Watch Tower Society, The Governing Body, and the Jehovah's Witnesses

Los Ataques Terroristas en París y el Fanatismo de los Testigos de Jehová y la Watchtower

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 18:06:00 +0000

En vista de los terribles ataques terroristas recientemente ocurridos en Paris el 13 de Noviembre de2015, se me hace imposible no recordar lo similar de la doctrina del Cuerpo Gobernante en cuanto a los rebeldes con la doctrina del grupo fundamentalista ISIS / ISIL sobre los infieles.

Debo reconocer que la mayoría de testigos que estén leyendo descartarán inmediatamente lo que digo por su convencimiento de creer que acciones terroristas no tienen nada que ver con su supuesta “predicación por amor a sus semejantes”. A primera vista, quizás aparezca contradictoria esta comparación, pero tanto los Testigos de Jehová y el grupo extremista ISIS no son tan diferentes como se pudiera pensar. Si un testigo solo lee hasta aquí, es simplemente la prueba de lo obtuso y fundamentalista que es.

Generalizando, en el extremismo musulmán, hay solo lugar para conversión o muerte. Y a pesar de que algunos líderes musulmanes mencionan una tercera opción, la de tolerar la vida de los no creyentes (creyentes en Alá y el Islam) dejándoles vivir entre los creyentes, no es una doctrina popular entre la mayoría de los fanáticos religiosos islámicos.

En contraste, la “predicación salvavidas” de los Testigos de Jehová procura –con un siempre eterno sentido de urgencia- justamente eso: salvar vidas, y salvar vidas de la inminente destrucción de los “no creyentes y rebeldes”, porque en el paraíso no será aceptado ninguno de ellos; a menos que cambien. El Islam en este caso tiende a ser un poco más humanitario que la asesina doctrina del Cuerpo Gobernante.

La predicación y el realizar estudios bíblicos son herramientas de conversión en la organización. Quien no las acepte va a ser aniquilado (en términos de los testigos) en Armagedón. Cada testigo está convencido de que nadie que no haya aceptado el mensaje de los Testigos de Jehová pasará al Nuevo Orden (o Nuevo Mundo) en el paraíso.

Aquí algunas muestras graficas de la destrucción de los enemigos de Jehová (o el Alá de los musulmanes):

("Jehová destruirá a los malos [no creyentes] que no cambien")

Cuando vea a alguno de estos payasos de pie como postes perdiendo el tiempo con su carrito de literatura en las calles, pregúntele si alguien no creyente heredará el paraíso; entonces verá que tan similares los extremistas de ISIS / ISIL y los Testigos de Jehová son.

Quienes conocemos las artimañas del abusivo Cuerpo Gobernante no tenemos miedo de sus amenazas de estos fanaticos sinverguenzas y asesinos.

Cuerpo Gobernante:

¡No te tenemos miedo!

Catholic Pope Francis schools Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body on human decency

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 21:12:00 +0000

Here is the highlights of the speech Pope Francis gave in Philadelphia to Sexual Abuse Victims:

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"My dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, I am grateful for this opportunity to meet you. I am blessed by your presence. Thank you for coming here today. Words cannot fully express my sorrow for the abuse you suffered. You are precious children of God who should always expect our protection, our care and our love. I am profoundly sorry that your innocence was violated by those who you trusted. In some cases the trust was betrayed by members of your own family, in other cases by priests who carry a sacred responsibility for the care of soul. In all circumstances, the betrayal was a terrible violation of human dignity."

"For those who were abused by a member of the clergy, I am deeply sorry for the times when you or your family spoke out, to report the abuse, but you were not heard or believed. Please know that the Holy Father hears you and believes you. I deeply regret that some bishops failed in their responsibility to protect children. It is very disturbing to know that in some cases bishops even were abusers. I pledge to you that we will follow the path of truth wherever it may lead. Clergy and bishops will be held accountable when they abuse or fail to protect children."

"Within our family of faith and our human families, the sins and crimes of sexual abuse of children must no longer be held in secret and in shame."

"We humbly owe each one of you and your families our gratitude for your immense courage to shine the light of Christ on the evil of the sexual abuse of children."

"We promise to support your continued healing and to always be vigilant to protect the children of today and tomorrow."
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Whether these words end up being true or a lie, it is remarkable that the highest officer in the Catholic Church makes himself accountable and is willing to clearly apologize. This is not the first time a Pope ask for forgiveness.

This is something the bastards of the Governing Body have never done and probably never will.

Nuevos Cambios en la Watchtower y los Testigos de Jehová para 2016

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 15:11:00 +0000

Una importante carta con fecha del 4 de Octubre de 2015 va a ser leída en las congregaciones luego de que los cambios sean presentados en la reunión anual en el Teatro Stanley en New Jersey, USA.

Estos son grandes cambios en cuanto a las reuniones y el uso de algunas publicaciones:

- Nuevo libro. Una versión simplificada del libro ¿Qué ensena realmente la biblia?, llamado “¿Qué puede ensenarnos la biblia?”.

- “Libro Organizados” revisado.

- “Traducción del Nuevo Mundo” versión de estudio.

- La edición para el público de la revista “La Atalaya” y “¡Despertad!” Comenzarán a ser publicadas cada dos meses. No tendrán la fecha en la portada para no dar más la impresión de que es información antigua y desactualizada.

- Las reuniones “Estudio de libro de Congregación”, “Escuela del Ministerio Teocrático” y la “Reunión de Servicio” serán reemplazadas por una nueva reunión llamada “Nuestra Vida y Ministerio Cristianos”. Esta nueva reunión estará dividida en las siguientes partes:
1) Comentarios de apertura,
2) “Tesoros de la Palabra de Dios” (10 minutos - discurso),
3) “Desenterrando Gemas Espirituales” (8 minutos - preguntas y respuestas),
4) “Aplicándote al Ministerio del Campo” (15 minutos – 3 presentaciones y video mensual),
5) “Viviendo como Cristianos” (15 minutos – discurso; 30 minutos – estudio del Libro de Congregación)

- La publicación “Nuestro Ministerio del Reino” comúnmente usada en la Reunión de Servicio será reemplazada por un nuevo folleto llamado “Nuestra Vida y Ministerio Cristianos – Texto de Estudio”.

Otras consideraciones:

- Todas las publicaciones para estas reuniones pueden ser descargadas y usadas en formato electrónico en vez de libros. Se recomiendo el formato electrónico.

- Las traducciones de los nombres de las nuevas reuniones es aproximada de la carta en inglés.

A Thank You Letter to the Australia Royal Commission on the Jehovah's Witnesses

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 18:00:00 +0000

Dear Royal Commission,

From all over the world, there are a massive amount of witnesses, former witnesses, people related to the issue of Child Molestation, and cult’s awareness watchdogs that have been following carefully your and your colleagues’ lines of questioning during the Investigation carried by the Australia Royal Commission.

As a somebody who was an elder for several years and was involved in Child Molestation cases in several countries outside Australia, I can say that it is refreshingly impressive how well-versed you and your team are about the structure, doctrine, procedures, and practices of the Watchtower Society and its religion the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I wanted to wholeheartedly commend you for your efforts at making this religious organization something way more opened to the public scrutiny. Even it is by the force of the law. I am not sure if you even fathom the reach of the work of the Commission. You are doing a fantastic work and people like me -who know how things are really “cooked” within the walls of the Watchtower organization, are deeply grateful for it.

Please, don’t be fooled and don’t allow Justice McClellan to be fooled by the lame diversions, misleading statements, and outright lies the elders have said so far during their testimony. Here are some examples:

1) Vince Toole: “Theocratic Warfare” is a fundamental doctrine that is taught and repeated time after time to the witnesses since even before getting baptized. The purpose is to prepare them against negative comments they will soon hear from family and friends about their new religion.

2) Terrence O’Brien: a) Even though it is true that Governing Body members have their particular assignments and these tend to not overlap others’, it is also true –and even more important, that they as a “body” are always directly or indirectly involved in every doctrinal aspect of the religion and major organizational decisions that spans across all their departments and assignments. What to teach and what to enforce in the life of every single witness around the globe is decided by vote during the closed-doors meetings these men of the Governing Body regularly have; and all of them must be aware of the nature of those matters so they can vote. Some might be more deeply familiar with a particular subject than others, but all must be familiar enough with the issue to give their vote. If they are not present, I believe they vote by proxy. Bottom line, at the Governing Body level, it is completely irrelevant if they are assigned to different areas. They all represent the final authority in how witnesses must understand and apply the bible. Geoffrey Jackson –or anybody from the Governing Body, must be summoned, fully cross-examined, and thoroughly questioned. b) No branch around the world have the authority to publish anything without the explicit authorization from the Governing Body. The only things that every branch may have authority are related to local technical, logistical, or practical decisions. For instance, what way to go to deliver publications to congregations, how to coordinate the territories for preaching work, etc. Another example could be related to a pamphlet used by the witnesses during their weekly meetings called “Our Kingdom Ministry” in which some local information is presented only within the boundaries of the branch. This information can be… extremely short stories from local witnesses during their preaching work, local statistics, etc., nothing really relevant as policies or doctrine.

