Jack Ryan

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – A Polk County mother is outraged after she claims a school bus driver used her son to spread hate. Natalie Encarnacion told News Channel 8 that the bus driver, now identified as Violeta Jacobo, told her seven-year-old son he would go to hell for supporting his mom’s same-sex relationship. One afternoon, in the beginning of February, her son had missed his bus from Alta Vista Elementary School, so a different bus driver took him home. “He mentioned [to the bus driver] he was hoping his two mom’s wouldn’t be upset that he was home so late,” Encarnacion said. “She said ‘whoa God doesn’t like that,’ then she went on and on telling him how he wouldn’t make it into heaven and there is a such thing as hell.” She claims the bus driver even sent him home with a Jehovah’s Witnesses card, and hate in his heart. “Later that night, he explained why we should not be together anymore,” Encarnacion said. “He is absolutely questioning this now, something we have so smoothly transitioned into and never had any issues with.” Encarnacion said she contacted the school board and never heard back. She also contacted DCF. She told News Channel 8 the agency looked into the incident, but closed the case when they did not find any neglect. According to Polk County School Board Spokesperson Jason Geary, they are still reviewing the matter. However, they have spoken to the bus driver and instructed her that she must follow the code of ethical conduct. According to Geary, Violeta Jacobo is an active bus driver, employed since August 31, 2012. There is no past disciplinary action in her personnel file. “It’s shocking and it’s infuriating to know that nobody is doing anything about it. Just the thought that she could do this to other kids.” Encarnacion said she hopes something is done so she can’t do this to another family. “I am extremely devastated. My home life and everything is being affected by this. My son is rebelling against our relationship and it’s just putting everything into question. It’s really upsetting and I hope nobody ever has to go through this,” she said. “This has put hate in his heart.”

http://wfla.com/2017/03/07/polk-woman-claims-school-bus-driver-told-7-year-old-son-he-would-go-to-hell-for-moms-same-sex-relationship/

Forms:

• S-337 5-98 COs meet with Elders and Ministerial Servants
• 1998 CO Meets with Congregation Service Committee_ocr

KMS Outlines

• 1992 No06 Updated Direction Regarding Judicial Matters Part 1
• 1992 No21 Questions and Answers Relative to Handling Problems
• 1994 No19 Preach The Word - Be At It Urgently
• 1994 No22 Jehovah Makes Provision For Our Needs
• 2001 No16 Assisting Elders to Handle Judicial Matters Properly
• 2001 No23 Assisting Elders to Make Recommendations of Appointment
• 2001 No45 Proper Handling of Judicial Matters
• 2001 No46 Giving Attention to Needs in Our Field - Part 1
• 2001 No51 Congregation Book Study Overseer-Shepherding
• 2001 No53 Giving Attention to Needs in Our Field - Part 2
• 2001 No54 Making Recommendations for Appointment
• 2002 No3b Exercising Discernment and Insight as Elders - Addendum
• 2005 No57 Maintain Peace Cleanness of Congregation

Letters

• December 5, 1985 TO ALL CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT OVERSEERS IN THE UNITED STATES
• January 25, 1994 TO ALL CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT OVERSEERS
• September 25, 1995 TO ALL TRAVELING OVERSEERS IN THE UNITED STATES
• June 1, 1998 TO ALL TRAVELING OVERSEERS
• July 5, 2000 TO ALL CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT OVERSEERS

Manuals

• 1999 Traveling Overseer Guidelines - Extracts only

REQUEST: I'm looking for the US versions of these two letters:

• 2008 12-04 BOE RE Handling correspondence from the branch office
• 2008 12-05 BOE RE Index to Letters and congregations file

The requested letters are tough to find, because they have been replaced by newer instructions. The instructions were to destroy them.

December 6, 2010 TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS Re: Correspondence from branch office and congregation file

This letter replaces the letters dated February 15, 2002, December 4, 2008, and December 5, 2008, to all bodies of elders. Those letters should be removed from the congregation permanent file of policy letters and be destroyed.

Endesa Energia S.A.U. is the largest electricity supplier in Spain and the second largest operator in Portugal. It is a subsidiary of Enel Group. It has more than 10,000 employees serving more than 11 million customers.

According to a strictly confidential letter recently leaked, the Spanish Branch of Jehovah’s Witnesses, based in Madrid, has signed a global contract with Spanish energy provider, ENDESA ENERGÍA, S.A.U. to supply power to all of their kingdom halls and assembly halls.

The purpose of transferring all of their power needs to one single power supplier is to avail of “very competitive rates”.

For all congregations and assembly halls that already have power supply contracts with Endesa in the name of Testigos Cristianos de Jehová, their rates will be reduced automatically. For congregations with alternative names, or for congregations who receive power from other companies, they are “encouraged to follow the published instructions” on jw.org to change their name  to Testigos Cristianos de Jehová and/or their supplier to Endesa.

As you may understand, the details of this agreement are strictly confidential. For this reason we encourage you not to share them with others. Thank you very much for your discreetness and kind collaboration in this matter.

• Letter in English (February 18, 2017)
• Carta en español (Febrero 18, 2017)
• Carta en español (Octubre 7, 2015)

By Trey Bundy / February 17, 2017

The Jehovah’s Witnesses settled a lawsuit this week brought by a Pennsylvania woman who says the religion’s leaders covered up sexual abuse she suffered as a teenager.

The settlement came five days into a trial in which Stephanie Fessler, a former Jehovah’s Witness, claimed  the religion’s parent corporation violated Pennsylvania’s child abuse reporting laws by instructing local leaders – known as elders – not to report her allegations to police.

According to Fessler, a middle-aged Jehovah’s Witness woman, Terry Monheim, began sexually abusing her when she was 14. At 15, Fessler disclosed the abuse to her parents. Her father was an elder in their congregation.

