konceptual99

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Posts by konceptual99

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  70

  How Far Apart Were Your Legs?

  by Joe Grundy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  several threads on here about the excellent bbc r4 programme this week ('the report') focussing on rape and abuse in barry, south wales, jws.

  fat pervert mark sewell later got 14 years and i hope he is enjoying every minute of it.. the courageous ladies who spoke on the programme were articulate, reasonable and made a tremendous impression.. the quote in the thread title made an impression on me, and i hope, on all listeners.. forget religious, theological, 'biblical' issues and cut to the basics.

  a rape victim was asked to demonstrate - to demonstrate, ffs - to three unqualified (middle-aged at least, presumably) men just how far her legs were apart when she was raped.. i have rarely heard anything so outrageous, and i used to investigate rape and abuse in my profession.

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  konceptual99

  Stan - are there any written instructions from the watchtower society as to how these elders conduct these hearings--? what questions are required ? does any one know ?

  Yes, The Shepherd the Flock of God book has the JC process documented. In terms of questioning this is what it has to say:

  5. The committee should first seek to establish the facts and ascertain the attitude of the accused. This requires skillful and discreet questions. The judicial committee should be thorough but not inquire about needless details, especially in regard to sexual misconduct. However, in some instances, when Scriptural freedom to divorce and remarry may be an issue, details may need to be clarified. When the elders on the judicial committee feel that they have a clear picture, they may excuse the accused from the room and discuss the case and the individual’s repentance or lack thereof.

  This would suggest that the Elders don't need to delve too much into detail. If they do then it's for their own benefit.

  There may be more stuff in BoE letters as well.
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  70

  How Far Apart Were Your Legs?

  by Joe Grundy in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  several threads on here about the excellent bbc r4 programme this week ('the report') focussing on rape and abuse in barry, south wales, jws.

  fat pervert mark sewell later got 14 years and i hope he is enjoying every minute of it.. the courageous ladies who spoke on the programme were articulate, reasonable and made a tremendous impression.. the quote in the thread title made an impression on me, and i hope, on all listeners.. forget religious, theological, 'biblical' issues and cut to the basics.

  a rape victim was asked to demonstrate - to demonstrate, ffs - to three unqualified (middle-aged at least, presumably) men just how far her legs were apart when she was raped.. i have rarely heard anything so outrageous, and i used to investigate rape and abuse in my profession.

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  konceptual99

  I have just listened to the broadcast and was very impressed with the courage of the participants, especially the victims who had the courage to speak out.

  I think it is only the benefit of a mental separation from the organisation that allows one to see the outrageousness of the methods the elders use. For those still loyal to the WTS then they see this in a completely different light. Joe, your example puts this in complete context and is one that I will use if at all possible.

  I simply don't understand why the organisation cannot put an absolute and clear separation between the criminal and congregational aspects of an abuse allegation. Surely the sensible thing to do is say "let's go to the police, let them investigate, then we shall have the information on which to act from a Congregational perspective".
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  19

  This generation revisited.

  by Bigdummy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it's 1:30 am and i'm wide awake again as usual.

  i was doing a little bible reading yesterday and.

  came across luke 11:29 where jesus states " when the crowds were increasing, he began to say,.

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  konceptual99

  Because the history of the WTS has been one of constant reading meaning for the "last days" into everything. They have made the rod for their own back on so many subjects and cannot back down from everything.
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  28

  Ray Franz and You.

  by John Aquila in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if ray franz would have kept his mouth shut and not disfellowshipped, and remained part of the governing body how many of us ex-jw would still be trapped in the cult?.

  would we have come this far?.

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  konceptual99

  CoC definitely helped me be more open to questioning things but the doubts were there already.

  I don't think we shall ever see anyone in the GB do what Ray did ever again.
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  39

  Child Abuse - "I don't care. I haven't got any children".

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  earlier this week i bumped into a couple of jws who i recognised from the cult cart.

  a few months ago i had a long conversation with him one of them and found him to be quite friendly.

  he is new to the area in the years since i left.. this time he was very defensive and said he wasn't allowed to talk to me.

