Posts by NotFormer

24

Jehovah's Witnesses suing Dutch State for discrimination

by Tahoe in

https://nltimes.nl/2023/12/11/jehovahs-witnesses-suing-dutch-state-discrimination .

the jehovah’s witnesses have sued the dutch state for discrimination, the religious organization informed trouw.

they consider it discriminatory that the government investigated them, but no other religious organization, for their handling of sexual abuse cases.. utrecht university conducted the investigation involved, following publications in trouw in which sexual abuse victims within the jehovah’s witnesses described what happened to them, and published the results in january 2020. utrecht university concluded that 60 percent of sexual abuse victims were very critical of how the jehovah’s witnesses handled their cases, scoring the handling a 1 out of 10. many victims were traumatized by how things were handled, the researchers said.. sander dekker, then the minster for legal protection, ordered the investigation at parliament’s insistence because the jehovah’s witnesses failed to arrange an investigation themselves, as the catholic church did at the time with the deetman commission.. the jehovah’s witnesses cooperated in the utrecht university investigation but unsuccessfully tried to stop the publication of its results.

NotFormer

Unfortunately, you're right. The recent changes are indeed cosmetic at best. (Although the last minute conversion one is actually pretty major in some ways) And again, you're right, some of the major sticking points (blood, shunning, two witnesses etc.) represent too much of a change; policies like those have done so much damage to lives over the years that to jettison them at any time would be unworkable. There would be such incredible legal ramifications that it would be likely that the organisation could survive.

I'd love to see a government or two go after them over the blood policy. It's not just medical "advice": they force compliance on pain of death (disfellowshipment) and enforce it (HLC). They're practicing medicine without a licence.

24

Jehovah's Witnesses suing Dutch State for discrimination

by Tahoe in

https://nltimes.nl/2023/12/11/jehovahs-witnesses-suing-dutch-state-discrimination .

the jehovah’s witnesses have sued the dutch state for discrimination, the religious organization informed trouw.

they consider it discriminatory that the government investigated them, but no other religious organization, for their handling of sexual abuse cases.. utrecht university conducted the investigation involved, following publications in trouw in which sexual abuse victims within the jehovah’s witnesses described what happened to them, and published the results in january 2020. utrecht university concluded that 60 percent of sexual abuse victims were very critical of how the jehovah’s witnesses handled their cases, scoring the handling a 1 out of 10. many victims were traumatized by how things were handled, the researchers said.. sander dekker, then the minster for legal protection, ordered the investigation at parliament’s insistence because the jehovah’s witnesses failed to arrange an investigation themselves, as the catholic church did at the time with the deetman commission.. the jehovah’s witnesses cooperated in the utrecht university investigation but unsuccessfully tried to stop the publication of its results.

NotFormer

Vidiot: "Jeezus, Not…

…they make that many changes, they’d hardly even BE “Jehovah’s Witnesses” any more."

The funny thing is how much they have changed already. Numerous posts by people who left ages ago who don't even recognise it as the organisation that they left. And it isn't the same as it was when I used to have "animated discussions" at the door 25 years ago. Heck, back then, the rumour was that if you typed "1914" into the keypad at most Kingdom Halls, you had a good chance of disarming the alarm! 😱 Now, who even mentions 1914 anymore?

266

Where is Tony?

by Athanasius in

jw
friends

on february 22, 2023, anthony morris iii was officially removed from the governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

a few months later it was revealed that the watchtower bought him a house in lumberton, north carolina.. however, and correct me if i am wrong, since leaving the gb nobody has reported seeing tony attending jw meetings or participating in field service.

in fact nobody has reported seeing him anywhere, not even at a local liquor store.

NotFormer

Dagney, we'd all like to know what really happened. I think you're right about NDAs being involved. Even the Bethelites who might normally leak are being quiet, presumably because any leaks can be traced and punished. The lid is tightly on this one, so you're right, we may never know the truth about what really happened. A lot of people thought he may have left in disgrace, but others suggest it may have been more amicable: he was the last of the old guard that was standing in the way of reform, so they mutually agreed to a decent settlement to get him to step down.

