Topics Started by cedars

164
Did Cedars manipulate Lee into having a thread closed?
by cedars in
1. watchtower
2. scandals
i will happily answer this question if there can be some guarantees this thread won't be deleted..
7
From Prison to Prosperity - new JW.org video
by cedars in
1. jw
2. friends
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofo9xmhis5c.

let no one say witnesses don't catch people at their most vulnerable, or use love bombing.. .

cedars.
36
Videos of a few key moments from the Annual Meeting
by cedars in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imfuiaeg820.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkjbvfpjpje.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iezhj13pun4.
13
Audio of Candace Conti and Bill Bowen at the RNA 2013 conference
by cedars in
1. watchtower
2. child-abuse
the audio file is 1 hour 28 minutes in total.

the first hour is the panel speaking, and the remaining 28 minutes is the questions from journalists.. here is the link.... http://192.185.44.220/media/13austin/podcast/06%20precon_%20the%20continuing%20story%20pf%20clergy%20abuse%20beyond%20roman%20catholics.mp3.

candace conti in particular did an amazing job, and the comments from the journalists show how appreciative they were of her bravery in speaking out on such a personal issue.. bill was also informative with some of the firsthand accounts he was able to give.. .
45
New Watchtower video on "real friends"
by cedars in
1. jw
2. friends
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5schopnecog.

it's difficult to imagine how this video could be more disingenuous and hypocritical.

cedars.
36
New Awake magazine goes after the media
by cedars in
1. jw
2. friends
here is a link to the pdf.... http://www.jw.org/download/?issue=201312&output=html&pub=g&fileformat=pdf&alllangs=0&langwritten=e&txtcmslang=e&isbible=0.

some interesting quotes.... while it is wise not to believe everything we read in the news, it does not follow that there is nothing we can trust.

the key may be to have a healthy skepticism, while keeping an open mind.tone: when the tone of a news item is angry, spiteful, or highly critical, it suggests that an attack is under way and not a reasoned argument.sources: is there evidence of thorough research?
62
The Lawsuit Landslide: Irwin Zalkin representing ELEVEN child abuse victims against Watchtower
by cedars in
1. watchtower
2. child-abuse
many of you will be interested to know that irwin zalkin now has 11 lawsuits against watchtower at various stages.. these can be summarized as follows.... j.l.

shocked by the lack of action, the victims mother immediately left the congregation with her son.

by this stage campos was a known predator with complaints having been made to the elders at linda vista spanish, playa pacifica spanish and the watchtower dating back to 1982.elizabeth mcfarland ohio a former ministerial servant named scott silvasy sexually molested elizabeth when she was a child through her early teens.
3
JW.org video on 2012 Dublin special convention
by cedars in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d22jjywmoog.

for my article on how special/international conventions really work (and why there are no wheelchairs in the above video) click here.. .

cedars.
32
Lurkers/faders in the US - a heads up on next week's service meeting (Warwick HQ project to be discussed)
by cedars in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
hi folks.

atlantis has very kindly let me see a copy of the aug 21, 2013 letter to all bodies of elders in the united states.. they are being instructed to re-organize the service meeting for the week commencing september 2nd (next week) to include a special recruitment talk to attract skilled volunteer workers for the new warwick hq.. an interesting feature of the letter is its comparison of the project with nehemiah's rebuilding of the walls of jerusalem.

considering the relocation of hq is financially motivated more than anything, the analogy is more than a little bewildering.. here is a scan of the opening comments of the two-page outline, to be given in the next local needs item.... .
27
"Pst! You CAN go to an international convention even if you're poor, but don't tell everyone!"
by cedars in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
the 2014/2015 international conventions have been announced, and will be held in the following cities.... melbourne, australia october 2014london, england august 2014quito, ecuador january 2015frankfurt, germany july 2014athens, greece june 2014seoul, korea september 2014mexico city, mexico november 2014harare, zimbabwe august 2014as always there is a long list of requirements for those wealthy enough to attend - including the requirement to keep your "exemplary status" right up to the day of departure or lose all your money.. there is also a curious paragraph that seems to indicate an element of subterfuge.... special rooming: confidentially, we will be asking the host branch office to poll local brothers to determine if some might be able to provide limited rooming provisions in private homes.

this information is not to be made known to the applicants in general.

however, if the elders are aware of a longtime, faithful servant, perhaps with many years of full-time service, who is not able to fully finance such a trip, he could be encouraged to apply and the secretary can check the box on the electronic jw.org application that this delegate qualifies for the special rooming provision, if available.. basically, watchtower is admitting that it is possible to attend an international convention even if you can't afford the hotel, but they don't want everyone to know because they want as many full-paying delegates as possible.. my article on this can be found on the link below.... http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/watchtower-announces-new-international-conventions-while-downsizing-district-conventions-for-2014.