Barbara Anderson has a pdf file on her watchtowerdocuments.com website, written by Marvin Shilmer, proving that despite Watchtower Society heads teaching that saying an oath of allegiance is an act of worship to "Satan the devil" instead of a declaration of loyalty to good government, its leadership has taken that very same oath of allegiance time and again. 

The file contains a passport photo of Nathan Knorr, who was a long-time Watchtower President, with a declaration of allegiance to the U.S. government and his signature affirming support for that oath.  It also gives reference to passports showing that the oath was taken by other former Watchtower Presidents such as Milton G. (George) Henschel, Joseph Franklin Rutherford and Charles Taze Russell.

While regular JWs were fired for not taking the oath that Watchtower heads said they must not take, those same Watchtower heads took the oath to be able to travel abroad.  While little JW children were being beaten and kicked out of schools, Watchtower heads took the oath in order to travel.   Please go to watchtowerdocuments.com then scroll to near the very bottom to find and click on the link to the file called

2008_Jehovahs_Witnesses_and_National_Oaths_of_Allegiance.pdf

Once in it scroll down a little to see Knorr’s own signed passport in which he looks like a caught, scared bunny rabbit.

http://watchtowerdocuments.com/downloads/2008_Jehovahs_Witnesses_and_National_Oaths_of_Allegiance.pdf

Comments about Shilmer's article exposing the hypocrisy are at:

http://jehovahs-witness.com/11/167061/2.ashx

At the end of the most recent sixscreensofthewatchtower.com telephone conference,  October 25, 2008, this site's writer-reporter Joe Emerson and phone conference host Rick Fearon discussed some recent events' impacts on the lives of themselves and their loved ones, raising concerns that paranoia among Watchtowerites may be at its peak.

Rick Fearon noted that while he and his wife Inez, who reside in Massachusetts, attended the recent Witnesses Now For Jesus convention in Pennsylavnia, phone records upon return home indicated that someone had accessed the teleconference's phone information who had no right to do so, the code number for doing so restricted to himself and just two or three other highly trusted persons.

Detecting that this had happened and having the recorded number from which the intrusion came, Rick called the man who at first denied that he was a Jehovah's Witness.  As said, the man's voice sounded, as Rick related, like that of a certain highly prominent Watchtower spokesperson.

Joe Emerson encouraged Rick to take the tangible evidence that he has to the authorities.  He also noted that he himself has been the target of sustained harassment from persons he believes mostly likely include pedophile criminals embedded among the more decent law-abiding Jehovah's Witnesses.   In fact two of Joe's own beloved adult children by an ex-wife are JWs.

On October 22, 2008, a woman's car broke down in the street by Joe's.  He and his wife rendered assistance.   In conversation the woman said she herself is a Bible student of JWs, but later from a neighbor Joe learned the woman is in fact a JW attending in a Wyandotte County, Kansas, kingdom hall showing that she wished to conceal the fact of the matter as per theocratic warfare strategy.

It is a fact that cars have parked in the vicinity of Joe's house, with persons stalking semi-covertly and sometimes pretty openly, remindful of how JW Elders and their blind followers sometimes do in regard to JWs they wish to spy upon as well as exJWs and dissidents.  Some noise harassment (universal electronic car key lock etc) has occurred.

A number of police reports have been filed by Joe who is very active with Silentlambs.org which exposes pedophiles among JWs, and the reports have had to be filed over several years due to various misdoings which he has good reasons to believe are from pedophile perpetrators and those unwittingly assisting them.

Rick Fearon has also noted that he plans an upcoming teleconference devoted to Satanic Ritual Abuse (SRA).  Joe says he would be more than happy to testify to FBI investigators, notes that Bill Bowen of Silentlambs.org has spoken with the FBI before.

Joe noted that given that these incidents are increasing and it is clear that they are interstate, maybe the FBI under a new administration will examine them more in earnest. 

Decent, honest JWs need not have any concerns, only those who are acting as criminals among JWs and harming JWs children, trying in vain to intimidate and cover up misdeeds such as pedophilia.

Since 1972 Watchtower has had the policy of telling Bodies Of Elders to not automatically delete as Elders (clergymen) those Elders who are pedophiles provided that the pedophilia they confess to occurred several years before and did not become known to other non-Elder JWs.

These numbers or statistics may or may not be for around the world, or just the United States.  Anyway what was mentioned are:

Possibly 10 out of 100 Jehovah's Witnesses are leaving, the internet being a major cause.  Of course, Watchtower is trying to go after “inactive” JWs, to bring them back into it. 

Some 1,400 JWs are leaving a day while 800 are entering for a daily loss of 600.  When 600 is multiplied by 365 days a year, that equals 219,000.  

Add to those that 1 out of 3 JWs (33%) is in what JW Elders are calling a "Conscious Class," that is JWs who don't officially leave but have in mind and attitude. 

They attend at least once in a while, may go out one or two hours a month, just enough to nominally be in the Watchtower organization and thus able to keep normal family ties.  That's the Conscious Class.

So there's a lot leaving!  Too, most leaving are in lands where there are many computers, such as in Europe, the U.S. and Japan, lands where those leaving are also taking away donations money from Watchtower's coffers.

All bad news for Watchtower............... great news, though, for good, caring JWs who want to be more Christ-like than Watchtower-like.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS CONGREGATIONS IMPLODING, DYING

The following link has an interesting tidbit about Watchtower’s Governing Body member Ted Jaracz nicknamed the “Boss:”  

http://jehovahs-witness.com/6/167090/1.ashx 

Also interesting is the description of how the congregations in Southern Illinois are collapsing, as are others around the U.S.  More and more it is clear “the Emperor wears no clothes!”

NotBlind comments:

Three congregations in Southern Illinois recently folded and were made into one due to lack of elders and attendees: Carbondale, Anna, and Murphysboro. All three KH's are currently for sale, with the intent of building one KH to handle the new cong.

If you're from that area, you may remember Melvin Branam, CO from the 80's & early 90's. Really long-winded, but seemed like a nice-enough guy. He served MO#5 (I think), IL#6, and IL#7. Whatever became of him?

Ted Jaracz is from Southern Illinois. The house where he grew up still stands. I've heard of a few JW's from the area stopping by to take pictures. Crazy if you ask me....

