Watchtower Society settles sexual abuse cases to prevent victims from speaking out
Sixteen sexual abuse victims have settled nine lawsuits in which they said they were sexually abused as children by Jehovah’s Witnesses members and leaders.
Settlements were reached in late February and early March, according to court records obtained by Bill Bowen of SilentLambs.org. Now with video of press conference! Fourteen of the cases were filed in California; the others were in Oregon and Texas.
“For once, we have the church stepping up to the plate and having to settle with these victims,” said Bill Bowen, founder of SilentLambs.org. “To me, it’s a vindication for the abuse survivors.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses Silentlambs Press Conference on Channel 4
(article continues below)
Mario Moreno, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ associate general counsel, confirmed that nine lawsuits involving a total of 16 plaintiffs had been settled. When asked the total amount of the settlements, he said, “I’m not able to comment on any of the specifics,” citing “a confidentiality agreement.”
Bowen called that agreement a “bittersweet” outcome. “Even though they’re vindicated and they’re going to be compensated … they can’t tell anybody about it,” he said. Even so, Bowen considered this a significant legal victory for the plaintiffs. “It’s the largest group of people that they have settled with – as far as child abuse is concerned – at one time,” he said. Moreno would only say that “it certainly is unusual for us to have a number of cases.”
In a brief statement, the religious body said: “We are pleased to see this matter resolved.” The statement “regarding January-February 2007 settlement of child abuse cases” cites the New Testament book of Romans about hating “what is wicked” and says child abuse falls in that category.
“As an organization, we will continually strive to educate families and congregations with sound Scriptural teachings that they can use to protect their children from child molesters,” the statement said. “And we will continue to do our utmost to protect children from this horrible crime and sin.”
SilentLambs.org has criticized the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ policy on abuse. If the accused denies the charge, two credible witnesses are required to establish guilt due to literal application of such Bible verses as Deuteronomy 19:15 (”only on the evidence of two witnesses, or of three witnesses, shall a charge be sustained”). If two witnesses are lacking, the accused is deemed innocent, charges remain confidential and parents who warn others are subject to disfellowshipping for slander.
Since establishing SilentLambs.org in 2001, Bowen says about 7,000 people who claim they were abused have contacted his support group.
Sources:
SilentLambs.org
Beliefnet
Associated Press
To Joe (comment ID: 278075); thank-you. John.
To Markus (comments ID: 277726) and Ber (comment ID: 277754); I like your honesty. I am not going to prove to you that God IS; that is wrong of me to theat you like your hurt does not exist. The bible is a history book: if you accept that, then you may understand what I am saying. All people think that they are right, even me, no-one thing that they are wrong. So; when we write a book about what our fore-fathers did, well they are right; and the reason they are right is because their GOD told them to do so. That is what the writer believes, but that does not make God the one who gave the command. Now; Jesus said things like that to the people of his day; and that was what got him into trouble with his government. Take this or leave this, it is your chose.
The Message – spoken by God
In the beginning of this earth, I created it from a dark void. I hovered over the waters of the deep and form this planet. I spoke it into being. In six steps; I made this Earth. And when I was finished; I rested and blessed this rest and called it the Sabbath Day. The seventh day of each week.
The person, I created on the earth, was created with free will; to obey Me or not; so that I may be loved freely. But as the days became years; the descendants sin against Me. I raised up messangers from among their own kind; to speak of my love for My people. I raised up Moses and gave him My very soul. That what I am is written in stong. That what I gave to Moses is Me. Who ever lives in that Law; live in Me.
John, you have felt my soul; you tremble in fear because you have failed Me meny times. But My words, I gave you, is a reflection of My love for you and the people of this Earth. Meny others have spoken the truth about Me, but were not liston to by the peoples of Earth. This sadden Me; for, they walk to their own death.
My message is Love. I am your Creator. No other can take my place. Now if you do not take your place in My love, you stand condemn. All peoples have worked against My Law of Love; all need to return to Me. My love awaits you. My Spirit will guild you. – God.
Take it or leave it, you are free to choose. If you wish to know more, talk to God. – John A. Clark
18 But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
Comment: What the FUCK is going on here and how can ANY one with half a brain kiss the ass of the “god” who gave such barbaric orders!!! Keep the young virgins so they can FUCK and SUCK you? Murder their mothers and fathers and little brothers in front of them, then while they’re wailing with grief HOLD THEM DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND RAPE THEM? Kill off all the girls who’ve gotten laid before you met them? And imagine these brave soldiers of God, pulling the clothes off of ALL the girls and opening their legs and sticking their fingers into their cunts to see if they were still virgins! BUT THIS IS WHAT THAT GOD-DAMNED “GOD” OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ORDERED!!!
You presume that this “God” you refer to is only “human”. For an entity that is capable to simply touch the sun and refuel it, It would be nothing for him to simply direct his followers to those that were not virgins. But you would rather go on a rant about what humans are capable of. Nice. You can go on telling yourself whatever makes it easier for you to live your life the way you want. As for me? I would rather live my life like there was a god only to find out there was none than to live my life like there is no god ony to find out there is one. Keep dinkin that hateraide.
John, now I am confused. Apparently God said: do not murder, so the bible passage I gave you cannot be true, right??? Do I understand from your post the bible is not from God??? That being the case where did you learn about God???
You keep talking about that quiet place, are you in jail? Is that the quiet place you talk about??
To Ber and Markus; Even Hitler, after some people try to kill him, said; Who now can say, “God is not on my side?” Just because he believe that, does not make it true. God said “Do not murder” so how can God say Kill everyone? Just because it is in the Blble does not make it God’s command. In Hosea 6:6 it is written; “For I desire mercy, not sacifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” If Hosea is right then Abraham is wrong about burnt offerings; for he made burnt offerings to God. If you want to know the truth, talk to God; not me nor anyother person. The quiet place is for you, so that you are not disturb by other things. Stop blaming God for the crimes of man, who thank God for their victory. “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth’. But I tell you … You have heard that it was said ‘Love your neighbour and hate you enemies’. But I tell you ..” Matthew 6:38 – 48 . Evil is evil, no mather where it come from, so if God commands evil, then God is evil. The chose is yours to make. John A. Clark
Hi Ber,
Thanks for quoting my comment. I must iterate that I was quoting Mark Smith’s website: jcnot4me.com. I have not the gift of putting
across a point or two with the eloquence that Mark Smith does.
I would like to hear and counter a responce from John A. Clark. More than likely we will never hear from him again. It’s what I call drive by preaching, “Jesus loves or God forgives”, if you don’t listen you die. Based on this ingenuity I rekon we should both be in Church immediately
if not sooner.
Cheers,
Markus
Hi John a Clark,
You can find a quiet place in many places, at a picnic spot next to a river or lake, even maybe in your own back yard. The peace and tranquility is by no means coming from Biblegod,
this is a feeling one has when they are completely relaxed, this goes hand in hand with the untimate religionist’s deduction that God created it all. If you read your Bible like any good Christian should, you should take note that you are by no means allowed to relax. You as a Christian have to spend every available minute you have to spare WORSHIPING, there is no time for relaxing as the end is near, and if you allow anybody to be unspared YOU will be held accountable. Read all about it, it really is marvelous news.
