ThomasMore

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Posts by ThomasMore

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  35

  'church elders are told to report any allegations of child sexual abuse to the authorities immediately'

  by was a new boy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  'the spokesperson also said that church elders are told to report any allegations of child sexual abuse to the authorities immediately, even if there is only one complainant.'.

  https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/rebekah-vardy-sexually-abused-child-jehovahs-witnesses/.

  is this true?

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  ThomasMore

  Truthlover - "They are currently at the forefront of CSA"

  You are right - THEY ARE NUMBER ONE!!

  If only that was a good thing...
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  11

  The G.B. are now going to be EQUAL with Christ in heaven!!!!

  by BoogerMan in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  they are not just going to be "joint kings and priests," oh no, because the latest washtowel is sneakily implying that they will be "joint kings and high priests.

  october 2023 study watchtower p. 28, par.

  13 - "after jesus was resurrected, he entered the most holy of the spiritual temple, where all the anointed eventually join him.".

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  ThomasMore

  My impression is that they ALREADY feel that they are equal to Jesus. Why wait until they get to heaven (they are not going to heaven) when they can control his assets now?
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  13

  Hawaii- Victim Abused by JW Elder Awarded $40 Million

  by Newly Enlightened in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  https://youtu.be/h0fwwtemmvi.

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  ThomasMore

  One news story related that Apana was DF'd for only one year. In order to get reinstated, he had to apologize to his victim. Really - one year for molesting 4 girls over a long period of time!!!!!

  I am all for apologizing, but with this type of crime, having the perp meet with the victim actually re-victimizes the victim. It is not recommended by experts in the field of CSA recovery.

  I hope she can collect something/anything from him, but I am skeptical. Shielding assets is acommon in civil settlements and pursuit of assets often yields very little. I wonder if she could sell her settlement to a collections agency. They would dog him until prayed to die.

  As for the amount she got from WTC, one can only speculate. They had to know that their goose was cooked when it came out that he apologized (clear evidence of admission) and that his elders pressured the victim to avoid reporting to police.

  SHAME ON YOU WTC! You are still the same.
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  40

  Lots of empty seats at Jehovah's Witnesses Convention in Tucson, Arizona

  by RULES & REGULATIONS in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  https://youtu.be/5926nhzyz90.

  the jehovah's witness 2023 convention theme is, ''exercise patience''...by looking at the attendance at this tucson, arizona convention, it should be changed to, '' jehovah's witnesses...running out of patience''.

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  ThomasMore

  Long Hair Gal - I think you figured it out! 100 stars to you!!!!

  I remember when WTC started using Assembly Halls for Regional Conventions. I thought then that there was a story to be told, so I spoke with some convention planners about the strategy. Here is what I learned:

  WTC wanted to utilize the Assembly Halls to the maximum extent possible and avoid paying higher fees for Rental facilities, which more and more they were having to do. Quite a while back, they had to stop charging extra for parking and that took a chunk out of the profit (scandal was documented). Some venues which gave them a price break for showing up on Thursday and cleaning the facility, cut back or stopped allowing it altogether as other rental groups filled the open slots. They just didn't need the JWs anymore, so bargaining became more difficult.

  Some city Chambers of Commerce raised the issue that JW conventions were not bringing profitable tourism. Fewer JWs were eating out, were poor tippers when they did, never shopped after convention hours at local retailers, and drove a hard bargain for hotel fees by wanting more and more free comp rooms (that's a whole other story of greed and misuse that has been related on this forum before).

  As they started using the Assembly Halls, the WOW! factor of a Regional Convention disappeared almost immediately. Fewer JWs were willing to drive long distance, stay overnight at high cost, drive home late Sunday. This continues today and WTC does not know what to do. Soooooooooo..... VIDEOS!

  This Summer has about 70 videos. Some seem to feel that it is a long weekend of binge-watching indoctrination videos. "We could do that at home" seems to be the conclusion many are reaching. And they could.

  In the audience, many are playing video games on their phones and devices to pass the time. There are few if any spiritual discussions naming specific spiritual gems that were shared. It is drudgery, other than show-casing selfies of the outfits that some sisters want to display.

  Attendance is so low at some Assembly Hall conventions, it makes me wonder if they are even paying for the electrity and maintenance of the building.

  Yes - WTC is in a Pickle. Maybe you can name some ways they can avoid becoming relish.
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  36

  Treatment of Those Trying For Reinstatement

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what happens when a jehovah’s witness who has been disfellowshipped returns to attending the meetings again?.

  mark jones writes:.

  if it's the same congregation that they previously attended then, yes, the congregation will remember who they are and so continue to treat them as dead or invisible.. one of the identifying marks a cult is that it uses shame and humiliation to control members, to keep them from leaving and manipulating those who escaped into coming back.. a disfellowshipped person is never allowed to quietly leave with dignity.

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  ThomasMore

  Vidqun - yes, a year is the magic number unless you did something that REALLY calls for more time of being humiliated, degraded, shunned, treated like dirt etc.... I think you get the point. The short answer is that the timing is on a need to know basis - AND YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW! :)

  I have seen some brothers and even some sisters who were subjected to extra years of being OUT because the BOE hated them. They didn't want them to leave either because they enjoyed beating them, so they told them that moving would only prolong their time out. There is a word for that but I cannot think of what it is..........unless it is:

  SADISTIC
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  57

  JWs unrecognisable compared to my grandfathers time

  by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  my grandfather who has been dead for 37 years would not recognise the borganisation today.

  he would turn in his grave if he knew the end didn’t come by 2023.. back in the 1970s he really believed in the 75 thing.

  he was so disappointed and almost blamed everyone else why the end didn’t come.

