Band on the Run

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Posts by Band on the Run

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  20

  The High Cost Of War

  by designs in

  1. social
  2. current

  britain is refinancing some soverign war bonds dating from the crimean war, napoleonic war and wwi, 2 $billion worth.

  2 century old debt.. our president has been reluctant to begin another war when the debt of the previous two wars hangs heavy.

  those of the prowar persuasion have insisted on 'boots on the ground' a move that would require 100,000s of personnel in the middle east and allocating billions in debt to cover the cost.. "every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed" president eisenhower.

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  Band on the Run

  I am very glad that President Obama is a lame duck president now. It increases his power to stay out of a ground war. I don't see that the Bush wars accomplished much. We need to conduct a multigenerational psych ops war with terrorism. Casting Islam as a gutter religion is exactly what the terrorists want.
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  4

  Theocratic "Apostate" WarFare

  by mana11 in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  there are many things that can be done to make others aware.. perhaps in the following comments it would be good to have suggestions of "direct actions" that everyone can do to have an impact on the wtbts.. .

  i suggest as an idea the following if you havent already done so;.

  google play app's.

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  Band on the Run

  Well, the activist WT apostate crowd feels that I am an idiot. There are many direct actions that can be applied to the WT to contain it. What cannot be done in the United States (and I suspect every Western and Eastern democracy) is government interference with the WT's First Amendment rights. I will always defend the WT rights to my dying breath. People have different temperaments and resources. I know from extensive study of the immediate American Revolutionary War period, the Abolition Movement in England, the American Civil War, and the modern civil rights movement, and the peace movement during the Viet Nam war that normal people can be swayed by local neighbors. Word of mouth about your JW experiences and a concise rundown of their fraudulent doctrines is a powerful weapon. If you do it in anger, however, neighbors will side with the WT. I never miss an opportunity to educate people concerning the Witnesses. My take is that normal people don't care about doctrine but do care about high control groups that would deny a basic education to its members. Shunning is frowned upon. I briefly mention one or two JW practices then keep silent so I appear reasonable.

  Another potent weapon is marketing. Americans are sorely lacking critical thinking skills. Conspiracy nuts flourish here. I volunteered to help teach critical thinking skills in the 7th grade as part of World Civilization class. Educators believe this is the best time. Adults are harder to teach. JWs overreach. When any group demands a loss of personal autonomy, it is time to retreat and hide under your bed. The United States is suffering many social and political problems b/c our citizens are ignorant of basic civics. The WTBTS would have trouble recruiting anyone if people asked questions of any group. This can be done in a neutral way. Literate, sophisticated citizens would flee the WTBTS.

  Writing letters to friends, blogs, letters to the editor, human interest stories on television and other media can be a good weapon. Again, if you are angry and don't have objective facts conveyed with precision. Educating the public is paramount. The New York Times readership is above 40 million people around the globe. I believe an op-ed piece is possible. Attack religion, go to Bethel and give your business card while repeating obscenities, gathering email signatures with a petition never sent to anyone is not the way to place the agenda before the powerful elites who read the NYT. The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, LA Times, etc. are also potential vehicles. If I were an editor and visited this site, I would not print the piece.

  There already discussion in prominent law reviews concerning the European concept of freedom from religion as a potential boost to First Amendment freedom of religion. Of course, many Americans want to impeach Justice Breyer for using the Internet and meeting with his peers in other democracies around the world. When people here post about "extreme" WT abuses or the WT is the most evil organization to ever exist in the world, I must disagree. There is far worse. I've paid a heavy price for being raised as a JW. Why would I spend hundreds of hours performing legal research and writing for people NOT ready for a serious fight or even discussion.