When I am in a quiet spot and I enjoy mother nature I have asked God why anything so good such as HE could have commanded such things as soldiers thrusting their swords into little babies, to take virgins to have good sex with, and for Christ’s sake even kill the cats and dogs. It’s all there in your good book, try reading it. Ask yourself how come most Christians have never heard about the Just and Good God that us Atheists have known about for a long time?
This is a God you worship and yet you know nothing about him, it is all there to read in your very own Bible. Are your batteries running out, what is wrong with you?
I, after all my rantings on this site should have been struck down a long time ago.
Was it not Elijah, who had the worshippers of Baal burned to a cinder, as they had their own God and refused the God of the Israelites? (So much for freedom of religion).
How come I am not smited?? After all I have read the scriptures, I know the law, unlike the people of Ahab (which in itself is cause for concern).
God does not change if you read both John 1:18, and Malachi 3:6.
How come I am spared? A simple answer, your god is a figment of your imagination sparked off by some rather crude and somewhat imaginative writings by senile old people a long time ago.
Cheers,
Markus
to John A. Clark (Comment ID: 277691)
I am not lost! I was born and raised a catholic, later I became a JW and an elder for 6 years. Today I am so disillusioned with religions lies that can no longer believe all the shit that is taught, regardless of the religion.
I have an extremely successful business. I am a very successful man. I basically live the life that most people dream about.
I feel sorry for the little man like yourself, that has the head stuck in ass’ religion and will never attain fullness in life because you are held back by the good book. Which by the way may I ask if you ever read it???
No misquotes here, read all about it in your good book.
“””””””””””Deuteronomy 20: 10-17
10 “When you draw near to a city to fight against it, offer terms of peace to it.
11 And if its answer to you is peace and it opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall do forced labor for you and shall serve you.
Comment: Oh, so slavery is OK with Biblegod. The United States, when it defeated Japan and Germany, did NOT enslave them; it bettered them. Therefore, the USA has a higher moral standard than does Biblegod.
12 But if it makes no peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it;
13 and when the LORD your God gives it into your hand you shall put all its males to the sword,
14 but the women and the little ones, the cattle, and everything else in the city, all its spoil, you shall take as booty for yourselves; and you shall enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you.
The ‘Booty?? ‘What to DO with “The Booty” “The women”you shall enjoy” Deut. 20:14 “But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.”Numbers 31:18
Comment: So, after the enemy army has surrendered, Biblegod wants all the POW’s murdered, and their widows and orphans given to the Jews as sex slaves and servants. THIS is the “god” of the Christians! If he were real, do not kiss his fucking ass- spit in his eye and see him for the monster he is!!! SEX SLAVES damn it!!!! Doesn’t THAT at least piss off any modern Christian fathers who have teen age daughters or pretty wives??? How about if your wife or 13 year old daughter were to be taken away for some harem? Would you be pissed off then at least??? Is enslaving women to be SEX SLAVES ok with modern Christians- is THAT a moral and good thing to do??? Is that something a “good” god sets up??? Stop BLINDING yourself to the true moral nature of this damn “god” you kiss the ass of every Sunday morning. He is EVIL, and no amount of Madison Avenue P.R. can change that.
15 Thus you shall do to all the cities which are very far from you, which are not cities of the nations here.
16 But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes,
17 but you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded.
Mr Deneke, sorry to say it gets worse:
Numbers 31: 1-18
1 The LORD said to Moses,
2 “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
3 And Moses said to the people, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD’s vengeance on Midian.
4 You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.”
5 So there were provided, out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, together with Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for the alarm in his hand.
7 They warred against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and slew every male.
8 They slew the kings of Midian with the rest of their slain, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian; and they also slew Balaam the son of Beor with the sword.
9 And the people of Israel took captive the women of Midian and their little ones; and they took as booty all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods.
10 All their cities in the places where they dwelt, and all their encampments, they burned with fire,
11 and took all the spoil and all the booty, both of man and of beast.
12 Then they brought the captives and the booty and the spoil to Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the people of Israel, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.
13 Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation, went forth to meet them outside the camp.
14 And Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war.
15 Moses said to them, “Have you let all the women live?
16 Behold, these caused the people of Israel, by the counsel of Balaam, to act treacherously against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the LORD.
17 Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him.
18 But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
Comment: What the FUCK is going on here and how can ANY one with half a brain kiss the ass of the “god” who gave such barbaric orders!!! Keep the young virgins so they can FUCK and SUCK you? Murder their mothers and fathers and little brothers in front of them, then while they’re wailing with grief HOLD THEM DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND RAPE THEM? Kill off all the girls who’ve gotten laid before you met them? And imagine these brave soldiers of God, pulling the clothes off of ALL the girls and opening their legs and sticking their fingers into their cunts to see if they were still virgins! BUT THIS IS WHAT THAT GOD-DAMNED “GOD” OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ORDERED!!! How else do you THINK they could tell which were and were not virgins- by asking??? “Excuse me, miss, but are you a virgin? If you’re not, I have to kill you- orders, you know. Nothing personal.”
As if the above were not enough of a moral abomination, Biblegod also gave them orders to kill off ALL the little boys. “Onward Christian Soldiers”, get your sword and thrust it thru the little five year old’s belly- yeah, the cute little boy with the angelic smile- that’s the one, right over there, crying over his bloody dying mother YOU just sliced and diced. And slice up his little four year old buddy- cut his arm off, cut his legs off- play with him first and then just let him bleed to death. Keep killing the little boys until your arms are so tired you don’t think you can kill another one. At that point, de Lawd will give you POWER to rise anew, and kill even more little boys! Praise Gawd! Kiss the ASS of the deity who gave such orders and tell mankind what a LOVING and KIND and MERCIFUL deity he is!!! And if ANY disagree with you, well, THEY just don’t understand that God is God and anything God does is OK by you.
And you Christians think that it’s us Atheists who are weird for not wanting to bow down and worship this devil-god of yours??? You think it’s US who have the psychological problems- and you, you who find this behavior of your god just peachy keen, you guys are the healthy ones here???
Mr Deneke you, as human being, if nothing else, don’t find this behavior of your Biblegod sick, evil, and perverted, you are a truly heartless bastard who deserve whatever hell the cosmos may have waiting for you.
More likely you are a silly old fool who believes everything he is told.”””””””
((((((posted in this website by Markus )))))))
Do you want to take a shut and respond?????
To Ber, You will do well to read ‘Who are the true Christian’ ; it is full of good information. Also you would do well, if you stop lieing to people. If you do not believe in God, that is your right, but to ask a question so you can make-fun of a person, only goes to show how lost you really are. I told you the truth about talking to God and when you come out of yourself importance and have a talk with God, you will find the truth. John A. Clark
John please don’t bother with the mambo jumbo (talking to god in a quiet place). If you pray to God and he/she answers your petitions you will say: “God answered me!” If you did not get the answer you were looking for you will say: “God is letting me suffer so I get stronger for the tings to com”.
Sorry my friend but only people who did not advance 3rd grade believe that as much as santa clause and the tooth fairy.
Do your self a favor and use your brain a bit more. God did not create nen! Men created god so that men can explain the tings he cannot explain.
