Posts by lilacs4everr

20

witness connections wisconsin

by bavman in

i have been connected with jw's my whole life.

i would be interested in meeting or talking with anyone who has connection with wisconsin jw's.

if u know anyone at all from wisconsin please leave me message in my box.. .

lilacs4everr

bavman, I don't know how to pm you, but I'm VERY interested if you know anyone from the greenbay wisconsin congregations. This is important. Thanks for your help.

12

A slave is obedient even to a cruel master?...

by cyber-sista in

just recently sister x from the kh where i recently attended had another meeting with the elders there to try and help she and brother x with their abusive marital relationship.

they are constantly meeting with the elders and have done so for many years over this and everything other decision they need to make in their lives.

they are very "elder dependent" but their lives never seem to improve and in fact it just seems to go from bad to worse.

This sounds so much like the story of my best friend. She told the elders repeatedly that she was abused, pointing out comments in the 11/8/01 Awake. The elders told her that Awake article was printed for people in the world, NOT those already Jehovah's witnesses! She was told it was a sin to talk to anyone about what he was doing to her, but his actions towards her were NOT a sin. He is still in fine standing despite the testimony of his adult children to the elders. The children saw the abuse for years, tried to physically and emotionally protect their mother, and were so fearful they contacted the police, but their testimony meant nothing to the elders. They were also told to shut their mouths or be punished. The subject of child abuse is common on this site, but I think spouse abuse is just as common, but not so publicized. Women are brain-washed by their mates and the elders into thinking the treatment they receive is part of being a submissive wife and they wouldn't want to displease Jehovah. IT NEEDS TO STOP !!!

16

CNN - "Prosecutors in Russia state JWs destroy families and foster hatred"

by lilacs4everr in

just this afternoon cnn started running this news clip at the bottom of their screen.

does anyone know what it's about?

are there abuse/molestation cases against the wtbts in russia?

lilacs4everr

I hope this cut and paste works. Thanks talesin for the link !!! Russian court bans religious activities of Jehovah's Witnesses from Moscow


By Anneli Nerman
Canadian Press

March 27, 2004

MOSCOW

A Moscow court has banned the religious activities of Jehovah's Witnesses from the Russian capital in a move that critics called a step back for democracy and religious freedom.

Prosecutors claimed the religion destroys families and fosters hatred. Moscow's Golovinsky district court on Friday granted their request that it be outlawed in the capital under a provision that allows courts to ban religious groups believed to incite hatred or intolerant behaviour.

John Burns, a Canadian lawyer for the group, pledged to appeal the decision to higher Russian courts and to pursue it in the European Court of Human Rights.

"Religious minorities are often a litmus test for where a society is going ... this is an ominous signal," Burns said.

Defence lawyer Galina Krylova argued that the decision has no legal foundation, as the prosecutor simply cited the denomination's religious literature.

"The activities of Jehovah's Witnesses weren't the subject of the court trial ... the subject was the religious beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses ... doctrinal arguments," Krylova said.

Among Jehovah's Witnesses doctrine is a prohibition against blood transfusions, based on an interpretation of the Bible, and an obligation to share their Christian faith with others.

The U.S. State Department also criticized the Russian court decision.

"We deplore the recent decision ... to ban the religious activities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow and to liquidate their legal entity," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Friday in Washington.

"We urge local authorities and the Russian government to honour their commitments to respect the right of all faiths to religious freedom," he added.

The Moscow group has been fighting for survival since 1998, when proceedings were first launched to shut them down. In 2001, a local court threw out prosecutors' attempts to ban the group in a ruling hailed as a sign of increased religious tolerance.

But another court later ordered a new hearing in the case and the second trial began in the Golovinsky court in the spring of 2002.

The ongoing legal battle and a refusal by justice authorities to re-register the group as required by a 1997 law already have hampered the activities of the capital's estimated 10,000 Jehovah's Witnesses.

"Hearing today's verdict, I think we returned to the Soviet Union of 50 years ago," said Vasilii Kalin. In 1951, at age four, Kalin was sent into exile in Siberia with his family and another 10,000 Jehovah's Witnesses who refused to renounce their faith during Stalin's state-atheism campaign.

Russia's 1997 religion law enshrines Orthodox Christianity as the country's predominant religion and pledges respect for Buddhism, Islam and Judaism, but places restrictions on other groups.

Christian Presber, a spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, said Saturday the denomination has more than 133,000 members nationwide. He expressed concern about the ramifications of the court's decision for communities outside Moscow.

"We anticipate it's going to unleash a whole plethora of new attempts by local and regional authorities to impede our activities," Presber said.

Also Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he favoured drafting a bill on state support "to the spiritual leaders of traditional religious confessions," the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

16

CNN - "Prosecutors in Russia state JWs destroy families and foster hatred"

by lilacs4everr in

just this afternoon cnn started running this news clip at the bottom of their screen.

does anyone know what it's about?

are there abuse/molestation cases against the wtbts in russia?

lilacs4everr

Just this afternoon CNN started running this news clip at the bottom of their screen. Does anyone know what it's about? Are there abuse/molestation cases against the WTBTS in Russia?

