Posts by Joel Wideman

20

Are artist's faces copyrighted?

by Lilycurly in

.

this might seem like a strange question...but if anyone's familiar with the concept of copyrights.... i am thinking of making an illustrated book including quotes from various inspirational music and movie artists complete with artistic portraits of the artists (that are not copied from photographs...) and i was wondering if i could get sued over something like that...

Joel Wideman

This isn't a copyright issue at all, but has to do with publicity. Legally, you may not use someone's name or likeness promotionally. However, the way you are using it is not infringing. The caveat is that you still risk being sued and your publisher may or may not provide you with a legal defense. (Most publishers have a clause in the contract that indemnifies them.)
The safe thing to do is ask permission.

41

well they did not reinstate me!! dont know how i feell!

by Cordelia in

jw
friends

well any of u that read my post about reinstatement will know what im on about basically i put my letter in for my family ive been dfed since march and they so want me back,.

but the lovely elders took a month to get back to me and then said they were gonna leave it as i have the wrong motive as i am doing it for my family not jehovah, (which of course i am but they werent meant toknow that!

) thing is in my reinstatement meeting i knew exactly what i was doing i knew exactly what i should not and should say and said all the wrong things because i didnt want it,.

Joel Wideman

Cordelia, JWs learn to put the organization first, themselves never. But an important part of Christianity is, as Jesus said, love your neighbor as you love yourself. We cannot do this without having love for ourselves.
Just something to consider.

24

"I've decided to block your e-mail" (response from an almost-JW)

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

there was a poster on jwd that left her email address in a post.

she was clearly a study, not yet baptized.

she was on jwd, so it sounded like she might be open to a maybe-they-don't-have-the-truth sort of discussion.. i emailed her my birthday write up with a note explaining that i didn't think the watchtower "lied" (as was mentioned in the jwd post she was responding to), but that they made disengenuous comments in order to keep people in the organization, sincerely believing that it was necessary for them to please god.. she responded, thanked me for the note, and said that she had stumbled onto jwd by accident, looking for an online copy of the km.

Joel Wideman

"This is my own decision, no one else's."
For some reason, I found it to be very disturbing that they felt they needed to point it out.

36

hi new to this

by cranwood in

jw
friends

hello this is my first time on this web site.i am an inactive jw.

married to a jw.didnt believe in there teachings for many years.. looked and read at your site for along time.

its one of the best.iam not very good at typing or spelling.and cyber communication.. hard to have a marriage when one believes and the other one doesnt.we were both raised jws .but i changed and she didnt.. common story.too years to learn to think for myself.

Joel Wideman

Welcome!

38

Can true Christianity have some false prophets and still be true Christians

by booker-t in

jw
friends

i know this sounds like a "totally" stupid question and i don't mean to offend religious people but i was talking to two jw's elders the other day at my apartment.

they came by even though they know i am disassocated and don't want to go back to the wt.

they think they can convince me that they are the truth and i would go back.

Joel Wideman

Scripturally speaking, no. There are no two ways about this - someone who prophecies in the name of God and their prophecies prove to be false, demonstrably does not speak for God. I find it curious that this Elder would use the arguments of - or at least ones simular to - Shabir Ally, a Muslim whose anti-Christian arguments are rebutted here. The Elder is not asking you to accept JWs as Christians, he's asking you to reject Christianity.

15

Since you left or were pushed out...

by mrsjones5 in

of the watchtower society organization what have you done with your life?

interesting, not so interesting, i want it all.

any story of survival after being associated with the organization is wanted and of interest.. come one come all!.

Joel Wideman

I've struggled to learn something with which I could earn a living. I've regretted lost opportunities. I've served my country as a member of the military, and was fortunate to do so in a time of peace. I've discovered joy and happiness in being myself. I've learned how to socialize without trying to convert. I've taken up smoking and managed to quit. I've learned that learning by experience is much better than learning by rote.
I've become free.

11

Ex JWs who posted on the 'Is Porn Bad' thread

by Qcmbr in

i was just thinking that most of those who were not against porn were once jws and presumably would have been against it then.

do you think this means that when in a religion people are generally paying lip service to some principles rather than really really believing them or as part of conversion to the world sans jw principles moral standpoints change?

Joel Wideman

It's not just about porn, or any other single thing, it's about freedom of thought. My views have greatly changed over the past 15-20 years as my mind has become more free.

22

I wasn't even my choice...should it count?

by findingmyway in

i can't help thinking that if i had never gotten baptized out of loyalty and fear of disappointing my parents (and fear of having my flesh eaten by birds of prey after being destroyed in armageddon), i would not be in this situation.

i have several family members and former friends who were raised as jws, but never got baptized, and they never have to experience the angst and pain that i have to experience.

i was baptized and never dedicated my life.