Fessler’s parents informed other congregation elders, who interrogated Fessler and Monheim but failed to report the abuse to police. As a result, Monheim continued to abuse Fessler for another year, according to court documents.

In 2011, Fessler, then 22, reported Monheim to police. Monheim eventually pleaded guilty to indecent assault and corruption of a minor and was sentenced to between three and 23 months in prison and five years’ probation.

Pennsylvania law mandates that anyone, including clergy, who comes into contact with children during the course of their work must report child abuse to authorities.

Fessler’s attorney, Jeff Fritz, said that “out of an abundance of caution” regarding the settlement, he could not discuss details of the Pennsylvania case.

“A matter with the Jehovah’s Witnesses has been resolved,” he said.

Jehovah’s Witnesses generally are discouraged from interacting with government. But for more than 25 years, the religion’s headquarters – known as the Watchtower – has issued written policies directing congregation leaders not to report child sexual abuse to law enforcement, unless it’s required by state law, Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting previously found.

The Watchtower maintains a database of alleged child abusers in congregations across the U.S. going back two decades and has violated court orders in at least three California lawsuits to hand it over to the courts.

It could provide a road map to thousands of accused child molesters living freely in communities across the country.

https://www.revealnews.org/blog/jehovahs-witnesses-settle-lawsuit-alleging-coverup-of-child-sex-abuse/

“You came from behind the cow. انت جي من ورا الجاموسة”

- Egyptian expression; used to describe someone who’s not at all cultured or has been exposed to much.
“No, I’ve actually never heard of Pink Floyd.”
“WTF? You’re coming from behind the cow man!” 

via Humor

Someone just sent me a scan of the Boonville Advertiser newspaper in which it mentions J.F. Rutherford as a member, and not only just a member but the toastmaster for the inauguration of the Golden Gate Lodge No.91, Knights of Pythias.

Also, he was a member of the Woodmen of the World.

Although not a "Masonic" organization, it was included in Russell's condemnation of such organizations:

the Free Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, etc., perform certain rites and ceremonies of a religious kind... We place upon one level all of those who have any religious ceremonies, teachings, etc., and consider them all as parts of Babylon ... We admonish the New Creation to have nothing whatever to do with any of these semi-religious societies, clubs, orders, churches; but to "Come out from amongst them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing." (`2 Cor. 6:17`)" —1904; "The New Creation", pp. 580-581

Of course, this was in 1899, about 7 years before Rutherford became a Bible Student (JW). But still, this is something about his life that I haven't seen anywhere else on the internet or on the WT history books I have read.

Here is the evidence:

Boonville Advertiser, Feb. 17, 1899, pg. 1, col. 5.pdf

Boonville Advertiser, Jan. 13, 1899, pg. 1, col. 3.pdf

Boonville Advertiser, Jan. 20, 1899, pg. 1, col. 2-5.pdf

What do you think of this?

Here's some info:

"A member must be at least 18 years of age, not be a professional gambler or involved with illegal drugs or alcohol, and he must have a belief in a Supreme Being. The oath taken by members:

Quote

I declare upon honor that I believe in a Supreme Being, that I am not a professional gambler, or unlawfully engaged in the wholesale or retail sale of intoxicating liquors or narcotics, and that I believe in the maintenance of the order and the upholding of constituted authority in the government in which I live. Moreover, I declare upon honor that I am not a Communist or Fascist; that I do not advocate nor am I a member of any organization that advocates the overthrow of the Government of the Country of which I am a Citizen, by force or violence or other unlawful means; and that I do not seek by force or violence to deny to other persons their rights under the laws of such country.

February 13, 2017 TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS Re: Memorial and Special Talk

Inactive Ones: Please follow closely the instructions in the May 23, 2010, letter to all bodies of elders as you endeavor to invite inactive ones to the Memorial and special talk. As you meet with them, please convey the love and concern of the Governing Body and the local congregation. (1 Thess. 2:7, 8) Offer to help with transportation or to provide any other practical assistance so that they can be in attendance.

The 2017 Memorial will be held on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.

The 2018 Memorial will be held on Saturday, March 31, 2018.

The 2019 Memorial will be held on Friday, April 19, 2019.

188,000 people have been evacuated in Nor. Cal.!

According the Los Angeles Times the following places are open to evacuee's. click here!

These places are accepting people regardless of religious affiliation. How many Kingdom Halls are open to the general public certainly there are plenty of them in that area?.... ZERO! Why!?!?!?!!?

Here is a listing of all the Kingdom Halls in Northern California feel free to contact them and ask about what they are doing to help the general public, perhaps I am wrong and they can clear up why they are not being listed as an evacuation safe haven. 

Click Here!

Such brotherly love in action!!!!

Last week a new letter for the BOE in Germany was published online. I want to share it with you (poor translation by Google, sorry for that):

____________________

TO ALL SERVICE COMITEES OF GERMAN SPEAKING CONGREGATIONS

Singers for recordings in German

Dear brothers,

Surely, it has pleased you that we have some of our beautiful songs on JW Broadcasting also in German language. To be able to do so in the future too, we would like to ask you for your help in the search for further singers, preferably brothers and sisters with a vocal education. If possible, they should fulfill the following criteria:

1. Age between 20-45 years.

2. A vocal training in jazz or musical would be an advantage. A classic education is helpful, but could be a hindrance for this type of music.

3. Applicants should master the German language so well that the lyrics of the song is good to understand.

4. As with all applicants for theocratic privileges, it should be exemplary promoter recommended by the Service Committee for such a task.

We are aware that there may not be many brothers or sisters who fulfill all criteria mentioned above. Therefore, those who are not vocal trained should be considered.

To check whether someone is suitable, we need an audio or video recording (Tablet or smartphone is enough). Brothers or sisters who are eligible for this project, should provide their files, contact information or questions that may occur at the following address send:

Audio.de@jw.org.

If someone is after the examination of the recording for this project in the shortlist the Audio / Video Department comes with the concerned brother or sister in directly contact.