3) Geoffrey Jackson: If Geoffrey Jackson’s testimony is eventually requested, he might want to distance himself and the rest of the Governing Body from any organizational responsibility, since they don’t really belong “legally” to any of the Watchtower legal entities. This was an administrative move done in the early 2000’s. But this move was done to “focus the efforts of the Governing body into teaching the bible and ‘spiritually feeding’ the worldwide congregation of witnesses”. This means, to tell witnesses what to believe and how and when to practice it.

4) All of the elders: They all seem to present this attitude of “not knowing very well”, or “not being sure or completely sure” of how things are done inside the religion. They all have tried to portrait themselves as having a very vague position or responsibility on all these matters. Don’t believe it. Elders often exercise an authoritarian way to address the flock and make them to comply with the Governing Body doctrine. They must be and are fully aware of all the changes and procedures of the Watchtower. They make others obey them by direct threat of accusing other as apostates, disobedient, rebel individuals who cause division and with the threat of disfellowshipping. It is true that there are some softer and more loving personalities among the elders, but they are not the majority and they usually submit themselves to a “herd mentality” dominated by the most aggressive elders.

Almost every witness who have testified have mentioned that the organization “would be willing to implement any improvement proposed [by the Royal Commission], if we don’t stray from the scriptures”. This is highly misleading in its very nature. Historically, changes in the organization have happened only if its money o properties are touched or threaten to be touched by the civil and criminal authorities. And I am pretty sure that some changes like… allowing women in their judicial committees, will never see the light. I can see though, eventually, professional witnesses women taking a supportive part to truly help the victims, assigned by the body of elders as requests in a needed-per-case basis.

Another thing it is being repeated over and over by the questioned elders is “the help” they always try to give. Practically, you must be aware –if not already, that this “help” is just reading well-selected bible passages that say “god loves you and want to forgive you but you need to confess to the elders first” and/or “just wait on Jehovah” which actually means be quiet, don’t complain, don’t talk to anybody about it, and keep doing your work as an obedient witness who patiently waits for the “new order” in the allegedly and always coming future earth paradise. There is not any help but a cold reminder of “don’t do anything to put any shame on “Jehovah’s name””, meaning: the organization.

The Watchtower Society and the Governing Body have truly convinced themselves that they are above the law and any attack or a government agency attempt to question their practices are deeply viewed as a direct attack from Satan, who is believed to have control over the world and all its “worldly agencies” against the self-proclaimed god’s people; as they believe they are.

You have no idea how much we –from all over the world, appreciate your work. As other governments observe your intelligent and diligent investigation, they will also do the same in their respective lands. Your work is a milestone in the real help against destructive high-control cults like the Jehovah’s witnesses. Much information from the hearing is currently being translated to several other languages.

My most sincere respect and best regards,

Geoffrey Jackson del Cuerpo Gobernante de los Testigos de Jehová: Somos completamente presuntuosos

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 18:48:00 +0000

Durante el testimonio dado por el miembro del Cuerpo Gobernante Geoffrey Jackson al abogado investigador australiano Angus Stewart el pasado 14 de Agosto del 2015, el interrogatorio tomo esta forma:

Angus Stewart (Q.): ¿Se ve el Cuerpo Gobernante, o los miembros de Cuerpo Gobernante a sí mismos como discípulos de la actualidad, el equivalente de la actualidad delos discípulos de Jesús?
Geoffrey Jackson (A.): Nosotros ciertamente esperamos seguir a Jesús y ser sus discípulos.

Angus Stewart (Q.): ¿Y se ven a ustedes mismos como el vocero de Jehová Dios en la Tierra?
Geoffrey Jackson (A.): Pienso que parecería ser bastante presuntuoso el decir que nosotros somos los únicos voceros que Dios está usando. Las escrituras claramente muestran que alguien puede actuar en armonía con el espíritu de Dios al dar consuelo y ayuda in las congregaciones, pero si solo puedo clarificar un poco, yendo nuevamente a Mateo capítulo 24, claramente, Jesús dijo que en los últimos días –y los Testigos de Jehová creen que estos son los últimos días, habría un esclavo, un grupo de personas quienes tendrían la responsabilidad de cuidar el alimento espiritual. Así que es ese respecto, nos vemos a nosotros mismos como tratando de cumplir ese rol.

Siguiendo la típica retórica de la organización, Geoffrey Jackson niega ponerse títulos encima mientras se los pone. Es presuntuoso ponerse en la posición del único vocero de dios al mismo tiempo tratan de serlo estando convencidos que lo son. Perfecto ejemplo de la lógica de unos fanáticos religiosos tan iguales como otros.

Para leer toda la transcripción del testimonio en inglés:
http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/downloadfile.ashx?guid=5d6d5636-001a-4e8e-84b2-2d8338ec25fa&type=transcriptpdf&filename=Transcript-(Day-155)&fileextension=pdf

An Open Letter to Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson on Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 18:54:00 +0000

Geoffrey,

The myriads of watchers worldwide who witnessed your testimony to the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, on past August 14, 2015, somehow hoped to hear the “refreshing waters of compassionate truth” from one of the self-proclaimed only channel through which Jesus is feeding his people on Earth. But they were all wrong and all their hopes disappointed; again. For many others who are truly aware of how businesses are conducted within the organization, your public appearance and expressions were indeed sad and pathetic, but not unexpected.

We all watched with so much interest your testimony regarding the doctrine and policies of the Jehovah’s Witnesses when child abuse accusations are made in the congregations. It was chocking and embarrassing to see and hear how you, Geoffrey Jackson, tried to divert the subject, evade the questions, and simply lied in several occasions.

Yes, you lied. Repeatedly. But in your own doctrinal terms, it is called "Theocratic Warfare"; so you can cope with your rampaging cognitive dissonance. Few weeks ago, your Governing Body co-member Stephen Lett opened his bombastic and melodramatic mouth to accuse apostates of making these accusations up, and after all the evidence in Australia and basically every other single country where your organization conduct business and have a footprint, you still don't have the human decency to directly admit it as corporate and religious propaganda against all the real victims and impartial viewers.

Listening to your testimony was extremely exhausting and annoying. Very similar to the boring 5 hours of brainwashing doctrine witnesses have to cope with every week during their kingdom hall meetings. It is repugnant and nauseating. Do you think you can trick us to see you as a humble person by over-repeating "thank you for that question" and "thank you for allowing me to explain" manufactured phrases? It was a sad joke hearing you talk, presumptuously, about having the “spiritual qualifications” to be part of the Governing Body. Obviously, as every member of the Governing body, you are just self-deceived into your own pharisaic righteousness.

You portrayed yourself as having a role of a “consultant” in the Teaching and Personnel committee. Any person who has an average knowledge of the organization knows that a “consultant” is a non-existent or non-official position or assignment. Where you trying to distance yourself from the hot seat? Who do you think you are trying to fool? Recently divorcees? Teenagers with emotional issues? Being part of the Personnel, Teaching, and Writing committees are your official assignments; therefore, everything that is written and taught as a doctrine for the millions of witnesses worldwide must have your approval. This includes all the doctrine relevant to the handling of child abuse allegations.

You also displayed yourself as a part of the “Guardians or Custodians of the Doctrine” but at the same time you mentioned that the “Helpers” are the ones who make recommendations and make policies. Why were you still trying to distance yourself from any responsibility? We all already know that those “helpers” may just write doctrinal documents, books, or magazines articles, but in the eyes of the 8 million of witnesses, they are not responsible, you and your Governing Body are. One of the basic pillars in the Jehovah’s Witness’s faith is that all “spiritual food” comes from the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”: as today, Samuel Herd, M. Stephen Lett, Gerrit Lösch, Anthony Morris III, Mark Sanderson, David H. Splane, and you Geoffrey Jackson.

