LevelThePlayingField

Joined

• started 90 topics
• posted 1,055 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by LevelThePlayingField

• 
  5

  Sorrry if a repeat

  by careful in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  thoughts?.

  http://taze.co/2015/01/31/jw-org-idolatry/.

  the quotation from the 1974 km is good..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  I read the article, but I just don't see it as idolatry. Sorry.
• 
  20

  Have the Governing Body caught themselves out in a lie?

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  all sorts of suspected deception going on surrounding the cutbacks and the reasons for them.

  but hard to pin down a direct falsehood.

  sure, they initially said they were reducing the magazines so the brothers had less to read, then later said it was to save money.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  At our hall they only planned on give about $100 more per month than the original loan. Folks here are rather poor. As far as I know from the accounts report everything is on track.
• 
  60

  Watchtower's response to Royal Commission shows they have learned nothing and will do nothing

  by wannaexit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've quickly read through watchtower's submission to the royal commission.

  seems like they aren't planning to change policy anytime soon.

  they are critical of how the royal commission handled the situation.. the tone is of the submission is shear arrogance.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  F.69 A Jehovah’s Witness who no longer wants to be subject to the organisation’s rules and discipline may simply stop associating with the congregation without formally disassociating from the faith.

  What a lie!

  Also, where in their report did WT make ANY comments about what they want to DO about child abuse moving forward? I didn't see anything. All they had was a rebuttal. So they didn't learn anything from such a learned panel as the Royal Commission. Talk about throwing your pearls before swine.
• 
  60

  Watchtower's response to Royal Commission shows they have learned nothing and will do nothing

  by wannaexit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've quickly read through watchtower's submission to the royal commission.

  seems like they aren't planning to change policy anytime soon.

  they are critical of how the royal commission handled the situation.. the tone is of the submission is shear arrogance.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  My thoughts on the WTBTS answers to the RC. I just have to say first off. I read the whole thing and man I'm pissed! They are SO arrogant!!!! They did not agree with them on one single point. Not one!
  And I want to comment on the overall tone. When you read their whole response and you get a real feel for them, you get a sense of where they are coming from, you know what I mean. Well, they are not concerned about the victims. They do not show interest in children. They do not show an interest in "continuous improvement". They were not there to learn. They were not there to brain storm. Their response was completely one sided and one sided only. Their main thought was "REBUTTAL". All they wanted to do was argue with the RC. It really sounded to me like when the 8 year old is giving mom excuses why he didn't clean his room. It's not my fault because.... Any way, here's some of my take-aways.
  4.6 Child sexual abuse is a matter of concern to any right thinking parent or adult,and to see it only as an “institutional” problem would be to miss an essentialtruth: that much abuse occurs within families. The reasons why one personwithin a family might abuse another vary. That is not to say that institutionscannot be helpful in addressing the problem, but it helps to put the responseof institutions into context.- Really? is the GB trying to teach the RC here about child abuse? It's actually the other way around.
  8.2 The Commission’s report will be read by many in Australia and around theworld as it would seem to be both the largest and most thorough inquiry of itstype anywhere in the world. Its views will no doubt influence futuregenerations of Australian legislators and others.- This has got the GB really scared, I think. And too bad for ya!
  9.17 ...The faith is not an agency or instrumentality of governmententrusted with the responsibility for the supervision and care of children.- Good comment! Now the truth really comes out. We're not responsible.
  9.367 The policies and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses do not require anyindividual who no longer wants to be subject to their “rules and discipline” toformally disassociate themselves. They can simply stop associating with thecongregation. Such individuals are not shunned.- LIE.
  9.374 For example, Mr O’Brien stated:284 “They don’t have to disassociate themselves to stop associating. They don’t lose their spiritual or familialassociation by being inactive.”- LIE #2
  The RC wrote:F70 The Jehovah’s Witness organisation’s policy……. is adopted and enforced in order to prevent people from leaving the organisationand thereby to maintain its membership.
  to which WTBTS replied:(e) it is an unfounded, unfair and unnecessary attack upon a voluntary faithbasedorganisation that is law-abiding and does much to promote lawfulconduct within Australia and around the world through its exertions; and(f) if the finding could not be made in a Court of law, it ought not be madeby the Commission.
  If I could guess what WT will do in the end, as far as what they will actually change, then 10.4 sums it up. (nothing):10.4 Jehovah’s Witnesses have demonstrated that they make adjustments wherenecessary and within the confines of their Scriptural beliefs. Severalexamples were given during oral testimony of what Jehovah’s Witnesses areprepared to do: for example, to review procedures, to consider whetherprocedures and practices should be consolidated into one document, and toseek additional independent legal advice.
  
