Arauna

I am sure the list of Pharisees was just as long...... and they all were highly respected by their generation. What does that prove? None of them use Jehovah's name.... so they can never be a witness of Jehovah.

So much can go wrong with trying to read too much into the numbers. Even if there is a database of 12,000 or more pedophiles, this does not mean that all of them were found to be actively committing crimes in the congregation. A big reason for such a database is clearly to keep a lookout for danger even if the person had been convicted or suspected long before becoming a Witness. Some were probably cases of incest, and crimes of opportunity, where the children are no longer in direct danger after they leave the household. (And this is another reason why the WTS would want to protect the privacy of such a database.) Many of the persons involved are likely dead by now. Remember that the brother who estimated this percentage was giving a rough estimate, not of how many are currently in the congregations, but the number that a typical congregation might "have had." If it was 1% over a period of a couple decades, then I would suspect it's more reasonable to conclude that there was another 1% or so who got away with it. But even here, we are talking about a period of decades, not a current number.
Recently, closer attention to the subject has helped to drive down the opportunities. It has helped parents stay more alert and better equipped to protect their children. I think you remember that years ago, on this forum, I complained that the WTS had not yet done nearly enough to change the process and the basic direction of the way such crimes were treated. In the last year, I have explained that I agree with the current direction. I have seen important changes to these processes, and important changes to the basic direction of the judicial focus. (There is no longer an implied element of protecting the reputation of the congregation, and the focus has shifted almost completely to the protection of children, and recognizing that the shame is on the perpetrator and no one else.) I am satisfied that the WTS did about as much as it was possible to do for now, and that most of the current issues are carry-overs from prior to these last changes.

You moron, nothing was said of “inside information” and he didn’t “say” anything—he “estimated”—there is a difference. Moreover, you ignore the overall inference of the above remark that everyone else likely has significantly more CSA than within JW.
I’m not sure that you care about children at all. If you do, that concern is far overshadowed by your mission to run down the Witness organization. What a hateful loon!

A pretty good guess, I would imagine. I like to think that is still quite low, in view of Invisiblechild.org  reporting that 1 out of every 5 children in the US will be suffer molestation before age 18. But such will never be known for sure because practically nobody other than JWs made note of abuse cases within the membership; Witnesses did so in the spirit of Romans 2:22– to ensure that they ‘practice what you preach.’ In doing so, they produce a ‘paper trail,’ the 1000 ARC cases that nobody else produces because everybody else was content to not look.
Their vigilance is readily used against them. It is the classic example of the cynical phrase, ‘No good deed goes unpunished.’ Had they stuck their heads in the sand, as was the pattern elsewhere, and cried like Sergeant Shultz: “I know nothing!!” they would have fared better.
 

