Don't do it and sign your name to it. See my other post on the BOE Letter thread.
skeeter1
JoinedPosts by skeeter1
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I HAVE AN IDEA FOR THE DONATION ARRANGEMENT!!!
by ADJUSTMENTS inif you are on the fade or still hanging in there, when they pass around the anonymous slips of paper at your congregation, how about writing down a high donation amount and not pay a cent of it.
i think nothing over a $1,000 because it may cause a red flag but to each his own.
i'm going to write down $500 and then watch the elders scramble every month to meet the quota... lol this will be fun!!!
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We thought it might be Armageddon when...
by cultBgone inwere there ever specific occurrences which you or those around you thought might be the start of "armageddon"?.
i remember 9/11 being such a day as it happened right as the meeting for field service ended.
it was the week of the c.o.
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skeeter1
I didn't think it, but many JWs thought it was AIDS in the early 80s.
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Additional BOE Letter: Please Be Advised that Further Direction Will Soon be Sent to the Bodies of Elders...
by TTATTelder indear brothers:.
we are writing as a follow-up to the letters dated january 24, 2014, and march 29, 2014,. to all congregations regarding the adjustments now underway to accelerate construction of king-.
dom halls and assembly halls.. .
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skeeter1
This is a far fetched comment and there are some logcial holes, but the thought crossed my mind. But, then again, we are dealing with a cult and a cult isn't logical. Why does the WTS need a written $$ amount from each congregation, and what happens if the congregation can't produce the money?
If one pledges to a charity, can the charity sue the donor if the pledge does not ultimately come in? The law is evolving, and the answer is a limited 'yes'. Especially, if the charity has relied on the pledge, the charity can try to enforce the pledge in court. This is what is bothering me too, the Society is making it well known that this is to build Kingdom Halls all over the world. Courts that recognize this doctrine, pinpoint construction projects as a standard for 'reliance' in this legal area. It's going to be easy for the Society's lawyers to point in court to the "reliance" the Society had on the promised pledge.
What type of court ordered reward could the charity get? Depends on what the donor had. Congregation's bank accounts, congregation real estate . . . and if it was an individiaul who gave his name . . . then his bank accounts, his real estate (homesteaded property not protected in vast majortiy of states from this type of lawsuit), and a percentage of his future earnings. If a person doesn't live up to his bargain, then the Society can try to disfellowship him for lying and not following the truth. Now, the publisher has to give money or face losing his family & friends. A congregation that consistently doesn't give enough, may be forced to close or regroup . .. . and their assets (probably owned free & clear at one point) sold for the WTS benefit.
The holes would be that the Borg would be, in essance, gobbling up the congregations. The Borg would have to sue (or threaten) to sue the local body of elders or individual JWs in court. That would not make good publicity.
In reality, this is just a money grab that I just don't understand since the WTS made billions on selling properties lately.
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Do you eat foods labeled "low-fat"?
by compound complex ingreetings, health-conscious friends:.
i had a wonderful cup of peet's coffee today at a friend's house, but had only low-fat half-and-half to add.. just isn't the same .
.. what do you eat and drink?.
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skeeter1
Well, labeled food is usually processed food.
Due to health reasons, my doc wants me on a diet after my physical last week I am officially 10 pounds "overweight" and have high chloresterol and lipids. So, we saw the Dr. Oz May diet. I'm not always a fan of Dr. Oz, but this diet didn't look too bad. I've done this for 4 days, and have lost 2 pounds. So, I am excited. Here's my meal plan.
I eat 3 meals a day and 2 or 3 snacks a day.
My last meal of the day is soup. Homemade. For 4 days, I've been eating homemade lentil soup.
My first and second meal of the day is 20% protein & fat and 80% low glycemic vegetables. Breakfast has been egg white substitute (I know, processed) with alot of vegetables sauteed first. Zuchini, bell peppers, yellow squash. Lunch has been salads with tuna, chick peas, salmon and some dressing.
Snacks are a serving of whole wheat crackers with peanut butter, yogurt, a piece of fruit, nuts.
Spouse made me this water, and it's good. Fill up your blender pitcher with fresh water, add 4 or 5 strawberries, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and juice of a lime. Blend. Drink before and after every meal. It has fiber & antioxidants. Most of all, it's just plain refresing. Drank a buttload today after boating.
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They are i- Pad Nutty Now
by Poztate inso many at my wife's hall have rushed to buy i-pads,androids etc for use in servicetm and at the hall.. most know little or nothing about how to use them but have joined the stampede to jw.org tm and the reinvention of the wtbts.. it prompted one elder at my wife's hall to have a seminar at his house to explain how to use them in service and at the hall.. how exciting.... one 80 year old pioneer woman will be there with her new toy.. as a distraction it seems to be working quite well.
no need to worry about 1914 or other issues.. they are all nuts and getting nuttier....
