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By JOHN BUTLER
I've often thought of this point of reproof from the platform. It does nothing positive at all, it just leaves people wondering why the person was reproved.
And it certainly does not protect the congregation.
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by Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. In January of 2019, elders in the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses were issued a new version of their confidential handbook, "Shepherd the Flock of God." This handbook covers, among other topics, when a person should be "reproved."
For those unfamiliar with the their practices, Jehovah's Witness elders might determine that someone guilty of a serious sin is repentant and will be "reproved" rather than disfellowshipped [excommunicated]. This reproof might be administered privately, or it might include a very brief announcement to the congregation.
Public Reproofs Are Not a Protection
The "Shepherd" book makes the claim that a public reproof serves as a "protection" to the congregation against certain dangerous behaviors, such as child sexual abuse; note this statement from chapter 14, "Child Abuse::
Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. However, this announcement of reproof includes no information about the person's "sinful" behavior, as instructed in chapter 16, "Procedure for Judicial Hearings":
Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. The "Shepherd" book even outright instructs that a person's sinful acts should not be connected to their reproof, such as when a "warning" talk is given regarding their behavior; also from chapter 16:
Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. This statement alone demonstrates that the entire "public reproof" arrangement protects no one from congregation members who might pose a danger to others, including children. Simply stating that someone has "been reproved" doesn't warn a congregant of that person's specific behavior, and especially when there is a long list of reasons why someone might be publicly reproved, including:
Smoking Fornication, adultery Theft Lying, slander Various forms of "apostasy" Severe fits of temper, fighting Drunkenness Using narcotics Taking up boxing After hearing a rather generic announcement that someone has been "reproved," without knowing the actual reason for that reproof, how would congregants know to keep their children away from them? Another congregant might assume that a person being reproved was caught smoking or fornicating with an adult; child sexual abuse might be the last thing they would consider when they hear of someone having been reproved!
Your Conscience Shouldn't Be Clean
This begs the question of why Jehovah's Witnesses think that their consciences can be clean in these cases. Elders honestly think that making an announcement of so-and-so having been "reproved" protects the congregation and so they've done their job of keeping people and children safe?
Nothing can be further from the truth, especially when it comes to child sexual abuse. This "public reproof" arrangement purposely conceals the action that warranted the reproof, so it warns no one about a congregant who might be a danger to their children.
This announcement does not take away from an elder's complicity in hiding allegations of abuse. Any elder who hears of such a credible allegation and doesn't notify authorities, cooperate with their investigations fully, and then do everything possible to keep a potentially dangerous person away from children shares guilt and blame if that person goes on to molest another child.
Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. The bottom line is that Jehovah's Witnesses and elders especially have no problem lying to themselves and to the general public about their supposed "protections" for congregants. They shield alleged molesters by purposely ensuring that no information about a particular act is associated with "reproved" persons, and then tell themselves that this passive-aggressive "hinting around" is going to somehow alert congregants to the need to keep their child away from him or her.
While the authors of these practices and the elders charged with enforcing them might go to bed with a clean conscience, remember it's not them who suffer the consequences of their actions; the elders are not being raped and abused, the men who wrote this "Shepherd" book are not the ones who will be the next victims of these "reproved" persons.
Their complicity in this horrific act is bad enough, but their smug self-righteousness in thinking that they've somehow done enough to protect children with a generic "reproof" is just another slap across the face of those same children.
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By Anna
When a judicial committee is formed, why does it only consist of three elders (usually) but does not involve the whole body of elders? And is there a scripture this is based on?
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By Jack Ryan
If it was a crime can you imagine a judge saying "well nobody found out you robbed the bank because you covered it up. Well done you can continue as the bank manager and not go to prison."
unless...
"evidence of God's blessing" IS not getting caught - lmao 😂🤣
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By James Thomas Rook Jr.
FSB starts detaining Jehovah’s Witnesses on Kola, dozens flee to Finland
Criminal cases are initiated after FSB and Rosgvardia raided six addresses in the closed navy town of Polyarny.