It was especially pathetic and infuriating your, whether inability, or unwillingness to see the clear connection between Deuteronomy 22:27 and a case of child abuse. Even worse was your remarks about “asking Jesus” if these situations are in fact related. Both are clear examples of rape with no witnesses of the crime. This is just another proof of your lack of real empathy and the deep corporate vision you have regarding organizational matters. It is just not relevant and not credible the sentiment you wanted to share with who was representing the victim in the hearings. The bible is not your “constitution”; as you so firmly claimed. What is your constitution is the always-changing interpretation of your own manufactured translation of the bible.

At some point during the questioning, you mentioned that ““Subjection” means to be willing to accept direction”. That is just a politically correct answer; another form of deceitful ecclesiastic mumbo-jumbo and nobody buys it anymore. In practical terms, this “subjection” is enforced by spiritual, social, and emotional coercion and threats including accusations of being an apostate, a bad association, and disfellowshipping; with all the devastating consequences it brings. You were eager to prove that “what happens in people's homes is beyond the jurisdiction of the elders” and you don’t run a “police state”. Did you forget when the Governing Body was trying to run how intimacy must be between married couples? Did you already forget how many marriages you and your doctrines destroyed? Did you forget how many kids died because of your biblical rules about vaccination and blood usage? All without a single "sorry" from your part? You also said that “it is not "my understanding" that discipline is needed if an elder visits an inactive witness and he finds evidence of a birthday or Christmas being celebrated. An inactive person who celebrate Christmas or birthdays and is not trying to change others is not handled judicially”. This is also completely false. Within the religion, we all have learned to police each other and to rat each other’s out to the elders, because we were brainwashed to be more loyal to an organization more that to our friends and love ones.

Further and particularly misleading, you mentioned that “elders should encourage the guardian of the child to notify the authorities". You continued stating that “the assumption is that if elders see that there is a risk, their conscious should make them report”, and that “elders tell victims that they should go to the police”. You also stated that “if there is only one witnesses or no witnesses of the abuse you would hope that the conscience of the elders will make them to report to the police even if the parents don't want to do that”. All of that are just bold and outright lies. Every witnesses involved in these type of accusations can comment about how elders just try to do the opposite so they can “avoid giving a bad name to Jehovah”. All the letters the Governing Body have sent to the body of elders worldwide over the years have strongly encouraged a widespread policy of secrecy and keeping the civil authorities away from the walls of the kingdom halls. The very reason why we have victims speaking up today about abuses from decades ago is exactly this tendency to not reporting the pedophiles elders, ministerial servants, pioneers, and even Governing Body members; such as the deceased Ted Jaracz. By the way, the world is safer now without him around. He must be disappointed though to find that in the Watchtower’s heaven there are no kids neither sex.

It was troubling to hear from you that there is a “spiritual dilemma” about not reporting to authorities. You proposed to Mr. Stewart that “a mandatory law would make easy for elders to take care for the children”. This is outrageous. Do you need a law from an inherently satanic organization to force you to do what you should have done on moral and loving principles? Do you need a worldly and sinful institution to tell you what is right and compassionate to do? Where are your self-assigned “spiritual qualifications” to truly care for the flock? What are you going to say now, that your “god used again a pagan empire to correct his chosen people”?

Geoffrey Jackson and your co-members of the Governing Body: your organization is not growing anymore. The only minimal current and localized growth is among under-developed societies who has limited access to global information. You asserted that “the Governing Body have apologized before and in this case it is perceivable”. They have never apologized. Ever! Instead, they have always blamed the brotherhood for whether “understanding things wrong”, “being presumptuously ahead”, or even unfairly “pointing out to some infiltrated individuals as the cause of the errors”. E.g. Raymond Franz. Frankly, your lies just can’t be more disgusting. Your days as an organization are clearly numbered.

Your testimony was a travesty, and an obscenity to the reality on how the 8 million of witnesses live and work every day within the tall but quickly falling walls of the Watchtower organization. I won’t beg you, nor to urge you, but demand you to give yourself and the rest of the Governing Body up to the civil authorities to be charged with these crimes against humanity, sell all the properties the Watchtower societies currently hold, and distribute the money among the current and former witnesses. You abused and killed their kids, deeply damaged their families, and stole all their hard work.

Regards.

Australian Royal Commission on Watchtower Jehovah's Witnesses Child Abuse III (Cont'd)

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:53:00 +0000

The Governing Body and its Watchtower organization is being shamefully exposed so much regarding all their malpractices and faulty dogmas and procedures lately, and the trend is NOT going away.

The world needs to know all the atrocities this religion have caused to the humanity and Australia is doing a great work about it.

Here are the 3rd set of videos from the Royal Commission on Child Abuse on the official investigation about +1K child molestation cases never reported to the secular authorities.

Here is the lists of the videos:

Australia Royal Commission on Child Abuse - August 3, 2015 - Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22t2iCVnGfQ

Australian Royal Commission on Child Abuse - August 5, 2015 - Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KEl_H5iwNc

Australian Royal Commission on Child Abuse - August 5, 2015 - Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbhXL4VkPo8

Australian Royal Commission on Child Abuse - August 5, 2015 - Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSLm9isTvmc

Stop Covering up Child Molesters! Watchtower's Governing Body and Jehovah’s Witnesses

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:37:00 +0000

“Stop Covering up Child Molesters! Stop Covering up Child Molesters!” A brave man was shouting at a one London Jehovah’s Witnesses convention on a video published on Jul 25, 2015.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses crowd acted with what is called brain-washed “Herd Mentality”. A natural way to be for the witnesses by the way; trying to silence the truthful facts about the Watchtower Governing Body’s lame policies with applause and brainless singing. How retarded cult!

Watchtower’s paid expert Dr. Monica Applewhite and her shameful court appearance trying to defend the Jehovah's Witnesses.

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 19:28:00 +0000

As shown in the article I will be sharing following these comments, Dr. Monica Applewhite have put herself in the impossible position of defending the indefensible; embarrassing herself just for money.

Yes, she is getting paid by the Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses with the money of the morally and spirituality coerced membership have given for "expert" services.

Her "expert" services are so lame that she was able to get easily convinced that the Watchtower protect children by just reading what the Governing Body put in front of her eyes; without using the minimal critical thinking that is expected from any scientist and professional. Shame on you and your idiotic report. I wonder what she would do if one of her kids (if she is even a mother) is submitted to an inside JW's child abuse investigation by the elders after being abused by one of them.

This article from JW Survey is very clear summarizing the current situation with the Australian investigation.

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Watchtower’s expert consultant Dr Monica Applewhite is grilled at the Royal Commission

The following is a follow-up to the article submitted on Thursday by “CovertFade” – a non-disfellowshipped subscriber to JWsurvey…

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia has been running its inquiry into the Jehovah’s Witnesses child protection policies for just under a week, and so far it’s been pretty painful to watch. Especially for the Watchtower.

We’ve seen elders caught apparently lying under oath, we’ve seen elders admitting that the policy they are required to follow is flawed, elders admitting that they cared more about protecting their organization than protecting the victim, elders stubbornly insisting that it was perfectly okay for three men to interrogate a loan female abuse survivor in front of her attacker, and to cap it all we had an elder admit that he’d done no preparation for his appearance before the Commission and didn’t really know what the Commission was for. How embarrassing!

Well, just as it looked as though things couldn’t get any worse for Watchtower, day four (July 31st) of the hearings began and Doctor Monica Applewhite took the stand.

Doctor Monica Applewhite is no stranger to those following Watchtower’s child abuse battles. She has appeared in several US cases, most recently in a UK case, always on behalf of Watchtower and against the claimant.

On each occasion, she had been there to present her professional informed opinion as an expert in the prevention of child abuse that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are actually much better than all other religions when it comes to abuse prevention, and that everything is fine in the house that Russell built.

It hasn’t always worked. For example, the UK case was lost by Watchtower despite her testimony, but it did at least allow the organization to release the following face-saving statement.

“We are disappointed with the decision, particularly since the court accepted expert evidence that Jehovah’s Witnesses in the late 1980’s and 1990’s were ahead of their time in addressing the issue of child sexual abuse.”

I don’t think that will be happening this time. In fact, I’d be curious to know if Doctor Applewhite will ever want to work for Watchtower again.

It turns out Doctor Applewhite has become a walking case study on how NOT to approach research. Before the hearings began, Doctor Applewhite submitted a written statement to the Commission in general defense and praise of Witness policies on child abuse, but it quickly became clear when she took to the stand that the Commission again had serious concerns, this time not with the activities of elders, or the polices or Watchtower. Their concern was with her credibility.

