Paralipomenon

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Posts by Paralipomenon

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  11

  how long will it take for the r&f to realise what this letter means?

  by purrpurr in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  most of them at the hall will be half asleep as usual.

  and the letter is worded very cleverly it just barely skims and hints at what's to come with the halls being sold off.

  how many in the halls will realise what it means?

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  Paralipomenon

  When I lived in out west, there was a "megahall" that was two levels high and served 5 congregations. Two full auditoriums complete with seperate entrances and their own secondary "schools". While it was quite new, it needed a A/V overhaul and a new roof. The congregations all took a pledge for $400k for the work.

  A couple of months after the work was done, the Watchtower redrew the congregation boundries and one of the congregations was moved out of the hall into a small, old run down hall further away.

  Oh, people were livid! They complained about the CO, the other elders, some of our elders were raising a riot about how unChristian it was, especially since they were reminded on how our congregation would still need to honor our pledge for donations for a hall we no longer attended. This was new for me, I hadn't ever seen elders openly speaking out against "mother".

  I was smiling on the inside as I listened to these elders, wondering if the whole congregation would defect.

  Fast forward a week and the first meeting in the new hall had the very same elder that was spitting venom a week earlier gave the opening talk about how blessed we were and how he had heard "grumblings" and that they had no place in Jehovah's organization.

  jaw - floor.

  This is how I expect it will play out. There will be outrage, followed by mass acceptance. They are sheep afterall.
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  19

  Why the WTBTS is liable for Sex Abuse Cases

  by Coded Logic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the problem isn't just that kids are getting raped by people in their congregation.

  the problem's also that anytime someone has "serrious charges" brought against them the elders add notes to that jws publisher file.

  and, if the elders don't take the matter to the police or, as is often the case, tell the victims families not to take it to the police either, this establishes a level of accountability.. take daniel fitzwater for example.

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  Paralipomenon

  The policy is to call Bethel Legal for direction.

  By taking ownership over any congregational decision on abuse, they open themselves to liability as well. If the decision was just at the congregation level and Watchtower HQ was not involved at all, then it would be more difficult to prove a link.

  In my research into the topic, cases where the abuse occured by a family member within a home cannot be linked back to the Watchtower for liability. However you can't have things both ways, that is, force people to follow your legal advice while claiming immunity from liability.

  Such in the case of Candice Conti, the abuse was originally by the abuser in his home and was discovered and reported to the elders. The decision was made by Bethel Legal to not contact authorities, remove him from a position of authority and to keep careful watch over his actions.

  They did not watch close enough and he was allowed to go in field service with young children without supervision. When Candice was abused, it was due to negligence by the local elders following the dircetion of Bethel Legal.

  Really, I don't know why they don't just change their policy to one that states any accusation of abuse is REQUIRED to be reported to authorities, THEN they can have their judicial committee. Removing themselves from the policing part of the equation, a convicted pedophile would be on a sex offender's registery for all parents to check.

  Seems silly not to.
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  118

  Christian Pastors ORDERED to Marry Gays or Face JAIL TIME & FINES $$$

  by oneyeopen in

  1. social
  2. current

  o.k just worked out how to start a new post/thread, just came across this and wanted to share with anyone that may be interested.. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/20/idaho-citys-ordinance-tells-pastors-to-marry-gays-/.

  coeur dalene, idaho, city officials have laid down the law to christian pastors within their community, telling them bluntly via an ordinance that if they refuse to marry homosexuals, they will face jail time and fines.. read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/20/idaho-citys-ordinance-tells-pastors-to-marry-gays-/#ixzz3ibe4kyvq follow us: @washtimes on twitter.

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  Paralipomenon

  I'm pretty familiar with the bible, and I don't recall any stipulations about who priests can marry, or a punishment associated with doing so.

  If a pastor doesn't approve of gay marriage, why not just do a basic wedding sign up akin to a court wedding?

  The law is saying "don't be a bigot" and people are replying "but we want to be bigots". Where is the angst about marrying a hetrosexual couple who have been living commonlaw? Or second marriage after a "unscriptural" divorce?