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April 20, 2018
Last April, a ruling by Russia’s Supreme Court banned all Jehovah’s Witnesses organizations throughout the country, arguing the religious group to be extremist.
On Friday, Murmansk regional authorities’ newspaper Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. reports about raids made by FSB and the National Guard of Russia (Rosgvardia) in Polyarny on the Kola Peninsula.
Two local residents were detained under suspicions of being members of the administrative centre of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia, organizing teaching and meetings where reading of banned religious literature took place. Searches were carried out at six addresses in Polyarny.
The town is home to a naval yard and several of the diesel-powered submarines and other warships of the Northern Fleet have Polyarny as homeport.
The extremist law banning Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia provides for a maximum sentences of 6 to 10 years in jail.
Meanwhile, a wave of practicing Jehovah’s Witnesses are fleeing Russia. More than a thousand people are now seeking asylum in several European countries, including Finland, the newspaper Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. reported earlier this winter.
It all started last summer, and that’s when the first Witnesses sought asylum in Finland, spokesperson Veikko Leininen with the organization’s Finnish branch told the newspaper. Many dozens at least are still to come, he said.
Press adviser Therese Bergwitz-Larsen with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) can’t go into details about particular reasons for asylum seekers coming to Norway.
Unfortunately, we can’t say anything in general on the background for reasons to apply for asylum, since the number [from Russia] is so small, Bergwitz-Larsen tells the Barents Observer.
Statistics from UDI show that 15 persons came from Russia the Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. this year. In Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. , 58 Russian asylum seekers came to Norway.
In Russia, the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses are estimated to about 175,000. That be, before the organization was declared extremist. Viewed with skepticism for denying military service, voting and refusal to take blood, the members are seen as both a threat to themselves, their children and public safety.
Also during Soviet times, the Witnesses were persecuted.
Human Right Watch recently called on Russian authorities to drop charges against Danish citizen Dennis Christensen adherent for practicing his faith. Christensen has been in pretrial custody for 11 months in the town of Orel. Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. argues that Russia is a member of Council of Europe and a party to the European Convention on Human Rights, and therefore is obligated to protect the rights to freedom of religion and association.
My note: Russia passed a law in 2015 that basically stated that any CE or ECHR resolution or ruling they disagreed with could be ignored. I think it is a very good idea when governments start rounding up people for gas chambers, concentration or slave labor camps, or prison ... just be somewhere else.
You may have to abandon everything you and your family ever worked for, with the clothes on your back, but at least when they upholster the living room furniture you left behind ... it won't be with YOUR SKIN.
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By Srecko Sostar
According to this text in "Shepherd book", page 84,85 woman in JW congregation are viewed as minor children, not entitled to hear information that are important for her marriage and family life and her life at all. JW elders look at them as a people of the second rank. Even a male underage child or teenager or young male/man, who is baptized, has a higher status than any sister, young or old, single or married, publisher, pioneer or missionary or anointed.
Meeting With Marriage Mates
11. If the accused is a married sister, it is best
to have her believing husband present for the hearing.
He is her head, and his efforts to restore her and
direct her can be very helpful. (1 Cor. 11:3) If unusual
circumstances are involved or the elders feel it would
be best not to invite the husband because of their
concerns for the safety of the wife, the elders should
call the branch office.
12. If the accused is a married brother, his
wife would normally not attend the hearing. However,
if the husband wants his wife to be present, she
may attend a portion of the hearing. The judicial
committee should maintain confidentiality.