From lancelink: WOW, I heard yesterday that 50 (yes 50) young people have been disfellowshipped within the past month in my old circuit. Northern Illinois, I don't remember the number perhaps 11-A or B ??  Round lake, Palatine, Crystal lake,Cary,Barrington area. 50 kids within 30 days,, I verified this with two different people from 2 different congregations.  I just cannot wrap my mind around this thought, what is going on in the world of JW's that would cause so many to be DF'ed so soon?

Read more by clicking this link http://jehovahs-witness.com/6/167057/1.ashx

Original in French: http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/depeches/societe/20080110.FAP9581/un_temoin_de_jehovah_mis_en_examen_pour_viol_sur_mineur.html

Comments:
http://jehovahs-witness.com/8/166988/1.ashx
 

Read about this part of France:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Di%C3%A9-des-Vosges

Some more photos

http://flickr.com/search/?q=Saint+Die+des+Vosges

Even more comments can be read at: http://jehovahs-witness.com/8/166937/1.ashx

lovelylil: On the thread about the pdf for the 2003 listening to the great teacher book, I posted about the arguement my hubby and I had over this book when it first came out. I threw out the 2 copies my kids had and then regretted it because I think this book is very telling about the WT organization and the issue of pedophiles and child molestation. I wanted to address what happened here too for discussion. 

I am not good at copying over texts so perhaps someone else can post here pages 59-60 in this book where sexual content is explained in vivid detail using the terms penis and vulva. Now mind you, this book when it came out was announced to be for the under 10 year old crowd. My kids were 7 and 9 at the time.

Starting at the end of page 59 to 60, I will paraphrase, it tells kids that having sex relations is wrong for them because they should be married first, it gives them the names for male and female sex organs penis and vulva and tells them not to let any boy or girl touch their organ. That basically the demons will want them to be touched but this is wrong.

I found out about this books content when my 7 and 9 year old kids came and asked me whats a vulva? At first I was thinking volvo and said a car. Then my daughter 9 said no it says here it is a female sex organ. I ripped the book from her hands and stood dumbfounded at what I saw!

Just to give some background. Right before this convention, we were in the Hingham MA congregation and just found out our little boy was using the bathroom unsupervised (he was 7) and the elders were not letting it known that a recent transplant to our hall had in the past been convicted (3 times I believe) for child rape and sodomy of young boys! I found out because a brave sister came and told me to please not allow him alone with this man and why. I then spoke with other parents of young children in the hall and collectively we went to the elders in charge of our assigned book studies.

Of course we got no opology and instead was grilled as to how we found out about this man. Then we were threatened that we could be DF'd for slander if we spread it around. One elder brother Dar***, said we do not know if this man has raped any kids recently so we could not judge him. Hmmm, let me see. I can't judge a man who raped and sodomized young boys and spent many years in prison??? How is that slander when it is true and a matter of public record? Of course we know why they hide these predators, they want to look good to the public.

Because of this incident, we started looking around for another kh to attend.

At that convention, this book comes out.

A few weeks later we are in a new kh nearby and my kids began reading the book on their own. Then one night, they bring it to my attention. Upon reading this, I truly began to realize the problem must be widespread through out the organization, and not isolated instances like we were always told. Here was proof the WT was trying to warn parents to discuss these things more with their children without coming out and saying "yes, there is a big problem in the org". Now I not only lost trust for the elders in Higham but trust for the society in general because I now knew they would not try to protect my kids if it meant revealing information embarrasing to them. They were concerned with themselves only, not us as individuals or families.

Also I was already having doubts about the organization being Godly and this just gave me more doubts about whether or not this group is actually a Christian group. I could not imagine any of the churches I grew up in my childhood printing information like this in a book that is supposed to be about Jesus teaching young children about the bible. OF course the WT will rationalize why its ok to use graphic language, I just found it so inapropriate.

My husband and I got into a huge fight and I threw the book out but not before I remembered that I gave out 2 in service to people with young kids, one was only 4 years old. I also gave one to my study who had a young boy. I screamed out what does this have to do with Jesus? My hubby tried to justify that this is a loving provision from Jehovah because the world is filled with pedophiles. I reminded him this book was primarily for kids in the organization so that cannot be the case. He still didn't get what the fuss was and I swear I got so mad I almost punched him in the face! You see, I was molested when I was a child and went thru great measures to protect my kids. I never allowed them to sleep over anyone home or be watched by people I did not completely know and trust. But the realization that in the kh where I am supposed to be surrounded by Godly people, my son could have been molested right under my nose, was just too much for me.

I told my hubby that niether Jehovah nor Jesus would hide the fact that someone was an evil molestor and would in fact warn others not to associate with such a person. And to me this was proof the elders were not appointed by God. My whole trust system began to really shake at this point.

Anyway, what do others think about this? How did you react when you saw these things in print?

BTW: I always did talk to my kids about their private parts and not letting anyone but their parents or the doctor see them so it was not even the fact that this topic itself upset me. It was more that it was addressed in a supposed Bible story book for kids under 10 and that none of the parents were forwarned about its contexts. Also the realization as to why it was in there that upset me.

I'm curious as to how others reacted when they saw this? Lilly

snowbird: At the time of this release, I was trying to hang on, hoping against hope that the pedophile issue wasn't true.

When the book went into graphic detail about certain parts of the anatomy, I knew that it was a feeble, desperate attempt to cover their bummies.

That was when I shook the dust off my feet against the WTS.

Sylvia

lovelylil: dawg,

you are right, they are sick. One of the elders had a young son and since he was privy to knowlege about this child rapist, his son was protected since he walked him to and from the bathroom and in fact stayed with him in there.

My son was 7 and wanted to be a big boy and go alone into the bathroom. Something we would not have allowed if we knew he could be in danger.

Another thing, elder Dar***''s father was also an elder and involved in the same type of situation a few decades earlier in a Bridgewater MA congregation. Because that congregation, particularly that elder hid a molestor too, our old friend Danny Haszard was assaulted by that man! And absolutely nothing was done there either.