Watch out big foot might get you.
Ber my last statement should read # because one day God told me, I wrong him # -John
Ber , To talk to God, You just find a quite place to be alone, so nothing will distract you; then you just talk. Tell God the deepest things of your heart and ask for help. Be truthful. In the book of Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tell a story about two men (a Pharise and a tax collector)talking to God. One brag about his life and the other spoke the truth about his life. The one who spoke the truth went home justified before God. You need to want to talk to God the way you need a friend to talk to you; with respect. If you liston, you will here God talk to you. But sometimes you do not get the answers you want. The special number or email address is the truth within your heart. This works; I know, because one day told me that I wrong Him. John A. Clark
John, how does one talk to God? Is there a speciall number or email address? I have tryed to talk to him a few times and have not gotten an answer.
TO All; I am 59 years of age; I became a Christian in 1981 and I have not met a true Christian in my life time. I make mistakes and so do you. If you truely want to meet the Truth; then, talk to God. Jesus said, “Do not condemn.” If you start condemning other, you set your self up as god. So, Please have a talk with God; God will answer you, but it may not be the answer you want. John A. Clark
to A true christian
thank you for your advice dear follow of the jeeper-creeper scarecrow jesus the worthless christocretin. the schizophrenic son of the ultimate monster, namely, the yhwh thing.
Oh by the way get info thru the site ‘SET FREE FROM JESUS’.
Take care
to ‘A true chrishitian’ above,
thank you for informing me of what I need.
To true christian, please read below to really find out who the true christians are today:
“WHO ARE THE TRUE CHRISTIANS?”
Which of the many thousands of Christian groups is authentically Christian?
This question is based on the misconception that there must be one group of true Christians separated from all other false groups. Is this what the Bible says?
The answer is given by Jesus himself in his parable of the wheat and the weeds (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43). As this parable shows, Jesus Christ sowed the “fine seed”–the sons of the kingdom (verse 38). He knew, however, that “the enemy” (the devil) would oversow “weeds”–the sons of the wicked one–in among the “wheat” in the “field”, (= the world, verse 38). But He would not allow his servants to collect the weeds, because “while collecting the weeds, you uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.” (Verses 29, 30)
So what does this parable tell us about which group is the “one authentically Christian group”? It shows that there would be no such thing as one group of true Christians separated from all other groups of false Christians. There would only be true and false individual Christians. True and false Christians would all exist together in the same world of Christians, mixed like wheat and weeds in the same field.
Notice that it was at the “harvest” (= at the “conclusion of a system of things”, verse 39) that the angels–not Christ’s servants or followers–would remove the “weeds” from “the kingdom” (= the world of Christians) and gather “the wheat” into Christ’s “storehouse.” (Verses 40-43, 30)
For over seventy years the Watch Tower Society has taught that since 1919 the Jehovah’s Witnesses, under the supervision of angels, by their witnessing work have been separating the “wheat” from the “weeds”, or the “sheep” from the “goats”, to use the language of another, related parable. (Matt. 25:31-46) But in 1995, in the Watchtower of October 15, 1995, pages 22 and 23, the Society finally admitted that this application was wrong, explaining that the separating of the “sheep” from the “goats” will not take place until the judgement at Christ’s future coming! Actually, this is how most Christians have understood these parables throughout the centuries. (Cf. Jonsson/Herbst, The Sign of the Last Days – When?, Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1987, p. 228, note 35.)
This doctrinal change is yet another illustration of how transient the so-called “truth” of the Watch Tower Society often is! Few Jehovah’s Witnesses seem to have grasped the far-reaching consequences of this reinterpretation. If Jehovah’s Witnesses have not been “separating the sheep from the goats” during the past seventy years, their witnessing
activity has not been as crucial for mankind as they have taught to believe. Like other Christian groups, they have been attracting “all kinds” of people to their organization, both righteous and wicked. (Cf. the parable of the dragnet, Matt. 13:47-51.)
Not only has the Watchtower organization been collecting all kinds of people into its organization, both righteous and wiched. It has also been ousting out all kinds of people, both righteous and wicked, contrary to the warning of the Master in the parable (verse 29). It has done this, not just by disfellowshiping people for reasons that often have been very arbitrary, but also by rejecting all the other Christians outside of their organization and claiming to be the only true Christian group on earth. In this way they have ignored the command of the Master: “Let both grow together until the harvest.” For this reason alone the Watchtower organization cannot claim to be the one true and authentically Christian
group on earth today. THERE IS NO SUCH GROUP.
To “prove” that the Watchtower organization is the only true Christian organization on earth today, it claims that, “Of all those who claim to be Christian, only Jehovah’s Witnesses take the preaching of the good news seriously.” (The Watchtower, January 1, 1988, page 20) This statement primarily refers to their door-to-door activity. But does the use of this specific preaching method prove that this is the only true Christian organization, while other groups who use other methods to reach people with their message are not Christians?
The fact is that quite a number of Christian groups are growing in number, many of them even much faster than Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Watchtower publications have given its readers the impression that other Christian denominations and sects are declining in numbers, that the “waters” of “Babylon the Great” is “drying up.” (Rev. 16:12 and 17:15) But this
impression is false. Although it is true that the majority of the Christian denominations have been declining in the Western countries (and this also holds true of Jehovah’s Witnesses today in many Western countries), there has been a tremendous increase of Christians in the world as a whole in this century.
This increase has mainly occured in the third world. As explained by David D. Barrett, editor of the World Christian Encyclopedia (1982), Christianity has become the most extensive and universal religion on earth in this century. About 25,000 Christian missionaries are being sent out to various countries every year. (Only 0.4 percent of these are Jehovah’s Witnesses!) The above-mentioned encyclopedia shows that at the beginning of our century there were only 50,000 Protestants in Latin America. In 1980 there were 20 million, and that number was estimated to grow to 100 million by the year 2000. In Africa there were about 10 million Christians in 1900. In 1980’s the number had increased to over 200 million–40 percent of the population of the continent! There have been similar increases in many parts of Asia. In South Korea, for example, there were hardly any Christians at all hundred years ago. Today about 35 percent of its population are Christians.
One of the fastest growing Christian groups is the Pentecostal movement (Assemblies of God). In about the same period as the Witnesses have increased from 0 to 5 millions, the Pentecostals have grown from 0 to 420 millions! This increase has occurred in all parts of the world, also in many parts of the Western world. Of the nearly six billion people on earth
today, about one third are Christians.
Of course, as is quite obvious to every observer, not all these people can be true Christians. In fulfillment of Jesus’ parable, there is much weeds among the wheat. Jehovah’s Witnesses are no exception to this.
Practically all this increase has been accomplished, not through the door-to-door method used by Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons, and some other groups, but through other methods. But is it the preaching method that makes a certain group Christian? The fact is that there is no evidence whatsoever – Biblical or otherwise–to show that the first Christians were involved in some sort of door-to-door activity. That even the members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses are more or less aware of this is demonstrated by Raymond Franz, a former Governing Body member, in his
well-documented work, In Search of Christian Freedom (Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1991), pages 207-236.
