Melinda Mills

Who has the authority to make a rule on that that would supersede what Matt 19:9 and 1 Cor 7:10,11 say. Never heard of anything. Have to face the fact that the couple did not commit adultery nor do one of the partners wish to make up again with the mate. Know of a couple who needs a solution also for over 25 years. If this remedy was available to them they would know. And who said that self-enforced celibacy kills. The ones what are "friends with benefits" should remarry legally as this can't be pleasing to God or the congregation.

What about the effects of the website on those lands where people are poor and neither have computers nor the Internet, including JWs? I remember an Article in the Watchtower recently wherein the Gov Body was asked if whose Witnesses who don't have access to the Website are well fed and they said Yes. Here is the quote: *** w14 8/15 p. 5 Are You Receiving “Food at the Proper Time”? *** 3. If you do not have access in your language to all the publications that are produced, will you become spiritually undernourished? The answer is no. And it should not surprise us that some of Jehovah’s servants might, at times, have access to more spiritual food than others do. Why not? Consider the apostles. They received more instruction than many other disciples in the first century did. (Mark 4:10; 9:35-37) Even so, the other disciples were not spiritually undernourished; they received what they needed.—Eph. 4:20-24; 1 Pet. 1:8. It is also worth noting that much of what Jesus said and did while on earth is not recorded in the Gospel accounts. The apostle John wrote: “There are also, in fact, many other things that Jesus did, which if ever they were written in full detail, I suppose the world itself could not contain the scrolls written.” (John 21:25) Even though Jesus’ first-century followers had more information about the perfect man Jesus than we do, we are not deprived. Jehovah has made sure that we know enough about Jesus for us to be his footstep followers.—1 Pet. 2:21. Think, too, of the letters sent by the apostles to the first-century congregations. At least one letter written by Paul was not preserved in the Bible. (Col. 4:16) Is our spiritual food inadequate because we do not have access to that letter? No. Jehovah knows what we need and has given us enough to keep us spiritually strong.—Matt. 6:8. Today, some groups of Jehovah’s servants have more spiritual food available to them than others have. Do you speak a language in which only a few publications are available? If so, know that Jehovah cares for you. Study the material you have, and if possible, attend the meetings in a language that you understand. And be assured that Jehovah will keep you spiritually strong.—Ps. 1:2; Heb. 10:24, 25. 4. If you do not have access to material that is published on jw.org, will you become spiritually weak? On our Web site, we publish copies of our magazines and other Bible-study publications. The Web site also provides material that helps couples, teenagers, and those with young children. Families benefit by considering this material in their Family Worship sessions. In addition, our Web site reports on special programs, such as Gilead graduations and the annual meeting, and it keeps our global brotherhood informed about natural disasters and legal developments that affect Jehovah’s people. (1 Pet. 5:8, 9) The Web site is also a powerful preaching tool, making the good news available even in lands where our work is restricted or banned. However, you can remain spiritually strong whether you have access to our Web site or not. The slave has worked hard to provide enough printed material to keep each domestic spiritually well-fed. Therefore, you should not feel obligated to buy a device just to access jw.org. Some may make private arrangements to print a limited amount of material published on our Web site and give it personally to those who do not have Internet access, but congregations are not required to do this. We are grateful to Jesus for keeping his promise to care for our spiritual needs. As these difficult last days rapidly draw to a close, we can be confident that Jehovah will continue to provide spiritual “food at the proper time.”

You mentioned good points, but try to understand it both ways.  It is true we cannot see his face literally and live.  Paul was blinded when Jehovah's son, Jesus, shone a light from heaven when he was on his way to Damascus.  So that gives us a little insight into why we cannot see Jehovah and live. We won't survive in the presence of all that glory.  That is why Jehovah told Moses at Exodus 33:20 that he could not see His face and LIVE. But we can see His face figuratively as Bible Speaks pointed out in the scriptures above and as you rightly said 'by our experiences with Him.'  Consider the scripture in Hebrews 11:27. It says: "By faith he (Moses) left Egypt, but not fearing the anger of the king, for he continued steadfast as seeing the One who is invisible." Like Abraham and Moses and other faithful ones we must see him though he is invisible, as are all spirit beings. We don't have to see anyone to love them.  That is why we enjoy talking to our brothers with pseudonyms on this site and we have not seen many of them in person.  Hebrews 11:6 says we must have faith that God's exists in order to please him well.  John 4:24 says God is a Spirit, and those worshipping him must worship with spirit and truth.   We also have to love his Son whom we in this era never saw in person. "(1 Peter 1:8) Though you never saw him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet you exercise faith in him and are greatly rejoicing with an indescribable and glorious joy, ..." If we love Jesus we are showing that we love the Father. "(John 14:21) 21?Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. In turn, whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will clearly show myself to him.” Â

