Nathan Natas, I beg your pardon! I see now that your post above was responding to another poster. When reading your post, I failed to discern that Diogenesister was the name of someone who commented. I thought you were quoting a writer with whom I was not familiar. It seems the only exercise I get anymore is jumping to conclusions!
Roger Kirkpatrick
JoinedPosts by Roger Kirkpatrick
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17
My Letter to President Trump Requesting That IRS Revoke Watchtower's Tax-exempt status
by Roger Kirkpatrick injanuary 23, 2019. the honorable donald j. trump,.
president of the united states;.
the white house.
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17
My Letter to President Trump Requesting That IRS Revoke Watchtower's Tax-exempt status
by Roger Kirkpatrick injanuary 23, 2019. the honorable donald j. trump,.
president of the united states;.
the white house.
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Roger Kirkpatrick
Nathan Natas, what did my letter to the POTUS say that made you think that I might be surprised that (1) the Bible has been changed many times during its history; or (2) not all religions use the Bible as a basis for claiming that they are a religion?
Your comment on my letter added absolutely nothing of substance to the subject. What made you think you contributing to this conversation in a positive way? I don't mean that as an insult. I am merely trying to understand your thought processes.
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My Letter to President Trump Requesting That IRS Revoke Watchtower's Tax-exempt status
by Roger Kirkpatrick injanuary 23, 2019. the honorable donald j. trump,.
president of the united states;.
the white house.
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Roger Kirkpatrick
JANUARY 23, 2019
THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP,
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES;
THE WHITE HOUSE
1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Your predecessor, President Obama, issued the following statement with which I hope you are in agreement: "We must work together to decisively and unequivocally reject hateful ideologies, teachings and practices that are incompatible with the values of religious tolerance, mutual respect and human dignity."
In his book, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Lawrence Wright wrote: "People have the right to believe whatever they choose. But it is a different matter to use the protections afforded a religion by the First Amendment to falsify history, to propagate forgeries, and to cover up human-rights abuses."
I was born and raised within the religious movement known as Jehovah's Witnesses (JW). My excellent parents were sincerely devout members, and all I knew about God and the Bible was what I had been taught by them through Watchtower Bible & Tract Society (Watchtower) publications. Believing that Jehovah's Witnesses had "the truth," I dutifully got baptized at age 15; however, by age 30, I had begun to apply critical thinking to the things I sincerely believed, and I realized that they were not, in fact, "the truth."
Knowing Watchtower policies, I knew I could never officially leave my family’s religion for conscientious reasons without being completely cut-off and shunned by my family and friends who remained Jehovah's Witnesses. Therefore, I made a conscious decision to simply become inactive as a JW. In 2015, when I officially disassociated from Jehovah's Witnesses, my dear wife of 44 years divorced me simply because I no longer wished to be a JW. I have come to realize that she really did me a great favor, and I have found tremendous happiness and freedom as a direct result of leaving what I now consider to be a high-control religious cult, not Christian at all.
You may be aware of the ratings success of the A&E Network series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. In response to requests from many former JWs, Miss Remini devoted the 3rd season's 2-hour premier episode to a discussion of Jehovah's Witnesses, featuring heart-rending stories of leaving the religion by more than a dozen former JWs. Through such presentations, millions of Americans have become aware of civil-rights abuses perpetrated by various cults masquerading as authentic religions while enjoying protections afforded by the First Amendment. Thousands of JW families like mine have been torn apart by Watchtower’s oppressive policies.
I respectfully submit to you, sir, that any religious organization which (1) suppresses truth, or manufactures and propagates its own version of truth; (2) arbitrarily dictates what will and will not be deemed to be matters of individual conscience; and (3) which employs a campaign of character assassination and mandated shunning against former members who leave for conscientious reasons, thereby tearing apart families, is a dangerous and harmful cult and should have its tax-exempt status revoked for violating basic human-rights. In the name of all that is decent, Mr. President, please direct current IRS Commissioner, Charles P. Rettig, to investigate the policies and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses to see if they deserve to be tax-exempt, and correct this deplorable situation.
Thank you, Mr. President, for giving my request your careful consideration.
