Posts by digderidoo

in one massachusetts city, there's a teen curfew fromm11 to 5. actually, 9 other communities have this curfew in the state.. some are saying such a curfew is unconstitutional.. what's your view?

if a group of kids took a train into boston, for example, and went to a ballgame, should they be penalized if they are returning home between those hours?.

A few years ago in the UK we had something similar introduced under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. At the time their was alot of criticism of restricting mainly teens liberty, even though it could be applied to anyone.

Under the Act if anyone or a group of people acted antisocially, and it must be proven over a long period, they would be given an Anti Social Behavioural Order (ASBO) by the courts restricting movement. Many ASBO's were given to youths, in particular restricting groups of more than two or three youths from 'hanging around' certain areas where it has been known youths have caused trouble, or they may restrict certain troublesome youths with a curfew. In some cases they were applied to sections of known troublesome areas.

At the time it was introduced i was one of the ones agaist what i saw as restricting liberty.

But then one was introduced at a shopping precinct near to my fathers, where sometimes up to 50 youths would congregate at night. Over a six month period no more than 3 youths could be grouped together otherwise they could be taken to Court, for which there would be serious consequences. During that period many on my fathers estate felt safe to venture to the shops in the evening, the crime was reduced to almost zero and the neighbourhood became peaceful again. Since that time the youths have dispersed and there is no need for the ASBO to be applied, the neighbourhood is relatively peaceful again.

I think for such a thing as these ASBO's which in effect are curfews does affect an individual's liberty, but that has to be balanced against the liberty of the general public's need to feel safe and more importantly be safe in their communities.

Paul

28

BIG - Irish Gov't Told to Set National Policy on JWs and Blood

by skeeter1 in

i can't get this important article to post, so here's the link.

please read it.. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0404/1224244010408.html.

this is the irish authorities that are looking into the jws and blood.

digderidoo

I have been doing some reading upon the Mental Capacity Bill 2007 to which the article refers. Refering to the mental capacity to make informed decisions, this is interesting.

Under the proposed legislation, lack of capacity will be defined by focusing on the particular time when a decision has to be made and on the particular matter to which a decision relates and not on a capacity to make decisions generally.

This is a significant change from the current system, where a finding of incapacity applies to every decision a person may make and every legal transaction they may wish to enter into.

In his address, Mr Ahern said: "This is a Bill for and about adults who are vulnerable in the sense that they may lack some or all capacity to make important decisions for themselves,” Mr Ahern said.

I guess if the court found some coercion in making the decision, i.e. pressure at the time of signing the blood card, then a court may find that card invalid, when applying this legislation.

If on the other hand a person signed the hospital forms requesting no blood then that would be sufficient, but the blood card may be a risky one for Irish JW's.

If a policy was adopted in Ireland where blood cards were invalid due to a lack of capacity at the time of signing, the org would just make sure JW's signed some type of registered form with local GP's. They will always find a way around it. Would be interesting to see how this goes in the future.

Paul

28

BIG - Irish Gov't Told to Set National Policy on JWs and Blood

by skeeter1 in

i can't get this important article to post, so here's the link.

please read it.. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0404/1224244010408.html.

this is the irish authorities that are looking into the jws and blood.

digderidoo

Whatever policy the Irish government come up with, they will have to respect a patients right to refuse. There is no getting around it.

The problem with European countries now is that any policy affecting individuals rights has to be in conjunction with the European Convention on Human Rights, any national policy that is not compatible with this doesn't have a chance of being upheld in national courts.

The fact of the matter is any policy not respecting the right of an adult refusing treatment will never be backed up by the Irish courts. It's just a lot of hot air being stirred up by someone.

Paul

56

Triblulation is upon us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by unbaptized in

the signs are becoming more and more clear.

violent crimes are increasing and lawlessness is the thing of the day.

people are starting to lose their minds due to the increasing job loss and economic hardship.

digderidoo

Doesn't the United Nations and 'false religion' have to fall first?

Paul

177

Should Pot Be Legalized?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i don't smoke anything but i know many that do--- some frequently, most infrequently.. personally, i don't see much difference between drinking alcohol and pot use.. should pot be legalized?.

digderidoo

I think it should be legalised in the sense that it should be controlled. Smoked in a controlled environment such as cafe's is fine, or in the home, but not in the street or in public areas. Much the same way as it is in Amsterdam, the police there will not tolerate pot being smoked in the street even with such a laid back culture.

Paul

37

Reluctant to tell others of JW past?

by happpyexjw in

jw
friends

has anyone felt uncomfortable telling others that they were once jws?

i have shared this info with very few people in the 19 years since i left.

i don't want to have to explain to someone who wouldn't understand anyway.

digderidoo

It's not really an issue anymore for me to be honest.

It used to be though, i used to be very reluctant to tell people, almost as if they were going to judge me bad because of it. Now though i do not make a point of telling people, but i do if the conversation ever comes up about religion or spirituality.

I often discuss this with one of my best friends, who used to be a jw too. Whenever we go out there is a group of us. Nobody amongst this group know of our jw past, apart from one and he was shocked. They just think we are old mates, which we are at the end of the day. Funny thing is though it's not that we hide it or ashamed of it, it's just that it doesn't come up in conversation, it's just not an issue anymore.

People that i do tell tend to be curious about it.

Paul

54

Is this an Apostate website?

by apocryphal22 in

i've been reading several of the comments and many of you appear to be out-of-step with the faithful and discreet slave..

digderidoo

This is a site for many people, with many views, most either are JW's or have links to JW's or like myself grew up as a JW or have JW pasts. It's well moderated so there are no insults flying around either.

Welcome to the forum.