Theocratic Collector Membership

[GrumpysWife]

The site is good ask Musky for help.

Edited May 5, 2013 by GrumpysWife

[cricket246]

Please be warned about this site!!

 

I am not trying to be judgemental or slanderous, only to warn my dear brothers and sisters and prevent you from experiencing the stress a poor sister I know just went through here.

 

In 2011 she paid to use this site and a short time later the brother changed the site setting saying it was due to security, but even though this dear sister had already paid to use the site, she could never get into to use the site again and couldn't get any help with the matter.

 

A few days ago (now almost 3 years later) he just randomly decided to start charging her and messed her account up very badly! He didn't have her permission and never even contacted her (plus he had recurring monthly payments set up and they put a stop to it) regarding this so the fraud team is investigating both him and his site.

Please be careful who you sign up with online, especially Theocratic Collector & Steve Searle.

Edited October 24, 2013 by cricket246

[ava]

Just throwing it out there but why do we need to do research back to 1879? We have changed a lot since then, current is better.

 

I agree!

 

Sometime I see ones here who will ask questions and often the responses from friends are from stuff in the 50's, 60's, etc.  But when you compare that old stuff to current stuff, there are many changes.  

 

When I am researching, most topics I stick to the last 10 yrs, sometimes I have to go farther back, but usually I can find my answers in the current stuff.

 

I hardly ever use my WT LIB Cd anymore.  I usually just use the online library at JW.Org, it has all the stuff from 2000-present so I tend to stick with that for most stuff.

[rocket]

There is a lot of basic truths in the older publications that have not changed and for those who like deep research, it is nice that the publications and indexes are still available. I have to say though that ones time is better spent expanding their ministry. I have in the past found some interesting things in the old publications. Early on they went into great detail as to how to arrive at the correct date for the memorial, this has not changed. The memorial dates are available all the way back to 1800's. I also researched the "year text" and how that come into being. It is interesting how our solid position on neutrality came about and how not having a clear and solid position during ww1 caused much confusion and some faithful brothers did things they later regretted. My grandfather for example made the choice to serve in a military hospital stateside during ww1. Something he was not proud of as the understanding of neutrality was clarified years later.

[SassyBrite1960]

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Brothers and sisters, be careful with  this site, I am being put through the ringer right now because I stopped payment by means of PayPal because the way I was treated, all I wanted was a refund and he is not done with me yet. In all my years of being a witness, I have never been treated the way I am being treated, something is not right here, I won't go into details but please be careful.

[GrumpysWife]

I,also had money issues with him. As well as a couple more.

[trottigy]

I am a huge fan of, "if I have to pay, I'll stay away!" Or "if there is a cost, then I am lost!"

I dislike paying for JW "things" - donate sure "forced to pay, no way."

I use WINTM for the school schedule it is free. I used paper and excel for talks.

[SassyBrite1960]

Does anyone know if Steve Searle is a brother?

[cricket246]

I thought so but now I'm doubting it...He put someone I know through the mill with payments...It saddens me that someone would turn out like this and using Jehovah's material makes it even worse...:*(

[Loje]

I have been a member of this site (and another one of his sites for a total of $35/yearly) for the past 3-4 years.  It was an enjoyable site however, he required passwords at every turn as you would navigate the site.  It became a pain having to constantly re-enter the same password.  

 

Today, I decided to cancel my membership mainly due to a lack of time to visit the website.  I wrote Steve an email thanking him for his website and explaining that I no longer have the time to view it.  

 

IMAGINE MY SHOCK when he writes back with the subject heading "Lack of Respect" and accuses me of not valuing his hard work!  This is a PAID SUBSCRIPTION!!!  He then "BANS" me from his website!!!  The complete thread is shown right below.  

 

What's wrong with this guy?!?  This is not a normal response to a subscription cancellation. I had planned on responding back but knowing his personality, have opted against it.  Be forewarned folks.