Most respectfully,
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15
My JW-Related Musical Experiences
by Roger Kirkpatrick inlooking back over my life, the only thing that i can say i truly enjoyed as a jw was meeting and becoming friends with a number of jws who were fine musicians and had experienced various measures of success in what used to be called the "music business.
tommy reynolds, from the vocal group hamilton, joe frank & reynolds ("don't pull your love out on me, baby" and "baby, baby, fallin' in love, i'm fallin' in love again") recruited me to play drums in his dallas circuit assembly orchestra in the 1970s.
in 1977, i became friends with legendary jazz composer/arranger/band leader benny golson, whose life story appeared in the oct. 8, 1980 awake, and who appeared opposite tom hanks in steven spielberg's "the terminal.
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Roger Kirkpatrick
In all fairness to john.prestor, I feel that he expressed a valid point, particularly in view of my last statement that I have a forthcoming book, which I do not. I added that facetious statement because of the length of my OP. I would have edited that last remark if I could have which I agree cast an unintended slant on the foregoing anecdotes. I was not offended in the least by john.prestor's constructive caution, and I appreciate his candor. Thank you, all, for your kind responses!
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15
My JW-Related Musical Experiences
by Roger Kirkpatrick inlooking back over my life, the only thing that i can say i truly enjoyed as a jw was meeting and becoming friends with a number of jws who were fine musicians and had experienced various measures of success in what used to be called the "music business.
tommy reynolds, from the vocal group hamilton, joe frank & reynolds ("don't pull your love out on me, baby" and "baby, baby, fallin' in love, i'm fallin' in love again") recruited me to play drums in his dallas circuit assembly orchestra in the 1970s.
in 1977, i became friends with legendary jazz composer/arranger/band leader benny golson, whose life story appeared in the oct. 8, 1980 awake, and who appeared opposite tom hanks in steven spielberg's "the terminal.
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Roger Kirkpatrick
These are memories of events which helped me to cope with being trapped in a religious cult that I could not leave without being shunned by my entire family. I apologize to anyone who may feel that I am bragging. I certainly did not intent it that way.
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15
My JW-Related Musical Experiences
by Roger Kirkpatrick inlooking back over my life, the only thing that i can say i truly enjoyed as a jw was meeting and becoming friends with a number of jws who were fine musicians and had experienced various measures of success in what used to be called the "music business.
tommy reynolds, from the vocal group hamilton, joe frank & reynolds ("don't pull your love out on me, baby" and "baby, baby, fallin' in love, i'm fallin' in love again") recruited me to play drums in his dallas circuit assembly orchestra in the 1970s.
in 1977, i became friends with legendary jazz composer/arranger/band leader benny golson, whose life story appeared in the oct. 8, 1980 awake, and who appeared opposite tom hanks in steven spielberg's "the terminal.
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Roger Kirkpatrick
john.prestor, I appreciate your kind feedback!
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15
My JW-Related Musical Experiences
by Roger Kirkpatrick inlooking back over my life, the only thing that i can say i truly enjoyed as a jw was meeting and becoming friends with a number of jws who were fine musicians and had experienced various measures of success in what used to be called the "music business.
tommy reynolds, from the vocal group hamilton, joe frank & reynolds ("don't pull your love out on me, baby" and "baby, baby, fallin' in love, i'm fallin' in love again") recruited me to play drums in his dallas circuit assembly orchestra in the 1970s.
in 1977, i became friends with legendary jazz composer/arranger/band leader benny golson, whose life story appeared in the oct. 8, 1980 awake, and who appeared opposite tom hanks in steven spielberg's "the terminal.
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Roger Kirkpatrick
Looking back over my life, the only thing that I can say I truly enjoyed as a JW was meeting and becoming friends with a number of JWs who were fine musicians and had experienced various measures of success in what used to be called the "music business."
Tommy Reynolds, from the vocal group Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds ("Don't Pull Your Love Out On Me, Baby" and "Baby, Baby, Fallin' In Love, I'm Fallin' In Love Again") recruited me to play drums in his Dallas circuit assembly orchestra in the 1970s.
In 1977, I became friends with legendary jazz composer/arranger/band leader Benny Golson, whose life story appeared in the Oct. 8, 1980 Awake, and who appeared opposite Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg's "The Terminal." (Benny had been included in Art Kane's famous "Jazz Portrait: Harlem 1958," which photo figured into the story line of that movie.)
