Posts by talesin

40

Next steps for the Austrailian Royal Commission

by Coded Logic in

since the watchtowers' lawyers have (a) failed to make any recommendations to the arc that would bring the watchtower up to date with "best practices and procedures" (b) have failed to submit a proposal for victim restitution (c) have failed to secure funding for a redress scheme and (d) have completely dismissed all the arcs' findings - what's the royal commission's next course of action?.

i see two possibilities:.

) negotiate a settlement with the watchtower.

talesin

In Canada, a Royal Commission is one 'type' of Public Inquiry. Similar to Australia's RC, they can make findings and recommendations, but not prosecute.

I remember one Public Inquiry that yielded far-reaching results, and that would be the disbanding of the Canadian Airborne Regiment (of course, it still operates, under CSIS, in the shadows). This was because of abuses to prisoners (I believe they involved murder) and really disgusting and abusive hazing rituals that were practiced by the units (eg, being anally raped with a cigar by your CO as part of the hazing). It was a shameful chapter in Canada's military history.

Commission of Inquiry into the Deployment of Canadian Forces in Somalia (1994-97): This commission investigated the events surrounding the torture and murder of a black prisoner by Canadian peacekeepers in Somalia. The Canadian Airborne Regiment, which was stationed in Somalia, was disbanded during the course of this public inquiry.
For more information on the Commission of Inquiry into the Deployment of Canadian Forces in Somalia: Canadian Department of Defence – Final Report of the Commission

The WT lawyer has already been reported for misconduct. Perhaps there will be recommendations from the ARC that lawmakers and/or law enforcement will find actionable. That would be most excellent! xx tal

Sheperdless - excellent post, and great information, thanks. That the victims could be helped so greatly by the ARC report, is a good thing. I wonder if this could be helpful in establishing a class action suit? Oh, my! How many would one need to file such a suit in AU?

18

Just heard from someone who was just in Cozumel that there are 9 Kingdom Halls in about a mile zone.

by Butyoucanneverleave in

it's because of their tremendous growth.

can anyone verify?

talesin

steve244 minutes agoJW.org lists 6 different addresses for kingdom halls.

Good stuff - I never think to look there. Went there to read the "diseased apostates" article, and it made me nauseous (that's quite the thing, after so many years, hey, steve2?). So I've mentally blocked that as a search option. True true. : P I was reading travel forums, and such.

.

From Cozumel My Cozumel Forums (and oops! 34 members, not 44) :

(my grandfather was the PO of a rural KH that was in someone's home - less than 20 in the congo ... just a thought)

You are welcome at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on Transversal and 125. We have a small group of 34 and would love to see you .
Sunday at 12 and Wednesday at 7pm :

This link shows a pic of the Hall with five congos ... big sign. Beautiful building, too.

Visiting Cozumel, Mexico, we were so excited to see the Kingdom Hall. They have 5 congregations (3 Spanish, 1 English, and 1 Maya). It is really encouraging to see the different varieties of Kingdom Halls that are built in different, yet unique, structures.

http://exploregram.com/visiting-cozumel-mexico-we-were-so-excited-to-see-the-kingdom-hall/

18

Just heard from someone who was just in Cozumel that there are 9 Kingdom Halls in about a mile zone.

by Butyoucanneverleave in

it's because of their tremendous growth.

can anyone verify?

talesin

I've found three Halls in Cozumel - one of them has 5 congos (3 Spanish, 2 English) - perhaps there are 9 congregations ,,, not Halls. Sounds more reasonable to me. xx tal

On a travel forum, one of the Cozumel people said "We have 44 publishers in our congregation", so if that is their number, it's not very large (at least, not the English-speaking ones).

30

Control - Whose worse, the JWs or the traditional churches?

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

we once experienced, the "you'll die at armegeddon," fear instilled into us as jw's.. was that worse or better than the fear of eternal torment instilled by more conventional religions?.

john spong gives his view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkah3hemv3m.

talesin

John Shelby Spong is an honest and intelligent man.

You know him, Cofty? Is that why you think he is intelligent, in spite of his belief in GOD and an afterlife?

WOW! You often write as if all on this DB who believe have zero reasoning skills, and/or are intellectually dishonest. so he must be quite the man, to have earned such respect from you, of all people, for his intelligence.

86

Music Video: Would Jesus Wear a Rolex on JW Broadcasting? - PARODY

by cappytan in

jw
friends

this took quite a while this evening.

so worth it though.

hope you enjoy!

talesin

That guy was getting me wound up. It was really hard not to lay into him and go into attack mode.

