defender of truth

Joined

• started 101 topics
• posted 1,338 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by defender of truth

• 
  77

  Blood Transfusion: Letter of Understanding

  by defender of truth in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  http://ajwrb.org/science/blood-transfusion-letter-of-understanding.

  "every parent among jehovahs witnesses worried about how local watchtower appointed elders will respond to letting their child have blood transfusion without opposing it should download this letter of understanding and be ready to hand a copy to them.

  then ask those elders to leave them (the parents) and doctors alone to concentrate on the childs best interests.".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  Also, Fisherman...

  
  

  If the LOU does not represent an agreement, and it makes no difference whether a parent agrees to sign it or not, how do you explain the following quotes?..

  
  

  "As institutions show more respect toward parents’ faith and try harder not to use blood, Witnesses often seem eager to avoid involving child-welfare authorities to facilitate transfusions, and more accepting that Canadian case law is firmly on the doctors’ side, some hospital officials say."

  
  David Gnam, one of the Witnesses’ lawyers who has handled many of the transfusion cases, also said there has been no official change in policy, though he is aware that some hospitals have patients sign forms.
  “I’ve been involved in cases representing Jehovah’s Witnesses patients and occasionally it’s been in everybody’s best interests to come to some sort of agreement between the parties,” he said. “But that’s just individual hospitals, doctors and patients.”
  

  Still, evidence suggests that the number of cases that end up before a judge has dropped significantly. The Canlii website, which catalogues many Canadian court decisions, includes nine separate child blood-transfusion rulings from 2000 to 2007, but just three in the five years since then.
  

  Disputes arise when parents refuse transfusions on behalf of children below the age of consent. Hospitals in the past typically approached child-welfare authorities, who asked the courts for an order giving them temporary custody so they can ensure the transfusion is administered.
  

  It also asks parents to sign a letter of understanding — drafted with the help of one of the church’s hospital liaison committees — that says the institution recognizes their religious objections and will try to avoid transfusions if at all possible. The letter is not a consent form, but adds that where the child is at imminent risk of serious harm or death, medical staff will press ahead with the transfusion. “What is beautiful about this [the letter of understanding] is that it’s a symbolic way of embodying respect and dignity and when we do this, we don’t need to call Children’s Aid.."

  " McMaster Children’s Hospital has a similar letter of understanding...McGill Children’s Hospital in Montreal has had such a protocol for about a decade, and found that it brought about a “real, significant drop” in conflicts, said Lori Seller, a clinical ethicist at the facility. "

  
  http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/20/without-fanfare-jehovahs-witnesses-quietly-soften-position-on-blood-transfusions
• 
  45

  Hold Me, Thrill Me

  by Hold Me-Thrill Me in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm going to be honest and from the heart when i say that for 40 years in the jw religion i was very happy in my ignorance!

  man, what a trip it was.

  i loved every minute of it but then i was absent the bad in my religion.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  Just so you all know I still attend meetings.
  

  I recognize the problems but I also see that there are few options outside of the Society for a Christian who does not believe in the Trinity.

  Is there any organization that is without flaw? Are they not all run by imperfect men and women?

  Welcome HoldMeThrillMe :)

  Can I ask you..

  Do you feel that Jesus requires you to belong to a religious organisation?

  Does going to the meetings make you feel closer to Jesus, or make you more able to be a Christian?

  How do you benefit from going to the meetings?

  Only asking ;)
• 
  77

  Blood Transfusion: Letter of Understanding

  by defender of truth in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  http://ajwrb.org/science/blood-transfusion-letter-of-understanding.

  "every parent among jehovahs witnesses worried about how local watchtower appointed elders will respond to letting their child have blood transfusion without opposing it should download this letter of understanding and be ready to hand a copy to them.

  then ask those elders to leave them (the parents) and doctors alone to concentrate on the childs best interests.".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  can you please show from the "Letter of Understanding" that it is an agreement. I do not understand.

  I'll try to explain, seeing as Marvin has probably gone to bash his head against a wall somewhere.. ;)

  From the LOU:
  (Jehovahs witness parents/guardians usually don't want their children to have blood transfusions)...

