Posts by Joe Grundy

125

FRESH OFF THE PRESS.... 9/1/06 WT "When a Loved One Leaves Jeh."

by schne_belly in

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this just in for your reading displeasure......enjoy

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Joe Grundy

I have had no response whatsoever.

I can only surmise (based on info about WTBTS which I have picked up from JWD) that if they DID plan any response they would have referred it to the local English-speaking congregation. I attended it three times with my JW MS neighbour. The last was wearing my FBI polo-shirt, and I went outside for a smoke afterwards. I also explained to my neighbour my religious views (I am an informed atheist) and that it may be best for his JW prospects if he curtailed his association as I am, no doubt, worldly and Bad Association. (We still speak occasionally but no more invitations to dinner with him or his friends, etc.).

So, any response via the local cong would probably have been checked with him first. I no doubt failed that test. Funny, really, it wasn't so long ago that his JW wife (she's the keener one, I think) told me that 'cos I was the 'innocent' one in my divorce in their eyes, there really wouldn't be any problems in my becoming a JW and living a 'full' life in the religion. Perhaps they have some increasingly-desperate single sisters available?

356

Say You're a Bethelite & Monitoring JWD - How Would You Feel About THESE??

by Seeker4 in

jw
friends

i'm talking about the new posters, like kitten whiskers, who started posting today (hope this works: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/120817/1.ashx).

and it seems like we're getting a few like this nearly every day.

people who were raised jws, really worry that they are doing the right thing in leaving, yet who have been made to feel not good enough by the wts, who felt they never measured up, who struggled with it, but came to realize that what they'd been brought up to believe was just not the truth.. the same stories are told over and over again, and they come from sincere, good people - not whiny, fault-finding apostates like the rest of us riffraff around here!

Joe Grundy

Auld-Soul

Thanks for that. I have little doubt that you are right.

As a never was JW, etc., whose academic knowledge falls far short of that of many posters here, I don't often have much to contribute. But in this area, I do feel that I can bring long and fairly senior professional experience to bear.

More than that, I have personal experience. My own daughter was raped a few years ago when she was 17. It was not an 'unknown suspect' type of thing. I was in command of the area, and thus (in theory) of the investigation at the time. After a very very brief conversation with her I suspended myself from duty while the investigation took place and ensured that neither I nor my wife discussed any details with her pending prosecution.

Unfortunately, the prosecuting authorities decided not to prosecute the offenders for this rape nor the number of others that were discovered during the investigation.

BUT, had they done so I and she would have been devastated if the offenders had gone free because of my actions. Professionals - and that includes anyone involved with victims in a professional or organisational way, including WTBTS, or even ESPECIALLY WTBTS because of the level of control they exert over their members - need to know about this, and are IMHO especially and particularly culpable if they get it wrong.

18

Hospital ordered to give Jehovah's Witness transfusion

by Gilberto in

http://www.eveningecho.ie/news/bstory.asp?j=83890466&p=8389x768&n=83890846.

hospital ordered to give jehovah's witness transfusion.

21/09/2006 - 5:28:29 pm.

Joe Grundy

I think the salient point here is that the action was taken in the best interest of the CHILD.

Well done, Eire, I say!

And can we assume that because neither the blood transfusion team, the judges or the mother were struck down by lightning or turned into a pillar of salt by the OT Jehovah the WTBTS loves to promulgate, then either Jehovah gave the transfusion his implied blessing or it wasn't important enough for him to worry about?

I'll bet this story doesn't make it into a WTBTS magazine (unless, of course, at some future time someone involved gets run down crossing the road, when it will be presented as evidence of Jehovah's [delayed] judgement).

A cynic speaks.

33

Elderly JW refused to open her Bible...

by AuldSoul in

jw
friends

okay, some of you might have read about my conversation with the elderly lady that was doing street witnessing in conyers, ga. this experience happened this morning ... just looked at the clock, yesterday morning .

i walked out of the local tag office (where we register our vehicles and acquire license plates for the cars) and there sat an elderly lady with current magazines.

being in somewhat of a hurry, i tried to walk a more direct path to my vehicle ... but she thought i was avioding her.

Joe Grundy

Poor woman probably couldn't phone Auld Soul back as she was in a JC trying to explain how she got 50 cents from a Worldly man

Reminds me of the old joke with the punch-line 'They all did'!.

33

Elderly JW refused to open her Bible...

by AuldSoul in

jw
friends

okay, some of you might have read about my conversation with the elderly lady that was doing street witnessing in conyers, ga. this experience happened this morning ... just looked at the clock, yesterday morning .

i walked out of the local tag office (where we register our vehicles and acquire license plates for the cars) and there sat an elderly lady with current magazines.

being in somewhat of a hurry, i tried to walk a more direct path to my vehicle ... but she thought i was avioding her.

Joe Grundy

BUT the Elders reminded her that WORLDLY men are only after one thing - and it ISN'T the Watchtower

EXCUSE ME!

As a worldly man, I resent the insinuation. And it's not accurate.

I am after a beer and a smoke as well.

125

FRESH OFF THE PRESS.... 9/1/06 WT "When a Loved One Leaves Jeh."

by schne_belly in

.

this just in for your reading displeasure......enjoy

.

