Posts by Stezza

1

Madeleine McCann

by Stezza in

jw
friends

by now most people have heard of this case.

a little girl goes missing in portugal and at the moment her paretns are arguidos, similiar to suspect but are treated differently.. when this case first got started the daily mirror in the uk was the only place that people could come and discuss the different aspects of the case, see translations from the portuguese media and ponder how large some people's back yards are and the naivity of two educated doctors.

the forum was not always pretty and people were very free in their thoughts and opinions.. eventually this got closed and we are now on www.the3arguidos.net , please have a look if the case interests you, it is run much better then the mirror site.. why i am on here is that i have heard that supposedly there is a gentleman by the name of brian kennedy that is paying for thier pr expert, clarence mitchell.

Stezza

By now most people have heard of this case. A little girl goes missing in Portugal and at the moment her paretns are arguidos, similiar to suspect but are treated differently.

When this case first got started the Daily Mirror in the UK was the only place that people could come and discuss the different aspects of the case, see translations from the Portuguese media and ponder how large some people's back yards are and the naivity of two educated doctors. The forum was not always pretty and people were very free in their thoughts and opinions.

Eventually this got closed and we are now on www.the3arguidos.net , please have a look if the case interests you, it is run much better then the Mirror site.

Why I am on here is that I have heard that supposedly there is a gentleman by the name of Brian Kennedy that is paying for thier PR expert, Clarence Mitchell. The fact that he is a glazing millionaire is not of interest, but that he alleged to be a Jehovah's Witness may be.

Are there any forum users from England that could shed some light on this accusation/allegation? You can PM if you want.

32

District Assemblies Not All They are Cracked Up to Be

by WTWizard in

you hear about them for so long.

the grand boasting session is supposed to be the biggie.

there is so much hype about the motels that are on the list, which will come out right around jan 1. you are supposed to call ahead, and usually people get busy signals and full motels.

Stezza

Shock horror I have great early memories of assemblies. As my mother did not often go to meetings (for a plethora of reasons) she managed to organise herslef for the memorial and the assmbly. Now the memorial can be quite boring but the district assembly was good. In Melbourne in the old days they were at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, usually in the main arena and the foreign language assemblies were held in other buildings and on the SUnday afternoon they would all walk into the arena so we could all see the increase. I would get pretend money (remember the tokens)and I remember the food being great (it was in those days) and I do believe there was ice cream as well. As we never really went to meetings so I had no friends at the hall, and I was allowed school friends but no bir thdays, christmas, and I had to get the stupid 'No Blood transfusions' on school excursion forms, the assemblies were a bit intoxicating. And I liked to sing. It was even better if nana was there. Then (due to the increase I presume!) we went to the Entertainment Centre. I think Melbourne was divided into 2 or 3 districts. This was the age where I bought 3 or 4 outfits (depended on if it was a 3 or 4 day assembly) which was planned for weeks with friends of mine. The gelati trucks were out the front and if it was a nice day you could go across the road to the Yarra. The food was getting crap but it was still edible. Then it was the Tennis Centre and we were back to one assembly, we were on the main court, and on relfection it was not great. The food went really down hill and I used to get claustrophobic in there, I would quite literally have to walk out and sit outside, and no the brothers did not open the roof. I was still buying new outfits for each day an depending on the group I was with it was either Lygon Street for dinner or the Pancake Parlour or Sizzler whatever took our fancy. I can understand that it was to dissmenate information but it always reminded me of the the BBQ at Tara, in Gone with the wind, you know everyone meeting, greeting, eating and checking each other clothes out and the fact that it was completely sexist like the antebellum south before the civil war. And checking out who was with who, who got married, who broke up, who had babies, all that stuff that makes the world turn. There was this guy I adored and I remember at one assembly I was crying as the sister I studied with, her and her husbnad had been assigned to a circuit in WA and he said to me'DOnt cry I cannot do anyhting for you with all these people around.' At another assembly He said to me 'Feel my new suit, its microfibre'. This is what my early love life was made of.... Oh...I also like to start the clapping!

