Nathan Natas

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Posts by Nathan Natas

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  7

  Watchtower Society copyright activity

  by Ultimate Axiom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have heard that the watchtower society occasionally takes action under copyright law to either close down a website, or get it to remove the offending material.. some websites (like jwfacts.com, quotes-watchtower.co.uk, and even in some threads here) include a host of images taken from watchtower publications that depict (among other things) armageddon.

  are these websites infringing watchtower society copyright by displaying their images?.

  if yes, has the watchtower society attempted to have these sites either closed down or the images removed?.

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  Nathan Natas

  It isn't so much that Copyright Law is unclear - the problem is that the law changes over time and the law applies to publications written while a particular version of the law was in effect.

  Most Watchtower publications printed before 1970 were printed WITHOUT a copyright notice and under the law then in effect, those publications went automatically into the Public Domain. I believe this apparent "oversight" on the part of the Watchtower was likely due to the Watchtower believing their own "end of the world" hogwash.

  After approximately 1970, the Society "lawyered up" and began looking to protect their vulnerable areas - and NOTHING hurts the WTB&TS more than their old publications.

  The current copyright law was altered by Senator Sonny Bono and others in the entertainment industry to provide much longer protection (about a century, if memory serves). The WTB&TS is VERY happy to take advantage of Caesar's protection.

  Many apostates believe that information about the WTB&TS should be free, so they take advantage of the copyright law's "fair use" provision and sometimes defy the law in the interest of human freedom.
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  8

  Fun Comparisons Redux

  by Farkel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the "star trek" comparison thread got me to rememberin' some of the other comparison topics i've done over the years.. this is for newer ones here who may like er, "punchy" comparisons.

  hope you have some fun with them.. gangs and dubs.

  al capone vs. judge rutherford".

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  Nathan Natas

  If I may, I think Farkel would be OK with it:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5wNL29kdek

  The Klingon death ritual was a Klingon rite performed during, or directly following, the death of a warrior. The Ritual involved opening and staring into the eyes of the dying individual, then bellowing loudly at the sky. The latter served as a warning to the dead (presumably in Sto-vo-kor): "Beware, a Klingon warrior is about to arrive". Once the Ritual was completed, the body was unceremoniously discarded. It was considered to be "only an empty shell" which should be treated as such. (TNG: "Heart of Glory")
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  4

  Science Fiction fan? Help please..

  by Xanthippe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anyone remember a story about humans visiting a planet where they had fruit that smelt so delicious that it was almost impossible to resist but if you did eat it, it changed you genetically into a different species that i think was immortal.

  seem to remember something about the 'victim' losing their human face and a sort of beak would form.

  sound familiar to anyone?.

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  Nathan Natas

  Impressive, AnneB, most impressive.
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  15

  does anyone know where this pic is from?

  by wallsofjericho in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  i am looking for a better image, i think this is partially cropped.

  but i have no idea what publication it is from.

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  Nathan Natas

  L3G, yes, you are confusing famous Watchtower nutcases. The nutcase you are thinking of is C. J. Woodworth, the Demon Possessed editor of the Golden Age magazine, who wrote things like "We do well to bear in mind that among the drugs, serums, vaccines, surgical operations, etc., of the medical profession, there is nothing of value save an occasional surgical proceedure. Their so-called "science" grew out of Egyptian black magic and has not lost its demonological character.... we shall be in a sad plight when we place the welfare of the race in their hands." and "The Journal of the A. M. A. is the vilest sheet that passes the United States mail.... Nothing new and useful in theraputics escapes its unqualified condemnation. Its attacks are generally ad hominem. Its editorial columns are largely devoted to character assasination.... Its editor [Morris Fishbein] is of the type of Jew that crucified Jesus Christ."

  W. E. van A. was one of the WTB&TS most precious relics, donating his self-respect to the Society's service through the reigns of Russell, Rutherford, and Knorr. At International assemblies they would soak him in tanna-leaf-tea and present his mummified self as the image of loyalty.

  See my reprints of The Way to Paradise and A Bible for the Scientist for more information about WEVA (Amazon).
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  15

  does anyone know where this pic is from?

  by wallsofjericho in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  i am looking for a better image, i think this is partially cropped.

  but i have no idea what publication it is from.

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  Nathan Natas

  Looking at the art in the brochure, I have to say I'll bet the artist is one HELL of a window-washer!