The WT talks about demons, they are the biggest one of them all. Lilly

kurtbethel: This is no surprise. Those religious groups that have problems with sexual use of children and rampant promiscuity operate by sexualizing a child at a young age. One of the methods of grooming a child for molestation is to get them to be sexually aware at a level not appropriate for their age. This book, the YPA and study about oral sex indicate that the WT is systematic about grooming children to be sexual. The inner circle of the religion can claim they teach against these sexual practices, while at the same time there is use of the children they groomed sexually for ritualistic purposes. Then they can guilt those children and the parents into keeping quiet. It appears that the molestation problem is systemic and by design.


scarred for life: Yes, this is a very sick organization and it has been for a very long time.  It's like EVERYTHING is about sex.  And it's all talked about right in front of children.  It's so disrespectful of children and SO WRONG. 

I think they're trying to put the responsibliely of sexual abuse on to the children now.  The children should KNOW that they shouldn't let anyone touch their genitals because IT"S IN THE LITERATURE!

Sexual abuse begins in the Kingdom Hall and continues at the assemblies and is reinforced by the WT and AWAKE!

Stalking from Watchtower-appointed Elders is definitely nothing new, but reports of it are more common than ever.  On the JWD forum a question asked on October 21, 2008, there was who all had been the victim of a stakeout by Elders or who while an Elder had done one or more of the stakeouts.  Below are just a few of the comments on JWD about it, specifically located at:

http://jehovahs-witness.com/6/166895/1.ashx 

Those congregations with Elders who are pedophiles are likely the worst about such activities, and it will be good when some get caught conducting their peeping-Tommery or voyeurism activities, such things also being wicked crimes.

Finally free wrote: Just after I left my ex my neighbours asked me about unknown vehicles that were coming often and parking near my home with the occupants just sitting there for hours on end. I called a JW and said a police report had been filed, complete with the makes, models, and license numbers of the vehicles, dates and times, and descriptions of occupants. The stakeouts stopped.  W

Blondie: I know of one case where the elders actually took pictures through the window of the ex-wife of one of the elders with her boyfriend in bed........   Of course all this is assuming that sexual activity only takes place at night; what happens if someone of the opposite sex stays during the day... ps, I loved that about telling them that the police were "staking" them out.  Also, it is amazing that elders who have no time to make shepherding calls can find the time to do this.

Octarine Prince: I have helped a few friends get their proof. Even my worldly cousin asked for a little amateur PI work. Fun stuff.   In all three cases, the women were very guilty, and it was just a formality. I don't think it would have been fun if there was some doubt.

What happened: I knew of an elder body that had the MS's driving by a sisters house to see if her df'd daughter was there. Of course this was the same sister that needed help from time to time and the elders could never lift a finger for her.  I was never a victim of an elder stakeout but in one previous congregation I attended the elders would follow up on any accusation regardless of proof or witnesses. One elder approached me because I had confessed to a non JW who told a JW who told his elder who told the elder who was calling me. Can we say no witnesses and hearsay?

Gregor: I once went to a big party out in the valley (Los Angeles area). I was sixteen ('61) Rock and Roll was the rage, Fats, Chuck Berry, Elvis, dancing "The Twist" the "Watusi" the "Monkey" etc. During the party a buddy told me that there were several older brothers outside the house and grounds watching from the dark. We went outside around the house and sure enough there were guys in the bushes looking in every window. Even though I had done nothing wrong (except getting a little wood while slow dancing with a chubby little redheaded sister) I felt really bad, like I had been at a sex orgy or something.  As an elder we once investigated and ultimately disfellowshipped a nice widowed sister because a nosy JW neighbor reported a man leaving her house very early in the morning.  What a nasty business!

yknot: Not me personally......at least to my knowledge.  But there have been several stalkings (mostly teenagers) in my KH where the Tweedle Elder-Dee and Elder-Dum got caught and confronted. It caused a great loss of respect and lowered morale to the point where most wondered what was the point of being good when it had already been decided that they were bad...... if you are gonna lose privileges, be labeled, and grounded.....better make it damn worth it!  This is when the youth started attending worldly parties out on private ranchlands, instead of being stalked at Sonic or DQ and condemned for associating with worldly (read-a worldly kid stopped by the JW table/ cars and chatted)

carla: I have heard these stories before on the boards and I hope you all continue to post your stories to validate the insanity of the wt. I also remember a story of a married man who moved in with another woman but the wife could not divorce because there was no 'proof' he was living in sin or having sex with the woman. (what did they need? used condoms with dna testing?) If memory serves, he was never df'd for this. Maybe he was a favorite of the elders or related?  These stories just make me sick, literally turns my stomach. The average jw will never believe these stories. Mine doesn't.

The Book Studies are not be totally eliminated but shifted from mostly located in homes to being totally located inside the kingdom halls.  Some comments as to the real reasons why Watchtower is doing so follow:

By Eyeslice:  More centralization. 1/2hr public talks, all question and answer parts totally scripted. At least the book study gave the opportunity for a much less formal appraoch, to involve the kids and those on the shy side. The meetings have become increasingly regimented over recent years - this is a step too far in my opinion.  It will polarize the hard-liners and the 'spiritually weak'. The 'spiritually weak' will see it as another night off. The 'hard-liners' will relish the new arrangement.  The elders will be asked to monitor even more carefully those families not reporting a family study and will be targeted for special shepherding.

By Billy The Ex-Bethelite: I think Watch Tower Corporation would like to reduce the number of Kingdumb Halls and local congregation expenses with the hope that the sheeples will send more money for the World Wide Work. I doubt it will work that way.  While I agree with many of the comments about missing the social aspects of the Book Study and other "get-togethers" that used to be enjoyed, lately the "friends" don't get along that well anyway. Many won't go to their assigned group because they have "issues" with someone, usually the conductor. Perhaps with fewer meetings, there will be less fighting.  As we know, the door-to-door work is worthless with fewer numbskulls being tricked into joining. Much of the growth is internal with concentrated effort to keep the kids "in". While the Family Worship Night nonsense would supposedly try to keep the kids blinded into obedience, it would also provide an extra free night for Mom & Dad to get some alone time to, er, produce more baby sheeples... Another crazy idea brought to you by...