We thank you very much for your support and send you cordial greetings.

____________________

So maybe someone wants to share a recording with the brothers in bethel Selters?

Paul Shields said he had not spoken to his 80-year-old mother for two years after being accused of abusing young girls :: He denies the allegations

A Jehovah’s Witness accused of sexually abusing three young girls told a court he had been ostracised by the church ever since the allegations arose.

Paul Shields, 57, who was living in Guisborough at the time of the alleged abuse, said that no-one within the organisation would talk to him because of the accusations which he insists were untrue.

York Crown Court heard that it was Jehovah’s Witness policy for church members to shun those who have wronged in such a way.

Even family members who are Jehovah’s Witnesses are told not to speak to the wrong-doer.

Shields, who vehemently denies any abuse took place during the 1990s, said even his mother, who is a Jehovah’s Witness, had not spoken to him since the allegations were made in 2014.

He had been kicked out of the church by the elders of the Guisborough fellowship following a disciplinary meeting in March 2015.

Giving evidence in the witness box on the fourth day of his trial, the married father-of-two said: “I have an 80-year-old mother I haven’t spoken to for about two years. They (the church elders) have even said that my two children shouldn’t speak to me. It was like trashing my life - I have been a Jehovah’s Witness since birth.”

The prosecution alleges that Shields abused the girls on a number of occasions after luring them with video games.

The CPS claims that Shields - who moved from Darlington to Guisborough during the alleged abuse - sexually touched the girls over their clothes but did not touch them on any intimate areas, although he “came very close”.

Prosecutor Andrew Espley said it was not until 2014 that two of the females, who were under-age at the time but are now adult women, reported the matters to police.

Shields, who was in his 30s during the alleged abuse, was arrested and charged with three counts of indecent assault, all of which he denied.

When asked by Mr Espley why he had written letters of apology to two of the girls after the elders’ decision to expel him, Shields said he thought it would be a way of getting back into the church.

Shields, now of Gordon Street, York, admitted he had apologised to the girls but that he had also told them in the letters that “I didn’t think I had done anything wrong”.

Mr Espley asked Shields why he said in police interview that he had acted in a “totally inappropriate” way towards the girls.

Shields admitted he said this, but claimed there was no sexual aspect or motivation to his behaviour.

He said he had suffered a nervous breakdown since the allegations surfaced and had been seeing a psychiatrist.

“You were upset because you had finally been caught out, were you not?” said Mr Espley.

“No,” replied Shields.

The barrister said: “As a practising Jehovah’s Witness, you take very seriously giving oath in the witness box?”

“Yes,” replied Shields.

The trial continues.

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/jehovahs-witness-tells-how-family-12560536

British Movie about Jehovah's Witness refusing blood transfusion for child

Stephanie Fessler is a former Jehovah’s Witness and a victim of child sexual abuse. On Tuesday, February 7 2017 starting at 11am, she will have a trial by jury in Pennsylvania against defendants Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Inc., Spring Grove Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and her abuser, Terry Monheim.

As plaintiff, Stephanie asserts claims against the defendants for negligence, violations of the CPSL and negligent failure to rescue against the defendants who failed to report known abuse to legal authorities which resulted in continued sexual assault and both physical and psychological injuries.  Plaintiff also alleges claims for assault and battery against Terry Jeanne Monheim.

Stephanie Fessler will be represented by Jeffrey P. Fritz, Esq. of Soloff and Zervanos, P.C.

The Trial is expected to last 5 or 6 days and John Redwood from JW Survey will be reporting on the developments each day.

Trey Bundy, a reporter with Reveal News, discussed this case in January 2016. 

Background to Stephanie Fessler’s Abuse

Stephanie Fessler was brought up as a Jehovah’s Witness by her parents, Jodee and Kevin. Her father is an elder in the Spring Grove Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in York County, Pennsylvania.

At the age of 14, she became friendly with Terry Seipp’s (now known as Terry Monheim) children and would visit them at their home in Hampstead, Maryland. In the summer of 2003, her relationship with Terry turned sexual.

Terry at first hugged, kissed (intimately), “made out” with, “humped” and consoled Stephanie when Stephanie became upset over her mother’s mental breakdown due to depression. However, this later escalated to oral sex and digital penetration.

Over the next two years, Stephanie was abused at Terry’s home, at Terry’s daughter’s homes, Terry’s place of work and in her vehicle, as well as at Stephanie’s parents’ home.

In the summer of 2004, Terry’s daughter, Amber, became suspicious that there was an improper relationship going on between Terry and Stephanie. She raised her suspicions to Stephanie’s mother, Jodee Fessler.

When Jodee saw Terry and Stephanie together at the Spring Grove Congregation, she too became suspicious. She searched Stephanie’s room and and found a “love letter” in the form of a card. It was written by Stephanie and mentioned intimate kissing and how much she loved Terry. After showing the card to her husband, Kevin Fessler, both parents confronted Stephanie.

Stephanie could not deny the intimate nature of the relationship.

Jodee and Kevin shared this information with Eric Hoffman who was a long-time family friend and fellow elder within the Spring Grove Congregation. In turn, this information was shared with Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society and with elders from Terry’s Kingdom Hall, the Freeland Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Maryland.

Investigations into Stephanie Fessler’s Abuse

In keeping with Watch Tower policy, Eric Hoffman started an investigation to specifically find out information concerning the allegations. In their investigation, they questioned Stephanie only, who was now 15 years old. She disclosed to Eric Hoffman, Neal Cluck and John Ness – the investigating elders within the Spring Grove Congregation – that there was intimate kissing and hugging with Terry.

According to Eric Hoffman, Stephanie’s parents were concerned because they believed there was more to the relationship than just hugging and “intimate”, “mouth-to-mouth” kissing. Yet, Hoffman also learned of “an instance or two of momentary touching of the breast”.

