Posts by Madame Quixote

3

Any news on the so-called documentary, "Knocking"

by Madame Quixote in

we should do our own "knockumentary.

last i heard, it was being shown at some relatively unknown film fest.

that's a far cry from sundance, now isn't it?

Madame Quixote

We should do our own "knockumentary." Last I heard, it was being shown at some relatively unknown film fest. That's a far cry from Sundance, now isn't it?

21

when is the truth not the truth

by beezknees in

okay i'm still a newbie but i was quite surprised when reading some info of a statement about the 'end being fluid' and that .

'present truth replaces past truth ,however present truth may be replaced by future truth'.

cambridge dictionary definition on truth -the real facts about a situation, event or person.

Right, they don't engage in wars that kill people; they engage in Political and Social apathy and call it neutrality.

This is just as deadly - assuming that all the suffering around you is god's will for the evil, worldly people and that you can and should do nothing about it; many groups (and individuals) have beliefs like that; that's partly how holocausts happen; people just hang out and tell themselves that the suffering of others is somehow deserved, or doesn't have anything to do with them personally, or that they're helpless to fight god's will.

. . . kind of relates to learned helplessness, I guess. Apathy/neutrality is just as devastating and damaging as direct or indirect invovement in "wrong-doing and lawlessness."

JWs aren't the only ones guilty of such apathy, but their stance about neutrality really is just a major cop-out by individuals who support and who are victims of their Watchtower Society's spirit-killing, mind-killing machine.

Every time I see the movie, the Matrix, I think of the Watchtower Society and all of the "neutral" JW's plugged into it. Their "truth" is just what they're plugged into.

Good luck unplugging them. It's probably just about as complex as unplugging one of those human "batteries" from the matrix.

But how can those of us who've been fortunate enough to get unplugged, leave it alone? I cannot. Whether my family ever unplugs or not. If I can help one person not join that matrix of lies, I've accomplished something.

11

I NEED A BOE Letter

by Sunspot in

i have been "debating" with a staunch wts defender who didn't know about the "donation arrangement" when (and why) it really went into effect.

i have shown the court docs about the swaggart & friends lawsuit, but now she wants to see "proof" that this had any tie-in with the change in donations.

quite simply, i cannot find this letter online although i know i have seen it!

Madame Quixote

Here's another letter, copied from the freeminds website. This is a letter from an elder in Jersey City, explaining how the WTS demanded payment from his cong, making it look like a donation.

It makes my blood boil, thinking about all the money my family spends on this crap (3 generations worth):

I thought I'd tell you of an experience some years ago when I served as an elder in Jersey City, New Jersey, during the first month of the change from selling books to the "Voluntary Donation" system. It seemed everyone one and their mothers decided that now was a good time to stock their libraries. Pioneers were now doubling up on their magazines for service. Witnesses who rarely bought anything, were now ordering, the New World Translation on Tapes [which, when price sold for over $100.00] everything and anything was being ordered. I was in charge of the literature counter. The invoices included in the orders were now dollarless. Three months later, the elders received a letter from the Society. It basically stated that they [the Society] noticed an enormous increase in literature orders. That the congregation had made purchases of some $3,000.00 and our donations were only somehere around $500.00. They told us we [the congregation] owed the Society $2,300.00. I'm thinking to myself..."hey wait a minute, isn't the literature "FREE" on voluntary donations?" Obviously not! The Society had it all planned out. In the envelope was another letter, addressed to the congregation. That letter basically told of the great work the Society was doing and how support was needed.

In view of that I had announced that we [the congregation] were donating to the Society from the congregation fund $2,500.00 for the World Wide Work.

Clever of them? The Society still got their money. I wonder how many congregations got that letter? Of course only the body of elders knew the truth for sure, the rest of the friends were left to believe we were so loving and generous by supporting the Society with such a big donation. Mind you no mention of the excess literature order was made.

How can they sleep at nights? It was situations like these that opened my mind to the true nature of the Society. They are a publishing house...we are their salesmen...what was that the Judge said "Advertise, Advertise, Advertise..." Nothing has changed!

In His Name!

Rolando Rodriguez

the address of the congregation:

Jersey City West Congregation

582 Bramhall Avenue

Jersey City,NJ 07304"

BTW, I figured out BOE means body of elders, I guess . . .?

There are a few links to articles about the policy changes at the above-mentioned site; an article in the WT and some other lit, but no boe letter that I can see. Maybe Mr. Watters would know . . .