Dennis Christensen was to be released after serving 3 years of his sentence—there is a formula in Russia for counting each day of pre-trial detention as 1.5 days of actual time—but the Ministry of Justice has appealed. He is now in a special holding cell. He was guilty of ‘misconduct’ during his term, the MOJ charges.
He had organized an English class for fellow inmates—how bad can his ‘misconduct’ be? They are trying to break him, Watchtower HQ says, and everyone with a brain in their head knows it is so. His ‘misconduct’ was not renouncing his faith.
I couldn’t believe it when I heard of his early release. Two days later, I saw that I was right not to believe it. The reason I could not believe it is that it flew in the face of recent Russian escalation of efforts to stamp out the faith. The stiffest prison term yet had just been imposed upon sixty-one-year-old Gennady Shepakovsky. Is he not a little old for such harshness, especially when his “crime” is no more than worshipping God per the tenets of his faith? The judge of the case suggested that Jehovah’s Witnesses (there are 175,000 of them!) go to a country where their faith is “more needed.” I thought of how the prophet Amos was told exactly that by rebellious servants of the king:
“Off with you, seer, flee to the land of Judah and there earn your bread by prophesying! But never again prophesy in Bethel for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” It is exactly how an anti-God world responds to hearing his words.
This comes directly on the heels of the MOJ appealing its own victorious verdict against another Witness because the sentence imposed was insufficiently harsh. This comes directly on the heels of another Witness having his citizenship revoked.
These penalties are unheard of—even a crime-boss does not have his citizenship revoked—the Ministry of Justice comes across as unhinged in its hatred of a faith—for that’s all these ones are—members of a faith—and everyone of sense knows it. Russian enemies are fighting Christianity, for none of these convicted ones are guilty of anything other than being Christian—and the most exemplary of Christians at that: Christians who will not kill, Christians who will not steal, lie, fall into sloth, do drugs, abuse alcohol, Christians who do more than their share to contribute to the common good.
It is possible to overplay one’s hand and in so doing provide a glimpse into a deeper reality. There is no human explanation that makes sense for such over-the-top ill-treatment. Therefore, it dawns upon some to look for a super-human explanation. At the Kingdom Hall, a weekly segment for 2 or 3 years running has been a consideration of the book, Jesus’ Life and Ministry, detailing events of his life in chronological order. Last night, his post-Passover final meeting with his disciples came up for examination. Was it to be always easy sailing for those who would stick with him?
“Men will expel you from the synagogue. In fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he has offered a sacred service to God”—Jesus’ words of John 16:1-2 were reviewed. See why Dennis is not unprepared? He has been fortified with these words all his of his life. 
He has also been fortified by Revelation 2:10: “Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison so that you may be fully put to the test, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.” It is also to be mentioned John 15: 19-21: “If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world...for this reason the world hates you.  Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me [Jesus], they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours.  But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.”
So Dennis is not unprepared. He is bummed, no doubt—how could anyone not be? but probably not unprepared. He knows who he is battling, and it is not men. If I didn’t believe his early release, he probably didn’t, either—“not until it is in the bag,” he would have said. He knows he is up against the Devil, standing up as a test case almost like that of Job. The humans don’t matter—if one of them forgets his/her lines or has a change of heart, he is replaced by someone true to the wicked cause of a play that has not only continued from Jesus’ time but is coming to a head. A friend who has traveled to Russia tells me that the brothers there are cautious—but they have always had to be cautious. They find satisfaction in knowing that their resolute stand answers the taunts of the Wicked One before the entire world.
Of course, Dennis had no way of knowing that he would be the test case—no doubt he does not like that. Or maybe he does. You never know. Some Witness survivors of the Holocaust are on record as saying that they would not have traded away their experience if they could, for it gave them opportunity to give answer to the Devil before the world. They mirror the attitude of certain first-century Christians who, upon release from abusive treatment, went out “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of [Jesus’] name. (Acts 5:41)
Is it a coincidence that the weekly Bible reading schedule that Witnesses adhere to has rolled around to Exodus chapter 5, about how Moses’s first foray to Pharaoh initially went badly for the Israelites?
‘Afterward, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh: “This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says, ‘Send my people away so that they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.’”... “The king of Egypt replied to them: ‘Why is it...that you are taking the people away from their work?’... That same day, Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters and their foremen: “You must no longer give straw to the people to make bricks. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.... Make them work harder, and keep them busy so that they will not pay attention to lies.” (Exodus 5: 1-9)
“Hmm. Is there anything today that corresponds to supposedly good news being turned on its head like in Moses’s time and unexpectedly made harsh news?” I asked myself, and then I read about Dennis being shoved back into the slammer. The events even parallel in how the faithless ones back then charged that Moses had made a hash of his assignment and should have left matters alone—just as faithless ones today have charged that the Witness organization reads the situation wrongly and makes it worse for the Russian Witnesses. “They’re no Moses!” the villains will say. Maybe not, but in this case the developments could not have paralleled those of Moses more closely. In fact, the modern Russian brothers put the Israelites to shame, for the latter did blame Moses for their problems. “May Jehovah look upon you and judge, since you have made Pharaoh and his servants despise us and you have put a sword in their hand to kill us,” they accused the one assigned to deliver them. (vs 21)
“There’s something happening here—what it is ain’t exactly clear,” sings the Buffalo Springfield—50 years too soon and on the wrong stage. The fog is dissipating fast. Russia becomes the most visible nation to fight against God. “The kings of the earth take their stand, and high officials gather together as one against Jehovah and against his anointed one” (Psalm 2:2), and Russia acts as though wanting to lead the charge. You never know when a given king will read ahead and decline to play the game, for the ending bodes ill for them: “Ask of me, and I will give nations as your inheritance,” God says to his son, “and the ends of the earth as your possession. You will break them with an iron scepter, and you will smash them like a piece of pottery.” So far, though, most are adhering to script.
Matters are coming to a head—you can smell it. Is it reasonable to insist that Exodus 5 finds a parallel in today’s Russian events? No. But it’s reasonable to suggest it—just as it was reasonable to suggest that the then-scheduled Bible reading of the Assyrian army assaulting Jerusalem prepared the hearts of Russian brothers who were facing immanent ban of their organization in 2017.
Is it reasonable to look at these parallels? It hardly matters. Reason has had its day in the sun. It has been weighed in the scales and found wanting. The point of 2 Timothy 3: 1-5 is that in the last days people would forget all about reason, and a host of other stabilizing qualities. Does it seem that reason is the order of the day in light of the Covid 19 epidemic, as punctuated by protests escalating to riots as a black man’s death at the hands of police stokes mayhem around the world? Jehovah’s Witnesses are among the few—at least in my American home—who without fuss don masks. Normal meetings and methods of ministry are suspended, and it is almost as though ones are retreating to interior rooms until the denunciation passes. Anger, not reason, becomes the order of the day, and it is not so foolish to lie low.
The world is not friendly to Christian values. The persecution that Jesus guaranteed would visit his followers is not to be averted. But it can be guaranteed, as Paul said to Agrippa, that this thing will “not be done in a corner.” It will receive maximum publicity so that whoever is of good heart will be moved by it. This the Witness organization has done and continues to do.