None of the elders from the Spring Grove Congregation talked with Terry Seipp or anyone in her family.

Notably, none of the elders reported any of this information to any legal authorities in Pennsylvania or Maryland.

Eric Hoffman admitted that he had information of suspected child abuse involving Stephanie Fessler and never reported it to any legal authorities although there was nothing preventing him from doing so.

The elders in Spring Grove Congregation did share what they learned with Terry’s elders in the Freeland Congregation in Maryland.

When the elders in the Freeland Congregation investigated Terry, she admitted to intimately kissing Stephanie was was underage. She was told to “stay away” from Stephanie. No report to law enforcement was made, even though the elders in the Freeland Congregation had considered that Terry’s actions were unlawful.

Hoffman and Cluck consulted with Watch Tower’s legal department in Patterson, New York. Upon that consultation, they decided against making any report to law enforcement. This decision was in derogation of every published policy and procedure within the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jehovah’s Witnesses’ procedures require:

• Reporting if required by law (as is the case in Pennsylvania).
• Protecting the child from further abuse
• Encouraging reporting by the victim and in some cases even accompanying the victim.

Because the elders never contacted the police or child welfare authorities, the physical and sexual abuse of Stephanie continued for more than a year later.

In 2005, Terry’s then husband, Dana Seipp, hired a private investigator to follow Terry (50) and Stephanie (15). Dana obtained photographic evidence of the two together. Dana brought this evidence to the elder’s attention. In September 2005, Stephanie disclosed the abuse again.

And again, no report was made to the authorities.

It wasn’t until 2011, when Stephanie Fessler was 22 years old, that she ultimately disclosed the abused directly to the police. The police investigated and charged Terry Seipp with multiple criminal violations. Terry ultimately plead guilty to indecent assault and corruption of a minor and was sentenced to prison and probation.

Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Liability

The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ liability stems from their awareness of Stephanie Fessler’s abuse but reluctance to do anything to protect her. Multiple elders, including Stephanie’s own father, became aware of suspected child abuse and failed to report it to authorities as was their legal obligation to do so as mandatory reporters under Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law (CPSL).

As a result, the abuse was permitted to continue, escalate and become even more frequent.  In all, acts of abuse occurred on approximately 30-50 occasions over two years.

The church of Jehovah’s Witnesses failed to report known abuse in violation of Pennsylvania’s CPSL and their own policies. This constitutes negligence and recklessness. Additionally, they were also negligent and reckless for failing to properly train elders who were totally unaware of their obligations for reporting suspected abuse in Pennsylvania.  Rather, Pennsylvania’s CPSL law requires that suspected abuse be reported to legal authorities which the church never did. Further, the church took no steps to protect Stephanie from further abuse.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses violated their own procedures in multiple ways including failing to follow these (and other) policies published in their literature:

• First, the child and other children too must be protected from any further abuse. This must be done, whatever the cost. In many cases the accused molester will have to be confronted.
• “If a current case of child abuse comes to light in your congregation, elders should do what they can to protect children from further abuse.
• “Though it is not the responsibility of the Christian congregation to enforce Caesar’s laws, yet the very nature of some crimes demands that they be reported to secular authorities. It may be necessary to encourage the wrongdoer to turn himself in to secular authorities. Before any steps are taken in this regard, contact the branch office. of course, review the latest Society directives on such matters before proceeding.”
• “Victims of sexual abuse need to be treated with extreme thoughtfulness and kindness. Elders should always do what they reasonably can to protect children from further abuse; follow the Society’s directives on such matters.”
• “When a member of the congregation is accused of child molestation, the elders should contact the Society’s Legal Department immediately. Many states make it mandatory that elders report an accusation to the proper authorities but other states do not. . . . Still, whether or not the accusation is reported to the authorities, when it is established that a member of the congregation is guilty of child abuse, appropriate steps should be taken in keeping with initial direction from the Society’s Legal Department.”
• “Of course, children should also be warned about and urged to report to authorities any person making improper advances toward them, including people they know”
• “The elder should explain to the complainant that he himself might have a duty to report the matter to the proper authorities. If the complainant is a child the elder might offer to accompany him or her to discuss the situation with a parent (but not the alleged abuser) or to one of the above authorities.”

Witnesses Expected at Trial

1. Stephanie Fessler (Lancaster, PA)
2. Don Hollingworth (Toms River, NJ)
3. Richard Moake (Patterson, NY)
4. Thomas Jefferson, Jr. (Patterson, NY)
5. Eric Sandoval (Patterson, NY)
6. Detective Sergeant Lisa Layden – fact and expert witness (Spring Grove, PA)
7. Eric Hoffman (Spring Grove, PA)
8. Jodee Fessler (Spring Grove, PA)
9. Kevin Fessler (Spring Grove, PA)
10. Terry Monheim (Hanover, PA)
11. Neal Cluck (Spring Grove,PA)
12. Gary Neal (Freeland, MD)
13. Troy Ruhlman (Glenville, PA)
14. Deborah L. Bauer, LCSW – expert witness (Harrisburg, PA)
15. Corporate Designee regarding the net worth/assets of Watchtower Bible and Tract Society
16. Corporate Designee regarding net worth/assets of Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses
17. Records Custodians for the documents identified in Plaintiff’s Pretrial Memorandum and produced in discovery by your clients.

Plaintiff may also call any witnesses identified by Defendants or persons who are rebuttal witnesses.

Profile of Jeffrey Fritz, Esq.

Jeffrey P. Fritz is an Advocate for Crime Victims. He is experienced in representing crime victims on behalf of survivors of murder, assault, sexual assault and molestation.

He has obtained multiple settlements and verdicts of more than $1,000,000.00 and was a member of the Tropicana Casino & Hotel garage collapse trial team, which obtained the largest construction accident settlement in U.S. history, totaling $101 million. He successfully represented multiple victims of former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky in claims against Penn State University for child sexual abuse.

