Watchtower-Free

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Posts by Watchtower-Free

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  Game of Cults

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. social
  2. humour

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  Watchtower-Free

  
  
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  51

  “We are not done yet!” – Candace Conti reacts to appeal court decision

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/we-are-not-done-yet-candace-reacts-to-appeal-court-decision.

  candace conti (pictured in her interview with abc) has spoken out for the first time about the appeal court decision.

  as current and former jehovahs witnesses digest the news that watchtowers appeal against the candace conti verdict has faltered, albeit with the punitive element of the judgment reversed, candace has reacted for the first time by telling me: we are not done yet.. news spread on monday that the state appeals court in san francisco had upheld the $2.8 million compensatory damages in the original june 2012 verdict, but overturned the $8.6 million punitive award against watchtower.. the court decided that, though watchtower had neglected its responsibility to supervise known pedophile jonathan kendrick in field ministry, a church-sponsored activity, the organization had no duty to warn parents in the congregation that a pedophile was in their midst or report him to authorities.. an insightful report by investigative reporter trey bundy has suggested that the court reached its decision because the precedent set by the conti verdict might be too burdensome to enforce.. the burden would be considerable because the precedent could require a church to intervene whenever it has reason to believe that a congregation member is capable of doing harm, and the scope of that duty could not be limited with any precision, the judges wrote.. candaces attorney rick simons responded by pointedly telling bundy: they think in public policy terms that theres too much risk in broadening the churchs responsibility and liability so that it burdens what churches do.

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  Watchtower-Free

  
  
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  32

  Conventions, Kingdom Halls, Relief Funds, and Other Financial Scams and Schemes of Jehovah’s Witnesses

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  a few seconds ago this hit the net todayhttp://jwvictims.org/conventions-kingdom-halls-relief-funds-and-other-financial-scams-and-schemes-of-jehovahs-witnesses/.

  conventions, kingdom halls, relief funds, and other financial scams and schemes of jehovahs witnesses.

  jehovahs witnesses often note that at their meetings (like church services), they dont pass a collection plate.

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  Watchtower-Free

  
  
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  16

  Did Jehovah's Witnesses dishonestly insert the word "Apostate" in their custom version of the Bible

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  interesting article.

  http://doctrinesoffaith.com/more-errors-in-jehovahs-witness-new-world-translation-bible/.

  more intentional repeated errors in new world translation bible: a study on apostates.

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  Watchtower-Free

  
  
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  16

  Did Jehovah's Witnesses dishonestly insert the word "Apostate" in their custom version of the Bible

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  interesting article.

  http://doctrinesoffaith.com/more-errors-in-jehovahs-witness-new-world-translation-bible/.

  more intentional repeated errors in new world translation bible: a study on apostates.

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  Watchtower-Free

  Interesting Article

  http://doctrinesoffaith.com/more-errors-in-jehovahs-witness-new-world-translation-bible/

  
  

  More Intentional Repeated Errors in New World Translation Bible: A Study on “Apostates”. Word Study: APOSTATE added to New World Translation.
  
  The Watchtower Society has modified words in the bible and replaced it with the word, apostate. By definition:
  

  This article will state the facts regarding more errors found in the New World Translation, which was released by Watchtower Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2013. It will also examine the scriptures of the New World Translation version of 1961. Compare the scriptures for yourself using the resources provided, or other resources that you have available.

  Introduction & Background

  The Watchtower Society has modified words in the bible and replaced it with the word, apostate. By definition:

  Definition of apostate in English:

  noun

  A person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle.

  Source: Oxford Dictionaries

  The word “apostate” is referred to in a couple of different ways. The English dictionary refers to it as stated above. Others suggest that it refers to one who turns against God (to atheism). The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that it means that a person “turned away from Jehovah”. However, one who turns away from God no longer has a belief in God.

  Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that if you leave their organization, you automatically leave God Himself. In essence, they are teaching congregation members that former Jehovah’s Witnesses are all atheists. What gives this away, is if you ask them if they believe that all former JWs are atheist, they will likely say, “they left Jehovah when they left ‘the Truth’ (they refer to themselves as ‘the Truth’, a term which Jesus assumed for Himself; “I am the Way, the Truth…”) because they liken their organization to a direct affiliation with God.

