Posts by StarTrekAngel

45

Watch Tower Society holds GOVERNMENT SHARES!

by LennaB in

securities and exchange commission: http://www.sec.gov/archives.... name: the watchtower society .

class a shares owned: 5,073,200. percentage of class a shares owned: 44.94%.

rand cam corporation - developers of cold turbine engine project, funded by the u.s. military (navy).. what happen to 1.having no polictical/government affiliantion?

StarTrekAngel

While I share the opinion of the majority here, I do understand where Gustv comes from. I am in a hispanic community and I am hispanic myself. While nothing justifies what is being done, it is true that you can not bring this up as an issue to someone who do not understand the implications. This does not necesarily applies to an etnicity in particular but just so happens that it applies to most hispanics in a sense. I don't think Gustv meant to say all hispanics were careless. Most younger kids, specially those to be the first or second generation born in the US, have a much higer level of education than that of their parent or their grand parents. Their parents and grandparents, at the same time, are the ones that are currently in charge of running the KH they attend. Since most of the growth of the org is coming from inside, it add to the equation. It has been my experience as a hispanic that no one in your house would consider your intelligence, even if you went to college. For the life of me, my mom never allowed me to mess with the sound system of our car, despite having a working knowledge of it. She could brag about my academic achievements to others, but then not allow me to flip the light switch, afraid I was going to cause a fire.

While I like to re iterate that I strongly oppose the hipcrisy of the watchtower, I also understand by experience that not one issue will bring the same weight to everyone. What makes a person sick regarding childe abuse, can make another peson shrug off and walk away. Sounds crazy but with so much desinformation within the congs it is easy to dismiss the subjects. While we are all very familiar with the details of the hallmark cases against the watchtower, many will give you the common answer "we don't know all the details". In the most conservative of hispanic communities, people would never, ever allow their children to spend too much time with strangers, even if they are JWs or even realtives. You bring up a Candance Conti to them and they would tell you that the parents are at fault. They are not careless about child abuse, it is just that they feel they got it under control and so, just as you all here, feel that everyone should think the same way.

If you keep up with the news, you realize sometimes how crazy, for example, wars are. One journalist would tell you how many targets were attacked against ISIS and make sound like victory, another journalists would tell you how economically inefficitent it is to destroy a $500 dollar vechicle with a million dollar missile.

You just can't use the same amunition for everything. This also applies to theocratic warfare, from both sides of the war.

47

Watchtower/Telecom Ownership Agreement!

by Atlantis in

watchtower-qcstelecom ownership agreement.. .

re: petition to transfer ownership of qcstelecom, inc., to watchtower bible and tract society.

http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/common/viewdoc.aspx?docrefid=%7b57614a3f-7101-408a-8b25-b3499530db5a%7d.

StarTrekAngel

There might be more to just needing a telecom company.

Not that this is anything new but I know I've seen several members question WT intentions on this. I do not have much information on QCS Telecom (the company itself) but certainly agree that it is fishy to think that the WTBTS would invest in a company with no current employees or customers. I know the purchase price was pennies relatively speaking. But yet, if they are promising to buy all of QCS services to carry out the fiber optic installation, then the purchase price is not the sole expense incurred.

I am in the telecomunications business and have been for the past 10 years. I am not a business man, I am a technical person but I do get involved or participate on the why and how of business decision at my job. There are two types of telecom businesses, ILECs and CLEC. An ILEC is your typical phone company, although defined as those companies that were present before Bell was split. A CLEC is a telecom company that actually needs to compete with others and win customers in order to make financial sense. Both types have regulations that they need to follow, where the ILEC is generally much more heavily regulated. ILEC also enjoy cash infusions from the Universal Service Fund (A fee we all pay in our telephone service) and specially if they are dedicated to serve high cost or unserved areas. CLECs in the other hand do not get this, but they can be, under certain cirscunstances, subsididiares of an ILEC which is operateed by the same employees of the ILEC.

CLECs can, however, participate in government grants. The company I work for is an ILEC, which in turn also works with a subsidiary (a CLEC). We do all kinds of telecom work, telephone, internet, long distance, data transport, etc. We also bury lots and lots of fiber optic cable.

