANING TO THEM, for the worship of God, in his appointed way--through Christ, and according to knowledge and the spirit of a sound mind—IN THAT PROPORTION THESE SOCIETIES ARE GRIEVIOUS EVILS, regardless of the financial gains or losses connected with membership in them.
But respecting those orders which are merely Mutual Insurance Societies, in which the members pay a certain weekly sum of money to their sick, and at death a larger sum to their families, we must concede that they represent a good principle. It is certainly in harmony with the golden rule to help our neighbor when he is in need. The only objection we see to this is, that it puts the matter on a business or selfish basis and thus destroys its benevolent features; for each one joins, not for the good he can do, but for the help he hopes to obtain for himself or his family.
If, therefore, the matter be considered merely as a business arrangement, we can see no more wrong in joining such Mutual Benefit Societies than in taking out a policy in a regular Life or Accident Insurance Co., or insuring property in a Fire Insurance Co.--provided always that there be no confession of error or binding obligation required, contrary to the liberty wherewith Christ makes free. Wherever oaths of secrecy are demanded it is safe for God's people to touch not, taste not, handle not, --except as oaths are prescribed by public law, as before courts or in reference to documents for public record. In every other case the children of God will be blessed in obeying strictly the admonition, --Let your Yea be yea, and your Nay, nay, for "whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil." It is in connection with his description of the "last days" of the Gospel age that St. James cautions against all binding oath, such as many Secret Societies demand.--Matt. 5:37, Jas. 5:12.
August 1, 1895 ZION’S WATCH TOWER
CONSECRATION VS. THE WORLD AND ITS AFFAIRS
A brother, once very deep in Secretism, and who knows that THE EDITOR HAS HAD NO SUCH EXPERIENCE, writes as follows:
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--Your remarks under caption of “Secret and Beneficial Societies” in TOWER, of June 15, ’95, seem rather funny to me. You hit the nail very fairly considering that you were hammering so much in the dark. I am glad that you defend the principle of protection as afforded by legitimate or old line companies, life, fire and accident. With you, however, I think their days are numbered. No human business was ever organized with broader and more philanthropic intentions than insurance, and no business has been so abused and diverted from its real purposes. When insurance fails (as it has failed) from the effect of selfishness, wwe can not hope that any human work will succeed.
As to the secret societies, they use a ritual applicable to each different degree, which is fully as reasonable as that of many of the churches, and like those of the churches, it is usually of heathen origin. The worship of the Sun appears prominently in Masonry, and so it does in the service of the Catholic and Episcopal churches. The term “Worshipful,” as used in masonry, is now practically obsolete, but was formerly and generally used as a term of respect. I occupied the station of “Worshipful Master” for three years, but I never received the adoration of my fellow mortals, and I certainly never gave it to others. Your suggestion, that it is done ignorantly, is a good suggestion, but it does not apply in that case. Perhaps no man in my state, during the twenty odd years I was a member of the fraternity, gave more careful study to the symbolism of Masonry, its moral teaching and its jurisprudence.
While Masonry does not inculcate the worship of its officers, it does what is worse; for in its essence the symbolism used in the ceremonies are derived from devil worship.
Although no longer unequally yoked with those unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-17), I do want to say for those who are still in bondage that they have much excuse. Masonry consists very largely in a series of moral instructions, taught agreeably to ancient usage, by types, symbols and allegorical figures. It is a system, and a very beautiful system—as is very much of Satan’s work—when seen from the worldly standpoint.
Your fellow-worker in the best (not the worst) of bonds.