Another argument used by the Watchtower organization to “prove” that it is the only true Christian organization is that Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to kill people in war. This is commendable, of course. But their standpoint is in no way unique, and this is particularly true since 1996, when the Watchtower organization decided that alternative service is acceptable.
(The Watchtower, May 1, 1996.) A number of sects and denominations are opposed to war, for example, the SDA Church, the Mennonites, the Quakers, the Christadelphians, and various Church of God groups. But more importantly, there are millions of INDIVIDUAL Christians around the world who are opposed to war and who would refuse to kill other people in war. They have taken this position, not because they have been told so by a religous authority, but because of their own decision.
Another feature often pointed to in the Watchtower publications is that Jehovah’s Witnesses have been persecuted and sometimes even been killed in some countries. This is true, of course. Perhaps the most extensive persecution of the Witnesses in the 20th century was that of the Nazi regime in Germany a generation ago, when 2,000 Witnesses were sent to concentration camps, 203 of which were executed and over 600 others died in prison due to diseases, undernourishment, and other causes. (The 1974 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, page 212.)
But Jehovah’s Witnesses are not the only group that has been persecuted in this century. Totalitarian countries have often persecuted various groups of Christians. In the former Sovjet Union most and sometimes all Christian groups were forbidden and persecuted, and periodically thousands of Christians were killed in campaigns aimed at rooting out religion. On January 27, 1996, Vladimir Naumov, chief of the Russian commission for the restoration of victims of political oppression, revealed that half a million priests had been persecuted by the Sovjet State, over 200,000 of which were killed during the Stalin epoch! That is thousand times the number of Witnesses that were executed during the Nazi regim!
Not only totalitarian Communist countries, but also totalitarian Muslim countries have persecuted Christians and forbidden their activity. Where the activity of the Witnesses is forbidden or restricted by totalitarian governments, the activity of other Christian groups are usually also forbidden or restricted, although we don’t read much about this in the Watchtower publications. In fact, more Christians have died for their faith in the 20th century than in the previous 19 centuries combined! This fact is documented in the book, In the Lion’s Den (Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1997), written by Nina Shea, director of the Puebla Program division of Freedom House. The persecution of Jehovah’s
Witnesses in the 20th century, therefore, is far from unique or exceptional. Today, cases of persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses are rare and exceptional, as was actually admitted in The Watchtower of December 1, 1998, page 8.
So who and where, then, are the true Christians today? Obviously the same as in every century from the time of Christ, namely, people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord, Redeemer, and Teacher, and who may be found in any kind of Christian fellowship that proves to be of help in their endevour to lead a Christian life.
You, my dear friend, need psychiatric help
You state that one should not serve men but God, however if you were there for 20 years like myself you served men not god, well in my case you served me as I was an elder.
My mother in law on one occasion did not agree with us and wrote the society, to her surprise she god a letter back to follow the lead of the elders. So the mambo jumbo you are trying to serve us would do a better purposed if shoved up you ass.
I agree with you when you say: “People will only do what you LET them do to you.” Unfortunately the ones joining the cult are there to serve and to be led and that is why they are called sheep.
Your family should have raised it to the authorities. NO ONE has the right to tell you can’t go to the police. Seems like some people dont want to think for themselves, and are blaming JW’s. I WAS one for 20 years, have had ALL kinds of experiences, good and bad, but bottom line is, you serve GOD, not man, and you don’t let MAN control your life.People will only do what you LET them do to you. (not the abuse, but allowing them to control your actions). My mother has been a JW for 36 years, and I recall many times her disagreeing with the elders. She has even written to the society on occasion to get clarification if an elder told her something she did not agree with. We are not mindless robots. And the organization doesn’t expect you to be.
hi James,
see, when buggered schizophrenics write bollocks such as the drivel by J(ehowhore)D(ickhead) above it’s useless asking for clarifications.
They just don’t know what’s happening in their brains. they’re hoplessly beyond recovery.
Just who or what are you directing these comments too?
THIS IS THE WORD FROM YOUR CREATOR!
To all those who keep telling my people they are guilty! “My people are not guilty… That is until they begin listening to you and begin to eat of THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF A GOOD GOD AND AN EVIL DEVIL!” And further more, “You would not recognize the second coming of my word if it hit you in your face!”
Stop advising my people to eat of the knowledge of good and evil. “I am one and my people are one.” Hear this people! I don’t know these teachers, but I do know where they are from! They are from the original liar and deceiver of all mankind borne on the earth from Eve in the Garden until now!
SEE! Is this not the same thing their Father the Serpent told their Mother Eve in order to deceive her into serving him and eating of the knowledge of a good God and an evil Devil? These are the two Gods the Serpent and his children have placed between you and me in order too blind you and keep you from seeing me, because you assume ‘in your error by listening to them’ that I am the Good God and the Serpent is the bad Devil!
The truth is I am not either of these good or bad Gods, and anyone serving them, is not serving me! I am not divided into good and bad! I am one, and anyone serving me is one in union with me! My people’s eyes are pure because they don’t see good and bad or judge anyone! They see only me as their one and only Creator, and because of this, they are allowing me to save them from my word given to Adam in the Garden of Eden!
Although I am your Creator, I don’t know you! You have not listened to my voice and come to know my ways. You continue serving the lie of the Serpent in that you assume if you learn the knowledge of good and bad you can save yourself! But you are blinded to the fact that my word is against you and must put you to death because I said; “If you eat of the knowledge of good and bad you will die.”
You are striping the skin (Fleshly Bodies) off of my people with your lies! Deceiving them into eating of the knowledge of a good God and an evil Devil! Keeping them from serving me and understanding my warned given Adam in the Garden of Eden! Your days of deceiving my people with your lies are over! Here I am striking your Sheppard’s of the lie and removing your words from their mouths, and they will no longer speak with your forked tongue of one side good and the other side bad! They will walk the strait and narrow path seeing neither good nor bad any more!
And as for all the Sheppard’s of my people whom you have taken captive, you are the disgusting thing standing in a holy place spoken of by Daniel the prophet! You will let my people go, because here I am causing all of your houses of worship in every denomination in all the earth to become the dwelling places of all the disgusting things of the earth! YES! No man will go ever go about them anymore!
All of this because here I am saving my people from your lies, and the works of you hands! And they must return to me and enter into my Kingdom of the Heavens which has come down to earth, and they will dwell in it with peace and happiness even forever!
My people will no longer listen to any voice but mine and will not eat of THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF a GOOD God AND an EVIL Devil ever again! And people will certainly know if a man is serving me or not!
You have been warned!
Get out of her my people!
The Spirit’s Son
Hey Jones,
Nice to hear from you again.
I have very good friends, both Muslim and Christian, I like them because they are friendly, and are good people. I respect their views and they do mine, I secretly think they are crazy and no doubt they think the same of me. We still get together and have a heck of a good time, I have never laughed so hard as I do with these folk. Our children are the best of friends, when they get together, which is not often, as you know my kids live out of country.
This is life in my opinion, having good times with good folk, there is nothing better.
It is the fundamentalist religionists that really get me fed up, for example the fact that my own family is so stuck up the Watchtowers ass they cannot see any light anymore, when I hear of fundy Muslim blowing himself to schreds together with innocent people I cannot help but believe the fundy religionists are a threat to humanity.
