This is Free Minds' Youtube site with the Kuilan videos:
https://www.youtube.com/user/freeminds/videos
Randy
Dogpatch
JoinedPosts by Dogpatch
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Set of interviews by Randall Watters with Nestor and Toni Kuilan
by Dogpatch incheck it out!
!the full set of interviews by randall watters with nestor and toni kuilan while visiting them in puerto rico that was filmed by me a few months ago in english and spanish as they speak out for the first time in 32 years.
nestor will have a book out soon!
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Set of interviews by Randall Watters with Nestor and Toni Kuilan
by Dogpatch incheck it out!
!the full set of interviews by randall watters with nestor and toni kuilan while visiting them in puerto rico that was filmed by me a few months ago in english and spanish as they speak out for the first time in 32 years.
nestor will have a book out soon!
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Dogpatch
Greetings my friends!
I have been on Disability (It just ran out - now I'm waiting for the FEDS to kick in Medicare and keep my permanent Disability state for living expenses). My Secretary and Treasurer are doing much of my work, and some by volunteers. But I have to stop the desk/typing/office thing for good. I'm destroying my body were I to start working again like that. I'm just an unpaid Board member along with my unpaid Secretary and Treasurer. So all your donated funds go directly to the non-profit efforts of volunteers, supplies, office rent, etc. Personally, I am going to have to continue to stay in the background, as I need ongoing physical therapy, mostly in my spine.
The final stage of Free Minds' agenda, considering how many Witnesses will likely be leaving in larger numbers in the years ahead, is to provide links and articles and ads for mental and physical health resources, interventions, professional advice, Christian counseling, secular (non-religious) counseling, etc. by those I know personally in those areas. I will not be personally working or doing the Free Minds Journal (printed version) anymore, but this e-newsletter will continue to come out every 2-3 months.
The needs of millions of Witnesses can be helped by keeping Free Minds' site alive, both for the new ones getting out or thinking of leaving, as well as it's treasure archive of articles, history, pictures, movies and videos, unique interviews (like the Nestor and Toni interviews). I think we have the largest repository of articles, vidoes, audio files from Watchtower history, news, commentary, and much, much more in one site than any other. 32 years worth! Something for everyone! Plus I will be combining several of my domains into the one freeminds.org site... hopefully the current freeminds2.org site, but that will depend on funding as to whether I can afford to do that or not. Please keep that in prayer! Because I will have to use other volunteers or paid workers.
I will also have to move soon, as our beach house sold (after 32 years of living here!). New adventures, where I do not know yet. But I have to stay away from computers more (because of my upper neck and back, Dupuytren's Contracture returning to my hand, and more inherited genetic stuff (hey, I'm an Okie!). But I'm also 62 now, and although all the members of my family live a long healthy life, getting older reallly can slow you down! :-)).
ANYWAY...
I will tell a little about the trip to Puerto Rico when I get all the videos up. They go quite well with Nestor's upcoming book, which I was unawares of until just recently. Nestor and Toni (seventies' Spanish Watchtower Translators for the New World Translation) - were at Bethel as the same time I was! Then they seemed to disappear for 32 years until now. then.
(The 2-week trip was originally intended to be an attempt to look for a retirement pad, but instead turned into a video shoot the whole 2 weeks! (I know, my mind is always active). I love Puerto Rico, but Toni and Nestor may be moving soon. We'll see.
blessings,
Randall Watters
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Set of interviews by Randall Watters with Nestor and Toni Kuilan
by Dogpatch incheck it out!
!the full set of interviews by randall watters with nestor and toni kuilan while visiting them in puerto rico that was filmed by me a few months ago in english and spanish as they speak out for the first time in 32 years.
nestor will have a book out soon!
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Dogpatch
CHECK IT OUT!!
The full set of interviews by Randall Watters with Nestor and Toni Kuilan while visiting them in Puerto Rico that was filmed by me a few months ago in English AND Spanish as they speak out for the first time in 32 years. Nestor will have a book out soon!
https://www.youtube.com/user/freeminds/videos
due about Sept. 2nd! - Randy Watters
Coming soon!
All Freeminds' websites will be accessible form the original URL at http://freeminds.org soon! Freeminds2.org will be transferred back in gradiually. Getting things all pulled into one location finally!
