John Lindsay Barltrop

What are these "militiamen" wearing ALL over there coats/jackets..........maybe they are badges from their equivalent of "Maccas"????...........perhaps from going on rides in a Theme Park I hope that they are not marching........a few of them are out of step, if that is what they are supposed to be doing!!!!

The incomparable differences in these two photographs reminds me of the following scriptures: 1.) (Luke 12:4, 5) 4 Moreover, I say to you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after this are not able to do anything more. 5 But I will show you whom to fear: Fear the One who after killing has authority to throw into Ge·henʹna. Yes, I tell you, fear this One. 2.) (Isaiah 54:17) 17 No weapon formed against you will have any success, And you will condemn any tongue that rises up against you in the judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, And their righteousness is from me,” declares Jehovah. 3.) (2 Corinthians 10:4) 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things.

The Igauzu Waterfalls in Argentina are the ones that fascinate me..........I would really love to see them............maybe in the New Order. .......also the Victoria Falls

I ask you...........who would have thought this headline in Real News One to be true; Russian Govt Seeks To Criminalise Jehovah’s Witnesses Using Anti-Extremism Law – Attempt Backed By Russian Orthodox Church I mean to say, backed by the ROC!!!!!............BUT, we as Jehovah's people, know the answer to that, with some particularly salient points mentioned in Chapters 17 and 18 of Revelation........and of course the FINAL outcome.

@Bible Speaks I guess one could say.........."coming to a place near you"..............and, if you do not like that idea, that's alright............you will not be there!!!!! BUT, those who love our Great God, Jehovah, WILL be there..........bringing to mind the prophetic words recorded at Isaiah 9:6, 7 6 For a child has been born to us, A son has been given to us; And the rulership will rest on his shoulder. His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 To the increase of his rulership And to peace, there will be no end, On the throne of David and on his kingdom In order to establish it firmly and to sustain it Through justice and righteousness, From now on and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this.

I posted this message on another page , but I would like to repeat it here: "Brothers if you have not watched Part 2 of of the 142nd Gilead Graduation, I would urge you to watch it at your earliest available opportunity.........there is a new par called "The Inside Story"..........it is so faith strengthening,, particularly the experience of the English Brother, who started carrying on his pioneering in Russia, while the brothers were still under ban........it is such a terrific experience of a faithful Brother."

Brothers if you have not watched Part 2 of of the 142nd Gilead Graduation, I would urge you to watch it at your earliest available opportunity.........there is a new par called "The Inside Story"..........it is so faith strengthening,, particularly the experience of the English Brother, who started carrying on his pioneering in Russia, while the brothers were still under ban........it is such a terrific experience of a faithful Brother.

@Queen Esther Have you ever thought.......maybe he cannot SEE the difference????..........think of 2 Corinthians 4:4!!!! The Good News and love of Jehovah's people ........"does not shine through"??

..........I also like the concluding verses of Revelation 6...............15 Then the kings of the earth, the high officials, the military commanders, the rich, the strong, every slave, and every free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they keep saying to the mountains and to the rocks: “Fall over us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”.................as we stand still and see the Salvation of Jehovah and the King of God's Kingdom, Jesus Christ.

@Queen EstherI think that the photograph that I have shown below, from your selection, is something out of the ordinary and I think that it is..........."you beaut"

Is this RUSSIA, or IRAN, or SYRIA...............nooooo............its America the free??????...........was the Dr. mistaken for Kim Jong Un??????

Although this is "off topic" i found this video clip very interesting - reminds me of Isaiah 1:6-9

@JW Insider "That site has all the info that Bible Speaks includes, and then some:" I must admit I had never heard of the WOR group before the mention of it in your post..........certainly makes some interesting reading @Queen Esther ;We've many different kinds of humor ~~" Too true............sometimes, some of us may have a "slightly warped" sense of humour.......I include myself in that category!!!

@Allen Smith .......a little bit more on that "christian" Constantine, from a W/T: “Constantine never became a Christian,” states the encyclopedia Hidria, adding: “Eusebius of Caesarea, who wrote his biography, says that he became a Christian in the last moments of his life. This doesn’t hold water, as the day before, [Constantine] had made a sacrifice to Zeus because he also had the title Pontifex Maximus.” ...................."Constantine sensed that the “Christian” religion—albeit apostate and deeply corrupted by then—could be effectively utilized as a revitalizing and uniting force to serve his grand scheme for imperial domination. Adopting the foundations of apostate Christianity to gain support in furthering his own political ends, he decided to unify the people under one “catholic,” or universal, religion. Pagan customs and celebrations were given “Christian” names. And “Christian” clergymen were given the status, salary, and influential clout of pagan priests. Seeking religious harmony for political reasons, Constantine quickly crushed any dissenting voices, not on the grounds of doctrinal truth, but on the basis of majority acceptance. The profound dogmatic differences within the badly divided “Christian” church gave him the opportunity to intervene as a “God-sent” mediator. Through his dealings with the Donatists in North Africa and the followers of Arius in the eastern portion of the empire, he quickly discovered that persuasion was not enough to forge a solid, unified faith. It was in an attempt to resolve the Arian controversy that he convened the first ecumenical council in the history of the church." Another couple of interesting points, also came to light in this article: under the heading, Dynastic Murders "Under this heading, the work Istoria tou Ellinikou Ethnous (History of the Greek Nation) describes what it calls “disgusting domestic crimes that Constantine committed.” Soon after founding his dynasty, he forgot how to enjoy unexpected achievement and became aware of the dangers surrounding him. Being a suspicious person and perhaps egged on by sycophants, he first grew suspicious of his nephew Licinianus—the son of a co-Augustus he had already executed—as a possible rival. His murder was followed by the execution of Constantine’s own firstborn son, Crispus, who was dealt with by his stepmother Fausta because he seemed to be an obstruction to her own offspring’s total power. This action of Fausta was finally the reason for her own dramatic death. It appears that Augusta Helena, who had influence over her son Constantine until the end, was involved in this murder. The illogical emotions that often controlled Constantine also contributed to the spate of executions of many of his friends and associates. The book History of the Middle Ages concludes: “The execution—not to say murder—of his own son and his wife indicates that he was untouched by any spiritual influence in Christianity.”" (my highlights in bold type)