Mr. Fritz is a 1996 Cum Laude graduate of Widener University School of Law. He is a member of the bar in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is also a charter member, advisory board member and past president (2010 & 2011) of the National Crime Victim Bar Association, a national organization of attorneys and professionals devoted to obtaining civil justice for the victims of crime. Mr. Fritz is also a member of the American Association for Justice and both the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Associations. He has also been named a 2005 & 2006 “Rising Star” by Philadelphia Magazine and Super Lawyers and “Best of the Best” (Reader’s Choice) by South Jersey Magazine for crime victim representation.

Jeffrey P. Fritz has authored several articles regarding civil justice for crime victims in national publications such as Trial Magazine, The Victim Advocate and Victim Voice. He has served as a lecturer on civil justice for attorneys, victims, and victim service providers throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as nationally. He has provided commentary on crime victims’ rights to the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Associated Press and has appeared on NBC, MSNBC, CNN, HLN, Fox-29 & truTV. He has trained crime victim service providers in obtaining civil justice on behalf of the National Center for Victims of Crime/National Crime Victim Bar Association. He has also lectured on behalf of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency at their state-wide conference entitled “Pathways for Crime Victims” and has served on behalf of the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Board training other attorneys in civil remedies for crime victims across the State of New Jersey. He has been an invited lecturer on behalf of the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC), American Association for Justice (AAJ), New Jersey’s Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) and the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association regarding crime victim representation.

By John Redwood

http://avoidjw.org/2017/02/stephanie-fessler-v-watch-tower/

Laciana Tinsley

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WILLINGBORO >> Laciana Tinsley did more than extinguish her relationship with her husband.

The 42-year-old Willingboro woman was charged Monday with killing her husband with a fire extinguisher inside their township residence on the first block of Hancock Lane, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office announced in a press release.

Tinsley, a former Jehovah’s Witness, bludgeoned her husband to death by striking him multiple times in the head with a fire extinguisher, prosecutors said.

The husband, 74-year-old Douglas Tinsley, was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Monday.

Authorities did not immediately release a motive. An autopsy will be performed Tuesday.

Tinsley was arrested at the home. She was sent to Burlington County Jail and is scheduled to have her first appearance in court on Tuesday.

A public defender who appeared with Laciana Tinsley at her initial court appearance Tuesday said Douglas Tinsley was suffocating his wife at the time. The lawyer claims she was acting in self-defense.

In an April 2016 interview with the Trenton Monitor newspaper, Tinsley, a former Jehovah’s Witness, described her longing for a new faith. The mother of three children was baptized with her daughter at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Burlington, the newspaper reported.

“I really feel God. I feel a connection; He is real,” Tinsley told the newspaper. “I want to let people in the Jehovah Witnesses become more informed about the Catholic faith. I want to involve people also in the black community.”

Monday’s murder marks a rapid pace of homicides in the small Burlington community that boasts a population of over 31,000.

In the past month and a half, there have been four homicides in the township.

Nasim Byrd, 22, of the first block of Placid Lane, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on his street on Jan. 15. He died a short time later.

On Dec. 13, 16-year old Ibn Perry was shot to death on the first block of Plumtree Lane. Then on Dec. 27, Tariq Mughal, 32, was fatally shot on the first block of Genesee Lane.

No arrests have been made in any of the shooting murders.

Residents and officials took issue with a Trentonian cover calling the township “Killingboro,” but the bloodshed has been too noticeable to ignore.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.trentonian.com/general-news/20170131/willingboro-woman-kills-husband-with-fire-extinguisher-lawyer-claims-self-defense

A verdict has been reached in the trial of a former teacher’s aide from Lake Worth, he was accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl he met through church functions.

The jury of 6 was unanimous-- finding Hugh Murray guilty on all counts.

On the third day of the trial against Murray-- just before noon-- a note came from the jury asking to hear the phone call between the 15-year-old victim and Murray -- the state made that recording one of their key pieces of evidence, but there was also a slew of naked pictures, and DNA, all showed Murray and the teen were having sexual relations.

The background on the story:

Murray and the victim are both Jehovah witnesses and attend the same kingdom hall in the Lake Worth area-- Murray recruited the victim for a congregation coed flag football game-- then started visiting her at her home while her parents were at work or asleep.

Ultimately, the girl’s parents did find out --law enforcement was notified and told Murray to stay away, but Murray kept on calling.

40 counts of sexual battery, possession of child pornography--guilty verdicts on all.

There was also a charge for extortion-- Murray threatening to show the victim’s parents explicit images.

Bond was revoked so Murray is behind bars and sentencing is scheduled for March.

http://wjla.com/news/nation-world/jehovah-witness-teachers-aide-sex-scandal-guilty-on-all-counts

see link below:

January 19, 2017 TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS IN WALES Re: Prerecorded Memorial and Special Talk 2017 - Welsh

January 16, 2017 TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS IN THE UNITED STATES, PUERTO RICO, AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Re: Real Property Tax Exemption Verification

And

Annual Real Property Tax Exemption Verification Record and instructions

Watch Tower’s legal challenges have held up UK investigation into alleged sexual abuse for more than two years

The charity commission is investigating claims that Jehovah’s Witnesses abuse survivors were forced to face their attackers. Photograph: Fairfax Media/Getty Images

The UK’s main Jehovah’s Witnesses charity has dropped efforts to block an investigation into how it handled allegations of sexual abuse, including of children, after a legal fight lasting more than two years.

The Charity Commission launched an inquiry into safeguarding at the religion’s main UK charity in May 2014 after receiving allegations that survivors of rape and sexual abuse, including people abused as children, were forced to face their attackers in “judicial committees”.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, resisted the investigation into the Watch Tower Bible Tract Society of Great Britain (WTBTS), which oversees the UK’s 1,500 congregations and is believed to play a key role in deciding how claims of abuse are handled.

