MMXIV

Joined

• started 19 topics
• posted 823 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by MMXIV

• 
  45

  Investment departments in Bethel

  by Mikejw in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i was a bethelite in london for many years then got reassigned to the field and then went on brd from the start of chelmsford right upto covid.. during my years at the branch i was sometimes asked to be on a team who went to homes donated to the branch when some older one died.. this happenes an awful lot, everything is left to the branch in the will.

  the unbelieving family is furious they didn’t get left anything and sometimes they tried to get their elderly relatives possessions and there was a legal battle .

  but in the end a team of us would go and empty the property and another team would clean it up and put it on the market to sell it for the worldwide work.. all the possessions were sorted into trash or possibly valuable .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  Very sorry to hear of the demise of Peter Bullock, he was a nice guy. I recall he would mostly wear a 3 piece suit, be super polite and respectful. He drew a little criticism for his study group being on the dull side and his preference for Kingdom hall refurbs being in muted brown/beige colours. Often he'd insist on good materials though, oak rather than pine.
• 
  75

  Apostasy: The Movie - Directed by Daniel Kokotajlo

  by darkspilver in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  daniel kokotajlo's new film apostasy has it's world premiere at the toronto international film festival in september 2017. apostasy.

  family and faith come into conflict for two jehovah’s witness sisters in manchester, when one is condemned for fornication and the other pressured to shun her sibling.. this fresh, unadorned first feature from director dan kokotajlo carries an unmistakable note of authenticity from its very first scenes.

  set in a jehovah's witness community in england, the film's strength and power lies in its directness.. apostasy depicts the growing rift in a family — a mother and two daughters — who are rigorously devoted to their religion.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  I saw Apostasy this evening. It was brutal in what it brought back to me. Seeing it on a huge screen felt like being back at the suffocating environment of the kingdom hall. The actors delivered the screenplay so well, and what a script it is. I wish Daniel Kokotajlo every success as he's been brave enough to cut his teeth on something he knows inside out.

  mmxiv
  
• 
  18

  Jehovah’s Witnesses face child sexual-abuse investigation in Australia - Washington Post article

  by defender of truth in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  of the religious and nonreligious groups being investigated, the jehovahs witnesses are exceptional, experts say.. in a converted office in downtown sydney, the organizations doctrines and practices are being parsed by lawyers, victims and journalists, providing rare insight into one of the christian worlds most conservative churches.. .

  the church, which was founded in pennsylvania during the 1870s to promote a 1st-century interpretation of the bible, has emerged as the least able or willing to deal with sexual abuse within its ranks, said anne cossins, an associate law professor at the university of new south wales and an expert in sex crimes who is a consultant for the inquiry.. .

  i find their approach to the issue and victims extraordinarily bizarre almost medieval, she said in an interview.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  Please post link to article - this is going to be one to keep. Let the world media and analysts do more than the GB ever feared. Thanks

  mmxiv
• 
  75

  If you could ask Geoffrey Jackson one question that he had to answer what would it be?

  by jwleaks in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  what question would you ask geoffrey jackson, as a member of the governing body of jehovah's witnesses, to answer?

  .

  jw leaks.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  Those governing any organisation are responsible for the policies. If there are a significant number of failures in an organisation as a result of the policies then those governing are responsible. When will those governing the JW's admit they are responsible, say sorry, pay damages for the damage they have been responsible for and step down. When?
• 
  25

  New BBC article on JW abuse

  by snare&racket in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is religion doing enough to root out abuse?.

  he would go upstairs, on the premise that he was saying a prayer with his niece, then sexually abuse her.

  mark sewell was sentenced to 14 years in prisonafterwards, the elders told her that as it was only her account against that of sewell, nothing more could be done.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  This is the kind of article that JW's in the UK will accidently start reading. They will know about the two witness rule, JC's, shunning for having a worldly girlfriend or boyfriend. Might even make a few think. Another mainstream simple clear summary that creates awareness.

