Melinda Mills

You are world class!  I performed for the adults in the little piano school I go to, but you performed for the world!  It pleased me mightily! The teacher is a young woman about 30,  but she is  professionally trained and has the insight of a 60 year old. She was helping us to get over our fear of performing. That was my second performance. The first one was at a nice new school on a new piano. It was held in February. Audience of about 200.  I played Hungarian Rhapsody Theme.  Yesterday  was just an end of term performance so we could help our peers get over performance fears.  I played Black Forest Polka and a piece I used to play when I was eleven in key of G. They were astounded I could still remember it although I never had the book with it. It was owned by the teacher. She would let me play from that book for a change. 
"If you don't recognize the tune, it never made the cut for Kingdom Songs."  Too funny!  I enjoyed it so much that although I know the piece, I can't  write the  name of it.   Sounds like Bach.  My preferred kind of music is classical, so you did well.
Hi JWI, Funny but I am still playing Kingdom Songs from the big brown 1984 book. (And my copy still looks new) They are about seven songs in there that I used to play well  (13, 14,15 , 17 and 201) and I have just continued where I left off. In the new book I am working on  No 43 - A Prayer of Thanks and 115 Gratitude for Divine Patience which I also used to play before. I pick the ones where the music is simpler. I rather play in C than with four flats or sharps. The best one is 15 Life without End - At Last! No. 15 in the old book in the key of C.   In the new book it is in Aflat major I think with four flats.  I sometimes turn the function key from piano to Pipe (Church) Organ and pretend to be an organist. Some brothers are prejudiced to the organ, so I play it for myself. These new electric pianos can sound like almost any instrument by just the touch of a switch.  Love of music is God-given and he is not against music, but everything must be put in its place. 
I decided to continue my music as it is said to help the brain. If you don't use it you lose it.   Music helps us to use a part of the brain that is not frequently used.  It also helps to build a high level of discipline, listening ability, appreciation, tolerance and other good qualities.  Look up the benefits.  They have also come across quite a few Alzheimers persons who can still play although they are not very functional otherwise. So that says something. It helps one also to be able to enjoy oneself when alone. So don't put the harmonica back into the case, do a little practise every day.  Hope to post something if I get it recorded. Like you and Anna,  I like Bible study, language, fine art and music. 
If they put me in prison rest assured I will sing not Dee Dum Bum Bum  , but "Firm and Determined in this Time of the End... from "Forward You Witnesses!" 29 in 1984 book. Was singing it since  the 1950s, so don't think that is coming out of my brain now. I will simply read  and sing the new words but the old words are etched there for good.  (Let Rook know)
 

I am trying to find out what was really said about animals, but it seems I will have to wait, if it is really on the programme. So far what was hinted at or rumoured according to Witness does not sound plausible.   But  I know many people, especially women, seem to love animals better than people.  God made man/people in his image, not animals. People will live forever, if they are loyal to Jehovah and pass the final test (which would entail true love for Jehovah) but animals were never promised everlasting life, and Jesus did not die for them. Animals are captivating and truly beautiful but humans are really lovable, that's why Jesus was fond of them even before he came to earth.   (Proverbs 8: 31)  The other angels find them to be lovable and interesting too, they are intrigued by the things men are doing connected to God's will.
(1 Peter 1:12) 12 It was revealed to them that they were ministering, not to themselves, but to you, regarding what has now been announced to you by those who declared the good news to you with holy spirit sent from heaven. Into these very things, angels are desiring to peer.
But Jesus wants us to imitate him and practise the real love that Anna is talking about.  Principled, unselfish love, Agape.  
Sentiment can cause people (even high officials) to make wrong decisions. All the other forms of love are basically selfish, even of they are enjoyable like Eros, but Agape is the force that puts everything back onto the right track. Agape is first, then other forms fall into place.
 

Forgot to use this scripture in my first post.
Reason we go to meetings and conventions and assemblies (apparently these two are not synonyms)
(Hebrews 10:24, 25) And let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works, 25 not forsaking our meeting together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.
Plain and simple.
 

