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I would like to point out that we had a young unbaptised teen, who no longer wanted to attend meetings. This was considered the same as disassociation, and he was to be treated as the same as a disfellowshipped person. However, this hurtful behaviour, was not an official statement from the platform, it was more a private "marking" from several families whose parents told the solo mum she was wrong for allowing him to no longer attend the meetings, that she should be "making" him come to meetings if he lives with her. Her response was that if she was in the best position to know her son best, that if she tried to "force" her son to attend meetings the effect would be much worse. Having seen parents do this time and time again, only for the young person to become absolutely opposed to the organisation has been enough evidence to affirm that allowing someone to choose to leave [to exercise their free will] along with the statement that you still care about them and that your door will always be open, is the better and most loving course... 
But on topic, if one has also been abused, and chooses to stay away from the meetings on this basis, and if the only thing the congregation focuses on are the "rules" then they have missed the point of "I want mercy, not sacrifice". 

Re: Ripples
Sure, it's just a matter of time, however, if too many big changes are made without first clarifying all it's connecting concepts, it could get quite messy. It's already quite confusing for some, since the "Faithful Slave" adjustment. We still get brothers giving talks with old material as references  some evidently not aware something has changed since that outline came out...
 
I'm working - by working I mean taking forever - on a database that will contain all major concepts and their connecting concepts, showing previous and current connections. Just purely for my personal interest hehe hence it's taking forever lol

and this is quite clearly explained in the Watchtower with reference to the context:
*** w07 3/15 p. 11 par. 4 Highlights From the Book of Jeremiah ***
What are “the two families” spoken of here? One is the royal family through the line of King David, and the other, the priestly family of the descendants of Aaron. With the destruction of Jerusalem and Jehovah’s temple, it appeared that Jehovah had rejected these two families and would no longer have a kingdom over the earth or have his worship revived.
Paralleling this scripture with the discussion in Ezekiel regarding the "two sticks" seems to be mostly inappropriate, save the general principle regarding the unity enjoyed by those who serve Jehovah, regardless of family, status, role in service etc.
What you have highlighted however, is the vitally important need to use the most up to date tools available to us at this time. I had noticed adjustments to these cross-references but not really considered the significance of this in a doctorinal setting. Thanks for doing this. Someone may be inclined to research the changes in cross references at some time and hopefully publish them. It won't be me, but I would definitely review a such a list of these with interest.
I am giving a positive reputation to your post for this one fact alone.
With regard to doctorinal ripples due to the adjustment in understanding the "Babylonish captivity", I am confident any adjustments to our understanding will be clarified in due time, and will make complete sense once that is done. 

 

At Heb 13: 17 The phrase "be obedient to those taking the lead" can also be rendered "Be obedient to those who are governors of you" or "your governors". There used to be a cross reference to Matthew 2: 6. "Governing one". The phrase "taking the lead" is probably to avoid confusion, since  "our leader is one, the Christ". Some friends are assuming that the removal of many of the old cross references must mean a change in thinking for those passages. There are large numbers of them now gone. However, the old cross reference to Heb 13: 17 is still valid though, since it's a translation issue not a doctrinal one. The Greek word is the same in Matthew 2: 6. The KIT also remains unchanged as "governing".
This weeks mid-week meeting mentions the "two families" in Jeremiah. There was an old cross reference to Ezekiel associating the "two families" with the "two sticks" - one for "Joseph" and the other for "Judah" - that become one. We recently adjusted our understanding of the "two sticks" but the content for the meeting is based on references from 2007... (See reference Bible Jeremiah 33: 24 cross reference Ezekiel 37: 19) However, this is clearly a doctrinal issue. (See "Questions From Readers" Pp 31-32 JULY Study WT 2016) The adjustment shows that the northern and southern parts of Israel became one nation when they returned to Jerusalem in 537 BCE. A parallel is drawn to our day, stating that from 1919 CE onward God's people have been gradually reorganised and reunited. Judah refers to the Heavenly hopers or "little flock" and Joseph refers to the Earthly hopers or "other sheep". This adjustment didn't really sit well because it had so many repercussions or ripples. One major one, being that in order for the modern Judah and Joseph to be brought together, it would mean that the "other sheep" was always a separate group that existed prior to the "Spiritual Babylonian Exile" that we also recently adjusted to run from circa 2nd century ending in 1919 CE. If true, then there were "other sheep" during the first century too, existing as a separate group with a separate hope. (See article "Called Out of Darkness" Pp 21 - 25 NOVEMBER Study WT 2016) To be clear, in order to bring the two [modern] sticks together, they both had to exist prior to being apart.
I don't necessarily think that the removal of many cross references means adjustments ahead. Some undoubtedly will, but some, I think, were just part of simplifying them down. 
 
