It would be especially difficult to establish WT liability for the kinds of things you mention. It would be easier in cases involving blood tranfusions , child abuse or suicide and these cases are proliferating. The courts do not want to get involved with "church" teachings or their effects. This is because of the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of religion. What is being protected is the "ability to choose" a religion , once the choice is made, you are on your own. This is a flaw in the Amendment, in my opinion caused by social changes since the Amendment was written. Below are several posts dealing with the idea of "full disclosure" as a possible remedy to the posited flaw in the Amendment. "In all fairness, people are being hurt by the double standard that is protected under the Constitutional banner " Freedom of Religion". While the intent of this law is to protect the "believer" and to level the playing field for all religions, there is another effect and that is to empower a religion to exercise authority over its membership that violates their civil and human rights. This dilemma has become accute since the advent of psychology and proselytizing techniques have been conformed to what is known about the human mind. Therefore , full disclosure would confront the dilemma in that it would sensitize the potential convert from THE BEGINNING. Additionaly, potential legislation would "encourage" religious organizations to "clean up their acts" while they fiercely lobby against such a bill." "The issue of "full disclosure"has yet to be aired in courts. To date it is incumbent on the convert to dig out all the subtlties and issues before becoming a member. This rule is outdated by the modern use of psychological techniques to lure unsuspecting members into the fold. Some day it will become clear that people are being hurt by religious organizations like the WTBTS and such organizations will be required to make "full disclosure" of lost or pending law suits so that a potential convert can make an informed choice apart from coersive techniques. Just think what you might have done if the WTBTS was required, bylaw, to inform you that.... "By becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses you will be required to give up the following Civil and Human Rights: etc. Please see the following pending cases involving the loss of the aformentioned rights; etc "
Siddhashunyata
JoinedPosts by Siddhashunyata
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Could they be sued for negligence?
by jelly ini saw two jws i know quite well the other day and i started to think.
they are both men in their mid 40s, both look like they are pushing 55. both are single, dirt poor and unskilled, although one is going to marry soon.
the first man, who works as a landscaper, was a good mechanic but never got the technical training necessary so is in essence unskilled labor.
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Buddhist Retreat
by SixofNine inis buddhism so different at it's core?.
buddhist retreat.
why i gave up on finding my religion.. taken from salon.com.
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Siddhashunyata
The author has an idea of what its about. His idea is foolishness because he has never experienced the core of Buddhism. Very short sighted and self promoting. The facts of science are relative and cannot describe the real world which is absolute and can only be experienced directly. That experience is what he is missing.
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Any Buddhists Here?
by Southland ini was a jw from birth until after i got out of high school.
i've drifted away over the last 15 years or so.
lately i have found myself missing my sense of spirituality.
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Siddhashunyata
Take from Buddhism all that you can but beware of Buddhism. The objective is an empty mind so that "what is" comes forward. Buddhism is not "what is". You find this for yourself, within your own mind. Buddha would direct you there, not to Buddhism.
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Do you ever think about returning to Jehovah
by ikhandi inmaybe i was just curious to hear what they were going to discuss.
i went to the two day circuit assembly.
for those who wonder, its theme was taken from psalms 37:3 it's theme trust in jehovah and do good.
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Siddhashunyata
There seems to be a syndrome that accompanys leaving. The further away you get the better the congregations look. It has to do with abdicating responsibility. Its a relief to follow someone else . It may take going back and leaving two or three times before you realize that they are cultivating dependency and eroding your power to dissent. If you express agreement and serve, you will be fine. But, that is not spirituality. If you disagree and persist in being honest they will reject you. Then what? Where will you go? Who or what will you become dependent on again?
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Help me Help a JW Friend
by JLOB ini am not jw nor have i ever been.
i do not know the ends and outs of the jw religion.
i have an employee who is jw.