14

I never realised this before....

by Stezza in

hi people

i have not been here for a while, i used to be addicted but work got in the way, although i check back now and then.

anyway i was reading about the girl in england who died as she refused a blood transfusion.

Stezza

Hi Carmel When I left, I left as the local peadophile was not reported to the police (which was law at the time, that certain community figures had the responsibily to come forward eg Teachers, police, doctors, nurses, priests that you could not hide behind professional prvilige). The feeling I had ( and I am sure I am not unusual) was that I was leaving because I was weak and could not wait on Jehovah. It was only last year that I started to look at the internet to see if there was any information on the witnesses, which might of touched on the experiences I had and what I saw. I had always thought I was in the wrong to the point that I never said anything bad about the witnesses as I thought that was wrong. So to find this site and have my thoughts confirmed about attitudes and behaviousrs and to realsie I was not to blame that there is a certian culture within the group which did not marry in my mind to the fundametals of christianity that I had been taught, that I believe overrides 'procedure' was a relief and a huge awakening for me. I had never spoken to my husband about my former belief, only that I left, and I bent his ear night and day about the things I was finding out and reading particularly about the real estate holdings and the paedophile issues. As an Irish Catholic, all of it was old hat and his commnet was 'it is a religion what do you expect?' I suppose we are taught as witnesses the the high point of the failure of religion is the Catholic Church so I suppose I mean it in that contaxt and i suppose I am reflecting my belief that organsied religion and its expectations are a very heavy burden on people. As we live in Ireland and I am exposed to the Catholic Church, I see this burden which does still exist and I do not like it. What I am amazed at is I have seen alot of similarity between the attitudes and culture within the Catholic Church and the Jehovahs Witnesses. Particularly the role of women and in the recent years the way paedophiles are treated. Perhaps I should write an artcile about it as I do not think most people see the commonality. This is ironic considerring how JW's are always talking baout how bad the Catholic Church is. Pot and kettle is what I say. Sorry for the long answer but it is a pet subject and I become a bore once I get started!

14

I never realised this before....

by Stezza in

hi people

i have not been here for a while, i used to be addicted but work got in the way, although i check back now and then.

anyway i was reading about the girl in england who died as she refused a blood transfusion.

Stezza

Hi People Thanks for all your kind messages. Someone keeps stealing my paragraphs!! It is a funny old cult isn't it. I had another epiphany in the shower this morning. This is a religion that allows mothers to die but will not report paedophiles. How charming! What a nasty nasty organisation. I suppose I got angry because the comments on Time on Line by some people talked about her integrity etc and I was thinking that is bullshit, integrity will not kiss the babies better. I just wonder though what sort of impact this had on my siblings when we were growing up, they never took to the truth, but dipstick here did. but there must be some level of antagonism that she nearly died and left them. So I grew up thinking it was the right thing to do but they have probably been angry with mum and not really thought about Why? I have to stress, it was only yesterday, after having left over 8 years ago that I realised how close I was to losing my mum and how awful that would of been. Regarding women and the church JW's are very much in the catholic strain of things here, not able to be taken seriously, but are used to dob and snoop on people and have 'unoffical' power. If you want to see how close the ideas of the witnesses and catholic church are read The Moral Monopoly: The catholic Church in Ireland. Opened my eyes. By the way definitley buying mum COC for Christmas! Appropriate huh?!