  So, in a nutshell Watchtower Society teaches: former JWs left God. (Atheist) However, many former Jehovah’s Witnesses actually can attest that they are nowhere in this category of having no belief in God. In fact, many have a stronger belief in God than they ever did as one of JWs.

  Changes in the Jehovah’s Witness Bible, The New World Translation: John 8

  It is no secret that there are numerous changes, replacements and omissions in the 2013 New World Translation. The most prominent being John 8:1-11 which has been completely removed. The Watchtower and JWs claim that this was a passage of debate, as some expert translators do note in their translations that this passage may not have been placed properly in this part of the bible. Rather, it may have belonged in another section, likely Luke.

  *1961 New World Translation: Begins John 8 with verse 12, but includes John 8:1-11 below the passage, and acknowledges that some manuscripts omit John 8:1-11. In this case, it is my opinion that this version of the NWT was correct in leaving the scripture placed where it is.

  The scripture has not been removed from other translations, due to the fact that most translators dare not violate Revelation 22:19 at the risk of being incorrect, and taking away from the word of the bible. The repercussion stated in scripture is losing out in heaven. The Watchtower, however, has ignored this scripture warning, likely because the Governing Body states that God personally directs them.

  Changes to New World Translation: Apostate

  The word apostate was used in the 1961 version, but then some of those scriptures were changed back again, as seen in the 2013 version.

  The New World Translation, intentionally added the word apostate to their bible in the following scriptures, taken from their website, which shows the 2013 version of the NWT. The 1961 Version also shows the word apostate in the passages below, as well as additional passages.

  Source: The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. (Scriptures spelled out below are copied from the JW.org website and do not match the clickable links of the scripture itself. Clickable links are provided by ESV Bible translation. Click the scripture link to see how the ESV version reads for each scripture.)

  Proverbs 11:9 By his mouth the apostate brings his neighbor to ruin, But by knowledge the righteous are rescued

  Isaiah 10:6 I will send him against an apostate nation, Against the people who infuriated me; I will command him to take much spoil and much plunder And to trample them like mud in the streets.

  Isaiah 33:14 The sinners in Zion are in dread; Trembling has seized the apostates: ‘Who of us can live where there is a consuming fire? Who of us can live with unquenchable flames?’

  Isaiah 9:17 That is why Jehovah will not rejoice over their young men, And he will have no mercy on their fatherless children and their widows Because all of them are apostates and evildoers And every mouth is speaking senselessness. In view of all this, his anger has not turned back, But his hand is still stretched out to strike.

  The word apostate is intentionally added into the above scriptures in the 1961 and 2013 versions of the New World Translation.

  * The 1961 New World Translation also injects the word apostate into:

  • Job 13:6
  • Job 17:8
  • Job 27:8
  • Job 34:30
  • Psalm 35:16

  However, these scriptures are changed back in the 2013 New World Translation, correcting the word, and instead using “godless” or “ungodly”, as it should be translated. They did not, however, treat the scriptures in Proverbs and Isaiah the same way.

  A complete study was performed using 15 of the most common bible translations, including the most popular King James Version, New King James Version, New International Version, English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, and others. The 15 translations translate the word using the Strong’s H2611 word, chaneph which is actually properly translated in all 15 translations to be either:

  • hypocrite
  • godless
  • ungodly
  • profane

  The Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower Society has changed the word to say “apostate”, which is an entirely different meaning of the Strong’s H2611 word, chaneph, found 13 times in the King James Version, as well as the widely accepted most accurate translation, the NASB. What does this mean? Read the verses again. If the word is most commonly translated to “hypocrite” 13 times in the most accurate word-for-word version, then there is a reason that the Watchtower translated the word to imply a word used for former Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  If the JWs teach that former JWs have left God, then by changing their scripture, they reaffirm that former JWs are hated by God (even if they are Christians who love God). The Jehovah’s Witness Bible implies that anyone who leaves Jehovah’s Witnesses:

  • brings his neighbor to ruin (Proverbs 11:9 NWT)
  • have infuriated God and are trampled like mud (Isaiah 10:6 NWT)
  • Sinners, in dread, trembling, in fire (Isaiah 33:14 NWT)
  • evildoers who will be struck by the hand of God (Isaiah 9:17 NWT)

  With this being clarified, JWs have taken the word for hypocrite and likened it to an atheist, by their own terms. In the dictionary, a hypocrite is stated to be: (Source: Mirriam Webster)

  hyp·o·crite

  
  \ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit\noun

  : a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs

  Strongs H2611

  Hypocrites pretend to have certain beliefs. Strongs H2611 also refers to Godless (atheist) or Ungodly (acting in a way that shows defiance against God). Nowhere does this word translate to apostate, (renouncing a religious belief).