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skeeter1
Oh my, I can picture it now. JWs get a kid at the door. Decide to show him Caleb video. His parents come to the door while rugrat is watching Caleb video. .... this is going to be good.
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What are your turn offs in a guy or girl?
by Iamallcool inone of them is nose rings/piercings.
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skeeter1
I apologize everyone. I should have warned you. It's an image you can't take back and will always be imprinted on your brain. That being said, if he ever gets put in jail, he can handle three men at once. Ok, there I go again, another image you can't undo.
The biggest turnoff for me is arrogance. Arrogance is just creepy. Second would be any type of addiction. It's so hard for me to even form a habit, much less deal with a person who is addicted. Finally, laziness. I can't stand laziness for any time other than Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
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Letter to BOE: Adjustment in process for appointing elders and ministerial servants
by pixel inhello, you read it here first!.
governing body of jehovah's witnesses.
to all congregations.
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skeeter1
Ocean,
That is my fear too. A grand coup in the making. Too much money going in, and no way that they are spending it all. Something is afoot.
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The REAL reason for the elder and ms appointment change......
by EndofMysteries inas seen in recent posts, beginning later this year appointments and deletions of elders and ms will only happen through the circuit overseer.
this means that individual congregations and elders have no say anymore.
if the gb want only certain people in or out, they tell the co and he makes it happen.
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skeeter1
As I said above, WTS is trying to limit the Governing Body's and BEthel's criminal conduct. Above link is another article in another case, where higher ups who knew were indicted. It references other cases. This is the new bend of the law, and it came out with the Oklahoma case 3 months ago (not Candice). If GB/Bethel doesn't know of an appointment, it becomes much harder to haul them off to jail. Yes, victims can still sue them for money. But, locking the higher-ups takes a much higher threshold of knowledge and proof. Think OJ. He wasn't convicted on murder (criminaL), but had to pay the families (civil).
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THE GRAND APOSTATE "WALKOUT" - January 1, 2015
by RagingBull inafter knowing ttatt for many years now...i had made up my mind long ago that after 2014, i would no-longer subject myself to the boredom, pain, and frustration of following this cult...the wt...the borg.. so...i made up my mind that since the wtbts/gb makes such a big deal as to the "significance" of the year 1914 and this year 2014, there can be no greater time for me to leave it all behind.
i daydreamed of how awesome and telling it would be if everyone that could ( because i do know that some have personal circumstances of their own, as i did too) would just .... walkout...never to attend/step foot in a kingdom hall from that moment on.. independence day of sorts?
there is too much evidence, too many videos, blogs, books, news reports and lawsuits for me to keep lying to myself.
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skeeter1
I don't attend meetings, I already "walked out." However, how about January 4, 2015. That, is on a Sunday.
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The Circuit Overseer Appointing Local Elders - Connect the Dots
by skeeter1 ini thought about the change.
here's my take.. i think it's a move to protect bethel and the governing body from criminal charges for pedophilia occuring within a congegation.
criminal law usually works on specific knowledge of a situation.
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skeeter1
More cases charging those who "just knew" of child abuse to be criminals. This is the direction of the law. It may take a few years, but this is where these cases are headed. WTS needs to insulate Bethel and Governing Body from going to jail. Criminal charges of this nature are based on Bethel/GB actually knowing of abuse & elder appointment.
Bishop Indicted; Charge Is Failing to Report Abuse
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By A. G. SULZBERGER and LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: October 14, 2011 234 Comments
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A bishop in the Roman Catholic Church has been indicted for failure to report suspected child abuse, the first time in the 25-year history of the church’s sex abuse scandals that the leader of an American diocese has been held criminally liable for the behavior of a priest he supervised.
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Archdiocese of Kansas City and St. Joseph, via Associated Press
The Roman Catholic bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Robert Finn.
Related
Bishop in Missouri Waited Months to Report Priest, Stirring Parishioners’ Rage (August 15, 2011)
Bishops Won’t Focus on Abuse Policies (June 15, 2011)
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The indictment of the bishop, Robert W. Finn, and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph by a county grand jury was announced on Friday. Each was charged with one misdemeanor count involving a priest accused of taking pornographic photographs of girls as recently as this year. They pleaded not guilty.
The case caused an uproar among Catholics in Kansas City this year when Bishop Finn acknowledged that he knew of the photographs last December but did not turn them over to the police until May. During that time, the priest, the Rev. Shawn Ratigan, is said to have continued to attend church events with children, and took lewd photographs of another young girl.
