Posts by Maximus

33

My stepfather died tonight

by Mulan in

jw
friends

i have just finished making phone calls informing the family of the death of my stepfather.

i was an adult when he married my mother, but i loved him very much.

he was a wonderful man.. although he was a faithful jw, for his entire life (he was born to it) he was a really good man, and a true christian, i believe.

My path crossed Henry's many years ago, and although our meeting was brief the memory has lasted--his zone oversight was, I believe, over several branches. Yes, there have been good guys in the organization who just remained untinged by hierarchical ugliness.

Your wisdom is showing in describing your very personal decision not to attend the memorial. I experienced the death of a beloved aunt and sat in the front row of the KH. The speaker mispronounced her name, gave her rank and serial number and proceeded to witness to--me. How my aunt would have wanted me back at meetings, the need to humble myself under the mighty hand of Jah, blah, blah, blah. I felt my aunt was completely trivialized and I vowed never again to attend such a farce. Maybe this will help those who may not at first understand ...

At another recent death, family members gathered lakeside, shared stories of the past, cried, laughed, held each other. We skipped the KH memorial. What a far richer experience that honored our loved one.

Take time to grieve and to savor the rich memories that no one can rob.

Warmest,
Max

77

JW Child Abuse: An Insider's Insight

by silentlambs in

i post the following at the request of barbara anderson.. .

as a result of the newspaper report calling attention to my actions i feel compelled to provide further information that has come to light and deserves full exposure.. the society is very much aware of my intentions, because of a private e-mail i innocently wrote someone was forwarded to the society without my permission.

you can read it in its entirety, below.

Maximus

Some background for the first-time reader.

A newspaper report appeared in the Tri-City Herald, noting a name unfamiliar to the board: "Barbara Anderson, part of a group fighting clergy-based sex crimes, is one of about 20 advocates from around the country who traveled to Adams County for the trial to lend support to Rodriguez. Anderson previously worked as a research assistant in the Jehovah's Witnesses New York headquarters. She said she gave the Dateline news show, which had a crew covering the Beliz trial, documentation describing how the church's
leadership is well aware of sexual child abuse within its organization and helps cover it up. The Dateline show plans to air a program this fall detailing how the organization deals with child abuse."

AlanF did some homework for another thread. He wrote:

I've done some checking around and I found some interesting things about Barbara Anderson:

She was a primary research assistant to Karl Adams for the 1993 JW history book Jehovah's Witnesses: Proclaimers of God's Kingdom (Adams has held a number of important positions in Bethel: head of Writing Dept. from early 1960s to about 1980, head of writing teams that produced Insight, Reasoning and Proclaimers books, currently a Gilead Instructor; see Crisis of Conscience for more details).

She was a research assistant to several other senior members of the Writing Dept., doing at times historical research, and research into complaints the Society received about its handling of child molestation and abuse of women by JW men. Likely this research contributed to the Society's change of policy stated in the January 1, 1997 Watchtower, where they for the first time recognized that child molestation was a serious matter and decided that a 'known molester' could no longer serve a congregation in any position of responsibility, or be a pioneer, or serve in any other special, full-time service (of course, the Society still gets around this 'rule' by keeping the definition of "known molester" unclear; a man can be convicted in court of multiple molestations but if a group of elders decides that the evidence that led to conviction is not 'scripturally based', they can ignore the court's findings and still appoint such a molester to some "special privilege").

She wrote several articles that appeared in Awake!.

For the entire thread see
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?site=3&id=10496&page=2

13

I Still Don't Get It

by TMS in

jw
friends

posters on several recent threads have waxed eloquent about reforming, reorganizing, reinventing, mainstreaming jehovah's witnesses.. the comparative efficacy of internal or external pressure has been one of the subthemes.. as a former 50 year "true believer", this seems like such an exercize in futility.

if this is really an organization sponsored by the god of the universe, why dare steady the ark.

if not, why bother?.

Maximus

I'm not a reformer but I will speak for myself.

: Are you potential reformers simply trying to prevent further victimization in yet another man-made form of tyranny?