• 
  72

  My RC hearing brought forward. Will be in two weeks

  by umbertoecho in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  through this forum of wonderful freaks, i have met someone who is coming with me to my hearing.

  initially i was slated for next year, but will be attending in two weeks time.

  all is in place from travel vouchers, support, where to go ............very efficient and well done.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  The Catholic's have taught their people way better than JW's. Take look at this:

  Since 2002, when its current sexual misconduct policies were put in place, the archdiocese has offered training to about 70,000 adult lay workers, conducted 105,000 background checks on clergy, staff and volunteers; and provided over 100,000 children with “age-appropriate lessons to help keep them safe.’’

  http://www.startribune.com/under-fire-archbishop-scrambles-to-respond/226613311/

  And they say, "We're the best educated people". I think not.
• 
  75

  Australian Royal Commission Findings released

  by Mephis in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  will just post the general findings by counsel for the commission (angus stewart) - case specific ones are prior to them.

  in short, absolutely damning.. not been through every submission myself yet.

  available for download here: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/636f01a5-50db-4b59-a35e-a24ae07fb0ad/case-study-29,-july-2015,-sydney.aspx.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  56 Of the 1,006 members against whom allegations of child sexual abuse were made, 108 were elders or ministerial servants at the time of the first instance of alleged abuse.123 The files do not reveal how many of the alleged perpetrators were elders or ministerial servants at the time of any subsequent instances of alleged child sexual abuse. The files record that 28 alleged perpetrators were appointed as elders or ministerial servants after having been the subject of an allegation of child sexual abuse.124 57 Finally, the files record that 401 alleged perpetrators were disfellowshipped in relation to an allegation of child sexual abuse,125 and that 230 of those alleged perpetrators were subsequently reinstated.126 Of those disfellowshipped, 78 were disfellowshipped on more than one occasion in relation to an allegation of child sexual abuse.127
• 
  75

  Australian Royal Commission Findings released

  by Mephis in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  will just post the general findings by counsel for the commission (angus stewart) - case specific ones are prior to them.

  in short, absolutely damning.. not been through every submission myself yet.

  available for download here: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/636f01a5-50db-4b59-a35e-a24ae07fb0ad/case-study-29,-july-2015,-sydney.aspx.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  From the document.

  15 Similarly, when asked if the Governing Body memberssaw themselves as‘Jehovah God’s spokespeople on earth’, Mr Jackson did not answer, instead telling the Royal Commission that it ‘would seem to be quite presumptuous to say that we are the only spokesperson that God is using’.21 Mr Jackson’s professed humility is not, however, supported by the Jehovah’s Witness organisation’s own publications

  You just can't make this stuff up!!!
• 
  75

  Australian Royal Commission Findings released

  by Mephis in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  will just post the general findings by counsel for the commission (angus stewart) - case specific ones are prior to them.

  in short, absolutely damning.. not been through every submission myself yet.

  available for download here: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/636f01a5-50db-4b59-a35e-a24ae07fb0ad/case-study-29,-july-2015,-sydney.aspx.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  I really like what was published about 3/4 down...