 

Can you imagine that sometime in the future we actually won't need mechanical storage, but information could literally be stored in the air around us  ala "Cloud" hehe

via ScitechPress.org

[edited] Thank you...

While the Watch Tower Society was still publishing the "Divine Plan of the Ages" a few brothers and sisters started using the word "purpose." But it fell out of favor again, possibly because it was Maria Russell (who evidently co-wrote "Divine Plan of the Ages") who preferred the term God's "Eternal Purpose." In fact, after divorcing Charles Taze Russell, she wrote an entire book called "The Eternal Purpose."
More recently our 1959 history of Jehovah's Witnesses was called "Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose" and we even had a "Divine Purpose District Assembly" in 1974, where the problem with the words "Divine Plan" was discussed further. As Melinda pointed out, this was a "flash of light" per the 1995 Watchtower. Based on its history within the organization, however, I think it was merely deflected light, that took about 50 light years to get back to us.

Interesting discussion, despite meandering off the original post. I suppose for me (in English), Jehovah doesn't need to plan. He has a purpose and it will be accomplished, regardless of any obstacle. That's what His name is all about.
He does provide frameworks to his intelligent servants on earth in order for them to work and share in acheiving His purpose. The population mandate, the plans for tabernacle and temple, the Law Covenant, the Christian mission, are just some examples, but He is not dependent on their success to acheive His own.
Men do need to plan in the sense of mapping a route to achieve an objective, which includes consideration and contingency. Even then, human purpose may still continue to be interrupted due to inadequacy, or unforseen circumstance, or even opposition. When these things occur, men can re-route, and/or even adjust their goal, but with no complete guarantee their (revised) plan will succeed in achieving that goal. Also, purpose unfulfilled could be not always because men plan to fail, but simply because they fail to plan.
Jehovah is not subject to any of these limitations. That is why He can say:
"So my word that goes out of my mouth will be. It will not return to me without results, But it will certainly accomplish whatever is my delight, And it will have sure success in what I send it to do." Isaiah 55:11

Whereas English has been around a long time, is a language heavily used in writing, and promptly seeks to incorporate new ideas and distinguish nuances, that is not true of many other languages. In Vietnamese for instance, anything mechanical was preceded by the word "may" (pronounced my) meaning 'machine.'  There would be (if memory serves)  'may bay' (machine that flies) for airplane, and 'may hut buoi' (machine that sucks dirt) for vacuum cleaner.
I'm not surprised if languages don't all show a clear contrast between plan and purpose.
(I better not hear JTR saying: Tom hut buoi)

I was just illustrating it in" English" what my thinking was. Many times I have had to change my plan to achieve my purpose.

This is our official position is found here:
https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/are-jehovahs-witnesses-protestants/#?insight[search_id]=267c5f94-25af-4a38-953c-27cb18721c90&insight[search_result_index]=1
Just thought I 'd point this out. Although, we may be interpreted that way from non-witnesses...

mentioned here:
 

This weekend, congregations from all around the Australasian Branch Zone will be attending a program that will be streamed to hundreds of congregations on Saturday and Sunday. Those attending on Saturday will be watching the live event. While those attending on the Sunday will experience the recording. The program is as follows:
Music Video
Song & Prayer
Watchtower Summary
Interviews/ Report (Updates on progress of Kingdom interests)
Song & Announcements
Special Talk - Brother Patrick LaFranca (Helper to the Personnel Committee)
Song & Concluding Prayer
(Approximately 2 hrs 40 minutes)

This weekend, congregations from all around the Australasian Branch Zone will be attending a program that will be streamed to hundreds of congregations on Saturday and Sunday. Those attending on Saturday will be watching the live event. While those attending on the Sunday will experience the recording. The program is as follows:
Music Video
Song & Prayer
Watchtower Summary
Interviews/ Report (Updates on progress of Kingdom interests)
Song & Announcements
Special Talk - Brother Patrick LaFranca (Helper to the Personnel Committee)
Song & Concluding Prayer
(Approximately 2 hrs 40 minutes)