For example, her written statement repeatedly asserted that Watchtower compared much more favorably than other religions “throughout the world” when it came to dealing with child abuse, but when pressed to give hard data as to which religious organizations she was actually using for comparison, and the data sets she used to come to this conclusion, she was very vague and apparently unable to produce such.

More to the point, when pressed on what data she had actually used to study Watchtower’s effectiveness when dealing with child abuse, she was forced to admit that her study came not from empirical data collected from real world case studies, but rather, simply from reading Witness publications.

In other words, what she was presenting was not a scientifically researched study, she was just presenting an opinion based on reading cult propaganda and assuming that this propaganda actually depicted reality.

Sounds bad? It gets worse, because it turns out even by the standards of her own flawed methodology, Doctor Applewhite did a terrible job of understanding what the publications actually indicated. Over the course of the day, the Commission identified and proved a large number of factual errors that Doctor Applewhite had made in her report. Here are some examples…

Doctor Applewhite incorrectly offered the opinion that elders are not viewed as “superior” by the congregation but as “fellow workers.” The Commission found that they could not accept this as the reality of Witness culture, based on many other statements in the publications indicating (1) that elders are considered shepherds rather than sheep, (2) that they have a position of honor in the congregation, and (3) are appointed by holy spirit, and thus whilst some written JW material might try to convey the idea of equality, other JW publications and the clear reality on the ground was that the hierarchy of Watchtower was clearly split into shepherds and sheep.
Applewhite incorrectly presented the opinion that an elder or a ministerial servant would never be alone with children. The Commission, however, found that the ks10 elder’s guidebook explicitly stated that “Those who are appointed to privileges of service, such as elders and ministerial servants, are put in a position of trust. One who is extended privileges in the congregation is judged by others as being worthy of trust. This includes being more liberal in leaving children in their care and oversight. The congregation would be left unprotected if we prematurely appointed someone who was a child abuser as a ministerial servant or elder.” Doctor Applewhite replied that as a rule this was not supposed to happen. The Commission asked her to point to this rule in the book. She could not.
Applewhite was unaware of the restrictions placed on Witnesses getting professional psychological help. She stated that she had assumed the counsel was just limited to finding a therapist who respected witness beliefs. Angus Stewart SC demonstrated again with the ks10 book that group therapy, for example (which can be an important form of treatment for abuse survivors), was discouraged by Watchtower. Doctor Applegate conceded her error in this point.

The above errors threw the credibility of Applewhite’s entire report into doubt. None of this was a great start from someone Watchtower was no doubt hoping would be able to turn the tide in what has thus far been a complete debacle for them.

The Commission team, however, was only just warming up.

They then moved into weightier details of concern to them: the two witness rule, the all-male star chamber, the forcing of a survivor to confront her abuser. Justice Peter McClellan and his team were clearly confused as to how Doctor Applewhite, an apparent expert in the prevention and treatment of child abuse, could support these policies. It turned out that Doctor Applewhite had again been pulled in by Watchtower propaganda and had failed to do critical, investigative research.

For example, let’s take the issue of a survivor being forced to confront his/her accused. When Doctor Applewhite was asked if this is acceptable, she first countered that the accuser is not actually forced to face the accused and can instead write a letter detailing their evidence (this is in direct contradiction to all the testimony that the elders had offered thus far). This is happened next:

Justice Peter McClellan: Doctor, are you familiar with the work that has been done in Australia in the civil justice process in relation to the prosecution of these types of offenses?
Doctor Applewhite: In terms of how survivors are —
Justice McClellan: How witnesses are handled and, particularly, how survivors are managed? Are you familiar with those processes?
Applewhite: I am.
Justice McClellan: Are you familiar with one of the fundamentals being that the abused person need not confront the abuser in that scenario?
Applewhite: Absolutely.
Justice McClellan: This process offends against that principle, clearly, doesn’t it?
Applewhite: But my understanding is that they can write a letter and that there doesn’t have to be a confrontation at all.
Justice McClellan: We just looked at all those processes.
Applewhite: Yes.
Angus Stewart SC: I don’t know where you get that understanding, whether someone told you that, or what, but you restricted your report and your evidence, now, to what the documents say, and the documents don’t say that, do they?
Applewhite: So you are saying that in the judicial process today, that evidence can’t be received from a witness through a letter?
Stewart: Well, according to these documents, yes, I am saying that. There may be some judicial committee somewhere —
Justice McClellan: I think it probably should be put slightly differently. The words are “however it may be that the witnesses live a great distance away” – you have to ask yourself what is meant by “witnesses” there, whether that includes the survivor, “or for some reason are not able to be physically present.” So we’re talking about an exception, do you understand?
Applewhite: I do.
Justice McClellan: Otherwise, the procedure contemplates what Mr Stewart has been putting to you, and that is, that the girl or woman would have to confront ultimately three men in the presence of the abuser and without any moral support. So on her own. Now, is that a good practice?
Applewhite: Absolutely not. And I – I want to be clear, if there – if it turns out that the practice that they have today does not allow someone to write a letter and they have to confront their offender and they have to sit in the room with no support, it is not going to meet the standards of care. I didn’t understand that that’s the process, and there are probably people more qualified than I am to say whether it is, but it wouldn’t meet the standard of care if that is the fact.
Justice McClellan: Well, the difficulty for us is that you have proffered to us your written report in relation to all of this.
Applewhite: Yes.
Justice McClellan: And we’re trying to work out whether or not what you have said is something that we, as the Commission, should accept, carrying with it of course the consequence that if we say it is a good practice, then others might follow it. Do you understand?
Applewhite: Absolutely. And in no way am I trying to say that that’s a good practice.
What the above transcript fails to capture, but it is clear in the video footage, is the expression and tone of voice of Doctor Applewhite. Her responses are those of a woman realizing that she has made a terrible mistake, and then frantically trying to distance herself as far as possible from the position she previously held.

The same pattern unfolds when the Commission discusses the two witness rule, and in particular an aspect of this rule that seems of particular concern to Justice McClellan, who has correctly identified that the Watchtower faith requires a person, essentially under pain of destruction by God, to report wrongdoing.

However, when coupled with the two witness rule, a potential situation is created where an abuse survivor is compelled under threat of divine judgement to report abuse, but then the very nature of the system which handles her complaint will not allow the complaint to be believed or dealt with, thus creating a no-win scenario and huge trauma for the victim.

Justice Peter McClellan: Now, do you see that there may be a problem for a survivor, who has the obligation to report sexual abuse, which very often will happen in private – most often will happen in private —
Doctor Applewhite: Yes.
Justice McClellan: and find that because there is not another witness, her allegation is not accepted? Do you see that that might have real difficulties for the survivor?
Applewhite: Absolutely.
Ouch. Well, at least the day is over and Watchtower can lick its wounds, right? Nope.

The Commission then presents Doctor Applewhite with a checklist of factors in a sociological environment, as proposed by David Finkelhor (a leading researcher, academic and writer in the field of child protection), that would significantly increase the risk to children in that environment. They are:

Repressive norms about masturbation and extra-marital sex.
Weak criminal sanctions against offenders.
Ideology of patriarchal prerogatives for fathers
Erosion of social networks.

Sound familiar?

Mr Angus Stewart SC: This model would certainly raise for you some flashing lights about the social/cultural environment of the Jehovah’s Witness Church insofar as child sexual abuse is concerned, wouldn’t it?
Doctor Applewhite: Tell me what you mean by “flashing lights.”
Stewart: These factors come together really in a perfect storm for the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the risk of child sexual abuse occurring there.
Applewhite: I think I would have to look at this more carefully to be able to say that. I just would have to look more carefully.
Doctor Applewhite might not be certain on this point, but it is clear from the above statements by Mr Stewart that, in spite of evidence submitted by Watchtower and the testimony of elders (or perhaps because of it), the Commission is presently of the opinion that this is the case, demonstrating the grave nature of the trouble that Watchtower Australia finds itself in.

As the day came to a close, with the credibility of Doctor Applewhite under serious doubt and her evidence officially ruled to be so flawed that it was inadmissible, and her client looking worse than ever, Justice Peter McClellan presented Applewhite with the chilling logical consequences of the practices employed by the cult she had been hired to defend.