  Lawsuits are not a good vehicle for reform. Standing with angry signs and heckling or shouting at Witnesses as they go about their business only reinforces the power of the WT with ordinary Witnesses. Perhaps a silent protest with backs turned to the convention site would be effective. There are so many choices for direct action. Interfere with their First Amendment rights and I will side with the WT. There are so many websites and books about organizing movements. There are bright, sophisticated people here but they are constantly shouted down by pure ignorance. Accuracy is important. Filing lawsuits is not victory. Victory is changing society. It is winning a final appeal. The Internet makes information available in seconds. Your vaunted leaders could spend a few hours educating themselves about law and placing the WT abuses in a global context. We do have grounds for complaint.
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  1

  Judge clears Jehovah’s Witness Ohioan of ’96 molestation conviction that he had molested his former stepdaughter.

  by Sol Reform in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  it's a small percentage, but does happen.

  elyria for 20 years, joel covender has proclaimed that he was innocent of allegations that he had molested his former stepdaughter.. on thursday, a judge finally agreed.. http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2014/10/31/judge-clears%e2%80%88covender-96-molestation-conviction/.

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  Band on the Run

  There was no article when I clicked on the link.
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  17

  Singapore: The Religious consequences of Tim Cook coming out as gay

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as if we needed any further evidence that the minds of christians are not all that they should be, the shenagins in the christian segment of the christian segment of the singapore population once again demonstrated that each time they fart, they blow some of their brains away, and sadly they fart so much that there's not much brain left.. i guess most people have heard that time cook (boss of apple) publically stated this week that he was gay and proud of it.

  in most of the western world, it barely caused a ripple, but not so in singapore where christians are always lobbying the government against sin.. but, tim cook as a gay man provoked the ire of the singaporean church leadership.. i have not heard that anyone claimed that using an apple iphone would make you gay, but prominent church leader lawrence khong, was commissioned as an apostle by dr. peter wagner, of the international coalition of apostles, in 2000. .

  on hearing the news about tim cook, lawrence khong stop using iphone and even denounced technology altogether.

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  Band on the Run

  It was widely know that Tim Cook is gay before the announcement. He is the first chief executive officer of a Fortune 500 company to emerge from the closet. The financial markets knew. If you use statistical analysis, there must be many more chief executive officers who are gay. Singapore has never been a source of freedom. Apple products are seductive. Let this be an educational moment for Christians. Over decades, the main United States newspapers reported the lack of choice in Singapore. Certain young people have no choice but to receive a college educated. Once educated, they are not free to marry the spouse of their choice. Singapore practices/practiced a form of eugenics. The government did not want their citizens with high IQs marrying low IQ people. Imagine being gay in Singapore. I hope they have Apple addictions.
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  33

  Have you investigated Gnostic Christianity?

  by Gnostic Bishop in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  have you investigated gnostic christianity?.

  the gnostic wing of christianity, if it can even be called that today, has quite a few differences to christianity and catholicism.

  if the old gnostic christians were here, they would hardly recognize what has happened to the original orthodox catholic church or its various offshoots in protestantism and islam.

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  Band on the Run

  I studied Gnosticism in college with Elaine Pagels. You are missing the main point of Gnosticism. Gnosticism teaches that physical creation is bad. An evil demiurge created. Our true selves are trapped in this creation. The Gnostic Gospels portray Jesus as a spirit. He only appears to have a physical body. Gnostics can be as Christ. Gnosticism would appeal to an educated and sophisticated crowd. The masses would be trapped in physicality. The strand of Christianity taught physical ressurection. Gnosticism died out for many reasons. Parts of me feel trapped by my body. I believe it would not have survived long even without suppression by other forms of Christianity. There are economic, social, and psychological reasons for its disappearance as a force.

  Gnosticism also existed in Judaism. Jewish Gnosticism may have predated the Christian form. There are many excellent books that explain Gnosticism. Since nothing is real, the practicioners of Gnosticism ranged from total ascetism to wild orgies as sacred rites. One can clearly see how this belief would threaten the orthodox church. Constantine and the emperors that followed him wanted Christianity as a unifying political force.
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  2

  Some have been bringing Josephus up again...

  by HowTheBibleWasCreated in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  1. josephus lived from 37 to around 100 ce.

  in his works he mentions every detail evn if it's hearsay.

  for instance we know from him the 4 sects of judasm at the time and christians are not amoung them.