Following that movie, Spielberg and Hanks hosted Benny's 80th birthday performance at Kennedy Center, which included such jazz nobility as Quincy Jones and Tony Bennett. (Benny told me that his only stipulation to Spielberg and Hanks was, "No birthday cake!") Benny had also played on George Benson's infamous production of 10 of Watchtower's "Kingdom Melodies," which also featured performances by Larry Graham and Prince. (Incidentally, I received a pirated copy of those Patterson Bethel recordings from a District Overseer.)
I also became friends with former elder, now ex-JW, Ray Brown Jr., son of jazz legends Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Brown. I introduced Ray to songwriting legend Paul Williams and, at my urging, they recorded a duet of Paul's song "Ordinary Fool," which had been recorded by Ray's mother.
Even since disassociating as a JW, I remain friends with Phillip 'Fang' Volk, the original bass player for Paul Revere & the Raiders. Phil had been recruited into JWs by PR&R's manager/producer Roger Hart, who had been to PR&R what Brian Epstein had been to the Beatles. Phil had met his wife, Tina Mason, who had been a dancer on the 1960s teen TV show, "Where the Action Is," produced by Dick Clark. Tina, also a fine singer, had recorded a version of my friend Chip Taylor's song, "Any Way That You Want Me," and Chip hand-picked Tina's version to include in a CD compilation of his compositions, titled "Wild Thing: The Songs of Chip Taylor" over versions by better known singers, Dusty Springfield, Ronny Spector (wife of infamous "wall of sound" producer Phil Spector) and the Troggs. (Chip Taylor is the younger brother of actor Jon Voight--thus Angelina Jolie's uncle--and is best known for writing the perennial hits, "Wild Thing" and "Angel of the Morning.")
Later, I shared with Phil the YouTube video of Chip Taylor and Swedish superstar Jill Johnson performing "Forever's Going Underground," a song which Chip had written especially for Jill to record. Phil was blown away by the lyrics, and told me it was the best Country song about breaking up he had ever heard. He asked if I thought Chip would mind him and Tina recording their own duet of that song. I gave him Chip's personal email address so that he could ask the man himself.
My aunt and uncle from Fort Worth served as JW missionaries in Colombia, South America, in the 1960s and 1970s. My maternal grandfather--a longtime JW--lived in a detached apartment and kept their home rented out and in good repair. For years, the rental payments provided a source of income for my aunt and uncle, enabling them to live in such a manner that the locals and even some of their fellow JWs viewed them as being wealthy, which they were not. (Incidentally, Eric Wilson, who posts excellent videos on his own Beroean Pickets YouTube channel, moved to Colombia as a teenager in the 1960s and knew my aunt and uncle very well.) Eventually, my grandfather reached the age where he needed daily assistance with meals and such, and a young JW couple lived in the main house rent free, providing my grandfather one home cooked meal a day. The husband was a very talented guitarist named Bob Morris, who introduced me to the world of jazz.
I was an avid record collector, and spent much time in a Fort Worth record store called Record Town, owned and operated by a father and son, both of whom were named Sumter Bruton (Sr. and Jr.) In 1976, I began working for Musicland, a mall record-store chain based in Minneapolis, for which company I went on to manage stores in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Abilene. In 1976, Bob sold a guitar to a local guitarist named Stephen Bruton, the younger brother of Sumpter Bruton Jr., who was also a very talented guitarist. (Their father Sumter Sr. was a well-known Fort Worth jazz drummer.) Bob invited me to go along when he took the guitar to Stephen, a very friendly and unpretentious fellow a few years older than myself. On our way home, Bob told me that Stephen and his band were the backing band for Kris Kristofferson, and that they appeared with Kristofferson in the movie "A Star Is Born," the #1 movie and the #1 selling record in the nation at that time. Bob said that Stephen's band would be performing that very Saturday night at the House Of Pizza (known simply as "the HOP") just down the street from Record Town and Texas Christian University. My wife and I accompanied my best friend and his wife, Mark and Denise Brown, to see Stephen's band perform under the pseudonym, Little Whisper & the Rumer. To say that the experience was surreal would be an understatement. Stephen went to to move to Austin and became hugely popular and worked for many other well known musicians, including Bonnie Raitt. (To be clear, Stephen Bruton was never a JW.)