13. If the husband committed adultery, he
has an obligation to inform his wife of the facts. The
judicial committee should promptly inquire of the
Christian wife as to what her husband has told her. If
he refuses to inform her of his adultery, the elders
should inform her that because of her husband’s
conduct, it is up to her to decide whether to pursue a
Scriptural divorce or not. Furthermore, they should
inform the innocent mate that her resuming sexual
relations with the guilty mate would negate any
claim to Scriptural freedom. But they should not give
her further details. On the other hand, the elders
may find that while the husband did confess adultery
to his wife, he did not tell her the full extent of his
wrong conduct and left out important information
that the wife should know. The elders should not pro-
84 “Shepherd the Flock of God”—1 Peter 5:2
vide this confidential information to the wife, but
they can suggest that she speak with her husband
again. Even if he does not tell her anything more, this
will alert her to the fact that he is withholding information
from her, and this may help her to determine
whether to forgive or not.
Chapter 6 85
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By Srecko Sostar
According introductory words in "Shepherd book", this publication is "congregation property". What would be your answer on question -What is congregation? Who are members of congregation? By normal logic all JW members are congregation and by their membership (legality of membership come through baptism) in congregation are entitled to read this book and  to get to know the content of this book. But this is not how reality looks. Many, almost all "ordinary" members even doesn't know that this book or similar written instructions exist.
Another shocking fact from the 2010 Letter to the elders come to daylight. Instruction to elders given by GB (or from some WT Department that is under direct supervision of GB) shows us once again how this "theocratic" organization treats women's at all, and sisters as members of the congregation. Sisters are compared with unbelievers and working stuff of outsides companies. Shameful!
This publication is congregation property. A
copy is issued to each appointed elder. If an elder
is deleted for reasons other than moving to
another congregation with a favorable recommendation,
he should turn over this handbook
to the Congregation Service Committee. The
secretary should keep the book in the congregationÂ’s
file so that it may be returned to the
brother if he is reappointed as an elder. No
copies are to be made of any part of this publication.
Neither is it to be converted into any
electronic format.
WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA
All Rights Reserved
Publishers
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC.
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
2012 Printing
This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide
Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References.
“Shepherd the Flock of God”—1 Peter 5:2
English (ks10-E)
Made in the United States of America
Chapter 1
page 6 quote
2. “Shepherd the Flock of God” has been designed
as a handbook for elders to supply vital information
that will help them care for congregation matters.
page 7 quote
Because of efforts to simplify this publication,
it does not cover every aspect of our work as elders.
At times you may need to consult other publications
and letters to the body of elders for detailed
information. Be alert to future direction and adjustments
so as to stay up-to-date on theocratic direction.
Â
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By Srecko Sostar
According to this text in "Shepherd book", page 38,39 elders are allowed to hide their own sins or sins of colleagues, elders.
19. If it comes to light or an appointed
brother confesses that he has committed a disfellowshipping
offense years in the past:
The body of elders may determine he can continue to
serve if the following is true: The immorality or other
serious wrongdoing occurred more than a few years
ago, and he is genuinely repentant, recognizing that
he should have come forward immediately when he
sinned. (Perhaps he has even confessed to his sin,
seeking help with his guilty conscience.) He has been
serving faithfully for many years, has evidence of
God’s blessing, and has the respect of the congregation.
20. If the sin occurred before he was appointed as
an elder or a ministerial servant, the elders will need
to take into consideration the fact that he should
have mentioned this possible impediment to his being
qualified when elders interviewed him just prior
to announcing his appointment. Moreover, the nature
of the sin may reflect greatly on his qualifications
to serve. For example, the sin may involve past
child abuse, and this would likely disqualify him for
many years.—w97 1/1 pp. 26-29; w77 pp. 697-698.
38 “Shepherd the Flock of God”—1 Peter 5:2
21. If the wrongdoing occurred within the past few
years while he was serving as an elder or a ministerial
servant, he is disqualified from serving as such, not
being “free from accusation.” (1 Tim. 3:2, 10; Titus 1:
6, 7) Depending on the circumstances, the situation
may also need to be handled by a judicial committee.
—See 5:43-44.
Chapter 3 39
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By James Thomas Rook Jr.
