James Thomas Rook Jr.

Anna:
Thank you for the kind complements, but it was in the Boy Scouts that I learned the motto "Be Prepared", and later to "adapt and improvise".  Interestingly enough, in my lifetime I have had several other people make the same comments, that I was born a hundred years too late, and am a poor fit for this century.
  I never cared much for John Wayne the person ... except for his work ethic ... but I do feel a closeness to the majority of the characters he played, in Westerns.
Common cowboys developed the "Code of The West", and Wyoming actually has an official "Code of the West" which the legislature adopted in 2010, as follows:
The legislation designates ten ethics derived from the book "Cowboy Ethics" by James P. Owen:
 1.  Live each day with courage.  2.  Take pride in your work.  3.  Always finish what you start.  4.  Do what has to be done.  5.  Be tough, but fair.  6.  When you make a promise, keep it.  7.  Ride for the brand  8.  Talk less, say more.  9.  Remember that some things are not for sale. 10. Know where to draw the line.  

Does anyone remember watching the first Diehard movie and liked that part where it suddenly dawns on John McClane that Alan Rickman is nothing but a common thief? Well I hate to say it, but through all that talk, JTR is nothing but a common cowboy. He should have been born in the Wild West in the 1800's where he would have come into his own, and nobody would have held it against him. He looks a bit like John Wayne. Ok, I know he was an actor.

You are absolutely correct JP .... the blood is Jehovah' s ... and when a life is extinguished, in battle, self defense, or for food ( most people, even Jehovah's Witnesses, are completely unaware that Jehovah NEVER make the slightest prohibition against cannibalism, although he DID lament that people's lives would become that desperate ...)
When as a child I had my tonsils removed, I swallowed a LOT of blood ... and later, in fights I had my nose smashed, and some of that blood I swallowed. Does this blood have any sacred value?  Should it be held against me that I "ate" this blood? 
BEFORE an animal is killed the blood does belong to God. Why? Because he has made that crystal clear throughout the scriptures.
The question is this .... and although I recognize the principle profoundly, I am going to personally perhaps err on the side of caution ...if the animal does NOT DIE .... does that blood have any sacred value? 
If the ancient Jewish Priests  offered the blood on the alter to Jehovah God from an animal that was only wounded ... would God have accepted that offering?  
My guess would be no.
Jesus' blood redeemed all of mankind putting faith in the VALUE of that blood.  TWO THINGS had to happen: 1.) Jesus had to willingly be sacrificed, and  2.) His DEATH had to have shed blood, poured out on our behalf. 
If he had not actually DIED, the blood would have only been a First-Aid problem.
For blood to represent LIFE .... it actually has to represent an actual real life.
If I am wrong, please show me directly from the Bible, and Bible principles, and common sense ... where my thinking got fouled up.
Meantime, it is not the problem it once was during the JW "early years when we respected Jehovah enough to die for what we knew to be true about blood ... the Governing Body, on the advice of the Society's Lawyers and investment counselors, and accountants ...  has ruled that we can take 99% or so of all blood FRACTIONS, to avoid being sued out of existence.
For monetary concerns, "New Light" is being fueled by advice from the Society's Lawyers and Accountants, which fill many buildings at Warwick Bethel.
Here is a main point:  Whatever the case REALLY is .... and I am wrestling with that now to try and have a correct understanding ... down here on Planet Earth it "translates" as:
If we put those "allowable" human blood fractions into our body as whole blood, we will be disfellowshipped ...... if we If we put those "allowable" human blood fractions into our body as whole blood FRACTIONS, we will not be disfellowshipped.
With a roll of plastic tubing ... we can have it BOTH ways.
 
 

PERFECT for home defense .... hear a noise downstairs?
Roll a nuke down.

I don't want that to happen. Issue them nukes.

When you look at the principle of the texts that forbid the intake of blood, it is not a matter of eating or consuming through a vein ... When Jehovah forbids blood or describes that they should let it run on the ground at slaughter, "Let it be holy, it's mine." The blood is Jehovah's. We do not have the right to use it as our own. We are subject to the principle that the blood is sacred that Jesus by his blood could run away from mankind. We do not have the right to administer and neglect the meaning of the blood .. IT IS JEHOVAS!
Have use Google translate..!   Johnny from Danmark.! 