  '511 It issubmitted that Mr Jackson’s oral evidence isinconsistent with the position regarding disassociation published to Jehovah’s Witnesses internationally in the form of the Organized to do Jehovah’s Will handbook. It is further submitted that the true position in relation to a person who no longer wants to be known as a Jehovah’s Witness and who no longer wishes to be subject to the organisation’s rules and regulations, is that as recorded in the Organized to do Jehovah’s Will handbook."
• 
  72

  My RC hearing brought forward. Will be in two weeks

  by umbertoecho in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  through this forum of wonderful freaks, i have met someone who is coming with me to my hearing.

  initially i was slated for next year, but will be attending in two weeks time.

  all is in place from travel vouchers, support, where to go ............very efficient and well done.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  umbertoecho - you said a good number of things. But one thing standed out to me. You said, "I would ban all children from having to go from door to door. That is one I push truly point to. A child needs to play and rest and have fun...."

  You are the life blood for us as the voice for us in the ex-jw community representing Australia. You have a heart of Gold. Go get-em' at the Royal Commission! Take each and every one of these suggestions and get 'em. The Watchtower has truly made its bed and now, it's time to lay down in it. Now it's time to pay the piper. They paid on credit long enough. Now it's time to pay it back, and to pay it back with interest.

  Thank you so much for standing up! You are to be commended. THANK YOU!
• 
  14

  I found the WTBTS 990-T's Income Tax Returns for 2010-2013, and it shows their book value of all their assets

  by LevelThePlayingField in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  there are two sources online to get these pdfs.

  https://www.citizenaudit.org/111857820/ lists 2010-2013 ( i would prefer this link because it's the most up to date).

  http://www.guidestar.org/viewpdf.aspx?pdfsource=0&ein=11-1857820 lists 2010-2012. book value of all assets at end of year: (can be found on the 990-t for on top left on 1st page).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  There are two sources online to get these pdfs. Here they are:

  https://www.citizenaudit.org/111857820/ lists 2010-2013 ( I would prefer this link because it's the most up to date)

  http://www.guidestar.org/ViewPdf.aspx?PdfSource=0&ein=11-1857820 lists 2010-2012

  Book value of all assets at end of year: (can be found on the 990-T for on top left on 1st page)

  2010 965,800,000

  2011 1,119,118,000 +153,318,000

  2012 1,154,503,000 +35,385,000

  2013 1,020,441,000 -134,062,000

  Net +54,641,000

  The TPF 11-A LP company that they invested in comes back to Tenaska Capital Management LLC out of Omaha, NE. This is from their "About Us" part of their web page: Tenaska is one of the largest private, independent energy companies in the United States, with a proven record of success in development, design, construction, operation and financing of electric generating facilities and in energy marketing...Tenaska’s experienced professionals are leaders in all aspects of energy production, marketing and financial management. As a private, independent company, Tenaska has the expertise, the resources and the flexibility to meet North America’s evolving energy needs.

  Tenaska is an established leader in:

  • Development, design, construction management, ownership and operation of non-utility power plants, customizing plant size, design and fuels to meet customer needs
    
  • Energy marketing, including natural gas, electric power, and biofuels and related commodities
  • Management of private equity investments in the power and midstream sectors
    
  • Natural gas exploration, production and associated transportation systems

  This diverse base offers customers the advantage of expertise across the energy spectrum, leveraging strengths that include logistics, capital solutions and conservative risk management.

  Tenaska’s people are known throughout the industry for fair and ethical dealing and as early adapters able to respond rapidly to changing markets. They are behind Tenaska’s well-documented reputation for providing safe, reliable electricity; for being environmentally and socially responsible; and for demonstrating dedication and commitment to the communities where it does business.
  

  Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Tenaska has regional offices in Dallas, Texas; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Denver, Colorado; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Boston, Massachusetts.

  http://www.tenaska.com/
  

  http://reportstream.io/companies/0001423190/tpf-ii-a-lp

  The Cushing MLP Opportunity Fund 1 LP is a private company in Dallas, TX. I called them and left a message stating I am "interested" in investing in the fund, to try and see what the funds portfolio is about.

  http://www.manta.com/c/mtq3nt0/the-cushing-mlp-opportunity-fund-i-lp

  Very telling. Your thoughts?