Listener

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  34

  Latest from Australian Royal Commission

  by gerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  just received this update.

  http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e90fa1e64ebb08847cc04916&id=fcec86ae2b&e=0670c7af59.

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  Listener

  The powers of the Commissioner are restricted to the terms of reference which are established by the Government prior to commencement.
  
  The terms of reference can be found here

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  http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/about-us/terms-of-reference
  
  This is part of those terms and basically states that they have been given the power to make enquiries and recommendations. Any legislative changes must then come from the Government.

  to inquire into institutional responses to allegations and incidents of child sexual abuse and related matters, and in particular, without limiting the scope of your inquiry, the following matters:
  a. what institutions and governments should do to better protect children against child sexual abuse and related matters in institutional contexts in the future;
  b. what institutions and governments should do to achieve best practice in encouraging the reporting of, and responding to reports or information about, allegations, incidents or risks of child sexual abuse and related matters in institutional contexts;
  c. what should be done to eliminate or reduce impediments that currently exist for responding appropriately to child sexual abuse and related matters in institutional contexts, including addressing failures in, and impediments to, reporting, investigating and responding to allegations and incidents of abuse;
  d. what institutions and governments should do to address, or alleviate the impact of, past and future child sexual abuse and related matters in institutional contexts, including, in particular, in ensuring justice for victims through the provision of redress by institutions, processes for referral for investigation and prosecution and support services.
  AND We direct you to make any recommendations arising out of your inquiry that you consider appropriate, including recommendations about any policy, legislative, administrative or structural reforms.
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  34

  Latest from Australian Royal Commission

  by gerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  just received this update.

  http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e90fa1e64ebb08847cc04916&id=fcec86ae2b&e=0670c7af59.

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  Listener

  Pubsinger - here is the link to the downloadable document. It is titled

  Submissions on behalf of Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia & Others
  
  https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/636f01a5-50db-4b59-a35e-a24ae07fb0ad/case-study-29,-july-2015,-sydney
  
  It is a very long document and comments can be found on this forum shortly after it was released, nearly a year ago.
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  34

  Latest from Australian Royal Commission

  by gerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  just received this update.

  http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e90fa1e64ebb08847cc04916&id=fcec86ae2b&e=0670c7af59.

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  Listener

  Freddo - I wonder if they (GB) knew this added investigation was coming down the pipe a few weeks ago and this is why the Feb 2017 WT (Study copy) had that eye catching sentence about the GB in it?

  
  If it was just a few weeks ago then I don't think so. It is months before they get an idea to put something into print and go through the whole process of having it written and checked. However, the arguments presented in that magazine were so poorly written and defended that it could have been a rush job.
  
  The Commission mentioned a couple of times during their Case Study that they had been in private discussions with them and that there would be future discussions. I'm sure that they would have been aware of their position. They were told and encouraged to contribute any new procedures that they planned to put in place and that they would check up on them in this regard. The Commission's position has been to seek out solutions and it has been relying on the co-operation of organizations. If that's not forthcoming then they've got to seek ways of getting the best outcome that they can. The Commission, after all, has to demonstrate it's productiveness and achievements, millions of dollars are being spent and individuals working in the Commission have their own reputations at stake.
  
  We know the attitude of the Org. is prideful, stubborn and basically non submissive and won't admit to their shortcomings. When their hand is forced they then attempt to mitigate any damage and that is probably why we saw that statement in the Watchtower. They'd have to know this was coming to them early on, certainly after their written response, which was over a year ago. If the Commission was doing its job properly (and it appears that they are) then they would have written to the Watchtower and expressed their dismay.
  
  Their response was appalling and it reminded me of the bully kid that gets told off and just stands with his hands over his ears and pokes his tongue out. Maybe the org. is now reconsidering it's own attitude in writing that response and regret it, I'm sure there are some in the organization that would be appalled at what was written but this attitude is systemic throughout the organization.
  
  I can't remember which poster pointed out that unlike other times when they have said that they err and are not infallible, this current statement includes the comment that it also includes organizational direction.
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  34

  Latest from Australian Royal Commission

  by gerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  just received this update.

  http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8e90fa1e64ebb08847cc04916&id=fcec86ae2b&e=0670c7af59.

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  Listener

  This hearing is expected to include consideration of factors that may have contributed to the occurrence of child sexual abuse in religious institutions and factors that may have affected the institutional response of religious institutions to child sexual abuse. This hearing may also examine the responses of named institutions to relevant case study report(s).

  
  This is great news. The Watchtower has been specifically selected along with four other institutions for further review. What are the odds? Actually, not great when you consider the final response they submitted after their hearings. Basically, they asked for it from their lack of co-operation and arrogance displayed during the hearing and in their written response.
  
  From my reading of the above, this means that not only will they examine their policies further and advise on where they fall short but they will dig deeper and examine what their ingrained problems that hinder them in being able to deal with the problem effectively.
  
  This is not good news for them but they must have known it was coming because they are continuing to excuse their actions. The February 2017 Watchtower comes to mind when they say

  "the governing body is neither inspired, nor infallible, therefore it (they/we) can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction ."
  