  I just don't understand why churches makes exceptions for different "sins" and not others?
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  300

  ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

  (published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

  thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

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  Paralipomenon

  Paralipomenon, thanks for sharing what you could about your friend. Please keep us posted to developments.

  It has been eye opening for sure. If it goes to trial I'll link it in right away.
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  34

  comment from an uber dub regarding the $13.5 sex abuse case will just blow you away.

  by joe134cd in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i was talking to an uber dub friend last night who lives in the san diego area.

  he knew nothing of the $13.5 million dollar law suit.

  when i tried to tell him that this is a systemic problem, and that this could perhaps be the tip of the ice burgh.

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  Paralipomenon

  @Just Kidding - You use the exact same avatar as my wife here. It freaks me out every time I see it.
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  300

  ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

  (published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

  thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

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  Paralipomenon

  Reports of secret pedophile databases here have never been confirmed.

  You mean other than a BBC interview which confirmed its existence but not the number of names in it?

  I also have never read an elder coming forth publicly with what WT Legal told him to do.

  You should ask Bill Bowden why he left the Witnesses. (spoiler alert: it invalidates your comment)

  Seriously, you should really read up on this topic before speaking in absolutes. It makes you look foolish.
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  300

  ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

  (published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

  thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

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  Paralipomenon

  If you come forward in your forties, money is probably a factor.

  Amazing. So in one post you are complaining about generalizations people make about lawyers, then you make this comment, generalizing victims of abuse?!?

  I happen to know someone in his forties that is currently going through legislation against the Watchtower and I have to bite my tongue not to divulge details about the proceedings as they are not public in the slightest, even though the case has some unique details that would amaze posters here. I do however have insight into why he filed.

  He was raised a Witness and while he left, he was still somewhat mentally trapped. The whole system had failed to protect him as a child. The elders, the CO, even eventually his parents. He came to terms that somehow he was to blame for the abuse since nobody seemed to care to protect him. Eventually he got on with his life until reconnecting with my wife and I who turned him towards ex-Witness sites such as this.

  He had told us of his abuse and was encouraged to see people starting to stand up to the Organization and contacted a lawyer who took on his case. To put it mildly, it is shocking to hear a blow by blow account of the Watchtower's legal system and some of the underhanded things they try and it it hasn't even gone to court yet!

  Maybe you can only see dollar signs, but for some it is about finally being able to stand up for themselves and to stop being a victim. For him, at least, it is hitting the Watchtower in the only place where they feel pain, in the wallet.
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  300

  ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

  (published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

  thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

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  Paralipomenon

  13 million hurts, but I think they know that in today's information age I think the cost of putting a member of the GB on the stand, under oath would be much more damaging.

  they will exhaust any number of appeals they can to get out of paying, but at the end of the day, I think any court will require them to produce what the court requested before ruling in their favor.

  on the flip side, it could be a strategy. If they use these judgements as proof that Satan is attacking Jehovah's people, they could roll out a new financial policy to accept tithing. Witnesses would eagerly sign up for this for easy paradise points forfighting against the Devil. After it is in place, they start to quietly comply with court orders and while they may have paid a large amount in the short term, they would then have a massive new revenue stream.
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  300

  ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

  (published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

  thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

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  Paralipomenon

  Barbara Anderson is free to write whatever she wants. The fact is that it isn't over until it is over. Do the victory dance when the final appeal is exhausted and the plaintiff has the money in the plaintiff's bank (and the contingency fee lawyers are in heaven with their cut of the damages).

  I don't think anyone is naive enough to think these court cases will bring the downfall of the Watchtower. However, it puts them back in the news with a massive PR hit that will negatively impact their recruitment as well as wake some people up.

  You can't put a price tag on that. To me, that is worth doing a victory dance for.
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  10

  watch towers child abuse payouts

  by Zordino in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  if you had to guess, how much do you think wt pays out in child abuse settlements every year on a world wide scale?

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  Paralipomenon

  Only figure I have heard with any authority was the case several years ago that was settled out of court for roughly $700,000 per defendant. I think there was about 14 if I recall.

  This one was rather high profile and the Watchtower needed to close it up so I would suspect it would be higher than their normal payout.