No More Harboring Private Ideas! (page 4)

obiefernandez

RW, just wanted to say thanks for posting the article.

OK, where is that critter that is always quoting the U.N. Human Rights thing??? I vaguely recollect something from that quote that conflicts w/ 'no more harboring private ideas'. Speak up, let's hear it.

Mustang
Fence-Sitters unite!!!!

metatron

A wild guess

Money Laundering or something like it.

metatron

Nicodemus

RW,

In line with what you write, and Maximus' comments, allow me to offer the following:

I too sense some "backward steps" of late. I had the same view of the KM article Maximus cites. It might prove interesting to compare the tone of this KM article with the one published in the 3/95 KM. While both articles essentially encourage that serious consideration be given to Bethel service, the 3/95 article is, by and large, reasonable, positive and upbuilding. In contrast, the tone of the recent article seems to harken greatly back to the "old days."

Further, there seems to be a frustration on the part of the Society with the rather obvious drop in meeting attendance and field service in the more educated areas. This has been manifested in some fairly stern, even "finger-pointing" counsel directed toward elders in recent meetings with traveling overseers.

Back around 1995, some truly impressive articles began to appear in the Watchtower. They emphasized following the model of Christ, and the fact that Christians were not just "cogs in an organizational machine," but were individually precious in God's eyes. They were honest, and realistic. Following is just one sample quote:

w95 12/1 11-12 Do Not Give Up!
When We Feel That We Are Not Doing Enough
11 The Kingdom-preaching work plays an important part in the life of a Christian, and sharing in it brings joy. (Psalm 40:8) Some Christians, though, feel very guilty about not being able to do more in the ministry. Such guilt could even erode our joy and cause us to give up, imagining that Jehovah feels that we never do enough. Consider the feelings that some struggle with.
“Do you know how time-consuming poverty is?” wrote one Christian sister who with her husband is raising three children. “I must conserve wherever I can. This means spending time searching through thrift shops, clearance racks, or even sewing clothes. I also spend an hour or two each week working on [discount food] coupons—cutting, filing, and trading them. At times I feel very guilty doing these things, thinking that I should be spending that time out in the field service.”
“I thought I must not really love Jehovah enough,” explained a sister with four children and an unbelieving husband. “So I struggled with my serving Jehovah. I tried really hard, but I never felt that it was enough. You see, I didn’t have any feeling of self-worth, so I could not imagine how Jehovah could ever accept my service to him.”
A Christian who found it necessary to leave the full-time service said: “I couldn’t stand the idea that I was failing in my commitment to serve Jehovah full-time. You can’t imagine how disappointed I was! I cry now remembering.”
12 It is only natural to want to serve Jehovah as fully as possible. (Psalm 86:12) Why, though, do some feel very guilty about not being able to do more? For some, it appears to be related to a general feeling of worthlessness, perhaps resulting from unpleasant experiences in life. In other cases, inappropriate guilt may result from an unrealistic view of what Jehovah expects of us. “I had felt that unless it hurts, you must not be doing enough,” admitted one Christian. As a result, she set excessively high standards for herself—and then felt even guiltier when she was unable to reach them.
13 What does Jehovah expect of us? Put simply, Jehovah expects us to serve him whole-souled, doing what our circumstances allow. (Colossians 3:23) There may, however, be a big difference between what we would like to do and what we realistically can do. We may be limited by such factors as age, health, physical stamina, or family responsibilities. Nevertheless, when we do all we can, we may feel assured that our service to Jehovah is whole-souled—no more and no less whole-souled than that of someone whose health and circumstances allow him to be in the full-time ministry.—Matthew 13:18-23.
14 How, then, can you determine what you can realistically expect of yourself? You may wish to talk over the matter with a trusted, mature Christian friend, perhaps an elder or an experienced sister, who knows your abilities, your limitations, and your family responsibilities. (Proverbs 15:22) Remember that in God’s eyes your worth as a person is not measured by how much you do in the field ministry. All of Jehovah’s servants are precious to him. (Haggai 2:7; Malachi 3:16, 17) What you do in the preaching work may be more or less than what others do, but as long as it represents your best, Jehovah is pleased, and there is no need for you to feel guilty.—Galatians 6:4. (bold mine)

Unfortunately, however, I seem to detect a reversion to those "pre-1995" days. Congregational hour averages are coming under scrutiny once again. Elders--many of who are trying to compete in a difficult world with substandard educational qualifications--are facing scrutiny because they can't seem to live up to the Society's expectations that they take care of their own families, teach, shepherd, handle judicial issues, and still get in more field service time than the "average" (there's that word again). We seem to be getting back to insinuating that the Christian quoted in paragraph 12 above was actually "balanced" and "evaluating the urgency of the present times" correctly.