Vidiot, the two houses are part of that incentive to get him to walk away quietly. The Judge had several residences where he lived, but never shared them with his wife. Maybe it's just a GB thing that us mere mortals would never understand. 🙄

266

Where is Tony?

by Athanasius in

jw
friends

on february 22, 2023, anthony morris iii was officially removed from the governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

a few months later it was revealed that the watchtower bought him a house in lumberton, north carolina.. however, and correct me if i am wrong, since leaving the gb nobody has reported seeing tony attending jw meetings or participating in field service.

in fact nobody has reported seeing him anywhere, not even at a local liquor store.

NotFormer

He joined the Peace Corps and is happily engaged in charitable outreach in West Africa

24

Jehovah's Witnesses suing Dutch State for discrimination

by Tahoe in

https://nltimes.nl/2023/12/11/jehovahs-witnesses-suing-dutch-state-discrimination .

the jehovah’s witnesses have sued the dutch state for discrimination, the religious organization informed trouw.

they consider it discriminatory that the government investigated them, but no other religious organization, for their handling of sexual abuse cases.. utrecht university conducted the investigation involved, following publications in trouw in which sexual abuse victims within the jehovah’s witnesses described what happened to them, and published the results in january 2020. utrecht university concluded that 60 percent of sexual abuse victims were very critical of how the jehovah’s witnesses handled their cases, scoring the handling a 1 out of 10. many victims were traumatized by how things were handled, the researchers said.. sander dekker, then the minster for legal protection, ordered the investigation at parliament’s insistence because the jehovah’s witnesses failed to arrange an investigation themselves, as the catholic church did at the time with the deetman commission.. the jehovah’s witnesses cooperated in the utrecht university investigation but unsuccessfully tried to stop the publication of its results.

NotFormer

Back in the glory days, winning court cases against overreaching governments was a good look, and among the ranks, I imagine it was easy to believe that they were on the winning ("Jehovah's") side. But now they are seen as losing more often than not. And the new environment of losing often is in the GB's chickens coming home to roost, the doctrinal distinctives that fly in the face of basic human decency.

We all know what they should be doing, the things that they stubbornly refuse to embrace. Sure, keep the blood doctrine, but make it truly a conscience issue, without repercussions such as disfellowshipping or forced disassociation. And encourage JWs to go straight to the police at the slightest whiff of CSA matters, without requiring the involvement of the elders at all. And kill the two witnesses rule. Stop pressuring minors to become members, then shunning them. Make baptism something that can only be done at 18; introduce some watered down version for minors, some way they can signify their intent to eventually be baptised that doesn't carry the risk of disfellowshipment if it doesn't all work out.

1

Jehovah's Burglars

by NotFormer in

by the great spike milligan:.

https://youtu.be/9b7zlvryzbe?si=hgdlnyeur6serads.

NotFormer

"We're seeking refuge from the police; they're persecuting us because of our beliefs".

"What do you believe?"

"We believe that you've got a lot of money in this house!"

1

Jehovah's Burglars

by NotFormer in

by the great spike milligan:.

https://youtu.be/9b7zlvryzbe?si=hgdlnyeur6serads.

NotFormer

By the great Spike Milligan:

https://youtu.be/9B7zlvRyzbE?si=HgdLNYeuR6SEraDS

70

Beards are now allowed - New Light

by Listener in

lett has announced in the latest video update that jehovah has dignified the brothers by now letting them to choose for themselves whether they want to have a beard or not -.

https://www.jw.org/en/news/region/global/2023-governing-body-update-8/.

this applies worldwide and to all brothers in any position..

NotFormer

ZZ Top is back! Although his name is Beard, Frank Beard will be feeling left out.

Ever since Rutherford did everything he could to torch the memory of Russell, beards have been verboten. For a century! And now suddenly, it's okay, as if it never happened 😔🙄 But don't you ever dare mention it!

Since they're in the process of mainstreaming, and they mentioned "Pastor" Russell, do you think that they might bring back "Pastor" as a title?

19