...This post will soon be appended to the free ebook: Dear Mr. Putin - Jehovah’s Witnesses write Russia. The book is in ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ version—the only difference being that in ‘safe’ version, all quotes from Watchtower publications are redacted. Even if is the New World Translation quoting Jesus on how we must love our enemies. “Redacted for reader safety,” it will say.

Can you not see that Satan is getting ready to attack all religions on earth?  Have you not noticed how legislation is slowly changing everywhere? … to bring in the new secular world order and the fourth industrial revolution?
Who is spiritually blind?  These news spinners carry on as if all JWs are pedophiles. There are media mob attacks against all Christians at present as well. Less than .0001 percent of JWs are pedophiles and in most of these cases the victims did not have enough proof in front of elders... because it is a hidden crime.  After several years have passed, a mature 'adult' can now no go to court.
While I am definitely for this form of justice I think the courts are shoving all responsibility onto us and all the other organizations working with children. They want these organizations to be responsible when the legal system itself would not have been able to prove it in a court of justice when the victims were too young. The court system did not favor young victims.  Now only did they change the laws to favor the victims at an 'older age' and all hell breaks lose on companies working with children because the legal system is not responsible. At a late stage of pedophile history they held inquiries and changed the laws... to exonerate themselves and keep others responsible. 
This is not about your sense of justice for the victims - that is clear in your replies. It is  just another hate - stick to beat your fellow slaves with..... Have you ever looked at your own spirituality instead of calling us ignorant?
When you know the world is coming to attack you (prophesied) - I would also try to salvage what I can of the funds I have available...…until they come to destroy us.  I have done the same.
I know they are coming for us once they have imposed a new economic world order on us - we will not be able to buy or sell.  No I have not bought gold, silver or bitcoin..... but I have moved the little funds I have to be able to survive until they take me to prison or kill me.   The dollar has already fallen and most people are sitting in front of their mobiles all day.... they do not even know that an economic reset is going on.  So instead of focusing on your hate -  Jehovah is just and he will take these injustices into consideration when His judgment comes, I suggest you stop smirking at JWs and get serious about your humility.  
I think it is right that the Witnesses prefer to react to a Court of Law decision and pay compensation…… not any other kangaroo court in operation.... there will not be justice and it is unbiblical.  A court of law must convict us and if their other organizations sanction us - so be it.... we will suffer the sanction. We obey the legal authority.