The WTBTS, which had a turnover of more than £80m last year, launched a series of legal challenges to the inquiry. These included an attempt to challenge in the supreme court the commission’s decision to start an investigation. The charity also fought in the lower courts against production orders that would oblige it to give the commission access to records showing how it handled the allegations.

The commission announced last week that, more than two and a half years after the investigation was launched, the WTBTS had shared some of the documents it had been seeking and the commission had since cancelled the production order. The charity had also dropped the last of its legal cases against the inquiry, the supreme court having refused to hear that particular case in July.

Although charities do sometimes challenge the commission’s decisions in court, the extent and length of the Jehovah’s Witnesses litigation were unprecedented in recent times, a commission spokesman told the Guardian last year.

A spokesman for the WTBTS said: “In light of the progress of the inquiry and the information obtained by the commission from Watch Tower and other sources, the commission has agreed to revoke the production order. Watch Tower has therefore agreed to withdraw its application for judicial review of the production order and a consent order has been filed with the high court to conclude the proceedings.

“Watch Tower will now work with the commission to explore the issues that are the subject of the statutory inquiry and to address the commission’s regulatory concerns.”

The commission is conducting a separate investigation into the Manchester New Moston congregation, where three adult survivors of child sex abuse were allegedly brought face-to-face with their abuser shortly after he was released from prison after being jailed for attacking them.

He was later “disfellowshipped”, or expelled, from the church. But two women in separate cases told the Guardian last year that although the church can disfellowship people from the tight-knit congregations for minor offences, such as gambling, their abusers had been allowed to remain in the church. One, who was raped as an adult, said she had been urged by senior congregation members, known as elders, to face her rapist at a private hearing, leaving her “completely traumatised” and leading to the breakup of her marriage.

A spokesman for the Jehovah’s Witnesses said last year: “We are in no position to, and neither would we wish to, force any victim of abuse to confront their attacker.”

Thomas Beale, of AO Advocates, who last year won a civil case that found the Jehovah’s Witnesses had failed to protect a woman from sexual abuse that began when she was four, said the commission’s decision to drop its production order could allow the charity to withhold further information.

“Of course we welcome the ongoing statutory inquiry into Jehovah’s Witnesses’ safeguarding policies and look forward to reviewing its findings,” he said.

“However, given our experience with Jehovah’s Witnesses in litigation, we struggle to see how a thorough and robust investigation can occur now that the Charity Commission has decided to revoke its production order. We think the chance of full disclosure now by the Jehovah’s Witnesses is very small.”

The organisation has faced similar claims overseas. Last year an inquiry in Australia found the organisation failed to protect children from sexual abuse, and that its weak internal procedures left abusers at large. Similar claims have emerged in Canada.

A spokesman for the Jehovah’s Witnesses told the Guardian last year: “Congregation elders do not discourage [reports to the authorities] or shield abusers from the authorities or from the consequences of their actions.”

Fay Maxted, the chief executive of the Survivors Trust, said the WTBTS should apologise to those affected for the “appalling delays” caused by its litigation.

“Faith groups need to really take on board the huge damage and pain caused to victims and survivors when appeal after appeal is pursued in an attempt to prevent them from having to share information,” she said. “It is very difficult in such circumstances to believe that the best interests of the victim or survivor are in any way being considered.”

Maxted said she hoped the decision to share information with the commission signalled a change in their approach to the needs of victims and survivors.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/23/jehovahs-witnesses-charity-drops-attempts-to-block-abuse-inquiry

Europa Press reports that AbusosTJ (JW Abuses),  an activist group in Spain, plans to file a legal complaint against the Watchtower offices in Spain for refusing to release internal documents, files and other evidence involving dozens of child abuse cases within the Jehovah’s Witness religion.

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

Jehovah’s Witness Members Will Report the (Watchtower) Organization for Failing to Provide Them with documents Regarding Child Abuse

By EUROPA PRESS / lainformacion.com

MADRID | 1/16/2017 – 3:00 p.m.

[Revised Translation of Original Report]

The AbusosTJ [JW Abuses] group, which represents ex-members of Jehovah’s Witnesses who report cases of sexual abuse in congregations, will file a complaint against the entity for not providing them with documents on cases of abuse that they requested and which [include] envelopes and secret files. According to them, in Spain they have been contacted by “dozens” of victims.

The members of this collective [group], Miguel García López and Israel Florez, went to the national headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ajalvir (Madrid) on Monday, January 16, [2016] after having requested through a Burofax with certified content [sent] to the president of the National Board of Directors of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Spain [requesting] the delivery of “all the secret documents that the religion keeps on their cases of abuse of minors.”

The group has indicated that they have received a negative response to their request and that they have not been approached by any executive or ecclesiastical officer of the religion, so they have informed the receptionist that they will file a complaint.

Members of TJ Abuses call for “redress and justice,” the change of all “secret” protocols imposed by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a clear indication to local elders that Police or Civil Guard [will be notified of] any evidence of child abuse.

Last December, the group wrote an open letter to the National Board of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Watch Tower Bible [and Tract Society] in Brooklyn, New York, the legal entity that supports the work, where they complained that congregations hide sexual abuse and [they] demand justice.

“To the demands in the United States will continue our commitment and defense of the rights of the children, in all the instances, and by [any] means of communication throughout Europe. Nothing will stop us in our personal commitment to achieving without hate or grudge, reparation and justice for ALL victims of child abuse within the cult of the Watch Tower,” the letter said.

Specifically, they complained that when a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses is accused of sexual abuse, congregations have “secret” courts with internal rules that judge [the] cases and “silence the victims.” As they say, “thousands of children” have been victims.

I know this is a disgusting topic / question... but I rent a room in an apartment where the others are not so clean.

What is the best way to kill and prevent these critters from entering my room?

Anyone else had experience killing these bugs?