Bonnie_Clyde: The congregation that Clyde used to attend was told by the regional building committee (about 3 years ago) that they needed to sell their hall and build a new one.  They already had a beautiful, well-built well-landscaped hall, and a lot of people were perplexed.  But, obediently they sold the hall, sent the funds to the Society and began a search for property to build the new hall.  They found some property, but to this date there is no new Kingdom Hall.  For three years they have had to travel to the next town, about 8 miles away for their meetings.  I would say that the Society benefited quite nicely from this arrangement.  And they can continue to benefit if more congregations start bunching up, forcing them to sell and donate the funds.

These comments and more are at jehovahs-witness.com

Kashmir Billon was shot dead in a park at San Ramon, California, near San Francisco.  Reginald Robinson, who was in business with Billon is charged with the murder.  It is alleged that two days before the murder, Robinson had offered lifelong friend Richard Rogers $50,000 to kill still another man.  Robinson and Rogers knew each other because both their families are Jehovah's Witnesses in the same Kingdom Hall.  Read the following for more details.  It is not mentioned if either were JWs at the time of Billon's being murdered.  If you are in California and know, please post about it as the links below also permit.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10722160
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime/ci_10721072

Before Rick spoke, during the evening of Sunday, October 12, 2008, Connie Malacusky gave a presentation at Witnesses Now For Jesus convention telling her story or experiences some, talking about there being different church choices and beliefs.  Later her daughter Julie who is doing missionary work to help orphans in Mozambique also gave a presentation.  Plus, Julie invites you to visit their mission’s website at http://www.thedream-project.org/uc/

Rick Fearon then spoke.  He noted the bad press Watchtower is getting despite its wish to give a Leave To Beaver everything’s okay appearance.  For example, so many young JWs are saying they have had enough of the cult.  The internet is really exposing the Watchtower.  Elders are aware there is a “Conscious Class,” that is JWs who now know from the internet what’s going on but who do not feel free to openly leave due to loss of normal ties with JW family and friends. 

Watchtower is “compressing” kingdom halls as they call it, that is selling halls then moving and compacting the JWs who had been in the “compressed” halls into other halls.  Many Elders are quitting.  Watchtower is selling off its Brooklyn properties to move its Governing Body members up to Patterson and Wallkill in upstate New York.  More Circuit Overseers are becoming disgruntled as they gave their lives up for Watchtower and then at old age are getting the boot.  Enthusiasm has waned, there is less excitement and enjoyment.  From publications and insiders we know it is taking them 10,000 hours to make a new convert. 

Just as Enron, Lehman Brothers etc have gone out of business, Watchtower can also collapse.  In fact about 1,400 JWs are leaving a day now, some 1 million in the past two years.  Some 800 are being baptized a day while 1,400 leave, meaning a loss daily of 600.  This is worsening.   Rick noted there are some active JWs even attending his house-church.  A Watchtower article is on how to try to get some who are now inactive JWs to return.  A Pew Report says two-thirds of people raised JWs are no longer JWs.

Watchtower is trying to explain away its lack of growth seen by emptier parking spaces etc with what it calls “invisible growth”!   In the July 15, 2008 issue, p 19, it gives an illustration of leaven in which it notes “growth is not always visible.”  It gives the idea that while not growing visibly they can be and still are growing invisibly, seeding for its future growth. 

Rick noted that there could potentially be more watching him and other presenters via internet TV than physically there in the room. (He was right, of course).  He reported that the organization is becoming more and more of a cult.  The September 1, 2008 Watchtower speaks against higher education, saying it is a rejection of Jehovah, lumping it with immorality. 

Gerritt Loesch of Watchtower’s Governing Body speaks nine languages and at an Italian language convention also spoke against higher education and since then his anti-higher education talk has been on youtube.com from which it was quickly passed around via JWs so that Elders have been telling JWs to stop passing it around. 

Rick noted that youtube.com has doing a lot to effectively inform active JWs of what’s really going on.   As said, earlier he had also noted the power of internet-broadcast television, and no doubt there will be more of that coming too.

A phone interview was just conducted with Bill Bowen who at about 1:40 PM today, October 7, 2008, was contacted enroute back home on a lay-over of about 3 hours at an airport in New Jersey.

He says Watchtowerites in France called him Le Bete Noir which can be translated as the Boogey Man as they are so furious over his exposing the fact that they shield pedophiles.  The efforts of France-based friends helping Silentlambs will be reverberating for years to come.

Poignantly, he laid flowers and a symbolic lamb upon the grave of Joelle Daouas, a young Jehovah's Witness who committed suicide one month after filing a police report about being raped by one of the "brothers" among JWs whom the Watchtower doesn't want unsuspecting JWs to know about.  There will definitely be photos going up on Silentlambs.org of this.

In fact some 1,000 photos were taken by Bill while he was in France, and he will be releasing at least some of those on the website at http://www.silentlambs.org where you can see them when they become available.

He was asked about a French newspaper's saying one-third of JW kids are at risk of being molested by pedophiles in JWs or even have been molested, and he noted he himself did not say that. 

It appears that this may have been what some other person such as the French news writer interpreted from data or information to mean.

Outstandingly, too, there will be two documentaries on the sexual coverup crisis.  One will be in and focused upon France.  The other will be a Belgium production.

He described the efforts of Silentlambs, other helpful groups and the government in France as a definite success.

Since 1972 Watchtower has told its Bodies Of Elders they need not delete fellow Elders who confess to pedophilia provided  several years (2-3) have passed and the pedophile Elders appear to still have "Jehovah's blessing," which means if the non-Elder JWs are not aware. 

So, certainly not all JW Elders are pedophiles, but those who are have been accumulating since 1972, igniting the crisis that is worldwide.  Such pedophiles are nearly 100% likely to reoffend and they also most often have numerous victims.

Trying to get this out fast to you, below is what is mostly a quick translation but also a little summarizing.  The link to the original French is the following:

http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2008/10/02/les-temoins-de-jehovah-dans-la-rue-pour-se-defendre-d-accusations-de-pedophilie_1102490_3224.html

Contrary to what the reporter writes Jehovah's Witnesses in France have protested before although then it was over their wanting the Watchtower Society to not have to pay taxes and fines to the French government.