What do you know about faith and  do you judge another's faith?  The bible does call them "discreet". So they will work with everything in the best way they know how.  
If they save money then you say they have no trust in God.  If they leave it to chance you will call them useless slaves and bad managers....... can they ever get your approval? I doubt it. Whatever they do will be wrong in your judgmental eyes.
 

The headline of this article is pure spin. I would also put my money offshore if I could because the dollar has already fallen...... They are trying to save what is left. But this may also be too late because a new financial world will emerge from this covid 19. All money will be digitized with ID..... How offshore money will be dealt with I am not sure. The GB used some offshore money before when they ran out of liquidity. It is good to save money in a 'perceived' safe place. To not pay people their money awarded by court they would have to declare bankruptcy in Australia - and I have not heard this in the news yet...… so the story above is pure spin...… but of course people with no clue of how this works will find the article interesting.... or the people who just love it because the spin puts JWs in a bad light.

That is debatable because you are most probably the most self-righteous person on this forum. You are the one always justifying your hate by abuse of scripture.  I just keep pointing out your hateful attitude..... and believe me..... it is like OCD.  You cannot move away from this single mindset. That is all I have to say. 

Jehovah’s Witnesses has argued it does not have the “institutional settings” necessary to be a part of the redress scheme.
Spokesperson Tom Pecipajkovski told the ABC it would respond directly to individual claims.
“Jehovah’s Witnesses understand that, to date, there have been less than 10 applicants to the redress scheme who have referred to the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” Pecipajkovski said.
“Jehovah’s Witnesses have responded and will continue to respond directly to individual claims for redress in a caring, fair, and principled manner, taking into consideration the unique circumstances of each claim.” 
https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2020/07/organisations-named-and-shamed-for-refusing-to-join-national-redress-scheme/

If they meet, they meet not for their own benefit unlike your suggestion that other anointed must play important roles in the congregations they are in.....  And how will you know it is not an imposter anointed group trying to take over in the congregation...… ever thought of that????   I take you a bet you have not thought of this because practical matters are not your forte..

I wish more people would speak out against the GB, but the GB will be removed by God through Christ, or they will stand down when God's time is right for it to happen..
Egotism : The GB calling themselves the Faithful and Discreet Slave. The GB saying that only they, those 8 men, are that Slave, and that the other Anointed should not meet together for bible study etc, when those 8 men meet together all the time. The GB saying that 'God and Christ trusts them' and that therefore 'all JWs should trust them'. 
THAT is Egotism. 

.....or they will be removed by human hands aka new policy, new people in management structure, "new light" about GB and so on.   

Questioning their motives is not being rebellious. I obey carefully, especially if they want me to do something against Jehovahs law. Peter himself said we must obey God rather than men.  So I think you do not understand this issue properly.  Will you go to war if the government tells you to? Will you support LGBTQ  and abortion if the government requires it? 
I am not here to teach you.... .... I suggest you read up a little more about it.

Yes I do question ALL authority …. so I definitely do not worship the GB as you have often accused me.  I have thought all aspects through carefully.
I am not a natural rebel. I leave that to hotheads like … the OCD crowd. I think things through before I rebel. 
Judgment mmmm…..going to deep as you cannot read hearts.
How silly!  What universe are you living in? 