Bob Morris was an avid fan of the Jazz Crusaders, a famous band which originated in Houston and which included JW musicians Wilton Felder on saxophone, Wayne Henderson on trombone, and Hubert Laws on flute. (Wilton Felder also played bass for many other acts, including Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell.) Bob especially liked the Crusaders guitarist, Larry Carlton. (Ironically, Carlton would later marry Bob's cousin.) Bob's dream was to become a studio musician, and he certainly possessed the talent to do so. When I met Benny Golson in 1977, Bob gave me a VHS video of him which served as an audition tape to send to Benny and his business partners, which included Larry Graham, former bassist for Sly & the Family Stone and widely recognized as the originator of the "slap bass" technique. Benny Golson and Larry Graham hired Bob to manage their Los Angeles recording studio, and Bob met and worked with every JW musician on the West Coast, even playing concerts with the Crusaders and other JW musicians.
In 1991, a great R&B band from Peterborough, England, called The Motivators visited Abilene where I lived. They had come to the USA to record an album at Bradley's Barn in Nashville. Their sax player was an oil company executive from nearby Breckenridge who lived six months of every year in Peterborough. He had paid all expenses for their trip. Once in Texas, the Brits really wanted to play several West Texas "dives," but they had not brought any of their instruments and their drummer had not made the trip. Renting all the necessary equipment from an Abilene music store, they asked about hiring a drummer who could play R&B, and the store recommended me. An audition was scheduled and we really hit it off in a big way. The next week would prove to be a week I would never forget. At the end of the week, I casually mentioned to them that I happened to be a JW, and they replied in unison, "Bruno!" They told me about a good friend of theirs named Bruno Urciuoli who was a musical genius who had played bass guitar with them in the past and who also happened to be a JW. I called Bruno long distance and we visited for a couple of hours. As soon as I got a computer and accessed the internet, I connected with the Motivators and with Bruno. I continue to be blown away by what the internet makes possible.
When I was just a kid, my father was the Assistant Congregation Servant of the Poly Congregation in Fort Worth. To this day, I remember many of the members from that congregation. I remember one woman whose son was named Jerry Lynn Williams and who played guitar. My oldest brother became very enamored of Jerry and his musical talents, and always wanted to play guitar himself after that. Even after my father moved us to Mineral Wells (just 40 minutes West of Fort Worth), my family would go see Jerry Lynn Williams perform with a band called the In Crowd at a popular roller rink called Jolly Time. The In Crowd's claim to fame was as the backing band for a duo named Jon & Robin & the In Crowd which charted two Billboard top 100 singles, "Do It Again (Just a Little Bit Slower)," and "Dr. Jon." The In Crowd's drummer, Rex Ludwick, went on to play drums for Willie Nelson and appeared in the movie, "Honeysuckle Rose." My brother and family completely lost touch with Jerry Lynn Williams, but our paths would--in a sense--cross again decades later.
I had moved to Abilene to open and manage a Musicland store and, when that Musicland closed, I remained in Abilene, opening my own record shop, Off the Wall Records. Many years after that, my wife's nephew, Chris Labrenz, married a young JW whose family was from Fort Worth but had moved to the tiny town of Hillsboro. My wife and I attended their wedding and were assigned seats at a table with a delightful couple from Plano, Texas, who were of our age group. Beth is a Senior Vice-president for the JC Penney Co., and her husband, Darby Tipple, is a high school English teacher in Plano. Nobody bothered to introduce us, so we engaged in little more than friendly chit-chat.
The next morning, my wife and I attended the Kingdom Hall and, for the first time, we were able to visit with the bride's mother. She told us that our nephew had insisted on seating us at the same table with her brother, Darby, since we both loved music. She went on to say that Darby had played in bands around Fort Worth since his junior-high-school years. I couldn't believe that I had missed out on discussing music with someone who shared my passion, and I asked, "Will Darby be here this morning?" She replied, "Well, actually, no. Darby and our nephew (who had been the wedding photographer) are on a plane heading for England where they will be guests of Eric Clapton in his home for a month." I just about fell on the floor, and said, "Excuse me? How does Darby know Eric Clapton?" She looked around, leaned forward, and said in a lower voice, "Darby is Eric's AA Sponsor." Again, I almost fell over, as she continued, "Darby and Eric have been friends for years."