ANOTHER BROTHER WRITES:--
“Masonry is not Christianity; and he who is so deluded as to think it is, is led thereby into a labyrinth of grievous errors. I think I know what I am talking about, for I was for seven years “Master” of a “Lodge,” and conferred hundred of degrees. Masonry will not take away sins, or save a soul from death; and it is a grave question whether or not a child of God has any business spending time and money in any worldly institution. There is nothing pure; that is earthly, but purity comes down from above.” -
6
Read Marci Hamilton's email about Philadelphia Church Scandal
by AndersonsInfo insanity will prevail when we get the people of pennsylvania (and every other state) to back the reforms needed to protect children.
i was a special asst district attorney in the phila grand jury investigation, and i can tell you it was extraordinarily frustrating that the law posed nothing but roadblocks.
there are serious insufficiencies in the laws that protect children, and unless citizens demand changes in the law, as the report suggests, we'll have more of the same.
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AndersonsInfo
Here's a copy of an article which I recently posted on a thread started by Devon McBride named, "Another child abuse coverup by the Catholic Church."
If the dreadful information found in this article doesn't push all of us to write a letter to the Pennsylvania Legislature demanding changes to Pennsylvania's child abuse laws, what will?
Blondie, or anyone who has the time, would you please research and post contact information as to where we can write our letters to.
Thank you,
Barbara
BUT NO JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS AS GRAND JURY'S POWERLESS TO ACT
By WILLIAM BUNCH & DANA DiFILIPPO
[email protected]
The devil is in the details.
For example, there is the Philadelphia-area Roman Catholic priest who
raped an 11-year-old girl, causing her to become pregnant, and then took
her to have an abortion, and who also molested a 5th-grader inside the confessional booth.
There is also the case of the teenage girl who was immobilized in
traction in a hospital bed and was molested by a priest.
And another priest is said to have been a sadomasochist who paid boys to
place him in bondage - and then perform acts such as defecating so he
could lick their excrement.
When the Roman Catholic clergy sex-abuse scandal exploded in 2002 in
Boston, many wondered if Philadelphia - the 7th-largest archdiocese in
the country with more than1.4 million parishioners - could have similar problems.
That April, Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham convened a
grand jury to look into sexual abuse in the archdiocese and whether
there had been a cover-up by church leaders.
The results, announced yesterday, show the child sexual-abuse problems
in the archdiocese were worse than anyone could have imagined.
"I want to correct the misconception that this was inappropriate
touching - we're not speaking about a misplaced pat or overly
enthusiastic hug," Abraham said at a packed news conference yesterday. "We're talking about child rape. Our children were used as masturbation tools and [in] disgusting acts of sadomasochism."
The grand jury, which issued a comprehensive 418-page report, said it
was able to document the sexual abuse of hundreds of children by at
least 63 priests in the archdiocese - and speculated there was much more it could not uncover.
"We heard testimony about priests molesting and raping children in
rectory bedrooms, in church sacristies, in parked cars, in swimming
pools, at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, at the priests' vacation houses in the Poconos and the Jersey shore, in the children's schools and even in their own homes," the grand jury
reported.
But the panel, and Abraham, saved some of the most blistering words for
the two men who led the archdiocese during the period covered by the
probe - retired Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua and the late Cardinal John Krol, who was a 20th century icon of Philadelphia.
The report said the two cardinals took part in a cover-up that greatly
increased the number of children who were abused - by simply moving
pedophile priests to other parishes or leaving them in their posts with no punishment.
"[I]n its callous, calculating manner, the archdiocese's handling of the
abuse scandal was at least as immoral as the abuse itself," the report
stated.
However, the grand jury did not charge anyone with committing a crime.
Its report said that was only because either the statute of limitations
had expired, or because of other flaws in current laws.
"We are left, then, with what we consider a travesty of justice: a
multitude of crimes for which no one can be held criminally
accountable," it states.
The long-awaited report drew a strangely mixed response from the
archdiocese. Cardinal Justin Rigali, who took over when Bevilacqua
reached mandatory retirement age in 2003, apologized again to the victims at a news conference. Yet the archdiocese also issued a blistering 70-page report that blasted the probe's findings and even sought to link it to anti-Catholic prejudice of the 1840s.
The written response from the archdiocese said Abraham's probe was "a
40-month investigation with a pre-determined end result and a report
that is actually a biased advocacy piece."