64

Watchtower Motion to Dismiss - DENIED

by jst2laws in

barbara anderson and joseph anderson vs watchtower society.

as you may remember the watchtower has petitioned the circuit court of manchester tennessee to dismiss the case against them filed by barbara and joe anderson.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/22/59953/1.ashx

lilacs4everr

Great job Andersons and their attorneys!!!

When will "discovery" start and what kind of evidence is presented during discovery? Has the media been contacted about this case? It needs all the publicity it can get. Or would that interefere with selecting a jury? A transcript was referred to in regards to the motion to dismiss. Will that be posted anytime soon? It would be a great read and maybe help others planning their own cases.

THIS IS JUST SOOOO EXCITING !!! -

6

Has anyone been barred from K.H. or convention?

by lilacs4everr in

have you ever heard of an abuse victim being disfellowshipped, then barred from coming to the kingdom hall or to a convention?

this threat has been made to a good friend of mine here in the u.s. can they (the elders) really call the police to have someone removed who is just sitting there quietly?

lilacs4everr

Have you ever heard of an abuse victim being disfellowshipped, then barred from coming to the Kingdom Hall or to a convention? This threat has been made to a good friend of mine here in the U.S. Can they (the elders) really call the police to have someone removed who is just sitting there quietly?

29

New Hampshire JW Child Abuse (Berry) Court Case Hearing Coming Up

by blondie in

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/main.asp?sectionid=25&subsectionid=377&articleid=80032

hearing slated for suit against church

sunday, may 11, 2003

lilacs4everr

The thread states "The Jehovah’s Witnesses also argue the elders to whom Berry’s mother reported the abuse were ministers of the church, and thus her communications with them are confidential under state law."

Would Judge Groff be interested in the Watchtower's own admission that they AREN'T clergy, which would mean they weren't ministers and then ther commnications wouldnt be confidential under state law? The first quote is from the February 15, 1994 Watchtower. The second is from the Knowledge book, printed in 1995, page 137.

*** w94 2/15 7 Are Jehovah's Witnesses a Cult? ***
It is precisely because of this close adherence to Bible teachings that the veneration and idolization of human leaders so characteristic of cults today is not to be found among Jehovah’s Witnesses. They reject the concept of a clergy-laity distinction. The Encyclopedia of Religion aptly states about Jehovah’s Witnesses: "A clergy class and distinctive titles are prohibited."

*** kl 137 14 Whose Authority Should You Recognize? ***

20 Regarding Christian elders, Paul wrote: "Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account; that they may do this with joy and not with sighing, for this would be damaging to you." (Hebrews 13:17) Wisely, God has entrusted to Christian overseers the responsibility to care for the spiritual needs of those in the congregation. These elders do not constitute a clergy class. They are servants and slaves of God, ministering to the needs of their fellow worshipers, just as our master, Jesus, Christ did."

The prosecuting attorneys might love getting their hands on these quotes. I hope this helps!!!

Lilacs

167

Was There Ever A Circuit Overseer That You Couldn't Stand?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i know this has been discussed before but i think a fresh thread on this will be enjoyable.

lilacs4everr

Did any of you ever report domestic abuse to a C.O. named Gary Holmes? My family did and he laughs it off, calling it "repressed memories". No one in my family ever forgot for one minute the abuse going on. It was NEVER repressed! Has he treated anyone else this way? He's in Missouri (U.S.A.) circuit #8 now.

3

PLEASE help! I need a copy of a 2002 BOE letter...

by lilacs4everr in

if anyone has access to letters sent to bodies of elders in the united states last year, i need your help.

there was a letter read to the congregation shortly after the dateline expose on child abuse.

but, at the same time, the society also sent a letter to the elders only stating that if anyone in the congregation reported abuse that they should not be sanctioned.

lilacs4everr

Undisfellowshipped,

Thank you with all my heart! That BOE letter is exactly what I needed!!! - Lilacs

3

PLEASE help! I need a copy of a 2002 BOE letter...

by lilacs4everr in

if anyone has access to letters sent to bodies of elders in the united states last year, i need your help.

there was a letter read to the congregation shortly after the dateline expose on child abuse.

but, at the same time, the society also sent a letter to the elders only stating that if anyone in the congregation reported abuse that they should not be sanctioned.

lilacs4everr

If anyone has access to letters sent to Bodies of Elders in the United States last year, I need your help. There was a letter read to the congregation shortly after the Dateline expose on child abuse. But, at the same time, the Society also sent a letter to the Elders ONLY stating that if anyone in the congregation reported abuse that they should not be sanctioned. This letter was NOT read to the congregation. This is the letter I need a copy of. Can anyone help? A brother who went to court with me will soon be punished if we don't have this letter to rub in their faces. PLEASE, help us if you can. Many, many thanks for caring! - Lilacs