WHAT DID YOU LEARN THAT WAS NEW AT THE 2019 "LOVE NEVER FAILS" REGIONAL CONVENTION ?

[JOHN BUTLER]

2 hours ago, Bubba Johnson Jr said:

Ex-congregation? Did the congregation divorce you?

 

 

No I divorced them by leaving JW Org.

But it meant that 120 or more people immediately stopped talking to me, so it was as if they had divorced me. 

[TrueTomHarley]

22 minutes ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

No I divorced them by leaving JW Org. But it meant that 120 or more people immediately stopped talking to me, so it was as if they had divorced me. 

If you divorce a woman, you should not be overly shocked if she stops speaking to you.

[Anna]

7 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

Anna mentioned something about not having 'emotional' love for anyone ? I'd need more info on this one though. 

I am sure I didn't say NOT to have emotional love. I wonder why you think that would be ok? Emotional love comes more naturally than principled love though. We don't have to work at emotional love. But to love your "enemies" that is a whole different kettle of fish. Jesus didn't expect us to emotionally love someone who hurts us. But we are expected to love them with principled love AGAPE. I am sure in your days as a Witness you were familiar with the Biblical term and the difference between the various types of love.

[JOHN BUTLER]

49 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

If you divorce a woman, you should not be overly shocked if she stops speaking to you.

I have twice and they don't, but then i haven't seen them anyway. 

[JOHN BUTLER]

•  

Quote @Anna I don't know if this is really new, but I learned it's very important to love, and show love to one another because we as heck are going to need it in the future. And I'm talking about true love, the principled kind, not the sentimental kind.

Sorry Anna I misquoted you earlier. But is there something wrong with sentimental love ? 

sentimental

/sɛntɪˈmɛnt(ə)l/

adjective

1. of or prompted by feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.

   "she felt a sentimental attachment to the place creep over her"

   synonyms:

   nostalgic, tender, emotional, dewy-eyed, misty-eyed, affectionate, loving You seem to be becoming a robot JW. Well that of course is the nature of the beast anyway. The GB have no real love of any sort it would seem, otherwise they would do a much better job at being servants not rulers. Jesus made the point abundantly clear but the GB think they are above Jesus' direction.  The only love JW's know is a false kind which means 'love' people whilst they are in JW Org, but dislike them if they leave. A very strange kind of love indeed. Is that your principled love ?  However, one good thing about sentimental love is, it does not expect anything in return.  Sentimental love is for people no longer living, or for animals and for objects which mean something special, or places of beauty such as the countryside or a sea view. Some of those things are God's creations, some are not.  However, if principled love makes room for collateral damage (you know of which I speak), thern maybe it's not for me.

[Anna]

3 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

But is there something wrong with sentimental love ? 

Of course there is nothing wrong with that kind of sentimental love. Since I came to America I  have noticed people are more apt at showing this kind of emotion, as opposed to the stiff upper lipped Brits. I had never seen brothers cry while giving a talk on the platform until I came here (usa).  There is a lot of sentimental love at assemblies for sure as well. People are dewy eyed during the videos, songs, and when saying good bye to the brothers and sisters they've met. Honestly John, you are poking holes where you don't need to as it is a non issue. JW's for the most part are an emotional bunch, that is why there is no need to give talks on how to show "sentimental" love!
However, the love we all need to learn is the principled kind. This is the love spoken about in Corinthians 13, and this is the love that is the theme of the convention. "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury.  It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.

Notice it says it never fails. Well romantic love can fail, so can sentimental love. You do not still "love" your ex wives do you, I didn't think so. Hovever, would you help one of them if they were in dire need and you were able to? That is principled love, AGAPE, the love described in Corinthians that doesn't always come easy to everyone and needs to be worked on. Hence the convention on that theme. If the whole world practiced that kind of love, there would be peace on earth. 

[Melinda Mills]

I am trying to find out what was really said about animals, but it seems I will have to wait, if it is really on the programme. So far what was hinted at or rumoured according to Witness does not sound plausible.   But  I know many people, especially women, seem to love animals better than people.  God made man/people in his image, not animals. People will live forever, if they are loyal to Jehovah and pass the final test (which would entail true love for Jehovah) but animals were never promised everlasting life, and Jesus did not die for them. Animals are captivating and truly beautiful but humans are really lovable, that's why Jesus was fond of them even before he came to earth.   (Proverbs 8: 31)  The other angels find them to be lovable and interesting too, they are intrigued by the things men are doing connected to God's will.

(1 Peter 1:12) 12 It was revealed to them that they were ministering, not to themselves, but to you, regarding what has now been announced to you by those who declared the good news to you with holy spirit sent from heaven. Into these very things, angels are desiring to peer.

But Jesus wants us to imitate him and practise the real love that Anna is talking about.  Principled, unselfish love, Agape.  

Sentiment can cause people (even high officials) to make wrong decisions. All the other forms of love are basically selfish, even of they are enjoyable like Eros, but Agape is the force that puts everything back onto the right track. Agape is first, then other forms fall into place.
 

[TrueTomHarley]

1 hour ago, Melinda Mills said:

I am trying to find out what was really said about animals, but it seems I will have to wait, if it is really on the programme. So far what was hinted at or rumoured according to Witness does not sound plausible

Year after year after year I send in my suggestion for the Convention theme. Year after year after year it is ignored!

“The righteous one takes care of his domestic animals.” Proverbs 12:10

One glorious year it will happen.

 

[Melinda Mills]

Too funny! Could still be a theme, but for a blog or a book.

The righteous must take care of  everything that is his, especially souls - human or animal.  God sets the example. Taking care is not worshipping, though.

[Anna]

2 hours ago, Melinda Mills said:

I am trying to find out what was really said about animals, but it seems I will have to wait, if it is really on the programme.

I don't remember anything being said about animals as was insinuated by some. I do have a recording of the convention though so when I get around to it I will see if I can find it. There is a lot of information to sift through though, so I am wondering if anywhere, it could be in the symposium: "Creation reveals God's love"; Animals.

[JOHN BUTLER]

Are all the talks at assemblies just outlines given to brothers to make up the talks ? 

I know that Public talks for Sunday meetings are just outlines from the GB / Org and the elders make up a talk from the outline. That will mean that every time that same outline is used, the actual talk will be different, at different KH.

If assembly talks are the same type of thing then every assembly will have same outline but the elders/brothers will actually have made up a different talk.  What I'm saying is that at each assembly within that year the talk may be completely different depending how the brother uses the outline. It will not be word for word the same at every assembly. 

Hence what may be said at one assembly may not be said at another assembly. Well that is my line of reasoning, so tell me if I'm wrong.  

 

[JW Insider]

(Thanks for the upvote M.M., but I deleted the post as it was just an experiment. Perhaps I'll add a few K.S. to the mix in the near future under another topic. I think this topic was only supposed to be about shaggy and not so shaggy dogs.)