  Also note: A religious belief is not the same as theology. Religion is not defined as the study of God. It is a belief in. Theology is the study of God.

  Apostate does not mean hypocrite.

  Apostate does not mean godless.

  Apostate does not mean profane.

  Apostate means to renounce a belief. Not to renounce God.

  The word Apostate was added by the Watchtower Society to these scriptures, where it does not appear in any other bibles that are readily found in the top 15 translations.

  
  
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  32

  Conventions, Kingdom Halls, Relief Funds, and Other Financial Scams and Schemes of Jehovah’s Witnesses

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  a few seconds ago this hit the net todayhttp://jwvictims.org/conventions-kingdom-halls-relief-funds-and-other-financial-scams-and-schemes-of-jehovahs-witnesses/.

  conventions, kingdom halls, relief funds, and other financial scams and schemes of jehovahs witnesses.

  jehovahs witnesses often note that at their meetings (like church services), they dont pass a collection plate.

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  Watchtower-Free

  
  
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  51

  “We are not done yet!” – Candace Conti reacts to appeal court decision

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/we-are-not-done-yet-candace-reacts-to-appeal-court-decision.

  candace conti (pictured in her interview with abc) has spoken out for the first time about the appeal court decision.

  as current and former jehovahs witnesses digest the news that watchtowers appeal against the candace conti verdict has faltered, albeit with the punitive element of the judgment reversed, candace has reacted for the first time by telling me: we are not done yet.. news spread on monday that the state appeals court in san francisco had upheld the $2.8 million compensatory damages in the original june 2012 verdict, but overturned the $8.6 million punitive award against watchtower.. the court decided that, though watchtower had neglected its responsibility to supervise known pedophile jonathan kendrick in field ministry, a church-sponsored activity, the organization had no duty to warn parents in the congregation that a pedophile was in their midst or report him to authorities.. an insightful report by investigative reporter trey bundy has suggested that the court reached its decision because the precedent set by the conti verdict might be too burdensome to enforce.. the burden would be considerable because the precedent could require a church to intervene whenever it has reason to believe that a congregation member is capable of doing harm, and the scope of that duty could not be limited with any precision, the judges wrote.. candaces attorney rick simons responded by pointedly telling bundy: they think in public policy terms that theres too much risk in broadening the churchs responsibility and liability so that it burdens what churches do.

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  Watchtower-Free

  "Bearing thorough Witness" book pg 197
  
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  27

  Have anyone here ever told a elder he is full of poop.

  by James Mixon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i wonder what the report to the branch would say.. he said " me, you and the wt organization is full of poop".. do we df him?

  ?.

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  Watchtower-Free

  At my request I met with 2 of my elders last summer (I'm inactive 3 yrs) said I had questions

  I asked them if they had ever DFed anyone after that person had come to them

  for help (sinned) . They both quickly answered Yes.

  I said "You both disgust me how is that christian " Response was Slack jawed silence
  

  They no longer return my calls
  
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  51

  “We are not done yet!” – Candace Conti reacts to appeal court decision

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/we-are-not-done-yet-candace-reacts-to-appeal-court-decision.

  candace conti (pictured in her interview with abc) has spoken out for the first time about the appeal court decision.

  as current and former jehovahs witnesses digest the news that watchtowers appeal against the candace conti verdict has faltered, albeit with the punitive element of the judgment reversed, candace has reacted for the first time by telling me: we are not done yet.. news spread on monday that the state appeals court in san francisco had upheld the $2.8 million compensatory damages in the original june 2012 verdict, but overturned the $8.6 million punitive award against watchtower.. the court decided that, though watchtower had neglected its responsibility to supervise known pedophile jonathan kendrick in field ministry, a church-sponsored activity, the organization had no duty to warn parents in the congregation that a pedophile was in their midst or report him to authorities.. an insightful report by investigative reporter trey bundy has suggested that the court reached its decision because the precedent set by the conti verdict might be too burdensome to enforce.. the burden would be considerable because the precedent could require a church to intervene whenever it has reason to believe that a congregation member is capable of doing harm, and the scope of that duty could not be limited with any precision, the judges wrote.. candaces attorney rick simons responded by pointedly telling bundy: they think in public policy terms that theres too much risk in broadening the churchs responsibility and liability so that it burdens what churches do.

