David Normand

*** g90 2/8 pp. 3-5 Discovering ‘The Great Reptiles’ of the Past *

The Genesis Account and Dinosaurs
While the radioactive dating method is innovative, it is still based on speculation and assumption. In contrast, the Bible account in the first chapter of Genesis simply states the general order of creation. It allows for possibly thousands of millions of years for the formation of the earth and many millenniums in six creative eras, or “days,” to prepare the earth for human habitation.
Some dinosaurs (and pterosaurs) may indeed have been created in the fifth era listed in Genesis, when the Bible says that God made “flying creatures” and “great sea monsters.” Perhaps other types of dinosaurs were created in the sixth epoch. The vast array of dinosaurs with their huge appetites would have been appropriate considering the abundant vegetation that evidently existed in their time.—Genesis 1:20-24.
When the dinosaurs had fulfilled their purpose, God ended their life. But the Bible is silent on how he did that or when. We can be sure that dinosaurs were created by Jehovah for a purpose, even if we do not fully understand that purpose at this time. They were no mistake, no product of evolution. That they suddenly appear in the fossil record unconnected to any fossil ancestors, and also disappear without leaving connecting fossil links, is evidence against the view that such animals gradually evolved over millions of years of time. Thus, the fossil record does not support the evolution theory. Instead, it harmonizes with the Bible’s view of creative acts of God.

It is an interesting opinion (Burnett 1943). Totally different from the 1940 decision when Felix Frankfurter was Associate Justice. Writing for the majority he felt that failure to compel students to recite the pledge would reduce loyalty to the nation. In the 1943 Burnett case, which effectively reversed the 1940 Gobitis  decision, Jackson mentioned in the opinion that merely reciting the pledge did not make a person loyal. Further, Jackson stated that compelling people to recite the pledge against their will could actually drive them further against the government. 
It is interesting to me that over the 200 plus years that this country has been a nation most if not all people who have been convicted of treason were people who not only recited the pledge of allegiance that grade school kids are familiar with, but also usually were members of government in some capacity who also took an oath of their office that further codified their allegiance, duties, and responsibilities to this country. Just  reiterating the point that merely reciting a pledge of loyalty to a particular country does not make one a loyal citizen. 

Sad, but not unexpected. Government is more interested in its image instead of having to accept humanitarian aid from somebody else. 

This entire position of not using sisters because they might be put in a position to give brothers direction and violate scripture is just silly. When Paul commented about women instructing brothers he was specifically talking about in the meeting where brothers were supposed to take the lead. I mean really, what is wrong with sisters working behind the literature counter, handling microphones, directing traffic, or even directing friends to their seats. Oh well, times are changing. 

This entire position of not using sisters because they might be put in a position to give brothers direction and violate scripture is just silly. When Paul commented about women instructing brothers he was specifically talking about in the meeting where brothers were supposed to take the lead. I mean really, what is wrong with sisters working behind the literature counter, handling microphones, directing traffic, or even directing friends to their seats. Oh well, times are changing. 

That's how we've done it in Sweden for at least a decade.

Why not? I don't see any reason for sisters to  be excluded from this assignment any way. 

" Be Careful Brothers and Sisters " ....
Caution !!!  Matthew 10:16...  Look, I am sending you
out as sheep among wolves so prove yourselves
cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves."
Love you all 
Good advice surly.
However, this particular story does not ring true. Mainly because of the implication that the angels and by extension Jehovah caused the death of the innocent person perhaps to teach her a lesson. Though there is no doubt that in Bible times Jehovah via the angels directly interacted with his servants on numerous occasions. Not sure Jehovah would do that today without giving clear warning about what he was doing.
Second, there are many examples where Jehovah's people in modern were adversely impacted by people because they were witnesses. Think back to the second world war. In most of those instances Jehovah did not step in and thwart the agent of harm in such a way as to cause harm to somebody else. 
Don't misunderstand me on this point. Jehovah can and I am sure he does interact in our behalf when his act furthers his purpose, but in most cases his purposes is not impacted at all. There is no evidence in the example above that what these sisters were doing was so important and that the poison tacos being eaten by the woman's son was related to Jehovah's purpose. Could be, but based upon the information provided it is doubtful. 
This really seems like a story contrived by somebody to stir appreciation for Jehovah in some way, but sadly the likely result if it were shared outside of Jehovah's organization would be to heap scorn and ridicule upon Jehovah and his organization due to the fanciful nature of the story. 

After 30 years in the truth I have never seen a reception, play or dance at a Kingdom Hall. These sort of activities are normally done on a rented facility and not under the control of the elders. This is as it should be. 

Interesting. In Russia they just confiscate the buildings and re-purpose them. Unless there is a problem with the building structure it would seem a waste of resources to destroy them. But then again, if they had left the building standing them it would have been a constant reminder of what had happened and perhaps a rallying point for protest against the confiscation of the building. By destroying the building you remove the physical reminder of what happened I suppose. 
Oh well, eventually all false religion will be destroyed so it really does not matter which religious buildings are destroyed. 

Why not? I don't see any reason for sisters to  be excluded from this assignment any way. 

In a foreign language group I know of the sisters are used to read the Watchtower, control the sound equipment etc because there are not enough qualified brothers.
I don't see why sisters should not be more extensively used in a standard congregation setting as long as it does not involve teaching from the platform, (yes I am a brother).

As Muppet Ralph the Dog sez:
"Can't live with 'em ... can't live without 'em ..."