11

I NEED A BOE Letter

by Sunspot in

i have been "debating" with a staunch wts defender who didn't know about the "donation arrangement" when (and why) it really went into effect.

i have shown the court docs about the swaggart & friends lawsuit, but now she wants to see "proof" that this had any tie-in with the change in donations.

quite simply, i cannot find this letter online although i know i have seen it!

Madame Quixote

I wish I could give you an answer . . . just wondering, what's a BOE letter and what is the relationship between JWs and the Swaggarts? I've come across a couple refs to that lately, but no clear description. Sorry I have no answers. I'll check out the Swaggart/JW connection on google. thanx.

PS I found this letter from the WBTS regarding receipt of "donations" for lit (after the Jimmy Swaggart court loss):

http://www.freeminds.org/history/launder.htm

There is an article accompanying it, but I'm not sure what you're looking for.

38

New here,i hope someone might help,my abuser hung himself

by Linzlou24 in

hi,ummm ive just discovered this site and im not sure why im even writing this but im at rockbottom and i dont know how feel,maybe im just searching to find someone who might understand and help me understand because i feel so alone and ashamed,confused and sad,even people might find me bad because of how these events turned...but im not bad inside,ive always been such a soft caring person at heart,im a good person just always been lost,alone and confused....ill try not babble too much but from the beggining dad was here one minute,not the next and then not at all,to this day still never bothers,mum remarried when i was about 4,this was the guy who sexually abused me at 7,{mum never knew},they had a baby together...i found my brother dead in his cot,he died from cotdeath,and it was just all downhill from there with my life,that was after my brother i was abused by him....they split when i was around 8 and i guess my mum looking back now on it now just went on her own mission but it wasnt easy for me,she fell for another guy and we moved from one place to the next,every time i started a new school and made friends,it was time pack up and go and start all over.....

mum settled again and remarried a third time when i was around 12,id started a new high school,maybe its just those teens but i went off the rails with mum,i was terrible,didnt mean to be,but i blamed her for all my hurt and life and id rebel at everything,drinking started,running away started and i just wish now i could have felt close when alls i wanted was to love and be loved back...the next bit until now{im 25 now} is what is killing more than ever and id very much appreciate your thoughts because im lower than ever and still scared....mum is very much here in my life now...its only been a few months but shes heartbroken and the love and understanding has been tremendous off her,she blames herself but i blame me.....

when i started the new highschool i met this girl,she became my friend at the time and it was so good to have a friend id do anything she said....anyway she needed some money once and said i know this guy you can come to with me and he will pay you to touch your boobs,thats when it started i agreed because if i said no then shed probably laughed at me,so i went....,it sounds strange{he was nearly 50} but he was very very nice,and said i dont like the person whos brought you up here,shes nasty...,i hated him touch me but i was scared....but at same time i felt i could really trust him,me and this girl never did stay friends....theres another big big part in all of this,but from 13 this guy became the bestest friend i ever had in my whole life,but everything was a big secret,its lasted years...he had an hold over me,though i knew he was supposed be my friend i knew he musnt really be one else he wouldnt put me through the torture of crying and not coping when i had my baby...my babe is 8now but still when i let him touch my boobs so i can buy the best part of my life something nice or take him somewhere that man would buy bigger and better and undermine all my hurt....

Madame Quixote

Linzlou -
Welcome to this forum. I am sorry to hear of your sense of loss and shame; but I want you to know that it is normal to feel as you do and that it will pass. It is very confusing and painful to realize that someone you've had feelings for and a relationship with is an abuser; and then to be told over and over the same thing, even though you know it's true.

It sticks in the throat and in the heart and is hard to grasp and hard to let go. But you will, and when you do, you'll heal and move on and realize that the most difficult and painful part of your life is over. You are free to move on and to learn new ways - to find healthier relationships and real friends. With help you will learn how not to be a victim any more.

You are in no way responsible for your friend's suicide and no matter what you've said or done in his regard, he is the one who took the action - hurting you even once more, and trying to make you feel responsible for his exploitive behaviour, even in death. You are not to blame for it, as others have said again and again. He is/was responsible for what he chose to do to himself and to others. It is probably unlikely that he even thought about how his past actions or his suicide would affect you; although he too may have had so much guilt, shame, and fear that suicide seemed to be his only option. That is very sad for all.

I am not making excuses for his actions, but I suspect that if his own fear or shame had been addressed in a healthy way, he probably would never have chosen to do the wrong things he did. He had to be suffering serious sickness to do what he did - both touching girls inappropriately and committing suicide. His sickness existed long before you were ever born and you could not have prevented any of the consequences of his maladjustment.

