Ranchette

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Posts by Ranchette

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  19

  HUGE!! St. Petersburg Times Article!

  by Ranchette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  edited by - ranchette1 on 22 august 2002 11:30:46.

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  Ranchette

  Edited by - Ranchette1 on 22 August 2002 11:30:46
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  3

  SilentLamb Press Kit?

  by Larry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm planning on sending a local radio station some materials regarding silentlambs.

  this radio station in nyc, wbai pacifica radio 99.5, is a progressive one.

  no commercials and is totally listener sponsored.

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  Ranchette

  Larry,

  Go to www.silentlambs.org in the left hand colum you will see a press button.Click that and scroll down till you see press packet click on that and see if that is the info you seek.

  Sheila Bowen
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  16

  Is The World On Notice Due to WTBS?

  by Dismembered in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  what is anyones opinion.

  do you think the world has been put on notice with the flymsy pages of the watchtower & awake magazines, and the door to door ministry?

  dismembered but not dismemberededited by - dismembered on 18 august 2002 9:1:53.

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  Ranchette

  After all these years of preaching, the world still dosen't have a clue why JWs keep coming to their doors or know that the JWs have a message in the first place! They just think they are quirky literature pushers.

  The World, is however, on notice that the JWs have a terrible child abuse policy and they are also seeing first hand, how this religion treats the victims and those who try to expose these problems.This has taken aprox 1 1/2 years. And this terrible reality continues to spread each day.

  I guess they have a lot to learn on how to spread the word.

  So the answer is, YES, the world is on notice because of WTBS just not for the reasons they wish.

  Sheila Bowen
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  45

  Secrect of your Marriage

  by Crystal in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  who here has been married...10 years or more?is it a great marriage and what is the secret of keeping it together?

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  Ranchette

  November 27th will be 20 years for Bill and I!

  We have a good marriage and I think it is because we are best friends first and formost, we are also compatable which helps tremendously because we don't get on one anothers nerves very often.We communicate well and are honest with one another too.

  We just have lots of fun together no matter what we are doing.

  LOL, Life is never dull with Bill.

  Sheila Bowen
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  109

  We shall NOT watch how we walk

  by mikepence in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my family will not be attending the march.

  i respect bill and what he has accomplished, but i believe that attempts to control the march and the marchers, are misplaced -- even damaging for victims of abuse -- who have been controlled enough!.

  the last thing victims of abuse need is to be told to keep up appearances.

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  Ranchette

  Mike,

  My heart goes out to you and you family. I know you have been through a lot and continue to suffer shock pain and anger from it all. Emotions are just naturally high right now.

  I am just asking that you please reconsider your decision. I am afraid you will always look back on this and wish you had not let emotions get in the way of this event.

  Bills has no desire to control anyone. He just made suggestions that were in his opinion the best for everyone involved.
  Its okay to disagree but please dont let it rob you of the experience
  .
  I am really looking forward to meeting you and your family in New York.

  We will show up, we will show anger and other emotions but we wont be stupid.
  We are not here to control you or your family. We are here to help you.
  Please understand this. Please help your children understand this.

  With Love,
  Sheila Bowen

  Edited by - Ranchette1 on 20 August 2002 23:53:11
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  54

  CNN Live

  by Larry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  excellent program!!!!!!!

  the young ladies and bill were great!!!!!!!!!!!!.

  peace - ll

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  Ranchette

  Hi,

  I will try to answer the questions about the tape with Bill's father discrediting him.

  Right after Bill first went to the press about a year and a half ago, Watchtower sent their own film crew into Missouri and Kentucky to make a PR piece to distribute to all the press and media. They were wanting to spread their propaganda to the public in a canned way instead of facing the cameras themselves. They filmed Bill's Parents and his cousin, who was like a brother to him, along with other witnesses who knew him.

  Bill's fathers segment was the only one out of those closest to him to make it on the tape.

  His father said "my son is just not telling the truth" and that he hopes his son will turn around and repent or something to that effect along with saying that Bill's allegations are just absurd and that he has never in all his 50 years as a witness seen a case like he describes.

  Low down dirty dogs, turning father against son!

  Sheila Bowen
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  68

  Sheila Bowen's Letter To the GB!

  by Ranchette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i knocked on the locked door of the appeal hearing last night after they had dismissed bill and told the six elders that i had something to say to them and told them it was summed up it a letter i had written.i then asked them if i could read it to them and they could have their own copy when i was finished.they said that would be fine.. here it is.

  governing body,.

