Given the increasing regularity with which such logistical changes are happening I don't think it's an odd question at all. They are just sending the message to put up and shut up.
konceptual99
JoinedPosts by konceptual99
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77
Rumor: Discouraging news from GB at upcoming CA?
by bohm inthis is on the reddit frontpage and sounds super weird.
can it be confirmed in any way by anyone here?.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/4u72dk/what_kind_of_announcement_could_cause_jws_to/.
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meeting with elders about WT involvement in UN
by LevelThePlayingField ini still go to the meetings because of my in wife and it came about that the elders knew of my pissed off attitude about the society getting involved in the un.
so the elders said they could help me get over that and wanted to meet with me.
now just to let you know, i have only told my wife and her mom so far about it, that's it.
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konceptual99
I think you are playing with fire and simply raising your apostaprofile with the BoE. They will not be interested in any research you've done other than where you got the material from.
Unless you completely balls things up or have one of the elders gunning for you then I doubt you'll get yourself into immediate judicial trouble but you're lowering the bar significantly.
Even if the elders are ignorant about the UN thing, if they mention it to the CO then he won't be and will make sure they have you on the list of ones to keep an eye on.
I would follow a strategy of avoidance and diversion so that they give up trying to meet with you but if you do have a meeting then say as little as possible and maybe change the subject to something like general doubts and confusion over the generation understanding which you are waiting on Jehovah on.
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"Mother" Teresa—a Fraud?
by Saename ini often comment in threads that interest me on this forum.
moreover, some of you may know that i study the history of early christianity.
i once wrote an extensive comment on the historicity of jesus' existence in one of the threads.
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konceptual99
I think there is an irony that she was treated in modern hospital with the best care yet her homes for the dying, whilst well motivated and generally clean, lacked doctors and facilities that should have been possible given the amount of money her charitable foundation attracted. This seems to be mainly due to her theological position on suffering.
This was reported by Robin Fox, editor of The Lancet, in 1991 and also by a group of Université de Montréal academics in 2013.
Personally I sit on the fence a little with this. I suspect she benefited from this untouchable persona built up the Vatican and media and criticisms of her should be open for debate rather than batted away with ad hominem. Having said that, for the people in her care the alternatives were probably even worse. It's not a justification or a means to an end but even if the woman was not above reproach and wrapped up in a myth it doesn't automatically mean everything she did becomes evil.
What I do know is that the theological process of making her a saint is utter bollocks.
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Jehovah's Witnesses post 'anti-gay' 'Harness Your Habits' leaflet in North Devon
by OrphanCrow injehovah's witnesses post 'anti-gay' 'harness your habits' leaflet in north devon.
devon and cornwall police have said a leaflet posted through doors in north devon isn't a crime – despite it advising gay people to "control their urges".the leaflet, entitled "how to harness your habits", was distributed in north devon by jehovah's witnesses and contains an article asking "what does the bible say about homosexuality?
"in it, the religious group states that "rejecting homosexuality" is completely different to "rejecting people of a different skin colour" and says their views are the same as people who "view smoking as harmful and even repugnant".it also compares gay people to animals, but says "unlike animals, they can choose not to act on their impulses".the journal was contacted by a reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, who felt "belittled" by the leaflet.
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konceptual99
I agree that the message is as much about communicating the party line internally as it is to "help" ones externally. There is zero doubt in my mind that the GB are worried about the general acceptance of all types of sexuality and sexual expression within society affecting the mindset of the membership, especially younger ones.
They are trying establish the "hate the sin not the sinner" mentality and avoid language that implies it's OK to hate gays. They want to ensure that they are not seen by organisations like the Charities Commission (in the UK) and those responsible for taxation as extremists whilst promoting a supposedly tolerant line for members to take that limits the risk that too many people will start to question the whole matter of sexuality and sexual conduct.
I don't think they really care how organisations concerned with LGBT rights really see them. They don't want or even expect people to become Witnesses who are gay or otherwise and know they will never win any kind of argument with those who clearly disagree with any form of discrimination based on the Bible.
All they care about is stopping as many as possible internally from developing a laissez faire attitude to homosexuality and preventing the authorities from using the WTS stance on the matter as a lever to invoke financially painful arrangements.
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where have the demons gone?
by aboveusonlysky indoes anybody remember some of the sensational demon stories jw's would tell back in the day?
i was a kid in the early 80's and i remember a few times hearing of people having real life encounters with demons.
for example, one sister claimed that before she became a jdub she would regularly talk to demons and they would even fix stuff like her washing machine!
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konceptual99
I think you're right SBF. To go on about demons throwing plates around now would just make you sound like a nut case. The only time it's really mentioned now is in relation to scenarios more appropriate to Africa.
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New Publication (2014) "God Kingdom Rules" -- When Is It Studied At The Kingdom Hall?
by Littleleslie ini just wanted to know, when do the jws begin to study the 2014 publication called: "god's kingdom rule" at the local kingdom halls?
