The Librarian

March 1, 2016

Martha Braun Amistadi · March 1, 2016

Meet the intrepid Witnesses who transport publications on an epic journey.

March 1, 2016

Wow.

Γιαννης Διαμαντιδης · March 1, 2016

5 hours ago, gfnslave said:

Aren't there any moderators for people advocating murder?

Quote

We are not living today among theocratic nations where such members of our fleshly family relationship could be exterminated for apostasy from God and his theocratic organization, as was possible and was ordered in the nation of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai and in the land of Palestine. "Thou shalt surely kill him; thy hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him to death with stones, because he hath sought to draw thee away from Jehovah thy God, . . . And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is in the midst of thee."? Deut. 13:6-11, AS.Being limited by the laws of the worldly nation in which we live and also by the laws of God through Jesus Christ, we can take action against apostates only to a certain extent, that is, consistent with both sets of laws. The law of the land and God's law through Christ forbid us to kill apostates, even though they be members of our own flesh-and-blood family relationship. - Nov 15, 1952 Watchtower pp.703-704

February 29, 2016

Pedestrian struck and killed by Truck on Pershing Rd.

UPDATE – The Macon County Coroner’s Office has released the name of the man killed while crossing Pershing Road on Saturday morning.

65-year-old James R. Hoshauer, of Decatur, was pronounced dead at 11:56 AM on Saturday, February 27, at Decatur Memorial Hospital. He died as a result of massive head and torso trauma.

Macon County Chief Deputy Coroner Dee Coventry tells WAND News Hoshauer was in the area attending a funeral at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses when he was hit by the truck. Hoshauer had dropped off family members at the door of the hall and parked across the road in the French Quarter West department stores parking lot. He crossed the road to go back to Kingdom Hall when he was hit by the Chevy pickup truck.

An investigation and inquest are pending at this time.

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DECATUR – Interim Chief of Police Jim Getz says officers were on the scene of an accident that left a pedestrian dead.

Getz reports officers were sent to the 900 block of West Pershing Road to a pedestrian accident at 10:59 AM on Saturday, February 27. Authorities learned a Chevy pickup was traveling west on Pershing Road when a pedestrian crossing Pershing was hit by the truck.

The pedestrian was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Authorities have not released the pedestrian’s name at this time.

According to the Decatur Police Department, alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor in the accident.

This accident is currently being investigated by the Decatur Police Department Fatal Accident Investigation Team. WAND will provide more updates as they become available.

http://www.wandtv.com/story/31333786/update-pedestrian-struck-and-killed-by-truck-on-pershing-rd

February 29, 2016

Blood transfusions are common practice whenever a patient suffers blood shortage/loss due to accidents, haemorrhage, anemia, or surgical procedures that results to blood loss. But a single religion prefers bloodless medicine as a medical procedure – Jehovah’s Witnesses.

In obedience to their Christian beliefs based on Acts 15:20 which states:

“but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled and from blood.”(New World Translation 2013)

As it states, blood (consumption or transfusion) is accounted to be in line with other grievous sins like immorality and idolatry, so Jehovah’s Witnesses would not consider it even if it accounts to life or death.

Newborns With Heart Surgery May Increase Risk Of Cerebral Palsy, Study

But how were traditional medical practices changed to adapt with their beliefs? An article published by New Yorker relates details regarding this:

Jehovah’s witnesses accepts all medical interventions – except anything that requires blood transfusion. This is a very hard belief to follow especially if the patient experience a health scenario that requires blood transfusion – but they are willing to pass it even at the possibility of death than to accept it and sin.

In fact, the American Medical Association listed blood transfusion as among the most overused therapies in medicine.

So doctors and surgeons made ways on adjusting their traditional practices and found other non-blood methods. One of the well-known institutions who cater non-blood transfusion surgeries since the ‘90s is the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey.

Abe Steinberger, a neurosurgeon had already experienced dealing with Witnesses for more than 20 years. Bloodless medicine requires surgical skills and delicate precautionary measures to avoid large amounts of blood loss during surgery.

They use a method called Cell Salvage. Tubes are connected to her body which will flow out blood and will enter long thin plastic tubes which collects blood to bags on floor. These in turn will be instantly sucked by a machine that will filter the blood and collect as much red blood cells possible, re-infused, and then will enter back the body. This circulation procedure can save amounts of blood for the patient that can be used whenever the blood count becomes low while on surgery.