38

A DF'd son needs an Elder/Father opinion

by feenx in

jw
friends

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Stezza

Hi Feenx It sounds like your father does want to talk to you about the uncomfortable stuff to me that sounds like he really wants to develop a relationship with you, seperate from the organisation. I think it is a step by step process, some the questions you have for him about judicial meetings are very important as thy have handled abuse abysmally and I think it is quite important to get it out in the public domain. I think perhaps talk to your father and ask to record it as you ant to absorb what he is saying and to take notes and reflect on it. These events have had a huge impact on your life (and your mum's and dad's - they must be heartbroken they could not protect you)and you have every right to process it. I imagine that this will be quote draining, as one poster said, it should be a process not all at once. So you may need a few conversations with your dad on various aspects as well as the other players and please ask him this question for me: Was there any feeling of dichotomy when you would read Awake and Watchtower about the articles about about abuse int he Catholic church, when you knew it was going on in your own congregation, was there even a twinge of discomfort? Personally for that reason alone I cannot understand why people are still going to Kingdon Halls, but this is not about me! You might find that writing it all down and establishing the relationship with your father is enough, you just may have no desire to publish, but as your story is unusual and you yourself would like to have your experience as a resource for other people, you may still want to go on. What you are embarking on with your dad may well be life changing, the result may be that he will leave as well. Only after you have written your expereinces and developed this relationship with your father (and it may take a while) then take a look at the lay of the land again to see if you want to speak to your dad about your plan to publish. If you do not feel you can bring it up or he says no, you may have to publish anonymously or wait until you do not need his blessing. It depends on how much of a public service you feel you are achieving by publishing, balanced with the calculated risk of upsetting your relationship with your Dad. I do not think there is any harm in going down the psedonym/ anonymous route. I do think though whether you are planning to publish or not, it is very important that your work through it, and writing is proabbaly the best way and you do not need to make decision this very minute about publishing. You should take up your Dad's offer to talk and opportunity to develop a relationship, not all witnesses have that level of humanity. Good luck!

14

I never realised this before....

by Stezza in

hi people

i have not been here for a while, i used to be addicted but work got in the way, although i check back now and then.

anyway i was reading about the girl in england who died as she refused a blood transfusion.

Stezza

Not the site (that is brilliant), that moneymaking company that poses as a religion!

14

I never realised this before....

by Stezza in

hi people

i have not been here for a while, i used to be addicted but work got in the way, although i check back now and then.

anyway i was reading about the girl in england who died as she refused a blood transfusion.

Stezza

Hi People I have not been here for a while, I used to be addicted but work got in the way, although I check back now and then. Anyway I was reading about the girl in England who died as she refused a blood transfusion. As you all know this is not the first time and unfortunatley it will not be the last. Anyway I was reading the comments section of Times on Line...and it struck me I am more qualified to speak about this then anyone else as I nearly lost my own mother when I was 5 the same way. Now I left the truth around 1998 at about the age of 26/27 (escaped via backpacking and can highly reocommend that route out!). It has not occurred to me at all, that I and my brother nearly lost our mother. I am absolutley furious and sad at her. I rang her yesteday for her birthday (yes I am trying to get her to leave)and we talked a bit about it, but it only has hit me in the last half hour. Now do not get me wrong she is as mad as a bag of cats, but she is my bag of cats (is is just witness mums or all mums?)and no child should be denied a mother's love. I am so completely spun out at the moment, I thought I was cured of the witnesses, but I have never thought about this aspect of the whole mess it made of my family. I remember last year when I first found this website and I realised what a crock of shit it was and I was furious and I bent my hubby's ear about how corrupt and bad they were (he was raised a ctholic so he knew that already about all religions ; ) I cannot believe I missed such a huge underlying issue in my childhood. I mean I am fine and all, but imagine is this happened to a more delicate person? This religion is awful. This is going to take few days to process and I feel the need to ring my brothers and sister now! Bloody time difference! (I live in Ireland) How could i possible miss it, perhaps I was not ready to process it yet. PS: Sass My Frass, my aplogies, I was meant to meet up with you last November in Melbourne, and I really wanted to but I was in a very weird place at the time, so apologies I did not follow through with plans to meet up. Hope you are doing are doing well. Hello to all faders, ex-witnesses and anyone just looking form the eastern suburbs of Melbourne...I left you can too!!!!!! Thanks for listening people.