Joe Grundy

Just to provide an update:

This is the letter I mailed to WTBTS on 29 July 2006:

Watchtower Bible & Tract Society 25 Columbia Heights Brooklyn New York11201-2483 NY, USA. 29 July 2006 Dear Sir/Madam I have for some time been interested in your teachings and doctrines and have read a number of your publications.I have found them challenging and thought-provoking. I have just seen your ?Watchtower? magzine dated 1 st September 2006,and the article entitled ?When a Loved One Leaves Jehovah?.I want to ask about some issues which this article raises and hope that you will be able to clarify some points for me. I should explain that I was a police officer for thirty years and have experienced the dreadful problems which can be caused by ?broken families?. It seems to me from this article that the author equates leaving the religion of ?Jehovah?s Witnessess? with ceasing a relationship with God and/or Jesus.I am uncertain as to whether this was the intention of the article or merely an unfortunate implication.Perhaps you could clarify this. The overall impression I gained from the article is that if someone leaves the religion they are effectively isolated from their family.I am sure that this is not correct within your teachings, and that no doubt you will wish to correct this.It may well be that I have simply misunderstood. You will no doubt agree that particularly in these days of increasing numbers of ?broken homes? the love and example of a united family and the exhibition of unconditional love is a supremely important matter, and one which is fully in accordance with Biblical principles. I must confess to having been concerned by the implications of this article.I appreciate, of course, that sometimes articles may be included in publications which fail to reflect the true principles intended.This may be what has happened here, but I would in any case be grateful for clarification. You may wish to respond to my enquiry by e-mail: my address is [edited] . Yours faithfully

I have not recieved a reply or acknowledgement. This is not a surprise.

356

Say You're a Bethelite & Monitoring JWD - How Would You Feel About THESE??

by Seeker4 in

jw
friends

i'm talking about the new posters, like kitten whiskers, who started posting today (hope this works: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/120817/1.ashx).

and it seems like we're getting a few like this nearly every day.

people who were raised jws, really worry that they are doing the right thing in leaving, yet who have been made to feel not good enough by the wts, who felt they never measured up, who struggled with it, but came to realize that what they'd been brought up to believe was just not the truth.. the same stories are told over and over again, and they come from sincere, good people - not whiny, fault-finding apostates like the rest of us riffraff around here!

Joe Grundy

It was a child abuse case that I was involved in 6 months ago. All the advice from the Legal Department seem to conflict with common sense, I was asked to gather the evidence from the minor involved. Who was I to talk to a minor about such matters, no training etc . So I refused. which caused a great deal of trouble for me.

I am sorry to go off-topic, but I make no apology for addressing this issue every time I see it arise.

I am shocked that this case happened so recently.

The first rule in any child abuse case is that only those specially (and intensively) trained professionals should be involved in interviewing the victim or 'gathering the evidence'. This is done within very specific guidelines and following fairly rigid rules and procedures. The reason for this is that if it is done otherwise then in almost any jurisdiction the offender/defence would be able to argue that the victim's evidence may be 'tainted' by inappropriate leading questions, etc., and that would in many (?most?) cases lead to acquittal.

This is a lesson that has been learned the very hard way over a number of years. The result can only bring extra pain or even devastation to the victim. Not only were they abused, they are now (as they see it) disbelieved, so perhaps they really were the wicked one all along as the abuser told them?

If anyone has any letters, documents, etc., to show that this is still the policy of WTBTS, it should be brought to the notice of the authorities, etc. (e.g. DPP/CPS in UK, USAG in US) and to the major child charities. It is scandalous and worse than irresponsible. I would be happy to pass on such evidence of current practice if available to appropriate agencies/authorities if any who currently hold it do not want to compromise their own position.

6

Goodbye Mathew, King of Karoeke

by Joe Grundy in

jw
friends

dear all i am saddened, annoyed, pissed off and hurt.

this evening i learned that mathew, king of karoeke, died last week.

i learned it because i went into the 'queen vic' bar and there was a glass collecting for a wreath.

Joe Grundy

Sorry, this really has nothing to do with JWs, past or present.

Just that I know the peeps on here are caring, sharing, and all that.

And that Mathew was just an ordinary guy, with his own problems, who brought a lot of pleasure and fiendship to an awful lot of people.

I am sad and angry. Why him? Why not me? I have brought a lot of trouble into peoples' lives.

Poor bugger. Kinell.

6

Goodbye Mathew, King of Karoeke

by Joe Grundy in

jw
friends

dear all i am saddened, annoyed, pissed off and hurt.

this evening i learned that mathew, king of karoeke, died last week.

i learned it because i went into the 'queen vic' bar and there was a glass collecting for a wreath.

Joe Grundy

Dear All I am saddened, annoyed, pissed off and hurt. This evening I learned that Mathew, King of Karoeke, died last week. I learned it because I went into the 'Queen Vic' bar and there was a glass collecting for a wreath. For those who did not know him, Mathew was a guy in his early/mid 20s. He had a very pronounced hair lip and probably learning difficulties. He wore Roy Orbison sunglasses, travelled the karoeke bars, and made everyone smile. I had the pleasure of talking to him, and bu ying him a coke, several times. I also had the pleasure of spending some hours talking with his Dad, Peter, and chatting. This evening I learned that Mathew died last week. I know in basic terms how he died (I won't share that here). As far as I know, Mathew never did anything except bring pleasure to peoples' lives. I am particularly annoyed, to put it mildly, that I can't seem to find out his Dad's phone number just to pass on my condolences. Sometimes, in my humble opinion, life sucks.

42

another evolution thread...

by anakolouthos in

i've been scanning thru geronimo's recent thread on evolution, & have really enjoyed reading all the fascinating responses.

i was going to post in there, but was worried it might get buried.

many may not know me here, as i've barely posted, but in a nutshell, i'm still in the org (somewhat trapped at the moment) but consider myself a christian with somewhat leftish leanings.

Joe Grundy

Personally, I found Bill Bryson's book 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' particularly interesting, because it explains current scientific thinking in a (relatively) easy to follow way.

He makes one point which I found especially thought provoking. It addresses the issue 'how could all this have happened just by chance?'. His point is simple but cogent. We don't (and can't ever) know how many unsuccessful attempts there were before the process that led to us being here finally succeeded.