  They are just imperfect men but the Commission will want more of an explanation than that.
  
  
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  34

  Aussie jw girl very sick in US funded by wordly people carity

  by sherrie11 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/i-want-to-go-home-13yearold-phelicity-sneesbys-dying-wish-20160130-gmhky4.html.

  this article is sad.

  but what amazes me is her jw family is accepting donations or has to resort to the very worldly people they look forward to being destroyed.

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  Listener

  Sky Green - If the wt society publicised how much they gave the family then everyone would be onto them about boasting. Cant have a double standard.
  
  
  

  
  We don't usually give prizes for posts but I'd say I'd have to call this the post of the year.
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  9

  "Faithful slave" can you READ the Bible - let alone EXPLAIN it?

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  an org myth debunked - by the book they claim to have a better understanding of, than other religions.wt14 11/15 p. 30 - who are the two witnesses mentioned in revelation chapter 11?.

  "......the account refers to god’s anointed ones who took the lead during a difficult time of testing.. so in the fulfillment of revelation chapter 11, the anointed brothers who took the lead at the time of the establishment of god’s kingdom in heaven in 1914 preached "in sackcloth" for three and a half years.

  at the end of their preaching in sackcloth, these anointed ones were symbolically killed when they were thrown into prison for a comparatively shorter period of time, a symbolic three and a half days.

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  Listener

  Who imprisoned Rutherford and friends? I thought it was the US Government, not the League of Nations. It would seem also that the United Nations has proven to be helpful to the Watchtower over the years, through providing library access to advocating freedom of religion.
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  37

  More speculation on Kingdom Hall closers and money grabbing?

  by Crazyguy in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  there continues to be more and more rumors of more halls being sold off some even taking the first offer.

  the borg trying to get thier bond money back from the court in san diego asap and there's been elders meetings about this consolidation.

  my questions is why after selling off all this real estate in new york for over a billion dollars are they still acting like thier broke?

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  Listener

  Their property is like their doctrines - all over the place.
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  32

  2017 Yearbook - Still Waiting

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  https://www.dropbox.com/s/t06777k65p11e53/20160521e.pdf?dl=0.

  may 21, 2016. we are pleased to inform you that electronic versions of the annual items for 2017 will be made available for download on jw.org beginning in october of this year.

  this includes examining the scriptures daily—2017 and the 2017 yearbook of jehovah’s witnesses.

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  Listener

  There are probably too many people (and Branches) involved in gathering the numbers worldwide for them to be able to fake them.
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  3

  117 Adams Street, Brooklyn -- Mean anything to you? I just received my order from ....

  by FatFreek 2005 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  that former watchtower address caught my eye at the bottom of my received order.

  etsy.com has apparently bought that large brooklyn structure and it sells sundry items.. i'd bought some dishwasher safe labels for us, my sis in law, and a sweet neighbor of ours.

  the generous neighbor does lots of sharing of her dished and bowled goodies with others and those paper mailing labels she puts on the dish bottoms are defenseless in our dishwasher..

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  Listener

  FatFreek, if those labels don't work, I've seen others use quality bandaids with permanent markers.
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  114

  "The G.B. is neither inspired nor infallible"

  by smiddy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  that admission in the feb.17 ,study edition of the watchtower , " who is leading gods people today ?

  " "the governing body is neither inspired, nor infallible, therefore it (they/we) can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction .".

  have the many jehovahs witnesses past and present who have lost their lives by refusing blood transfusions due to the prohibition on blood tranfusions by jehovahs witnesses really got the sense of this statement ?.

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  Listener

  Smiddy - I wonder how many who claim to be of the Anointed class ,could come together as a united group to challenge the existing Governing Body members to their authority to preside over the Christian Congregation of Jehovahs Witnesses.

  
  This happened in Ray Franz's day but they were stamped out before it became an issue. It also happened in Rutherford's day and he was triumphant, bringing along with that, his own unique teachings. It is reasonable to expect this to happen again and even more so in these tumultuous times within the org., loosing both members and money.
  
  It could even be possible for those higher up in the organization to come up with a completely different understanding of anointed ones. Ray Franz believed that this should apply to all JWs and all should partake. I don't think it would be difficult to change these current biblical interpretations. For instance, those being chosen as Kings/Priests in heaven could apply only to Jesus apostles as it was to them that he spoke of this promise in the first place. Also in relation to the FDS being promised authority over all Jesus' belonging as a reward, it could apply to an earthly authority. This would mean that any of those who are not 'anointed' (under the current understanding of that word by the GB) at the top could challenge the authority.
  

  And what has always puzzled me is , why a person who claims to be of the Anointed class has no say whatsoever in their local congregations ,no priveledges and is generally viewed as suspect.

  
  It makes no sense if these anointed ones are considered to be working together as the body of Christ, a role far superior than any other. It would seem it has all been about the reigning in of the power structure but as hard as they may try, there are always vulnerabilities ready to be taken advantage of by those who have the capabilities and support.

  Keeping in mind they are not inspired nor spirit directed . ....they can err.

  
  And the question is whether it goes without discipline or leadership replacement with the aim to correct so many wrongs, by those that really believe it is God's earthly organization.