I share your decades of service, and more; I'm not a babe. I have had certain opportunities presented to me that I could not ignore. Do you remember in the '70s the gap between the policy change on Factor VIII and the trickle-down announcement? I knew of the policy change, had been involved, urged locals to contact the Society in a situation involving the imminent death of a hemophiliac. The man on the desk weaseled, although he knew policy had changed. The man died, leaving a grieving wife and small children. Does that give "victimization" a face? I'm troubled decades later.

I read almost lofty academic discussion here on this board. Comparative efficacy subthemes? You should read my e-mail from lurkers.

I believe my nearly 700 posts speak for themselves.

Kids are dying because of the insane blood policy. I'm acquainted with far too many suicides. Have you talked to some of the grown abused children whose lives were ruined? I have.

Too dramatic? Waxing eloquent in my posts?

Why bother? Think whatever you want.

EDIT PS: I guarantee you that Society policy regarding child abuse is changing only because of PRESSURE to their wallet, and EXPOSURE potentially to a huge market they cannot afford to lose. I submit that is not steadying an ark.

Maximus
Out of here soon class

44

Ritzville News /Deepthroat

by silentlambs in

tri-city herald.

by shirley wentworth.

ritzville - erica rodriguez and her mother, alejandra garza, broke down and cried when the verdict came in.. it took slightly less than four hours for a seven-man, five-woman adams county superior court jury to declare manuel beliz, 48, of othello guilty of two counts of first-degree child rape and two counts of first-degree child molestation.

Maximus

Well said, Amnesian.

That does not prevent me from exercising a very wicked sense of Biblical humor. Is there Scriptural precedent of the power of a single woman?

Bible character Jael (a woman) to General Sisera: "Are you ready for your milk?"

Is nobody familiar with this incident?

Max
<huge wicked grin>

43

Reform....why?

by Deacon in

jw
friends

the organization cannot be reformed from outside; that can only come from individuals who have the guts and will to do so inside, and the determination to get rid of hardline thinking that is so strangling.

my personal desire is to see immediate change regarding the child abuse policy, and that will come.

to see a clear, quick change in the horribly inconsistent blood policy rather than drag it out over years; kids are dying in the process.enforced shunning is also an evil that they will have to deal with eventually; it's ripping them apart.. .

Maximus

Just a note, Deacon.

No one disagrees with the organization's right as a religion to determine the rules of its membership--that's the way it is now set up legally, membership. They can do anything they want regarding the "purity of the congregation."

Please note I always use the term "enforced shunning." If you walk away from the organization and they tag you with DF or DA just because you remain unconvinced of the truth of their teaching, are otherwise morally upright and "pure," then as a loyal JW I am still FORCED to shun you or risk being shunned myself! Therein lies the pure evil of it, the ripping of families to shreds over an issue of authority of the governing body!

Maximus

45

Blood = Organ Transplant Awake! '99

by waiting in

jw
friends

this was posted by jang at another forum, she had not seen it before either.. has this been questioned, talked about, etc?

i've not heard anything on it...... but then that's sometimes the case with me..

awake aug 22 1999 page 31 states: .

Maximus

Locked mail: Combination of hate stuff that whistle-blowers get ... will blow over. What has surprised me, though, is the considerable amount of mail from lurkers over my thread on JW Kids Leaving the Org, some with material they want me to send to Brooklyn! Does that tell a story or what? I do answer everyone and try to provide whatever assistance I can. I'm going to have to curtail that.

Ask the African folks what they think about the Society's stringent cost-cutting policy has done to the African branches, even to affecting the quality of food. Feed the poor? Surely you jest.

Thanks again for all the exhaustive (must be exhausting too) research you have done and continue to do.

Maximus

44

Ritzville News /Deepthroat

by silentlambs in

tri-city herald.

by shirley wentworth.

ritzville - erica rodriguez and her mother, alejandra garza, broke down and cried when the verdict came in.. it took slightly less than four hours for a seven-man, five-woman adams county superior court jury to declare manuel beliz, 48, of othello guilty of two counts of first-degree child rape and two counts of first-degree child molestation.

Maximus

Amnesian, not to worry--all in due time. Barbara is doubtless uncomfortable about being in any spotlight, but she is one committed grandmother and ready to do whatever she has to. Obviously she does not want the issue to become Sister Anderson.