A few years ago we were awarded a huge grant that was part of the ARRA and other moneys thru the USDA. Everything amounted to over 80 million. This money was to be dedicated to install brand new infrastructure for unserved areas. This was such widespread program, that during 2012 there was an actual shortage of fiber optic supply around the US. The municipalities that were to benefit from this gave us permission to use empty lots as places to store the massive wooden spools of fiber cable

This programs have not stopped. While the initial funds have served their purpose, other programs have come up. One is the CAF (Connect America Fund) which will come to replace USF in a few years. Another is the broadband initiative started by the Obama admin. There is also a new one called "Rural Broadband Experiment" funded by the FCC (Could be some other agency)

Where I am going with all these? That while I could be bias by my enviroment, but the only reason I can think of the WTBTS buying such company, could be to rip the benefits of government funding. They could not qualify for this grants by themselves, they are not a telecom company. Neither could have QCS built the fiber and then sell it to WT. QCS, having no customers, could not qualify for the grants. Even us, with over 10000 customers, we needed to justify our grant by bringing in anchor institutions (like universities and large hospitals) who could write a reference for us, saying that they truly needed us to serve their areas.

The one thing that catches my eye from the documents regarding the purhcase of QCS is the mention of small communities and their economic impact. Most of the programs aboved mentioned are geared towards small or economically challenged communities, where viable broadband services are not available. Also, QCS could not qualify for the grant without any meaninful backing from a third party "investor". Having the WTBTS sign over a promise of buying 100% of the output of services, grants QCS the success they need to qualify.

As to why they need to run a telecom company? Well, if it is not just to get someone else to pay for the infrastructure, then having an internet inside the internet, and therefore control content, is not far fetched. Entire countries already do this. It is not utterly difficult. They would need a large datacenter for this, but it is not impossible. The difficult part would be getting everyone to subscribe. It only takes one to break such system. I know I would be the one.

My ignorant two cents..

22

I FIND THIS TROUBLING . . . DISTURBING . . . PUZZLING . . .

by Terry in

i stumbled on to this on youtube.. i began watching it.

at first i thought it was funny.. then, something changed.

i began to realize two things.. first of all, there are 2 sides to this, and both sides have a point.. if law enforcement does not have a legal right to stop and question you .

StarTrekAngel

Thanks jgnat. I guess I forgot to mention that the hall was built no more than 2 years ago. It was a tremendous event for JWs in the area. Many many thousands saw it a blessing from Jehovah because they would now be able to attend the 3 day assemblies. Many very needy brothers went as far as buying new suits for this special days. Not sure what happened this year. I asked several of these brothers in our cong on to wether they were able to attend an assembly to an alternate location and they responded with very sad faces.

22

I FIND THIS TROUBLING . . . DISTURBING . . . PUZZLING . . .

by Terry in

i stumbled on to this on youtube.. i began watching it.

at first i thought it was funny.. then, something changed.

i began to realize two things.. first of all, there are 2 sides to this, and both sides have a point.. if law enforcement does not have a legal right to stop and question you .

StarTrekAngel

Believe me when I say there is plenty of surveilanace around here. until no so long ago we had drones flying over our yards. They now resorted to flying a tethered blimp that they brought back from Afghanistan. I can see it from my office, 18 miles away. From my house is more like a mile away. Can't walk out to the yard naked anymore.

I have a plenty of border stories to tell but if you watch Border Wars, it would probably be much more exciting. When you hear McAllen TX or La Joya, then thats my hood.

22

I FIND THIS TROUBLING . . . DISTURBING . . . PUZZLING . . .

by Terry in

i stumbled on to this on youtube.. i began watching it.

at first i thought it was funny.. then, something changed.

i began to realize two things.. first of all, there are 2 sides to this, and both sides have a point.. if law enforcement does not have a legal right to stop and question you .

StarTrekAngel

I live on the Texas-Mexico border. There are checkpoints on every road headed north. Anywhere from 25 to 50 miles from the border. The agents are mostly hispanic because that is all there is in the area. The area of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas is 98% hispanic. Many people only speak spanish. Not to say I have anything against it, I am hispanic myself.

The reason this seems odd is not because this has anything to do with what the police can or can not do to you. The truth is that these inmigration checkpoints are technically inconstitutional. That is the one thing the guy on the video is fighting about. Had this been an argument with state trooper instead of an inmigration officer, he would have not gotten away with it.

Sad to say, but if the guy driving was a hispanic, he would not have gotten away with it either. It is also true that we hispanics get more discrimination from those of our same etnicity.

Funny story, since we are at it. Because many in the RGV are no legal residents (I would say 50% of those who attend KH in the area), they are no able to travel north to Houston or places like that. This summer we had a string of both, international and regular conventions going on in Houston and other cities. Many from my area were not able to attend. Had they attempted to do so, they would have been deported (every car gets checked). Despite having recently built a 5 million dollar assembly hall in the area, no assemblies were brought to the area. The assembly hall sat empty the entire summer. The "undocumented" brothers had no assembly, despite being such a significant year for JWs

What happened? Did the F&D slave forgot about thousands of fellow slaves? or were they not financially significant?