Indeed, yesterday's back-and-forth showed that the grand jury report did
not come close to resolving the controversy over the archdiocese's
handling of child sexual abuse. Abraham asked yesterday: "Has anything changed? Does the archdiocese get it? Do they understand fully their responsibility? The answer to that is an emphatic, 'No.' "
Nevertheless, the report brought some Philadelphia-area victims of
priest sexual abuse, and their advocates, closer to a state of closure
than at any time since the scandal broke.
"The silver lining today is that now other people will know this," said
Pat Hitchens, a local member of Survivors Network of those Abused by
Priests, who said she was abused in the 1960s by a priest operating in Southwest Philadelphia and Darby. "The district attorney is giving a voice to so many people who have suffered for so long and who had no voice."
"We need to begin an atmosphere of reconcilation where the leadership
and priests are not afraid to talk about this instead of saying this is
past history," said Bud Bretschneider, of Voice of the Faithful. "It is not history. It is very much real and alive."
The report spoke extensively of the lingering adult problems of those
who were abused decades ago as children, including what it referred to
as "soul murder" - when their defilement
leads to a loss of faith.
"In order for a priest to satisfy his sexual impulses, these children
lose their innocence, their virginity, their security, and their faith,"
it said. "It is hard to think of a crime more heinous."
One victim, identified by the grand jury as "Billy," said that when the
Rev. James Brzyski thrust his hands down Billy's pants when he was just
11, it "turned this good kid into this monster.
"I had no God to turn to, no family, and it just went from having one
person inside me to having two people inside me," he testified. "This
nice Billy... that used to live, and then this evil, this darkness Billy... that had to have no conscience and no morals in order to get by..."
That account is just one of many gut-wrenching anecdotes in the lengthy
report.
Some of the harshest words are for the Rev. Nicholas Cudemo, who was
described by a top aide to Bevilacqua as "one of the sickest people I
ever knew."
It was Cudemo, the report said, who abused a girl, "Ruth," in the late
1960s when she was nine or 10, raped her when she was 11, took her for
an abortion, and continued to abuse her until she was 17. "She has suffered severely ever since," the report stated.
Cudemo, also the priest who molested a 5th-grader in the confession
booth, taught at three area high schools - Bishop Neumann, Archbishop
Kennedy, and Cardinal Dougherty and was repeatedly tranferred because of, the report said, "what were recorded in archdiocese files as 'particular friendships' with girls."
The report said that numerous reports of the Rev. Albert Kostelnick
fondling young girls "spanned 32 years, beginning in 1968, when he
fondled the genitals and breasts of three sisters, ages 6 to 13 years old, as he showed slides to their parents in the family's darkened living room."
The grand jury reported a fourth sister was the girl that Kostelnick
fondled as she lay in traction after a 1971 automobile accident. "They
said the injured girl had to ring for the nurse to stop her molestation," it said.
Despite the long history of complaints about Kostelnick - including a
1987 report to police that he'd allegedly fondled an 8-year-old girl -
he was kept on for years as pastor of St. Mark in Bristol, and in 1997 he was honored by Bevilacqua with a luncheon at the cardinal's house.
The grand jury said that the Rev. Raymond Leneweaver, at Saint Monica's,
in South Philadelphia, named a group of altar boys the "Philadelphia
Rovers" and made up T-shirts for them. It said he repeatedly molested the 11- and 12-year-old boys and anally raped at least one boy.
When one boy tried to report Leneweaver, it said, his own father beat
him until he was unconscious and said repeatedly, "Priests don't do
that."
The report also documents repeated efforts by archdiocese officials to
cover for pedophile priests. One, it said, was transferred so many times
that church officials worried they had run out of places to put him. In another case, the grand jury found, when a nun complained that a priest who had been convicted of receiving child pornography was still ministering to children, the woman was fired from a post directing religious education.
The grand jury found that it could not find the archdiocese guilty of
corporate criminal liability because the church is not organized as a
legal corporation.