LeMonde, Oct 2, 2008

For Jehovah’s Witnesses, the matter is clear.  Combat must continue against their detractors.  In a manner novel to France, several hundred devoted members of the Christian movement protested Wednesday, October 1, in front of the prefecture government at Epinal to express their "indignation about malevolent remarks and charges of pédophilia" dredged up by their opponents, according to Guy Canonici, president of the Christian Federation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in France.

At the head of this “point of contention" are difficulties encountered in regard to the construction of a place of regional worship in the small town of Deyvillers, close to Epinal and attacks from anti-cult associations as relayed by an American former Jehovah’s Witness, William Bowen, who has been in tour of France since October 3.

Silentlambs founder Bill Bowen has presented information showing that “a third of the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been or are at risk of being sexually abused.”  (COMMENT: Bill says he did not say this statistic of "a third" so it may be some person such as the reporter interpreted some data - rightly or wrongly - to show such a figure) His assertions were presented in Paris along with those of other parties in the anti-cult fight, and in particular those of the new president of the interdepartmental mission for vigilance and combatting sectarian movements (Mivilludes), Georges Fenech, who chaired a parliamentary commission of inquiry in 2006 has affirmed that “45,000 Jehovah’s Witness children” are caught up in a “cult situation.”

Associations like ADFI (Association for the Defence of Families and Individual Victims) also affirm that Jehovah’s Witnesses are “protective” of sexual abuse culprits and have paid off victims to buy their silence.  “For years our religious affairs office has given instructions requiring that known sexual abuses be reported,” counters Mr. Canonici.

The article notes that construction of a regional Assembly Hall for some 20,000 devoted Jehovah’s Witnesses has been blocked at Deyviller (population 1,500) since 2004 by a local association there.  Hubert Sylveste of the association accompanied Bill Bowens in Deyvillers at the time of a conference held there before a hundred people.  Stéphanie Bars reporting.

WATCHTOWERITES TRY BUT CAN'T STOP SILENTLAMBS IN EUROPE!!!!!!!!!

MORE JUST IN ABOUT SILENTLAMBS IN FRANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!

The French newspaper LeMonde has picked up on, repeated and added some to the previous news account about Bill Bowen of Silentlambs in France.  It adds that Bill was a JW some 43 years, excommunicated for denouncing Watchtower’s hypocrisy about victims of abuse, there being some 23,000.

‘Since the first day, persons in charge of the organization have denied the fact that there are victims (of sexual abuses). They know the problem but refuse to treat it. They continue to hide it. They are wicked people.’ Affirmed Mr. Bowen, president of the "Silentlambs" association.

LeMonde notes that Bill Bowen has received over 7,000 testimonies from victims around the world.  When Catholic kids are molested it gets reported to the police but Watchtower has had JW parents report it to JW Elders, which results in a coverup.  The city hall government of Deyvillers is blocking the building of 43 hectares assembly hall.

In 2007 JWs called for the dissolution of the opposing Aded organization, accusing it of orchestrating " a systematic smear campaign" by carrying out "actions of discriminatory nature to prevent construction a building of worship." The magistrates' court at Epinal turned them down May 2007.

http://www.lemonde.fr/web/depeches/0,14-0,39-37167027@7-40,0.html

FADERS CAUSING WATCHTOWER MONEY PROBLEMS:

TJ notes that Watchtower has three articles coming up in November 2008 and January 2009 to pressure faders (See http://jehovahs-witness.com/10/166100/1.ashx) to come back to them, which analitically means so many people quitting them is hurting their pocket books even more since they don't really show a personal concern from their Brooklyn ivory tower complex:

11/15/08 Watchtower (Study Edition)

For week of 1/5-11/09 (Watchtower Study) - Help those who stray from the flock
Theme Scripture:  (Luke 15:6) . . .‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’

For week of 1/12-18/09 - Help them return without delay!
Theme Scripture: (John 6:68) . . .Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life.

In an attempt to defend itself over its child abuse crisis and Jehovah's Witnesses still bleeding to death, the watchtower.org website for today and subject to their changing things, has up the articles "Keep Your Children Safe" as well as "Transfusion-Alternative Strategies--Simple, Safe, Effective."  Logically they have figured out that they have major image and reality problems in both areas, which they certainly do.  

It is highly informative to read what Randy Watters has up about Gene Smalley and transfusions, since, as Randy indicates, Gene Smalley is the biggest upholder of Watchtower's anti-emergency blood transfusions policy.  When Randy called the Brooklyn number he says the conversation went:

WT: Good afternoon, Jehovah's Witnesses.
Randy: Yes, I'd like to know if you could connect me with Gene Smalley's desk?
WT: Thank you, one moment please.
Smalley: Hello?
Randy: Hi, is this Gene?
Smalley: It is.
Randy: Hi Gene, my name is Randy Watters, and I'd like to know, is it true that you've had a lot of influence in the
Watchtower's blood doctrine?
Smalley: (slight pause) And, why are you asking?
Randy: Well, I've had some neighbors that are having a struggle with the blood issue, and they don't seem to be able to
figure out if they can take certain fractions of blood or not, and someone indicated that you'd be helpful in that
area. I'd like to know what publications in particular spell out the details on what fractions are allowed and
what aren't?
Smalley: And, did you serve here at Bethel at one time?
Randy: Uh, yes.
Smalley: Well then I think you know what publications.
Randy: Well I haven't been reading the magazines lately so I'd be interested in knowing.
Smalley: The congregation can be of help. Bye now.
http://www.freeminds.org/doctrine/gene_smalley.htm

So we see that Gene Smalley ducks answering about the blood issue just as Ted Jaracz ducks answering about pedophilia allegations.  Some more of what Randy's article says notes Smalley as "by and large" the author of what Watchtower says against  blood transfusions, backed a lot because he's been at "Bethel nearly forty years or more." 

However, Randy feels that even after Smalley dies it will take a huge lawsuit win against Watchtower for them to dump the deadly anti-emergency blood transfusion stand of the Governing Body since new Governing Body members are even more staunch about being against blood than for example Jaracz of the Service Department nicknamed "The Boss" at Bethel.

It's also true that even without any big win in the courts, Watchtower is already clearly bleeding money due to internet-educated Jehovahs Witnesses rightly upset over the blood and pedophilia crises.  As Raymond Franz has rightly pointed out the number one thing about an organization like Watchtower is its need for "survival"  which means to survive, Watchtower will at some point have to change....... or die. 