Justice Peter McClellan: Just to finish the discussion you and I had previously, doctor, if a woman brings an allegation that she has been sexually assaulted by a member of the Jehovah’s Witness, and she does so because of her strong adherence to the tenets of the church, and believes that she has to report, but she doesn’t want to go to the authorities, she doesn’t want to be involved in a criminal trial, and there is no other witness, and the alleged abuser doesn’t confess, but those listening to her story don’t have any doubt that she is telling the truth, but they can’t take any action because there is only her evidence, what happens, then, within the church? I assume – well, you tell me, does the abuser then stay with all of his rights intact and the woman would be required to, if she wished to remain part of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, interact with him in that environment? Is that what happens?
Doctor Applewhite: In addition to some other warnings or things of that nature, I would think that that would be what would happen.
Justice McClellan: It is not a very good place to end up, is it?
Doctor Applewhite: It isn’t.
In some respects one can feel a degree of sympathy for Doctor Applewhite. She is not the first otherwise intelligent and rational person to have been suckered by manipulative cult propaganda. On the other hand, as an academic working in a field such as child protection, where the stakes are so high and the human consequences for error so appalling, she clearly should have demonstrated the kind of professional diligence and spirit of critical inquiry shown by the Royal Commission. She failed, and instead ended up being an apologist for a cult that has hidden 1006 alleged child molesters from the law in Australia alone.

At least now she finally seems to be aware of it.

The day ended with Watchtower’s lawyer inviting Doctor Applegate to re-submit her report. But despite her expressed willingness to help the Commission, from the expression on her face and the tone of her closing remarks, one wonders if we have seen her final appearance in defense of Watchtower.

---------------------

Read more here: http://jwsurvey.org/child-abuse-2/jehovahs-witness-culture-creates-a-perfect-storm-for-abuse

Expert admits Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower is grossly flawed

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 04:18:00 +0000

The treatment of child abuse victims by the Jehovah's Witness church is seriously flawed, a national inquiry has heard from a consultant hired by the church.

Dr. Monica Applewhite, a US-based consultant specialising in child abuse risk analysis and education programs for institutions, mostly churches, was employed by Watchtower Australia to evaluate the Witnesses' policies for the royal commission hearing.

Watchtower Australia is the legal entity of the Jehovah's Witness church.

Dr Applewhite, who has been an expert witness in abuse trials in Britain and the US, submitted a report in which she noted the Jehovah's Witnesses were a cut above other religious organisations in Australia.

The doctor, who has listed work with the Catholic archdioceses of Melbourne and Adelaide on her extensive CV, said she had not found examples in Australia of a religious organisation that provided better information than the Witnesses on how to support abuse victims.

But she confessed her research was based on Jehovah's Witness publications, not on empirical studies.

Her knowledge of every religious organisation was also limited and she was unable to immediately identify the other religious organisations to which she was referring.

When asked by Angus Stewart SC, counsel for the commission, whether Jehovah's Witness procedure was "deficient when measured against current best practice", Dr Applewhite replied: "Does it meet all current best practices? It probably doesn't."

Jehovah's Witness procedure is based on biblical teachings.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard this week from two women who had gone through the Jehovah's Witness process for handling child sex abuse allegations.

In both cases the church did not uphold the allegations because, under church law, two witnesses are required to prove any wrongdoing.

This rule is based on the Witnesses' interpretation of scripture and the handling of wrongdoers.

The women told the commission how an internal judicial hearing required them to detail the abuse to three church elders, all men, in front of the alleged abuser.

Justice Peter McClellan asked Dr Applewhite if she thought this process was appropriate.

Dr Applewhite said there were better ways.

She also agreed that under the two witnesses rule, abuse victims could be further traumatised because they were not being believed.

Justice McClellan said: "It is by no means an ideal place for someone's psychological wellbeing to be placed?"

Dr Applewhite replied: "That's true."

When Andrew Tokley SC, counsel for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia, suggested Dr Applewhite be allowed to submit a supplementary report, Justice McClellan said it needed to be more than an expression of opinion.

He pointed out the commission needed information that would help address the obvious flaws in the Witnesses' procedures.

If Dr Applewhite was going to supply further information, Justice McClellan said it should be done within the next few weeks. © AAP 2015

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/07/31/03/40/jehovah-s-witnesses-inquiry-resumes#mUl1KlAYjFxGhLAl.99

Australian Royal Commission on Watchtower Jehovah's Witnesses Child Abuse II (Cont'd)

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 03:40:00 +0000

The Governing Body and its Watchtower organization is being shamefully exposed so much regarding all their malpractices and faulty dogmas and procedures lately, and the trend is NOT going away.

The world needs to know all the atrocities this religion have caused to the humanity and Australia is doing a great work about it.

Here are the next set of videos from the Royal Commission on Child Abuse on the official investigation about +1K child molestation cases never reported to the secular authorities.

Here is the lists of the videos:

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 29, 2015 Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlz131o77Uk

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 29, 2015 Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KEl_H5iwNc

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 29, 2015 Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESnVWPdVIWM

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 31, 2015 - Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF65xM2SG84

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 31, 2015 - Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPSPFYEDZiM

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 31, 2015 - Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9wlzGiMAf8

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 31, 2015 - Part 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZWWZewXiFk

CNN Report on Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower Child Molestation / Abuse

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 03:22:00 +0000

CNN helping to shame the Governing Body for all their faulty dogmas and procedures regarding child molestation handling.

It's claimed the Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia destroyed notes about child sexual abuse and discouraged victims from contacting police at the Royal Commission into child sex abuse.

Australian Royal Commission on Watchtower Jehovah's Witnesses Child Abuse I

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 02:11:00 +0000

The Governing Body and its Watchtower organization is being shamefully exposed so much regarding all their malpractices and faulty dogmas and procedures lately, and the trend is NOT going away.

The world needs to know all the atrocities this religion have caused to the humanity and Australia is doing a great work about it.

Here are the videos from the Royal Commission on Child Abuse on the official investigation about +1K child molestation cases never reported to the secular authorities.

Here is the lists of the videos:

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 27, 2015 Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M94krxNcJQg

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 27, 2015 Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zi8zFNpdvw

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 27, 2015 Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpnWCDR--0U

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 28, 2015 - Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0CfuGA2jEQ

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 28, 2015 - Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gnmHxl8dIA

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 28, 2015 - Part 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onjIR6WVCsY

Australia: Royal Commission on Child Abuse - July 28, 2015 - Part 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GScilIAInQ

Un público aviso sobre los Abusos de Menores y Pedofilia encubierta en los Testigos de Jehová

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:36:00 +0000

¿Hay un abusador de menores en su Salón del Reino?
¿Te informarían los ancianos de su presencia?
Encuentre las respuestas en jwawake.com

Ése es el claro mensaje de este gran proyecto de información en la ciudad de Belton, en el fundamentalista estado de Texas, Estados Unidos.

Se colocó justamente en esa ciudad porque está situada camino a asambleas que se realizarán durante Julio y Agosto del 2015.

Así que "todo ojo la verá" y podrán estar mas al tanto de las prácticas y políticas del Cuerpo Gobernante de los Testigos de Jehová y de su sociedad Watchtower Bible and Tract.

Growing up as Jehovah's Witness

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 16:18:00 +0000

A short film is been published in YouTube that pretty accurately describes how is the daily life of a young Jehovah's Witness under the precepts of the Governing Body of the Watchtower Society.

The film's title is: "God by the Neck".

The film describes the challenges of being raised as a publisher/preacher while being indoctrinated with the typical fears and restrictions within the Watchtower organization.

Film can be watched completely here:

Creciendo como Testigo de Jehová

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 15:54:00 +0000

Se ha publicado en YouTube un cortometraje que ilustra bastante acertadamente como es el diario vivir de un niño Testigo de Jehová bajo las normas del Cuerpo Gobernante de la sociedad Watchtower.

La película se titula: "Dios por el Cuello".

Ésta describe el desafío de ser criado como un predicador lleno de los miedos y restricciones características en la organización y por lo demás no propias de un niño.

Se puede ver la película completa aquí:

Islamic ISIS, the Christian Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Watchtower, and their Governing Body – Part II

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 23:35:00 +0000

Watch Tower Society Headquarters in NYC

This is the Part II of the new series of posts titled “Islamic ISIS, the Christian Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Watchtower, and their Governing Body”.

In this entry I will address the second section of the original article “What ISIS Really Wants” by Graeme Wood and how it relates to the faith and practices of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Previous post can be found here:

Intro: http://testigoscristianosdejehova.blogspot.com/2015/02/islamic-isis-christian-jehovahs.html
Part I: http://testigoscristianosdejehova.blogspot.com/2015/02/islamic-isis-christian-jehovahs_22.html

II. Territory

“The caliphate, Cerantonio told me, is not just a political entity but also a vehicle for salvation.”
Comments: Witnesses are taught to believe that being associated with the Watchtower Organization is a mandatory requisite to be saved and to be able to live forever in the promised Paradise on Earth. The watchtower organization is considered as “the salvation ark”.