There are other procedures made, and several added precautionary steps considered to make the surgeries successful. Doctors need to respect the wishes of their patients, and such honorable response to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ stand gave way to safer and better medical procedures.

Image Source: Wikimedia

http://www.healthaim.com/bloodless-medicine-religion-changed-traditional-medical-practice/42756

John Houston · February 29, 2016

Russell purchased when he moved his operations to Brooklyn. It belonged to another preacher, Henry Ward Beecher, before he died. Russell also bought his other properties that Beecher had on Hick street, which I guess would be the first assembly hall. I was wondering if anyone knew if there was any connection between Russell and Beecher besides Russell just buying all his properties. It seems weird that he would buy that much property from the same person, and for the same purposes. The home on Columbia Heights was called "Beecher Bethel" before Russell bought it. After Russell bought it, it just became "Bethel" of the "House of Bethel".

This picture appeared in the Feb. 20, 1909 edition of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle right after it was sold to Charles Taze Russell.

Also, here is the listing that appeared in the paper before it was sold, if you want to know details about the inside. I just found it interesting.

Henry Ward Beecher was quite famous in his time, even more so was his daughter Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Queen Esther · February 28, 2016

Abel Castro · February 28, 2016

Jehovah's Witnesses commemorate Christ's death as a ransom or "propitiatory sacrifice" by observing the Lord's Evening Meal, or Memorial. They celebrate it once per year, noting that it was instituted on the Passover, an annual festival. This is the only celebration the Bible commands Christians to observe.

Of those who attend the Memorial, a small minority worldwide partake of the unleavened bread and wine. This is because Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the majority of the faithful have an earthly hope. Only those who believe they have a heavenly hope, the "remnant" (those still living) of the 144,000 "anointed", partake of the bread and wine. In 2014, the number of persons who partook worldwide was 14,121, whereas the number who attended was 19,950,019.

The Memorial, held after sunset, includes a talk on the meaning of the celebration and the circulation among the audience of unadulterated red wine and unleavened bread. Jehovah's Witnesses believe the bread symbolizes Jesus Christ's body which he gave on behalf of mankind, and that the wine symbolizes his blood which redeems from sin. They do not believe in transubstantiation or consubstantiation. Because many congregations have no members who claim to be anointed, it is common for no one to partake of the bread and wine.

See also: What is the meaning of the bread and the wine served at the Memorial?

Jehovah’s Witnesses observe the Memorial after sundown on Nisan 14, according to the reckoning of the Jewish calendar that was common in the first century. The Jewish day begins at sundown and extends until the following sundown. So Jesus died on the same Jewish calendar day that he instituted the Memorial. The beginning of the month of Nisan was the sunset after the new moon nearest the spring equinox became visible in Jerusalem. The Memorial date is 14 days thereafter. (Thus the date for the Memorial may not coincide with that of the Passover kept by modern-day Jews. Why not? The start of their calendar months is set to coincide with the astronomical new moon, not the visible new moon over Jerusalem, which may come 18 to 30 hours later. Also, most Jews today keep the Passover on Nisan 15, not on the 14th as did Jesus in harmony with what was stated in the Mosaic Law.)

Memorial is always held on the first full moon after March 21st. It's always a full moon because Memorial is always held 14 days after the new moon. Hebrew months start on the new moon (the new month). Therefore Nisan 14 is always a full moon (+- 24 hours).

Song 8 - The Lord's Evening Meal

Why is it observed annually?

Talk: The Last Hours of Jesus Christ

Particularly beginning in the 1930’s, prospective members of the “great multitude,” or “great crowd” of other sheep, began to manifest themselves. (Rev. 7:9, 10, KJ; John 10:16) These were at that time referred to as Jonadabs. For the first time, in its issue of February 15, 1938, The Watchtower specifically invited them to be present at the Memorial, saying: “After six p.m. on April 15 let each company of the anointed assemble and celebrate the Memorial, their companions the Jonadabs also being present.” They did attend, not as partakers, but as observers.

February 28, 2016

Part of a series on:

Jehovah's Witnesses historical understanding of his return:

In 1930 Christ's return and "presence" was switched from 1874 to 1914.
In The Golden Age magazine (1930 p.503) Joseph Rutherford, the second president of the WTS, wrote "Jesus has been present since 1914" but he gave no supporting explanation.
In 1932: The prophecy of the Bible, fully supported by the physical facts in fulfilment thereof, shows that the second coming of Christ dates from the fall of the year 1914. (What is Truth? 1932)