Keep you comments coming, they are always thoughtful
and opposing views always makes for good reading.
Cheers,
Markus
to Shawn,
well, not even the 10 commandments would be healthy staples of any civilized and humane society.
the 10 commandments imply an idea of God put forth and imposed by one of the worst and most dangerous blackevil-sorcerers class ever.
Also for instance, adultery is not a sin. Yet see how many tragedies have taken place just because of the repugnant ideology that sees adultery or fornication for that matter as sins of the gravest nature.
Thanks to the bible account anti-semitism got developed, cos according to the gospels the Jews committed deicide!
However if you read the old testament especially the books written by moses you see that the old testament is not only the worldwide official Manifesto of the racist ideology but ironically and very very sadly it’s the Manifesto of anti-semitism itself!!!
This is because there their yhwh ungod DECLARES IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS that it (note the pronoun) will use other “HEATHEN” nation to punish and exterminate the Jews anytime these would fall short of accomplishing all the crazy rules of the yhwh ungod and the omnivorous priestly class.
the list of genocides, carnages, miseries and horrors due to the bible is virtually endless.
otto,
thanks for the reading tips, I have read the majority of those. I was wondering if I gave the impression that I actually thought the Bible was in any way an accurate or reliable source of ANYTHING? I have read and researched it, and debated it with those who do think it is some type of infallible thing, but come on now,…. Where do you think the Witnesses get a lot of their persona from,… “I am right because I say that I’m right” or “I have God’s TRUTH because I’ve been told that I do, by Gods exclusive and chosen group that he gives them somehow, but not actually through inspiration exactly”. “It isn’t for me to question how he does it, but I have no doubts that he does”,….. OK then, and I guess that is simply proof enough for me huh?
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who has enough common sense to know that it would be absolutely impossible, whether inspired by God or not, for a book to be written as the Bible was, and gone through all the BS and and copies of copies, of what may have been claimed to have been inspired how many years before it was actually put into human confining words that hardly anybody was able to read anyway, and then try to believe it would any of the same meaning or significance now after all the changes in not only language but also the the different number of words we use and don’t use anymore. If someone from that day were trying to tell us something face to face we would have a very difficult time understanding them with some of the most basic things, even if we understood what the individual words translated to, the way they spoke would be like trying to understand what our kids are saying sometimes, and they are only 1 generation away, and living with us. We all should use a little common sense and a little more objective thinking. I’m not trying to say that I have any more answers than anyone else, but I know when to admit it, and don’t try to cling to something hoping that they are contained inside, just because it says so, and others “believe” it because of that. I couldn’t imagine God expecting or even wanting, for that matter, me to be so blind and gullable to believe something so easily when he gave me the ability to see how senseless that would be. God would want me to question and doubt every last thing until I knew something to be true because I tested every possibility objectively and without any influence as what it is supposed to be. “It is what it is because I scrutinized it, tested it, poked it, prodded it, tried to change it, but after all was over, and all said and done, It was what it was, because everything confirmed it, there was nothing that could have been taken out of context, mistranslated, deceit or lies. The Bible simply cannot and will never be able to pass ANY of those tests no matter how badly someone may want it to. There are some things in it that might be considered of value and worth remembering, I have to say that the ten commandments are something that most people would agree are “staples” of a society, Does anyone agree, or disagree, or maybe I’m just as whacked as the “Flock of Truth”!!!
to Shawn,
well I’d also suggest giving a glance to these websites:
‘the skeptics annotated bible’ and
’set free from jesus’
and the book ‘the ten commandments’ by Joseph Lewis which you also find in the net.
but if you are really into blood & gore, sadims & masochism, intolerance & injustice, fanaticism & racism, violence & torture, persecution & sexism, deception & sexual depravity of the most wanton of kinds, then you gotta turn to the bible.
Otto and Marcus,
Thanks for taking the time to write some thoughts, I appreciate your candid and straight forward approach to what you think and believe most of all. A lot of it I agree with and I have a feeling you might be a little more accepting and compromising than the Almighty Flock of Sheep that just happen to know EVERYTHING that disagrees with them is an absolute lie. In fact when Jeckle and Hyde (the two different people I was “friends” with) found out I was “browsing” the internet and read a couple of message boards, she went ballistic saying that I would never learn anything except lies from a bunch of hate mongrels and that if I wanted to learn any TRUTH that I should ask her or another witness that has researched EVERYTHING for years like she has. I explained to her that many of them never even said anything bad about the brothers and sisters they had known, and that they just wish they were able to still talk to them, and then I asked her how she could even label ANYTHING a lie without even reading what was said first, and her response completely blew me away,… Well if you knew the TRUTH you would know how I am able to know they are lies, but you have no clue what the TRUTH is so you wouldn’t know they are lies, or understand how I am able to know they are, funny how that works huh!!!!
All I could even get out was “It sure is!!!!” There were a couple of other comments she had made that used the same kind of reasoning and made just as little sense as that one did, maybe I’ll try and find a couple she had written in some of our chats. They leave me speechless everytime I read them
Take care
Markus,
I’m here and just observing all the debate from my office desk. I guess your emails went into my spam folder. Sorry I missed them. I took to heart something that someone wrote awhile back. If I cannot contribute something that will make a difference then why get involved again? Nothing I have said has made much of a difference so maybe a cynical approach is in order. I just hope that if anyone logs on to the website, they will read the debate that is in each of the topics from the beginning. There is a lot of good stuff there. I have learned a lot and appreciate all the input from each of you. Sometimes things got a little rough to deal with but through it all I have grown from the exchange. Though my path is opposite from yours, I still respect your choice but PLEASE “fundies”, that’s not what many of us are.
to Markus,
your comment is as dismaying as real and true. My personal experience is a as much shocking as yours as you must have read in my posts. I would disagree though on the ‘old senile men’ that wrote the bible. Their evil minds were actually diabolically cunning, not impaiered at all, be this by age or any other factor.
for SHAWN:
I really appreciate your feelings. But you imply that the jesus the christo scarecrow ‘fulfiller’ of the repugnant old testament which (note the pronoun) is also the self-appointed son of the yhwh sewer ain’t better than the whole Towers of All Terrors.
If you got time to burn read the book to ascertain for yourself.
yhwh and jesus the christo, the two cloaca-like characters invented by the bible writers, are the puppets thru which the masters of the world/ventriloquists have carried out all the fine works eclipsing the devil in his best days.
Dear Shawn,
I understand where you are coming from. If you get involved with the JW’s you have to go for it all the way. I have 2 boys who do not live me with me because of this cult, they live in Holland and I in South Africa, although they come out once a year for a month or so every year it is still pretty shitty. The WT’s rules are very clear, if any one of your family looses the plot, steer away.
They should be saying: ‘if any of your family finds out what we know, stay away’. I personally believe there can be no greater evil than a religion proclaiming to be inspired from God, and in the same breath advising families to disintergrate. This becomes tirelessly frustrating especially when one understands the folly of Christianity which is based on a useless book written by a bunch of holier than thou, old senile men, and this becomes very clear after some research.
