Melinda Mills

OK, let me start. Politics is the set of activities associated with the governance of a country, state or an area. It involves making decisions that apply to groups of members. It refers to achieving and exercising positions of governance—organized control over a human community, particularly a state. Wikipedia (Romans 13:1, 2) Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. 2 Therefore, whoever opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will bring judgment against themselves.

Nice to hear from you. You could probably start by explaining what is politics and what is partisan politics. But I still expect you to be neutral.

Sad to hear of this event. Jehovah will remember them in his new system, when his Son will speak to the wind and say "Be still". Nothing like that will ever occur again. Accept sincere condolences and deep regret.

At some point over the years they got both character development and the need to be zealous out of balance, emphasing one to the detriment of the other, whereas the scriptures clearly show we need them both. Jesus was zealous and he was gentle. Zeal for God' house "ate him up". (John 2:16, 17) 16 And he said to those selling the doves: “Take these things away from here! Stop making the house of my Father a house of commerce!” 17 His disciples recalled that it is written: “The zeal for your house will consume me.” This scripture shows he was gentle and considerate. We know hundreds of other instances where he showed gentleness, consideration and deep love for people. For example when he healed the death man, when he healed the woman with the flow of blood, and he said he felt love for the righteous man who wanted to know what else he had to do to please God. (Matthew 12:18-21) 18 “Look! My servant whom I chose, my beloved, whom I have approved! I will put my spirit upon him, and what justice is he will make clear to the nations. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the main streets. 20 No bruised reed will he crush, and no smoldering wick will he extinguish, until he brings justice with success. 21 Indeed, in his name nations will hope.” ** w99 7/1 p. 5 How Can Jesus Change Your Life? *** Not only did Jesus teach profound truths about how to show love but he also practiced what he taught. For example, he put the interests of others ahead of his own. One day Jesus and his disciples were so busy helping people that they had no time even to eat a meal. Jesus saw the need for his disciples to rest up a bit, and he took them to a lonely place. But when they got there, they found a crowd waiting for them. How would you have responded upon seeing a crowd who expected you to work when you felt that you needed a little break? Well, Jesus “was moved with pity for them” and “started to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34) This concern for others always moved Jesus to assist them. That is the spirit that moves us to go to our Bible studies even when something special comes up that we want to do. We must work with the angels and assist those who need the good news. Paul, the best example of a person who followed Jesus in an exemplary way and was used by Jesus to write instructions for us, said he was completely spent in doing God's will. We was not wishy washy. (Philippians 2:17) 17 However, even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and the holy service to which your faith has led you, I am glad and I rejoice with all of you. Read Romans 14 and see he had a good conscience in everything. Numerous other scriptures show his parent-like qualities, e.g. like a nursing mother, etc. These qualities are easy to find throughout his letters. The fact that he was beloved by the brothers shows he had a beautiful Christ-like personality (nevermind that false brothers were jealous and lied about it). It is all easy to understand and research.

My sister's congregation has mid-week meeting starting on Monday. Four congregations there.

As you will see from these scriptures, king and kingdom can be used interchangeably. It is not necessarily the president, but the world power is sometimes meant. (Daniel 7:17) “‘These huge beasts, four in number, are four kings who will stand up from the earth. (Daniel 2:39, 40) 39 “But after you another kingdom will rise, inferior to you; then another kingdom, a third one, of copper, that will rule over the whole earth. 40 “As for the fourth kingdom, it will be strong like iron. For just as iron crushes and pulverizes everything else, yes, like iron that shatters, it will crush and shatter all of these. The last king is the Anglo-American world power. It is no sense getting into the minute details of which president, etc., then to be disappointed. The king of the north was the USSR bloc of nations and now it is Russia. Read the book of Daniel chapters 2 and 11 and see how the political super powers will come to their end. Right now the king of the north, Russia, has come into the land of the decoration - prohibiting true worship in Russia. He will come all the way to his finish. Same for the king of the south, Anglo-American world power, the two-horned wild beast. The English head is now firming up its power to play a part in the end prophecies (coming out of the EU). But see what Daniel said about them. *** Bible Citations *** 40 “As for the fourth kingdom, it will be strong like iron. For just as iron crushes and pulverizes everything else, yes, like iron that shatters, it will crush and shatter all of these. 41 “And just as you saw the feet and the toes to be partly of clay of a potter and partly of iron, the kingdom will be divided, but some of the hardness of iron will be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 Just as you saw iron mixed with soft clay, they will be mixed with the people; but they will not stick together, one to the other, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever, 45 just as you saw that out of the mountain a stone was cut not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the copper, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The Grand God has made known to the king what will happen in the future. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.” All democratic powers (including the Anglo-American world power) are becoming fragile now, because the clay part, the people who put them in power, are rising up all over the world. Every day we are hearing more protests about rights,pension, climate and other things. We don't need to know all the details, we will see them as we go along. What we know is what Daniel 2 says they will be destroyed by the stone, the Messianic Kingdom, which is not cut out by human hands. In other words destruction will come from God and his appointed King, Jesus Christ along with the angels and the resurrected anointed ones. (Rev 17:14; 19:14). See the scriptures in my previous comments.

