Posts by Earnest

22

The Watchtower Society Hedge Fund

by TJ Curioso in

the watchtower society hedge fundseveral weeks ago it came to my attention via the e-jehovahs-witnesses discussion board that the watchtower society had devised a new money raising scheme.

the scheme is to beg and borrow money from each individual congregation account, which they deem to be in excess of the congregation's actual expenses.

i half jokingly responded to the topic then that the watchtower has become a hedge fund.

The Watchtower Society Hedge Fund

by TJ Curioso in

the watchtower society hedge fundseveral weeks ago it came to my attention via the e-jehovahs-witnesses discussion board that the watchtower society had devised a new money raising scheme.

the scheme is to beg and borrow money from each individual congregation account, which they deem to be in excess of the congregation's actual expenses.

i half jokingly responded to the topic then that the watchtower has become a hedge fund.

Earnest

There is now a new JW Ireland-based asset venture, according to the Irish Independent, 28 August.

7

The World Health Organization Prostitude

by raymond frantz in

https://youtu.be/ksw9ujgm2i0?si=ruesgp-s6evmpdik.

as a second pandemic is now in the horizon mpox or monkey pox as they like to call it, it is important to scrutize the advise the governing body provided last time around with covid and how they sided 100% with the governents and their medical directives and lockdowns and how they imposed one-sided narrative in congregations around the world even threatening elders who refused to obey their direction....

Earnest

Balaamsass2, I agree with you that if you don't live in Africa mpox is not something to worry about at the moment, but it could be in the future. It is not only spread by skin to skin contact which is why it has spread so fast. The UK NHS says :

Mpox can be passed on from person to person through:

any close physical contact with mpox blisters or scabs (including during sexual contact, kissing, cuddling or holding hands)
touching clothing, bedding or towels used by someone with mpox
the coughs or sneezes of a person with mpox when they're close to you

In parts of west, central and east Africa, mpox can also be caught from infected rodents (such as rats, mice and squirrels).

23

How would you rate the Watchtower approved songs?

by Vanderhoven7 in

i was asking why jws won't sing any church hymns even if they were doctrinally correct.

jws asked me in response if i would sing any of their songs.. dan watkins wrote .

its a hilarious misunderstanding, if it does not come from the watchtower bible and tract society, then it is effectively considered as coming from satan.

Earnest

As a matter of interest, the song From House to House composed by Harold King has the following lyrics which have been slightly amended in Song 103 (2009) / Song 83 (2016) :

From house to house, from door to door,
Jehovah's truths are spread;
From house to house, from door to door,
Jehovah's "sheep" are fed.
This "good news" of God's Kingdom royal,
As Jesus Christ foretold,
Is carried now from house to house
By Christians, young and old.

From house to house, from door to door,

Salvation now proclaim.

It comes upon all those who call

Upon Jehovah's Name.

But how can one call on a name

of one he does not know?

From house to house, from door to door,

That sacred Name must go.

From house to house, from door to door,

Christ Jesus led the way;

On mountain side and seashore wide

He taught and preached each day.

He then sent forth disciples true

To teach and preach as he.

From house to house, from door to door,

The truth spread rapidly.
From house to house, from door to door,

And not from pulpits high,

The faithful twelve spread forth the news:

"God's Kingdom now is nigh."

Wrote Paul, who worked among them all:

"I worked not secretly;

From house to house, from door to door,

I taught you publicly."
Of course, it's not at every door

We find a hearing ear;

At times there's but a scolding tongue,

And those who will not hear.

'Twas just the case in Jesus' day -

Not all would hear his word.

"My sheep will hear my voice", he said,

"So we are not deterred."
Then let us go from house to house

To spread the Kingdom news;

And, whether "sheep" or whether "goats",

We'll let the people choose.

At least we'll name Jehovah's Name;

His glorious truth declare.

From house to house, from door to door,

We'll find his "sheep" are there!

23

How would you rate the Watchtower approved songs?

by Vanderhoven7 in

i was asking why jws won't sing any church hymns even if they were doctrinally correct.

jws asked me in response if i would sing any of their songs.. dan watkins wrote .

its a hilarious misunderstanding, if it does not come from the watchtower bible and tract society, then it is effectively considered as coming from satan.

Earnest

Gorb : From house to house, from door to door was Karl Klein’s masterpiece

An early version of "From House to House" was composed by Harold King while he was in solitary confinement in China. See, for example, his July, 1963 article How I Kept Strong in Faith in a Chinese Communist Prison.

2

I need contact information

by vienne in

i need contact information for the author of this web site: http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com/russell.html.