The good family I was once close to, will not listen to apostate me, neither will they research the internet or question the WT teachings, they are in firm belief that some figment of their imagination will grant them paradise, because they have studied the good book and believe what they are told to and so are unquestionably going to a the paradistic world where the women are beautiful and the men have enormous penises.
These guys screw you, big time, especially once you become a confident member of the congregation and have made many friends.
Cheers,
Markus.
PS Has anyone heard from Jones lately? I have sent her a couple of mails and never received an answer. Hope she is OK.
Hello,
I’ve been reading as many of these posts as I have been able to, and at least I know that what I experierenced wasn’t just “ME” trying to cause fights and disagree and “you just don’t want to know the TRUTH”. I was accussed of plotting and planning to do so many immorral and sinful acts just because I was trying to spend time with a JW woman that I had dated 13 years prior, and now had gotten divorced and started chatting with me online. I won’t even go into all the details, but after 3 months of a fantasy sample of what things could be like, and what I thought she was really like, reality set in when she wasn’t able to “HIDE” our relationship anymore from her congregation. Wow, talk about night and day. We got along beyond anything expected or thought possible whenever we were with each other, and both said that we knew that God had guided us back together and that we were meant to be with each other. Her two kids would even start to cry whenever I would have to leave because we got along so well. Then suddenly when I asked to marry me she said yes, “BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE FIRST” “you need to start studying with some witnesses over there (I’m in AZ she is in TX) so you can get baptized” Well, I know that anyone that knows this routine knows what the inevitable is if i wasn’t willing to just ACCEPT ALL of the self-proclaimed beliefs and righteousness of this Organization “That Jehovah is clearly guiding”. What a crock of s…!!!! I’ll tell you what, I will never EVER be part of ANYTHING that would influence me to treat another person the way she did me just because I did not go along with all her beliefs, that she didn’t even go by for the 3 months prior to that, but now I had to change to be with her!!! And because I don’t change, after another 3 months of me trying to come to some type of mutual compromise, I get,…. “DON’T ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ME AGAIN”. Now every single one of you witnesses explain to me where that is Love, caring, or compassion in any way. If you need more details no problem, if you need proof, no problem, I’ve got tons of emails and chats that show exactly what each of us said for almost every day except when we were actually with each other, and it is so obvious what flicked the switch and why, and what was said in the attempts to discuss and understand the sudden change.
What it all came down to is her congregation had more control over her than her own feelings or the feelings of her kids. What saddens me the most, and the part I have not been able to get past is how her kids cried and begged their mom to let me be their Daddy!!! I gotta stop there before I get too upset again.
I’m glad I finally wrote something down at least. I know I’m not the only one that has been hurt by this Clan, and mine wasn’t nearly as damaging as some I’ve read, and to all those people I just want to say I at least know some of the hurt they feel and all the other ten billion feelings that were brought out by this Tribe of Jehovah, but I know none of it was from God or was imatating what Jesus would have done.
dear Theresa,
nothing remarkable has happened. No other behavior can be expected from such a loathsome rabble of monsters.
The Towers of All Terrors (aka watch tower society) and their useless grunts/acolytes should all be referred to the Nuremberg trials of the 21th century.
Sadly though, this ain’t gonna happen. It seem that all major governments have long since been bamboozled by such a terrorist cult’s slick attorneys and mesmerized by the “delightful, correct words of truth covering every aspect of life” you find on every page of the watchtower litera-trash.
I WAS BROUGHT UP AS A JEHOVAHS WITNESS UNTIL THE AGE OF 13. MY MEMORYS ARE NOT GOOD. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIVE THAT PEOPLE GET EXPELLED FOR ADULTERY AND LESSER REASONS . BUT IF YOU ABUSE A CHILD YOU CAN STILL BE ENBRACED BY THIS RELIGION. I STILL HAVE MY BELIFES . BUT I WOULD NOT SUBJECT MY OWN CHILDREN TO THE DANGERS WITHIN THIS RELIGION. WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
to knell,
you feel you’re a child of non-existing diablo and that you have to resist the rotten inclinations of non-existent poor devil?
good for you.
Hi Otto,
Yep this is a very good site, not only for skeptics, but also for those brainwashed believers, who are too petrified to look an any anti-Bible material for fear of their religion and their snug tuck in ‘I know where I am going when I die’ belief.
The JW are particularly good at this, for if an individual indulges in this negative manner, he or she shall be expelled, so that the negatavity will not pass on to their fellow Kingdom melody singer. This can be compared to a prosecuting attorney not allowing the jury to listen to the defense, and if they do so shall be struck off as jurors. One would THINK that seeing as the JW indeed have the truth, they would then allow any objections for the Kingdom melody singer to see and note the outlandish ways of the unbeliever and thus resolve his/her convictions, and the few magazines the congregation member sells every month is safe. It is a pity the average JW does not THINK, as they are in an advanced form of brainwash and actually love the idea.
This is a good website I have spent endless hours here
if you have not seen it tune in, in my opinion with good reason it the best anti-bullshit site around.
http://www.jcnot4me.com
Cheers,
Markus
Hi Markus,
Good reply that of yours to yet another religious professional. Funny how they know how insanely cruel is their un-god whilst trying to talk others into believing quite the opposite…$$$ rings any bell?
However, infants are attracted by round shapes more than other types of geometrical patterns. Also they are more attracted more by normal facial expressions than by facial features/parts displayed at random.
This means that we do not even know if flowers are actually beautiful because our neuronal circuitries were designed to appreciate/show preference to some patterns over others.
Not to mention that beauty standards for adults are massively influenced by social constructs, fads, trends, etc.
In other words when religious professional use the beauty of creation tack it’s an insult to people’s intelligence and an unacceptable patronizing attitude.
I think that you and most people here will find the site below really interesting.
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/
Interesting day today it must be said,
A good friend of mine a Catholic decided to renew his marriage vows, a ridiculous notion in my opinion, however I was invited as the best man, equally ridiculous as I was under the impression ‘best man’ was only for weddings.
To cut a long story a bit shorter my friend introduced me to the priest a reverend ‘Anthony’ (heck of a nice fellow), as Markus his ‘best friend’, and an Atheist.
“Ah” Anthony said, “I also was an Atheist once”. I was under the mistaken notion it would end there.
After a short ceremony, and glass or two of wine, the good reverend somehow snuck up between me and the pretty girl I was trying to impress. “So Markus you do not believe, how can I help?” I simply replied wanting to get this over soon, that I had read the Bible and wanted nothing to do with it.
The good reverend then started the unassailable argument as to our origin, how beautiful are the flowers, the sunsets, the oceans filled with life, designed only for us.
I answered that this was indeed beautiful, for there is no doubting these things.
At this point our good reverend must have felt quite confident, as he invited me to attend his sermon (the next day) to give a short speech and after this fiasco he would then shoot me down in flames, and thus gain good points for his congregation. (at least this is how I understood matters).
I told the good reverend in no uncertain terms, I would be willing to do this as long as we had a agenda, which I would prescribe.
Off the top of my head it went as follows:
How a good god would kill millions of innocents in the great deluge, at Sodom and Gomorrah, how our good god commanded the bashing in of heads of infants, how 6 million people were mercilessly tortured (to the neo nazi supporters: working in sub-zero temperatures with little or no clothing is indicative of torture), and murdered, how he as a man of cloth would hold the bones of a 5 year old and explain to the parents the will of a all knowing merciful god. How many more people die today because of a mosquito he created.