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  Band on the Run

  I suggest you read Josephus. Your facts are wrong. Modern historians take Josephus with a grain of salt. Josephus was at Massada, where Jews committed suicide rather than surrender to the Romans. He cannot be trusted if he is a single source. There are other problems with Josephus as a historian that I can't recall. Josephus did not have the best character. Wikipedia must have an article on Josephus.

  The Witnesses deliberately distort so much history to fit their agenda. Josephus was mentioned so much by the WT that I just want to puke when I hear his name. Also, Josephus writes after the emergence of gentile Christianity. Jewish belief and the form of Christianity dominant are opposed to each other. Christ is God is not a Jewish notion. One must be aware of the bias of both sides.
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  300

  ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

  (published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

  thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

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  Band on the Run

  I don't have time to read the details of discovery failure. Civil procedure rules contain sanctions for noncompliance with discovery orders. The WT lawyers are suspect to me as lawyers. They graduated from a four year college and law school. The NY bar exam was not fun. What type of person can section off their mind and believe the massive lies of the WTBTS. Rather than enter a $13 million award against a defendant, the lawyers should have been sanctioned. The CA trial judge is sending a signal that defendants are not safe. Something untoward happened in this case. Fundamental issues of fairness exist.

  My guess is that the $13 million will not stand on appeal. I don't find it shocking or even nonBiblical that the GB has counsel present. It is a prudent measure. The GB are not educated men. Are the WT lawyers running the GB? My fear is that with the GB retreating from Brooklyn, which had to have a mediating influence, to compounds upstate, they will be even more out of touch. These awards will be seen as persecution. The Witnesses feel vindicated by persecution. The $13 million will not come out of their personal pockets. Let them explain the two witness rule, noncompliance with discovery orders to the public.
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  300

  ALERT: NEW LAWSUIT settlement - $13 MILLION

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/135m-awarded-to-bible-teacher-gonzalo-campos-alleged-abuse-victim-jose-lopez-281031832.html.

  (published thursday, oct 30, 2014).

  thursday, oct 30, 2014 updated at 11:58 pm pdt.

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  Band on the Run

  I don't have time to read documents. It was a default judgment. Unbelievable. $13 million award in a default case. It will be interesting to see what CA appeals courts do. This is sheer madness.
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  4

  The Christian Post: Lawsuit Awards Man $13.5 Million In Jehovah's Witness Sex Abuse Case

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  the christian post.

  http://www.christiantimes.com/article/lawsuit.awards.man.13.5.million.in.jehovahs.witness.sex.abuse.case/49231.htm.

  lawsuit awards man $13.5 million in jehovah's witness sex abuse casesarah adams 31 october, 2014. .

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  Band on the Run

  When reporting court cases repeatedly, it is good to learn some basic terms. Settlements are usually agreements between parties to settle out of court. Most states encourage settlements because both parties gain from the agreed bargain. The courts are swamped with a heavy case load. It is a good way to resolve conflict. Defendants almost always want secrecy. When a case is brought to trial before a jury or judge and the defendant is found liable, the defendant usually pays damages as the judgment. There are exceptions to the rule in equity cases.

  It is highly unlikely that the WTBTS paid $13 million to reach a secret agreement. I suspect the Christian Post's reporter does not understand the process.The Conti appeal should set precedent in California. The facts in this case, however, might be different. Of course, this is a mere fraction of what the Roman Catholic Church has paid in damages and settlements. The WTBTS has a multigenerational history of making judges angry. We owe the Roman Catholic victims/survivors so much.

  The question I posed in an earlier post remains: What is the context of this award? The WTBTS needs to be contrasted with other religions/churches to see if there is a truly aberrant pattern.
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  22

  Where is Jesus *RIGHT NOW*?

  by kairos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  let's say he began ruling in 1914.. where is that rulership?.

  i'm hoping this line of thought gets someone thinking.. .

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  Band on the Run

  Gladiator, good one!