This is a three part question with THREE related answers:
I saw a movie about a year ago about this Cowboy, driving his jeep through the desert, and he comes upon about six cars and pickup trucks grouped together, out in the middle of nowhere ... with bodies all around and in the vehicles. Apparently a drug deal had "gone bad", and the buyers and sellers had killed each other.. The pickup trucks are full of bales of drugs, and the cars are full of suitcases full of money. The Cowboy puts gasoline on the drugs, burning them up, and goes home with the money.
Did he STEAL the money ... and does he have a moral responsibility to return it to the people who were going to buy the drugs?
Bear in mind, he has broken NO LAW ... and he is not legally REQUIRED to report the criminal activity ..... much like the Society's position that they will not turn JW child sex abusers over to the police unless legally REQUIRED to do so.
Using the principles long established by the WTB&TS .... I would be inclined to keep the money !
Of course I would check for hidden tracking transmitters in the suitcases ... and take other evasive precautions.
.Question 1.) Did the Cowboy STEAL the money ... ?
Question 2.) Does he have a moral responsibility to return it to the people who were going to buy the drugs ... ?
Question 3.) What would YOU do?
EXTRA CREDIT: Was it immoral for the Cowboy to deliberately destroy the drug dealers' property?
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By James Thomas Rook Jr.
My wife and I are planning to see the movie "DUNKIRK" this weekend, and I have seen "Saving Private Ryan", and "Schindler's List", all very violent war movies, and in my opinion very IMPORTANT movies to see.
The list of incredibly important movies could fill a notebook.
I could probably list 10 off the top of my head .. some important for very different reasons.
"The Notebook" comes to mind.
Some, merely cultural icons, like the entire STAR WARS and STAR TREK franchises, etc.
What has been your actual experience about what kinds of movies the Brotherhood actually sees ?
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By James Thomas Rook Jr.
SCENARIO: You are at a packed Kingdom Hall on Memorial night, and ten minutes into the remembrance talk, six masked people with weapons enter the Kingdom Hall and begin shooting everyone they can, without any conversation.
You are shot in the left side of your face and most of those teeth are gone.
Before you know what is going on twelve Brothers and Sisters have been shot, screaming and panic ensues, and there is blood and bodies and brains all over, and the shooting continues.
Would it be fitting for a Brother to use his handgun to return fire on the murderers to try and save his own life, or the lives of his Brothers and Sisters?
Or, in PubSpeak ... "Would it be fitting for a Christian to keep a firearm, such as a handgun or a rifle, for protection against other humans?" ( July 2017 Watchtower )
This raises MANY Theocratic, moral, ethical, legal, and Societial policy questions ... all of which have REAL answers.
What is the RIGHT thing for a responsible Christian to do?
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By Guest Nicole
A WOMAN who was molested by her father over 5 years and afterwards by a Jehovah’s Witnesses she asked for assistance has oral out about her ordeal.
Terrified Angie Rodgers, from Ayrshire, was abused weekly by her perverted Jehovah’s Witness father Ian Cousins from a age of 11.
Angie Rodgers was 11 years aged when her father started abusing her
The dauntless teen eventually plucked adult a bravery to disclose in a Jehovah’s Witness elders, who took small action and she was after abused by one of them too, Harry Holt.
Angie, now 36, said: “I incited to a church for assistance and we was abused a second time.
“I was a child and they should have helped, though they incited on me. They make me feel sick.
“I don’t consider I’ll ever get over what happened. I’ve usually schooled to live with it.
“I have nightmares and flashbacks all a time and been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress.”
Angie’s father was detained for 5 years in 2002 for his crimes, while Holt was usually jailed final year for Angie’s attack along with 7 others he molested.
Now aged 36, Angie, a mother-of-four, has bravely waived her anonymity in a wish her story will assistance other people.
She said: “Dad did it whenever he got a chance, even when we was ill.
Angie Rodgers poses here with others in a Jehovah’s Witness community
“Once, we was throwing adult with gastric influenza when father brought me home a feathery bunny, with a organic white floral dress and bloomers.