  "Knowing this, doctors will look for other ways to treat these children that do not involve blood transfusion. "

  The above sentence, *quoted directly from the LOU* shows that this form, once signed, represents an agreement on the part of the hospital to avoid giving a blood transfusion as far as possible.
  
  The part where the parent signs the LOU clearly states: "My signature is not agreement for blood transfusion".

  How you can even suggest that Marvin is trying to deliberately mislead people into thinking that signing this form represents a parent authorizing or consenting to a blood transfusion, when he has provided a perfectly clear and readable scan RIGHT THERE ON THE PAGE READY TO CLICK ON.. is utterly beyond me.
  
• 
  22

  Do you want to take action to support mandatory child abuse reporting? (UK or US mainly)

  by defender of truth in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  this quote is just for discussion purposes, not my political bias or anything... .

  " a 'revolution in attitudes' is needed to safeguard children from sex abusers, according to the shadow home secretary, yvette cooper.in an interview with the independent on sunday, ms cooper said that the problem was wider than the historic cases uncovered through the jimmy savile scandal and the abuse of hundreds of children in rotherham.she said that childrens voices must be heard by organisations which had failed to act in the past, and pledged that a labour government would make the reporting of abuse a legal requirement... we need to introduce mandatory reporting so that no institution can ever be tempted to think that the reputation of the institution matters more than the protection of the child ... there has to be a stronger obligation to report and to act.labour has included mandatory reporting in the partys pre-election manifesto and has also said it will set up a cross-whitehall unit to tackle child protection.

  "http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/child-sex-abuse-shadow-home-secretary-calls-for-revolution-in-attitudes-to-safeguard-vulnerable-10077725.html.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  BTTT

  93 needed to reach 7,500

  https://www.change.org/p/educationgovuk-introduce-law-requiring-adults-working-with-children-to-report-alleged-abuse-mandatenow

  Surely there are are a few more people who can take a minute to sign this one at least?
• 
  13

  IMPORTANT: JW Congregation in Britain loses case!!!!!!

  by Viva la Vida in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from the ruling: .

  "we note that the congregation and the charity are one and the same entity in this case, so that whilst the congregation understandably wishes to follow its religious practices, its status as a registered charity brings with it, in exchange for public recognition and tax reliefs, a requirement to maintain certain standards of behaviour.

  it also brings with it the risk that, if there are concerns about its activities, these might be inquired into by the respondent.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  And this may help..

  " In the most serious cases of abuse and regulatory concern, it may open a statutory inquiry. The purpose of an inquiry is to investigate and establish the facts of the case, so that the commission can:

  identify the extent of any misconduct and mismanagement
  

  assess the risks to the charity, its work, assets, beneficiaries and reputation

  decide what action needs to be taken to resolve the concerns and ensure this takes place "

  www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-inquiries-into-charities-guidance-for-charities-cc46
  
• 
  13

  IMPORTANT: JW Congregation in Britain loses case!!!!!!

  by Viva la Vida in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from the ruling: .

  "we note that the congregation and the charity are one and the same entity in this case, so that whilst the congregation understandably wishes to follow its religious practices, its status as a registered charity brings with it, in exchange for public recognition and tax reliefs, a requirement to maintain certain standards of behaviour.

  it also brings with it the risk that, if there are concerns about its activities, these might be inquired into by the respondent.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  "TheOldHippie 3 hours agoFor those of us (at least I hope there are more than just me) who are foreigners and thus neither being familiar with the British judicial system nor with its specialized terms and language - could someone provide me/us with a "Charity vs. congregation for dummies" version? "
  Thanks to Joe Grundy, Private Eye published a quite clear and concise article covering this situation. He even posted the text here:
  www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/167980001/jw-child-abuse-makes-private-eye
  
  
• 
  13

  IMPORTANT: JW Congregation in Britain loses case!!!!!!

  by Viva la Vida in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from the ruling: .