Love you guys,
Randy Watters
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Jim Penton's beloved wife Marilyn died today.
by AndersonsInfo inher suffering is finally over.
marilyn has been battling cancer for about three years and at times it looked like she would win.
but in the last few months the cancer spread.
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Dogpatch
So sad to hear, Barb! Such a great couple and lifechangers for decades.
hugs to all,
Randy Watters
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Get well Grace (Mouthy)
by label licker ina loud get well grace from all of us to you.
everyone, grace has been in and out of the hospital and i'm sure she would love to read your get wells.
we miss you grace:) wish i could post pictures.
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Dogpatch
Love you Grace!! I wish I could be there by your side.
Hugs,
Randy Watters
310-545-7831
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I want to start a website/ministry to help JWs leaving - how and why?
by Dogpatch ini have plenty of tips on my older site on starting ministries or outreaches.
though today they are now generally sites for public assistance, not personal blogs or opinion or doctrinal sites.
free minds has covered doctrines, news, opinions, and more for 32 years (since 1996 online).
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Dogpatch
LOL On The Way Out,
I was dispensing red pills, a la The Matrix.. :-))
Randy
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I want to start a website/ministry to help JWs leaving - how and why?
by Dogpatch ini have plenty of tips on my older site on starting ministries or outreaches.
though today they are now generally sites for public assistance, not personal blogs or opinion or doctrinal sites.
free minds has covered doctrines, news, opinions, and more for 32 years (since 1996 online).
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Dogpatch
I have plenty of tips on my older site on starting ministries or outreaches. Though today they are now generally sites for public assistance, not personal blogs or opinion or doctrinal sites.
Free Minds has covered Doctrines, news, opinions, and more for 32 years (since 1996 online).
Our most visited article was about the Cross, interestingly.
Alan Feuerbacher's delve into the bogus Genesis inerpretation at http://freeminds.org/science/view.htm
GETTING THEM OUT was quite popular.
I'll have to find the ones on ministry (I'm going to rebuild the index, so use the main subtopics in the tall list at freeminds.org).
It's time to point people to personal HELP and RECOVERY from PROFESSIONALS.
We will soon have some of these as bloggers over the next few months if things go as planned - alresady have about 4 or 5.
Randy Watters
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Is belief in heaven after death relatively new to Christianity?
by EndofMysteries ini was surprised awhile ago when researching about cremation how until maybe 1940's or 1950's even catholics forbid cremation.
the reason for no cremation was because they believed in a physical resurrection and cremation was a rejection of physical resurrection.
it seems nowadays no christians believe in a earthly resurrection, only that they all go to heaven.
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Dogpatch
It was not an orthodox (Pharisees) doctrine. It was one of the FEW doctrines Jesus altered from Phariseeism.
Jewish "orthodoxy" began incorporating Greek, Zoroastrian and Babylonian fantasies 4-600 years before the time of Christ. Every once in awhile, when you believe in fantasies, you must update them to be slightly credible. Jesus was taught by the Pharisees, and 90% of what he taught was exactly their doctrine! The Rich Man and Lazarus was a simple Jewish story to illustrate an event in a timeline of a belief they cherished, unlike the Sadducees or Essenes.
Tartarus, the Lake of Fire, Gehenna, burning hell, forever, life in heaven . .. these were all borrowed from earler pagan religions and modified or discarded during the 300-year process which the Catholics and Greek Oerthodox took in arguing what to put in the "Bible" or not. They settled on 66 "books," which in the NT were not books at all... mostly letters. Was it obvious which to include or exclude?
NO, that's why they took 300 years for the few clerics to argue it! Like Wednesday GB meetings in the days of the old GB. Half were asleep, the others dreaming or power-mongering. ! Basically it ended up which wrings had the most backup from other sources or eye-witnesses, and we all know how accurate that can be, especially from 2000+ years ago. Hey, 50 years is enough to many cultures to erase the history of the Holocaust from their textbooks! (usually Muslims).
The tribal Jews never believed ANY of that... except that Sheol was a holding tank for the dead's SOULS - REPHAIM. (bodies were in the grave and non-cognizant.) EVERYONE went to Sheol at death... though some rabbis argued there were several levels there depending on how righteous or dispicable you were.)
