Arauna

I read on another site that at least one Bethel insider is saying that the Governing Body is going to start allowing birthdays. They say the Watchtower hired a PR/rebranding firm and has a 10 year plan to roll back doctrine and policies to become more mainstream. They are supposedly 2 years into the 10 year plan. Birthdays next with blood to follow, becoming "conscious matters". 
Has anyone else heard this?

Some pix I snapped earlier today although most of the small babies are hiding until feeding time. There are none in the first picture, but if you look closely at the second picture, you might be able to pick out about six of them.

That is the controversy. Don't you see it? 

*** kc p. 187 Appendix to Chapter 14 ***
Evidently realizing such facts, Professor Edward F. Campbell, Jr., introduced a chart, which included Neo-Babylonian chronology, with the caution: “It goes without saying that these lists are provisional. The more one studies the intricacies of the chronological problems in the ancient Near East, the less he is inclined to think of any presentation as final. For this reason, the term circa [about] could be used even more liberally than it is.”—The Bible and the Ancient Near East (1965 ed.), p. 281.
That statement also got my attention back in 1981. My first thought to myself was, then we cannot depend on our own conclusions as "final" because they are equally based on secular chronology.

This subject is opened up just about every year...    over and over.  I think it is to sow doubt. I will just say this:  There is some "scholarly" deviancy going on here because JWs use 530 BCE to calculate 607 BCE not merely babylonian sources...... which is the impression given above. . 
The only date that is secularly "absolute" is 530 BCE ..... and this is the date JWs base calculations on.   Look in the Insight book.... I saw it there about a year ago. By irrefutable Greek sources, the death of Cyrus the Great was in 530 BCE.
Cyrus ruled for 9 years starting in 539 BCE  DARIUS the MEDE was appointed Satrap of Babylon following the victory.... . ...And the following year,   in the first year when Cyrus became the RULER OF THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH during the 14-day Festival of Akito.... the decree was given for them to return home.  This gave them a year to organize from all corners of the Persian empire - to pack up and trek for 3-4 months back to Jerusalem.  537 BCE.   I hope this bit of information sows  some doubt as to the  "reliability" of stating that the info JWs use for these calculations is babylonian. ...and leaving out the absolutely reliable and proven secular date, namely 530 BCE.  The babylonian source says that he ruled for 9 years. 
 

LOL

Nothing is perfect in this system, so one cannot assume that everything will be perfect in the congregation either.  This is why Jesus said we must forgive and be prepared to be hurt sometimes.... and still forgive.  To give for the sake of giving and expect nothing in return. To give cooperation as far as possible is important because anyone can (at times) abuse their power. 
A child who is difficult at home has power over the entire family and can make life hard.  Similar to a wife who does not cooperate with her husband is abusing the power she has over him. We can go beyond our power in the congregation too and overstep subtle lines we are not supposed to - especially if one  feels entitled for some reason or other.
In a group situation difficult behavior is a bit harder to maintain without censure all around because one will find that people will avoid you, especially if one is subtly critical or offensive. Even though we are supposed to forgive and forget one will find that in practice it is hard for people to deliberately walk into "trouble" if they know that they will not be able to respond to overbearing or critical remarks. Many people are not equipped for this dynamic. 
I can usually deal with this and I like to sound my new ideas off others but there are days when I will avoid someone who is always a sour ass.  There was one woman in my previous group whom had been a diabetic for many years and she was known to everyone to be rude.  We put up with her..... but it was by sheer kindness and a determination to be so.  My heart used to sink when she was assigned to work with me. Most of my encounters with her were not pleasant to say the least and I was so glad when it was over and I had left her presence on a pleasant footing.  Every encounter was a painful time to not say anything she could take up in the wrong way.  She was a kind of a tyrant. So, yea, these are the realities we deal with. I also knew that her disease together with a spoilt/privileged upbringing was the reason for this. She was an unhappy individual and this helped me to feel pity for her at times.
I have met some of the governing body and they are just people - very busy and not pandering to popular appeal - which I think is good!  However, I do not agree with you that they are lovers of power.  I agree with you that one may find an individual in a congregation who may love rules because one can enforce rules and get a sense of power from it. But this is a weakness - not a strength! This type of person will take a guideline and make a rule out of it...... to feel righteous by keeping the rule.  If you fall victim to this - bear with it until Jehovah sorts it out.   I have often seen this type of problem sorted out but it needs trust in Jehovah and not a personal rebellion or intervention.  This is a recipe for disaster to yourself if you do not have patience. 
So one can seal your own lot as a negative person if one does not work hard to put on the "new personality."   To put on the new personality does not mean that we may not think and have a sharp brain regarding philosophy, or other forms of knowledge. It means that we will have wisdom as to when we use this information and how we use it and when and how we express it.
I love to speak to atheists and use most of the knowledge I have accumulated to use in the field. Or I bounce it off those brothers/sisters who can deal with my type of information without a critical view.  Some kinds of people just cannot handle some kinds of information!  They will judge you - so learn to distinguish who to speak to about things.  I have also learnt the skill to present new information in a palatable way - which helps in my work in the field.
By the way - I am not saying here - be like me.  I am just saying we all learn all the time and some of us do not have the most conformist of personalities.  So we have to learn to be adaptable.  You have a critical personality.  I can see from your comments.  Although you like to present yourself as rational - there are times when I think you are out of whack! or downright  severed from reality.  
But if you want to come closer to Jehovah - you have to apply yourself to put on the new personality - as we learn over this weekend in the Watchtower study.  I know it is hard to navigate this world and some of us have non-conformist type of personalities....... but one has to pummel your body to do so.  Those who do not stumble by correction will receive the crown of life.  
By the way - I have a family member who is dis-fellowshipped and has made no effort to come back.   I send him money because he has run into problems.  But I restrict communication with him because it is requested by John (under direction of Holy Spirit) to do so. "Do not greet or eat with anyone who brings these false teachings. "   Hence - it is a matter of being obedient to God or to be your own God to decide what to do.   It is only rebellious people or unrepentant ones who are dis-fellowshipped.  The problem is not with Jehovah's instruction - the problem is with them!   If he shows humility and comes back and shows a spirit to try to improve  - then he will be a good association again. Most who do not come back have a problem with pride! or are self-willed. 