“to die without pledging allegiance is to die jahil (ignorant) and therefore die a “death of disbelief.” Consider how Muslims (or, for that matter, Christians) imagine God deals with the souls of people who die without learning about the one true religion. They are neither obviously saved nor definitively condemned. Similarly, Cerantonio said, the Muslim who acknowledges one omnipotent god and prays, but who dies without pledging himself to a valid caliph and incurring the obligations of that oath, has failed to live a fully Islamic life.”
Comments: Witnesses must be baptized to be saved or actually be working towards to be baptized soon to have God’s approval and to survive Armageddon. Even though Jehovah’s Witnesses does not practice the baptism of infants as the Catholic Church does, many kids as young as 9 years old are accepted to be baptized and ordained as ministers of the religion. When a person is baptized as a Jehovah’s Witnesses, he/she needs to answer a formal and official question publicly with which they pledge unconditional allegiance and loyalty to their religious Organization. This is normally done during conventions in front an audience of thousands.

“Like Cerantonio, they regarded the caliphate as the only righteous government on Earth, though none would confess having pledged allegiance. Their principal goal in meeting me was to explain what the Islamic State stands for, and how its policies reflect God’s law.”
Comments: This is very similar with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The word of the Governing Body is regarded by the Witnesses as God’s Will for them, and to challenge or question them is like challenge or question God himself. Every Witnesses must confess loyalty to the Governing Body so in that sense their commitment is stronger than ISIS’s. Jehovah’s Witnesses regard themselves as the only true Christian religion and everybody else is whether false Christian, pagan, or an unbeliever. None of those are saved unless accept and commit to the Witnesses message.

“In return, the caliph commands obedience—and those who persist in supporting non-Muslim governments, after being duly warned and educated about their sin, are considered apostates.”
Comments: The Governing Body demands and expect obedience and submissiveness from every Jehovah’s Witness from all over the world and this is clearly stated all over their publications. Whoever does not obey is considered a rebel and an apostate. It does not matter if leaders are unfair, abusive, dangerous, or malicious; l they are just “imperfect” but still obedience must be given.

Some References:

http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/salvation-only-for-jehovahs-witnesses.php

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2002203

Islamic ISIS, the Christian Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Watchtower, and their Governing Body – Part I

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 21:49:00 +0000

Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses

Following this new series of posts titled “Islamic ISIS, the Christian Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Watchtower, and their Governing Body”, in this entry I will address the first section of the original article “What ISIS Really Wants” by Graeme Wood and how it relates to the faith and practices of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The other posts of the series can be found here:

Intro: http://testigoscristianosdejehova.blogspot.com/2015/02/islamic-isis-christian-jehovahs.html

Before starting, it is important for the readers that are not familiar with the Witnesses extensive terminology to clarify some of their terms. Here are some keywords to understand Jehovah’s Witnesses’ lexicon and the further understanding of my comments:

Jehovah’s Witnesses: Generic name of the religion’s conglomerate that includes the individual members worldwide and the publishing legal entities. The vast majority of the witnesses are not legally associated with any of the Watch Tower societies as official members; therefore their association is merely by ideology.

Watch Tower or Watchtower: One of the many legal corporation or societies used by the religion to conduct their businesses. They are conformed by around 500 anonymous voting members to publish, print, and distribute their religious publications.

Governing Body: Currently 8 men from New York who direct and impose doctrine over the 9+ millions of witnesses worldwide. They are not necessarily part of the Watch Tower corporations’ voting members.

“Faithful and Discreet Slave” or “The Faithful Steward”: The doctrinal term how only the Governing body is currently described as a spiritual teacher leader.

Disfellowshipping: The act of being excommunicated from the church by an internal disciplinary Judicial Committee. The person is completely shunned by formers fellow worshippers and families.

Disassociation: The act of being excommunicated from the church by oneself based on practicing something against the doctrines or rules. The person is also completely shunned by formers fellow worshippers and families.

Armageddon: the Judgment Day in which Jehovah God will destroy all humans that are infidels to his laws as taught by the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The exact date of the Armageddon has been prophesized several times by the leaders of the Watchtower societies and the Governing Body.

The original article is divided in 5 parts:

I. Devotion

“Zarqawi’s penchant for bloody spectacle—and, as a matter of doctrine, hatred of other Muslims, to the point of excommunicating and killing them.”
Comments: The first similarity I spotted from the article. Abu Musa’b al Zarqawi can easily represent any member of the Governing Body. They have imposed the literal interpretation of the bible to disfellowship (Jehovah’s Witnesses excommunication act) members that do not agree with them, getting them shunned by their communities and families and consider them plainly dead. They considered ex-members as dead and “food for the bird” in the near Armageddon.

““If a man says to his brother, ‘You are an infidel,’ ” the Prophet said, “then one of them is right.” If the accuser is wrong, he himself has committed apostasy by making a false accusation.”
Comments: Jehovah’s Witnesses consider accusations between brothers as not conclusive necessarily. If there is only one accuser, the matter dies there and everybody must “waits on Jehovah”; it is just one word against another and the truth may or may not come out eventually. This rule has allowed the Jehovah’s Witnesses to be a very unfair place to be and worst, a “Paradise for Pedophiles” and Child Sexual Abusers. Their golden rule is that they require two witnesses of the same accusation to put the accused under a Judicial Committee.

“The punishment for apostasy is death. And yet Zarqawi heedlessly expanded the range of behavior that could make Muslims infidels.”
Comments: This is particularly similar with Jehovah’s Witnesses. They consider apostates as the worst class of individuals only worthy of death; not by them directly, but by the wrath of God in Armageddon. They have even mentioned in their publications that they don’t kill their apostates only because it happens to be illegal*.

“The distinction between apostate and sinner may appear subtle, but it is a key point of contention between al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.”
Comments: It is the same within the Watch Tower organization. A sinner is not necessarily and apostate, but an apostate is the worst of the sinners.

“Denying the holiness of the Koran or the prophecies of Muhammad is straightforward apostasy.”
Comments: This is exactly the same in the Jehovah’s Witnesses belief. When somebody gets his faith questioned by the elders -for instance, during a Judicial committee, elders go down to only one question they ask to the accused: Do you believe in the way the “Faithful and Discreet Slave” (the Governing Body alone) provides spiritual food as the Truth? Even though the Governing Body does not currently calls itself a “prophet”, it has prophesized events that never occurred many times during the church’s history. Absolute faith and trust in the current teachings and interpretations of the governing body are mandatory for the Witnesses.

“But Zarqawi and the state he spawned take the position that many other acts can remove a Muslim from Islam. These include, in certain cases, selling alcohol or drugs, wearing Western clothes or shaving one’s beard, voting in an election—even for a Muslim candidate—and being lax about calling other people apostates.”
Comments: Many of the officially written and unofficial de-facto rules on the Witnesses lives have to do with their clothing choices, grooming, job choices, political position, and food consumption. It is well known that Witnesses don’t vote in “worldly” political elections and if they are forced by law to do so, they practice the nullification of their vote. Whoever is caught somehow voting by a particular candidate or party have disassociated themselves from the faith and is treated as disfellowshipped. There are many rules regarding dress choices and what to avoid and when to use certain type of clothing. Beards are not approved and extremely reproachable in most of the countries. Not accepting blood transfusions even to the cost of their own lives is a result of their many rules taken form the literal reading of out of context Bible verses. Many kids have died so far due to this “eating rule”.

“Being a Shiite, as most Iraqi Arabs are, meets the standard as well, because the Islamic State regards Shiism as innovation, and to innovate on the Koran is to deny its initial perfection.”
Comments: Witnesses are coerced to follow the Governing Body instructions and current teaching to the letter. No exceptions. Trying to change its meaning, or even to have an own personal understanding of the Bible is not allowed and considered as potential apostasy. Been a progressive Witnesses is not allowed. Only the Governing Body will implement changes as they see fit and when they see fit.

“That means roughly 200 million Shia are marked for death. So too are the heads of state of every Muslim country, who have elevated man-made law above Sharia by running for office or enforcing laws not made by God.”
Comments: In the Jehovah’s Witnesses theology, whoever is not a Witnesses or is a former member (apostates, disfelloshipped, and disassociated ones) is mark for death in the soon coming Armageddon. It is important to understand that the Witnesses preaching work is considered by them as “Life-saving work”.