The panel recommended several changes in state law to address any future
problems, including abolishing the statute of limitations for sexual
offenses against children - a step already taken in some other states.
It also recommended tightening the Pennsylvania Child Protective
Services Law to require those who learn of abuse to report it to
authorities, and to require background checks on employees of any organization that supervises children.
Staff Writer Kitty Caparella contributed to this report. -
6
Read Marci Hamilton's email about Philadelphia Church Scandal
by AndersonsInfo insanity will prevail when we get the people of pennsylvania (and every other state) to back the reforms needed to protect children.
i was a special asst district attorney in the phila grand jury investigation, and i can tell you it was extraordinarily frustrating that the law posed nothing but roadblocks.
there are serious insufficiencies in the laws that protect children, and unless citizens demand changes in the law, as the report suggests, we'll have more of the same.
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AndersonsInfo
Sanity will prevail when we get the people of Pennsylvania (and every other state) to back the reforms needed to protect children.
I was a Special Asst District Attorney in the Phila grand jury investigation, and I can tell you it was extraordinarily frustrating that the law posed nothing but roadblocks. There are serious insufficiencies in the laws that protect children, and unless citizens demand changes in the law, as the report suggests, we'll have more of the same. If you know anyone in Pennsylvania, tell them to contact their state reps in Harrisburg and demand change. Perhaps Pa can get some momentum for the victims in every state.
Best regards, Marci -
1
Another child abuse cover up by the Catholic Church
by DevonMcBride inhttp://www.nbc10.com/news/5002108/detail.html da: top catholic officials covered up sex abuse of minors
district attorney releases scathing report
posted: 12:33 pm edt september 21, 2005 updated: 9:14 pm edt september 21, 2005
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AndersonsInfo
Here's another article about the same Philadelphia scandal in the Catholic Church, and if this information doesn't make us angry enough to write the State legislator and demand change in the laws, nothing will:
BUT NO JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS AS GRAND JURY'S POWERLESS TO ACT
By WILLIAM BUNCH & DANA DiFILIPPO
[email protected]
The devil is in the details.
For example, there is the Philadelphia-area Roman Catholic priest who
raped an 11-year-old girl, causing her to become pregnant, and then took
her to have an abortion, and who also molested a 5th-grader inside the confessional booth.
There is also the case of the teenage girl who was immobilized in
traction in a hospital bed and was molested by a priest.
And another priest is said to have been a sadomasochist who paid boys to
place him in bondage - and then perform acts such as defecating so he
could lick their excrement.
When the Roman Catholic clergy sex-abuse scandal exploded in 2002 in
Boston, many wondered if Philadelphia - the 7th-largest archdiocese in
the country with more than1.4 million parishioners - could have similar problems.
That April, Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham convened a
grand jury to look into sexual abuse in the archdiocese and whether
there had been a cover-up by church leaders.
The results, announced yesterday, show the child sexual-abuse problems
in the archdiocese were worse than anyone could have imagined.
"I want to correct the misconception that this was inappropriate
touching - we're not speaking about a misplaced pat or overly
enthusiastic hug," Abraham said at a packed news conference yesterday. "We're talking about child rape. Our children were
used as masturbation tools and [in] disgusting acts of sadomasochism."
The grand jury, which issued a comprehensive 418-page report, said it
was able to document the sexual abuse of hundreds of children by at
least 63 priests in the archdiocese - and speculated there was much more it could not uncover.
"We heard testimony about priests molesting and raping children in
rectory bedrooms, in church sacristies, in parked cars, in swimming
pools, at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, at the priests' vacation houses in the Poconos and the Jersey shore, in the children's schools and even in their own homes," the grand jury reported.
But the panel, and Abraham, saved some of the most blistering words for
the two men who led the archdiocese during the period covered by the
probe - retired Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua and the late Cardinal John Krol, who was a 20th century icon of Philadelphia.
The report said the two cardinals took part in a cover-up that greatly
increased the number of children who were abused - by simply moving
pedophile priests to other parishes or leaving them in their posts with no punishment.
"[I]n its callous, calculating manner, the archdiocese's handling of the
abuse scandal was at least as immoral as the abuse itself," the report
stated.
However, the grand jury did not charge anyone with committing a crime.
Its report said that was only because either the statute of limitations
had expired, or because of other flaws in current laws.
"We are left, then, with what we consider a travesty of justice: a
multitude of crimes for which no one can be held criminally
accountable," it states.
The long-awaited report drew a strangely mixed response from the
archdiocese. Cardinal Justin Rigali, who took over when Bevilacqua
reached mandatory retirement age in 2003, apologized again to the victims at a news conference. Yet the archdiocese also issued a blistering 70-page report that blasted the probe's findings and even sought to link it to anti-Catholic prejudice of the 1840s.
The written response from the archdiocese said Abraham's probe was "a
40-month investigation with a pre-determined end result and a report
that is actually a biased advocacy piece."
Indeed, yesterday's back-and-forth showed that the grand jury report did
not come close to resolving the controversy over the archdiocese's
handling of child sexual abuse. Abraham asked yesterday: "Has anything changed? Does the archdiocese get it? Do they understand fully their responsibility? The answer to that is an emphatic, 'No.' "
Nevertheless, the report brought some Philadelphia-area victims of
priest sexual abuse, and their advocates, closer to a state of closure
than at any time since the scandal broke.
"The silver lining today is that now other people will know this," said
Pat Hitchens, a local member of Survivors Network of those Abused by
Priests, who said she was abused in the 1960s by a priest operating in Southwest Philadelphia and Darby. "The district attorney is giving a voice to so many people who have suffered for so long and who had no voice."
"We need to begin an atmosphere of reconcilation where the leadership
and priests are not afraid to talk about this instead of saying this is
past history," said Bud Bretschneider, of Voice of the Faithful. "It is not history. It is very much real and alive."
The report spoke extensively of the lingering adult problems of those
who were abused decades ago as children, including what it referred to
as "soul murder" - when their defilement leads to a loss of faith.
"In order for a priest to satisfy his sexual impulses, these children
lose their innocence, their virginity, their security, and their faith,"
it said. "It is hard to think of a crime more heinous."
One victim, identified by the grand jury as "Billy," said that when the
Rev. James Brzyski thrust his hands down Billy's pants when he was just
11, it "turned this good kid into this monster.
"I had no God to turn to, no family, and it just went from having one
person inside me to having two people inside me," he testified. "This
nice Billy... that used to live, and then this evil, this darkness Billy... that had to have no conscience and no morals in order to get by..."
That account is just one of many gut-wrenching anecdotes in the lengthy
report.
Some of the harshest words are for the Rev. Nicholas Cudemo, who was
described by a top aide to Bevilacqua as "one of the sickest people I
ever knew."
It was Cudemo, the report said, who abused a girl, "Ruth," in the late
1960s when she was nine or 10, raped her when she was 11, took her for
an abortion, and continued to abuse her until she was 17. "She has suffered severely ever since," the report stated.
Cudemo, also the priest who molested a 5th-grader in the confession
booth, taught at three area high schools - Bishop Neumann, Archbishop
Kennedy, and Cardinal Dougherty and was repeatedly tranferred because of, the report said, "what were recorded in archdiocese files as 'particular friendships' with girls."
The report said that numerous reports of the Rev. Albert Kostelnick
fondling young girls "spanned 32 years, beginning in 1968, when he
fondled the genitals and breasts of three sisters,ages 6 to 13 years old, as he showed slides to their parents in the family's darkened living room."
The grand jury reported a fourth sister was the girl that Kostelnick
fondled as she lay in traction after a 1971 automobile accident. "They
said the injured girl had to ring for the nurse to stop her molestation," it said.
Despite the long history of complaints about Kostelnick - including a
1987 report to police that he'd allegedly fondled an 8-year-old girl -
he was kept on for years as pastor of St. Mark in Bristol, and in 1997 he was honored by Bevilacqua with a luncheon at the cardinal's house.
The grand jury said that the Rev. Raymond Leneweaver, at Saint Monica's,
in South Philadelphia, named a group of altar boys the "Philadelphia
Rovers" and made up T-shirts for them. It said he repeatedly molested the 11- and 12-year-old boys and anally raped at least one boy.
When one boy tried to report Leneweaver, it said, his own father beat
him until he was unconscious and said repeatedly, "Priests don't do
that."
The report also documents repeated efforts by archdiocese officials to
cover for pedophile priests. One, it said, was transferred so many times
that church officials worried they had run out of places to put him. In another case, the grand jury found, when a nun complained that a priest who had been convicted of receiving child pornography was still ministering to children, the woman was fired from a post directing religious education.
The grand jury found that it could not find the archdiocese guilty of
corporate criminal liability because the church is not organized as a
legal corporation.
The panel recommended several changes in state law to address any future
problems, including abolishing the statute of limitations for sexual
offenses against children - a step already taken in some other states.
It also recommended tightening the Pennsylvania Child Protective
Services Law to require those who learn of abuse to report it to
authorities, and to require background checks on employees of any organization that supervises children.
Staff Writer Kitty Caparella contributed to this report. -
118
C.T. Russell: a confirmed Pittsburgh Free Mason
by kid-A inthere is overwhelming evidence that the spiritual founder of the wts, c.t.
russell, was a prominent free mason in the pittsburgh community.
he went so far as to declare: "i am a free mason" in several of his lectures.
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AndersonsInfo
I just posted the following information on JWD under the subject, Beliefs, Doctrines & Practices, in the hope that as many people as possible will see the facts, although, as other posters have observed, if some people want to believe Russell was a Freemason, nothing will change their mind. Apparently, some of us don't want to be confused by the facts!
NO, CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL WAS NOT A PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON!
Back in 2001, I requested historical information from the ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY, VALLEY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, asking if Charles Taze Russell, his father, Joseph Lytel Russell, and his uncle, Charles Tays Russell, were Freemasons. This is the answer I received in a letter:
"AFTER A SEARCH OF OUR RECORDS, WE DETERMINED THAT THE THREE RUSSELL'S WERE NOT MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION."
In their letter, the Pittsburgh Chapter recommended that I send an inquiry asking for further research on this question to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, which I did. On April 27, 2001, I received this reply:
"THE RECORD BOOKS IN THE GRAND SECRETARY'S OFFICE ARE UNAVAILABLE AT THIS TIME AS THEY ARE BEING CONSERVED AND SHOULD BE BACK SOME TIME IN THE FALL."
Inasmuch as I was very involved with other, more pressing, things then, I did not follow-up and eventually my desire for resolution of this question faded out of my mind. That is, until today, when I saw that this subject has not been resolved to the satisfaction of some posters, so I sent a follow-up email to the Masonic Temple, Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Just a few minutes ago, I received this reply:
DEAR MS. ANDERSON,
CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL WAS NOT A PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON. NOR DOES HE APPEAR IN THE RECORDS OF ENGLAND OR IRELAND.
I SHALL CHECK THE RECORDS FOR THE OTHER TWO RUSSELLS.
BEST,
GLENYS A. WALDMAN
LIBRARIAN
If and when I receive an answer from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania about the other two Russells, I will post it.
In any event, I would hope that this answer from a search of the original records will forever put this issue to rest that Charles Taze Russell was never a Pennslyvania Freemason.
Barbara Anderson -
86
Here's PROOF that Charles Taze Russell Was NOT a Pennsylvania Freemason
by AndersonsInfo inno, charles taze russell was not a pennsylvania freemason!.
this is the answer i received in a letter: .
"after a search of our records, we determined that the three russell's were not members of our organization.
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AndersonsInfo
NO, CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL WAS NOT A PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON!
Back in 2001, I requested historical information from the ANCIENT ACCEPTED SCOTTISH RITE OF FREEMASONRY, VALLEY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, asking if Charles Taze Russell, his father, Joseph Lytel Russell, and his uncle, Charles Tays Russell, were Freemasons. This is the answer I received in a letter:
"AFTER A SEARCH OF OUR RECORDS, WE DETERMINED THAT THE THREE RUSSELL'S WERE NOT MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION."
In their letter, the Pittsburgh Chapter recommended that I send an inquiry asking for further research on this question to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, which I did. On April 27, 2001, I received this reply:
"THE RECORD BOOKS IN THE GRAND SECRETARY'S OFFICE ARE UNAVAILABLE AT THIS TIME AS THEY ARE BEING CONSERVED AND SHOULD BE BACK SOME TIME IN THE FALL."
Inasmuch as I was very involved with other, more pressing, things then, I did not follow-up and eventually my desire for resolution of this question faded out of my mind. That is, until today, when I saw that this subject has not been resolved to the satisfaction of some posters, so I sent a follow-up email to the Masonic Temple, Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Just a few minutes ago, I received this reply:
DEAR MS. ANDERSON,
CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL WAS NOT A PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON. NOR DOES HE APPEAR IN THE RECORDS OF ENGLAND OR IRELAND.
I SHALL CHECK THE RECORDS FOR THE OTHER TWO RUSSELLS.
BEST,
GLENYS A. WALDMAN
LIBRARIAN
If and when I receive the answer from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania about the other two Russells, I will post it.
In any event, I would hope that this answer from a search of the original records will forever put this issue to rest that Charles Taze Russell was never a Pennslyvania Freemason.
Barbara Anderson -
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Did you know of anyone that appeared in the publications that left the org?
by truthseeker inthere was a rumour years ago that the couple that appeared on the brochure, "does god really care about us?
", left the truth, and that is why the cover changed.. also, somewhere on an xjw site, is the testimony of a brother who appeared in a life story in the wt, but has now left the organization.. do you know of anyone appearing in the mags that has left the truth?
what were the circumstances?
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AndersonsInfo
Yes, I appeared in and also researched and wrote for Watchtower publications. I'm breaking WT confidentiality rules listing my resume. However, it's time that JWs know that Witness women make many more "spiritual" contributions than they are led to believe. I left Bethel in 1993 and left the organization in 1997.
My husband and I appeared on the covers of the,
October 8, 1986 Awake!
July 22, 1992 Awake!
We also appeared in the following magazine:
May 15, 1989 Watchtower, page 10, smallest picture w/ blue frame
I appeared in costume in the following books:
One picture that is in, REVELATION--ITS GRAND CLIMAX AT HAND
Five pictures that can be found in, THE GREATEST MAN THAT EVER LIVED
I was assigned to be the major research assistant to senior Watchtower writer, Karl Adams, for the book,
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, PROCLAIMERS OF GOD'S KINGDOM
I did all the research and contributed text for the 1992 Sunday afternoon District Assembly public lecture assigned to writer, Harry Peloyan, by Ted Jaracz. The subject was on John 1:1 discussing, Jesus, the "light" of the world. I sat in the audience at a convention in Virginia listening to my husband give the lecture and wondered what the elders in the audience would think if they knew that a woman put together practically the entire lecture.
I did all the research for,
October 22, 1995 Awake! article, "Why Is Life So Short?"
I did most of the research, plus, assisted the senior writer, Eric Beveridge, and was quoted many times in the article,
June 22, 1990 Awake! "Women Deserving of Respect"
I did all of the research for Awake! Editor and senior writer, Harry Peloyan, for the booklet,
"What Is The Purpose Of Life? How Can You Find It?"
