a witness couple just called on me.
they know i have'nt been to the hall for a few months but have no idea that i am "off reservation" in more ways than one.. they called by to tell me they that due to the "unloving spirit" in our.
congregation they will be going to another hall from now on.. the husband has been having ongoing "issues" with the cobe for some time ( iow,he hates his guts).. they feel that if they move to another cong where the people are nicer everything will be ok. (yeah, right).
I never was a dub, but I think what's described here is quite common to many religions/denominations/sects.
You'll know the old story of the follower of (enter religion here) who was washed up on a desert island. He built two places of worship - one to attend, the other to avoid at all costs.
i don't know how to put this up on the forum but if anyone goes to the bbc news website and clicks on wales/south east there is an interview with one of the victims of sewell who gave up her anonymity and who is decrying the cover up by elders she endured in cardiff wales.. this brave woman is interviewed for over two minutes - you can see all the watchtower bound volumes in her room.
it is dated july 3rd 2014.. i don't live in her area but typically this would have been on the local bbc news for south wales area including the capital, cardiff and so i reckon over half a million people might have seen the item broadcast.. if you can put it up on here please do.. .
to all bodies of elders.
re: notification of disfellowshipping or disassociation.
dear brothers:.
Do these new instructions apply to the UK? Can they be authenticated and dated?
I am thinking about this in relation to the current Charities Commission enquiry - see this thread:
and this very current one:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-28151300.
.
headline: "jehovah's witnesses' criticised over handling of sex abuse".
Excellent point, blondie.
bttt - the BBC link now includes a brief video clip of an interview with the victim. She makes the point about WT practices clearly and succinctly.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-28151300.
.
headline: "jehovah's witnesses' criticised over handling of sex abuse".
Also reported in the Daily Mail online:
Some interesting comments.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-28151300.
.
headline: "jehovah's witnesses' criticised over handling of sex abuse".
Notice this part of the quoted response from WT:
"We support victims, their families, and any who know of such crimes when they choose to report their ordeal to the police with a view to the punishment of offenders."
Breathtaking.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-28151300.
.
headline: "jehovah's witnesses' criticised over handling of sex abuse".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-28151300
Headline: "Jehovah's Witnesses' criticised over handling of sex abuse"
never was a jw, but been here long enough to have made some friends and respect opinions.. retired in 2004, lived in cyprus 2005-2010. back here in wales since then.. just back from a holiday in france (most recent of many).
love the country, the lifestyle, can get by in the language.. just seen an advert for a country estate (british-owned) they want someone to live on site, do a bit of handyman stuff, etc., look after (mainly brit) holiday visitors in return for zero rent (only utitlties).
family would be abe to come and stay for free.
I just re-read my own posts, and now I'm going to respond to them. This might be extremely 'bad form' and etiquette but then, I'm not really whole-heartedly into this electronic and social media stuff anyway - so forgive me.
I have thought through the complications and also realised that unlike many people who contemplate just buggering off, I've done it before, I've lived abroad, so it's no big deal.
I've also realised that although there's only four years between my friend and I chronologically, in reality there's a generation between us. I'm not ready to take my dinner at 6 pm and then watch TV for a couple of hours.
France beckons, and I'm working out some dates. Mid-September is looking good.
breaking news :charity commission takes watchtower to charity tribunal in britain.
two weeks ago we run an article about the abuse case in moston manchester congregation .it would seem that the coverage from the main local newspaper manchester evening news and two national newspapers has alarmed the charity commission the official regulator for charities in england and wales and now for the first time !
they opened an official investigation on both charities ,the local one ,moston congragation and the central one jehovah's witnesses of britain indicating that in their eyes these two are connected and liable for any misconduct .this is the time for a concentrated campaign from all of us to inform the charity commission why the watchtower should not be a called a charity .the article above has a link for the charity commission complaint page .follow it!.
Further to my previous post re my submissin to the Charities Commission, I received this response (personal rather than automated) yesterday:
"Dear Mr XXXXXXX
I acknowledge receipt of your complaints about Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain.
We do not enter into correspondence about action that we may intend to take or provide updates on the progress of our investigation.
We usually produce a report published on our website about the investigation once it has been concluded.
Our publication CC46 - Statutory Inquiries into Charities: Guidance for charities and their advisers, although aimed at trustees, contains information about our regulatory role and the framework within which we will be carrying out this investigation which you may find useful.
I will contact you if we need any further information from you to assist our enquiries.
Yours sincerely
Harvey Grenville
Investigations and Enforcement
Charity Commission"
I have today sent the following in response:
"Dear Mr Grenville
Thank you for your response.
You will no doubt be aware of the most recent case of a JW 'elder' (leader/pastor) from Barry, South Wales, convicted of abuse - fully reported in both the electronic and paper media. (R -v- Sewell, Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, conviction date 27 June 2014).
The evidence and the comments made by the trial judge (HHJ Richard Twomlow), and the information which emerged during the trial (but could only be reported after its conclusion) give cause for substantial concern. In particular, that there were organisational factors which led to fellow 'elders' declining to co-operate with the investigation and to records of admissions of abuse being destroyed.
You will, of course, have access to far more detailed information about this case than I do, and I submit that the facts of this case speak eloquently of the concerns I have raised. I commend it to your attention as part of your investigation.
Yours sincerely
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
1 July 2014"
Sorry if the formatting has taken on a mind of its own.
Reported for the information of the forum.
Joe Grundy
never was a jw, but been here long enough to have made some friends and respect opinions.. retired in 2004, lived in cyprus 2005-2010. back here in wales since then.. just back from a holiday in france (most recent of many).
love the country, the lifestyle, can get by in the language.. just seen an advert for a country estate (british-owned) they want someone to live on site, do a bit of handyman stuff, etc., look after (mainly brit) holiday visitors in return for zero rent (only utitlties).
family would be abe to come and stay for free.
Well, an update on this. No response to the messages I left re this advert but I haven't followed it up. That would have been too easy, I suppose.
Still extremely unsettled. I check out ferry prices/deals daily.
I recently spent a week with my daughter and grandson, including taking him out for the day with xw#1. She also loves France and a couple of years ago contemplated moving there. I talked this through with her, she thinks I should go and she'd love to go too.
I live just 5 mins away from my son, estranged DiL (we all get on fine) and my grand-daughters (4 & 2). They are very special to me (and coming for dinner later today). I would miss them very much.
And there's another complication. I am close to a lady who lives a few hundred miles away. She is a university teacher, separated from her husband, doing her PhD. She would love to move in with me but there's an issue. I am 58 going on 40. She's 60+ going on 60+. Worlds apart, really.
I need to do more thinking. Or I need to do less thinking.
