Posts by AverageJoe1

41

Were your English WT publications in the American "dialect"?

by compound complex in

greetings, friends:.

the opening query is presented, loosely, in the past tense, assuming that you are not currently a reader of watchtower publications.. not that i'm already rather certain of your reply, it's just that i would like to know if in your english-speaking country (or esl [english as second language]) the society deigned to tailor the publications to your spellings, expressions, idiomatic renderings, etc.

as you will read below, so-called american english is a dialect of english.. i found this online under american english vs. british english:.

AverageJoe1

"Happyfying" arrrrrrrrrrgggggh! That isn't even in an AMERICAN dictionary!

I remember an Awake! magazine with the word GARBAGE printed in large letters on the front cover. How to instantly alienate the British non-JW populace!

What's weird now is that on the videos used in the field service in Spain, Spain dubs their own version so as not to put people off with the Latin American accents. Now why the heck can't they do that in the UK and dub them with British accents? I'd much rather listen to a Geordie, Brummie, Scouse or any other strong regional accent from the UK (although an island the UK has a fantastic variety of accents) than listen to the same old American ones!

20

Getting your WT files deleted (UK)

by Splash in

the uk are tightening up their data protection laws to make it easier for individuals to get hold of the information organisations hold on them and to get it deleted.. i think paul grundy (jwfacts) went through this with wt once and found it very time consuming and difficult.. will wt now abide by the law and hand over or permanently delete the records it keeps when requested?it would mean every uk exjw could have their report card info, personal file with age, sex, baptism date, judicial information, appointment/deletion/disfellowshipping dates, letters of disassociation, letters of recommendation when you move, phone number and address permanently removed.

anyone acting for the wt (elders) who retain this information, eg your phone number in their phone or the secretary keeping your historical monthly report details, will be in violation.

failure to comply will incur a fine.. expect a letter to all boe's any time soon explaining why this does not apply to them.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40826062.

AverageJoe1

Hmm I didn't think about that aspect.

According to the DPA though, there really shouldn't be any need for the WTS to hold ANY info on you unless you did belong to ranks of sex offenders.

According to the Spanish DPA (ARCO) you have the right to OPPOSE the data held on you and demand it be removed.

ARCO: acceso (accessing or consultating), rectificación (amending), cancelación (cancelling) oposición (opposing).

Based on that, if you demanded your ARCO rights asking them to remove all the data they had on you, then if you went to another congregation there should be no paper trail on you, just word-of-mouth (when they called to check with the elders who you are).

20

Getting your WT files deleted (UK)

by Splash in

the uk are tightening up their data protection laws to make it easier for individuals to get hold of the information organisations hold on them and to get it deleted.. i think paul grundy (jwfacts) went through this with wt once and found it very time consuming and difficult.. will wt now abide by the law and hand over or permanently delete the records it keeps when requested?it would mean every uk exjw could have their report card info, personal file with age, sex, baptism date, judicial information, appointment/deletion/disfellowshipping dates, letters of disassociation, letters of recommendation when you move, phone number and address permanently removed.

anyone acting for the wt (elders) who retain this information, eg your phone number in their phone or the secretary keeping your historical monthly report details, will be in violation.

failure to comply will incur a fine.. expect a letter to all boe's any time soon explaining why this does not apply to them.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40826062.

AverageJoe1

Yes Drearyweather but I'm referring to a person who has been disfellowshipped who turns up at a congregation and just gives them the basic details (without mentioning their former congregation).

20

Getting your WT files deleted (UK)

by Splash in

the uk are tightening up their data protection laws to make it easier for individuals to get hold of the information organisations hold on them and to get it deleted.. i think paul grundy (jwfacts) went through this with wt once and found it very time consuming and difficult.. will wt now abide by the law and hand over or permanently delete the records it keeps when requested?it would mean every uk exjw could have their report card info, personal file with age, sex, baptism date, judicial information, appointment/deletion/disfellowshipping dates, letters of disassociation, letters of recommendation when you move, phone number and address permanently removed.

anyone acting for the wt (elders) who retain this information, eg your phone number in their phone or the secretary keeping your historical monthly report details, will be in violation.

failure to comply will incur a fine.. expect a letter to all boe's any time soon explaining why this does not apply to them.. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40826062.

AverageJoe1

I can imagine that you would know for sure if you turned up at a new congregation, said you're a witness and just give them your name and baptism date.

Then if they came back to you saying, "hey you're disfellowshipped" (make sure that you're recording the conversation), you could then ask how they came up with that ridiculous idea. They would have to say that the branch informed them; at which point you've got the branch in breach of the data protection act!

146

Just woke up turn TV on to hear yet another nut case with a gun.

by Still Totally ADD in

jw
friends

first they said 20 dead with 100 injured.

now i just heard 50 dead and 200 injured.

whatever it is it just another nut case who was able to get a high power gun to kill people.