Saw the same article. Thought the same thing. Government was not doing it to stamp out Jehovah's Witnesses. They were doing it in response to a public health crisis. Friends really should have taken heed of the government's action and stayed away. Oh well, time will come when the government actually ban's all religious meetings then we will have to take  a stand for true worship. Until then though let your reasonableness be known to all men. 

Saw the same article. Thought the same thing. Government was not doing it to stamp out Jehovah's Witnesses. They were doing it in response to a public health crisis. Friends really should have taken heed of the government's action and stayed away. Oh well, time will come when the government actually ban's all religious meetings then we will have to take  a stand for true worship. Until then though let your reasonableness be known to all men. 

If you do this based on your own conscience ... from the way the statement was made ... it seems the Russian Government will make a reasonable accommodation.
Common sense would dictate that if someone is going to clobber you with a closed fist ... DO NOT LEAN INTO THE PUNCH!
 

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When a police officer pulls you over for erratic driving ... do not lean out the window and say "Hold my Beer!".

Sad, but yes I see the Russian authorities stance. Until the court case is reversed some way then our friends in Russia will continue to be treated this way. We can expect nothing less from Satan's system of things. What we can expect is that this sort of behavior will be copied by other countries. Just a matter of time. 

it did it for me. I had the picture pinned on my bathroom mirror.

Yes, the skirts on the right have been photo-shopped to go over he knees of the sisters. I suppose some brothers were getting....ummmm...a little..... excited..... at seeing knees?

All other things being equal .... Money cannot
buy happiness ....... it can only RENT happiness .
 
 

Everything is vanity and chasing after the wind. Only God's Kingdom can give people a real purpose in life and a hope for the future. 

Everything is vanity and chasing after the wind. Only God's Kingdom can give people a real purpose in life and a hope for the future. 

Not surprised. They are constantly consolidating branches and divesting of underutilized properties. 

December 15, 20172:52 AM ET Heard on Morning Edition In a far-reaching report on child sex abuse in Australia, a government commission is recommending that the country's Catholic Church lift its celibacy requirement for diocesan clergy and be required to report evidence of abuse revealed in confession.
Those are among the 400 recommendations contained in the 17-volume final report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, which is wrapping up a five-year investigation – the longest in Australia's history.
"We have concluded that there were catastrophic failures of leadership of Catholic Church authorities over many decades," the report said.
The Australian reports: "More than 15,000 people contacted the commission to share their experiences of abuse, more than 8,000 of them spoke personally with the commissioner about the trauma it caused, and approximately 2,500 cases have now been referred to police."
The commission said the church failed to properly address allegations and concerns of victims, calling the Church's response to them "remarkably and disturbingly similar."
The report also detailed abuse in churches of other denominations and at such institutions as schools and sports clubs. However, it concluded that the greatest number of alleged abuse perpetrators were found in Catholic institutions. The commission has concluded that 7 percent of priests who worked in Australia between 1950 and 2009 had been accused of child sex abuse.
    Among the report's recommendations:
— A national strategy to prevent child abuse, with a national office of child safety.
— Making failure to protect a child from risk of abuse within an institution a criminal offense on the state and territory level.
— Implementing preventative training for children in schools and early childhood center.
— A requirement that candidates for religious ministry undergo external psychological testing.
— Any person in a religious ministry subject to a substantiated child sex abuse complaint should be permanently removed from the ministry.
Currently, Australian law exempts confessional evidence from the rules that apply to other kinds of evidence in court, according to The National Catholic Register.
THE TWO-WAY
Vatican Cardinal Charged With 'Historic Sexual Offenses' In Australia
THE TWO-WAY
Prominent Cardinal Returns To Australia To Face Sex Abuse Charges
"We recommend that canon law be amended so that the 'pontifical secret' does not apply to any aspect of allegations or canonical disciplinary processes relating to child sexual abuse," the report said.
It said that "Religious ministers, out-of-home care workers, childcare workers, registered psychologists and school [counselors] should be brought into line with police, doctors and nurses who are all obliged by law to report sexual abuse," according to The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
"Without a legal obligation to tell police about abuses, many staff and volunteers failed to let anyone outside the institution know, the commission found," the Heraldreported.
The commission called for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference to ask the Vatican to introduce voluntary celibacy for clergy. The commission found that clerical celibacy was not a direct cause of abuse, but that it increased the risk of abuse when celibate male clergy had privileged access to children.
In an official statement, Archbishop Denis Hart of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, apologized for past abuse, calling it a "shameful past" and said the commission's report "will be taken very seriously."
However, speaking to reporters later, Hart said the commission's report "hasn't damaged the credibility of the church" and called the recommendations on the confessional "a distraction."
"The seal of the confessional, or the relationship with God that's carried through the priest and with the person, is inviolable. It can't be broken," Hart told reporters.
"I think everyone understands that this Catholic and orthodox practice of confession is always confidential," he said.
Hart also pushed back on the subject of celibacy: "We know very well that institutions who have celibate clergy and institutions that don't have celibate clergy both face these problems. We know very well that this happens in families that are certainly not observing celibacy."
The commission's findings follow numerous allegations of sex abuse by Catholic priests in Australia in recent years. In June, Police in Victoria charged Cardinal George Pell, now a high-ranking Vatican official, with sex abuse dating to his time as a priest in Australia in the 1970s and 80s. Pell has denied the allegations.
The report concluded: "Tens of thousands of children have been sexually abused in many Australian institutions. We will never know the true number." the report concluded.
"It is not a case of a few 'rotten apples.' Society's major institutions have seriously failed," it said.

We can expect nothing less from this system!!! Lift up your heads! Your deliverence is near!!!