I told him it would be my pleasure to explain this to him and his congregation as best I could.
As I drove away, I noticed him watching my departure out of the corner of his eye, I waved and no wave was forthcoming. My claim to fame died immediately, I only wish the good reverend would chuck his cushy job as savior of souls and get a real job.
Cheers,
Markus
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In the Oregon Case (#06C15281) Paul Lipscomb is the Judge who approved the negotiated settlement between Plaintiff and defendant Watchtower. Anyway, at his relection page* includes persons of achievement then, there are the First Citizens who seem to be the weaker ones of whom, a Sue Miller is/was part of Marion County Department of Children and Families*. It may be worth it to find out if these person(s) know of Judge lipscombs approval of the negotiated settlement which evidently bars Plaintiff from telling anyone about it and whether they would like to make a comment.
Walt M. Beglau, District Attorney* who endorsed Judge Lipscomb Re-elect made a statement which may be incompatible with what the Judge did in this case: “I believe that everyone should be held accountable. Justice must always be public, accessible and fair. Everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect.”
*http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/may162006/guide/np/lipsc_p.html
*http://www.co.marion.or.us/CFC/
* http://www.co.marion.or.us/DA/
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AMENDMENT to my own reply above.
women are BITTER (not ‘better’) THAN DEATH by the inspirer of the words attributed to Salomon.
A classical unconscious Freudian slip on my part due to my extremely positive bias towards women.
to patricia,
dear johaoaveeehh wit-less read please the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 7:26 presumably written by Salomon, the wisest man of old (700 wives and 300 concubines, but we both know they were all WHORES) but surely inspired by the creator of the universe:
“And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her (like Salomon did in fact…); but the sinner shall be taken by her”.
So the Word of God, namely God Almighty Himself, according to your lofty religion considers you women BETTER THAN DEATH.
Which would make me a sinner since I usually love women, especially my mom -despite her faults for being a jehovah’s witlesses-hater jehovah’s witless- and my partners, regrettably only 3 at the moment (it seems I wasn’t endowed with Salomon’s $$$ame $ex appeal after all).
bye tricia
to patricia,
again like most joioihaoaovauuuh witlesses you’re lying to yourself, cuckolding your great ungod by eating at the table of demons (like the Towers of All Terrors enjoy labeling sites like this), and embarrassing all of us with a post that makes me doubt you’re an actual human being but only a semi-human looking litera-trash-pushing automaton.
That’s why your BS aren’t worth any reply or analysis.
Good luck.
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One would like to think that the intentions of the law entity(s) and the Court(s) were towards protecting defendant(s) spouse and/or offspring although, the file(s) are open for public inspection and not sealed leaving tracks that could compromise safety.
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too many children have been sexually molested by church officials, no matter what religion….sad to say that these men who claim to love God could do such things…they are those wolves amongst the sheep! I, as a witness in California know that the wicked one is to be removed!!! disfellowshipped…it is suppose to be up to the individual to press charges in such circumstances because the abuser is no longer acting as one of God’s people & there should be just punishment…and as far as 2-3 witnesses stating so…no! not for this…of course it does become a matter of the elders because of the disfellowshipping process & to question the accused…a gag order may have been used to protect family members of the accused, have you thought about that? like the wife who never knew and is in shock heself! or the children of that family! the victims of this horrible crime are always shown a lot of love and encouraged to seek professional help if needed…i have 3 daughters, this thing should not happen but it does, they were taught to be careful of men, even ones we know, by me and through talks given at the kingdom hall…they seek to protect all involved & to remove the wicked one
might be a good idea to look up those passages you claim to refute in both NIV and another modern translation of the Bible. Or read a few websites that provide an alternative view. My experience with atheists seems to be that they practice what the accuse the believers of practicing: they make arguments against the Bible without ever once having looked inside. Yes many people argue against things without being informed, and that is partly life. But if you yourself are going to argue against a system, at least be familiar with the arguments from world-wide perspective. Of course there is hypocrisy in any religion or belief system, I am not defending nor condoning those who say one thing and do another, but it is also worth noting that Christianity and indeed the majority of religious beliefs are practiced quite differently than the USA model. So look internationally, read literature from both sides of each argument and then make your decision. If that is what you have done, well, all the best I suppose. And also remember that sometimes the core Christian doctrines are able to stand alone apart from the practices of the followers, though of course they actions and practices form a key part. Is it possible though that the teachings are true but the members misinterpret them? Or simply ignore them?
On another note, does this discussion really belong on this forum anyway?
Good luck.
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It would be interesting to know if the defence counicl under the skilfull direction of the governingbody had doubts whether palcing a wall between Plaintiff(s) and the Public was the right thing to do.
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Still up to your tired gay-ass tricks, huh oto? How about once you finish here you come to my place for a quick game of spank the monkey. My little bugger is hankering for a whipping.
Also, have you seduced any teenage girls as of late? Last time we talked I remember you telling me of your passion for them.
Cheers,
JDUB
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Love & Norris Attornys at Law represented the planitiffs and at their website claim a joint venture
QUOTE: “All Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse litigation is joint ventured with Fibich, Hampton, & Leebron, L.L.P.
See the website at http://www.fibichhampton.com.”
http://www.lovenorrisattorneys.com/jehovah_witness_abuse.html
Does anybody have the assumed business name under which they are rendering services as a joint venture?
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Hey Fundies
I picked this up on Mark Smith’s website. It is a few rules on how to act when one is convinced they are saved, and the rest of mankind are doomed, because they fail or failed to live in a neighborhood with lush gardens and pretty white picket fences and a “True Church of Christ” around the corner. I found this description of the fundamentalist Christian rather amusing because as with most humour, it is always better when it has a ring of truth to it:
When a sermon is being attended, learn to respond to everything said with the word ‘Amen’. Learn to elongate this, i.e., Ameeeeeen or Arrrrrmen. So if someone says ‘The pastor’s sermon was very spiritual wasn’t it?’, or ‘The church congregation is becoming larger’, you reply ‘Aaaameeeen!’, or ‘Amennnnnnnn!’. The longer the better.
If you want to really appear as a truly spiritual fundy, just respond to absolutely everything said with an ‘Amen’, e.g., even if you are told ‘My mother has just been violently murdered’, you simply reply ‘Ammmmmen!’. It doesn’t matter in what context it is said, because virtually everything said by a fundy is meaningless anyway. You should also learn to say this throughout the religious service, particularly at the end of each sentence uttered by the pastor. Some people may find it mildly annoying but that is because they are just unspiritual. After some practice (six weeks is recommended), you can start using other words/phrases, e.g., ‘Hallelujah’ or ‘Lordy, Lordy’ or ‘Sweet Jesus’. These allow a considerable amount of flexibility. For example ‘Sweet Jeeeeeezuuuuusssss!’ or ‘Halleluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuujah’.