It was like making a Governing Body decision on doctrine (like blood transfusion, etc.) , only much more scholastically argued. By REAL scholars, and they were pretty good (but biased).
Pie-in-the-sky theology is always changing to match the times and culture. :-)) That will never change.
As an example, American Protestant theology is MUCH DIFFERENT that German theology. Read:
Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament, 10 Volumes
The orthodox Jews in Jesus' day believed in a glorified earth upon resurrection. See http://freeminds.org/doctrine/hellcomp.htm If he didn't and they didn't, his words have no power or do not engender fear, but would bring forth laughter or anger. Elsewhere in the Talmud this is discussed at length.
Randy
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Nestor and Toni Kuilan in the works of a new book!
by A.proclaimer innestor and toni kuilan are writing a book of their memoirs surrounding their experience with the 1980 apostasy hunts.. .
read a little bit about it here:.
http://freeminds2.org/meet-nestor-and-toni-kuilan/.
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Dogpatch
Hi Pistoff,
It's on my websites but it is dated as to the list of officers of each corporation - maybe someone has an updated list. ... but I believe the powerful Don Adams is still President of the more influential of the two legal corporations. He enjoys complete anonimity because few people know how this stuff works in the WT. I'll look for it. It also means you don't understand big business. :-))
This is not uncommon in the business and religious world, folks.
Randy
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I want to start a website/ministry to help JWs leaving - how and why?
by Dogpatch innon-profits have a right to allow supporters to use a specific contribution and designate it for a certain program of that particular organization.
i've run a non-profit since the late 80s, took a class to learn the bookwork and rules, and it is legit, as long as the cause you are donating to is not a personal gift of any kind to another person or organization (unless that organization or program is part of the main non-profit, and is not a "sale" or a purpose "outside the bun.
" ) see my other article nearby on non-profits.. in that case, you should just give the individual in need money out of your own pocket.
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Dogpatch
Non-profits have a right to allow supporters to use a specific contribution and designate it for a certain program of that particular organization. I've run a non-profit since the late 80s, took a class to learn the bookwork and rules, and it is legit, as long as the cause you are donating to is not a PERSONAL gift of any kind to another person or organization (unless that organization or program is part of the main non-profit, and is not a "sale" or a purpose "outside the bun." ) See my other article nearby on NON-PROFITS.
In that case, you should just give the individual in need money out of your own pocket. Unless they are part of the specific organization (i.e., board members) who find themselves in an emergency, and the bylaws allow it.
The IRS has many rules on things like that, for (a) churches (VERY lenient, like with the WT - they don't even have to file or disclose much at all to the govt. and don't pay taxes). But a non-religion non-profit, usually a 501 (c) (3) EDUCATIONAL organization like Free Minds, Inc., must submit very extensive reports each year in the form of 1099s, forms 990 (Feds) and form 199 (state) plus a host of other documents - MORE if you have paid employees... same as a regular business.
If you DO want to donate to a non-profit, specify the exact program it is to go to (not necessarily the person or other details).
In the case of the Watchtower, they are a religion, and can get away with murder (literally) because they are MOSTLY UNACCOUNTABLE.
They have to be brought to court. Then years can pass.
Several years ago two filmmakers asked if I wanted to do a documentary film on the Watchtower's MONEY only. Too expensive for me, but they said it was the easiest way to bring down a religion is to catch fraud. Difficult to do, though.
I took a course on non-profit taxes about 20 years ago, and it hasn't changed much at all. I don't recommend going that route for your organization or group of ex-members, unless you have one smart cookie dedicated to payroll, taxes, and reporting requirements as their MAIN JOB, and that they go to a class. Usually I end up doing it myself rather than pay $1000 a year for a firm or person who usually fills it out wrong or makes errors. This has happened to Free Minds, and I refuse to hire anyone but a CPA or specifically trained person to do non-profit taxes. Being a professional tax person or even work for H&R Block doesn't guarantee they will do 990s right, and keep up with all the other complicated forms. I will just go back to doing it myself. Besides, now that I am no longer a paid employee of Free Minds (or anyone else), getting payroll issues out of the equation makes it a lot easier. I may be a board member, but I'm now volunteer, not paid. Saves a lot of paperwork. And if your income is low enough, you can't pay for employees, so it makes it much easier.
