I guess it boils down to respect for the law and common societal norms. I don't see the Watchtower Society making any moves in that direction anytime soon.
Balaamsass
JoinedPosts by Balaamsass
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91
Any updates on the SPY network at the I.R.S., F.B.I., and other agencies for Watchtower Bible and Tract Society?
by Balaamsass incurious, with almost 25,000 members here.
network of j.w.
does anyone have any up to date info on the status of the volunteer "spies"?.
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Balaamsass
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120
Do YOU Believe That JWs Have A Huge Problem With Pedophiles?
by minimus ini don't think there are more pedophiles in the religion than there are in others.. i understand that one is too many.
but i think some believe that it's an epidemic within the organization.
i believe their 2 witness rule can help pedophiles secretly abuse kids.. but i don't think that this particular crime dominates those in the religion.. .
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Balaamsass
Well, while I thought this was just about Pedophiles.....I also know of EX murderers, drug dealers, etc......and had personal experience with a very dangerous JW/ex-elder who attended meetings and dealt drugs as part of his "Double Life". So much for Holy Spirit involved in appointments.
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120
Do YOU Believe That JWs Have A Huge Problem With Pedophiles?
by minimus ini don't think there are more pedophiles in the religion than there are in others.. i understand that one is too many.
but i think some believe that it's an epidemic within the organization.
i believe their 2 witness rule can help pedophiles secretly abuse kids.. but i don't think that this particular crime dominates those in the religion.. .
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Balaamsass
I have only been in 8 halls in 3 states, so it is impossible to state any "Numbers" opinion factually. But while discussing this subject with JWs who had been in law enforcement and served as servants, the JW concepts of "NO HELL" and "WORKS" ( ie EARNING SALVATION THROUGH WORKS) seemed to attract individuals battling private demons...who liked a belief system allowing them to do Penance for slip-ups.
The very act of going door to door INVITING parolees to our meetings full of children and single moms while "LOVE BOMBING" them may add to the problem. ( I have never heard of a parolee admit to being a baby raper if he could avoid it.) A couple of low rent trailer parks in isolated areas nearby, get worked frequently in service because JWs with kids place A LOT of MAGAZINES in them..(.these parks are dumping grounds for released parolees and molesters! ). I believe the WAY JWs seek members increases the likelyhood of attracting pedophiles. A poor single mom at the door with a pack of children is irresistible to a pedophile. Some have been held up as "Wonderful brothers" who have "taken on the responsibility of marrying destitute sisters with many children"....... Only many years later does the truth comes out about molestation and incest.
The Wiki article: "Several researchers have reported correlations between pedophilia and certain psychological characteristics, such as low self-esteem [ 53 ] [ 54 ] and poor social skills. [ 55 ] Cohen et al. (2002), studying child sex offenders, states that pedophiles have impaired interpersonal functioning and elevated passive-aggressiveness, as well as impaired self-concept. Regarding disinhibitory traits, pedophiles demonstrate elevated psychopathy and propensity for cognitive distortions. According to the authors, pathologic personality traits in pedophiles lend support to a hypothesis that such pathology is related to both motivation for and failure to inhibit pedophilic behavior."
A few years ago I tried and tried to no avail to influence some adult child victims and parents to bring civil suit or testify on behalf of other victims against a particulary egregious longtime JW perp. They refused!!! Out of childhood fears, and FEAR OF DISFELLOWSHIPING BY THE WTBS. Four parents and half a dozen kids. Incredible.....how could anyone not think this is a problem within the JW CULT ?
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A new method of "counting time".
by dothemath ini think everyone who does put in a field-service report........should just use the principle from "a day for a year".
(num.
4:6) i know i put in about 6 minutes of actually talking to someone about religion at work, so in.
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Balaamsass
Do the Math,
Nothing new here. Hour for a minute, Day for a year, has been in use for MANY aspiring Ministerial Servants, Elders, and Circuit Overseers for years already!!
In fact I believe 1 minute for 2 HOURS applies to seeing and "being seen" at any Saturday AM Donut shop in your best polyester!! Double points!!
Same applies to "being seen" with friends in large SUV/Mini Van driving aimlessly while "Doing calls", be sure to wave or blow horn for maximum effect. Keeping a clip-on tie and coat in car will give others the impression of true earnestness if seen while taking care of errands.
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Lawyers...what do you think? Will this new case affect any of us?
by Balaamsass injudge hits blogger with $2.5 million charge for not being a journalist.
1 day ago by peter pachal 162 .
in a case thats sending a frightening message to the blogger community, a u.s. district court judge ruled that a blogger must pay $2.5 million to an investment firm she wrote about because she isnt a real journalist.. as reported by seattle weekly, judge marco a. hernandez said crystal cox, who runs several blogs, wasnt entitled to the protections afforded to journalists specifically, oregons media shield law for sources because she wasnt affiliated with any newspaper, magazine, periodical, book, pamphlet, news service, wire service, news or feature syndicate, broadcast station or network, or cable television system.. the obsidian finance group sued cox in january for $10 million for writing several blog posts critical of the company and its co-founder, kevin padrick.