Me, too. How annoying was that, on a scale of 1-10? : P

I tried to write up a reply, but having brain freeze these days - I couldn't think of one good enough. But along the lines of WTS being legalistic, which is exactly how he was acting. Not seeing the "rafter" in his own eye (as the JWS love to say). lol OUTLAW!

What a maroon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_Kh7nLplWo

29

WBTS goes to Court of Appeal (Charity Commission investigation)

by Mephis in

after a number of high profile cases where both children and survivors clearly weren't adequately protected, the charity commission here in the uk launched an investigation into the wbts as a whole here in britain.

the main concerns are around the child safeguarding policies being inadequate.

wbts have fought every step of the way so far.. wbts have been to the high court, who told them to complain to the proper tribunal.. wbts have been to the proper tribunal, who told them that too darn right there were suitable grounds for the charity commission to want to investigate their inability to protect children.. and now the wbts have gone back to the court of appeal to demand that the charity commission inquiry be halted.. i hope the court of appeal tells them that, yes, they too need to have proper safeguarding measures for children and to get on with co-operating with the investigation.. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/charity-commission-defends-its-investigation-into-jehovahs-witness-charity-in-the-court-of-appeal.

talesin

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

This does not look good on the WTS - those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing. xx tal

30

Control - Whose worse, the JWs or the traditional churches?

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

we once experienced, the "you'll die at armegeddon," fear instilled into us as jw's.. was that worse or better than the fear of eternal torment instilled by more conventional religions?.

john spong gives his view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkah3hemv3m.

talesin

I think the key difference is in the Bishop's words .... the Church wants to keep people like children (born again), and CHILDREN are made afraid by horror stories like Hell. He says we are meant to grow up and take responsibility for our world - our NOW, not our "afterlife".

The difference with the JWS, is that with no education, no outside contact or friends, they remain (or at least did, before the internet *grins*) naive about reality - they have "arrested development", and don't progress to adulthood. There is no decision-making, no exploration/learning in the Real World, and they become perpetually dependent on "Mother".

How interesting that he feels the Church is only there to 'point him in the right direction'. In the past,. the priest's word was LAW. I have one friend who told his mother that the priest molested him, and he got a back hand across the face ---- for LYING.. Father So-and-So would NEVER do that! You just don't want to be a choir boy (or whatever they called it). The RCC is losing its tight grip of control through guilt, and softening a lot of its views.

haha, just thinking of all the "recovering Catholics" I have met in the past 35 years. Glad that beast is losing its control over the Billion people who are members. xx tal

86

Music Video: Would Jesus Wear a Rolex on JW Broadcasting? - PARODY

by cappytan in

jw
friends

this took quite a while this evening.

so worth it though.

hope you enjoy!

talesin

Cappytan, you MUST answer this question ,,, YES or NO! Is it a REAL Rolex?

(just read the comments section) :P

42

Something isnt quite right.

by atomant in

jw
friends

l was wondering if others get the feeling that the world we live in seems not quite right.l can not pin point anything specific but since childhood days l often get the feeling something isn;t correct.you know the feeling of deja vu.

am l the only one to feel this way?ld love to hear from others and any storys they may have.having been raised in the jdubs maybe lm just suffering mild bouts of paranoia .

talesin

There have always been cruel and heinous acts - just read the Bible (you are still a believer, so that is a good reference point), and you will find a lot of horrifying things - wasn't it King David who collected all those foreskins of non-Israelite boys? Or how about poor old Job? Jehovah and Satan had a contest to see how much Job could take, and they murdered his children, he lost his business, got inflicted with boils, etc.

Read about the Aztecs and their human torture and sacrifices, or the Catholic Church's Inquisition, the Reformation's purge of Catholics - they were all centuries ago, and may give you nightmares.

Times are no worse than any other - it's all in your perspective. There is beauty all around us, if we choose to see it. xx tal

.

PS ... yes, our western culture is superficial and can seem quite empty, but only YOU can change that - one person at a time. Put down your android or iphone and have a conversation with a person, IN person.

.

(lol @ Jerryh Eat the Rich! I miss the old PJ )

24

Just handed in my Disassociation letter

by Thirteenth tribe in

tonight my dl was posted by hand by my husband (a worldly guy).

i had the luxury of being at work distracted whilst he posted it.

i have been baptised for just over 2 years and studied since 2010. i couldn't take it anymore, not just the zealous dislike/disgust for 'people in the world' (this includes my husband and 99% of my family btw) but the obvious.... the investigations into child sexual abuse.

talesin

Welcome to the clubhouse, TT. ; )