The more we get word around to JWs in the congregations about the policies upheld by Smalley, Jaracz and others, the less money Watchtower will get in donations.   Strangled for cash, perhaps Watchtower will someday say something like "continue to abstain from blood.  That's not changing.  If you do have doctors give your dying daughter or son a blood transfusion, in view of 1 Samuel 14:32-35 showing God forgave Saul's men after they ate unbled meat to stay alive, we don't condone any child or adult using emergency blood transfusions but are content to wait on Jehovah who will judge you Himself, not us in Brooklyn or your local Elders." 

That might happen someday, maybe quite some time ahead.  Given Watchtower's past history and given that the majority on the Governing Body think their anti-reform policies are great, for now, though, it would at this time seem that as matters now stand one could more likely, better speculate that Watchtower will not be making any such significant doctrinal reforms. 

Equally true, one could reasonably speculate that Watchtower will continue to grow mostly in Brazil and Africa while dying off in the other nations where more people have more money as well as the internet to see what's going on inside the Watchtower.   In that case there would be still more frantic calls from Brooklyn (even begging) for donations of money and for those leaving to come back.

In time though Brazil and Africa will also have more use of the internet, and the impoding that goes on in the West will occur there as well.  Jehovah's Witnesses everywhere see right through what they have been mistaught.

Epinal, October 1 2008 (AFB) - 600 to 1,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Vosges (Vaw-zhay) protest accusations of pedophilia

http://www.la-croix.com/afp.static/pages/081001170037.3yeeo1q0.htm

Some 600 Jehovah’s Witnesses, according to the police force, a thousand according to  organizers, protested Wednesday afternoon before the Vosges (French state or province) prefecture (government offices) at Epinal against charges of pedophilia that have been brought against them. The participants denounced the "serious charges of disinformation for harming Jehovah’s Witnesses and preventing construction of a house of worship at Deyvillers (Vosges)," explained Guy Canonici, president of the Christian federation of Jehovah’s Witnesses upon leaving a meeting at the prefecture at 18:00 hours.

"It is the drop of water which makes the vase overflow.  We’ve heard criticisms for many years. But this, this is too much!" Said Mr. Canonici who was indignant. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are caught up in many difficulties with Deyvillers, a village of 1,400 close to Epinal where they bought ground to build a "Kingdom Hall" of 1,500 seating units with a parking lot of 500 units. A Defense Association of The Environment of Deyvillers (Aded), has brought together 400 members, fighting since 2004 to prevent the construction of this place of worship, the building permit of which is currently blocked by the town hall of the commune.  

L' Aded on Wednesday evening invited in Bill Bowen, a former official in this religious movement in the United States who became president of the association "Silent Lambs" which denounces the silence imposed on victims of sexual abuses within Jehovah’s Witnesses. Mr. Bowen was received yesterday, among others, by Georges Fenech, the president of Miviludes (the interdepartmental mission of vigilance and fighting against cults), as has been learned in connection with this assignment.

The following JWs news item was kindly and freely translated principally by Jonathan Lavoie of Quebec from the French language into English and the original in French is located at http://www.la-croix.com/afp.static/pages/080925143848.epehr10z.htm 

The article says the convicted man was the only family member not a JW but does not make clear if he was or was not "a Jehovah's Witness in good-standing" at the time of committing the crimes.  So this may be still another "Silentlambs" situation.

You are encouraged to post a copy on JWD or other forums and mail/email it:

BESANÇON, September 25, 2008 (AFP) Doubs tribunal: A father sentenced for raping his daughters.

Besaçon’s tribunal on Wednesday condemned a father to 10 years in jail for raping his 2 daughters, aged 14 and 16 during the time of the molestations within a Jehovah’s Witness family.

In 2004, the women revealed the molestations to the husband of the oldest one who then convened the father to a "familly tribunal"composed of himself, the 2 women, the mother and a friend.  The accused, who is the only one in the tribunal who was not a Jehovah Witness, admitted to the rapes and said he was himself a victim of the monstrosity.

Supported by his wife in front of Besançon’s tribunal, the precision engineer aged 48 today pled guilty to sexual fondling, but objectd to the rapes, explaining that his preceding confession was due to "family pressure."

His lawyer, attorney Jérome Pichoff, objected to the rapes on behalf of his client based upon gynecological exam attesting to the girls’ virginity.

Upon the girls’ revealation of the matter, four year previously when they had filed a complaint, he asked his wife to bring the girls in for a gynecological exam, explained the attorney.

"He would have been stupid to have proposed that if he really did it, but he is not stupid" criticized attorney Pichoff.

Between uncontrolled sobbing and the sickened mother torn apart by SAMU, the Service Aiding Medical Urgencies or emergency medical help services,  attorney Céline Party waxed upon "the sleeping and eating disorder" of her clients, today aged 25 and 21, and "their incapacity to enjoy the normal lives of women."

The afore-said prosecuting attorney underscored the victims’ credibility and pointed out that the gynecological exam was "subject to some limitations," their reliability having been dealt with by an expert during the trial.

The tribunal granted her recommendation of 10 years behind bars.

U.K. MURDER CASE:

A previous report had added "Adam Hustler and his wife Amanda were allegedly gunned down by their daughter’s jilted lover who is believed to have been forced to end the relationship because of their strict religious views.”

In from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/jehovahs-witness-shot-dead-at-home-937710.html

Jehovah's Witness shot dead at home.  A businessman died and his wife was critically injured after a double shooting at their Cornwall home.

Adam Hustler, 41, from Porth Kea, near Truro, died of his injuries following the attack on Saturday. His wife, Amanda, was badly injured.  A 23-year-old man, believed to be the former boyfriend of the couple's daughter, was arrested at a house in Penzance yesterday in connection with the shooting.  He is being treated in hospital for self-inflicted facial injuries which police said were not connected to his arrest. It was unclear whether his injuries were firearm-related.

Police went to the house on Saturday following a 999 call. Mr Hustler and his wife were taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, Truro, where Mr Hustler died of his injuries.  Mrs Hustler, 40, was later transferred to Derriford hospital in Plymouth. She was believed to have been shot twice and was said to be in a critical condition.  The couple's daughter, Danielle, was believed to be in the house at the time of the incident, and is helping police. Officers said they had also found the gun believed to have been used in the shooting, a .22 hunting rifle.