Applying to be a non-profit takes about a year, an $800 deposit, and you need an attorney to help unless you've done it before. You get the $800 back if at the end of the year, if approved or not approved, but it is almost a full time job. Ask yourself... do you need to become non-profit?
Randy Watters
Should We Apply or Not?
Basically, only if you plan on surviving on tax-deductible donations that donors can write off, and save a good percentage on it on income taxes... plus other perks with more office workers, etc.
The only person in 20 years who knew exactly how to fill out my 990 forms was an expensive licensed CPA one year. He dropped his price to $500 (was normally $1000) for us. Perfect job.
All the rest of the preparers I hired were wreckless or new at it, and several times I had to do it over myself, or send in the corrections, or make them do it.
I never had a legal problem... I always erred on the safe side and sent them extra, so that it didn't bother them so much if I was late, as they already had their money.
(They oddly are as rigorous in refunding you what they owe you as they are in billing you for it!)
Interesting Observation: Calif. tried to change over to mostly online reports and it must have created a real mess, ending up in employers so confused they really made a mess. Too fast, too soon, and WAY too complicated. I think it is partly why they are cash-starved at the moment).
I absolutely hate paperwork, and I have Dupuytren's Contracture in my left (dominant hand), so typing and computer work is increasingly difficult. I had to go on Disability for a year simply because I was killing myself, and very discouraged I had no time to browse sites, use my imagination, create new things or study how to fix things. Now you know why Free Minds didn't change much the last few months. Now that Disability is exhausted, I will have to take retirement funds early at 62.
My point is, running a non-profit is NOT a one-person job even just for the bookwork. Don't pursue it unless you really need it to survive through contributions 75% or more. To Free Minds it is almost all contributions, and about 8% sales, which I may end altogether soon, except for my Amazon site. Sales of books are way too much physical work for what you get out of it. Just set up an Amazon Store or sell things on eBay. A lot less work, but still not enough profit to be worth it for many.
I have had papers lying all over my bedroom from the IRS and State of Calif. to fill out, and they have been there for a month. Almost done. (Whew!)
I can't afford to pay professional tax people who mess it up. Non-profits are scrutinized very carefully. Fortunately they will tell you if you have overpaid or underpaid, and make it pleasant and easy to pay now, especially in Calif. They are desperate for tax money that they lost by their own actions. They'll even bargain with you in a sense at times Cali is so broke! LOL
One tax person almost lost me my non-profit status a few years back just by erroneously putting in the wrong EIN (organization) number. The laws are so complicated you have to study them over nd over. The forms are poorly designed in my opinion. More even than that, you have to understand what kind of answer they are asking, and how it fits the whole form.
Pay Attention to What Info they want, and no more
That's how I got the highest SAT score in my high school (taken early as an experiment - same test as college entrants test) ages ago, because figuring out the minds of the one who DESIGNED and WROTE the tests is far more important than what YOU think is the proper answer. To win with that advantage, you have to learn the testmaker's patterns of thoughts, and even their prejudices! That's the easy way, and your accuracy goes way up - mainly because there is always more than one correct answer - knowing the mind of the test creator is easily recognizable after a while, and it makes a big difference. Very similar to taking a written driving test at the DMV. I'm not that bright, but I beat out my whole school. But it was so "hard" I thought I would surely come in last. I was quite depressed... was sure I'd get a D or F or low number, or however they rank them.
Then one day there were ceremonies, and I got the only badge - a golden one - still have it. Top of the school results.
The moral is, think your options over many times, talk to as many others as you can in advance, and you will find a much better way. From then on, you have (practically speaking) increased your intelligence on a PRIMAL AND INTELLECTUAL LEVEL so that you are a much more efficient (and smarter) worker.
Then you get old and die. Don't hasten that day sitting behind a computer.
I have to stop working a desk job (perhaps any job) to keep up with my families' old age record. They all live to 80, 90 or more. My body already feels 80. Not from working per se, as most of it was inherited except for the colitis, Candida, spinal corruption doe to being hit by two drunk kids at 80-90 mph (police witnessed it, as they were chasing them), and other very painful issues. But I don't catch outside sickness. I am my own worst enemy. :-)) It's not visible to outsiders, but I spend 5 hours a day in sheer pain. (No sympathy, please, as many of you do).
peace and love and God bless,
Randy Watters