  mmxiv
• 
  32

  BBC radio Prog " The Report" this week on JW Child Abuse

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0612hjs.

  to be broadcast at 20.00 hrs british summer time this thursday, available on bbc i-player shortly after broadcast..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  The BBC are not letting this coverage slip. The story of abuse in religion will run and run whilst the major religions continue to make statements of apology - a glaring silence from WBTS other than "they take it very seriously".

  mmxiv
• 
  28

  JW Child Abuse Makes 'Private Eye'

  by Joe Grundy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  following on from the recent thread about wt losing an appeal concerning the uk charity commission (sorry, i can't do the link) i'm pleased to report that this matter is covered in the latest 'private eye' (20 march - 2 april issue).. it's a one-third page article (p.34) under the heading 'child abuse' and the headline 'silent witnesses'.

  it reports the case accurately, mentions several criminal cases and the ongoing high court compensation case.

  it includes some of judge mckenna's comments..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  I bought a couple of copies. The charity commission will monitor such media interest so can only help the cause. Well done.

  mmxiv
• 
  76

  WT loses appeal in UK!!!!!!!

  by Viva la Vida in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  the wt lost its appeals regarding the charity commission inquiry.

  here is the ruling:.

  http://www.charity.tribunals.gov.uk/documents/decisions/watch-tower-ruling-03mar15.pdf.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  VAT status is not dependent on being a charity so no risk there. The charity commission would lay down steps for any non compliant charity to become compliant. This may be a change of some trustees or introducing new processes. Mainstream churches are still charities despite safeguarding issues as they put in the effort to change.

  I suspect the WBTS will simply change a few processes in the UK about how they conduct JC's - what language is used so basically more work and worry for the elders. But this will hopefully bring about a change for those poor victims being interrogated by abusers in a kangaroo court.

  mmxiv

  ps been a while since I could login
• 
  1

  Has anyone complained to Charity Commission & Got Results?

  by tezrichmond in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  seen a lot of folk say they have filed complaints to the charity commission (in uk) over one thing or another.

  seen some action on youtube too of ex-jw's that made complaints too.

  has anyone had any success with charity commission or are they just typical government departments that don't do anything about anything?.

  1. 
• 

  MMXIV

  The charity commission have limited resources and 160,000+ charities to manage - the WBTS being just one of those. That's a unbelievably huge task and they have set up a framework of transparency to ensure demonstration of public benefit. In terms of investigations funding terrorism is a key area of their focus as well as the issue that seems to be a clear weak point for JW's - child safeguarding. They are investigating a case (that went to court and been covered in the national media and somewhere on JWN) so they take issues seriously.

  Until they do something specifically illegal where their finances are concerned (in the UK they tend to have a more simple model of paying for bethel UK, printing operations with some funds going to USA via transfer pricing which is acceptable and payments for some overseas activities in Africa) it's more likely their medical stance on blood or historic child safeguarding policies that will create issues.

  The area that I've seen questioned repeatedly on JWN is that of public benefit - many being outraged at how JW's actually deliver public benefit? But for as long as religions are allowed a tax exempt status in the UK - then JW's fall quite squarely into that category. I understand it can be very frustrating given how damaging the WBTS is to youth prospects (education being damned), shunning, health, mental health... need I say more?

  mmxiv
• 
  3

  Washington Post Review: New novel with Jehovah's Witness family as characters

  by Balaamsass2 in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  books.

  review: the children act, by ian mcewan puts beliefs of jehovahs witnesses on trial share on facebookshare on twittershare on google plusshare via emailmore optionsresize textprint articlecomments0.

  "the children act" by ian mcewan (nan a. talese/nan a. talese) by ron charlesseptember 2 at 5:18 pm.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  MMXIV

  Ian also acknowledges a JW barrister Richard Daniel who was/is based at Bittacy Hill, UK.