Open mind

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Posts by Open mind

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  34

  ks10-e NEWS Additional LTR notation:...PLEASE READ!!!!

  by yknot in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  evidently the 'boys' haven't gotten all their ducks in a row before printing the book!.

  they have issued another boe ltr (will have late sunday or early monday) regarding wedding procedure and scriptural freedom to remarry!.

  the ltr is dated oct 12, 2010 (so if anybody has a copy already post it or send it to me and i will post it).

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  Open mind

  Unbelievable.

  Everyone knows that notes in the margins are inevitable, but right out of the gate?

  They can't even dish up ONE serving of "food" properly prepared.

  om
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  240

  Let's Talk Baseball ! Who's your Favorite Team ? Love My S.F. Giants !

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  and they are now in 1st place in the n.l.

  west with a 6-1 record !

  and the hated l.a. dodgers are in last place !

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  Open mind

  GO GIANTS!!!!

  (The best team Uzbekistan ever had!)

  om
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  34

  A Lengthy Introduction

  by Bitch on Parade in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hello, my name is lauren and i'm somewhat new to the forum.

  i've looked around here before but never bothered to make an account.

  so, here's my story, biography, or what-have-you detailing my experience with the jehovah's witness cult.. my grandmother was a jw and my mother was raised as one.

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  Open mind

  Rebellious, salutatorian, atheist.

  You've got a bright future ahead of you. (Just go a little easy on the rebellious and you'll go far.)

  Lots of great advice here.

  Wishing you all the best.

  om
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  20

  Child Abuse Policy question re: credible evidence

  by Open mind in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i'm familiar with the two witness rule and just read that it still stands in the new elder's book.. .

  if a child accuses someone of sexual abuse:.

  1. call the branch.

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  Open mind

  Thanks for the info Lee.

  I was almost hoping that their policy would be to ignore DNA evidence 100% just so they'd look even more unreasonable.

  Oh well.

  Georgiegirl: Good point. Elders are famous for keeping "wrongdoers" on the ropes because the elders hold the trump card of deciding repentance or not. If a person is too insistent on knowing who their accuser is, the elders can take that as a hardened, unrepentant attitude. Except when it comes to child abusers.

  om
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  20

  Child Abuse Policy question re: credible evidence

  by Open mind in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i'm familiar with the two witness rule and just read that it still stands in the new elder's book.. .

  if a child accuses someone of sexual abuse:.

  1. call the branch.

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  Open mind

  fokyc, thanks for the link to jw-media.org.

  I think the policy page is very well written from a PR standpoint. If an outsider were to read it, they would think the Watchtower has a reasonable policy in place.

  The two biggies that remain, IMO are:

  1. No clear direction to the elders to IMMEDIATELY call the authorities.

  2. No clear direction that forensic evidence may be considered in lieu of a second witness.

  I have a gut feeling, (big whoop) that the branch would probably honor DNA evidence as a "second witness". But who knows for sure?

  om
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  20

  Child Abuse Policy question re: credible evidence

  by Open mind in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i'm familiar with the two witness rule and just read that it still stands in the new elder's book.. .

  if a child accuses someone of sexual abuse:.

  1. call the branch.

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  Open mind

  I'm familiar with the two witness rule and just read that it still stands in the new Elder's book.

  If a child accuses someone of sexual abuse:

  1. Call the branch

  2. Meet with the child & the accused.

  3. If the accused denies the charge, document it, put it in the Congregation File and wait for another child to be abused before you can take judicial action.

  Here's my question:

  If 12 year old Johnny gets raped by Joe Elder and Johnny has the presence of mind to call 9-1-1 (unlikely, but bear with me) then what?

  Suppose the police obtain DNA evidence from Johnny that confirms Joe Elder actually raped him.

  Are the elders allowed to use DNA evidence as a 2nd "witness"?

  Or, do they have to say, "Sorry, we've only got one witness, and as long as Joe Elder denies it, all we can do is file it away and wait for him to strike again?"

  I'm a former elder, but I honestly don't know for sure. I think that the policy only allows for two "eyewitnesses" to establish guilt. Anyone with experience here or who knows of a thread where this specific question has been addressed, I'd love to hear from you.