AverageJoe1

@WingCommander

That's the first time I've ever seen your gun laws clearly explained! Thanks.

So all/most of these murderers wouldn't have been approved for guns in the first place. Makes sense.

Personally, I still don't see why anyone would be fascinated by them though.

Thanks again.

161

Help! Mike & Kim videos all being deleted by Youtube

by mrmagic in

due to watchtower flagging the mike & kim videos on youtube for copyright, youtube is giving them 6 days before they are shutting down their entire youtube channel.

can you help with a mass downloading program and then reuploading them on a mirror ?

would hate to lose all those good videos!

AverageJoe1

Thanks for the clarification Fisherman. I didn’t think about it in a company context.

I’ll give you a “G” for use of illustrations!

161

Help! Mike & Kim videos all being deleted by Youtube

by mrmagic in

due to watchtower flagging the mike & kim videos on youtube for copyright, youtube is giving them 6 days before they are shutting down their entire youtube channel.

can you help with a mass downloading program and then reuploading them on a mirror ?

would hate to lose all those good videos!

AverageJoe1

@Sparrowdown

Are the elders letters copyrighted?

As to elder's letters (or letters to the congregation), here's my view, for what it's worth: they are not copyrighted. How can you copyright a letter?

EG. I write a letter to @Sparrowdown including some very personal details, maybe even a photo. If he then goes and shows that to all and sundry, then I have no leg to stand on, as that is HIS prerogative. The letter is addressed to him so therefore becomes HIS property, not mine. What he does with it afterwards is entirely up to him, even if that entails embarrassing me as the sender (that should teach me to think more carefully before sending anything that could incriminate me, in a practical sense.)

Where have the letters come from that are available online from places like www.avoidjw.org ? They have NOT come from the WTS but rather (at least originally) from ELDERS (or other members of the congregation) to whom the letters were addressed, who have then made them public, as is their right, even though instructed not to do so.

As to videos and publications, then that's a whole different kettle of fish as you are dealing with copyrighted intellectual (I use the word very loosely!) property.

86

JW Rumor: End of the Traveling Overseer

by Edison Trent in

a friend of mine has contacts to a family with several circuit overseers and special pioneers.

they have good connections to bethel.. he told me that the latest rumor from bethel states that the cos should be abolished in their present form.

they have also recently begun to take cos back to bethel.. over the same channel i have already heard of the car fleet program and that the dos should be abolished.. has anyone else already heard of it?

AverageJoe1

Well the car scheme is till going as we recently had a letter begging for money to pay for the new car fleet (even though the WTS Spain managed to get them at a cheaper rate this year!)

86

JW Rumor: End of the Traveling Overseer

by Edison Trent in

a friend of mine has contacts to a family with several circuit overseers and special pioneers.

they have good connections to bethel.. he told me that the latest rumor from bethel states that the cos should be abolished in their present form.

they have also recently begun to take cos back to bethel.. over the same channel i have already heard of the car fleet program and that the dos should be abolished.. has anyone else already heard of it?

AverageJoe1

DOs are ALREADY non-existant, Edison so you might want to check your source!

COs here in Spain regularly miss visits to congregations, both in the English and native Spanish congregations as they don't have enough time to visit the whole circuit apparently.

It wouldn't be a loss for me as many of them are just drunk on power and do it for all the perks (gifts of money, holidays etc.)

I asked our CO how he and his wife justify not visiting the congregations on the Saturday field service around assembly time because he has to supervise the demonstrations/interviews on Saturday mornings? He didn't like it when I said that field service with the CO wasn't that important then so I won't be encouraging the flock to attend the field service groups if they can't even be bothered to attend! I then quoted his own book to him (chapter 10, point 2) which says that he shouldn't allow other commitments to stop him from participating in field service on the weekend with the brothers. This quickly prompted him to ask how I got hold of that information so I just told him "an ex-Co friend of mine told me". Not lying... theocratic warfare!!!!

Needless to say, I'm now on his blacklist!!!

33

JW's are S.O.B's

by James Mixon in

jw
friends

i didn't say it, it was the president....

AverageJoe1

@LoveUniHateExams

Thanks for proving my point about how nice the minority of uneducated Americans really can be!!

I've lived in several countries, including Scotland so I guess my mind is more open than yours in fact and I certainly am proud not to have your gutter mouth and don't insult everyone I disagree with.

Hmm maybe you should read the forum terms & conditions to refresh your memory before posting again!

Not whinging as it's not my country and I don't live there. Visited several times and the Americans I've met (apart from a handful, stuck-up, ignorant or foul mouthed ones like you) are very decent, generous and hospitable people. Peace!