Perhaps today, being 12th April, (well it is in South Australia), a little latter on in the day, we may be able to get back on track, as per the original topic of this discussion, which, in case anyone has forgotten, it is: Jehovah’s Witnesses Mobilize Global Response to Threat of Ban in Russia. I just thought it would be a good reminder............without being TOO facetious. Let us pray that all works out well for our Russian Brothers.........and we can be assured that whatever Jehovah wills, will be done.

These events remind me of the prophets of Baal in Elisha's day, recorded at 1 Kings 18:21-40, when they gathered to prove who the true God was.

@JW Insider "Constantine was not an emperor in the 3rd century I guess when you make so many posts, as Bible Speaks does, it is probably easy to make a slip...........Constantine started his reign in 324 CE, easy to say 3rd Century, when you look at 324, rather than the 4th Century.......... Constantine the Great became the first "Christian" Roman Emperor, the "state cult" changed to "Christianity," (Inverted comas mine). Now, oddly enough, the first "Christian" emperors all still retained the title of Pontifex Maximus (a traditional title for Emperors) which, under imperial law (though not Church law), actually made them the "Head of the Church" ! It was by this authority, for example, that Constantine called the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) to settle the Arian controversy (Wikipedia)..............and of course Constantine adopted the views of Athanasius rather than those of Arius...........Athanasian Creed.......trinity doctrine.......and of course many other false doctrines associated with and still held by christendom today. just my thoughts..........and a"little" more on Constantine

@Bible Speaks "..........and enjoy the Memorial....." I have just returned from our Congregations Memorial, we had the late one at 2000,...............I can assure you, you will certainly enjoy. It is a new outline for the Memorial, and I thought it was truly beneficial for all, particularly those who may be attending for the first time.........that is all I will say............enjoy.

" But this doesn't mean that we need to imply that all persons who want to celebrate Easter are "Babylonish" and wicked." A couple of us were talking about the very same thing this morning out in field service. The apostle Paul was mentioned.......when he was Saul, and zealous in the persecution of Christians, imagining that he was doing, a "sacred service" (Acts 8:3 3 Saul, though, began to ravage the congregation. He would invade one house after another, dragging out both men and women and turning them over to prison.) (Acts 9:1, 2) But Saul, still breathing threat and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that he might bring bound to Jerusalem any whom he found who belonged to The Way, both men and women.) and yet after all this Paul became an apostle of Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:9) 9 For I am the least of the apostles, and I am not worthy of being called an apostle, because I persecuted the congregation of God. What a fine example our Brother Paul was.............I always think of the saying "Where there is life there is hope," and isn't that part of our work, as we preach the good News of God's Kingdom. to ALL peoples, around the the earth in these last days

@TrueTomHarley I like it Tom...........what's that song title...........'TOMORROW never comes".............'twill be interesting, to say the least. "............less stressful than forming car groups!" That could certainly well be...........can be MORE or less of a battle at times!!!!

@Bible Speaks It is nearly midnight here on Monday........must go to bed now........other wise I will not get up tomorrow morning..........so goodnight..........hear from you sometime tomorrow.

@Bible Speaks.......that is certainly good news to hear..........unfortunately, I do not become involved with Facebook, twitter, Instagram,etc.............I can get into enough trouble 'technologically speaking" with just my "not very smart phone" that I use for pone calls and messaging and my PC is OK for what I want, and my old Apple I Pad for witnessing...........I bought a new car a couple of weeks ago.........top of the range Subaru Impreza.........I still do not know how most of electronic technology on it works............maybe one day???? BUT had a good day nearly 7 hours on the territory and rv's, same tomorrow......and then,as you said the Memorial.........hopefully some of those invited will attend..........guess we'll just have to wait and see???

@Bible Speaks Yes I read that article.........and "..........the Holocaust Museum is concerned about Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia!" ............also very interesting is how several other non- witnesses individuals and organisations are against what is occurring to our Brothers in the Russian Federation.

@Bible Speaks ..............I wholeheartedly agree with you........personally I loved studying the Daniel books "Your Will Be Done on Earth"......that was my first book that I studied in 1969.....the Brother who took my study after first couple of studies made me have a "closed book study"........also the older Revelation Study books "Babylon the Great Has Fallen and "The is Finished the Mystery of God".....these were both done in the book study groups, at least twice that I can remember..........and of course we now have updated versions of both of those prophetic books........I really enjoy them.

...........hence the rather appropriate rendering of "Babylon the Great" at (Revelation 17:1, 2, 5, 6) . . .“Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, and earth’s inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.” 5 On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth.” 6 And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.