They did a beautiful job in bring home the points that Jesus made when he referred to Lot's wife. Credit goes to Jehovah, Christ Jesus and his visible organization. Let's remember the points and not the celebrity.

THE POLICE WILL BE ABOLISHED AND FOLLOWED BY MAKING PHOTOS Careful with this kind of language. It is serious.

"In 1997, a family of witnesses returning from his assembly, were kidnapped and the marriage and 6-Year-old daughter killed." Not understandable. Might mean "a family of witnesses returning from their assembly was kidnapped and the husband, wife and their six-year-old daughter were killed."

Can't understand the language. What is it about?

"Pillion" = a seat for a passenger behind a motorcyclist. It is not customary to say "driver" for the one on the pillion. One says "motorclyclist" for the one in front steering and "rider" for the one behind. So it is pillion rider, not driver. "Driver" is technically correct for the one in front , but not often used. Of course the proper use of the English Language is no longer in vogue. See usage here in heading: https://www.towardszero.vic.gov.au/campaign/driver-think-rider-rider-think-driver

Agree with above. Holding a personal belief is different from causing divisions. How did we get to the stage where Christians would get into trouble for believing something different which is not an essential Christian teaching. Is overlapping generation in the Bible? "Acts 15: 28  For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you except these necessary things: 29 to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” " We don't wish to add further burdens to others. If we have personal thoughts on matters - that is freedom of thought and conscience. We don't have to share them and cause divisions. But we are free to hold them. That's God given. The days of Inquisition passed a few hundred years ago. Are we forgetting history? Why are we attracting trouble by asking persons what we can or cannot personally believe?

The United States government publishes on its page his protest for the treatment of Jehovah's witnesses. USA Should be "its protest of" not "his protest".

Welsh people are from Wales. Never heard of Wales/Whales from Wales.

"Little wife" is a translation of someone's surname. It happened the last time also.

Test Question 2.) What scripture in the Bible Prohibits taking known risks ? *** w17 February p. 6 par. 15 Jehovah’s Purpose Will Be Fulfilled! *** 15 Jehovah provided a perfect man who could become the ransomer. That perfect man would need to be loyal to Jehovah and be willing to give his life in exchange for doomed humanity. (Rom. 5:17-19) Jehovah transferred the life of his very first creation from heaven to earth. (John 1:14) Jesus thus became a perfect human, just as Adam had been. But unlike Adam, Jesus lived up to the standard Jehovah expected from a perfect man. Even under the most extreme tests, Jesus never sinned nor broke any of God’s laws. (Matthew 4:5-7) Then the Devil took him along into the holy city, and he stationed him on the battlement of the temple 6 and said to him: “If you are a son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written: ‘He will give his angels a command concerning you,’ and, ‘They will carry you on their hands, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him: “Again it is written: ‘You must not put Jehovah your God to the test.’” Unlike Adam who sinned at the slightest suggestion, Jesus our Eternal Father, did not put Jehovah God to the test. He respected the law of gravity and the written spiritual laws when living as a man on earth. Therefore he did not throw himself down at at Satan's suggestion, thereby taking an unnecessary risk.