“My wordless went to a Kingdom (church) and my father scooped me adult in his arms from a couch, took me to his room and molested me.
“I prayed my wordless would come and save me though she never did. After that he used to try to hold me whenever we were alone. It got worse and worse.
“We went to a Jehovah gathering when we was about 14 and he attempted to rape me in a tent. He was usually interrupted when an elder shouted him from outside.”
At a age of 15 Angie confided in a friend, whose father led a opposite church, in a wish that they would be means to stop a abuse.
While her father Cousins was called in for a “judicial meeting” no movement was taken, as Jehovah’s Witness elders can't act opposite suspects unless “there is a admission or dual convincing witnesses”.
Angie was afterwards subjected to an talk by 3 masculine elders including Holt, where she was done to plead insinuate sum of a abuse.
She explained: “They even asked what I’d been wearing, as if it was my fault. It was excruciating. we was so genuine we was still personification with toys and Lego during 18.”
As Cousins showed plea for his sins he was authorised behind into a church after being reprimanded – and a abuse stopped.
A brief while after in 1997, Holt done a pierce on Angie when pushing her home following a event door-knocking for members.
She said: “On a approach home in a automobile he grabbed my leg and felt his approach adult towards my underwear.”
Shocked, a immature lady told her relatives about a occurrence and a explanation led to Holt journey to Edinburgh.
It was suggested in justice final year that he went on to abuse some-more children.
Angie motionless to make a censure to a military about her father when she found out he had also abused another dual girls.
She also incited her behind on a Jehovah’s Witnesses during 19 in a wish of starting fresh.
The sacrament is pronounced to inspire members to reject people who leave, and Angie claimed that she didn’t see her mom for 6 years after she left.
In 2014 a censure was done opposite Holt, and Angie concluded to come brazen and pronounce about her horrific experience.
In Feb 2016, 71-year-old Holt was condemned to three-and-a-half years in jail for a abuse of 8 girls between 1971 and 2004.
Angie said: “If what happened to me helps usually one immature lady – or child – go to a military it will have been value it. What happened to me is horrible though I’m perplexing to pierce on, differently my abusers have won.
“The sacrament is zero though a cult. Children are kept wordless by fears of Holy condemnation and Armageddon if they move a church into ill repute.
“It’s that fear and a fear of being shunned by friends and family if we leave that stops victims from stating to police. It’s primitive and it has to stop.”
When contacted, a Jehovah’s Witnesses wouldn’t criticism on Angie’s box though they did criticism on their position in general.
The matter said: “Jehovah’s Witnesses detest child abuse and perspective it as a iniquitous crime and sin. Safety of a children is of a pinnacle importance.
“Elders do not defense abusers from a authorities. Anyone who commits a impiety of child abuse faces exclusion from a congregation. Any idea Jehovah’s Witnesses cover adult abuse is false.
“We are doing all we can to forestall child abuse and to yield devout comfort to any who have suffered from this terrible impiety and crime.”
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By TheWorldNewsOrg
via Hello guest! Please register or sign in (it's free) to view the hidden content. World News
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By Bible Speaks
"Let him call the older men of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him."—Jas. 5:14.
"And the prayer of faith will make the sick one well, and Jehovah will raise him up. Also, if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, openly confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. A righteous man’s supplication has a powerful effect." James 5:15,16
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By JAMMY
Are elder's wives privy to info that is transferred via the electronic site for elders, either by reading it themselves or being informed of it before, or even if, it is announced to the congregation?
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By Guest Level 9 Swordsman · Posted
Democrats are insane. 2020 is going to be a crazy year in clown world. They can't do this to Christian folks. And Christians who support something like this should be watched carefully. -
By James Thomas Rook Jr. · Posted
Next, there will be an electric space heater suppository. -
By James Thomas Rook Jr. · Posted
Here is the "Rosetta Stone" of American politics. Hillary Kills Weinstein Story.wmv -
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By TheWorldNewsOrg · Posted
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