That as well as these: (Revelation 14:14-15:1) 14 Then I saw, and look! a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Another angel emerged from the temple sanctuary, calling with a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: “Put your sickle in and reap, because the hour has come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 And the one seated on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 And still another angel emerged from the temple sanctuary that is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 And still another angel emerged from the altar, and he had authority over the fire. And he called out with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, saying: “Put your sharp sickle in and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for its grapes have become ripe.” 19 The angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and he hurled it into the great winepress of God’s anger. 20 The winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress as high up as the bridles of the horses for a distance of 1,600 stadia. 15 And I saw in heaven another sign, great and wonderful, seven angels with seven plagues. These are the last ones, because by means of them the anger of God is brought to a finish. (Revelation 19:11-16) 11 I saw heaven opened, and look! a white horse. And the one seated on it is called Faithful and True, and he judges and carries on war in righteousness. 12 His eyes are a fiery flame, and on his head are many diadems. He has a name written that no one knows but he himself, 13 and he is clothed with an outer garment stained with blood, and he is called by the name The Word of God. 14 Also, the armies in heaven were following him on white horses, and they were clothed in white, clean, fine linen. 15 And out of his mouth protrudes a sharp, long sword with which to strike the nations, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron. Moreover, he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his outer garment, yes, on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. *** Bible Citations *** 36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. 38 For as they were in those days before the Flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 and they took no note until the Flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. 41 Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. 42 Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it. And lots more.

He (Tom Henry) probably used "some" in his explanation because the scripture says all unrighteousness is sin. The scriptures also show that there is a sin that incurs death and that we would not expect God to cover over. (See Hebrews 10;26) Therefore the apostle John said not to make request about that kind of sin. That is permanent death. (1 John 5:16, 17) 16 If anyone catches sight of his brother committing a sin that does not incur death, he will ask, and God will give life to him, yes, to those not committing sin that incurs death. There is a sin that does incur death. It is concerning that sin that I do not tell him to make request. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and yet there is a sin that does not incur death. (Hebrews 10:26) For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left,... ===== This is what I gather about suicide or self murder from my research in the Bible itself. (Genesis 9:6) 6 Anyone shedding man’s blood, by man will his own blood be shed, for in God’s image He made man. (Proverbs 28:17) 17 A man burdened with bloodguilt for taking someone’s life will keep fleeing until the grave. Let no one support him. Both of these remedies would be difficult to achieve for a man taking his own life. So there is a difference in taking your own life and taking someone else’s life. So it boils down to the same thing - you have to leave it to God. God knows whether it is forgivable or whether it is willful and wanton, disrespecting the Creator and life itself.

Ask your elders about the list of decisions at the last Annual Meeting. Don't think anything about suicide was in that list.

Don't think it is new light. Don't be disturbed by anything you hear. Start doing research. It is easy when you are on the computer. People in the organization always used to think one would not get a resurrection if they committed suicide. However, please read the powerful statement mentioned at the end of this answer to a question from readers (in 2002). Go to the article and read it in full. Continue to do research. *** w02 6/15 p. 30 Questions From Readers *** Questions From Readers If someone commits suicide, would it be advisable for a Christian minister to give the funeral talk? …. Any future prospect for the dead is in the hands of Jehovah, and no one is in a position to say whether the deceased will be resurrected or not. The minister can concentrate on the Bible truths about death and offer comfort for the bereaved." End Quote Underscoring = mine

Who is the moderator? This topic should be closed.

Didn't realize how good that sentence was. "But some names stick". You didn't mention the one James alluded to. You weren't Banned, why? Yes, 101 topics in one.

In the early late 50s and early 60s it was a real privilege to have a glossy magazine in the house, e.g. even something like a Sears catalogue. I remember cutting out different deodorants from a magazine for a school project when in infants school. Seems very stupid now. But some names stick.

One hundred subjects in one? I think we had a topic on what Jesus looked like already.

(1 Corinthians 6:18) . . .Every other sin that a man may commit is outside his body, but whoever practices sexual immorality is sinning against his own body. First the person sins against his own body.

Agree with what you said. Not laughing at it, laughing with it. Good advice.

"The typical JW online profile is incredible for its ineffectiveness. “Hi. I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Do you have a question about the origin of the cross? Ask me.” " - TrueTomHarley Never saw that online approach. Agree it is not effective. Also like your deliberation on the times we approach people. I keep saying to people in the service that evening is more productive. When I go out in morning, I find I am getting to the age where I no longer wish to go back out in the evening to a certain Bible study, but push myself to do so. When I get there I realize it is really the right time, no interruptions as when I do in the morning. The lady suggested I come evening, but I was trying still to get her to study in the morning. She also runs a business.