Questioning their motives is not being rebellious. I obey carefully, especially if they want me to do something against Jehovahs law. Peter himself said we must obey God rather than men.  So I think you do not understand this issue properly.  Will you go to war if the government tells you to? Will you support LGBTQ  and abortion if the government requires it? 
I am not here to teach you.... .... I suggest you read up a little more about it.

Your words revealed how you have extra perception ability and/or how people who are elders and MS are of no good, according to your conclusions about them. Interesting! And what is your "position" in congregation? Rank and file members or something else? How you "dare" to talk against "older men"? :))) What example you giving to other JW members here?! :)))) Or, members just have leaders they deserve? :))
Please down vote me. I collect that.

I don’t know why this is so hard. Nobody gets everything they want. The U.S. political system of calling the leader of the other party a jerk works so well that he wants to bring it into the congregation.

He didn’t really introduce a sect, did he? He just blasted away at the existing arrangement so someone else could introduce a sect to fill the vacuum he created.

I don’t dare cross @Arauna

The DS is a nice vehicle. They look lovely. You should have kept it.......  I have 3 cars, 1 van, 1 motor scooter. I dare not show people the one i mainly drive, which is a 1961 car.  My van is small and scruffy, like me . My wife has a 1970 Morris Minor, which lives in the car port and hardly ever sees daylight.  She has a small blue car, a modern thing, which is her daily transport. The Motor Scooter is an LML, like a Vespa, but it is automatic. Hopefully it will be sold soon as I do not like it and do not use it.... Two of the cars are very cheap to run as they are MOT exempt (don't need to be examined for road safety) and are tax exempt (don't have to pay to use them on the roads). So it only cost money for insurance and fuel.... The thing with vehicles is this. If you treat a vehicle well and look after it, it will work well and not cause you any trouble. BUT, no matter how nicely you treat people you cannot be sure they will not cause you trouble. I much prefer vehicles  .... 
 

We were dealing with the court system and secular authorities - their role ; and the role of elders...… can you not even keep to the context ?

We were dealing with the court system and secular authorities - their role ; and the role of elders...… can you not even keep to the context ?

False assumption.  I knew a man who had a similar personality than JT. 
He was a difficult man to understand and had a problem to fit in with other JWs because of his personality.   It was due to growing up in an orphanage all his life.
His wife's faithfulness helped the children to remain faithful. (They came in the truth together). He had left the truth for several years because he was witty like JT but with a quirky element of black acidity in it.  Most people fled because  they could not handle it - not because they did not care.
Age did not soften his personality...... but he was in truth a good man.  He provided well for his family and would eagerly help strangers.  He would laugh easy but always had a look about him as though he was a suspicious predatory cat which  did not trust his surroundings.  Whatever happened to him as a child formed a lasting disability - which was unseen to the eye.   
He therefore needed much more love from us all ..... but most of us had our own baggage and issues- not enough love to give someone like him some peace and heal the damage. Only jehovah can do this.
This person came back into the congregation before he died. He had never broken any biblical laws except that he was a hard man to understand.

I wonder if the yo-yo has taken to plastering a ‘Question Authority’ bumper sticker on his Yugo. Probably not, because there is only one authority that he cares about—unless he has modified it to: “Question GB Authority.” This will cause all his neighbors to think he is nuts, but perhaps they already think it.
You don’t have to question authority on every piddly little thing—that’s why the world is chaotic and most of what is done is quickly undone.
Nathaniel Hawthorne (He wrote books, 4Jah, he was a writer, he goes on and on and on, and sometimes readers tire after a paragraph or two because he doesn’t slam the Governing Body and place a laughing emoji at chaper’s end) wrote of Hester Prynne, that “It is remarkable, that persons who speculate the most boldly often conform with the most perfect quietude to the external regulations of society.“ Nobody speculates more boldly about this world than Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Hawthorne didn’t say it, but the opposite is also true. This who cannot conform with the most most perfect quietude to the external regulations of society tend to be the most timid of all.
(Now watch him go ballistic that I have attributed a Yugo to him—a sly JW trick he knows well, he will say.   )