Although the Governing Body was FORCED to admit, after the fact, by the Australian Royal Commission on Child Abuse that they were NOT inspired of God ... OR infallible ... until the ARC met and pried that out of Geoffery Jackson, under oath ... the "working theory" was that they WERE inspired of God, and infallible. 
At the very least they are in actual fact TREATED like they are ... even now ..... EVEN BY YOU!
Abraham was loved by God so much that they had a special two-way relationship and TALKED TO EACH OTHER DIRECTLY!
If you think the Governing Body has that relationship it would demonstrate one of TWO things ...
(1.) it would prove that Jehovah God is flaky, petulant, cruel, irrational, and that there is no real love or Justice in his principles .. all of which is absurd on the face of it ... or
(2.)that the people claiming to be his "Faithful and Discrete Slave"  are flaky, petulant, cruel and have no real love Or Justice in ITS applied interpretation of core principles.
If you have been keeping up with current events internationally, and have eyes to see, you know that one or the other HAS to be true.
There is no third choice for rationally thinking people.
If I had the same personal relationship with Jehovah God that Abraham had, and I do not ... I also would have had the faith that Jehovah's Justice would prevail, and that slaughtering my son was a righteous thing to do.
When the Governing Body commands that Love and Justice as defined by Jehovah God involves what disfellowshipping has become ... for people that DO love Love and Justice ... that too is absurd on the face of it ... and unfortunately, we here down at the bottom of the theocratic food chain have to sacrifice the sheep to the ones with the power to disfellowship US ALSO, if there is any real discussion, questioning, or demand for accountability.
We too are sheep, and MAY BE NEXT TO BE EATEN.
THERE IS A REASON that Judicial Trials at the Kingdom Halls are held in secret ... and that those charged cannot have tape recorders, stenographers, or friendly Witnesses to observe the goings-on, completely unlike the Judicial System that worked well for thousands of years, where the accused would be tried in the City Gates, where all people could observe, and the Judges, KNOWING that, were restrained by fear of retribution from incensed everyday Jews, to actually act justly.
Back then, the judges were accountable to the general population to actually make Justice happen.
Now, there is no Earthly checks and balances whatsoever on whatever the Governing Body says is the standard ... and because that is true ... the NATURAL result is that is self aggrandizing tyranny ... as is ALWAYS the case among the affairs of men, when there is no restraint of power.
There has never been any exceptions in the history of the world, and there are none now.
With my own eyes I have seen the cruelty and injustice of punishing whole families for one person's transgressions, and the shedding of crocodile tears, and seeing people beat down with a metal fist in a feathered silk glove, with soothing words, and a LOT of them.
So don't pull this "Abraham" crap on me .... they are two entirely different scenarios ..... except for those who bent it into a pretzel to support their cruelty, power, position and status.
The Governing Body cannot be criticized, or FIRED for screwing up peoples' lives ... they are accountable to NO ONE on this Earth.
.If I personally screw up my life, I personally am responsible, and I personally have to pay the price the Universe always demands.
If the Governing body screws up my life to sustain it's position of power and authority ... NO ONE is responsible.
They NEVER apologize for ANYTHING!
 

..... Well ... I would rather be Wally than the PHB any day .....
You answered your own question PHB...er... I mean, TTH.


 

The rewards program goes like this, as an example ...
The JW singer Prince (PBUH) contributed about $38 thousand dollars a month to his local Kingdom Hall.  Most of this was sent to Brooklyn, which was then the JW Headquarters. 
In exchange, he lived a lifestyle, and had associates both personal and professional that you and I would be disfellowshipped for.
When he died of drug overdose, you could almost hear the salivating over his estate across State lines.
You have heard that after you die, you have to pay for your sins?
Down here on Earth there is an unofficial "good ol' boys" price list.
And don't even get me STARTED about the Australian JW Michael Jackson Day Care Centers!

WOW!
You certainly would not have any problem recognizing Jehovah's Witnesses when THEY get off the airplane!

I am 71 years old, above average intelligence, and have been paying attention for over 50 years ... I know the difference ... and can filter the good from the bad from the ugly.
Not everybody has these advantages, and these I cry for .... they are being chased away and persecuted from within.
I analyze the questionable substance. isolate it, and TRY to avoid it.
Sir Isaac Newton, arguably the smartest natural human that ever lived .... believed as Jehovah's Witnesses do about the 15% Core Truth, based on reason and logic and common sense, and the Bible alone.
Even he got sidetracked with Alchemy, and politics.
.
 

The reason I still "throw my hat into the ring" with Jehovah's Witnesses, is that I do not expect much from human beings ... and even less when billions of dollars are floating around completely unaccounted for .... but the 15% Core Truths are so VALUABLE, that I am willing to allow "my hat" to be stomped into the mud by those marching to the 85% drivel.
I will endure it ... but that does not mean I have to like it.
I like it even less for all those kind, gentle souls who in obeying their natural conscience, have been chased away by the 85% drivel, wielded with a steel fist in a feathered, velvet glove.
.

This scripture applies to EVERYBODY!