Mr Hustler was the managing director of a drain-clearing company in Truro, Clear-Flow Ltd.   Mr Hustler was described by a representative of the Jehovah's Witnesses, to which the couple belonged, as a "generous" man.

Tim Mears, of the Jehovah's Witnesses, said: "Adam Hustler was a loving husband and father. He was a generous and caring person who thought the world of his wife and daughters."

This is from a posting by "Truthseeker" at http://jehovahs-witness.com/6/165608/1.ashx  Watchtower top heads do not note that Luke the beloved physician, Joseph, Moses etc were well-educated.  They are destroying lives; the happy part though is that more people will see through them and leave.


2008 - 2009 "Keep Conquering the Evil With the Good" Circuit Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses

SATURDAY      
                                                    
Morning          
                                                                                                                                                                     
9:40    Music                                                                          
9:50    Song No. 3 and Prayer                                                  
10:00    Fortified to Conquer the Evil With the Good                                            
10:15    Theocratic Ministry School                                                        
11:00    Song No. 123 and Announcements                                            
11:10    Can you "Be at this Ministry" - By Pioneering?             
11:35    Dedication and Baptism                                                
12:05    Song No. 13                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                      
Afternoon      
                                              
1:20    Music                                                                          
1:30    Song No. 98
1:35    Experiences                                                                 
1:45    Symposium:  "Stand Firm Against the Devil's Crafty Acts"                                                
        * Have You Identified Satan's Crafty Acts?
        *  In the Field of Technology                                                                                        
        *  In the Field of Entertainment and Recreation                                     
        *  In the Field of Education              
2:45    Song No. 19 and Announcements                                  
2:55    Now Is the Season to Stay Awake!                                                         
3:25    Beware of Overconfidence!         
3:55     Song No. 10 and Prayer
 

SUNDAY                                                                          
 
Morning

9:40    Music
9:50    Song No. 92 and Prayer
10:00   Daily Text Reminders Help Us Conquer Evil
10:10   Symposium:  Acquire Power to Resist in This Wicked Day
           *  How We Acquire Such Power
           *  Acquire Power as Individuals
           *  Acquire Power as Families
           *  Acquire Power in the Congregation
11:00    Song No. 152 and Announcements
11:10    Watchtower Summary
11:40    Giving Attention to the Needs of the Circuit                                             
12:05    Song No. 129
 
Afternoon  
                                                                 
1:20    Music
1:30    Song No. 187 and Prayer
1:45    Public Address: All Evil Soon to End!
2:10    Song No. 209 and Announcements
2:20    Do Not Show Yourself Discouraged in the Day of Distress
2:55    Strengthening Our Faith to Conquer the World
3:30    Song No. 34 and Prayer

First, K--------- has asked that I give you this link which is for the Dr. Phil show on TV.  (Good idea, K)

You can tell the show if you want to be on it or just comment.  Dr. Phil is wanting to hear from those who were victims of religious cult brainwashing or had themselves or family members to be devout followers of  "so-called" religious leaders only to suffer mental and physical torture in the end.  Clink here to read more and possibly participate:   http://www.drphil.com/plugger/respond/?plugID=12525

HOW TO SEE SATELLITE PHOTOS OF WATCHTOWER BUILDINGS

I just got off the phone from talking with an exJW friend in eastern Kansas who somehow had only now heard of the recent instance in which JW Elder Ed Phillips is said to have firebombed the Bates City, Missouri, kingdom hall then shot himself to death in its restroom.  He said what little he heard had come from an exJWs newletter doubtlessly similar to what you are reading here if not the same.  The Bates City, Missouri, kingdom hall has in the intervening short time been speedily rebuilt, although some apparent disinformation and efforts to silence the story have been made. 

However, I was at an apostafest barbecue get-together in Kansas City, Missouri, just this past weekend and there met another exJW who personally knows a relative of Ed Phillips.  He just said that Ed had been depressed, and didn't know what triggered the bombing and suicide for sure.  One bit of hearsay was that about a month beforehand the other elders may have discussed deleting Ed as an elder. 

Of course, it would be "stretching" or speculating as to the triggering cause in this situation, anymore so than in the equally hushed up case in mid-December 2006 where there was a shooting at JWs outside by the Columbia, Missouri, kingdom hall (see at end of this newsletter), but it is known that some very caring elders are having to wrestle a lot with their consciences, being told by Watchtower to shelter so-called "repentant" child molesters and others "of like ilk" (and Watchtower's image) over the protecting of the kids and non-elder adults. 

They are told to "shut up" about anything like shielding pedophilia (often committed by their peer elders) that can damage the shiny image of Mother organization, the other elders sometimes ganging up and pressuring resignation or else notifying Watchtower who can send in a hatchet Circuit Overseer (or use a metro-based "City Overseer" to get it done one way or another.

Anyway, all speculations aside, two helpful JWD inks about the  bombing-suicide news follow.  They also bring up that Kansas City papers have given some information but at least one of those, has really seemed to have tried to cover over matters for whatever reason.   Still, things have come out, including Ed's name, and that he was an active Elder according to my Apostafest source whom I have no reason at all to doubt. 

Unclear, though doubtlessly clear to ATF investigators is whether Ed would have simply spread accelerants or, as one person has said, fashioned them into a bomb.  Perhaps both things was done, for example, the hall doused with gas, but also rags tied together and soaked in gas or kerosene, from which a string would have led off doused with accelerant.  If so, the lead-off string may have been lit first, giving the bomber enough time to step in the restroom and shoot himself, although he may also have lit the lead-string in the restroom and shot himself there. 

So much is guesswork, and more facts needed, that hopefully will eventually, though, come from official reports by the authorities.   Our heart-felt condolences go to the Ed Phillips family.  Pressures on Elders and others in the congregations continue to amount.  http://jehovahs-witness.com/6/163037/6.ashx 

http://jehovahs-witness.com/6/163271/1.ashx 

JW DOUBLE (BLOOD ISSUE) DEATH SHOCKS GERMANY!