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  Watchtower-Free

  
  http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/we-are-not-done-yet-candace-reacts-to-appeal-court-decision

  
  

  Candace Conti (pictured in her interview with ABC) has spoken out for the first time about the appeal court decision

  As current and former Jehovah’s Witnesses digest the news that Watchtower’s appeal against the Candace Conti verdict has faltered, albeit with the punitive element of the judgment reversed, Candace has reacted for the first time by telling me: “We are not done yet.”

  News spread on Monday that the State appeals court in San Francisco had upheld the $2.8 million compensatory damages in the original June 2012 verdict, but overturned the $8.6 million punitive award against Watchtower.

  The court decided that, though Watchtower had neglected its responsibility to supervise known pedophile Jonathan Kendrick in field ministry, a “church-sponsored activity,” the organization had NO duty to warn parents in the congregation that a pedophile was in their midst or report him to authorities.

  An insightful report by investigative reporter Trey Bundy has suggested that the court reached its decision because the precedent set by the Conti verdict might be too burdensome to enforce.

  “The burden would be considerable because the precedent could require a church to intervene whenever it has reason to believe that a congregation member is capable of doing harm, and the scope of that duty could not be limited with any precision,” the judges wrote.

  Candace’s attorney Rick Simons responded by pointedly telling Bundy: “They think in public policy terms that there’s too much risk in broadening the church’s responsibility and liability so that it burdens what churches do. We think there’s too much child abuse in these institutions.”

  Simons has also gone on record with the Contra Costa Times / Bay City News Service saying: “This is really a public policy issue, and of course we disagree as to what is the best public policy. Ms. Conti is of the view that public policy should favor requiring churches to do all they can to prevent further abuse by identified child molesters from happening, rather than just requiring that they pay money to victims after the abuse occurs.”

  Now Candace has herself spoken out, indicating that she is prepared to take this matter all the way to the Supreme Court if she must in order to see children protected and justice fully served.

  Referring to the ruling on Monday, Candace told me: “This is just another step. It will not change the amount of money but it might help change the laws. And you know me, I’m all about the laws. We have the chance to make positive changes in the Supreme Court for how children are protected. We may have another year and a half to go.”

  When I pressed her on whether she is definitely taking her case to the Supreme Court, Candace replied: “It’s questionable now but we are trying to make the best case, and we might only take it to the Supreme Court if Watchtower takes it there. Other than that we are waiting. The ball is still unfortunately in their court.”

  During our exchange I couldn’t help but wonder whether Rick Simons shared Candace’s optimism. After all, it is one thing for Candace to shrug off the financial aspect in such a convoluted legal struggle in favor of pursuing justice, but lawyers are known to be a little more cautious and pragmatic.

  “Oh Rick, is the energizer bunny. He is just ready for whatever comes, and is willing to take it as far as I am willing to go!” – Candace assured me.

  Whether the case ends up in the Supreme Court remains to be seen. And as Candace indicated, it will depend largely on whether Watchtower is content to lick its wounds and consolidate its losses, or fight to the death under the delusion that Jehovah will carry them to victory against Satan’s hoards.

  Before our conversation ended, Candace assured me that she would keep me posted on future developments once the next step in her long journey becomes clear.

  Whatever happens next, it is encouraging to see that Candace’s appetite to see justice served is unwavering, and is matched by her lawyer. Let’s hope that political concerns over burdensome “adverse social consequences” yield to basic common sense, and it is finally recognized that, irrespective of local reporting laws, parents deserve to know if a pedophile is in their church and has access to their children.
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  32

  Conventions, Kingdom Halls, Relief Funds, and Other Financial Scams and Schemes of Jehovah’s Witnesses

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  a few seconds ago this hit the net todayhttp://jwvictims.org/conventions-kingdom-halls-relief-funds-and-other-financial-scams-and-schemes-of-jehovahs-witnesses/.

  conventions, kingdom halls, relief funds, and other financial scams and schemes of jehovahs witnesses.

  jehovahs witnesses often note that at their meetings (like church services), they dont pass a collection plate.

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  Watchtower-Free

  
  http://jwleaks.org/scandals/menlo-park-congregation/