(i heard it was going to be sometime in the month of september of 2016, this month.).
ll.
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konceptual99
Just to correct myself. The paragraph in chapter 2 says nothing about JC's presence in 1874. Chapter 4 does though. They do fess up to it there but use a stupid illustration about tourists and a city guide to explain it away.
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Mouthy has Passed Away
by Simon inupdate on mouthy (grace gough)this is graces granddaughter.
i wanted to send an update that today my beautiful grandmother passed away - surrounded by friends and family.
- may 22 1927 - sept 2nd 2016. mouthys_granddaughter.
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konceptual99
Sad news. Please pass my condolences on.
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Hove KH sell off
by Damascus inanyone know when this sell off of the brighton and hove kh was put on the market and where will the cong go to?.
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konceptual99
Yup - Reynolds Road is just off a main bus route and pretty easy to get to. Parking is a pain but not impossible.
There were rumblings at the time of the rejig but these things tend to die down after a while and everyone gets used to it.
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New Publication (2014) "God Kingdom Rules" -- When Is It Studied At The Kingdom Hall?
by Littleleslie ini just wanted to know, when do the jws begin to study the 2014 publication called: "god's kingdom rule" at the local kingdom halls?
(i heard it was going to be sometime in the month of september of 2016, this month.).
ll.
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konceptual99
The paragraphs on "this generation" include the following:
17. What is the meaning of the expressions “generation” and “all these things”?
17 “Will by no means pass away until all these things happen.” How will those words prove true? To answer that, we need to know two things: the meaning both of “generation” and of “all these things.” The term “generation” often refers to people of varying ages whose lives overlap during a particular period of time. A generation is not overly long, and it comes to an end. (Ex. 1:6) The expression “all these things” includes all the foretold events during Jesus’ presence, from its beginning in 1914 until its culmination at the “great tribulation.”—Matt. 24:21.
18, 19. How may we understand Jesus’ words about “this generation,” and what may we conclude?
18 How, then, may we understand Jesus’ words about “this generation”? The generation consists of two overlapping groups of anointed ones—the first is made up of anointed ones who saw the beginning of the fulfillment of the sign in 1914 and the second, anointed ones who for a time were contemporaries of the first group. At least some of those in the second group will live to see the beginning of the coming tribulation. The two groups form one generation because their lives as anointed Christians overlapped for a time. *
19 What may we conclude? Well, we know that the sign of Jesus’ presence in Kingdom power is clearly evident around the globe. We also see that the anointed ones who are still alive and part of “this generation” are getting on in years; yet, they will not all die off before the great tribulation begins. Therefore, we can conclude that very soon indeed God’s Kingdom will come and exercise its rule over the earth! How thrilling it will be to witness the fulfillment of the prayer that Jesus taught us: “Let your Kingdom come”!Interesting to note that there is NO EXPLANATION of how they have arrived at this conclusion, NO REASONING and NO SCRIPTURES used to support the overlapping theory.
The scripture in Exodus simply refers to Joseph, his brothers and his contemporaries:
Exodus 1:6
6 Joseph eventually died, and also all his brothers and all that generation.How anyone can claim this is a scriptural teaching is beyond me.
The next chapter is a complete revisionist history of what CTR was teaching pre 1914.
10. How did the Watch Tower point to 1914 as a marked year?
10 As its full title suggested, the journal Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence was deeply concerned with prophecies pertaining to Christ’s presence. The faithful anointed writers who contributed to that journal saw that Daniel’s prophecy regarding the “seven times” had a bearing on the timing of the fulfillment of God’s purposes regarding the Messianic Kingdom. As early as the 1870’s, they pointed to 1914 as the year when those seven times would end. (Dan. 4:25; Luke 21:24) Although our brothers of that era did not yet grasp the full significance of that marked year, they proclaimed what they knew far and wide, with long-lasting effects.Of course nothing is said about the fact they were preaching that JC's presence was rocking on right then from 1874/75. They sure as hell were sure about what they thought they knew back then. No ambiguity.
Just like then, so to GB claim all sorts of special knowledge yet are repeatedly exposed as charlatans unable to get one single thing right. If WW1 had happened a couple of years later then I am sure the whole thing would have collapsed years ago.
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Hove KH sell off
by Damascus inanyone know when this sell off of the brighton and hove kh was put on the market and where will the cong go to?.
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konceptual99
The Brighton re-jig happened sometime ago. I can't remember exactly when but the property in Seven Dials has been unoccupied for a while now. One of the problems they had was that Hove congregation was pretty small and getting smaller. Disbanding two congregations and merging them in with Hove and another one (can't remember which this was) not only boosted the size of Hove but also allowed them to free up some property in a prime area of Brighton.
There is another poster on here who will likely have much more first hand experience of the situation if he his prepared to comment but this may not be possible without him divulging too much info.