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Balaamsass
Judge Hits Blogger With $2.5 Million Charge for Not Being a Journalist
1 day ago by Peter Pachal 162
In a case that’s sending a frightening message to the blogger community, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that a blogger must pay $2.5 million to an investment firm she wrote about — because she isn’t a real journalist.
As reported by Seattle Weekly , Judge Marco A. Hernandez said Crystal Cox, who runs several blogs, wasn’t entitled to the protections afforded to journalists — specifically, Oregon’s media shield law for sources — because she wasn’t “affiliated with any newspaper, magazine, periodical, book, pamphlet, news service, wire service, news or feature syndicate, broadcast station or network, or cable television system.”
The Obsidian Finance Group sued Cox in January for $10 million for writing several blog posts critical of the company and its co-founder, Kevin Padrick. Obsidian argued that the writing was defamatory. Cox represented herself in court.
The judge threw out all but one of the blog posts cited, focusing on just one (this one), which was more factual in tone than the rest of her writing. Cox said that was because she was being fed information from an inside source, whom she refused to name.
Without the source, she couldn’t prove the information in the post was true — and thus, according to the judge, she didn’t qualify for Oregon’s media shield law since she wasn’t employed by a media establishment. In the court’s eyes, she was a blogger, not a journalist. The penalty: $2.5 million.
The debate over whether bloggers are journalists has been going on for years, but the consensus has been largely settled — on the opposite side of what Judge Hernandez has ruled. Attorney Bruce E. H. Johnson, who wrote the media shield laws in next-door Washington State, told Seattle Weekly that those laws would have protected Cox had her case been tried in Washington.
In a more high-profile case, an editor from Gizmodo escaped criminal charges after revealing to the world an iPhone prototype lost in a bar. Although police raided the California home of editor Jason Chen in 2010, the case was cited as a test for that state’s media shield law, and the district attorney said publicly this year that no charges would be filed to anyone from the site.
When discussing the case, Steve Jobs told The Wall Street Journal‘s Walt Mossberg that he believed Chen was “a guy,” not a journalist. Mossberg countered that he himself was a blogger, and that he thought bloggers were journalists. (You can see the exchange in this video, at about the 16:00 mark.)
Are bloggers the same as journalists? And if not, what is the dividing line? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Print StoryEmail StoryReprints
New story on mashable today. Texas courts rule against blogger. Hope this shortcut pastes OK.
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Have you seen "Community" on TV? News article came up today on my "Jehovah's Witness" alert.
by Balaamsass intv blend12 things troy wouldn't do on community if actually a jehovah's witnessauthor: mack rawdenpublished: 2011-12-07 17:55:09nbc's community is one of the most unique shows in the history of television, willing to take risks other shows might not, and create characters which you aren't likely to see anywhere else.
for instance troy barnes, played by donald glover, is the first openly jehovah's witness character on television.
in the past that's been a problem when it came time to celebrate his birthday, since jw's aren't allowed to celebrate them.
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Balaamsass
TV BLEND 12 Things Troy Wouldn't Do On Community If Actually A Jehovah's Witness
Author: Mack Rawden published: 2011-12-07 17:55:09 NBC's Community is one of the most unique shows in the history of television, willing to take risks other shows might not, and create characters which you aren't likely to see anywhere else. For instance Troy Barnes, played by Donald Glover, is the first openly Jehovah's Witness character on television. In the past that's been a problem when it came time to celebrate his birthday, since JW's aren't allowed to celebrate them. This week on the show it'll become an issue again, when the gang tries to celebrate Christmas and Troy can't, because Jehovah's Witnesses are forbidden from celebrating the holiday.
But the truth is, if Troy were actually one of Jehovah's Witnesses, Christmases and birthdays aren't the only things on the show he'd have a problem with. Most serious JW's would refuse to participate in a lot of the things Troy does on Community. Wondering what those might be? Here's a list of just some of the things Troy wouldn't be able to do if he were actually one of the world's 7.5 million Jehovah's Witnesses.
Be Friends With Abed
The friendship between Troy and Abed is one of the best things about Community, but if Troy were actually a Jehovah's Witness he wouldn't be allowed to hang out with Abed, much less befriend him. JW's are strongly discouraged from associating with anyone outside their religion. Contact with outsiders is limited to necessary interactions at work or at school, and anything beyond that is looked down upon. Outsiders are referred to by Witnesses as "worldly" and are to be avoided unless you're attempting to convert them.
