Maximus

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Posts by Maximus

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  22

  I didn't KNOW--w-w- THIS ! ! !

  by ros in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just learned something from a post on the old h2o that has me steaming!.

  (some of us still occasionally post there, including--bless his heart--kent.).

  according to one poster, there seems to be something reallllly steaming at bethel since 1997 (assuming the guy knows what he's alluding).

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  Maximus

  By no means do I have definitive answers to some of your questions. Obviously they are very secretive, and even if one gets a copy of an annual report it does not give the true picture. Expatbrit has published some startling material that revealed large cash holdings a few years back.

  That said, a couple of points. Cash flow bind is a relative term; a very real question relates to what will expenses be in the future, given some of the tax questions in various countries. Will they get charitable status where they want it? Potential legal expenses loom large too. It has not been publicized that cases are regularly settled out of court with cash payments. It's safe to assume that figure has gone upward and will spiral in the future, even if current policy changes.

  The Society's money folk have been very smart in past times; made some good investments--and some bad ones. They do not have a business council like the physicians or attorneys sessions. Typically the organization has not been very efficient. George Couch used to say that half the Bethel family supported the other half. I've personally witnesses situations in which they spent $50,000 to save $20,000--figuratively. They've really banged away at improving that.

  You mention a fall guy; doubt that would happen in the finance field, but it is very possible or even likely in the "spiritual decisions" department. They have persisted in a wrong-headed policy on abuse and have mired themselves in it. The blood issue is seen to be terribly inconsistent at best, and it is known that many inside would like to change it but the concern is over further disillusionment.

  Belbab, I recall a very thoughtful post of yours some time back that was very insightful, and I suggest it might be helpful to some if you could redo it. I can only shake my head when folks speak of the old guard dying off and new blood replacing them. The assumption was that replacements would be younger and therefore more liberal.

  You had a personal experience with a governing body member DS that really illustrates the folly of that kind of thinking. If you ever have the time, I hope you can repeat it on this board, because it really gave insight into their thinking process. Incidentally it was Splane who reportedly suggested at the table the term GB could be widened to include "those taking the lead."

  Max
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  20

  What Kind of Witness Were You ?

  by Big Jim in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for me that is a hard question to answer.

  it seems like when your in the borg it is always pounded in your head that you need to do more so they made you think you were never doing enough.. the last five years that i was in it i guess you could say i was pretty gung-ho, i regulare pionered for almost three years as well as served as a ms, i used my home for book study as well as saturday field service.. but you know what all that does not amount to a hill of beans, you know why?

  because the whole time i was a doubter, i never liked it from the time i was a kid.

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  Maximus

  : Perhaps, in the end, the sum of all things, I am nothing more than a bona-fide jack of ass

  Certainly qualifies you to be in my club, Utopian Reformer.

  I was perfect--but somehow I never, never, never seemed to make it anyway, no matter what lofty title was attached to me.

  Max
  Who still thinks Carlo is Father Guido Sarducci, even though he tried to fool everyone by switching his picture to the one of that Danish clown.
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  20

  What is wrong with you people!

  by larc in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello brothers and sisters,.

  i just can't understand what is wrong with you, and why you have fallen away.

  dear brother russell got this whole thing started.

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  Maximus

  Larc! Or is it HICK!

  Finally you show your true colors! I've never liked fuchsia, surely you must have known that. A bumble bee would have more sense!

  Can't you see me here with my fists up? Haaaaahh?

  I want you to LOVE ME, dammit!

  Don't care whut kinda stuff you going through, this is about ME!
  You got something going on with Tina behind my back?

  And you, just2laws!
  First, I'm not dumb, there are THREE of them.

  : Interesting approach!
  You think I'm some bitty bug under your microscope to be scrutinized?
  Well?

  Max
  Engage in "a pushing" with me, will they!
  I've gotcher King of the North right here!!

  "I have met the enemy and he is us."
  --Pogo.

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  35

  So What Sort Of Dogs Are These?

  by Englishman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i took this pic last week on the family farm in bonnie scotland.

  her ladyship is busily munching on her toast and marmalade whilst 2 of the dogs watch and drool.. my question is this: both the dogs are top pedigree animals and weigh in at 140 pounds each.

  can you identify the breed?.

