the following is a paragraph from the new february study watchtower article "learn from jehovah's loyal servants.".
7 a conflict of loyalties may arise when a close relative is disfellowshipped.
for example, a sister named anne [1] received a telephone call from her disfellowshipped mother.
§ 4: In his old age, David continued to demonstrate loyalty to God. For example, he made generous contributions toward the construction of Jehovah’s temple.
What will the olderones in the hall think about this?
"You will demonstrate loyality to God, if you make generous contributions."
Why does the WT singled out this "generous contributions" example?
Money problems???
Could Anne's mother "come back" and reduce the 6 month backrow sitting with "generous contributions" and show loyality to God?
the following is a paragraph from the new february study watchtower article "learn from jehovah's loyal servants.".
7 a conflict of loyalties may arise when a close relative is disfellowshipped.
for example, a sister named anne [1] received a telephone call from her disfellowshipped mother.
As I can remember - in the past they "advised" the parents about DF children.
Now they have an example, where the child has to shun the parents. This is new for me.
So it seems true, that a lot of the older people are leaving the WT.
Another point:
Before writing, she reviewed Bible principles
Not bible laws - "only principles".
Bible principles = biblical exegesis (man made rules)
§ 14: Urge your friend or relative to seek the help of the elders. If he or she does not do so within a reasonable period of time, loyalty to God should move you to report the matter to the elders.
Maybe Anne has told the elders about her mothers "wrongdoings".
we are madly in love with each other and she is in the process of being divorced.
let me make one thing clear i'm not the reason for the divorce.
she attempted to reconcile with him but to no avail.
@ Luge62
Still if she will leave the JWs, she was 30 years in (if she is a born in).
That will affect almost all her actions.
She will say for example: I never had birthdays, christmas, halloween and so on - and it's difficult, to do all this together with you and your family.
Like others said: Your only hope is, that she can see, that JWs are a cult and that they have not "the truth".
She also "learned" in the cult, that a 20 years older man is OK. Many reasons for this:
- 2/3 woman and only 1/3 JWs are men
- "the end is near" - and in "paradise" we will have all young and healthy bodies
So after having realized, that JWs are a cult, MAYBE she will change her mind about a "20 years older man". This is not against you and your age (I am also in this age).
Good luck for you.
in light of all the reassignments, i can't help but feel that this directed to those who gave their lives and now are being kicked out.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uou-fbkg0y.
Alex Reinmueller, please explain "to be fair" to this monkey on the left:
a number of years ago when i was still active, our service group was having a coffee break with the visiting circuit overseer.
during the conversation he mentioned that the "society" was now being run like a business.
being raised in the "truth" i thought that rather odd (and my eyes began to be opened!
... and I begin to think of Jesus' words to sell excess belongings and give to the POOR. He never said give to my apostles (in order to spread the good new or advance kingdom interests)..
Good point, I never thought in this direction
there has been many threads from various posters around the world about recent bethel layoffs.. so far i remember threads about:.
south africa.
united states.
hello, maybe someone on here can make some sense out of this:.
one of the reasons why jws are so quick to believe any changes from the gb is that they believe the light is getting brighter.
now there have been some teachings that to my knowledge changed at one point but then were reverted back to the original teaching.
This is - how the GB try to explains this:
*** w81 12/1 p. 27 par. 2 The Path of the Righteous Does Keep Getting Brighter ***BUT - this is, what the bible says about "tacking":
2 However, it may have seemed to some as though that path has not always gone straight forward. At times explanations given by Jehovah’s visible organization have shown adjustments, seemingly to previous points of view. But this has not actually been the case. This might be compared to what is known in navigational circles as “tacking.” By maneuvering the sails the sailors can cause a ship to go from right to left, back and forth, but all the time making progress toward their destination in spite of contrary winds. And that goal in view for Jehovah’s servants is the “new heavens and a new earth” of God’s promise.—2 Pet. 3:13.
(Ephesians 4:14) in order that we should no longer be babes, tossed about as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in contriving error.