“Following takfiri doctrine, the Islamic State is committed to purifying the world by killing vast numbers of people.”
Comments: One of the most attractive aspects of the theology of the Witnesses is their coming Earth Paradise. It will be the earth restored and populated only by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Everybody else will be destroyed in Armageddon so the clean paradise can start. This should happen soon based on their own particular eschatology.

“Muslim “apostates” are the most common victims.”
Comments: There is a particular despise and fear against the apostates by the Witnesses. These apostates are the primary targets of the judgments and shunning practices. Active Witnesses are commanded to avoid them at any costs.

“Many mainstream Muslim organizations have gone so far as to say the Islamic State is, in fact, un-Islamic.”
Comments: Many, if not all the other Christian churches and denominations consider Jehovah’s witnesses as a non-Cristian cult or an anti-Christian religion. At the same time, much of the propaganda and publications published by the Watchtower organization is focused on trying to prove how Christian actually they are.

“According to Haykel, the ranks of the Islamic State are deeply infused with religious vigor. Koranic quotations are ubiquitous. “Even the foot soldiers spout this stuff constantly,” Haykel said. “They mug for their cameras and repeat their basic doctrines in formulaic fashion, and they do it all the time.”
Comments: The daily life of the Witnesses is flooded with theocratic activities that practically consume all of their time. Five meetings per week, daily Field Service Meetings, Family worship, extensive Field Ministry, Elders’ Shepherding calls, elders meetings, Pioneers meetings and arrangements, personal study, Bible students preaching, preparations for all these meetings, conventions, etc., etc., etc. The life of a Witness is extremely busy and the Governing Body makes sure it is kept that way.

“Leaders of the Islamic State have taken emulation of Muhammad as strict duty, and have revived traditions that have been dormant for hundreds of years. “What’s striking about them is not just the literalism, but also the seriousness with which they read these texts,” Haykel said. “There is an assiduous, obsessive seriousness that Muslims don’t normally have.””
Comments: The Watchtower Society and the current Governing Body have always been obsessed with their assiduous and characteristic reading and interpretation of the Bible. This is a “restoration religion”; as ISIS claims to be as well; meaning that it fervently claims to restore the early and pure Christianity to its supposedly original way.

Part II: http://testigoscristianosdejehova.blogspot.com/2015/02/islamic-isis-christian-jehovahs_72.html

Some References:

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2001051

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/jehovahs-will/dress-and-grooming/

http://www.jehovahswitnessblog.com/cult/dress-code-for-bethel/

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20150415/disfellowshipping-a-loving-provision/

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2009443

http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/

* "Question from Readers" Nov. 15, 1952. "The Watchtower" Nov. 15, 2011

Islamic ISIS, the Christian Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Watchtower, and their Governing Body – Intro

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 19:03:00 +0000

Islamic ISIS Beheading

As far as we can perceive, the non-Islamic world -or so-called “westerns” mainly, is not understanding really well the doctrinal motives ISIS has to be… ISIS (“Islamic State of Iraq and Syria” or “Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham”). Regular people just have catalogued them simply as fanatics or fundamentalists and the President Barack Obama have portrayed ISIS as not Islamic.

A recent article with the title “What ISIS Really Wants” by the contributing editor at “The Atlantic”, Graeme Wood, about the doctrinal background of the Sunni ISIS, have thrown some light about this issue and how this theology serves as THE engine for the ISIS machinery.

As my Spanish-speaking readers have well-known for several years now, I was associated with the religion of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the capacity of an elder (overseer with pastoral and administrative authority) during several years of my 20+ years of experience within the religious community as an active and in “great-standing member” in several countries.

When I knew about the ISIS article, I read it with much interest. For my surprise, but not really much unexpectedly, the amount of striking similarities between the beliefs and practices of ISIS and the Jehovah’s Witnesses was amazing.

Christian Jehovah's Witnesses Beheading: Disfellowshipping

I will try to describe these similarities by making comparisons as much as my experience within the religion allows me to do. While I have never claimed scholarly of any sort, my comments –as always, are just based on my firsthand 20+ experience with the Witnesses’ organization.

Subscribe to my blog and/or bookmark it so you can receive the next updates regarding this and other interesting posts regarding the Jehovah’s Witnesses and their “ISIS-like” religious practices.

Part I: http://testigoscristianosdejehova.blogspot.com/2015/02/islamic-isis-christian-jehovahs_22.html
Part II: http://testigoscristianosdejehova.blogspot.com/2015/02/islamic-isis-christian-jehovahs_72.html

Governing Body member Anthony Morris III of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and your "Gay" Tight Pants

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 18:27:00 +0000

Recently, Anthony Morris III, a current member of the Governing Body of the Jehovah's Witnesses, gave an interesting speech about fashion and how particularly homosexuals enjoy seeing you wearing tight pants.

What is his fixation with tight pants all about? Nobody really knows at this point, but may be it has to do with how envious he gets when other brothers' packages seem to be bigger than his when wearing them? We will see, but for now, we just know that Tony Morris III added a new rule on the shoulders of the poor and overworked witnesses around the world regarding now… their fashion taste.

Cedars, a blogger in the resistance and education about the watchtower Society doctrines and practices, was able to reach brother Morris in Bethel, and over the phone, he got a valuable glimpse on the Governing Member's eye-opening attitude toward the fashion rule he is imposing so adamantly.

Enjoy!

Jehovah's Witnesses and Child Sex Abuse - Reveal Investigative News Report

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 21:39:00 +0000

The fame of Jehovah’s Witnesses is not increasing in the media thanks to their so-called “worldwide life-saving preaching work”; bottom line, their door-to-door and street stands with "free" books are not more than annoying proselytism and religious propaganda. The fame of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is actually increasing thanks to the well documented internal policies and practices of their own ‘almighty’ Governing Body regarding Child Sex Abuse and Child Molestation.

The Watchtower Society with its Governing Body and the Jehovah’s Witnesses have tried to show a public face of condemnation of such crimes mainly using their two main publications: The Watchtower and Awake!, while abusing the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. The problem is that they have never really considered Child Abuse as an actual crime, but only as a sin that needs to be dealt with internally within the religion; away from the light and justice of competent secular authorities.

The investigative News Webpage http://www.revealnews.org/ have posted a podcast with excellent notes about the Jehovah’s Witnesses official policies regarding Child Molestation, the Candace Conti judicial case, excerpt from her trial, and assertive Watchtower publications.

PODCAST: Jehovah’s Witnesses use 1st Amendment to hide child sex abuse claims.

The complete article can be found here:
http://www.revealnews.org/article/jehovahs-witnesses-use-1st-amendment-to-hide-child-sex-abuse-claims/

Understanding the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Society's Truth. (English Articles)

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 20:54:00 +0000

Hello all!

So far this blog has been written only focusing on sharing information regarding the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Spanish territories. Starting from today, I will start to translate some of my previous entries into English for the benefit of the English-speaking readers that may be involved in researching about this religion.

As a summary of my blog, the covered topics are: the life of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and their spiritual paradise inside their organization. The Watchtower Society and how the Governing Body controls the whole pyramid of believers under their surveillance. I also talk about the regular meetings in their Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, and Conventions.

Much of my citations is taken from their publications such as:

- The Watchtower and Awake! Magazines

- The New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses own version of the Bible)

- Insight on the Scriptures, 2 volumes (1988)

- Aid to Bible Understanding (1971)

- Reasoning from the Scriptures (1985, revised 1989)

- Comprehensive Concordance of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1973)

- All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial (1963, revised 1983, 1990)

- Equipped for Every Good Work (1946)

- What Does the Bible Really Teach? (2005) (Available online)

- Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life (1995, revised 1997, 2000)

- You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth (1982, revised 1989)

- The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life (1968, revised 1981)

- Things in Which It Is Impossible for God to Lie (1965)

- You May Survive Armageddon into God's New World (1955)

- Let God Be True (1946, revised 1952)

- The Harp of God (1921)

- Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1920)

It is also part of my blog to talk about how the Jehovah’s witnesses are organized in their cult and their respective positions (from bottom to top): Associates, Bible Student, Unbaptized Publisher, Publisher, Auxiliary Pioneer, Regular Pioneer, Special Pioneer, Missionary, Bethelite (Bethel), Ministerial Servant, Elder, Congregation Overseer, Traveling Overseers, Circuit Overseer, District Overseer, Zone Overseer, Branch Overseer, Bethel Elder, Governing Body Helper, Governing Body.