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  Maximus

  "So what sort of dogs are these?"

  Let me see ......

  The last words of Jezebel?

  Max
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  56

  DATELINE-"Soon!AnyDayNow!JustAroundTheCorn...

  by Tallyman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dateline-"soon!anydaynow!justaroundthecorner!".

  just read bendrr's post.. been out of the loop for awhile.. what's the deal with this so-called piece/expose on jw-pedophilia.

  that nbc's "dateline" is supposed to be airing?.

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  Maximus

  The producer of NBC's Dateline and I had a conversation this morning and this very issue was discussed. Everyone involved hopes speculation will cool, but human nature suggests it may not. A few authoritative points:

  The program is rock solid, it will air; the date has not yet been determined. It is not yet in final form but shortly will be. You may reasonably conclude that the presentation will be adequate in length to cover very complex issues.

  There is nothing any outside influence can do to change this, nor can it be shaped from without. A highly skilled professional, the producer frankly states some may be disappointed if they are expecting merely a vehicle for cult-bashing or dissidence per se.

  It will be a very honest and careful presentation that will in my opinion have "legs," especially in view of the issues now capturing the attention of the American public; e.g., ecclesiastical privilege, judicial processes, some of the things discussed on this board. It may very well be an enormous catalyst for significant change.

  To lighten up a bit, someone said it's been like grass: eventually it becomes milk. For some, this has been an intense labor of love for many, many years. You will be most captivated by the Dateline story's very human aspects. It is not the end, but a beginning.

  My warmest, Tally,
  Maximus
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  14

  Pay Attention To Yourselves and to All The Flock

  by Kent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you can find pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock in many languages on the watchtower observer, such as english, spanish, polish, portuguese, french, finnish and german.

  but there is also lots of other sites that carry the book.. there is a new "pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock" coming soon, and i hope to be able to bring the "new light" in a short while.

  http://www.kki.net.pl/~ksk3/ (polish).

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  Maximus

  Stephanus, that is already routinely done with certain letters to bodies of elders, not with any great degree of sophistication but just enough to produce "healthy" fear. Symbols, variance of greeting, closing ....

  One elder, not looking forward to his school this December, lamented that these sessions are the most boring things anyone can imagine.

  Ah, but they are SECRET! Can anyone tell me the Scriptural basis for that?

  Max
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  22

  I didn't KNOW--w-w- THIS ! ! !

  by ros in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just learned something from a post on the old h2o that has me steaming!.

  (some of us still occasionally post there, including--bless his heart--kent.).

  according to one poster, there seems to be something reallllly steaming at bethel since 1997 (assuming the guy knows what he's alluding).

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  Maximus

  Ros, write for their brochures. I'm serious; it's well put together by their estate planning folks in Legal. Once under Treasurer's Office.

  Just a general perspective to tie some things together you are on to. There are indeed some large issues they are going to have to face sooner or later. That said, let's speak about money.

  For many years it was rejected as rumor that the Society invested in anything but Kingdom Halls and the like. Heaven forbid anybody thinking that they would get into the <gulp> stock market. Well, they have been in it for a long time.

  And they reaped a very nice windfall with the U.S. economy--until some downturns in investments. (The boyz in accounting are much more proficient that those in Writing.) So some of the arrangements to reduce certain "tithings" are being revisited, since money is a tad tighter. But how to reverse policies so quickly without acknowledging loss?

  There is a very different corporate and personal culture at the Bible House these days. Bloomberg and all that on desk monitors ...

  No wonder it is so difficult to muster the troops to feel a sense of URGENCY in preaching.

  My personal warmest to you, Ros. You do so many unselfish kindnesses for so very many people, yet you graciously never sound the trumpet. We are solidarities not of our own making.

  Max
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  22

  PREDICTION:

  by ros in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as we see a rising tide of problems confronting the new watchtower leadership, and a tidal wave swelling on the horizon, some interesting rumours are starting to trickle out.

  we are waiting to see what the fallout will be following the dateline expose' on pedophilia cover-ups, which will undoubtedly lead to exposing the watchtower's policy to cover up other criminal behavior so as to not "bring reproach on jehovah's name.

  " rumour is that the factions at headquarters are becoming increasingly divided.

