this was how it was described to me yesterday by a brother who has been there for some 40 years.
"everyone is about gone; the governing body is set to leave within 2 months; the kitchen and laundry personnel are gone and i have to fend for myself now.".
"also the aggravation of 4 to 5 business men in suits with clipboards daily checking out the watchtower properties.
I have mountains of sympathy for them. "But for the grace of God" I was very nearly one of them. I remember when my whole goal in life was to make my Bethel service a life-long career. That is what they encouraged in Entrants School. Thank goodness that I left while still young.
Plus, they are cult victims. Even the mean ones. They are responsible for their actions, but you got to also look into the factors that pushed them to make those choices.
greetings.
does anyone have the answers for this weeks last written review?.
thank you.
Yes.
i was listening to beyond belief yesterday, a radio 4 programme that treats religious ideas as worthy of consideration and discussion.
yesterday they were talking about belief in the afterlife.
they mentioned something i'd never heard of before.
hello everyone!just a little background info, i haven't been to a meeting in over a year.
my wife has asked me to go with her tonight to help watch our son since it's the circuit overseers visit...my wife wants to be able to pay attention and get something out of the meeting since our son is 1yr old he can be a handful some times.. a few things of note about the situation:.
- i'm going to the meeting no matter what.
to all congregations.
re: new songs for memorial.
dear brothers:.
dear all, need some advice .
in my country one can get dfd for pretty much anything the bullies want to df you for.
but is there any specific guidelines that state one can or cannot be dfd for marrying a non witness.
It is not a disfelowshipping matter, per-se. They will give a marking talk.
2012-Shepherd-The-Flock-Of-God-ks10_E pg 124-125 mentions it:
2. If the disorderly conduct is generally unknown to others and poses no threat to their spiritual wellbeing, usually it is best to handle things through admonition and counsel. The elders should not be hasty in giving a warning talk. However, if the individual does not see the error of his way but continues to be an unwholesome influence, a warning talk may be given to the congregation.—2 Thess. 3:6, 14, 15; w99 7/15 pp. 29-31; w85 4/15 pp. 30-31.
- Example—mark for dating an “unbeliever”: The elders should first counsel and try to help a disorderly one. If a person persists in a way that is disturbing and that has the potential for spreading, they may conclude that there would be reason for a warning talk to be given to the congregation.—2 Cor. 6:14; 2 Thess. 3:11, 14; w99 7/15 p. 31.
- It may be that an individual is dating not an actual ‘unbeliever’ but an unbaptized publisher. In such cases a warning talk may not be needed, depending on the circumstances, on the attitude of the Christian, on the level of disturbance to the congregation, and other factors. Nonetheless, if he is dating with a view to marrying someone who is unbaptized, he is not obeying the Bible’s counsel at 1 Corinthians 7:39 to marry “only in the Lord,” and loving counsel should be given. Elders will use reasonableness and discernment in determining whether a particular situation is sufficiently serious and disturbing to require a warning talk. —od pp. 150-151; w04 7/1 pp. 30-31.
IF they ignore this council, and the Elders are really mad, THEN they will disfellowship under the catch-all of "Brazen Conduct".
the 2016 yearbook is now on the official site.
pdf.
it has been added to the archive of all prior yearbooks.
pg 109 - 110
As the brothers adjusted to the wartime hardships, they soon faced another serious test. The Japanese authorities ordered all foreigners (including Chinese-Indonesians) to register and to carry an identity card bearing an oath of allegiance to the Japanese Empire. Many brothers wondered, ‘Should we register and sign the identity card, or should we refuse?’
Felix Tan explained: “The brothers in Jakarta urged those of us in Sukabumi to refuse to sign the identity card. But we asked the authorities if we could change the wording on the card from ‘the undersigned have sworn allegiance to’ to ‘the undersigned will not impede’ the Japanese army. Surprisingly, they agreed, so we all obtained cards. When the brothers in Jakarta heard about our decision, they called us apostates and cut us off.”
Josephine Elias with her brother Felix
Sadly, most of the hard-liners in Jakarta were arrested and renounced the truth. One brother who refused to compromise ended up in prison with André Elias. “I reasoned with him on the registration issue and helped him to get a more balanced view,” said André. “He humbly asked forgiveness for cutting us off. We then had a grand time building each other up, but tragically, he died because of the harsh prison conditions.”
pdf.
the date of the letter is october but it was just released today, 2015-12-22..
2015-12-2-boe.. .re: new songs for memorial .click the green download button.. http://wwwb.fileflyer.com/view/u8bdzb2.
..wtunderground!.
the 2016 yearbook is now on the official site.
pdf.
it has been added to the archive of all prior yearbooks.
