by Quotes 354 Replies latest watchtower scandals
Free,
I understand that musicians and authors make a living from their works, thus they would be very protective of their works. If the Watch Tower Society is no different from musicians and authors, no wonder so many say that it is nothing but a printing company. It claims not to sell its literature, so how is it supposed to be losing money by someone quoting from it? Quotes is not claiming the quotations as his own, nor is he making a profit from it. So, what's the problem?
Quotes,
I pmed you.
I recommend having the site hosted in a WTBS unfriendly country. Examples that come to mind: China, Russia, Singapore, India
Secondly I recommend that the site be re-registered with a new URL and that the registration be made anonymously and put into something called the "anonymous domain trust". Check your pm.
This means the WTBS has a hard time going after you in another country and secondly they don't know who they are going after. The "anonymous domain trust" does not get any personal info on you at any time and payments are anonymous too. You whois info is unlisted too.
This is all I can post on this subject.
Odrade....That is a very informative website, tho I think it mostly concerns US law. Here is an interesting passage in the FAQ on "fair use":
The Copyright Act says that "fair use...for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright." So if you are commenting on or criticizing an item someone else has posted, you have a fair use right to quote. The law favors "transformative" uses — commentary, either praise or criticism, is better than straight copying — but courts have said that even putting a piece of an existing work into a new context (such as a thumbnail in an image search engine) counts as "transformative."
The legal definition of "transformative" may thus be a relevant issue, if Canadian law has a similar requirement.
Isn't this awesome! I really believe this will backfire on the Wastetower! Quotes is the smartest guy I know and he will prevail and your support is encouraging!
Hey if Quotes dosen't want donations send them to me so I can buy beer and sausages for my Oktoberfest Party!
Jehovah's Witnesses Sue To Stop Dissemination Of Past Teachings
Pressbox.co.uk (press release), UK - 1 hour ago
, which is the multi-billion dollar parent corporation of the worldwide religious organization known as "Jehovah's Witnesses" has filed a lawsuit in Ontario ...
3rd press release up keep them coming...
Most on this board with any legal knowlege/background seem to be of the opinion that this lawsuit being bought against Quotes is flawed to say the least.
Is it just possible that within the WTBTS legal ranks there is someone who is trying the expose and bring down the society on a big scale by bringing this to court?
Anglise
I wonder if this lawsuit constitutes a form of "religious persecution" against Quotes.....
***
it-2 p. 609 Persecution ***PERSECUTION
Harassment or injury that is deliberately inflicted on persons because of social status, racial origin, or religious faith and beliefs, the purpose in the latter instance being to stamp out such beliefs and prevent their spread among new converts. The Hebrew verb ra·dhaph´ and the Greek di·o´ko, which mean "persecute," can also be rendered "pursue, chase."—Ex 15:9; De 1:44; Ro 14:19; Lu 17:23.
Persecution takes various forms. It may be limited to verbal abuse, ridicule, and insults (2Ch 36:16; Ac 19:9), or it may include economic pressures (Re 13:16, 17), bodily injury (Mt 27:29, 30; Ac 5:40), imprisonment (Lu 21:12; Ac 16:22-24), hatred, and even death. (Mt 24:9; Ac 12:2) It may be promoted by religious authorities (Mr 3:6; Ac 24:1, 27), or it may be carried out by uninformed persons (Ge 21:8, 9; Ga 4:29) and ignorant ones (1Ti 1:13) or by unreasoning, fanatical mobs. (Lu 4:28, 29; Ac 14:19; 17:5) But often these parties are only the agents of more powerful and sinister instigators—unseen wicked spirit forces.—Eph 6:11, 12.
***
it-2 p. 609 Persecution ***Other sources of persecution may be former associates (1Pe 4:4) or friends and neighbors of one’s hometown. (Jer 1:1; 11:21)
***
it-2 p. 609 Persecution ***The principal human instigators of religious persecution, however, have been the promoters of false religion. This was true in Jeremiah’s case. (Jer 26:11) It was also the experience of the apostle Paul. (Ac 13:6-8; 19:23-29)
Personally I have found quotes to be a fantastic reference source for all things JW and it is disgusting that the WTBTS are trying to close it down and force you into a costly legal battle.
I know nothing about Canadian law on copyright but it seems that the arguments they are using in their submissions are academic at best and they seem to be suing for the sake of suing with no real purpose other than to silence their critics; reading through the copyright notice posted earlier their could be an issue on breach of contract and or under copyright laws but the society is going to have to show actual loss in order to be able to claim compensation. (legal costs could be their loss though).
On the defamation issue (loss of reputation etc); a defence in UK law to any defamatory statement is that you have told the truth or it was a 'fair comment'; given that you have quoted them directly it has to be either truth or fair comment. Admittedly I am aware there might be some differences in Canada but one thing is for sure....you do need a good lawyer; a firm with resources and the nouse to keep the WTBTS on their toes...and preferably on their backs.
Expect a fight...and a lengthy one also....if theres anything we can do though...let us know.
DB74
Ok maybe I'm wrong but don't copyright laws differ, depending on the medium and purpose involved. I'm sure you are allowed to quote a certain percentage of any written work.And that various laws around the world are favorable, toward quoting when it is needed to defend an aurgument or to prove a certain veiwpoint wrong. Newspapers and scientific journals and books do so all the time, as does the watchtower society itself in when disscusing pagan beliefs. Also anyone can use any meta tags they want, the aurgument that people looking for watchtower, would by default be looking for favorable information toward the religious is wrong, as there are many millions who would want to know aurguments against the watchtower for religious purposes, and their own defence if called on by Jehovahs witnesses. Also what other kind of meta tags could you use, they would have to be related to the subject at had, you would hardly use the word "cat" for example.
There is no legal presidence that I know of that says you can't use certain metatags to get your site noticed on search engines. This isn't like Ebay where you can't sell a Linux OS using the word "Windows" in the description. The internet doesn't have "search manipulation" policies that you have to adhere to like Ebay does. How else do you think that porn sites can come up when doing a search for children's sites? And for them to demand the URL be transfered to them is outrageous.