  "we note that the congregation and the charity are one and the same entity in this case, so that whilst the congregation understandably wishes to follow its religious practices, its status as a registered charity brings with it, in exchange for public recognition and tax reliefs, a requirement to maintain certain standards of behaviour.

  it also brings with it the risk that, if there are concerns about its activities, these might be inquired into by the respondent.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  For those with not much spare time, this article presents a clear overview:

  www.thirdsector.co.uk/jehovahs-witnesses-body-again-told-cannot-appeal-opening-statutory-inquiry/governance/article/1342175
  
• 
  68

  New December KM with changes all over

  by pixel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  is not on the public website yet, but here it is, full more changes:.

  to the 2015 school:.

  bible highlights: brothers as- signed this part will have two min- utes to consider one interesting and practical scriptural point from the weekly bible reading.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  Counsel: The school overseer will use two minutes after each student’s presentation to give commendation as well as constructive counsel based on Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education. When the school overseer introduces a student’s part on the program, he will not announce the point of counsel the student is working on. After each presentation, the overseer should give the student sincere commendation, announce the point of counsel the student is working on and state specifically why the student did well on that point or kindly explain why it would be beneficial for the student to give that particular point further attention.

  This was not a very 'loving provision' from the faithful slave, was it? At our last midweek meeting, every person on the school was publically told that they needed to "work on that", and hinted at why they had not passed.. You should have seen their sad, depressed looking faces.

  One of them looked most displeased. The sister who had just been publically counselled that she "needed to work on that for next time".. was the School Overseer's wife
• 
  21

  Questions that were never answered for me

  by WasOnceBlind in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have always been a very rational and thoughtful person.

  there where always questions i had growing up regarding things i was taught.

  of course asking questions while being a jw is a big no no!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  If god is love, why does he allow so much suffering? From what I remember their main answer was that it started in Eden when Satan challenged Gods right to rule. However, I refuse to believe that a God of Love would let billions thru history suffer and die just to prove a point!

  Hi WasOnceBlind.

  This thread discusses this issue in depth from both sides, particularly on the topic of innocent animals suffering. Please read it sometime, and feel free to post your thoughts on it, if you have any..

  www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/222352/theists-why-does-god-allow-suffering
• 
  77

  Blood Transfusion: Letter of Understanding

  by defender of truth in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  http://ajwrb.org/science/blood-transfusion-letter-of-understanding.

  "every parent among jehovahs witnesses worried about how local watchtower appointed elders will respond to letting their child have blood transfusion without opposing it should download this letter of understanding and be ready to hand a copy to them.

  then ask those elders to leave them (the parents) and doctors alone to concentrate on the childs best interests.".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  defender of truth

  "What are you saying? Make your point."

  Make your point??
  I already have, repeatedly. Also, you have no right to order me around. A 'please' wouldn't hurt, would it?
  
  If you would like to explain the difference between:

  Elders sitting on a judicial committee and possibly reproving or disfellowshipping a rape victim, because they should have fought (even to the point of death) rather than acknowledge the rapists power and accept that it would happen, which would have the same eventuality except that the victim and possibly their family survives if they just accept it and let it happen..
  on the other hand, elders (with the Watchtower choosing to allow it, as you admitted)

  helping to draft a document that acknowledges the hospitals power to 'violate' their child (assuming the parents see it that way) with a blood transfusion, rather than fighting the system, even to the point of loss of life, to prevent this from happening.
  

  
  

  
  That is my point. It is just a thought that occurred to me. I am not going to repeat myself.
  
  I am not criticising either the document or any who use it, as consent is not required anyway and it will make things go more smoothly for all concerned. It is a good thing, and I am glad the Watchtower allowed it to be used.
  
  I am not talking about consent or agreement with the transfusion happening.
  There were rape victims who went along with it quietly, perhaps because they didn't have any choice except to be harmed or lose their life, who have been told by elders that they need to repent. The Watchtower taught that they should have fought back at all costs and been harmed or killed, otherwise they were indicating some degree of consent and could not be sure of a clean conscience.

  
  Do you not think there is any comparison?
  Please explain why or why not specifically, if you have time.
  
  For now, though, your discussion with Marvin will probably take up your time and mental powers. And it is more important to anyone following this that you talk to him about the blood issue.
  So I understand if you don't respond.
  It's all just 'commentary' any way.
  
  That's the beauty of freedom of speech on this forum.
  This isn't a Watchtower 'study', where we must all make a statement that agrees with, and directly relates to, the printed statement,
  in 30 seconds or less ;)