I helped Sam Buck write some of the following article,
Apr 22, 1989 Awake!"More Living Space For A Growing Family"
I rewrote the following article submitted by a branch writer in Ireland,
October 8, 1991 Awake! "Heeding the Warning Signs"
Under the title of the following article can be found a statement that the article was contributed by an Awake! correspondent in Africa. However, I wrote the majority of the article and then it was sent to a missionary at an African branch for review. When he sent it back, it could then be said to be contributed by an Awake! correspondent in Africa.
April 8, 1993 Awake! Millions Are Suffering, Can They Be Helped?
I wrote all of the following articles,
December 8, 1991 Awake! "The Bill of Rights, Why Was It Needed"
Dec. 8, 1991 Awake! "Students Participate in National History Day"
Nov. 22, 1994 Awake! Cover Series Articles, "Difficult Children"
I was assigned and did extensive research on the neurological bipolar (manic-depressive) condition and submitted it to Awake! Editor, Harry Peloyan. The material was never used because it was decided by Writing Department Overseer, Lloyd Barry, that an article on this subject could open another "Pandora's Box" such as the October 8, 1991 Awake! cover series articles, which discussed sexual child abuse, did. By the way, I did not write nor do any research for the Oct. 8, 1991 articles.
I continued to research and submit my findings on sexual child abuse to the Writing Department until I slipped away from the organization in 1997. -
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OMG - Part 18 of my exit story EXPLODES !!!
by Amazing1914 ini am in the middle of publishing my book on my exit from the jws.
it is still hosted on freeminds, but is undergoing revision to clean up grammar, spelling, split a couple of chapters and add a couple of chapters.
i will also be adding an appendix of correspondence with the watchtower society.
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AndersonsInfo
How would I describe the end of Amazing's story?
Part 18 is an incredible conclusion to an extraordinary account of the life and times of a sincere Jehovah's Witness elder who became an outspoken critic of Jehovah's Witnesses and in so doing became an enemy of some of Oregon's most devious elders, yet he lived to tell the tale!
On a more serious note, of great value to me are Amazing's following words which I will tape to my computer center as a reminder:
"What is all this worth to me now? How do we assess the reason for our experience as JWs? What can we take with us that will prove useful to others so that we can leave this world a little better than we found it? My only thought is that ex-JWs can act like “social antibiotics” and be there to help others exiting cults ... or better yet – preventing their entry in the first place ... maybe in some cosmic way it is our lot to help bring an end to the madness and be the contributing cause of the demise of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society as it is today. Maybe long after we become fertilizer, some future historians or mental health professionals will shower kind words on us for helping to expose the folly of mind-control. Who knows?"
Barbara -
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Re: *PLEASE READ* GOD VS. THE GAVEL: RELIGION & THE RULE OF LAW
by AndersonsInfo inmarci a. hamilton is an internationally recognized constitutional expert specializing in church/state relations.
professor hamilton's new book, god vs. the gavel: religion and the rule of law is one of the brightest lights on the horizon in a difficult time of prosecuting religions that cause harm.
ms. hamilton states -- "while religious conduct provides many benefits to society, it is not always benign.
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AndersonsInfo
Recently, a friend in England wrote Professor Marci Hamilton and her reply is as follows: (Perhaps some on this board might also like to e-mail Ms. Hamilton.)
From: [email protected]
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2005 2:23 PM
Subject: Re: WT New Hampshire
Thanks very much for your email. It is always heartening to hear from others who put children first. I am not sure what laws are encompassed by "Charity Law" in Britain, but I would be very interested in finding out.
I think you may find my new book, God vs the Gavel: Religion and the Rule of Law (Cambridge 2005) interesting. I discuss the children's issues in chapter 2, and British-American history in chapter 9. I believe it was just released in England.
If you have not seen my other columns on children and religious groups (I have been documenting the Catholic clergy abuse scandal since 2002), you can find them on www.findlaw.com Click on the commentator of the day, and then on my name on the list of columnists to the right.
If you have the time, please keep me posted on related legal developments in England. This is an international problem, to be sure.
Regards, Marci Hamilton