Jehovah's Witnesses to settle sex-abuse case - San Diego Reader (California, US), Friday, January 12, 2018

by darkspilver 104 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  DesirousOfChange

  You're much kinder than I am.~ Punk

  You're only saying that because you don't know me personally. (Or because it's true!)

  We were all hurt by WTS (at least I was), and thus I think we tend to hope to hear bad news about them. I'd love to see them crash & burn. So when someone says that WTS is going broke or bleeding membership, we hope it's true. We WANT it to be true. But that doesn't mean it is true. I had to agree with Bobby's comment that when someone says WTS is failing and will be gone in "decades", that is poor evidence that the biz is "failing" if it still has 30 years (decades) of life.

  I recall all the RAH-RAH when Candice Conti was awarded $28Million. But when, appeal after appeal, the final award was lowered to about 10% of the original amount there was only silence. (And John Davis says it wasn't settled, but I thought there was a "gag order" on it. Would there be a gag order if there was not a negotiated settlement? If there is no gag order, why haven't we heard more?) Be assured, $2-$3Million is a "drop in the bucket" to WTS. Many of the newer KHalls in metro areas have cost more than that. The WT receives such gifts from estates of their dying members (who were to live forever in Panda Paradise) regularly. Plus there is all that "ice cream" money flooding in.

  I appreciate that people like John D. and Bobby have spent the time to dig into these case. I don't have that the time (or perhaps interest) to do so.

  Very much appreciate all of you contributions here, Punk!
  
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  John Davis

  As far as I can tell Conti is allowed to speak of her case to anyone that she wants, since it was not a settlement but went to verdict. She just may not want to speak about it at all.

  I know that people think that Watchtower just keeps losing these cases but if you actually do the research you will find that they are not. Even the ARC people are saying that each victim will get 115,000 Australian Dollars. There is certain criteria that the victims will need to meet in order for them to even to receive compensation and that is on a sliding scale. And according to even the last ARC Watchtower hearing only like 2 people have even requested funds.
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  sparrowdown

  My opinion is that WT is by their own design changing direction not failing.
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  _Morpheus

  And sparrow, that is why i asked bon if he was ever at bethel. I just wanted to get his frame of reference, because in the end, i agreed with his position. No secret to long time forum members that i am not one of the gloom and doom chorus. The wt is fine. They have money and are in no jeporady whatsoever. They are purposely changing what they do and how they do it knowing that the former business model no longer makes sense.
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  sparrowdown

  Been saying it for while with ya Morpheous.
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  _Morpheus

  Lol i know... theres a few of us who try to sing reason but those other guys have a lot of hopes and dreams
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  Bobby2446

  Ok Morpheus that’s fair. In the context of our initial bethel discussion, I did not know that’s where you were going.

  That’s why I said that those thinking these moves they made indicates a financial collapse were dreaming. Now i wouldn’t go as far and say the previous business model made no sense because from 2001-2012, they were doing well, but made changes from 2013-17. I’d say these changes simply allow them to withstand economic collapses and political upheavals.
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  Listener

  What inside information do you have Bobby? This is a secret society you are talking about and you don't know what they are up to or what their financial situation is.

  For all we know, the Watchtower is going bankrupt as they syphone off the money into other financial structures.
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  _Morpheus

  Well, it depends on what you define as the “previous” business model. To my way of looking at it, from the organizations inception until the start of the donation arrangment, it was selling books ands mags. After the donation arrangement started it limped along with less success but technology slowly morphed the world into a digital place. The org kicked and screamed until very very recently but has embraced it to the point now that there are no new releases at conventions. Everything is digital.. that marks, again from my perspective, the start of a different business model.

  edited to add: bear in mind bob, i didnt say the previous model made no sense, i said it “no longer made sense.”. It worked very well until the late 80’s early 90’s. It slowly deteriorated after the whole swaggert thing forced the change to donations.
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  Bobby2446

  Morpheus, the point is the organization keeps itself rolling. It really matters nill when they did something. The point is the changes were made.