Posts by cobweb

61

TV TRAILER: ‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath: The Jehovah’s Witnesses' Two Hour Special Event - A&E

by MaybeSo in

tv trailer: ‘leah remini: scientology and the aftermath: the jehovah’s witnesses' two hour special event - a&e, 9pm et/pt, tues, nov 13, 2018. https://youtu.be/yzdege5im90.

didn't see a post about it yet.

will you be tuning in?

cobweb

I think its true that by putting JW's side by side with Scientology, that Watchtower is always going to come off looking better by the comparison. Less nuts, less scary etc. So in that sense, they will come over as underwhelming.

On the other hand, by just making the connection between the two it inplants the idea that the JW are something scary and leverages the negative feelings that the audience have built up about Scientology over the course of the show and links them to JW's. Now, in people's minds, JW's don't go in the same box as harmless Christian religions, they belong in the box marked DANGER! LEAVE WELL ALONE. That is innoculation in my book.

60

I Wouldn’t Be Surprised If The USA Had Another Civil War!

by minimus in

jw
friends

i have never seen this country so divided.

something is going to give.

they is such a lack of recognition for the law.

cobweb

You seem to be the one who is inflamed. What news channel have you been watching? Maybe you should switch over & watch something else.

92

Montana jury awards two women $35M in sex abuse lawsuit against Jehovah's Witnesses

by AndersonsInfo in

https://missoulian.com/news/local/montana-jury-awards-two-women-m-in-sex-abuse-lawsuit/article_1bcabb7c-7381-574b-a2ba-e011cc0250a6.html.

montana jury awards two women $35m in sex abuse lawsuit against jehovah's witnesses .

a jury in northwestern montana awarded two women $35 million wednesday in their lawsuit against the local jehovah’s witnesses congregation and its worldwide headquarters.. .

cobweb

Apparently the net worth of the org was revealed at the court session. Jason Wynne who has been tweeting about the details of the case over the last few days just said this:

Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York has a net worth of $1.6 billion. The Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses has a net worth of $50 million #MontanaCSA

92

Montana jury awards two women $35M in sex abuse lawsuit against Jehovah's Witnesses

by AndersonsInfo in

https://missoulian.com/news/local/montana-jury-awards-two-women-m-in-sex-abuse-lawsuit/article_1bcabb7c-7381-574b-a2ba-e011cc0250a6.html.

montana jury awards two women $35m in sex abuse lawsuit against jehovah's witnesses .

a jury in northwestern montana awarded two women $35 million wednesday in their lawsuit against the local jehovah’s witnesses congregation and its worldwide headquarters.. .

cobweb

Looking forward to John Redwood's coverage of this who was in the courtroom. Anticipating a lot of interesting details.

92

Montana jury awards two women $35M in sex abuse lawsuit against Jehovah's Witnesses

by AndersonsInfo in

https://missoulian.com/news/local/montana-jury-awards-two-women-m-in-sex-abuse-lawsuit/article_1bcabb7c-7381-574b-a2ba-e011cc0250a6.html.

montana jury awards two women $35m in sex abuse lawsuit against jehovah's witnesses .

a jury in northwestern montana awarded two women $35 million wednesday in their lawsuit against the local jehovah’s witnesses congregation and its worldwide headquarters.. .

cobweb

also briefly covered by the Washington Post although they say its 34 million.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/jury-jehovahs-witnesses-must-pay-34m-to-abuse-survivor/2018/09/27/5dc84a7a-c277-11e8-9451-e878f96be19b_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.005d262895ba

113

EU Court Ruling Against WT on Data-Protection

by cofty in

today's london times reports on the july ruling of the eu court that forces the organisation country to comply with data protection.. the action originated in finland but the ruling will affect every eu country.

the cult tried unsuccessfully to argue that the notes taken by jws in the door-to-door work were personal and not accessed by the congregation.

the court ruled that they are acting under the auspices of the congregation and therefore they must comply with data-protection laws.. keeping lists of do-not-calls also falls under this ruling.. why does the cult always feel that it is above the law?.

cobweb

I think the JWs will APPEAR to make it look like they are complying. But, we all know what that means.