  Blondie, my guess is that the women shown in the illo are either "anonymous Bethel chambermaid" or Greenlees & Chitty.

  Wallsofjericho, I agree with you. The person shown is the famous Watchtower spineless prop W. E. van Amburgh, who traded his integrity for room & board.
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  60

  Can we excuse the R&F for ever ?

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  generally i go along with it when posters express pity and sympathy for the r&f jw's.

  i feel this way toward them too, to a degree.. but where do we draw the line ?

  we know that jw's do not have a conscience of their own really, they are told how to think and act, and they have to obey.. just as those living in nazi germany were told how to think and act, and had to obey.. but, " i was just following orders " was not taken as a valid defense at nuremburg.. as the wt descends in to becoming more and more like north korea in its do not question, simply obey !

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  Nathan Natas

  I feel it is important to bear in mind that the WTB&TS membership is not fixed, it is fluid. The Borg as a whole may grow, but each year thousands of people leave for many reasons. Some kill themselves, some go insane and require institutionalization, and some walk away to follow their bliss.

  I'm not saying there are not a LOT of "old-timers." but that is more because of psychological inertia than deep conviction. People are loathe to admit when they've made a bad decision. If they realize they are going to die without having a chance to waltz thru the Great Tribulation and Armageddon into "THE NEW WORLD" they might feel they have nothing to lose by sticking around and going through the motions, the way I believe the majority of people of all religions do.

  (I feel that most people are CLOSET ATHEISTS, which is exactly what "having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power" means. I mean, how many people say, "Yes I believe that there is a God, and that he wants me to behave as though he did not exist"?)
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  18

  Retirement complex for older JW's to be built

  by moomanchu in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is literally almost in my backyard.. they are using a local contractor, not jw volunteers.. http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-jehova-witness-retirement-home-20140205,0,2445692.story.

  21 f. thursday, feb. 6, 20146:49 am est .

  retirement complex for jehovah's witnesses in salisbury townshipnine-month project to employ workers from 20 trades.

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  Nathan Natas

  How much of their personal net worth does an interested Dub need to contribute to get a spot in one of these hostiles? (Pun intended)

  What happens if a Dub gets in and later is expelled from TCCoJW? Do they get their "contribution" back?

  NOTE: TCCoW=The Christian Congregation of ehovah's Witnesses
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  91

  ...What do you Do,when People Ask You for Spare Change?...

  by OUTLAW in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  .. .........................some people are truly in need..some are not... a man passing by on his 10 speed bike,asked me for $2.00 for a cup of coffee... .................................................."uhhh,no"... ............another asked me for spare change outside a super market... ......................................i said i didn`t have any... ...................so he say`s "how about a credit card?!"......lol!!...

  .. ....................what do you do,when people ask you for spare change?...

  ..... .. ..........................................whats the most outrageous thing... ......................................you`ve been asked forby a stranger?...

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  Nathan Natas

  I'm in Seattle. Several years ago I was walking along "the ave" near the campus of the UW. There was a time when this street was filled with young scholars in pursuit of an education but today the scholars hide in their dorms to avoid the street punks, drug dealers, prostitutes and skateboarders who have NO future. But I digress... I was on the west side of the ave near North 44th - by the Post Office - when one of the resident bums stretches out his arn and jiggles a cup of coins in front of me.

  Without breaking my stride, I said "No thanks, I have plenty." That torqued the bum's jaws a bit.
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  8

  NEED Help before Monday

  by Crazyguy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i noticed in a thread a day or 2 ago that someone mentioned a wt dated back in 1981 i believe where it stated that the policy of the jw's were that if anyone even thought a doubt about the jw's that they were infact apostates!!!

  i downloaded the article in the 1980 8/1 pp17-22 and that was not the article.

  can't find the thread, help anyone please!!!!!

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  Nathan Natas

  "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."
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  28

  Growing a beard!!

  by ILoveTTATT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am doing one of my dreams for a while: growing a beard.

  it may not seem like much, but it's quite the experience for me.

  it's probably a rite of passage from jw to exjw lol.. besides the itchyness, i hate it that it curls so much (i have hairs that naturally start to curl after a certain length).. anyone here have tips on taking care of a beard?

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  Nathan Natas

  Instead of vegetable oil, I would go with light weight mineral oil (odorless baby oil). Mineral oil cannot go rancid or oxidize (at room temp.) like vegetable oils can.

  Did you know that baby oil contains NO baby extract? That's false advertising!