Of course the slave is the one who is providing the " pure language of truth" to the entire earth in 1078 languages. UN has only 6 languages. They teach all the core truths.... such as jehovahs name. 
Jehovah has always used willing imperfect people such as David and Moses. WERE they perfect - NO!  Are MODERNDAY servants imperfect while  doing the will of Jehovah by proclaiming worship of his Him only and his Son as the quarantee of His ultimate purpose of restoring the earth to original purpose? YES. 
That is why the bible (our authority) asks a question in Math 24: 45... and I paraphrase the question..... "Have you identified the slave who gives food at the proper time?"  Have you recognized  that its magazines in 1078 languages is a mouthpiece?... to give food at the proper time.   
A prophet is someone who preaches jehovahs word and brings unpopular messages of judgment.  Soon the modernday slave will act like a prophet and bring the final judgment message to give people the last opportunity to switch from false worship in various religions and worship of government institutions to the only side of protection. Worship of jehovah... the only true God. 
 

Jesus said you must do it in remembrance of him every year (when you are accepting your part of the contract and your life is reflecting a life of sacrifice like Jesus). If you are not in the contract you do not partake.  What is so simple to understand about that?

the first time you partake you are accepting the anointing....  as part of the body of christ.  One remembers this contract every time you partake.

Ah, I have never feel angered if others have something I do not have.  The GB and wives often give up their right to have children and grand children, they give up careers, they give up many things to serve.  They often serve for years in broken down third world countries under very difficult circumstances before being invited back to Bethel...... to serve there......when they are older or needed....  So I detect envy.
Romans: 2 "if you judge; for when you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things."  however, for those who are contentious and who disobey the truth but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and anger.j
You just look at the things you do not have.  The master is master over his workers. He is one who gives good things to his servants when they have proven faithful.
I am not saying that one of these cannot develop a bad heart.  Recently a GB member was removed.  He is still an elder - so we cannot speculate was is the reason.....it could even be ill health...   but we can be sure that Jehovah's spirit is everywhere and the cleaning of Jehovah's house is near!....... and this includes all of us! 

Well - we are taught not to but some still do..... which is a human fault for those who do not understand.  One person told me: we have an anointed in our congregation , would you like to know who it is?   I said no -because I like to treat all the same. 

Well - we are taught not to but some still do..... which is a human fault for those who do not understand.  One person told me: we have an anointed in our congregation , would you like to know who it is?   I said no -because I like to treat all the same. 

Jesus said you must do it in remembrance of him every year (when you are accepting your part of the contract and your life is reflecting a life of sacrifice like Jesus). If you are not in the contract you do not partake.  What is so simple to understand about that?

What she is saying - use your imagination in this case - is that any contract needs two parties.  I one receives Holy spirit by Jehovah to become and anointed, one has to partake of the emblems to close the contract. Then it is a two-sided contract and not just from one side.
Similarly - Jesus died for all humans who ever lived - but if one does not use the ransom to get sins forgiven or do not believe in it - you are not in this arrangement.
It is like going to the bank when you have a lot of money deposited there and then refuse to draw the money to use it.  Jesus died for all but they have to show faith in the ransom otherwise it does not work for them.

When we read the bible we think about it.

