I've received another email from my anonymous source. He's given me some of the names and some potential resources to check out. I'll see if he is OK with me putting up a graphic of the court filing. Some of you may recognize names from that.
Juan Viejo2
JoinedPosts by Juan Viejo2
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Menlo Park (CA - USA) Kingdom Hall
by Juan Viejo2 ini received an anonymous email over at ex-jw.com that had an attached legal filing.
the first couple of pages seemed to be standard legal filings, but the rest of the pages looked like standard typed documentation (not in numbered double-spaced legal format.
) i'm not quite sure what to make of it, so wonder if anyone here has heard of it.
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Menlo Park (CA - USA) Kingdom Hall
by Juan Viejo2 ini received an anonymous email over at ex-jw.com that had an attached legal filing.
the first couple of pages seemed to be standard legal filings, but the rest of the pages looked like standard typed documentation (not in numbered double-spaced legal format.
) i'm not quite sure what to make of it, so wonder if anyone here has heard of it.
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Juan Viejo2
Gayle - I'm sure that is one that my former JW friend was referring to. It's large and well-equipped. I wonder how much of that $250K will filter back into the membership of the old congregation that was there? Will it go toward building a new KH in the same general area? My guess is that the WT will just put another quarter-million tax free dollars in its treasury.
Mrs. Jones - thanks for the response. I agree, asking about this could open up a nasty situation for you. I'd never ask that of you. On the other hand, maybe we have someone else in that area that is semi-suicidal and just doesn't care...
JV
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Menlo Park (CA - USA) Kingdom Hall
by Juan Viejo2 ini received an anonymous email over at ex-jw.com that had an attached legal filing.
the first couple of pages seemed to be standard legal filings, but the rest of the pages looked like standard typed documentation (not in numbered double-spaced legal format.
) i'm not quite sure what to make of it, so wonder if anyone here has heard of it.
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Juan Viejo2
Mrs. Jones,
I knew that and intended to make a postscript asking about your connection there. Do you know how that KH was organized? Do you have any contacts (ex or JW) that might communicate with me on this issue?
JV
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Menlo Park (CA - USA) Kingdom Hall
by Juan Viejo2 ini received an anonymous email over at ex-jw.com that had an attached legal filing.
the first couple of pages seemed to be standard legal filings, but the rest of the pages looked like standard typed documentation (not in numbered double-spaced legal format.
) i'm not quite sure what to make of it, so wonder if anyone here has heard of it.
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Juan Viejo2
I received an anonymous email over at Ex-JW.com that had an attached legal filing. The first couple of pages seemed to be standard legal filings, but the rest of the pages looked like standard typed documentation (not in numbered double-spaced legal format.) I'm not quite sure what to make of it, so wonder if anyone here has heard of it. The anonymous sender said he "found it on another web site..." - but didn't give me a clue as to which site that might be.
I searched Google for the keywords, but nothing came up - which is very unusual if there is anything at all to what this guy sent me. The legal documents were apparently filed in August, 2010.
The documents lay out a complaint against a "branch manager," "a newly appointed district manager," and others. The plaintiffs appear to be the current group of elders in the Menlo Park, CA KH, who are also referred to as "stockholders."
On the one hand, the complaint says that the WT Society is trying to force them to remodel the Kingdom Hall against their wishes. On the other hand, it says that they've been told that they must merge their congregation in with the Redwood City (CA - USA). The locals have apparently decided to take a stand.
The situation seems similar to the Bonham, Texas events of several years ago.
If there is an existing group of "stockholders" who helped build the Menlo Park KH back in the day, then it looks like they are filing this complaint to protect their investment. If the alleged facts are true, then this looks like another case where the WT wants to grab another piece of paid-for property in a high value area and force the members to travel several miles to share an existing KH.
If anyone here has more information, or can confirm the general allegations of the filing, please let me know. I'd like to investigate this further and maybe post an article on Ex-JW.com.
A friend of mine who was raised in Nebraska recently told me that they are closing several of the KHs in that state, making the faithful travel 25-40 miles to go to their merged KHs. In some cases they are building new ones and then merging two or three others into it. On the other hand, long distance travel in Nebraska during the winter can be brutal and dangerous.
Any information you can offer to enlighten me would be appreciated.
Juan Viejo (aka "exjwdotcommie")
P.S. This was also posted over at JWR earlier. Any info would be appreciated.
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What's your all-time favorite Song by musician ? Name Song and Artist
by flipper inflipper again.
personally my all time favorite song?
stairway to heaven by led zeppelin.one of my top favorite groups ,too.
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Juan Viejo2
On the pop side, "What a Fool Believes," by the Doobies - written and performed by Michael McDonald.
The one that absolutely stops me in my tracks and gets me every time is this one:
Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman - Time to say goodbye
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Your favorite JW'isms...."Brother leave it in Jehovah's hands" Post yours.
by UnConfused inbring back the memories.
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Juan Viejo2
"Spare the rod, spoil the child..."
Heard a lot in the 1940s-1970s! What do they say now? Haul the kid outside or to the ladies room?
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Juan Viejo2
Remember when mothers would always tell their daughters (before a date) to be sure and "wear clean underwear in case you're in an accident"?
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The 3 Stark Choices of Individual Witnesses
by metatron inthere's been a lot of comment on this site about witnesses becoming more blind and fanatical and eagerly willing to believe anything the glorious masters of time and space, grand poobah, bright as a labrador retriever, governing frauds tell them.. but it really comes down to 3 stark choices.
the more reality intrudes on the lives of individual witnesses, the more they will be driven into some combination of these catagories:.
1) dumber - the most popular choice.
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Juan Viejo2
I offer one more sub-category of Jehovah's Witnesses, a very small group, but far more influential than their numbers would indicate.
4) Rich and famous rock and roll, movie actor, sports star who profess to be Jehovah's Witnesses. As long as these folks pour money into the Watchtower coffers, the rules and guidelines set down for the common JW folks are waived for these people. While many of the rich and famous maintain relatively low profiles when it involves their private lives, most of these folks do not go out and loudly profess their connections to the JWs (George Benson, Dave Meyers, among others). On the other hand, others are in your face, self-important, spoiled, over-the-top and often ignorant of the fine points of being a JW. Many of these folks make even their fans wince at times, but the WT rarely says or does anything to condemn them (Prince, Serena Williams). In fact, the WT often publicly professes ignorance as to their membership status, while accepting huge monetary contributions from them.
I choose not to judge these people for their own lifestyles or ability to earn huge sums of money in the entertainment industry - good for them. I judge the Watchtower for being hypocritical about how they treat these people vs. the Joe Average publisher who makes $40,000 a year and works at some mundane clerical job.
All you have to do is look at the waivers and special treatment that Michael Jackson's mother seems to get in spite of the fact that most of her kids are DA'd or DF'd. I think she is a good person and a decent grandmother - but she gets so many waivers from the JWs for practices that would get anyone else called on the carpet.
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Disrespect of the Bible
by brotherdan ini am going to get a lot of flack for this post, but i need to do it.
i want to preface this by saying that i don't judge any of you and i believe in the right of freedom of speech and freedom of religion, including your freedom to not practice one.. however, i'm finding a trend among some ex jws here.
notice the word "some".
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Juan Viejo2
One Sunday morning back in the late 1950s, I was out in field service in an upscale neighborhood of Riverside, California. I had my clamshell bookbag filled to the brim with magazines and a couple of recent books. I also had my personal leatherette covered copy of the NWT along with a hardcover copy to place.
I went to the front door of this very fancy home. A man in his late 40s answered the door and politely listened to my usual opening spiel and then invited me in. "How old are you, young man?" he asked.
"I'm fourteen."
He looked at my leatherette covered NWT. "That's a nice Bible you have there. Have you ever read it from cover to cover?"
"Not completely, but most of it, I guess."
He asked me if I'd ever read the King James Version. I replied that I had, and pulled out my small leather covered copy that was buried deep down in my bookbag. He then asked me if I could understand the language of the KJV. I told him that I could, but reading the NWT was much easier.
He then invited me over to a bookcase that was filled with pricey legal books and premium bound versions of the classics. On the top shelf was a copy of what appeared to be a large family Bible, with rich leather, gilded edges and a very impressive ribbon bookmark. Next to it was a beautifully bound copy of "The Complete Works of Shakespeare." He then asked me if I'd ever read Shakespeare.
"No. Not really. But I've seen the movies of Hamlet, MacBeth, and Richard III."
"Here, I want to trade with you. You give me that copy of your New World Translation - and I'll give you this copy of Shakespeare. One condition: You must swear to me that you will read this book as faithfully as you read your Bible. I guarantee that you will learn far more about life and history from this book than you ever will reading the Bible."
Clearly the book he was giving me was worth at least $50 to $100. Mine was worth maybe $5 - if it was brand new, which it was not. "That would be very nice of you sir," I said, "but not fair - as your book is so much nicer than mine."
"I'm an attorney and do very well financially. I can certainly afford to replace this book any time I want. I like you very much and you seem to be an intelligent young man. Do me the honor of accepting my book. I'll know that if you read it and learn from it - that I will have given you something priceless."
I promised that I would read his book of Shakespeare and cherish it. We made the swap, shook hands, and I was on my way.
I kept that book for over 30 years and it was always within reach, usually on my bedside table. He was absolutely right - I did learn far more from that book of Shakespeare than I ever did from reading the Bible. Whenever a Shakespeare movie would come on the TV, I would follow the dialogue in my book as the actors spoke their lines. I was heartbroken when my ex-wife gave it to the Goodwill along with most of my other possesions.
Reading the NWT is like reading high school or community college level poetry compared to the KJV. While the language of the KJV is beautiful, the sonnets and plays of Shakespeare ring with truth and clarity - exposing human conflict, expressing love, desire, and courage - far better than the Bible does. Only Psalms, Proverbs and Song of Solomon compare favorably to Shakespeare.
The difference in the two books is that the Bible presents fictional stories and legends as "truth" - while Shakespeare presents characters and events based on actual history as "fictional."
That attorney I met that Sunday morning over 50 years ago was right. I did learn more from Shakespeare...
I don't feel that the Bible deserves any more respect than any other book - and certainly not to the honored level it is accorded, even by unbelievers, in the USA and Europe.
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Everyone here should see this video
by Juan Viejo2 ini'm sure that many of you here are familiar with ted.org.
if you're not, you should check it out.
there is a wealth of information on every kind of subject located there.. i stumbled across this short (6 minute) talk by a former moonie turned deprogrammer.
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Juan Viejo2
Good one, Sweeney!