Posts by JeffT

110

Jehovah’s Witness who posted criticisms on Reddit can remain anonymous, judge rules

by Tameria2001 in

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/jehovah-s-witness-who-posted-criticisms-on-13855357.php.

i had this article pop up about the darksilver case.

it says a federal magistrate in san francisco has now ruled that darksilver can remain anonymous but then it says except for identification to lawyers for the religion’s watchtower publication.

JeffT

Contrary to popular opinion the courts (both attorney's and judges) have to work within the framework of the law. Attorney must stick to the facts of the case (in this instance copyright law). Judges have to stick to deciding the issue in front of them. For example if I get rear ended by a JW and sue him because he dosen't have any insurance, I can't attack him in court over his religion. Also keep in mind before the actual trial, attorney's do a lot of jockeying for position. That's what is going on here, nothing has been decided yet in relation to the actual case.

Incidently, I'm pretty sure you don't have any legal right to hide your identity if you choose to go public with information. People fighting the WTBS should keep that in mind, and remember that the WTBS sees all of us as an existential threat. They might be right about that.

110

Jehovah’s Witness who posted criticisms on Reddit can remain anonymous, judge rules

by Tameria2001 in

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/jehovah-s-witness-who-posted-criticisms-on-13855357.php.

i had this article pop up about the darksilver case.

it says a federal magistrate in san francisco has now ruled that darksilver can remain anonymous but then it says except for identification to lawyers for the religion’s watchtower publication.

JeffT

Does anybody know if the WTBS' lawyers are JW's themselves or some outside firm? They are running the risk of loosing their licenses to practice law if Darkspliver's identity becomes known. They (or the WTBS) could be found in contempt as well. Judges expect their rulings to be followed to the letter, if I was one of the WTBS' lawyers, I would not be a happy camper right now. There is a very real risk that Darkspliver's identity will become known through some other means, and the judge will assume the lawyers did it.

1

US Treasury Dept to accuse Vietnam of manipulating its Dong.

by JeffT in

yes, that is what it says.

.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-05-09/us-treasury-expands-currency-probe-may-name-vietnam-dong-manipulator.

JeffT

Yes, that is what it says.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-05-09/us-treasury-expands-currency-probe-may-name-vietnam-dong-manipulator

11

No More After 34 (2034)

by blondie in

jw
friends

my husband and i were discussing the rally cry shortly before 1975, stay alive in 75 (1975), some here believe that the end might come in 2034 (some tongue in cheek) counting 120 years from 1914 the same internal between when god supposedly pronounced judgment on the people on the earth before the flood would come.. so it could be, no more after 34. i thought it was good and funny at the same time..

JeffT

Funny saying, however I think the 120 years business is already dead. The Watchtower began publication in 1879. One hundred and twenty years of preaching would have ended in 1999. This prophecy is already past its pull date.

58

Do You Support a Sex Strike?

by minimus in

jw
friends

alyssa milano is saying that women have to go on a sex strike to take control of their bodies.

what do you think about this?.

JeffT

@Minimus

Aristophanes wrote "Lysistrata" in 411 BC. It's a comedy about a woman trying to end the Peloponesian Wars by organizing a sex strike among the women of Athens.

58

Beautiful New "Kingdom Hall"

by Sea Breeze in

these images were posted on one of my fb news feeds.

they are legit.

looks like an upscale commercial bldg.

JeffT

I never said the changes would be "progressive" I just think it would be a good opportunity to make changes. Historically, the WTBS, has made changes to all sorts of things (doctrine, prophecy, administration, etc) about as often as most of us change our socks. Getting rid of a lot of weak members would make the changes easier.

I still don't think these new designs are going to be money-makers. Either the WTBS is not planning on trying to resell these ugly-ass buildings for lots of money; or they have the worst real estate advisors in the world.

29

Why doesn't the Watchtower Society never study the Bible cover to cover?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

in the 40 years as a jehovah's witness, i never read the bible cover to cover.

the three meetings a week were broken up with book studies, awake and watchtower magazines,and ministry& field service meetings, all written by the watchtower society.

never did we read any chapters from genesis to revelation and discuss the true meaning of what we just read.

JeffT

They may read it in order, but they don't study it. For about twenty years after we left the Watchtower my wife and I went to a mainstream Christain church. Every week there was a about a half hour sermon that was entirely based on a book of the Bible. It would take weeks to go through even a short book.

There is a reason JW's don't do that. The Watchtower's method of interpretation is to bounce around the Bible pulling verses out of context and without regard to what sort of book (history, poetry, prophecy) it is, who the author was, or the intended audience. The Germans have an expression "Kreuz und Quer" "Cross and cross" or perhaps "back and forth." I first heard that when I was doing my exit research. It perfectly captures the way the Witnesses look at the Bible.

58

Beautiful New "Kingdom Hall"

by Sea Breeze in

these images were posted on one of my fb news feeds.

they are legit.

looks like an upscale commercial bldg.

JeffT

I think you may be on to something here. However, I think the long term goal may be to completely rebuild the religion once they've eliminated the people most likely to complain. It would give them a way of dodging lawsuits over a change in blood doctrine, and reset the clock (or get rid of it) regarding the approach of Armageddon.

19

Scanning and Sending Medical Records Through Emails--Circuit Overseer Letter!

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

atlantis, do you have the circuit overseer's letter, where they say they scan and send your medical records through emails?

isn't that against the law?.

you would need to speak with those on the board with legal knowledge on that subject, because i am not qualified in such legal matters.

JeffT

Wasanelder: If that was before 1996 I'm not sure what the law was. HIPAA became law in that year. Under HIPAA the docs would have had to have either your father's signature on a form to release information to you, or a HIPAA release as part of a Health Care Power of Attorney in his will.

14

Money Laundering

by Solzhenitsyn in

well friends how about another update straight from the mole in the treasurers office?

fact: tens of thousands of bethelites have taken a vow of poverty and live/work in branches all over the world.

fact: they all get a stipend based on local need, "cost of living", tenure, ect.

JeffT

I'm a retired accountant.

None of this makes any sense, nothing you describe is "money laundering." In the U S gifts from one inidividual to another are not taxable. If the WTBS is taking money sent to individuals without their permission its called "stealing."