Yes I agree you will probably still get enthusiastic witnesses surreptitiously writing down details of a good call. If there were fines in place for doing so though it would have to be discouraged at their service meetings. They would have to emphasise the importance of getting permission. This would perhaps be practiced in the service meeting - the new wording could be put into those videos they use now. They did something similar when the magazines went to being free with a donation. People had to get used to saying the new wording. That is quite a good example actually because many JW's refused to use the wording & simply gave the mags away without asking for donations. That could well happen here too, and JW's might not bother asking permission as they are told & write it down anyway.

If the new rules affect the taking of not at homes then that is very disruptive and can't be got around so easily. Its an entire formalised part of their ministry. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

12

Review: Apostasy

by neat blue dog in

stan's recent post about the apostasy movie reminded me that i had watched it last month, so i thought i'd write a review.

please note this will probably contain some spoilers so if you care about that sort of thing hold off on reading this.. first i want to say that this is probably one of the most if not the most accurate and reasonable cinematic portrayals of jws.

however here is a list of little inaccuracies: an outdated view that preaching to all the world can 'make' the end come, jesus briefly portrayed with long hair, judicial reinstatement meetings being called "guidance meetings", a normal weekly public talk being introduced as "the first in a series of talks he's prepared for us", applause at the end of a local needs part, and a jw saying of god "you need to earn his love, it's conditional" ( i know this is basically true in practice but they'd rarely say it out loud).

cobweb

Nice review. I agree there was the odd little thing that didn't quite sound natural to our well tuned ears but these were not important. With regard to pics of jesus with long hair, the songs & the broadcast, these all had to be approximated as they couldn't use the real thing due to copyright. Believing JW's may use the fact that the real pictures, songs aren't used to say its inaccurate but it has to be this way or they would be sued.

I believe the term 'guidance meetings' may be a regional thing as in an interview i think i heard the director say they were called that where he lived.

Its interesting that you say the mum reminds you of your mum. The director commented that he has been told this a lot.

138

JW org collapses

by I Faded Twice in

ok so this is a topic i've pondered and go back and forth on.. i can easily see a point where lawsuits cause massive deficits in the organization.

honestly i feel like we are seeing the tip of the iceberg in regards to lawsuits on child abuse.

to me it looks like the property sell offs are to be able to get ready for this.

cobweb

I'm not sure whether anyone is arguing they are thriving. Where once they prepared for expansion by building halls, now they sell them. Everything they do signals to me they expect contraction.

i think an inflection point has been reached. They hit their zenith and are headed down. The signals of decline are leading indicators of what is about to occur with a decline in membership.

It'll not be a dramatic collapse though. If it were for example, half the size (in the West) in 25 years that is not a collapse to me, but it is a pretty sizable decline nonetheless. Even that level of decline seems rather optimistic to me - i could see there being a third of the current membership gone in that timescale perhaps with those left being mostly quite aged - but still, I think it will feel like a shadow of itself.

The internet is making such a difference. It feels like where once JW's were confident and proactive, now they are defensive, reactive. The ex-jw community on the other hand are growing in their confidence and are increasingly empowered to speak out through social media to communicate the damaging realities of the JW religion.

13

The "Faithful And Discreet Slave Class" is it still a Doctrine / Belief ? of Jehovah`s Witnesses today ? 2018 ? or is it old light.

by smiddy3 in

i have listened to steven unthank`s podcast and found it very informative and interesting and thought i would ask this question for anyone who is still a practicing member either a pimo or a pomo who only goes along for a family member ,whether this doctrine is still a part of the religions teachings ,or whether it has been dropped altogether .. your replies are much appreciated ..

cobweb

Jwfacts covers the subject:

https://jwfacts.com/watchtower/faithful-discreet-slave.php

13

The "Faithful And Discreet Slave Class" is it still a Doctrine / Belief ? of Jehovah`s Witnesses today ? 2018 ? or is it old light.

by smiddy3 in

i have listened to steven unthank`s podcast and found it very informative and interesting and thought i would ask this question for anyone who is still a practicing member either a pimo or a pomo who only goes along for a family member ,whether this doctrine is still a part of the religions teachings ,or whether it has been dropped altogether .. your replies are much appreciated ..

cobweb

I think they really are faking it or are mentally disturbed people seeking attention.

The Paul Gillies conversion to remnant status gives credence to the former. Many claiming to be anointed will genuinely believe it, no doubt but after Paul Gillies I have to think the GB hold a very cynical view of the whole thing. They know exactly what Gillies is doing and why. They want him in their club and taking part in the emblems is like an initiation right to gain entry. The coordination of it is very revealing.