  25 columbia heights.

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  Ranchette

  I just want to thank every one for their kind comments,support and encouragement.I would love to respond to each indivitual post but I am truly exausted in every way and I know you will understand why I am doing it this way instead.

  I did not go into that meeting with a fantasy that I could change the outcome with my letter.I had no expectations except for them to allow me to read it to them with my own voice. I wrote that letter and read it before them because I knew I would always regret not having a say when I had the chance.I did it for the victims,Bill, the others who stood up and for myself. If even one heart was reached in the process it would be a bonus.

  I am not sad or depressed about the outcome last night. I am proud of what we have accompolished and will accomplish in the future. I am also proud of the victims who are now survivors because they are brave enough to speak out and tell about the atrocities that many Americans would have a hard time beliving could happen in their "Free Country"! I hope they continue to come forward, exposing this organization's so called "fruits" for the whole world to see.

  I am not worried in the least as to whether they DF or DA me. I have been shunned for the last year and a half anyway so it would accompolish nothing.

  I started rebuilding my life as soon as I quit going to meetings. I was through waiting with my life on hold till all the sudden I woke up one day and realized it was over and that I had wished it away for something better instead of appreciating the gift of this life.I am happy and like myself so much better than I did back then.

  I want all of you to do the same. Move on, enjoy life, love yourself, I want you to be happy.

  P.S. I am in the process of asking Simon to get my old Ranchette acct up and running. It wouldn't work so I started a new one.

  Edited by - Ranchette1 on 12 August 2002 23:13:5
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  68

  Sheila Bowen's Letter To the GB!

  by Ranchette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i knocked on the locked door of the appeal hearing last night after they had dismissed bill and told the six elders that i had something to say to them and told them it was summed up it a letter i had written.i then asked them if i could read it to them and they could have their own copy when i was finished.they said that would be fine.. here it is.

  governing body,.

  25 columbia heights.

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  Ranchette

  By the time I got half way through the first page The emotion of it all started hitting me but I was determined to get through it. It is overwhelming to sit alone before six men! It wasn't planned that way but Bill didn't know I was going in when I did or he would have been in there. Anyway, I heard sighs and squirming around at some points when I read something they didn't like. I was really afraid they were going to stop me and kick me out but they didn't.

  By the time I came to the end of it I was shaking and I was fighting the tears with all my might. I just didn't want to fall apart in front of them. I only show my emotions to those who are closest to me because it's like giving a piece of my heart and I wasn't willing to give it to them. I just said something like "that' really all I have to say. Thank you for listening.I got up and walked out.

  Very shortly the door opened and one of them asked me to come back in. I walked in and they pointed out a chair they wanted me in and said they had some questions for me. I was just about to go get Bill to sit with me when he knocked and said he wanted to be there too.

  They said they didn't know what I meant about my last sentence and the cairman read it to me. I said I ment exactly what I had written. They were wanting me to explain exactly what that meant.

  I said, I did not completly "disconnect" myself from the organization in that letter.I wasn't even going to say the word they were looking for!!

  I said "believe me I would use your lingo if that's what I meant. I'm just not going to run around claiming to be a Witness."

  They said okay , thats all they wanted to know. The chairman said he could tell I had put alot of thought into the letter and I told him he was correct and that I had worked on it over a three day period. He said that this must all be very emotionall for me. I agreed and said that I have to protect myself emotionally and so I disconnect from it all when I can't take it anymore, just temporaraly.There is no escape because I have a child abuse hotline in my home and just I can't ignore the victims!

  I also said that I felt my children and I had treated as if we didn't even exist over the last year and a half. I told them that's just how I feel and I had nothing else to say. They thanked us and let us go.
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  68

  Sheila Bowen's Letter To the GB!

  by Ranchette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i knocked on the locked door of the appeal hearing last night after they had dismissed bill and told the six elders that i had something to say to them and told them it was summed up it a letter i had written.i then asked them if i could read it to them and they could have their own copy when i was finished.they said that would be fine.. here it is.

  governing body,.

  25 columbia heights.

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  Ranchette

  Hello every one,

  I knocked on the locked door of the appeal hearing last night after they had dismissed Bill and told the six elders that I had something to say to them and told them it was summed up it a letter I had written.I then asked them if I could read it to them and they could have their own copy when I was finished.They said that would be fine.