 

 

Lori,

 

I only want people who appreciate and value the hard work and effort I put

into these sites.

 

Since you clearly do not, I have removed and banned you from my newsletter

mailing list.

It is your responsibility to cancel any auto re-bill instructions that you
have set up at PAYPAL with regard to my site(s).

 

 

Can I ask why you subscribed to my site in the first place?

 

 

Regards

 

 

Steve

 

 

 

On November 30, 2015 at 7:50 PM Lori Kroeger wrote:

 

Hi Steve,

 

Please cancel my subscription, I believe I am on auto-pay at PayPal.

 

I no longer have the time to review the items on the website and should things change, I’ll be sure to renew.  Thanks for all the good stuff you have provided.

 

Lori 

[Julsey]

Lori -

 

I am not the least bit surprised.  I had a similar experience.  Here's what I got back after I sent him a very respectful reply to one of the emails, in which I (very tactfully) disagreed with him:

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Great Value Online Books com
Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2013 10:48 AM
To: Jules
Subject: Re: ... "Yes but I think Global Warming is greatly exaggerated"

UNSUBSCRIBED

 

I was in a kind of shock, and felt very hurt, because I thought he was my brother.  He seemed like such a nice person in his emails.  So then I wrote him back:

 

Sent: Sunday, May 5, 2013 5:05:25 PM
Subject: Re: ... "Yes but I think Global Warming is greatly exaggerated"

Steve,

I am sorry that the only response you can give me is 'UNSUBSCRIBED.'  As I
mentioned at the end of my email, I did not mean to cause you any distress.
You have put together an amazing website, and I have been grateful for
everything you share with us.  It is very hurtful to think that you would do
this.  You may believe that my taking exception with some part of the global
warming issue amounts to apostasy.  That is all I can think.  Rest assured,
that is not the case.

I am sorry, too, that, if I did offend you, you cannot show Christian
forgiveness.  I would try to make amends in some other way, if I could, but
seeing as how I am in Texas and you are in California I do not know how to
do that.

One day, we will both, hopefully, be in Jehovah's new system.  I hope you
can forgive me then.

Julie

 

I was very sincere in what I wrote, and really trying to reach him, not make things worse.  His response?

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Great Value Online Books com
Sent: Sunday, May 05, 2013 11:06 AM
To: Jules
Subject: Re: ... "Yes but I think Global Warming is greatly exaggerated"

BYE BYE!
 

I

[Loje]

I'm so glad you posted this Jules.  I already have a major long standing depression going on which tends to make me hyper-sensitive to rejection.  I actually cried when I received his email!!!

 

That's a first, cancelling a subscription does not typically evoke tears!  Anyway, I think we can confirm that there is definitely a problem here.  It's especially sad when it involves our sisters and brothers.

 

Thanks again for posting

[shali]

If it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's a duck. If it talks like a jerk and acts like a jerk, it's a jerk!

[Loje]

Amen!

[Lance]

Yep .. It is certainly nice to be here..

Not perfect, but most try to get along, in Christ like way...

[Tortuga]

If it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's a duck. If it talks like a jerk and acts like a jerk, it's a jerk!

 

I need a T-shirt that says that...

[Loje]

MY HEAD IS SPINNING! 

 

I replied back to Steve, explaining a bit more on why I don't have time - my depression literally paralyzes me and adding to that, the fact that when a person is depressed, they lose all interest in everything, including websites.

 

Anyway, so he now gives me a FREE lifetime subscriptions to all his sites!!

 

Brothers and sisters, we're ALL nuts (or maybe I'm just speaking for Steve and myself), it's as simple as that. I can't think of any other explanation.  We're living during the peak of imperfection and are brain cells are dusty.  There's a reason Jehovah asks us to continue putting up with one another   

 

If you can get past the little email differences, his site is very good.  Writer runs ---> 

 

Lori,

 

Forget the annual subscriptions ... here is a LIFE TIME SUBSCRIPTION for free!