45

The Art of Hypocrisy - How Jehovah's Witnesses worship a symbol

by BluePill2 in

jw
friends

it has been a while since i've seen a witness, either in person or virtually.

searching for someone on facebook took me to the profile of a ministerial servant that i know.

i scrolled through his wall to see who is still around and found this gem:.

StarTrekAngel

No, these are not fake JWs. In my congregation there is an infestation ot this. Someone gave my wife several of these lapel pin things (is almost like they are passing the cool aid). I went ahead and got rid of them when no one was looking. And not only that, it seems like there is a competition going on at my hall. Everyone want to carry the biggest one around. They are also making round ones with pictures of Sophia and that evil looking boy (for the kids) some with huge bows attached to them. People are pinning these things to their kids as if they were the seal of salvation.

15

The 2 witness rule

by tim hooper in

i've just been informed by a jw apologist that regarding the 2 witness rule in cases of child abuse, the child himself counts as 1 of the witnesses.

he also stated that if 2 children complain about abuse seperately, the 2 children then count as 2 witnesses.. any thoughts please?.

.

StarTrekAngel

Lets not forget that the scripture of Deut applied during the Mosaic law. Back then Israel was a nation like any other today. This was their judicial law as a sovereign nation. Basically the priests acted as law enforcement. There is nothing in the bible that says that any faith can act as a sovereign nation today. In fact, it mostly points to the contrary. Therefore the WTBTS is overstepping its boundaries when it attemps to establish a judicial system within the congregations. We live under the law of the land as many scriptures point. If Jesus was not willing to condemn a known adulterer woman, then why do we have to do with establishing and enforcing law?

17

Still nothing credible?

by Separation of Powers in

i can hardly believe that anything new is gonna be announced at the annual meeting.

i mean, there is absolutely no one i know in this organization capable of keeping a secret and we haven't heard anything but "big changes are coming" "just wait and see" "big things are in the works" and my personal favorite posted by one of our members who was told not to diassociate because "things are gonna be announced that will change your mind".. no one i know at the hall or in positions of responsibilty has ever been able to keep anything confidential.

it's always been like the character on in lving color, "i aint one to gossip...but you didn't hear that from me.".

StarTrekAngel

Since we are here ready to comment on any possible ideas (aka brainstorming), then a stop to the preaching work is not so far fetched. One of the big speeches at the international convention in Houston (spanish) was how other churches ( I believe they mentioned Mormons specifically) had mentioned that the new preaching field was in social media. The accerted with all calpital letters that JWs would never, ever do that. That the way to reach people was at their home.

If we consider that the WTBTS has been famous for putting their footh in their mouth, then is almost like a self fulfilling prophecy. If they say something they will never do, then expect it to come soon.

With all that said, I fear the day they begin to preach that Armaggedon is not coming after all.. :)

75

CO's visit ends with a bombshell!!!

by nowwhat? in

at the end of his final talk he said of the gb: they are telling the higher ups , "start getting ready we're not going to be around much longer!

" and we expect the angels to release the four winds any day now!

" my first thought was why are you building a corporate country club then?!

StarTrekAngel

About two years ago, when the first (and so far only) assembly hall was built in our area, they made sure to explain this type of stuff. During the first round of assemblies, they made sure to mention "you probably wonder why make such millonary expense to build this place if the end is so near? The answer is that when the new world comes, this building can serve as an education center. This is why we build them to last".

Yes my friends, that was publicly said in front of 5000 people.

18

2014 Annual Meeting not being streamed worldwide?

by Richard_I in

jw
friends

i haven't heard a peep about the 2014 annual meeting being shown worldwide (or at least across north america) like it was last year.

they made a big deal with the am last year, congs had to get the projectors and screens for the showing, and we were told in advance of the time and location to attend.

but i have heard absolutely nothing this year, at least here in canada.

StarTrekAngel

Our KH just received the projector and installed screen last week. The event, whatever it is, is scheduled for Nov 8 live with recorded session for the 9th. I am in charge of setting it up (or so they told me). I did not get to read the whole letter but it was something about a branch visit. The arrangements being made, as per the instructions on the letter, are equal to those for the memorial and assemblies... I mean parking, first aid, etc etc so I figure big attendance is expected. The letter indicates that in some cases the even will be conducted at assembly halls.