Earnest

http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com/contact.html

99

onacruise - Craig Mills 1952-2011

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

i was given the link to a bit of information regarding on old poster/moderator of this forum.

i was not sure of the validity of the information so have been trying to find out if it is true.. earlier today craig's estranged wife, kate, (bikerchic) confirmed that craig died at his home on aug 10, 2011.. i am sure that many people here remember craig's time here and how he went out of his way to offer support to posters, even calling them, to give whatever help he could as they adjusted to their post-jw lives.. i know many people here will grieve his loss.. --------------.

ps i tried posting this earlier but the computer i was working with would not allow the posts.

Earnest

August 10.

40

New lawsuit against the Watchtower in Ontario, Canada

by yalbmert99 in

the new class action lawsuit against the watchtower for having covered up child sexual abuse will begin in court on may 13-14-15, 2024 in the province of ontario, canada.

it is not the same as in the province of quebec because the laws aren't the same.

i don’t have more details.

Earnest

Bitter Winter reports that "on July 4, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice rendered a major decision in favor of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (“Gutierrez v. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Canada,” 2024 ONSC 3837)."

For the purposes of the class action, the plaintiffs advanced three causes of action: (a) negligence, including systemic negligence; (b) breach of fiduciary duty; and (c) vicarious liability. The judge concluded that none of the three causes of action would succeed.

Three important preliminary findings of the judgement govern the conclusions on the three causes of action. First, the Jehovah’s Witnesses “do not operate religious day-schools, Sunday schools, orphanages, home care, or any other activity where the congregation or its leaders might assume responsibility for the care of children. Congregations do not separate children from their parents. The congregations do not provide or sponsor any extra-curricular activity, such as choirs, clubs, camps, outings, sports, outdoor walks, parties, and similar activities for children, youths or adolescents. It is Jehovah’s Witness dogma that parents have the sole scriptural responsibility to provide age-specific religious education and training to their children and that other Jehovah’s Witnesses should not usurp or assume the parental role” (par. 56–57).

Second, “As an ecclesiastic matter, beginning in September 1950, and more particularly since the early 1980s when mandatory reporting laws for child sexual abuse came into effect in Canada, the Governing Body provided congregants worldwide, and the public at large, with scripturally based guidance and education on practical steps to prevent child sexual abuse and to assist victims” (par. 67), and in 2018 published a worldwide children protection policy (par. 75).

Third, “starting in 1988, the Canada Branch issued letters to the Elders in all congregations regarding an Elder’s obligation to report allegations of child abuse to secular authorities, irrespective of any consideration of spiritual status that may arise from the same allegations” (par. 69). “The Elders were directed, among other things, that: (a) Canadian law requires the reporting of child abuse to secular authorities without exception; (b) Elders are to contact the Legal Department of the Canada Branch immediately to obtain situation-specific legal advice to assist in compliance with reporting requirements; and (c) if the victim wishes to make a report to the authorities, it is his or her absolute right to do so” (par. 70).

When confronted with these policies, none of the causes of action can stand, the judge said.

29

Will Governing Body follow through with New Zealand Royal Commission's recommendation to publicly apologize?

by was a new boy in

'following on from an apology from the prime minister, the commission recommends all faith-based leaders offer a public apology, including the pope, the archbishop of canterbury, the president elect of the methodist church, the moderator of the presbyterian church in new zealand and the head of each individual presbyterian support organisation, the general of the salvation army, the overseeing shepherd of gloriavale, and the governing body of jehovah’s witnesses.'.

https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/national/govt-takes-blame-will-apologise-to-children-abused-and-tortured-in-state-care/ar-bb1qwoyt?ocid=bingnewsverp.

Earnest

careful : would you please give me this ref.? Is it in one of their videos?

The comment in the clip ("nor is an apology needed for not getting it exactly right previously") was not by "GB member Fleegle" but by Jeffrey Winder. It can be found in Part 2 of the 2023 Annual Meeting. The statement starts at 6 min 30 sec into the video.

13

JW Ranking System

by NotFormer in

it's fairly evident to little old outsider me that the organisation has a class system, perhaps even a caste system.. from what i've read, there seems to not only be an official ranking system (m.s., elder, c.o.

) but an unofficial one.

has anyone ever sat down to figure out what the unofficial ranks are and how they affect the pecking order?

Earnest

careful : Finally, "the anointed" receive quite exceptional status, with a real aura surrounding them. It used to be more so when there were those who went back to Russell's or Rutherford's time, but they're pretty much gone now.

My own experience in the '60s to the '80s is that those "anointed" who went back to Russell's or Rutherford's time didn't make any sort of claim to being special and were only given any attention at the time of the Memorial. I can only speak of the congregation I attended at the time, but they were all elderly people and were treated with respect but nothing more.