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  ThomasMore

  where did the entire 1914/607/adventist root thing start?

  Basically grew into a packaged teaching that solidified in the 1920's during the Rutherford area. That alone makes it suspect for being totally wrong.
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  57

  JWs unrecognisable compared to my grandfathers time

  by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  my grandfather who has been dead for 37 years would not recognise the borganisation today.

  he would turn in his grave if he knew the end didn’t come by 2023.. back in the 1970s he really believed in the 75 thing.

  he was so disappointed and almost blamed everyone else why the end didn’t come.

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  ThomasMore

  Journeyman - how about "Constant Redactions" ? Does that fit into your list?
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  33

  "How Long Would Jesus' Reign Be?"

  by BoogerMan in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  simple enough question for a jw to answer, because the org has told them for over 100 years that, .

  a) jesus would reign for 1000 years, and.

  b) that his reign began in 1914 when he became king.

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  ThomasMore

  Given that WTC originally taught that the creative days were 7,000 yrs long each (see the Table of the Books of the Bible in the old green version published in the 1960's), I have zero confidence to explain matters related to timing of the creation, the Kingdom or when my washer/dryer will be delivered.

  WTC never demonstrated true scholarly brilliance because they had no true scholars. If we want to know what the scriptures mean when they refer to the millenial reign, 'coming shortly' and other time related expressions, it seems to make more sense to throw the baby out with the bath water that WTC ran and start from ground zero. When the cornerstone is flawed, the rest of the building will be likewise.
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  20

  Pa. authorities charge 5 more in probe of child sex abuse among Jehovah's Witnesses

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/charges-probe-child-sexual-abuse-among-jehovahs-witnesses-pennsylvania/3600171/#:~:text=a%20pennsylvania%20grand%20jury%20investigating,that%20has%20identified%2014%20suspects.

  what to know.

  a pennsylvania grand jury investigating child sexual abuse among jehovah’s witnesses has charged another five people with raping or molesting children as young as 4 years old.. the indictments friday are the latest charges in an ongoing probe that has identified 14 suspects.. state attorney general michelle henry says that while the misconduct dates back years or even decades, “the trauma endures for these victims.”.

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  ThomasMore

  "“I hope elders are arrested who knew about child abuse and covered it up and then it happened again,” said Haugh, who testified to the grand jury about the church’s structure and about his own daughter’s abuse within a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation."

  When JW elders chose not to contact the police, it is almost a certainty that the abuser found a new victim. This is typical behavior for pedophiles. WTC knows this as they toss a word salad dancing around their moral obligation to report.

  The average JW doesn't feel that the problem is that serious, some even denying that they even have a problem at all. I have heard elders say that children often seduce men into sexual situations.

  I know of a former elder who molested his daughters and went to prison. The elders did not report him, his daughters did. An elder on his judicial committee told me that they would reinstate him if circumstances allowed. I was speechless.

  This is a religion that just does not get it. There is no reform for them, no change of behavior or new attitude emerging, no accountability for the lives that have been destroyed. As more cases are settled out of court with silence clauses, JWs play the persecution card. The catholics did not do that. Their Pope openly admits that they had/have a problem and that many children were hurt. JWs admit NOTHING - until they do, the problem will continue.

  This Summer, they will have their conventions and NEVER mention the ongoing problem of CSA. Parents be aware,, JWs cannot be entrusted with the care of children as a group.
  
  
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  36

  Anyone know what this sculpture is of the "torture stake?"

  by charity7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hey guys!

  i'm new on this site and am a non jw here married to a jw.

  my husband's family are active members and they daily post articles on facebook from jw.org which i know is meant for me to see and read.

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  ThomasMore

  I agree with Rattigan that the cross did become an idol to some. It is easy to understand how that could happen. But to be fair, ask Christians today what it means to them. They usually say it is a symbol of Christianity. Yes, I have asked, and that is the answer I got. None told me that it was their idol. They simply said that when they see it, they are moved to pause and thank Christ for his sacrifice. I am OK with that, and I'm not their god to criticize them for how they react to it. WTC uses the outline of a watchtower to identify their corporation. It's not their idol. That is reserved for the GB.

  For me, the problem with the Torture Stake death teaching that JW's preach, is that it quickly became a matter of religious dogma. They literally made it a litmus test of whether a person could serve God without renouncing the Cross. All I can say is:

  IT DOES NOT MATTER!

  What does matter is that God's son allowed himself to be be tortured and murdered and that somehow, it paid the price for all our sins by paying for Adam's sin. How so?

  IT DOES NOT MATTER!

  Paul explains the complexity of the equation, other writers allude to it, so accept some version of it if you want to call yourself a Christian. For heaven's sake, put it in a math equation on a huge lecture auditorium chalkboard to convince yourself if necessary. Just stop fighting over it. Be a Christian if you want to be one. Don't be one if you don't want to be one.

  But that is not enough for JWs. Being the contrarians that they are, they taught that Jesus was clean shaven. They looked foolish arguing that but once again, it became a litmus test for separation from Christendom.They demanded that he was hung on a straight stake with no crossbeam, clean shaven. They wanted him their way like it was the drive through at Burger King.

  IT DOES NOT MATTER!

  What does matter is that Jesus is described as kind to people. He reached out. He was charitable and helpful. He freely forgave. He was a good person and never a burden to his friends.He had courage to call out hypocrites who were trying to control people.

  If you don't want to believe he existed, then don't. But pay attention to the qualities that defined him. That is what we should try to be like. A man for all seasons - the original version of who the very real,Thomas More, tried to be.

  THAT IS WHAT MATTERS!