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Siddhashunyata
In recent years, maybe the last 8, divorce has been teated differently than in previous years. The hard line ( more in harmony with the spirit of scripture) of no divorce except on grounds of adultry, the hard line has been cunningly sidestepped by emphasizing that if one does divorce one cannot remarry. In other words the emphasis is now on the idea that divorce is possible for any number of reasons but if the grounds are not adultry than neither mate can remarry. You can see the pressure that would be put on the mate where no adultry had been commited and the mate didn't want the divorce but had it forced on him or her by the other mate. In reality the congregation will support the mate that stays active by attending the Kingdom Hall and going out in field service . It many cases it has very little to do with what is right or good for the couple but more with how to be a counselor ( Elder ) and not risk your neck for the couple or the marriage. Many wonderful people have been victimized by this sham because the congregation Elders will support the active witness without regarding facts. This support adds strenghth to the active witness's resolve to divorce.
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"Thinking Ability " and The WTBTS
by Siddhashunyata ini recall an emphasis on "thinking ability" coming from the wtbts.
i believe the point was that a mind trained in bible principles would have excellent "thinking ability".. does any one recall if the wtbts ever discussed intuition or if they ever touched on ideas that implied a mental process that was more rapid, and more penetrating?
something that led to deeper, quicker understanding than the reasoning process itself ?
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Siddhashunyata
Alan, thank you for the article. Excellent work. You express what I felt but denied for many years. I think there are many on this board who had such an article in mind but were overwhelmed by the task. Thank you for your tenacity.
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It's simpler than you think.
by Introspection inok, with all this talk about beliefs and whatnot i thought this might be a good post.. i have addressed it before but i think i can make it clearer now.. it kind of comes down to this: there's no such thing as a true thoughts, but all thoughts are real.
all thoughts are real simply in that you're having the thoughts - even if it's not true, it is true that you are having a thought.
more mind?
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Siddhashunyata
Inquiry, I always come back to Krishnamurti. I would reccomend his talks to anyone . Sometimes they seem repetitive or dry and I have to leave them alone but eventually I come back. You chose some excellent quotes on the other thread.
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"Thinking Ability " and The WTBTS
by Siddhashunyata ini recall an emphasis on "thinking ability" coming from the wtbts.
i believe the point was that a mind trained in bible principles would have excellent "thinking ability".. does any one recall if the wtbts ever discussed intuition or if they ever touched on ideas that implied a mental process that was more rapid, and more penetrating?
something that led to deeper, quicker understanding than the reasoning process itself ?
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Siddhashunyata
Gizmo, BluesBrother, Thanks!!! The articles are on target, I appreciate your help. Off the top I can sense the WT trying to pass everything off as a manifestation of the reasoning process. The giant goad is this
" There is no shortcut to the acquiring of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom; organized study is the only way. "
Try telling that to Mozart or , for that matter, Einstein. In my opinion perception has much to do with it and the reasoning process interferes. If the thought process stops , the emotions related to the thoughts also stop and one is free to look. Another way to look at it is that the real intelligence of the mind is matched with the environment (life) and this perception of meaning in everything is obscured by the conceptualization process. Thank you ,again. I,m still digesting the articles.
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Another Message For Monitors! INSIDE!
by D8TA injust click it.
i have no explanation.
http://www.rathergood.com/moon_song/
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Siddhashunyata
Hilarious!!!!
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"Thinking Ability " and The WTBTS
by Siddhashunyata ini recall an emphasis on "thinking ability" coming from the wtbts.
i believe the point was that a mind trained in bible principles would have excellent "thinking ability".. does any one recall if the wtbts ever discussed intuition or if they ever touched on ideas that implied a mental process that was more rapid, and more penetrating?
something that led to deeper, quicker understanding than the reasoning process itself ?
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Siddhashunyata
It is true , anything theWTBTS discusses eventualy morphs into the framework of the " Theocratic" box but there was a time when they went into such things as knowledge, wisdom , understanding and insight. These were defined and discussed in the old " Aid To Bible Understanding" and may have been updated in the book, "Insight On The Scriptures".
The terms "insight" and "discernment" were generously used to imply special powers gained from experience within the "Theocracy" especialy among the "Older Men"( Elders). A survivor at the higher levels, especially at Bethel was to be thought of as having great insight and understanding.
But, I thought there may have been something mentioned about how Edison or Einstein came up with solutions or flashes of "insight". Somtimes the Awake would discuss things like this.