Even the ability to attend a foreign or international assembly can be used as a showy display of one's means of life. People are borrowing heavily in order to attend these assemblies. I agree with the suggestion that they can be linked up and we get some of them in our Kingdom Halls. We already do that for some of the "Zone" Representative visits. Agree with most of the points about pioneering. After being around for a good few decades I am convinced that these ones feel they are better than others. The culture around it produces these superior feelings. They forget about the real meaning of what Jesus said about the widow's might. It takes real sacrifice and coordination to get out for even a few hours, and only God and Jesus can see that, like how he saw the widow's efforts. I go out because I love the people, and no one has to tell me to go out, or to make a return visit. Comfort was very brave to write out these things, but if it is God's will, it will change but not all at once. Keep working, watching and praying.

That's an old saying though.

James, that picture of the bald head man with the little goatee must the Prophet Ebedeah.

Something does not sound right about this report or something wrong with their heads. Never heard of Witnesses who were iconoclasts. Heard of Christians destroying their own magic books (Acts 19:18,19) but not property of others or shared property. Then again it is reported that some strange strategies were used to establish the work there .

That's true, but it would not attract as much attention. Rutherford had been a political marketer before following Russell/WT/Bible Students. This is why he would ADV/ADV/ADV. And why gimmicks like putting David and Abraham on a property deed were important to him. This is why he used the title "Judge." But I think it was Covington who figured out that he could do much better in the courts if we agreed to be recognized as a religion. Religious rights were easier to fight for than unspecified rights or civil rights of a group who would otherwise be seen only as "peddlers." Tresspassing laws were decidedly against peddlers, but the United States was being recognized in the twentieth century as much more amenable to a variety of religions, and we weren't the only religion asking for (and getting) expanded rights. Thanks for this part of the history of the restoration of true worship. However, it also brings out my point that we should retire this kind of talk, since today we certainly believe that Jehovah always had witnesses, and we are not a new religion, but a restoration of true worship. In my opinion, I certainly think we were in religion in those days but not aware of our rights - or our rights were not quotable in the society of the day. Jesus was not recognized as a true prophet or as the coming Messiah in his time either, although he certainly was. If we go back to this kind of talk, then we should not talk about the true religion, restoration of true worship or Jehovah's Witnesses is not a new religion, which points we had several tracts and books relaying over the years in modern times. For example: *** rs p. 202-p. 203 Jehovah’s Witnesses *** How old is the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses? According to the Bible, the line of witnesses of Jehovah reaches back to faithful Abel. Hebrews 11:4–12:1 says: “By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain . . . By faith Noah, after being given divine warning of things not yet beheld, showed godly fear . . . By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed in going out into a place he was destined to receive as an inheritance . . . By faith Moses, when grown up, refused to be called the son of the daughter of Pharaoh, choosing to be ill-treated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin . . . So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” With reference to Jesus Christ, the Bible states: “These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God.” Of whom was he a witness? He himself said that he made his Father’s name manifest. He was the foremost witness of Jehovah.—Rev. 3:14; John 17:6. Interestingly, some of the Jews asked whether the activity of Jesus Christ represented “a new teaching.” (Mark 1:27) Later, some Greeks thought the apostle Paul was introducing a “new teaching.” (Acts 17:19, 20) It was new to the ears of those who were hearing it, but the important thing was that it was the truth, in full harmony with God’s Word. The modern-day history of Jehovah’s Witnesses began with the forming of a group for Bible study in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., in the early 1870’s. At first they were known only as Bible Students, but in 1931 they adopted the Scriptural name Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Isa. 43:10-12) Their beliefs and practices are not new but are a restoration of first-century Christianity." End quote Bold text mine

I would say it another way: False religion is a snare and a racket. Not hard to correct. Abel had a religion and all of God's servants since. Definition of religion: Concise Oxford Dictionary: belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power or powers considered to be divine or to have control of human destiny; 2 any formal or institutionalized expression of such belief, e.g. the Christian religion. ...5. something of overwhelming importance to a person.

Apostates are known by their words and actions. It is possible that this group we are presently in would be on somebody's list as well. I was warned by a sister about this group and also by an elder when he read my post on the Internet where I said that we should abandon sayings like "religion is a snare and a racket", seeing that God has overlooked the days of ignorance. Resurrecting those sayings means that we have not progressed in our understanding. I also said that we are also a religion so that should not make sense. The elder said that "at that time we were not a religion". Well, that just shows you. We have to be firm and sound in mind as to what we will believe.

Trump did not mention anything about the Witnesses, although he most likely knows about Russia's persecution and is allegedly close to Russia's president. He mentioned other religions in Asia which are being persecuted. What is the merit in mentioning that?