: Bill and Barb are the dynamic duo!!!

Nice characterization, but you will find that Barbara is very much her own person--er, woman--as Bill is his own man--an honest elder who came to his own conclusions.

Think of it, the Society was reduced to sending out some bogus camera crew to interview Bill's own parents to testify against him in a foolish attempt to water down the issue. That smart move backfired. Watch for other clumsy attempts to discredit.

Can you see why the Society has such a problem on its hands? These are plain folks whose conscience and honesty are out there for all to see! Certainly they are on the side of the angels in this issue.

Waiting, it's a joy to see you get stronger and healthier with the passage of time. In answer to your question, as I described above, Brother Anderson is a very loyal elder with an outstanding reputation. He does see the policy problem in connection with child molestation, but then so do many, many honest-hearted elders.

AlanF, once more I see you do your homework exceedingly well.

Maximus

3

Delicious Irony

by SixofNine in

jw
friends

what if a morally corrupt, patriarchal organization, founded and fostered by men who are nothing more than caricatures of all that is and was negative about 20th century white maleness, was brought to it's knees by a woman who turns out to be a vision of all that can be wonderful about 20th century woman?.

and all this at the cusp of the 21st century.

i had a dream..-mlk to his wife one morning.

Maximus

.
.
.
.
.Jael to Sisera:

"Are you ready for your milk and cookies?"

Think about it ....

An apt metaphor?

Maximus

45

Blood = Organ Transplant Awake! '99

by waiting in

jw
friends

this was posted by jang at another forum, she had not seen it before either.. has this been questioned, talked about, etc?

i've not heard anything on it...... but then that's sometimes the case with me..

awake aug 22 1999 page 31 states: .

Maximus

Average elder: "What part of abstain from blood don't you understand?"

Publisher: "No, I'm talking about fractions."

Average elder: "I repeat, what part of abstain from blood ..."

Usually winds up, "Are you questioning God's organization?"

Liaison committee member:

"Blood is bad. It's the kiss of death. As to your question, just read this pretty literature."

Maximus

43

Reform....why?

by Deacon in

jw
friends

the organization cannot be reformed from outside; that can only come from individuals who have the guts and will to do so inside, and the determination to get rid of hardline thinking that is so strangling.

my personal desire is to see immediate change regarding the child abuse policy, and that will come.

to see a clear, quick change in the horribly inconsistent blood policy rather than drag it out over years; kids are dying in the process.enforced shunning is also an evil that they will have to deal with eventually; it's ripping them apart.. .

Maximus

No problem about the quotation, Deacon; I was honestly replying to a specific question. The word "reform" carries a lot of freight, and I'm glad you put in the specific context I did. Watchtower would have everyone believe that it is "opposers of the preaching work" who dissent. Not true.

My point is that the GB as a whole is completely resistant to "reform" from anyone outside, and they cannot be seen as yielding to outside pressure. That said, do they so yield? The answer is Yes. They then present matters this way: "We have looked at the needs of the flock and have made the following loving provision. Jehovah is good, is he not?"

By pressure from the outside, we sometimes can make it easier for individuals inside to grab the opportunity to act. Enough said?

From the Heritage Dictionary:

reform, v.

1. To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects; put into a better form or condition.
2.a. To abolish abuse or malpractice in: reform the government. b. To put an end to (a wrong).
3. To cause (a person) to give up harmful or immoral practices; persuade to adopt a better way of life.
...
1. To change for the better.

I'm sure you see where I'm coming from. Amazing has presented some excellent points to chew on, and I'm not going to restate them. The Worldwide Church of God (former Armstrong) has made astonishing changes after great turmoil; it's quite a model to observe. Interestingly, the NY Times a while ago carried an article about the Mormon schism and dedication of its new buildings, with a name change--unthinkable a few years back.

How do you reform individuals in their archaic Medieval view that demons are responsible for mental illness and the repressed memories of child abuse, or who grudgingly retreat to a position that says demons 'take advantage of the situation'? Only THEY can exorcise, you see; not wordly therapists.

Maximus