*** w92 8/1 p. 17 How Are You Running in the Race for Life? ***
Run “Not Uncertainly”
16 Seeing the strenuous efforts needed to succeed in the race for life, Paul went on to say: “Therefore, the way I am running is not uncertainly; the way I am directing my blows is so as not to be striking the air.” (1 Corinthians 9:26) The word “uncertainly” literally means “unevidently” (Kingdom Interlinear), “unobserved, unmarked” (Lange’s Commentary). Hence, to run “not uncertainly” means that to every observer it should be very evident where the runner is heading. The Anchor Bible renders it “not on a zigzag course.” If you saw a set of footprints that meanders up and down the beach, circles around now and then, and even goes backward at times, you would hardly think the person was running at all, let alone that he had any idea where he was heading. But if you saw a set of footprints that form a long, straight line, each footprint ahead of the previous one and all evenly spaced, you would conclude that the footprints belong to one who knows exactly where he is going.
i have some updates and new information on the downsizing in bethel.
25% of all bethelites around the world will be sent home.
in the us over 1,000 will be sent home.
I got the same Information from a Bethelite in the European Branch in Germany.
I wrote this 9 days ago:
European Branch (selters in germany) will be reduced by 25%.
Means, 25% of older ones will be cut off.
Longtime goal: rejuvenating cure and save money - less service for bethelites (no room maids, reduction (simplification) in the dining room and kitchen etc.
Special-Pioneers who were invited for a limited time - will be cut off.
hey i was just wondering if you guys had any ideas on how to keep my brain occupied while i'm at an assembly tommorow.
maybe besides tallying the number of times they say jehovah and jesus or counting how many people are wearing red.
i want to keep myself from going insane or having some kind of panic attack lol.
@ BlackWolf
When I was living with my parents (until I was 19) - I always thought, that they force me to go meetings/field service/ assemblies and to be a JW.
Now my mother says to me, that she never ever forced me to do anything,
Also she says, that all the JW-activities are my own desire, also my wish to be baptised with 15 years.
Every time, when I replay, that she forced me to do so - she denies.
In my country, children arrived the age of 14 years - have the freedom to choose there religion. With 14 you are not forced to go in school to religious instruction.
Why I am writing these experiences of my life?
Maybe you just have to say NO to your parents.
Maybe you just have to say NO - I don't want to go this weekend to the assembly.
I don't know your age - but maybe your parents are grateful - that you are honest with them.
Just my 2 cents :-)
pdf .
this issue contains the study articles for february 29 to april 3, 2016.. what about the number of those partaking at the memorial?12, 13. why should we not worry about the number of those who eat the bread and drink the wine at the memorial?12 in recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of those partaking at the memorial of christs death.
that trend contrasts with the decrease in the number of partakers that we saw for many decades.
DATA-DOG
@ FastJehu, Did the GB really blame the R&F for the bible signing Rock Star Tour?!?!!
The GB has signed bibles in the past. The picture is in the WT May 15th 1999.
So it MUST be OK, if members of the GB signing bibles.
And now in the WT January 2016 they write on page 27:
At times, well-known representatives of the Christian congregation — perhaps circuit overseers, Bethelites, members of the Branch Committee, members of the Governing Body as well as their helpers—may attend a convention or theocratic event that we also attend.
None of us would want to imitate the attitude of Diotrephes. He refused to welcome the visiting brothers with respect. (3 John 9, 10) But could we, even unintentionally, show a lack of good manners by going to the opposite extreme? How might we do that?
And then one of the examples (of lack of good manners):
Would we ask them to autograph our books and Bibles?
The hypocrisy:
GB members can sign bibles.
But if the R&F asks members o the GB to sign their bibles, they have the attitude of Diotrephes, refusing to welcome the GB members with respect - because they ask for signing their bibles.
They can act as "celebrities" - but the R&F has to follow the WT:
These brothers and their dear wives want to be treated, not as celebrities, but as our fellow brothers and sisters.