  Thanks in advance,

  om
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  15

  Why was I disfellowshipped?

  by pes0210 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i needed to get this off my chest for awhile back i confessed to the elders in my hall that i had sexbfm, i was dating a sister for 2 years and she wouldnt marry me until i became an elder like her dad.

  so i fell into some sin and did the deed, one night stand with a stranger.

  i felt bad for it and told the brothers, well they recommended me for dfing, i told them i wasnt sure where i was in life spiritually and they said i need to go on my own and figure it out...well 7 days or so later i went and called the po and asked him if he would hear my repentance, he said it was too late (one day past the alotted time) and they already sent the letter to the society...well i asked what can i do and they recommened a judical comittee of like 8 brothers from surrounding halls to hear my case, well i sat in a massive circle of 10 or more brothers in a back room and opened up all of my repentance and tears and confessions, they all were in an agrement that i was worthy to stay in the organization becuase as they stated "you are a good fine brother that loves jehovah" but.... they recounted that they have to go with the first decision they 3 elders in my hall made, then told me to work my way back in no time.....this was a turning point of craziness, my mother father brother sister all stopped talking to me imeddiatly not a word, they were from the old school 70's witnesses (not like the ones today) they were taught to be strickt!

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  Open mind

  Thanks so much for sharing your story.

  I'm glad to hear that you have been able to move beyond and gain a healthy world view.

  What's really bizzarre is that if the JW world view were accurate, then what the Bethelite told you actually was loving and in your best interest.

  Sick, sick, sick.

  All the best to you.

  om
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  111

  ks10-e (official release), Letter from Bro. who scanned it! Newer version with BOE LTRs

  by yknot in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  while an earlier version was made available privately the time has come to 'progress'.. conscious class and ex both strongly adhere to not keeping things 'hidden' in regards to wts publications, talks and documents which are circulated in order to maintain it's position.. another wonderful poster (who has yet to give me permission to name) has 'reduced' and 'bookmarked' the first full copy link i was given by our 'winner'.. in this newest and final 'clean' copy link you find two other additions besides the reduction/bookmarking..... the brother who uploaded the entire book wishes all to have a copy that includes both boe ltrs (pre-ks ltr and spiral binding ltr).

  also another development has occurred.... the brother responsible for this book being brought into light and put forth for public consumption and discussion has requested i post this letter explaining to 'us' (jwn posters/global audience) and 'them' (wts of penn & ny).. i ask you give attention to his words/ experiences as he is representative of a newly emerging demographic within the conscious class.

  so without further ado i give you his link and the 'stage' if you will to 'brother johnson'....... [link removed - contact ynot for further info - lady lee].

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  Open mind

  Adding my tears to the pool.

  Thank you so much Brother Johnson for sharing this and having the mental & emotional courage to see things clearly even after a lifetime of whole-souled devotion to this organization.

  Best regards from my wife and I.

  om
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  25

  Symposium outline from Curcuit Assembly Part 2

  by billyboy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  for part 1 see http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/200657/1/symposium-outline-for-circuit-assembly-part-1.

  ) [talk and demonstration.].

  (lv 145 par.

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  Open mind

  Thanks for posting these Billyboy.

  My wife and I were both struck by how they squeezed in a life-controlling demo on dressing like robots & wearing your badge into a part on "False Religion".

  Just curious, are you giving one of these parts?

  Looking forward to part three.

  om
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  11

  Elders (Current and Former), JCs and Qs

  by laverite in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm thinking of sweetbabycheezits and his wife right now...started wondering about not only their situation but also related situations.

  then i started thinking about our esteemed elders on this board.. you gotta wonder, at these jcs for "apostasy," if any of the elders that sit in judgement have concerns/questions about the borg of their own.

  did any of our current or former elders on here ever have some uncomfortable situations on jcs where you were dfing someone for "apostasy" yet you knew the brother or sister was actually 100% correct?

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  Open mind

  I served for a while as a "conscious class" elder. For a month or two I thought that perhaps I would serve on a JC if one came along and try to be ultra-liberal and merciful. After more reading on here, I realized that ANY judicial committee could easily slide into either apostasy or child abuse. At that point I resigned myself to never serving on a JC again.

  om