I have found that writing letters to my abusers (whether the letters are sent or not), has helped me enormously - alleviating the anger, grief, shame, etc. Sometimes, putting it in print is very healing and can help me to see where my own thinking (in self-blame or shame) might be misdirected; it is very common for people who have been at the receiving end of exploitation to turn the anger inward, to become depressed and troubled in many ways. Sometimes writing about it and talking with others can help alleviate it. I hope you have someone you can talk to about this. If you don't, there are people at this forum who can direct you to experienced, caring listeners and we are here to support you in any way that we can.

I hope that I have not said anything offensive to you, as I know this is an extremely sensitive subject and you are a tender person. You have been wronged in many ways by this situation. I wish you the best and I am so sorry that you have to struggle with this. Hugs to you.

21

Do they themselves believe?

by Kristofer in

sometimes i wonder, with the number of letters that the wt receives refuting doctrine & practices, does the gb really buy what they put out?

or are they just pushing literature and living off the collections from congregations.

i would think that if i received overwhelming evidence of the faultiness of my religion, i'd be forced by my own conscience to change or speak up or make a difference.

Madame Quixote

I think for the R&F JWs, it's simply a matter of believing their own lies, the way bpd people do; and for the GB, well, some may believe; some may be complete users. It's more complex, I think, than belief. How many of the current GB are under age 80, I wonder? For them, they're lifers - they've known nothing else. I doubt that many of the GB were/are converts. (i'd love to know!) If you're brought up in it, it's a completely different thing from being converted; although my observations tell me that converts can be even more fundamental and extremist than those brought up in a cult because of the pressure to "prove" themselves to the other extremists. Does anyone know of the stats about the GB?

P.S. If I weren't such a drunk, I might feel a stalking episode coming on. Does anyone else feel it? LOL!

BTW, the GB are a bunch of ugly f@ckers, too; just take a look:
http://www.freeminds.org/bethel/gov_body.htm

36

CANADA HUGHES BLOOD SUIT GOES TO COURT

by DannyHaszard in

dad given ok to sue over death

calgary sun, canada - 19 minutes ago .

a judge's ruling has cleared the way for a wrongful death lawsuit filed on behalf of a teenaged jehovah's witness who lost her fight with leukemia.

Madame Quixote

How can we set up a fund (or contribute) for defraying the costs of the Hughes lawsuit and set up a fund in her memory to pay the cost of other such suits?

32

LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LAWSUIT AGAINST WATCHTOWER SOCIETY

by SHUNNED FATHER in

the following is a legal description of my lawsuit.

the watchtower lawyers are defendants and the watchtower society is tied into the lawsuit throu the lawyers.. statement of lawrence hughes.

administrator ad litem of the estate of bethany hughes.

Madame Quixote

My sincerest sympathies to you in the loss of your daughter, Bethany. I hope that a fund is set up in her name and memory to help defray the costs of your lawsuit (and of other such lawsuits) against the society. I would be happy to donate, if such a fund exists. Please let me know. I will advertise it for you if you'd like.

Again, my sincerest sympathy and my thanks to you and your lawyers for taking on this enormous job. I feel you have a good case against the lawyers because of conflict of interest. What is that called in Canada (same thing?)?

Best wishes and comfort and just victory to you.

4

XJW in Italy spoke about Louderback-Wood Blood Essay on radio program

by AndersonsInfo in

on march 1st in the evening, sergio pollina spoke for a half an hour about louderback-woods essay on a radio program.

the channel is a catholic radio (radiomaria) which has a monthly program on jws.

next month, prof. achille aveta has been invited to participate on the same program about other arguments from kerrys article.

Madame Quixote

I'm guessing that those translations were done by a computer . . . so poorly translated, I won't bother reading more than I've already waded through. Is there any other, better translation? Thanks for trying, btw.

26

WATCHTOWER CASHES IN ON BILLIONS!!!!

by anewme in

is it true what i heard?

the watchtower society plans to sell its brooklyn real estate and move to hit walkhill patterson headquarters in 2010?

i read it on another thread here!

Madame Quixote

It wouldn't be the first time the JWs enriched themselves.

I think you're onto something here:

"Now that the buildings are being cashed in for windfall profits, does this mean that those sincere contributors will get their money refunded? I may be entitled to a piece of that."

Yes, Gregor, the WBTS is a multi-billion $$ entity. I'll come back with the info. I don't remember exactly where, but I think I bookmarked something about it.