"I mean, why shouldn't this number increase? I know we have put date limiters on it in the past, but surely we have become less rigid about this in more recent years? (@Melinda Mills could substantiate this with numerous WT references!) Anointed ones answer only to Jehovah as to the genuineness of their claim (1Cor 11:27-29)." -- Eoin Joyce Agree with Eoin that we should not worry about genuineness of the claim to be of the anointed of persons who have caused this number to increase. Jehovah is the one choosing them and he is keeping the tally. It is possible some are not genuine but it still doesn't matter because we still won't be able to judge or disallow any, whether they might seem to have emotional problems or not. I get the feeling also that we have not been stressing the date limit as in the past, but here is a fairly recent one I found. *** w14 2/15 p. 11 par. 14 Rejoice Over the Marriage of the Lamb! *** "Since 1935, millions of people have allowed the remnant to ‘bring them to righteousness.’ (Dan. 12:3) These loyal companions of the anointed Christians have purified their lives, becoming spiritual virgins. These “virgin companions” of the bride have dedicated themselves to Jehovah and have proved themselves to be faithful subjects of the Bridegroom-King." In any case Jehovah is not limited by our understanding of the scriptures or to any time period that we may have in mind. He is managing the big picture (gathering the ones who would be fitting companions for his Royal Son) and it could be that whereas we were expecting logically a dwindling of the number as the 1914 generation disappears it may be that Jehovah will have more persons representing the epoch wherein more persons are living on earth and wherein a greater shout of praise is being carried out on the earth. Who knows? It could be too that more surprises might be in store for his servants including the faithful slave. I also like Eoin's reference to Luke 15 because the increase in the anointed is concomitant with the increase in the average publishers worldwide. So although it is puzzling at first, on re-examination it should indeed be an outcome deserving applause.

Cameras come before common sense and safety these days. Sorry to hear though. Life is very cheap these days.

I have to admit that I thought BibleSpeaks was a gentleman (until Queen Esther said something definite) and that Shiwii was a lady until today. Well don't blame me. The language of truth is not feminine or masculine and with no photo what am I going to do. James, that would not have worked.

How does one know even the gender of these contributors?

I had sent in a request to Interflora for a bouquet to be sent to a family member who was sick in a distant country and they selected a bouquet consisting mainly of that same flower (Bird of Paradise/Strelitzia), so it has sentimental value to me as well. They sent me a picture of the bouquet.

Here is another link/video:

Hi Colin and Queen Esther, Nice evolution from old books to beautiful birds and plants. I started to doubt myself but I found the link with the plant I mean. I think it is the same plant. Here it is: http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/aboutflowers/exoticflowers/heliconia

We call that plant Bird of Paradise in the Caribbean.

"Many will rove about and the true knowledge will become abundant". Thanks JWI and ComfortMYPeople for this exchange. This is also roving about. However, as Archive@L had said earlier quoting 1 Cor 13:12 "at present I know partially but then I shall know accurately" . Most Bible students acknowledge that understanding of any prophecy is confirmed only after its fulfiilment. But JWI kindly reminded us of the scripture in 1 Peter 1:10-12 about making a diligent inquiry and a careful search and continuing our investigation. ( So we must not get tired of the rumble and tumble. We seniors are pretty tough! Smile! Notice the energy of JWI and how well he writes? If you miss me, though, I might be getting a beauty sleep.) The faithful slave has just adjusted something surrounding when the anointed came out of Babylon the Great. There will also be other adjustments. Comfort, that was well set out and a good synopsis.

But when did men start to rove about? Thought it was after the Reformation? What about all he study groups in the 1800s?

*** w14 10/1 p. 13 " When Did God’s Kingdom Begin Ruling?—Part 1 *** In his prophecy concerning the last days, Jesus said: “Jerusalem [which represented God’s rulership] will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) So the interruption of God’s rulership was still in effect in Jesus’ time and would continue until the last days." "(Daniel 12:9) Then he said: “Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the time of the end." The time for Shiloh (the one who has the legal right to David's throne,Jesus Christ) to resume rule of God's Kingdom towards the earth would be AFTER the Gentiles Times would have ended - not when Jesus was on earth. God's rulership towards the earth was interrupted when the last King, Zedekiah, was dethroned and taken to Babylon. David's permanent heir, a resurrected spirit being, would inherit that role and assume the role of King of God's Kingdom at a much later date, hence the scriptures saying he is waiting at God's right hand, making the 1914 the likely date, counting from 607BCE. Even if that date is not accurate, it would be in modern times.

I don't know the order of the ones on the bottom row - they are very old, not of our time. All I can tell you is that the red one in the second row is the oldest of the modern books. When I was very small my father had one that was well preserved, but from a child I can only remember using the one with the music notes on it. The green and cream one.