Although the Governing Body was FORCED to admit, after the fact, by the Australian Royal Commission on Child Abuse that they were NOT inspired of God ... OR infallible ... until the ARC met and pried that out of Geoffery Jackson, under oath ... the "working theory" was that they WERE inspired of God, and infallible. 
At the very least they are in actual fact TREATED like they are ... even now ..... EVEN BY YOU!
Abraham was loved by God so much that they had a special two-way relationship and TALKED TO EACH OTHER DIRECTLY!
If you think the Governing Body has that relationship it would demonstrate one of TWO things ...
(1.) it would prove that Jehovah God is flaky, petulant, cruel, irrational, and that there is no real love or Justice in his principles .. all of which is absurd on the face of it ... or
(2.)that the people claiming to be his "Faithful and Discrete Slave"  are flaky, petulant, cruel and have no real love Or Justice in ITS applied interpretation of core principles.
If you have been keeping up with current events internationally, and have eyes to see, you know that one or the other HAS to be true.
There is no third choice for rationally thinking people.
If I had the same personal relationship with Jehovah God that Abraham had, and I do not ... I also would have had the faith that Jehovah's Justice would prevail, and that slaughtering my son was a righteous thing to do.
When the Governing Body commands that Love and Justice as defined by Jehovah God involves what disfellowshipping has become ... for people that DO love Love and Justice ... that too is absurd on the face of it ... and unfortunately, we here down at the bottom of the theocratic food chain have to sacrifice the sheep to the ones with the power to disfellowship US ALSO, if there is any real discussion, questioning, or demand for accountability.
We too are sheep, and MAY BE NEXT TO BE EATEN.
THERE IS A REASON that Judicial Trials at the Kingdom Halls are held in secret ... and that those charged cannot have tape recorders, stenographers, or friendly Witnesses to observe the goings-on, completely unlike the Judicial System that worked well for thousands of years, where the accused would be tried in the City Gates, where all people could observe, and the Judges, KNOWING that, were restrained by fear of retribution from incensed everyday Jews, to actually act justly.
Back then, the judges were accountable to the general population to actually make Justice happen.
Now, there is no Earthly checks and balances whatsoever on whatever the Governing Body says is the standard ... and because that is true ... the NATURAL result is that is self aggrandizing tyranny ... as is ALWAYS the case among the affairs of men, when there is no restraint of power.
There has never been any exceptions in the history of the world, and there are none now.
With my own eyes I have seen the cruelty and injustice of punishing whole families for one person's transgressions, and the shedding of crocodile tears, and seeing people beat down with a metal fist in a feathered silk glove, with soothing words, and a LOT of them.
So don't pull this "Abraham" crap on me .... they are two entirely different scenarios ..... except for those who bent it into a pretzel to support their cruelty, power, position and status.
The Governing Body cannot be criticized, or FIRED for screwing up peoples' lives ... they are accountable to NO ONE on this Earth.
.If I personally screw up my life, I personally am responsible, and I personally have to pay the price the Universe always demands.
If the Governing body screws up my life to sustain it's position of power and authority ... NO ONE is responsible.
They NEVER apologize for ANYTHING!
 

.
I agree that disfellowshipping is a necessary component of Congregational discipline ... and a straight reading of the Bible makes that very, very clear .... but THE WAY it's done makes all the difference.
Currently it is petulant, overreaching, cruel, and ONLY serves the purpose of creating fear and a foreboding ... so much so that The Russian Federation, used to the tyrannies of the old Soviet Union, are very close to EXPELLING the Jehovah's Witnesses Organizations from their country for "Extremism", because the way disfellowshipping is DONE, we are destroying whole families.... not just the ones disfellowshipped!,
.... not because the Russian Government is  persecuting anybody ... but because we DESERVE it.
If there is ANY civilization on this Earth that fully understands what political "purging" in a "worker's paradise" is ... it's the Russians.
.
 
.
 

Yeah, In the USA anything is possible on "April Fools Day".
EVERYBODY knows that the only self driving bicycles were invented by Muppeteer Jim Henson.
 

I would like to have the long extension cord franchise ....

I understand that Microsoft is coming out with an electric car that is fueled by radioactive plutonium, and it will run for 72 years before the core has to be replaced.   Of course, not many people keep a car for 72 years, and there is some concern that based on Microsoft's history, (like Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 10) every other thing they put out is a bomb.

Think how peaceful the Earth would be if only men and dogs lived forever .....

Really? Now ye have peeked my interest! Where is it, again?

Often the WHY is more important than the statement itself.

I have introduced MANY a Bible discussion about "War Heros" with men who know who Sgt. York, and Audie Murphy were, by putting August Dickmann's name in the middle, which of course they have never heard of.
If you can give the story of all three men, it gives you INCREDIBLE credibility in a conversation, and it's not "preachy".
As we learned in the Mid-week meeting, this is VERY important.
But just as important ... is "he who teaches ... learns."

It seems that every five years, JW organizational policies and Catholic organizational policies get closer and closer to adopting each other's means and methods of doing things.
They used to ban eating meat on Fridays, we ban eating Turkey on Thanksgiving.
They have pilgrimages to the Vatican, we have pilgrimages to Warwick, New York.
They have thousands of huge buildings, and hundreds and hundreds of stone statues of all their saints ...
.... we have Caleb and Sophia.
So far, they are ahead of the game, but it's not really a  fair comparison ...
... they had a 1700 year head start.

Think how peaceful the Earth would be if only men and dogs lived forever .....

Jay .... you just made "The List".