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  Maximus

  Always can use any further confirmation and corroboration. That's why I said what I did above.

  Some folks don't understand why I drop a cryptic comment now and then, but some will resonate and respond. That's what Worf just did.

  Shoot an e-mail at the address you last used and we can also talk by phone. I'll update you on your own situation. Thanks.

  Max
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  8

  The Watchtower and Confusius!

  by Kent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  did you know that the watchtower uses confusius as support?

  they do, and in a looooong article our favorite childs attorney, carolyn wah, shows how they do it.. i don't care to quote this stuff, but interested ones can find it here:.

  http://www-camlaw.rutgers.edu/publications/law-religion/wah.htm.

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  Maximus

  I just have do this.

  What do you think about this line, in relation to the hottest issues facing us regarding both Child Blood Abuse (CBA) and the child molestation issues?

  : ... "inherent right to oppose legitimate governmental authority when the governmental authority is not in harmony with the moral sense of the individual."

  Substitute "inherent right to oppose legitimate GOVERNING BODY authority when the GOVERNING BODY authority is not in harmony with the moral sense of the individual."

  One's moral sense impels opposition to a government, but it is not allowed to oppose a senseless policy of the Watchtower governing body, on pain of enforced shunning!

  What do you think?

  Maximus
  Confucius say: I'm turning over in my grave!
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  8

  The Watchtower and Confusius!

  by Kent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  did you know that the watchtower uses confusius as support?

  they do, and in a looooong article our favorite childs attorney, carolyn wah, shows how they do it.. i don't care to quote this stuff, but interested ones can find it here:.

  http://www-camlaw.rutgers.edu/publications/law-religion/wah.htm.

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  Maximus

  I owe you one, Kent. This gem is all about the next JW Frontier, Asia.

  The legal brief cited almost seems like a cut and paste job that appeals to Confucianism in connection with an attempt to change legislation to accommodate JW needs in Korea and Asia, to provide for some form of alternative service, in lieu of military service, which the Watchtower now says is perfectly acceptable.

  The appeal is to Caesar relies on an appeal to consider Confucius! Here's the beef, in a huge sandwich of Asian history and thought:

  In Taiwan "1,307 Jehovah's Witnesses have been sentenced to imprisonment, and nine of them are still not qualified for prohibition from military service under the [new] amendment. As the SIAS is applicable only to those who have never been conscripted, the MND is studying how to accommodate the new legislation to these nine Jehovah's Witnesses."

  "There is also a need for similar legislative action in Korea. Korea’s Christian population is estimated to be 30% of the general population. Among them are over 87,000 who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are known worldwide for their refusal to participate in any military service based on their understanding of the Bible. Among these 87,000 Witnesses, some 1,400 young Christian men now serve in Korean prisons for following their conscience and religious beliefs.

  Articles 19 and 20 of the Korean constitution protect the right of all citizens to “enjoy freedom of conscience” and “freedom of religion.” On December 21, 1965, the South Korea Supreme Court has ruled that military service is mandatory for every citizen as stipulated in the Military Service Law, and every citizen is constitutionally liable for national defense as stipulated by law. Although freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution, the right to reject the liability for military service is not included in this guarantee. Therefore, it appears that the constitutional duty to perform military service implies that every citizen has the absolute duty to complete military training using rifles, and has no right to refuse to carry out the military commander’s orders. This moral dilemma so quickly resolved in 1965 under very different political and economic climate must be reexamined. If the Korean constitution is to be read in light of Confucian principles, then both the legislature and the courts must reconsider how to make this reconciliation for the sake of the consciences of its citizens and the protection of its rich Confucian heritage."

  Here's part of Wah's conclusion:

  "Of course, no fair minded reader can honestly claim that the rights of the individual, as are defined in the Western political and legal structure, are a dominant theme in Confucius thought or in the political and social traditions of China. Confucius wrote of social relationships and man as a social creature in relationship with his community, primarily his family. Nevertheless, a careful consideration of Confucius teachings and Chinese history does reveal that his teachings do support the thesis relevant to today’s discussion; namely, that Confucius’s teachings support the individual’s natural and inherent right to oppose legitimate governmental authority when the governmental authority is not in harmony with the moral sense of the individual."

  Boggles the brain, doesn't it?

  Maximus