On our way home, I told my wife that there had to be more to that story, since one doesn't just become Eric Clapton's AA Sponsor! When Darby returned from England we connected on Facebook, and he explained the connection. It was Jerry Lynn Williams whom my family had known from from the Poly Congregation in Fort Worth! Darby and Jerry Lynn had been good friends and had played in several bands together in Fort Worth where they were both raised. In Eric Clapton's biography, he calls Jerry Lynn Williams the best white Blues singer he ever heard. Jerry had become a first rate songwriter, and Clapton recorded several of his songs. Jerry Lynn also wrote the songs "Giving It Up For Your Love" and "Sending Me Angels" for Delbert McClinton, who is also from Fort Worth. Delbert played harmonica on the song "Hey, Baby" by Fort Worth native, Bruce Channel. Delbert toured England with Bruce in 1962 with the Beatles serving as their opening act, and Delbert is credited with teaching John Lennon a harmonica riff which Lennon played on the Beatles' recording of "Love Me Do." There is a famous photograph of Delbert and Bruce posing with the Beatles with drummer Pete Best, before he was replaced by Ringo Starr.
I have more stories to tell, but if I tell them all here, you would have no reason to purchase my book when it is published!
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15
Shocking Example of JW Elder Corruption
by Roger Kirkpatrick inlet's play a game of believe it or not, shall we?
i'll relate a story, and you decide whether you believe it or not.
what would you think of an elder who told his daughter's fiance that he would kill him if he ever did anything to hurt his daughter?
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Roger Kirkpatrick
Let's play a game of Believe It Or Not, shall we? I'll relate a story, and you decide whether you believe it or not.
What would you think of an elder who told his daughter's fiance that he would kill him if he ever did anything to hurt his daughter? The presiding overseer in my former congregation admitted to me that he had said that very thing to the young JW who married his youngest daughter. At the time, I was shocked that he would admit saying such a thing, but I didn't know the rest of the story at the time.
Some time after I disassociated from JWs for conscientious reasons, an elder from my former congregation--whom I will call TW--also disassociated, and subsequently called me up to tell me about all the corruption that had existed in that congregation, some of which he admitted to having taken part in and said he was racked with feelings of guilt. Among other things, TW told me details about the PO and his daughter that I found shocking despite the fact that I thought I was beyond being shocked by anything I might ever learn about JWs.
According to TW, when the PO's daughter was 16-years old, a 19-year old JW from another city met her at a convention and became infatuated with her. During a weekend when the PO permitted the young man to stay overnight in his home, the teens had sex. A judicial committee was convened for the 16-year old daughter, and TW was selected as a member of the tribunal. After listening to the young girl, TW said that she should be publicly reproved, and that her father should be deleted as a elder. The other two committee members overruled TW, saying that the girl would be privately reproved, and that her father would retain his powerful position in the congregation.
But TW was not finished. Since the girl was a minor and the young man was an adult at the time of the incident, thus possibly constituting statutory rape, TW insisted that the matter be reported to the local police. The Branch was consulted and directed that the incident be reported to authorities. Since the girl's father refused to press charges, the police took no action against the young man, but a record of the incident had been made.
The girl's father informed TW and the other committee members that the young man would be subjected to a judicial committee hearing in his own congregation. The two youngsters subsequently got married in a typical JW wedding, except not in a Kingdom Hall, which some attendees found strange since her oldest sisters had both had KH weddings.
The young man's father--whom I will call DF--was serving as an elder in his congregation at the time of the incident, and the young man was living in his father's home. It just so happens that DF was also a musician with whom I had played music on several occasions; in fact, DF used to schedule his visits to our town so that he could sit in with the band I played in. After some time, DF awakened as a JW, ceased serving as an elder, faded, and moved to a city which is a renown live-music center in our State.
When I eventually moved to a town near that live-music city, DF and I played music together once again. While visiting, DF mentioned certain things about having served as a JW elder which made me wonder if he was aware of the situation involving his son. When I told him the story TW had told me, DF said he had never heard the story before but, knowing his son, he did not doubt it. Later, he called another couple of elders in his previous congregation with whom he had served, and they confirmed that his son had never faced a judicial committee in that congregation.
Could it possibly be that the girl's father--in an attempt to protect his family's reputation--had circumvented the young man having to face a judicial committee in his own congregation by never reporting the incident to the young man's father and the other elders in that congregation? That would seem to explain his telling the young man that he would kill him if he ever did anything to hurt his daughter. All that I needed was someone who could corroborate TW's story about the incident having been reported to the local police.