  Here it is

  8-11-02

  Governing Body,

  25 Columbia Heights

  Brooklyn, New York 11201

  Dear Brothers,

  Its been over a year and a half since I last attended a meeting at the Kingdom Hall. I quit attending after a special talk was given before the entire congregation including my children, saying that the person who went to the press (referring to my husband, Bill) had spoken against God and that what he said was untrue. I knew differently and couldnt believe what I was hearing! The congregation had no idea that they were being lied to.

  I have endured countless lies and slander against my husband and others who have spoken out on this issue, originating from so-called worshipers of the true God. I lost my parents and many lifelong friends (all JWs) because they believed the lies they were told. I truly believe that the victims and what has happened to them is whats most important though and I know my pain means nothing compared to theirs.

  I have patiently watched this horrifying nightmare unfold before my eyes, always feeling very helpless, always hoping that the religion I was raised in would rise to the occasion and do what was right and in the best interest of the children. Instead, I was constantly shocked at the low down dirty levels this organization has stooped to in order to hide the truth from the public and its own members!

  Ive had a Watchtower Child Abuse Hotline (1-877 WT- ABUSE) ringing into my home for over a year now so I know the real truth about whats going on here. Countless Jehovahs Witness Child abuse victims have called in and continue to do so. Their stories haunt me each and every day of my life! If you would just open your eyes, ears and hearts they would haunt you too!

  The stories are almost always the same. They tell of unspeakable sexual crimes committed against them when they were minors, of how they went to their body of elders for comfort, shelter and protection. Instead, they werent believed because they didnt happen to have an audience of at least two witnesses to the molestations. These elders were following your directions, theGoverning Body of Jehovahs Witnesses!

  With a rule like that you should see that very few molesters ever get reported to the authorities or any one else for that matter! Sadly, these predators are free to prey on children in Kingdom Halls all over the world.

  These victims tell of how they were intimidated into silence with guilt and threats of disfellowshipping if they didnt stay silent. Most succumb to this blackmail like tactic because to disobey would cost them their entire lives! All of their Jehovahs Witness family and friends would view them as dead spiritually and would not even speak to them anymore. Most of them dont have enough strength left after what they have been through to face something of this magnitude nor should they have to be faced with it in the first place! Some have been banished or cast out into the world for reporting crimes committed against them and trying to protect others from the same fate, all of this at the direction of theGoverning Body!

  When my husband (Bill Bowen) founded www.silentlambs.org these survivors finally had a place to go for the comfort and support. They could tell their stories and be believed.

  The elders were supposed to fill this role and direct them to the proper authorities but instead they proved themselves to be wolves in sheeps clothing!

  By disfellowshiping my husband, you stripped these JW victims of the only support system they ever had. They cannot come to Silent Lambs any more because in doing so they risk everything. You heartlessly victimized them again! Shame on you!

  My husband has been hauled up on false charges in front of a kangaroo court! He has committed no sin against God and he has caused no divisions in the congregation. Bill is standing up for what is right, exposing a policy that hurts children and helping those who need it most. I proudly support him and his cause.

  Watchtower policy is what has divided this organization. So put the blame where it belongs, theGoverning Body and their harmful policies! I find it appalling and completely unacceptable for you to attempt to protect the Watchtowers image at all cost! Your actions are criminal in my opinion! You will all have to stand before the God you claim to worship and try to justify your actions and I can assure you there is no justification. There is, however consequences.

  In the past year and a half, Ive observed enough to know that I am ashamed and embarrassed for the public to know that I was ever one of Jehovahs Witnesses!

  Until the day I see this religion living up to its claims of being the only true religion on earth and representing God, I will not claim to be one of Jehovahs Witness.

  Mrs. William H. Bowen

  cc: The Draffenville Body of Elders,

  Appeal Committee
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  37

  How long have we waited? DATELINE

  by biblexaminer in

  1. social
  2. current

  we have been hearing about dateline nbc since, what, last july?.

  anyone have any clue how long it's been?

  i mean, after a while, it seems pointless.. is dateline backing out?

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  Ranchette

  MA,

  You need to read my post about why I came forward.
  It is not to give out info.
  I know nothing about this.

  I keep telling you to get in touch with him instead of publicly raising negative ideas about him.

  Sheila Bowen