Currently, the Governing Body of the Jehovah’s Witnesses located in Brooklyn, NY; Wallkill, NY; Warwick, NY; and Patterson, NY, is currently formed by these members:
- Samuel Herd

- Geoffrey Jackson

- Stephen Lett

- Gerrit Lösch

- Anthony Morris III

- Mark Sanderson

- David H. Splane

Former members are:

- Charles Russell (1884-1916)

- J. F. Rutherford (1916-1942)

- Thomas J. Sullivan (1932–1974)

- Grant Suiter (1938–1983)

- Nathan Homer Knorr (1940–1977)

- Frederick William Franz (1944–1992)

- Lyman Alexander Swingle (1945–2001)

- Milton George Henschel (1947–2003)

- John O. Groh (1965–1975)

- Raymond Franz (1971–1980)

- George D. Gangas (1971–1994)

- Leo K. Greenlees (1971–1984)

- William K. Jackson (1971–1981)

- William Lloyd Barry (1974–1999)

- John C. Booth (1974–1996)

- Ewart Chitty (1974–1979)

- Charles J. Fekel (1974–1977)

- Theodore Jaracz (1974–2010)

- Karl F. Klein (1974–2001)[

- Albert D. Schroeder (1974–2006)

- Daniel Sydlik (1974–2006)

- Carey W. Barber (1977–2007)

- John E. Barr (1977–2010)

- Martin Pötzinger (1977–1988)

- Guy Hollis Pierce (1999–2014)

Currently, the Watchtower organization is conducting much of their education efforts via online using its website jw.org as a vehicle to deliver their current teachings and publications.

Many scandals have been brought to light lately about these men and how they manage the rest of million of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world. Child Abuse, Child Molestation, Pedophilia, Money practices and shady businesses, Tax evasion, Real Estate questionable businesses, dangerous bible doctrine, shunning, death of people regarding the abstinence of blood transfusions, records with the FBI, Hitler and the Nazi Germany, etc.

All these aspects about the Watchtower Organization, the Christian Congregation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and all its associated legal entities are covered in over 800+ posts in Spanish so far. Some of them will be translated so bookmark this blog and follow the updates.

All of you are welcome!

Thanks.

El Cuerpo Gobernante dice: Nuevos y más vendibles Salones del Reino de los Testigos de Jehová

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 15:10:00 +0000

Se ha filtrado de una reunión especial con todos los ancianos del territorio de los Estados Unidos en el pasado 31 de Enero de 2015, la información de un nuevo modelo de salones del Reino para el país. No esta claro si tendrá un alcance mundial por el momento.

Se informa también que hubo una discusión acalorada entre los peces gordos de la sucursal sobre la decisión de imponer un modelo de estilo más residencial o seguir una línea comercial. Se optó por el estilo comercial. Obviamente.

Aquí alguna de las fotos que se filtraron:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/81520004/some-screenshots-from-new-kh-meeting

El cuerpo gobernante de los Testigos de Jehová: nuevas mentiras citando al doctor Rama Singh sobre la evolución

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 18:15:00 +0000

En la revista ¡Despertad! de Enero de 2015, el cuerpo gobernante usa nuevamente el nombre de un científico para intentar probar que algunos, sino muchos de ellos, escogerían la creación como razón para el origen de la vida en el planeta en vez de la evolución.

Debido a que muchos ya sabemos la grave y siempre eterna tendencia del cuerpo gobernante para cometer fraudes intelectuales como si nada, se han hecho muchas consultas al Doctor Rama Singh acerca de sus citadas palabras en la ¡Despertad! y así confirmar su veracidad.

La respuesta no se hizo esperar por parte del científico, erudito y académico. El doctor Singh, un hombre de muy agradable de carácter, respondió con una Carta Abierta a los Testigos de Jehová.

Aquí está la traducción del inglés al castellano de las partes más relevantes relativas a este nuevo abuso del cuerpo gobernante:

--------------------------

Evolución, Religión, Razón – Carta abierta a los Testigos de Jehová.

Editor de ¡Despertad! (Revista)

Testigos de Jehová

Estimado Editor,

Le escribo en protesta a su artículo de la revista ¡Despertad! “¿Cómo empezó la vida?”, con fecha de Enero 2015, en la cual ustedes me han citado incorrectamente mediante tomar la mitad de una oración fuera de contexto de mi artículo sobre la evolución. Contrariamente a lo que ustedes dan a entender, no apoyo un punto de vista creacionista ni sugiero que siquiera una minoría de científicos apoyan tal posición. Cualquiera que lea mi artículo puede ver que apoyo completamente la Teoría de la Evolución.

En mi artículo, luego del párrafo que ustedes han citado incorrectamente, incluyo material que muestra por qué los hechos y pruebas de la evolución se hacen tan difíciles de comprender para mucha gente. Mi artículo está dirigido a las personas que desean entender la evolución pero que no tienen la pericia o los antecedentes académicos para ello; no para creacionistas como ustedes quienes se oponen a la evolución debido a sus ideas religiosas.

El citarme incorrectamente equivale a deshonestidad intelectual y refleja la clase de carácter y dignidad que tanto como editor y ‘hombre de dios’ poseen. Puedo entender que ustedes no acepten la evolución como una explicación para la biodiversidad en el planeta, pero no puedo entender por qué a sabiendas malversan el trabajo de un científico para hacerlo parecer como apoyo a un punto de vista creacionista.

He recibido solicitudes de muchos evolucionistas, ateos y ex miembros de su organización (ex-TJ) quienes trajeron a colación el mencionado abuso por parte suya. Estoy de acuerdo con ellos de que su mal uso de mi trabajo es deliberado y destinado a convencer a sus seguidores en ‘la verdad del creacionismo’ mediante perpetuar falso apoyo de científicos.

Debido a esto, les solicito que primero, inmediatamente remuevan la cita incorrecta de su artículo y segundo, publiquen una petición de disculpa incondicional por lo que considero es una deliberada y prejudicial acción de su parte contra mi reputación.

El objetivo de la religión es la búsqueda de la verdad, el remover la ignorancia y el miedo, y no el perpetuar mitos ni mentiras. […]

Si algo les puedo sugerir, como organización, ustedes debieran dejar de perder el tiempo perpetuando mentiras en contra de la evolución. […]

[…]

--------------------------

En posterior correspondencia personal con el doctor Singh, el mencionó que no le molesta realmente la postura creacionista de la organización, sino más bien el lavado de cerebro que se realiza y como este daña sus vidas. El no espera una respuesta ni una petición de disculpas del cuerpo gobernante.

Referencias:

La Carta Abierta completa se puede leer en inglés aquí:

http://evol.mcmaster.ca/~brian/evoldir/Other/Awake.letter

El artículo académico del doctor Rama Singh citado por la Watchtower se puede leer en inglés completo aquí:

http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full/10.1139/g11-046#.VMKLrtLF_0d

El Clasismo de la Escuelita de Entrenamiento Ministerial

9328737@gmail.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 23:49:00 +0000

Siendo el caso que el clasismo es una de las lacras sociales que mas se observa en las congregaciones de los Testigos de Jehová alrededor del mundo, muchos testigos varones –en este caso-, se sienten decepcionados y hasta traicionados por la organización cuando, por ejemplo, no se les acepta a la Escuela de Entrenamiento Ministerial debido a no tener todos los supuestos “requisitos necesarios” para ser invitados.

Pero lo que decida esta organización al respecto no interesa ya más. A pesar de que el cuerpo gobernante realmente no desea que todos los varones se “beneficien” de la Escuela de Entrenamiento Ministerial simplemente por su deseo de mantener un sistema no-oficial de castas, a nosotros sí nos interesa el proveer toda la información posible.

¿Quiere saber “cómo demuestran los ancianos de la congregación que reconocen la autoridad de Cristo […]?” Pues, “Siguen la dirección que da el Cuerpo Gobernante; cuando tienen preguntas, las envían al Cuerpo Gobernante para que las analice”.

¿Quiere saber “cuales son tres síntomas de debilidad espiritual?” Si se tienen “[…] dudas; […]a mistad con no creyentes, etc.”

¿Quiere seguir leyendo el resto de las aburridas idioteces que se enseñan en esta escuelita? Aquí esta el programa de la Escuela del Ministerio Ministerial; completo!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/231357872/Escuela-de-Entrenamiento-Ministerial?secret_password=64uezoiB0b3MROzeJTWG

Luego viene el control del cuerpo gobernante sobre el graduado: