Posts by GLTirebiter

26

Losing my religion

by vikesgirl101 in

howdy!

i have been out of the jw's for about five years now.

it has been about four years since i've posted.

Article: It's Time to Outlaw Extreme Shunning in Modern Society

by AndersonsInfo in

http://gilmermirror.com/bookmark/23272594/article-extreme%20shunning#.ufwjurllscm.facebook.

extreme shunningthe gilmer mirror.

its time to outlaw extreme shunning in modern society by: richard e. kelly .

Even if they pass a law against the shunning, that will not stop the attitude behind the practice. The lack of love and concern will show through even as they go through the motions of being "family" to appease the authorities. The point is to punish; if they cannot overtly banish, they will find other ways to inflict the pain. The sinister aspect of the Watchtower shunning policy is that it teaches members, especially children, that such behavior is not only acceptable, but also admirable--and mandatory.

153

Shocking talk from 2013 District Convention urges parents to shun disfellowshipped children

by cedars in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yldwe_6jsu.

.

cedars.

GLTirebiter

Regarding family members who oppose us, or family members who are disfellowshipped...

An interesting point there: according to his words, you don't have to be a current or former Witness to be shunned. All that is necessary is to "oppose us", where "us" means the Watchtower Society. I knew that to be true, being a non-witness who married a JW, but this is the first time I have seen them say so in as many words.

About the "head of household" exception: don't bet on it, that only applies to "necessary familly business". Necesssity is subject to change without notice, at the whim of the ones doing the shunning.

Thank you Cedars, great work!

67

Anyone want to guess the name of our future king

by barry in

jw
friends

my guess is henry.

GLTirebiter

Louis

7

Savage Dog attack JW victim is back to House to House Preaching

by Scott77 in

.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/dog_attack_victim_recovering_back_to_jehovahs_witness/20130629_11_a1_cutlin782235?subj=1.

.

GLTirebiter

an 80-pound pit bull burst through the front door of a house in the 200 block of N. Lewis Place and attacked her ministry companion and longtime friend, Irene Parker, 78... Wright grabbed a baseball bat from the dog's owner who was standing by screaming... The attack ended when a man working two blocks away heard the screams, grabbed a gun from his truck, distracted and shot the dog.

That is sick! What kind of person lets their dog attack an old woman, then does not physically stop their dog, waiting so long that help could arrive from two blocks away?

91

Open letter Re: Mr. Bowen, Mrs. Anderson

by Prime in

"jws leaders need to mandate elder bodies to uniformly report abuse to the authorities no matter what jurisdiction; prohibit elders from being involved in any investigative process to decide guilt or innocence in place of the authorities; do away with the two-witness rule to determine, as if they were magistrates, guilt or innocence of someone accused; prohibit so-called repentant molesters from engaging in the door-to-door ministry, and always inform the congregation if a convicted or confessed molester is meeting with them.

" -barbara anderson .

this is another reason why the watchtower society doesn't require that the elders uniformly report abuse to the authorities no matter what jurisdiction.

GLTirebiter

"Most states have child-abuse reporting laws that, depending on the facts, mandate elders to report an accusation to the authorities. Thus, when elders learn of an accusation of child abuse, two elders from their congregation should immediately call the Legal Department for legal advice."

The law requires reporting to the proper authorities, not to your attorney, nor to the Watchtower Society's attorneys. Seeking advice from the legal department is a risky move. Consider these (rhetorical) questions:

Does the Watchtower Legal Department employ attorneys admitted to the bar in every state, territory, province, and country where this policy is in effect?
Are those attorneys competent to practice this particular legal specialty in each of those places?
If not, why do they insist on offering legal advice to citizens in all those jurisdictions?
Should there be any conflict of interest, are the Watchtower legal department obligated to protect the interests of the Watchtower Society, or the interests of the elders seeking their legal assistance?
If the authorities decide that the reporting requirement has not been met, who is the first person will they hold responsible?

480

Zimmerman Not guilty

by mouthy in

GLTirebiter

I think sanctions are in order for the state attorney. Her office withheld evidence from the defense, then she fired an employee who had doubts about that, who consulted a private attorney, and who (based on that legal advice) made the withholding of evidence known to the defense. Think prosectuorial misconduct. Think retaliatory firing.

91

Open letter Re: Mr. Bowen, Mrs. Anderson

by Prime in

"jws leaders need to mandate elder bodies to uniformly report abuse to the authorities no matter what jurisdiction; prohibit elders from being involved in any investigative process to decide guilt or innocence in place of the authorities; do away with the two-witness rule to determine, as if they were magistrates, guilt or innocence of someone accused; prohibit so-called repentant molesters from engaging in the door-to-door ministry, and always inform the congregation if a convicted or confessed molester is meeting with them.

" -barbara anderson .

this is another reason why the watchtower society doesn't require that the elders uniformly report abuse to the authorities no matter what jurisdiction.

GLTirebiter

That's why I stated; “What authority gives this woman or the administrative position of Jehovah's Witnesses the right to require more from the elders than the federal government?”

You really do miss the point! The document I quoted was produced by the federal government; the link I included to that document is to a federal government web site where they describe which state laws apply--what residents of the various states are required to do. Are you saying the federal Department of Health and Human Services doesn't know what they are talking about?

91

Open letter Re: Mr. Bowen, Mrs. Anderson

by Prime in

"jws leaders need to mandate elder bodies to uniformly report abuse to the authorities no matter what jurisdiction; prohibit elders from being involved in any investigative process to decide guilt or innocence in place of the authorities; do away with the two-witness rule to determine, as if they were magistrates, guilt or innocence of someone accused; prohibit so-called repentant molesters from engaging in the door-to-door ministry, and always inform the congregation if a convicted or confessed molester is meeting with them.

" -barbara anderson .

this is another reason why the watchtower society doesn't require that the elders uniformly report abuse to the authorities no matter what jurisdiction.

GLTirebiter

What authority gives this woman or the administrative position of Jehovah's Witnesses the right to require more from the elders than the federal government?

That is a ridiculous statement, because it is not a matter of federal law. The governments of the states and territories make the laws regarding child abuse and requiring it to be reported.

From a US government summary [pdf, approx. 500KB] of the states' mandatory reporting laws [my emphasis added via boldface]:

"All States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have statutes identifying persons who are required to report child maltreatment under specific circumstances."

"The circumstances under which a mandatory reporter must make a report vary from State to State. Typically, a report must be made when the reporter, in his or her official capacity, suspects or has reasons to believe that a child has been abused or neglected."

"The clergy-penitent privilege is also widely affirmed, although that privilege usually is limited to confessional communications and, in some States, denied altogether."

[Judicial committee meetings do not have the expectation of privacy associated with a confessional because they involve more people other than the penitent and a minister, emphasising the singular "a"]

"Approximately 18 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and the Virgin Islands currently require mandatory reporters to provide their names and contact information, either at the time of the initial oral report or as part of a written report. [footnote] California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Vermont have this requirement."

[In those states, including several of the most populous states and the headquarters of the Watchtower Society, an anonymous call from a pay phone will not meet the legal requirement for notification.]

44

Newly wed UBM and soon to meet JW in-laws

by UBM101 in

i have been lurking here for a couple of years.

my hubby (inactive & some doubts) and i were just married and i'll be going to his place to meet his family (pretty much dubs).

they seem to be friendly and excited to meet me, and i kind of had agreed to attend the kingdumb hall meeting once (in my life time, yep, that's the agreement) and also meeting an elder who brain-washed my hubby during his teen.

GLTirebiter

1. I'll be love bombed by his family, and perharps some of his remaining dubby "friends" and if we go to the congregation, from the congregation of course

Yes, that will happen.

2. Indoctrination - endless talk about the Bible, Satan, paganism etc

Maybe, but they probably will go easy the first few times to make a good impression. It is more likely that all conversation leads to Watchtower topics: who is giving a talk, where will we stay for the District Converntion, who signed up for pioneering school, what are you doing at the quick build, why somebody has been disfellowshipped (gossip!), along with some condescending talk about the state of the world, the country and government (not blatantly negative, more of a tsk-tsk-tsk and a nod of the head).

My hubby and I are planing to move away from the place where his family are, and now it seems like the parents are trying hard to change his mind.

Personal experience: even if yhour husband really means to keep your agreement about the Wathtower religion, even if he means to move furtheer away from their influence, he will be under immense pressure to do the opposite. In the eyes of Witnesses, his only hope of temporal and eternal happiness is to get back in the Kingdom Hall and toe the Wathtower line--and to bring you with him. The pressure will be a relentless guilt trip bearing down on him. He needs all the support you can give him! Do not underestimate the power of their emotional weapons. Before long, he will face the choice of keeping the agreement, or keeping contact with his own family.

I wish you the best, and pray that you are prepared to face this challenge!

Recommend reading (from the freeminds web site):

Dating a lapsed Jehovah's Witness (still relevant, even when you're past the "dating" phase)

Disfellowshipping

Marriage in the Watchtower