Play High School Football
Part of Troy's backstory is that he used to play High School football. Most JW's forbid their children from participating in organized sports or for that matter any after school activities. They believe that this distracts them from focusing on their religious duties and that extra, unnecessary association with those outside their religion is damaging.
Hang Out With The Study Group Outside School
The study group on Community often ends up doing things together outside of school, but in real life if Troy were a JW he wouldn't be able to participate. Interaction with classmates is ok for JW's, because it's necessary, but any association with non-believers ends there. A serious Jehovah's Witness would go to school and then head straight home after class, probably to engage in Bible study.
Play Dungeons & Dragons
In the season 2 episode "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" Troy joins the study group in trying to help cheer up Fat Neil by playing a game of "Dungeons & Dragons" with him. Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to play D&D since the game involves the use of pretend occult magic, and Witnesses are strictly forbidden from becoming involved with or even pretending to become involved with anything using magic, spiritism, or otherworldly powers. That includes board games like D&D.
Spend Time With The Dean
Community's Dean Pelton is a flamboyantly gay character with an obsessive attraction to Jeff Winger. Troy and the Dean don't spend a lot of time together, but they interact once in awhile and Troy seems pretty cool with it. In real life Jehovah's Witnesses consider homosexuality to be one of the worst sins imaginable and would never associate with a gay man whenever it could be avoided.
Attend Annie's Dia de los Muertos Party
In the season 1 episode "Introduction to Statistics" Annie throws a Dia de los Muertos party. It's a celebration of the Spanish Day of the Dead, but Troy wouldn't be able to attend since Jehovah's Witnesses not only don't believe that the spirit lives on after death, they are forbidden from participating in, watching, or being around anything which promotes this ideal.
Spend Time With Britta
On Community one of the study group members, Britta Perry, is an openly atheist character who Troy spends a lot of time with, and at one point was even romantically attracted to. JW's, like a lot of religions, view becoming an atheist as the worst thing anyone can do. JW's avoid and shun atheists, out of fear that their anti-God views may in some way poison their minds.
Fake Valentine's Day Presents
In the season 1 episode "Communication Studies", Pierce and Troy send each other Valentine's Day presents. Jehovah's Witnesses are strictly forbidden from celebrating any holiday, in any way, particularly those with religious connections (like Valentine's Day), even if they're only faking it.
Watch Most Of The Movies In His Collection
Troy is a huge movie fan, and together with his friend Abed they obsess endlessly over all sorts of movies. They're particularly a fan of violent films like the Kick Puncher series, but if Troy were actually a JW most of the movies he loves would be off limits. Jehovah's Witnesses are forbidden from watching films containing any profanity, violence, or sexual content. In particular, as a general rule, they're not allowed to watch rated-R movies and many PG-13 movies are also off limits.
Attend A Halloween Party Dressed As The Power Loader From Aliens
In the season 2 episode "Epidemiology", Troy attends a Halloween party dressed as the Power Loader from Aliens. Not only are Jehovah's Witnesses forbidden from celebrating holidays, you might say Halloween is the one they're most forbidden from celebrating since it involves magic and the occult (also a JW no no). Additionally, Alien is an extremely violent R-rated movie, of the type JW's are not allowed to watch. A real JW would never have seen it, and if he had seen it, he'd never admit it for fear that he'd get in trouble with fellow Witnesses.
Date Girls From School
In the season 2 episode "Competitive Wine Tasting" Troy pretends to be a molestation victim in order to kiss Britta. Several times throughout the course of other episodes too, he dates and attempts to date girls he goes to school with. But Jehovah's Witnesses are strictly forbidden from developing romantic relationships of any kind with anyone outside their religion.
Compete In A Paintball Tournament
In the season 1 episode "Modern Warfare" and then again in the season 2 episodes "A Fistfull of Paintballs" and "For A Few Paintballs More", Greendale holds a paintball tournament. Troy like everyone else participates. A real Jehovah's Witness would be forced to leave the school premises since Jehovah's Witnesses are forbidden from participating in any form of violence, simulated or otherwise. JW parents, for instance, often refuse to buy their children toys with guns. A JW parent who buys their kid a Transformer will remove all the guns and throw them out, before giving their kid the toy. This of course results in a lot of fantasy robot punching, when those parents aren't looking.
Maybe this explains why there haven't been many JW characters on television before Troy. They're kind of boring and if you're looking for sitcom situations to put your sitcom characters in, a JW would have to bow out of most of them. The good news here is that not all JW's strictly adhere to every one the religion's many rules. Some secretly fudge a little and you may from time to time encounter a Witness willing enough to risk punishment at his or her Kingdom Hall (their name for their church) and even shunning from family and friends (they call it disfellowshipping) in order to secretly play paintball, or watch The Matrix.