Did I hear someone say: "the beatings will stop when morale improves?"

Roamingfeline

Good post, Nicodemus. I remember that article, and I remember thinking at the time that it wasn't that way in OUR KH. We were always treated as if nothing we did was ever good enough for the big J.

RCat

Nicodemus

My experience is that some of this varies depending on your area and the congregation you're in.

What interests me more, though, is the fluctuating, and even conflicting, messages that seem to be coming from Brooklyn.

Enlighted UK

First of all:

Quote
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They want a group of followers who will follow them to the death. If this trend continues, along with the incumbant corruption that such power holds, it will eventually lead to a Jim Jones type of group, where they are reduced in ranks, but what is left are willing to drink cyanide coolaid.
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How soon will this take, as I believe my in-laws will easily fit into this category!!

and Secondly -
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Remember that in God’s eyes your worth as a person is not measured by how much you do in the field ministry. All of Jehovah’s servants are precious to him.[/b] (Haggai 2:7; Malachi 3:16, 17) What you do in the preaching work may be more or less than what others do, but as long as it represents your best, Jehovah is pleased, and there is no need for you to feel guilty.—Galatians 6:4. (bold mine)[/quote]
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My husband was advised by the Service Elder, that they way to become a ministerial servant is as follows:
For a few months before a CO visit, make sure you do 10 hours a month in the ministry.
Put down on your report that you study with your daughter (yeah like at 3 months it is a STUDY).
When the CO visits, he will look at your card, see what you have been doing for 6 months - these figures will please the CO and you will be a Ministerial Servant.

Yes we said, but my husband cannot keep doing 10+ hours a month, as well as working full-time. And if you are then made a MS, you will need to keep that level of ministry going??

That doesn't matter, said the elder, as soon as you are made an MS, you can drop your hours again. Just do enough for the CO to be pleased with.

Jehovah NEVER came into the conversation. Only the CO (a bit like staying late at the office to please the boss and gain promotion- but then likely your place of work is not claiming to be Gods organisation on earth)

The whole thing stinks.

Enlighted UK

Maximus

Nicodemus, I very much appreciate your very astute observations.

Much of what I see, and hear from the inside, represents the internal struggle of the progressives vs. the hardliners. Making a judgment on what is in print in the Watchtower is like reading tea leaves seven months later--pipeline time. Hardliners can throw the progressives a bone once in awhile, which can further complicate matters.

Telephone calls are recorded across the board, not so much to pick up dissident thought, but to protect against further legal liability resulting from "bad" or inappropriate advice coming from various individual desks. The power of Legal looms yet larger ....

As the field starts understanding the relationship between the corporations, the Christian Congregation, the Branch Committee operation that went into effect, as well as modified/mooted functions of various GB committees, there will likely have to be some further clarification.

Replacement of GB members is almost like political appointments to the Court, complicated by the fact that many of the corporate members of the PA board of directors have been running the show for a long time anyway.

An easier way out would be to declare a broader definition of "governing body."

Which way will the behemoth lurch? That's the question. I speak for several who would be keenly interested in your observations.

Maximus

outnfree

mustang and metatron,

FYI, I read on another thread about the day before this one was posted that YK was going away on business.

Therefore, do not despair! We may yet hear from /You Know on this subject.

outnfree

JT

I had to share this post with some NONJW today-

It is so amazing to see how NONJW respond to info like this- it is with total disbelief--

Then to explain to them that this is the mindset of the jw is a joy beyond anything i can think of
to see their eyes sparkle as they begin to see that the smiling jw on the porch on sat morning is as lose as a fish out of water

James

No More Harboring Private Ideas!

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