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  konceptual99

  The argument about parents is one I am starting to hear from dubs to deflect responsibility away from the organisation. I am sure that in some cases abuse may not had happened or been less extensive had parents been less trusting with members of the congregation. However this does not mean you simply blame the parents.

  Peadophiles become masters of subterfuge and manipulation. There is a reason the preparation of a child for abuse is called "grooming". The process is not limited to the child, it extends to the family and friends to enable abuse to occur. Often abusers are within the close or extended family, even parents.

  I am sure there is not one parent of an abused child that does not look back and wish they had done things differently, regrets actions they made or decisions they took that in some way enabled an abuser to harm their child but to start blaming parents above the abuser is simply unfair and only deflects away from the real problem.

  The WTS is allowing an over simplification of the cause of the problem to become a stock response. They are happy to let R&F Witnesses blame parents and become all indignant that parents or the victim have relied on the elders and not gone straight to the authorities. This kind of apologist nonsense has no place here.
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  45

  Rejecting something due to unscriptural or pagan origins.....?

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so witnesses reject many practices or holidays due to their "unscriptural or pagan" origins.. for example, birthday celebrations, mothers or father's day, christmas etc..... most people in the world will say "but the origin doesn't matter anymore, we follow this custom now because it's a joyful occasion that creates happy times and brings the family together".

  it is still firmly rejected.. so, if the wrong origin is so important, and should result in rejecting something, why isn't the same principle applied to the actual jehovah's witness faith itself!?.

  after all, the very foundation of the organisation was based on wrong understandings of the bible, far fetched teachings and doctrines, links to false religious backgrounds, pyramidology, false predictions, inaccurate beliefs etc...... using their reasoning, it doesn't matter how good something is now, if the origin was faulty to begin with?

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  konceptual99

  A great post which has double bubble bonus points for a fantastic response from Terry.

  We really should have a "Lurkers Must Read" forum with links to threads like this one.
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  25

  Elderly sister disgusted with obscene Bethel 'Happy Song'

  by Esse quam videri in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it is reported that one elderly sister in british columbia expressed complete disgust at what she considered an obscene act in the bethel 'happy song'.

  now everything is, of course, subject to perspective.

  i would imagine her perspective is just as valuable as anyone elses.

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  konceptual99

  Elderly Witnesses can hardly recognise the religion they joined 40,50,60 years ago.

  Some are just about keeping up with the rise of technology, JW Broadcasting events, dumbed down Bibles and rehashed promises. Howver, many are increasingly disenfranchised and either shutting up whilst they wait to die or papering over the cracks from their cognitive dissonance by convincing themselves that "it's all beyond me but Jehovah's chariot is speeding up".
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  43

  Yet more trolley (in)activity

  by konceptual99 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am currently having to spend a little time waiting for an appointment in the vicinity of a central london station.

  whilst waiting i am catching up on some work in a cafe.

  i can see a couple of trolleys and have been watching them for around an hour now.. not one person has stopped to take literature.

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  konceptual99

  The question these people should be asking is "What exactly have I done to help people today?". You can argue that the D2D work is actively seeking people to reach with a message. You can argue that approaching people in the street and engaging with them is actively seeking people to reach with a message.

  Standing next to a trolley not looking at people, not trying to initiate conversations and not engaging is not actively seeking people with a message. It's a waste of time masquerading as God's work.
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  36

  Band Green Day and JWs

  by hardtobeme in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  a few years ago i heard of a story about two jw's being at a green day concert.

  i think that the witnesses were bethelites.

  the person that told me that story said that the band was about to play but they couldn't.

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  konceptual99

  Eels did write a song about Jehovah's Witnesses once...
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  43

  Yet more trolley (in)activity

  by konceptual99 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am currently having to spend a little time waiting for an appointment in the vicinity of a central london station.

  whilst waiting i am catching up on some work in a cafe.

  i can see a couple of trolleys and have been watching them for around an hour now.. not one person has stopped to take literature.

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  konceptual99

  Wow - after almost 3.5 hours the trolley minder has a customer but he has gone as quickly as he came.