Donald Glover, who plays Troy on the show, was actually raised as a Jehovah's Witness. When asked why Troy does some of the above even though he's a JW, Glover had this to say: "I think he's not as Jehovah's Witness as he wants to be, 'Am I Jehovah's Witness or are my parents Jehovah's Witness?' I think everybody kind of hits that point where they say, 'Okay, am I doing this out of tradition? Do I actually believe this?'" Troy is that kind of Witness, trying to find a way to live in the real world as much as possible and perhaps secretly question what he's being told. Back to 12 Things Troy Wouldn't Do On Community If Actually A Jehovah's WitnessAdvertisement Carpie2112 Also #FF these respectable people... @geekonfilm@joshtyler@akstanwyck@GuyLodge@kristapley@mikeryan@Poni_Boy@JHoffman6@katherinemonkabout 1 minute ago · reply · retweet · favorite
Carpie2112 Rare #FF... @kateyrich, @KellyWest11@davidehrlich (I know, suspect) @misterpatches@Da7e@jamesrocchi@mrbeaks@AwardsDaily@Sean_OConnell4 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite
kateyrich Pretty sure this cauliflower recipe will single-handedly get me through winter. http://t.co/15hYF5M9about 1 hour ago · reply · retweet · favorite
kateyrich Had a great interview with @pattonoswalt, who got surprisingly insightful about The Bad News Bears: http://t.co/bh31uvbz3 hours ago · reply · retweet · favorite
kateyrich TAKE SHELTER is the first Jessica Chastain perf. I saw this year, and still her best. The confrontation scene in the shelter is dynamite. 4 hours ago · reply · retweet · favorite
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120
Do YOU Believe That JWs Have A Huge Problem With Pedophiles?
by minimus ini don't think there are more pedophiles in the religion than there are in others.. i understand that one is too many.
but i think some believe that it's an epidemic within the organization.
i believe their 2 witness rule can help pedophiles secretly abuse kids.. but i don't think that this particular crime dominates those in the religion.. .
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Balaamsass
So I guess my answer would be YES. BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT "OUTTED" and they have easy access to children.
My current hall has three Molesters. With about 80 active publishers, it would represent a cross section of the population statisticly. However two of the "Perp Brethren" are married to "Church Ladies" and 90% of the JWs have no idea they should avoid these families. They proudly sit in the front rows and answer up a storm. It made my stomach turn.
Wikipedia stats for the population:"The prevalence of pedophilia in the general population is not known, [ 3 ] [ 61 ] but is estimated to be lower than 5% based on several smaller studies with prevalence rates between 3% and 9%. [ 3 ] [ 64 ] "Most sexual offenders against children are male, although female offenders may account for 0.4% to 4% of convicted sexual offenders."
ONE PERCENT is to high for me. I believe in very rural areas of the US the percentage might be MUCH lower due do the amount of secluded land, shotguns, and shovels.
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Do YOU Believe That JWs Have A Huge Problem With Pedophiles?
by minimus ini don't think there are more pedophiles in the religion than there are in others.. i understand that one is too many.
but i think some believe that it's an epidemic within the organization.
i believe their 2 witness rule can help pedophiles secretly abuse kids.. but i don't think that this particular crime dominates those in the religion.. .
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Balaamsass
Minimus,
Ted Jaraz (sp) and Ray Franz agree with you. Bill Bowen, a couple of Ex-cop Elders and some current DOJ agents I discussed this at length with, disagree with you. Hard facts and statistics are impossible to come up with.
I know of quite a few cases in my area. Even a slick Child porn video maker who has out smarted WTBS for YEARS. Uneducated and untrained Elders are no match for real criminals. There will always be a risk of isolated abuse cases but WTBTS has made a mess of the situation by involving themselves and local elders in CRIMINAL CASES.
If the house is on fire we call 911 for the fire Department, not the Elders. Why call the Elders when a child is raped?
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London Ohio and Indianapolis Assemby Halls to be sold
by munchausen inannounce was made this week that the assembly halls in london, ohio and indianapolis indiana will be sold and a new 3000 seat assembly hall will be built in southwest ohio.
the assembly hall in london ohio was built in the 70's and is in fine shape - nothing wrong with it.
the new one will cost around 8-9 million.
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Lawyers: Can a Jehovah's Witness sue the Watchtower Society for Civil Rights violations?
by Balaamsass ini have been on boards and run businesses, and been reminded by more than one cpa and attorney to cross ts and dot i s regarding corporate requirements or we would become liable to lawsuits.. therefore, my questions to any attorneys and cpas, and the keen minds on this board, are the following;.
i have been reading old threads on this site about watchtower society irregularities regarding tax filings with state and federal agencies.
evidently, a number of filings for different years were identical (unlikely if not impossible) or missing.
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Balaamsass
Still curious..case law....can sworn testimony in a different court...say AUS or GB be used in a California Court or Washington Court. ????