A decade ago the American bishops pledged to report suspected abusers to law enforcement authorities — a policy also recommended last year by the Vatican. Bishop Finn himself had made such a promise three years ago as part of a $10 million legal settlement with abuse victims in Kansas City.
Though the charge is only a misdemeanor, victims’ advocates immediately hailed the indictment as a breakthrough, saying that until now American bishops have avoided prosecution despite documents showing that in some cases they were aware of abuse.
“This is huge for us,” said Michael Hunter, director of the Kansas City chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, and a victim of sexual abuse by a priest. “It’s something that I personally have been waiting for years to see, some real accountability. We’re very pleased with the prosecuting attorney here to have the guts to do it.” The bishop signaled he would fight the charges with all his strength. He said in a statement: “We will meet these announcements with a steady resolve and a vigorous defense.”
The indictment announced on Friday by the Jackson County prosecutor, Jean Peters Baker, had been under seal since Oct. 6 because the bishop was out of the country. He returned on Thursday night.
In a news conference, Ms. Baker said the case was not religiously motivated, but was about the obligation under state law to report child abuse.
“This is about protecting children,” she said.
If convicted Bishop Finn would face a possible fine of up to $1,000 and a jail sentence of up to a year. The diocese faces a possible fine of up to $5,000.
Ms. Baker said that secrecy rules for grand jury proceedings prohibited her from discussing whether other charges were considered, such as child endangerment, a felony. But she said the fact that the bishop faces a single misdemeanor count should not diminish the seriousness.
“To my knowledge a charge like this has not been leveled before,” she said.
It also may not mark the end of the legal troubles facing the diocese in the case, which includes civil and criminal cases in federal court. Last month Bishop Finn and Msgr. Robert Murphy testified before another grand jury in neighboring Clay County. A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office there declined to comment.
The priest accused of taking the lewd photos, Father Ratigan, was a frequent presence in a Catholic elementary school next to his parish. The principal there sent a letter to the diocese in May 2010 complaining about Father Ratigan’s behavior with children. Then, last December, a computer technician discovered the photos on the priest’s laptop and turned the computer in to the diocese. A day later Father Ratigan tried to kill himself. The diocese said that Monsignor Murphy described — but did not share — a single photo of a young girl, nude from the waist down, to a police officer who served on an independent sexual abuse review board for the diocese. The officer said that based on the description it might meet the definition of child pornography, but he did not think it would, the diocese said.
Bishop Finn sent Father Ratigan to live in a convent and told him to avoid contact with minors. But until May the priest attended children’s parties, spent weekends in the homes of parish families, hosted an Easter egg hunt and presided, with the bishop’s permission, at a girl’s First Communion, according to interviews with parishioners and a civil lawsuit filed by a victim’s family.
Parents in the school and parishioners — told only that Father Ratigan had fallen sick from carbon monoxide poisoning — were stunned when he was arrested in May after the diocese called the police. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of taking indecent photographs of young girls.
The new indictment released on Friday said that Bishop Finn and the diocese had reason to suspect that Father Ratigan might subject a child to abuse.
It cited “previous knowledge of concerns regarding Father Ratigan and children; the discovery of hundreds of photographs of children on Father Ratigan’s laptop, including a child’s naked vagina, upskirt images and images focused on the crotch; and violations of restrictions placed on Father Ratigan.”
Bishop Finn said in his statement on Friday that he and the diocese had given “complete cooperation” to law enforcement. He also pointed to steps he had taken since the scandal first became public, including commissioning a report to look into the case, and reinforcing procedures for handling allegations of abuse.
That report found that the diocese did not follow its own procedures. It also found that Bishop Finn was “too willing to trust” Father Ratigan.
The case has generated fury at the bishop, a staunch theological conservative who was already a polarizing figure in his diocese. Since the Ratigan case came to light, there have been widespread calls for him to resign.
Contributing to the sense of betrayal is the fact that only three years ago, Bishop Finn settled lawsuits with 47 plaintiffs in sexual abuse cases for $10 million and agreed to a list of 19 preventive measures, among them to immediately report anyone suspected of being a pedophile to the law enforcement authorities.
France may be the only country where a bishop has been convicted for his failure to supervise a priest accused of abuse, said Terrence McKiernan, president ofBishopAccountability.org, a victims’ advocacy group that tracks abuse cases.
A grand jury in Philadelphia indicted a top official in the archdiocese there, Msgr. William Lynn, for mishandling cases of abuse. The former archbishop, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua , was not indicted, but he has been called to testify.
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