Posts by NotFormer

5

Spiritual Paradise?? (ex)JW Elder to stand trial for multiple rapes over a 10-year period.

by Balaamsass2 in

former jehovah's witness elder committed to stand trial accused of sunshine coast rapes, sexual abuse.

a former jehovah's witness elder has been committed to stand trial for raping and sexually abusing young men on the sunshine coast over a 10-year period.police arrested 62-year-old mooloolaba man peter mitchelson in august 2022 and charged him with more than 50 sexual offences, including 21 counts of rape that allegedly occurred at various locations on the sunshine coast and in brisbane from 2008 to 2018.. the charges relate to five adult male complainants known to mr mitchelson through the jehovah's witness faith.. a committal hearing at maroochydore today heard mr mitchelson allegedly used his seniority as a former congregation elder to coerce the younger men to perform sexual acts for his gratification.. police said the acts were non-consensual and made the alleged victims feel "used, controlled, and lied to".. mr mitchelson was committed to stand trial in the district court on 53 charges, while charges of incest and torture were dismissed due to a lack of evidence.. 'positive affirmations' allegedly escalated.

the court heard the majority of alleged offending started with mr mitchelson advising alleged victims on how to use '"positive affirmations" to improve their confidence.. police said initial meetings with mr mitchelson involved alleged victims standing in front of a mirror repeating the phrase: "i'm strong.

NotFormer

"Mr Mitchelson was remanded in custody to return to court on a charge of possessing a schedule four medicine — the erectile dysfunction drug Sildenafil — in September."

I wonder if that's to do with this: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.tga.gov.au/news/safety-alerts/australia-tablets&ved=2ahUKEwjmw9LYybaFAxVF3jgGHdnIBhEQFnoECBkQAQ&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw3WyT6JYwKyXb1OKNUBu2WQ

I.e. did he buy it illegally online?

Or is it illegal to possess that drug, while awaiting trial for the above offences?

Either way, it sounds like an Al Capone situation, where they used some small legal technicality to lock him up again.

Edited to add: I didn't realise that that was simply Viagra. Buying it through non-official sources seems like a no-no. I doubt he could get it prescribed because of the charges against him.

Does anyone have any better idea of what's going on here?

64

I am not redsetter, here is his message for you

by redsetter2 in

you read this correctly.

as i explained in an earlier post, i am a "ghostwriter" for the original resetter.

i'm a woman, a pimo regular pioneer working for my friend who was redsetter1 on reddit.

NotFormer

"Does anyone really believe posters like this?"

When he can do the secret handshake, I'll believe him wholeheartedly! 🙄

153

When JW.org drops 607BCE...

by Nathan Natas in

probably everyone else thought of this long ago, but i, being an "independent thunker" thunk of it just a coupla weeks ago.. we all know that since the year zero (on the fredfranzian calendar) the wtb&ts has defied archaeology and insisted that jerusalem was destroyed in 607 bce, even though the physical evidence shows that 587 bce is a more likely date.

in fact, the book "the gentile times reconsidered: have jehovah's witnesses been wrong all along about 607 bce?

" by carl olof jonsson and rud persson made this conversation public.. it is a difference of 20 years.

NotFormer

Sanchy: "Could you please list the the names of these "Celebrated WT Scholars"?"

That's a good question. Presumably the writing department is in charge of "scholarship". Can anyone name a single person from the writing department? How do anonymous drones get to be "celebrated"?

18

Former Jehovah's Witness elder committed to stand trial accused of Sunshine Coast rapes, sexual abuse

by yalbmert99 in

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-20/former-jehovahs-witness-elder-to-stand-trial-accused-of-rape/103612422.

NotFormer

Diogenesister: "Maybe not in an appointed position "of power" at the time the incidents that have enough evidence to be taken to court took place, but you can bet your bottom dollar they started when he was an elder. Probably deleted him when complaints started piling up...."

Wouldn't the two witnesses rule be at play, even where an elder is involved? Could they delete him without the testimony of two witnesses. Or does more than one complaint equate to more than one witness?

30

How many different "rules" do Jehovah's Witnesses have to obey? Can you count them?

by Balaamsass2 in

all the big changes for jws since this last fall brought me back to this site, and got me and the wife talking.

just how many things were we not allowed to do growing up as jehovah's witnesses?

we were so used to all the rules, customs, and traditions, that we became used to them.. one site i found claims there are 141 unique rules!!