German Ex-JWs and Friends are closely watching what happens regarding double-death due to the Watchtower Society being anti-blood transfusions there as we learn from an article sent to me recently from Karin.  The city is Giessen (Ghee-suhn); the clinic is in a community called Lich.

http://www.fr-online.de/frankfurt_und_hessen/nachrichten/hessen/?em_cnt=1588683

Jehovah's Witness Woman Dies In Clinic

The Mother of the 29 year old filed charges in the middle of July. The woman, who was said to have been in the fourth month of pregnancy, at the beginning of July refused the needed transfusion based on religious grounds at a clinic in Middle Hessian Lich (a community) and she died a little later."

I'll try to give you more information about this gruesome tragedy later.   Her refusal of blood also caused the death of her unborn baby.

As seen below, Lostsheep82 emailed an inquiry to the UN which emailed back that the WT did not have to be an NGO to get a library card, thus showing Watchtower lies about why it was a Non-Governmental Organization that requested and was given official recognition as a UN afilliated NGO for ten years, applying for renewal each year.  Once caught, Watchtower withdrew, lying that it had just been an NGO with the UN in order to get a library card for research.  Though no longer itself a UN NGO, Watchtower sneakily has Paul Gillies in the U.K. as well as the European Christian Congregation of JWs as UN affiliates. 

Here's what was sent back to Lostsheep82 from the UN:

Greetings from the UN Reference Team..

In response to your query, we refer you to:
http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/pdfs/watchtower.pdf

Also the procedure, prior to 11 September 2001, for a library pass was the following: the interested party filled out an application form and supplied a letter of recommendation in support of the research. If the required material was not available in a UN depository library (the list of depository libraries is posted at: http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/deplib/countries/), the application was approved and forwarded to UN Security. UN Security then checked the application and, if approval was granted, instructed the Pass Office to issue a library pass for the applicant.

The issuance of a library pass was independent of NGO status or any other status. There was no change in the library pass policy until 2001.  As a consequence of the September 11 attacks, the issuance of library passes has been suspended..

Best regards,

UN Library Reference Team
Dag Hammarskjöld Library:  http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/
United Nations Headquarters, New York
E-mail: unreference@un.org
UN Documentation Research Guide: http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/
UN Pulse:  http://www..un.org/depts/dhl/unpulse/index.htm 


EUROPEAN SUPPORT GROUPS BROUGHT TOGETHER 

A new site for jumping-off to still other sites is in the English language, the rest in German and Scandinavian languages; click to see http://www.xjw-help.eu/Netzwerk.html  The jump-off site developer is commended for his/her drawing these together so as to expand our sense of international community.

As noted before, Maja has reported from Denmark in the EU that Watchtower-related matters have been relatively quiet there. 

BLOOD TO BE PRODUCED FROM STEM CELLS:

Comments tell why Governing Body may not let it be used for JWs though:

http://jehovahs-witness.com/16/164492/1.ashx

Just a few examples courtesy of "SF," whose link off of JWD leads to many more!

CALIFORNIA JW ELDER LEADS JW GANG ASSAULT: McCready v Moore was a 1985-6 California appellate court decision which involved a Jehovah's Witness Elder named Thomas Moore. In March 1985, Gary McCready and Mark Pyle were placing anti-watchtower leaflets on the windshields of automobiles street-parked near the Palm Srings Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses when they were assaulted by a group of male Jehovah's Witnesses led by Elder Thomas Moore. McCready also had his camera broken and a window in his vehicle broken during the scuffle. McCready first won an unspecified amount in small claims court in 1985, which Moore appealed. The appellate court ruled in McCready's favor in 1986. 

McCready versus Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of New York was a 1986 California lawsuit which was based on the scenario described above. The WatchTower Society settled this lawsuit with McCready and Pyle for the amount of $12,500.00.

TEXAS JW EXPOSES HIMSELF INDECENTLY: Texas v Jack Wallace was a 1956 Texas criminal court case which involved one of the WatchTower Society's "District Sales Managers". In February 1956, a WatchTower Society "Circuit Servant", named Jack Wallace, 41, was arrested in Kerrville , Texas , on charges of "Indecent Exposure".. A local married woman swore that Wallace had accosted her from his car on a downtown street. The woman first reported the incident to her husband, who then made the report to local police.

Jack Wallace was arrested and jailed for three days until his court appearance. Wallace evidently pleaded guilty, and paid a $50.00 fine. The local newspaper reported that Wallace's "attractive" wife awaited his release. The WatchTower Society representatives reportedly promised the Kerrville Police Chief that they would immediately leave town.

An internet search discloses that "a" Jack Wallace was from a large Jehovah's Witness family of 11 children in Kingsport , Tennessee . "That" Jack Wallace played a well publicized role in a 1943 "anti-JW incident" in which his "travel trailer" was wrecked. "That" Jack Wallace also was a "Congregation Servant" in Kingsport in the early 1950s, and possibly Memphis , Tennessee , in the 1960s.  Donald Wallace, a brother to "this" Jack Wallace, also was a "Circuit Servant".

JW LEADER ATTEMPTED RAPE IN INDIANA :  Indiana v. Harwood was a 1953-4 Indiana criminal court case.. Ralph Harwood, 41, who was the leader, or "Congregation Servant", of Jehovah's Witnesses in Crawfordsville , Indiana , was arrested in November 1953 on charges of "Attempted Rape".  Harwood had been regularly conducting a home bible study at the home of a young couple, after which one evening, Harwood offered to drive the "pretty young housewife" to the grocery. On the way, Harwood started making advances to her. After he stopped and purchased a bottle of wine, Harwood evidently drove his bible study out into the country, where his advances became more aggressive. 

Harwood's bible student was finally able to escape the auto. The police later found the auto wrecked, and Harwood lying unconscious next to such.

It is unclear whether the crash was the result of the woman's efforts to escape, or whether the crash was simply a combination of Harwood's drinking, agitation, etc., or whether the crash was Harwood's first botched suicide attempt. Later, at the county jail, Harwood unsuccesfully attempted to hang himself.

Apparently, the WatchTower Society wasn't very selective as to whom were appointed "leaders" in the 1950s, since police disclosed that Ralph Harwood had a criminal record that included public intoxication, robbery, and grand larceny.  http://jwemployees.bravehost.com/NewsReports/2031.html