285

UK- JW MINISTERIAL SERVANT SERIAL RAPIST

by DannyHaszard in

man escapes jail for sex attacksbbc news - 1 hour, 42 minutes agoa jehovah's witnesss gets a community sentence for a series of sex assaults on children and adults.man escapes jail for sex attacks porter was put on the sex offenders registera jehovah's witness has escaped a jail term after admitting a series of sexual assaults on children and adults in clevedon.

michael porter, an elder in the religion, pleaded guilty to 24 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency on 13 victims aged 18 months and older.

among the individuals were others involved in the faith.

Stezza

Hi Folks the Sky discussion page has a section on it. Get to it people:

https://messageboards.sky.com/ThreadView1.aspx?ThreadId=3629&Category=UK%20News

This is what I wrote:

Next time the JW's are at your door ask them about the 2 witness rule. This means in thier internal disciplinary procedurees there needs to be two witnesses. Therefore if a child comes forward with a claim about a person in their congregation, there needs to be a second witness for them to be disciplined (in their lingo private reproof, public reproof or disfellowshipping). This, particularly in the case of paedophila, builds in repeat offenders. I was bought up as a witness and the amount of comment in their publications about the Catholic Church and the problems with child abuse, yet the same problem was going on in many congregations around the world. Members are not encouraged to go to authorities as it brings God's name into disrepute and victims are told to 'wait on Jehovah'. With recent changes in legislation about reporting child abuse, this will have changed marginally but victoms are still encouraged to wait on Jehovah's justice.

I left because there was a case of child abuse and it was not reported to the authorities, in this case though the man (use that term loosely) was disfellowshipped. In retrospect that would of been becasue the victim's grandfather and uncle were elders. Not so on this case as he has repented. Study of this crime shows these criminals are repeat offenders and pose a danger to society.

In this case I think the person is only sorry he got caught, not for anything else.

Anyone who holds themselves out in a position of trust such a a teacher, scout leader, clergy or lay clergy should be publicised. There may be a JW or two or an apologist for them come on and say, no one elses religion is mentioned. The JW's through their publications mention the weaknesses of other religions in their publications all the time, when their members do wrong they need to be exposed, as much as anyone else.

If anyone is wondering why the victims are not testifying, there would be unimaginable pressure to forgive and let Jehovah deal with it, these people will be shunned if they do not follow the congregation line.

Anyone who commits this crime and claims to be a man of faith (any faith) is not and cannot even even begin to know anything about love, faith, and dare I say it God.

I know many of you have more information so get to it.

I cannot believe he was not disfellowshipped, repeat offenders like that are not repentent, no matter what they say.

45

UK: JW harasses lesbian co-worker who may get 120,000 pounds

by blondie in

jw
friends

shopworker in line for 120,000 after suffering homophobic bullying05.03.07 add your view.

marlene bielak: suffered months of bullying at the hands of a colleague who disapproved of her homosexual lifestyle.

a lesbian shop assistant is in line for more than 120,000 after leaving her job because of a colleague's taunts about her sexuality.

Stezza

She did win damages £124,000.00 Correct me if I am wrong, but has not this sister brought Reproach to Jehovahs name and because it is in public be at least publicly reproved. Or have the goal posts changed>

21

Was this like Armageddon over Sydney yesterday?

by ozziepost in

been off-air mopping up since last night.

the mother of all storms hit us and quite suddenly - one minute it was hot (as usual lately), the next all went dark and the most violent of thunderstorms hit us.

in a time of drought this was some reversal!

Stezza

FAO Penny My mum rang today, and held my husband hostage for an hour on the phone and she mentioned a really bad hail storm. Mum is always looking for signs of Armageddon and severe weather patterns are a rich vein of conversation and speculation. But seriously of I could send you all the rain in Ireland. I would. In a heartbeat.