The New Covenant is core teaching. It isn't new/changed theology. Nor is the Firstfruit Teaching. Refer to what was said previously, or what @Arauna said.

I have seen many of his charts - when it is about languages or births (kingly linear birth-lines etc.) that is easy to do - and he does it well.  I would say it is much harder to make a chart with a subject which is less literal but subjective. (So one can reject it or accept it by looking at his reasons for putting it in its slot.) 
His chart could have been done in a different way - but I liked the way he categorized the modern waves (specifically in the west) into renewed religious inspections.  He did not include new age and these kinds of religions - I guess these come later. 

I save my eyes from reading through all the comments - it is hard if one has problems with eyes.  I do not pick up small spelling mistakes either

Maybe it's similar to people who use puppets to communicate, or who type stuff into Chat GPT to get a scripted response...when "Gonzo" speaks, it's truth from "Gonzo's" point of view. When "Alexa" speaks, it's truth from "Alexa's" point of view. 😉
 
(I suppose only the puppet master and the programmer really know if they're "telling the truth" from their point of view or not. And Jehovah, of course, who knows All Things.☺️)
 
Matt doesn't seem like a puppet, but I don't really know, I've never met him. His words could be put to the "Window Test"...we could go to the library and read up on the topics mentioned in his chart, and do deeper research. (Or maybe we already have researched those topics before?)
 
"Does not the ear test out words
As the tongue tastes food?"
 
(Job 12:11)
 
 
"For the ear tests words
Just as the tongue tastes food."
 
(Job 34:3)
 
 
I agree with you. Some people do try too hard to make an inaccurate point. Here are a couple of examples...
 
https://escholarship.org/content/qt0jb324tq/qt0jb324tq_noSplash_2d90f6ae587973457d6cbe5e6241a24f.pdf
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aar5954

 
The anthropologists and archaeologists in the above two "studies" made up a lot of stuff that can't be verified. They use fancy words but it doesn't make it verifiable. 
 
Matt's chart is just organized based on what makes sense to him. But the groups he is talking about are real. He can organize them on a chart how he wants, it doesn't change the "truth" that those groups exist or existed.

I learnt it in girl scouts too!  We were taught not to suck out the poison if you had any cut or open wound in the mouth or cavity......... lol...  they were very thorough.

This will soon be so. Governments will clamp down on ANY organization which enforces biblical law... I see you do not get it.  ..the tide against ALL Christian' laws/principles  is turning.
It will be up to the individual to decide to vote, not take a blood transfusion, or not condone unchristian behaviour,  by cutting association with those who approve LGBT or any other prohibition imposed God.  You do not get it - this is the 'beginning ' of governments enforcing their new moral laws on all Christian's and especially those who stand out for their obedience to laws which other christians do not care about.  In England and Scandinavia people are going to prison or taken into custody for talking against Islam and LGBT - soon it will include voting, blood transfusions and shunning.... and much more........ the world will take away freedom of choice and impose their humanist/satanic laws on us under the guise of human rights.
 
 

Why should a  ignorant  office worker in some government department decide we are 'extreme' people and a 'threat to public health' when the God of the universe tells us to abstain from blood?
The true evidence is that transfusions are in reality a great threat to public health with all the fatal diseases which can be transmitted such as Hepatitis C, AIDS, syphilis.... just to mention three which come to mind.
They greatest threat of blood transfusion is anaphylactic shock - which is never put on death certificates as cause of death - and in reality is the greatest cause of death after surgery.... By third day after the surgery it starts manifesting and then the death certificate usually says "complications after surgery".  
So, in the final analyses it is about obedience to jehovah.  If one believes he really exists - will one deliberately ignore his laws ?  ......and risk losing his Holy Spirit? 
What you guys here do not get is that the risk is high when one deliberately disobeys God........ one risks getting an unapproved mental state.... and then it does not matter if you are shunned by others.  Your own mental state will shun you....... because you will become an opposer and be shunned for a brazen attitude by breaking some other laws of God as well. 
You may become like some people here on this forum who gives each other silly likes when they find material which condemns JHws while they (the JWs) are in the situation of trying to obey God.  I bet some of the opposers here will feel justified when our persecution starts and revel in our being designated "extreme" and even enjoy our persecution.   God predicted it would happen.
That is the mental state you get when you disobey jehovah and think you can make your own rules as you go along and condone hate against those trying to obey the laws of God.
Even if governments force their laws and morality on us and outlaw shunning.......(which I predict they will do in the near future) , obedience to the laws of God and his personal approval of the individual will still remain the factor in final approval  and  opportunity for life everlasting.

You have veered away from the subject you posted....and gone all superfine, self-righteous apostle on us.
I do not discuss subjects with people who have your state of mind.  You think you are superior. 

Yes- a reply to your bitter water