Would you believe it if I told you that the public information officer for the local police department was a former JW whom I will call RT, that RT is a friend of mine and TW's, and that he corroborated that the incident had, indeed, been reported, but that the girl's father refused to press charges?
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12
Watchtower Now Considers Elders to Be Clergy Class
by Roger Kirkpatrick inmy father's uncle and spiritual mentor, benjamin ray kent, had been a deacon (ministerial servant) in watchtower founder c. t. russell's home ecclesia (congregation) in brooklyn, and also served as russell's personal secretary at brooklyn bethel.
after attending university my father served a 5-year prison term during world war ii, supposedly for his loyalty to god.
while his mother's proud and patriotic family disowned my father for his decision, it was his uncle ray who regularly visited him in prison.. that is the culture in which i was raised, and for much of my life, i took great pride in the belief that my father was a man of integrity to god.
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Roger Kirkpatrick
Sure thing, #why144,000!
Here is eyewitness testimony by someone who was in the courtroom throughout the trial. Advance counter to 49:00 and listen.
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Watchtower Now Considers Elders to Be Clergy Class
by Roger Kirkpatrick inmy father's uncle and spiritual mentor, benjamin ray kent, had been a deacon (ministerial servant) in watchtower founder c. t. russell's home ecclesia (congregation) in brooklyn, and also served as russell's personal secretary at brooklyn bethel.
after attending university my father served a 5-year prison term during world war ii, supposedly for his loyalty to god.
while his mother's proud and patriotic family disowned my father for his decision, it was his uncle ray who regularly visited him in prison.. that is the culture in which i was raised, and for much of my life, i took great pride in the belief that my father was a man of integrity to god.
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Roger Kirkpatrick
My father's uncle and spiritual mentor, Benjamin Ray Kent, had been a deacon (ministerial servant) in Watchtower founder C. T. Russell's home ecclesia (congregation) in Brooklyn, and also served as Russell's personal secretary at Brooklyn Bethel. After attending University my father served a 5-year prison term during World War II, supposedly for his loyalty to God. While his mother's proud and patriotic family disowned my father for his decision, it was his uncle Ray who regularly visited him in prison.
That is the culture in which I was raised, and for much of my life, I took great pride in the belief that my father was a man of integrity to God. Then, in 1995, the JW Governing Body arbitrarily decided that performing alternative service during wartime was a matter of conscience. My father had gone to prison, not because he had refused to go to war--no conscientious objector has to go to war--but because he had been convinced by Watchtower that performing alternative service during wartime was a compromise of his Christian neutrality. Thus, he and thousands of his fellow JWs around the world willingly went to prison. Now, suddenly, a small group of small men essentially said, "Never mind that you went to prison for our consciences!" (In Crisis of Conscience, Raymond Franz correctly observed that each congregation--and, indeed, the entire organization--is governed by those men having the weakest consciences!)
I asked my father how it felt to have gone to prison, not for loyalty to God, but for loyalty to an organization which plays games with people's lives. Of course, my father had invested way too much in being a JW to begin criticizing his beloved organization at that point in his life. How sad!
Because of his experiences in prison (what he often called the most meaningful experience of his life), my father carried on a 'prison ministry' at the Fort Worth county jail, and he would routinely take various ministerial servants with him as a form of training. Recognized as a minister and a regular face, my father was treated with respect and affection by jail officials.
One day, a new inmate approached my father and asked if he was a clergyman, to which my father replied yes. The ministerial servant accompanying my father that day reported that incident to the local elders who, in turn, reported it to the Branch office. My father received a written reprimand from the Service Dept. for having identified himself as a member of the clergy because that identified him as being a part of Christendom.
Imagine my disgust when, in a recent court case involving Watchtower hiding a case of child sexual abuse, when Watchtower's last legal straw was to claim clergy privilege, Watchtower officially declared that it now considers JW elders to be members of the clergy. Then to have that claim rejected by the court on the basis that there had been no confidentiality, but multiple persons throughout the organization had been made aware of the allegations against the offender.
Isn't it interesting that this bit of "new light" (regarding JW elders constituting a clergy class) was revealed, not in the Watchtower, but in a court of law!