How much will Watchtower spend on something like this?.....As much as it takes..

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

How about food and shelter for the poor in India?!!..

Great white sharks are able to subdue and eat almost anything they come across, thanks to their amazing teeth. How do they do it?

Consider: The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) needs to catch and process food in order to survive. Its teeth are remarkable, being arranged in rows and rows that move forward, like a conveyor belt, so that these animals always have a full set of functioning teeth at any one time.

Furthermore, the shape of this shark's teeth changes throughout its life. Young sharks have thin teeth, the better to catch slippery fish with. As these sharks mature, their teeth change shape. Adults have triangular-shaped teeth along the top row, and thinner teeth along the bottom row. This arrangement allows the bottom row teeth to pin large prey, while the serrated triangular top row teeth are perfect for chomping down, cutting through thick hide, and removing large chunks of flesh.

What do you think? Did the great white shark's wondrous teeth evolve? Or were they created?  

I was going through some research I had done a few years ago and came across something that referenced ROJW Healthcare Support and a note to myself to take a look at ROJW when I had the time. So I did a search for ROJW (an acronym for Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses).

The search turned up some interesting bits of information.

According to Dun & Bradstreet, ROJW was founded in 2011:

Since 2011, Rojw has been providing Nonclassifiable Establishments from Wallkill.

For a list of persons who have worked for ROJW:

https://bizstanding.com/p/rojw-24645954

Some of the people listed above have worked for ROJW since 1999 (the year that the Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses was established)

Several of the positions that are listed are professional and it appears, according to this website, that these are paid positions:

The average Base Salary for rojw is $89K per year, ranging from $74.5K to $104K.

It appears as though there are several paid positions within the ROJW. This is not unusual for a non-profit. It is entirely acceptable to pay people who work for non-profits. Not everyone who works for the WTS is a volunteer.

But, if you are a volunteer for ROJW, there are resources available for training through linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/title/volunteer-at-rojw

Note the courses available:

Social Media for Non-Profits

Public Speaking Fundamentals

How to Rock Social Media

Information Literacy

Grant Writing for Education

etc...

ROJW also has a clinical lab registered:

https://www.wadsworth.org/regulatory/clep/limited-service-labs/p523-0000

I found a fellow that works for ROJW Health Care Support who is a Referral Champion:

Referral Champions are members who have referred 10 or more colleagues to QuantiaMD. The more colleagues you refer, the more you earn.

If you love QuantiaMD and tell a fellow clinician, you can become a Referral Champion too, and earn Q-Points for doing so

This guy's photo is about a third down the page linked above:

Edward Thomas, RN-BC, OCN

Coordinator, Health Care Support, ROJW

Another ROJW enterprise is this one:

ROJW Interior Designers & Decorators

http://www.houzz.com/pro/hector-diaz87/rojw

I am not sure what the deal is with the above business, but Brother Hector sports a nice little blue lapel pin and a big smile.

- OrphanCrow

I thought i recognized the guy on the Houzz website.

He's a singer in the choir on the JW tv music videos.

He is in most of the JW choir videos.

Here again is his pic from Houzz its definitely him.

ROJW was officially formed in 2000, paperwork was probably prepared and started to go through the NY Secretary of State office in 1999. Prior to this, bethelietes and other special full time servants still took a vow of poverty and obedience just under a different Corporation. In 2000 there was setup 7 US corporations to handle matters in the US.

WTBTSPA- it is the parent corporation and publishes the material.

WTBTS-NY- they oversee operations such as printing the material.

CCJW- they are the corporation's that service department has control over, elders and co duties fall under this

Worldwide Order of Special Full-time Servants of Jehovah's Witnesses- is the corporation that oversees bethelietes and COs, construction volunteers and US BIFS. They oversee the actual person not the work.

Kingdom Support Services- oversaw the work at bethel, RBCs, transportation of literature and a few other stuff.

WTBTS-FL- they owned a orange grove at one time, but I think they got rid of it because ur became cheaper just to buy oranges.

WTBT-NJ- I am not sure what they do, I just know it exists. I believe all it does now is handle Stanley theater.

There is a corporation that handles the cemetery at wallkhill, but I forget it's name.

Recently there was added a new corporation to handle the US LDC operation

- Richard Oliver

January 1, 2017

By Sam Eyoboka

A JEHOVAH’S Witness became an instant winner of a brand new Bajaj Tricycle at the 2016 Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank Limited and Poverty Alleviation Programme of Word of Life Bible Church at a ceremony to mark Boxing Day—a day after Christmas when post-men, errand-boys, and servants of various kinds expect to receive a Christmas-box which coincides with the 11th year anniversary of Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank.

Adah Jiroghene Emmanuel, a 32-year old classroom teacher in Ugboroke area of Warri, was one of the 78 persons who heartily jumped, rolled on the concrete road, to demonstrate their joy, profusely thanking God for an instant end-of-year divine turn-around in their fortunes.

“Unbelievable!” the 32-year old graphic designer from Agbarha-Otor in Ughelli North Local Government of Delta State who worships at the Bazunu Kingdom Hall in Warri, exclaimed in ecstacy, narrating how the propriety of his school had encouraged all the teaching staff to participate in the Word of Life Bible Church empowerment programme.

“Grudgingly, I applied and at a point during the ceremony I got tired and made to go away but decided to persevere. I thank Pastor Ayo and his wife for this gift and pray they should continue with the gesture because the Bible said it’s more blessed to give than to receive,” he said repeatedly.

The occasion also provided joy unspeakable for Solomon Obuko-hwo Itse, Edah Orode Abigail and Bioku Linda Enajomo who went home with a brand new Hyundai car worth N3.5 million each to be used as commercial vehicles in the Warri area. Itse, a 46-year old unemployed Orogun man, who also filled the form for the empowerment out of boredom, is a member of Living Faith Church, Iza-kpa, said he was encouraged by his younger brother’s wife who won a tricycle three years earlier.