NotFormer

"You can get disfellowshipped for what ever the elders decide. By ones 'apparent' lack of remorse.

"With the shunning to ensue brought on by the kangaroo court."

That's my understanding. Whatever "real" rules exist, the soft ones will be enforced by a BOE that's out to get you.

Reminds me of the Torquemada sketch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEOV0O7k9YU

30

How many different "rules" do Jehovah's Witnesses have to obey? Can you count them?

by Balaamsass2 in

all the big changes for jws since this last fall brought me back to this site, and got me and the wife talking.

just how many things were we not allowed to do growing up as jehovah's witnesses?

we were so used to all the rules, customs, and traditions, that we became used to them.. one site i found claims there are 141 unique rules!!

NotFormer

"And you can get disfellowshipped for breaking any one of them."

Is that absolutely true? Some of those look like padding, rules that you have because you expect to have rules in any large group of people. Loss of privileges or being considered "spiritually weak" for some of them, surely?

86

Prediction: no more changes for a long while

by slimboyfat in

i’ve noticed a pattern where things don’t go the way i expect them to go and/or whenever i realise there is a trend and, i mentally adjust for the idea that the trend will continue, the trend stops in its tracks.

so on that basis, and given many people, including myself, and active jws, have been asking ‘what changes will the governing body make next?’ perhaps the (disappointing) answer is: ‘nothing much for a while to come’.

maybe they’ve made the changes they want for now, and will wait a while and see how it’s received.

NotFormer

Ron.W. How is that ridiculously petty and crappy behaviour supposed to give glory to God? No outsider visiting and observing such a scene would think that these are God's special people. 🙄

153

When JW.org drops 607BCE...

by Nathan Natas in

probably everyone else thought of this long ago, but i, being an "independent thunker" thunk of it just a coupla weeks ago.. we all know that since the year zero (on the fredfranzian calendar) the wtb&ts has defied archaeology and insisted that jerusalem was destroyed in 607 bce, even though the physical evidence shows that 587 bce is a more likely date.

in fact, the book "the gentile times reconsidered: have jehovah's witnesses been wrong all along about 607 bce?

" by carl olof jonsson and rud persson made this conversation public.. it is a difference of 20 years.

NotFormer

Should 1914 go, would any of the faithful feel it's a bridge too far and get themselves disfellowshipped for disagreeing with the GB?

86

Prediction: no more changes for a long while

by slimboyfat in

i’ve noticed a pattern where things don’t go the way i expect them to go and/or whenever i realise there is a trend and, i mentally adjust for the idea that the trend will continue, the trend stops in its tracks.

so on that basis, and given many people, including myself, and active jws, have been asking ‘what changes will the governing body make next?’ perhaps the (disappointing) answer is: ‘nothing much for a while to come’.

maybe they’ve made the changes they want for now, and will wait a while and see how it’s received.

NotFormer

The biblical verse that covers the carrying of the microphone must be a doozy! 😱🙄

153

When JW.org drops 607BCE...

by Nathan Natas in

probably everyone else thought of this long ago, but i, being an "independent thunker" thunk of it just a coupla weeks ago.. we all know that since the year zero (on the fredfranzian calendar) the wtb&ts has defied archaeology and insisted that jerusalem was destroyed in 607 bce, even though the physical evidence shows that 587 bce is a more likely date.

in fact, the book "the gentile times reconsidered: have jehovah's witnesses been wrong all along about 607 bce?

" by carl olof jonsson and rud persson made this conversation public.. it is a difference of 20 years.

NotFormer

"Switch out 1919 for 1939 and focus on the start of WW2 and presto! You have a momentous world occasion to mark your "Biblical Chronology." Problem solved!"

Except that the leadership is completely US-centric. Thus WW2 wouldn't have started until December 7, 1941. 😉😺

Somewhat off topic, I remember arguing with an old JW lady about 1914. She declared that WW1 was unique in that all the nations of the world were involved for the first time. I disputed that claim, saying that the Napoleonic wars were pretty vast in scope, involving a lot of nations of the time and their colonies, and battles associated with it were happening way outside of Europe's borders.