(see below).

 

"What the mind can conceive and believe ... the mind can achieve"  ... for good

or bad.

 

 

Loads of love

 

 

Steve

[shali]

He probably read this thread and realized how bad he appeared (is this a public forum)? Glad one person got a decent reply from this guy. There is hope!

[Hermez]

I also had a bad experience. A brother from my hall asked if i could purchase some of the cd's which amounted to 70 dollars from the site. I agreed to it and via paypal money was transferred, however no cd's were ever received. When i asked paypal what to do they said to ask him for proof of delivery and thats when it went bad! Needless to say i was banned for life and never received a refund or cd's. In fact he was quite mean and even accused me of not being a brother?!  I wrote back explaining that i was sorry and would rather lose 70 dollars than a brother Quoting 1 Corinthians 6:7,8... So proceed with caution. I however hold no grudge and no resentment...

[shali]

If he is a REAL brother, could you imagine being an elder and trying to give this guy counsel?!!! Seems like he gets bend out of shape rather easily, very thin skinned. Not to mention, he's not much of a businessman. Everyone knows that the customer is always right and you do your best to please in order to keep their business - you don't just throw it away the first chance you get. I wonder if he has someone else answering his emails but signing his name?

[Julsey]

I'm so glad you posted this Jules.  I already have a major long standing depression going on which tends to make me hyper-sensitive to rejection.  I actually cried when I received his email!!!

I felt the same way, Lori, believe me!

[Julsey]

MY HEAD IS SPINNING! 

 

I replied back to Steve, explaining a bit more on why I don't have time - my depression literally paralyzes me and adding to that, the fact that when a person is depressed, they lose all interest in everything, including websites.

 

Anyway, so he now gives me a FREE lifetime subscriptions to all his sites!!

 

Brothers and sisters, we're ALL nuts (or maybe I'm just speaking for Steve and myself), it's as simple as that. I can't think of any other explanation.  We're living during the peak of imperfection and are brain cells are dusty.  There's a reason Jehovah asks us to continue putting up with one another   

 

If you can get past the little email differences, his site is very good.  Writer runs ---> 

 

Lori,

 

Forget the annual subscriptions ... here is a LIFE TIME SUBSCRIPTION for free!

(see below).

 

"What the mind can conceive and believe ... the mind can achieve"  ... for good

or bad.

 

 

Loads of love

 

 

Steve

Don't trust him as far as I could throw him.  As Brigette says, 'If it walks like a duck...'  A person may call themselves one of Jehovah's Witnesses, but as someone else once said, 'Just because a cat had kittens in the oven, that don't make 'em biscuits.'

[shali]

I was thinking that the Free Lifetime Subscriptions to all his sites might of been a sarcastic response as well. Time will tell.

[mdoolittle]

I have been a subscriber for a little over 5 years. I signed up for the lifetime membership to all of his sites. Other than the email reminders to

 

re-register for the new password each year and the occasional emails about new Theocratic releases on the site I have had no issues whatsoever.

 

I have enjoyed the re-search information that is available and use it quite often. I felt like Steve was a brother but after reading about some of the

 

problems some freinds have had I will be cautious of his motives.

[Sunshine234]

I too have had problems with Steve

I was a member of many of his sites for years then when I was offering lifetime membership for all his sites at a discounted rate I thought yes great will do that instead.

So in all innocence I cancelled my recurring annual payment agreement I had via PayPal and was just about to pay for the lifetime package when an email arrived from him demanding to know why I had cancelled the recurring payments

So I explained it was because I was about to buy the lifetime membership

Got an instant reply saying I should have told him immediately what I was doing before I cancelled anything and he went on to say I was therefore banned permanently from all his sites.

I did try to apologise for my "bad" behaviour but he was having none of it

But it's comforting to know I'm not the only one who has had issues lol