Edah Orode who will be 33 on January 13 is currently learning how to bake. When her name was mentioned as winner of one of the three cars she simply went hysterical, rolling on the bare concrete.

It took great effort before several women could calm her and bring her to the world of the living.

“I thank God to Papa and Mama Ayo Oritsejafor, my spiritual parents. They have tried over the years as they have been there for us and has massively encouraged us. God will bless them massively.”

*Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor presenting the car keys to one of the winners, Mr. Siolomon Obukohwo Itse while his wife, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor and others watch with keen interest.

The third car winner, Bioku Linda Enajomo, who also expressed similar sentiments is a teacher at Ugbolohwosu area and has promised to operate the Taxi cab by herself daily after her primary responsibilities to her school children.

Miss Ugbuhor Anna Jennifer, 26, also from Living Faith Church, Izakpa Airport Road, Warri, currently seeking admission to the University of Benin to read Business Administration, was the first to win a tricycle and her joy was simply phenomenal. Fifty one-year old Mrs. Roli Vivian Sifo, who won the second tricycle, is a member of the Ogunu assembly of Living Faith Church. A widow and mother of two, she expressed gratitude to God for the divine intervention which will now enable her to educate her two children.

Apart from the three cars, 10 tricycles, 50 other persons also went home with grinding machines while another 25 bagged contracts for training in different vocations: Tailoring (Men and Women), Fish farming, Women make over, Aluminium work. The trainees will be provided with starter packs at the end of their trainiing programme.

To mark the bank’s 11th anniversary, two staffers who had served the bank diligently for the past 10 years, Chikezie Cynthia and Aneh Samson were rewarded with one year full salary each just as faithful customers received various gifts for their steadfastness to the growth of the bank.

Chairman of the Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank, Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor said the bank which has been granted state lincence is striving to go national and beyond, promising “we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to poverty reduction which we are set to achieve by the grace of God.

“Our joy is that we see the spiritual, physical and economical changes in the lives of persons who have on a yearly basis benefited from the poverty alleviation programme,” she stated, emphasising that to encourage entrepreneurial development and inculcate the culture of saving among the people, the bank had just lowered the amount for opening of accounts to N500.

Affirming that the raffle draw that produced the 78 winners was no fluke, Mrs. Oritsejafor said it was done with utmost transparency and without bias for religion or tribe, appealing to those who didn’t win “if it’s not today, it is tomorrow. God can decide to bless you in another way any way. What we must do is to remain hopeful, prayerful, looking on to God who is the author and the finisher of our faith.”

In an interview, the visioner and immediate past national president of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritse-jafor emphasised that the Church has no choice than to lend a helping hand to the under-privileged in the society.

“When Jesus said I was hungry and you fed me, I was naked and you clothed me…He didn’t say there was a recession and you took a break and then after the re-cession you came back and you clothed me. That’s not what He said.

“So the Church has no choice but to always reach out to the poor, to the under-privileged, the needy, those who are out there who need help. Jesus preached one day and when He finished preaching, He said to His disciples, give them food to eat. That immediately tells you that God is always concerned about the total man: the spirit, the mind and the body. It’s not just about preaching people to heaven, but while they are here on earth, what do they do, how do they live, how do they feed and survive?

“So what’s life all about? Why should they be here? They are not dead, they are alive. So we have a responsibility and we just can’t run away from it. We must continue to do all what God “instructed” the Church to do, and we do it with joy. Because when you obey God and you are happy about it, Heaven is happy with you. So we rejoice and we will continue to do it. We don’t even think of recession. We do our best and He knows that we will always do our best. Whatever we do now, next time hopefully it will be better than this. We just pray we can improve and continue to improve,” he said.

Asked if the gesture is in recognition that governments have failed in this part of the world, he said: “No, I don’t think so. In my own opinion, God spoke directly to the Church, so the Church has a responsibility to do exactly what we are doing now, whether there is government or not. In fact, the Church is government on its own and so has a direct responsibility to take care of the needy. So the Church, to be honest with you, should not hide behind government somewhere and say government ought to do this.

“That’s not to say government shouldn’t. Government has the responsibility to take care of people they govern. Now that is between them and God and the people. But I must tell you that the Church has a responsibility given to her directly from God to take care of the needy amongst them. We do it because we are instructed to do it,” he said.

Continuing, he told his interview-er: “It will shock you if you go to the UK to discover that the churches that are well recognized by government, by Her Royal Majesty and all important institutions are the ones that are doing exactly what we are doing now. That makes them stand out and they are recognized. In fact three years ago, Prince Charles went to a Nigerian church; on his birthday to worship. And when they asked him why, he said because I found out that this church is always meeting the needs of people and I just think it’s the right thing for a church to do, so I feel it’s a right place for me to come and worship.

“Again I repeat, that does not take away the fact that government has a responsibility to make sure that the people are first protected; secondly their needs are met one way or the other. They have that responsibility. But I can’t sit here and speak for government. They will have to speak for themselves. But I can speak for the Church. I know I have a responsibility as a leader in the Church to do what we are doing and we will continue to do it by the grace of God.

“The Church alone cannot do it. It is absolutely impossible, but the Church must do what she can do and that’s exactly what we’re doing. Government has a huge chunk of the responsibility but the Church has its place and corporate organizations have their place. I look forward to a day in this country when government, churches and corporate organizations would partner and work together to meet the needs of people.

“My feeling is that we may ‘almost’, not totally, eradicate poverty from our society, if these three groups will come together. That’s my heart desire. I don’t know how to go about it. If you know how to, you can tell us how and reach out to the government and corporate organizations. I’m here, I’m ready. If the three groups can partner, believe me, we will change this nation. We are ready and we believe that together we can make a difference in this nation to the glory of God,” Oritsejafor pledged.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/jehovahs-witness-wins-tricycle-oritsejafor-empowers-78/