If you want to make youself look like a ’super-spiritual fundy’, then wait for the quietest time during the whole service and then suddenly shriek at the top of your voice ‘O yes, Lordy Lordy, How great is your name!’ O Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, Yes! Yes! Yes!’; then continue to repeat ‘O yes Lord! Jezuuuuusss!’ over and over again but continually make this quieter until it is barely audible. This makes it appear as if you’ve just been overpowered by the Spirit (who caused the loud shriek) and has now departed having made his presence known to the congregation through you personally because you are so spiritual; the barely-audible mumbling is the after-effect of God personally using you to declare his will to his elect.
Also learn how to contort your face: when a preacher says ‘The Spirit is here! He is moving amongst you’, make yourself look as if you are suffering from severe chronic constipation. Screw up your face and twist your mouth up into your nose. If you really want to look as something is happening to you, bury your face in your hands and while covered from view, slap some black mascara on your eyes so you look as if your eyes are disappearing into your skull (this is caused by the Spirit’s pressure). Learn to move your arms about while praying or singing; pretend you are ‘treading water’ in a swimming pool except that the leg movements are not required. However if you want to include the leg movements as well, then go ahead as this will make you look even stranger and therefore more ’spiritual’ to your fellow-fundies.
Learn certain parts of the Bible by heart; you will discover that many Christians who have Bibles the size of a large wall safe are actually very ignorant of the contents. Remember to ignore the many bits that do not fit in with fundamentalism and just concentrate on writings such as John or Romans. Under no circumstances, ever, read James with its emphasis on ‘works’. When you open your Bible during the pastor’s rambling sermon, make sure everyone around you sees masses of coloured pen notations and underlining on the open pages of your Bible. You will then be deemed an eminent Bible scholar able to discuss anything related to the faith, no matter how little you actually know. Practice denouncing world-famous atheist philosophers/theologians; while they may have had decades of academic learning and you are barely able to read a comic, this should not deter you from arguing against them because after all, they are all demon-led hellfire-bound SOBs.
Make sure you only ever read fundy books, i.e., the ones that insist that the Gospel of John was actually written by the apostle John, and that form criticism, source criticism and redaction criticism are all the devil’s work in the last days. Go for those books that believe the world was created in 4004 BC; read up a few cheap fundy booklets on the subject and then speak on the subject as if you are a renowned scholar who has researched the subject all your life.
Remember: only buy books written by fundies with degrees or doctorates given by fundy Bible Colleges. Quote fundy writers as if they are academics respected by thinkers of all differing opinions even though outside fundamentalism no one has even heard of them.
When your ignorance of the subject or theological error is revealed by an atheist or your argument is demolished by an unbeliever because you didn’t both to scrutinize what you were claiming to know so much about, never – ever – admit that you are wrong. Just walk away and start arguing with someone else even though you have just been shown to be in error. Being wrong does not matter at all.
Learn to make fantastic sweeping statements even though there is no evidence whatsoever and/or they are clearly incorrect, e.g., ‘there is irrefutable historical evidence for Jesus’ existence’, or ‘all renowned scientists agree that Genesis 1 is absolutely accurate’, or ‘the Bible is consistent throughout’. Your fundy colleagues will of course be impressed as fundies always accept anything said by other fundies at face value without any verification whatsoever.
When non-fundies challenge you and ask for the source of these assertions, just ignore them. Anyone who disagrees with you is going to burn in hellfire for ever anyway so you need not be bothered when they show you that your faith is complete and utter nonsense. Learn the fundy language. Certain words and phrases are used repeatedly, e.g., ‘Lord’, ‘Spirit’, ‘Praise the lord’, ‘Praise him’, ‘Bless his name’, ‘Glory’, ‘Glorify his name’, ‘witness’, ‘testimony’, ’saved’, ‘redeemed’, etc. Saying the term ‘Praise him!’ very quickly in one short breath, and repeatedly, after every sentence spoken by another fundy can make you look really very spiritual. This appearance will be further enhanced if while saying this, you always roll your head around as if your neck is broken, and make your eyes appear as if you have just downed four bottles of whisky or gin.
Use completely absurd statements such as ‘The Lord is indeed winning lost souls in [state area]‘. Learn to call all other male fundies ‘Bro’ (for ‘Brother’) and all female fundies ‘Sister’ (who are of course subject to you if you are a male). Remember you need to ay ‘Ammennnnnnn’ at least one hundred times a day.
Develop the ‘fundy’ look which is either serious and deep in thought (because you are directly communing with God), or with a silly half-smirk on your face (because you are so happy that Jesus died for you – yes, personally). Most important of all, develop the ‘glazed’ look in your eyes, most frequently found in charismatics and wall-climbers.
Even though you believe the world is evil and in the grip of the devil, and the rapture and the final Judgement are only a few years away at most, don’t let this affect the way you manage your finances and lifestyle.
Continue to have children, purchase large properties, long-term stocks and 30-year life insurance policies. As a fundy you need to learn how to be a complete and total hypocrite.
Always be politically right-wing as leftwing politicians, liberals, pinkos, etc., are actually the devil’s disciples. Always vote for the most right-wing politician who is standing for election. Even though the New Testament teaches the worthlessness of the physical world and material wealth, ignore this and become involved in the world.
Campaign for your local ultra-right wing candidate and defend your action by pointing out that if Jesus was here then he would vote for this candidate.
Stress the importance of ‘the family life’: ignore all the Biblical references that teach Christians should desert and/or hate their families, that Jesus was single, Paul taught celibacy, and the redeemed are said to be virgins. Ignore all of this and simply rewrite the Bible to suit your way of thinking: this is how it all works! Be arrogant! Be intolerant! Forget all the Biblical nonsense about humility – you are one of ‘the little flock’, one of the few who has been called; remember, you were handpicked (’elected’) by God Almighty himself – yes, personally – before the world was even created!
Be pompous – be really vain. Moreover, because of this you are justified in talking about God as if he’s personally living in your front room and constantly talking to you. Make frequent references to ‘The Lord said to me…’ and ‘In prayer the Lord spake to me saying….’. Make it seem as if you are the only one that he ever speaks to, this is much more convincing when relating what God has said to you if you have the Almighty speaking in 1611 King James English. Do not say ‘God said to me ‘I am talking to you in all genuineness…”, but ‘God said: ‘I speaketh unto you, yeah verily…”. Remember: the God of fundamentalism is caught in a time-warp and always speaks as if he is a demented 17th century Puritan.
Never mind the well learned atheist, who thinks your actions are ridiculous and remember the above peformances may even land you that cute blond that is always sitting in the third row.
Cheers,
Markus
since it seems that god-whomever-that-is has taken a long vacation (or just waiting for somebody to do something useful in this regard)…
I appeal
to the Congress of the United States of America to investigate the watchtower society’s policy of the “two witnesses” in paedophile cases that is a gross and unacceptable violation of all moral and ethical laws religious or civil.
Since the watchtower society’s ‘pay attention’ secret book clearly and unequivocally states that in case of child abuse these MUST NOT be reported to state authorities but to the attorneys of said publishing house (watchtower society) the US Goverment is hereby prayed to see into this situation too.
I have already sent emails to the White House and I hope that more appeals might work for the good of future potential victims.
The watchtower society criminal procedure in case of sexual child abuse do constitute a vile act of TERRORISM against innocent children.
ok augusto,
I see that your spanish or whatever is improving. what about your English?