Law of diminishing returns is also a fundamental principle in Economics, not only Engineering.  And you talking money already.
But remember you go to meeting every week and you don't  necessarily learn anything new, it costs clothes, gas, tyres, road tax, etc.  The Convention is just a bigger meeting.  You don't complain for regular meeting, so why complain for a more exciting, bigger meeting, even if you are eating ordinary spiritual food served in prettier plates or settings.   Where did you meet your wife?  Put yourself in the place of those who are new to the spiritual food, are now meeting other Witnesses/Christians or are even looking for mates, all these are normal things Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24.  But he said some would take no note of the spiritual things until they are swept away. 
So what can you/I do to show more  appreciation for what may begin to look ordinary?  Form a longing for the ordinary food (milk) - it is necessary to grow from infancy to maturity both literally and spiritually; it will help you to grow to salvation.  You know a year in advance and you prepare with anticipation. When it comes you show appreciation.  I already have three sets of clothes put out and a bag packed. My convention is next week. I got my lapel card today.
(1 Peter 2:2) "As newborn infants, form a longing for the unadulterated milk of the word, so that by means of it you may grow to salvation,"
Even if we really knew everything that we need to know, we are all works in progress, we need to work on what we know.  There is always room for improvement in putting on the complete suit of armour and the new personality; in setting spiritual goals.
(Ephesians 4:23, 24) And you should continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude, 24 and should put on the new personality that was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.
Always remember that the Israelites complained about the manna, then God send the bird with lots of flesh and while they were still eating they were punished.  (Someone can enlarge on the reasons why he gave them meat and then punished them.)
(Numbers 11:31-34) 31 Then a wind from Jehovah sprang up and began driving quail from the sea and causing them to fall around the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, and they were about two cubits deep on the ground. 32 So all that day and all night and all the next day, the people stayed up and gathered the quail. No one gathered less than ten hoʹmers, and they kept spreading them all around the camp for themselves. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it could be chewed, Jehovah’s anger blazed against the people, and Jehovah began striking the people with a very great slaughter. 34 So they gave that place the name Kibʹroth-hat·taʹa·vah, because there they buried the people who showed selfish craving. 
Let's appreciate the spiritual manna.  Fancy a dish prepared by God himself and people were complaining about it!
If we were starving and someone gave us plain rice and water,  it would help us to survive, though it might not satisfy us completely. While we are excited about new information, we still need the milk of the word as it would help us to live to salvation. It would help us renew our goals, remind us of what we already know,  and keep us on the path to salvation as the apostle Peter said. We need manna and milk to live, grow and mature.  People would be there who are at different stages of Christian development; some still need milk, some would be there who need solid food, some would be there who need the deeper things of God to satisfy them, but we all need spiritual food.   "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need". Matt 5:3.
 
If and when we get into the Kingdom of God, we will be learning about love forever, as there will always be Jehovah, Jesus, and people to love.  Love (Agape) never fails. (1 Cor 13:8)
 

... must be some very particular picky eaters to distinguish between "plant plankton" and "animal plankton".....
These are microscopic (or close) animals that are all mixed together in a thin soup.
There is ZERO chance oceanic life can discriminate, any more than if you could discriminate between two different types of tomatoes used in a blended tomato soup... through a straw.
Whales do not eat whales, or dolphins, or sharks, as a general rule.
You do know what a Baleen Whale is, don't you?
If you don't ... please look it up, and THINK about it!
 

.... and baby eaglets are not going to be too happy  ..... for their VERY short lives .....  when the Mama Bald Eagle brings home straw and grass, instead of rabbits, mice, and fish.

Does parents of this girl get that idea from Bible only ...
... or from WT Society literature/video lessons  based on Bible only ?

That argument not up to your standard, James.  Ever heard of sea weed/grasses?

And when you tell them that this would be the diet of animals in the new system, they say that one can look at the carnivorous teeth and see that the animals were made to eat meat.   But those teeth can rip apart tree branches and other hard materials too, and grip anything they need to pull.
I like to put Genesis 1:29, 30  and Isaiah 11: 6,7,and 9 to show that the animals will no longer eat one another or people, but people always find fault with it.
 
*** Bible Citations ***
(Isaiah 11: 6-7) 6 The wolf will reside for a while with the lamb, And with the young goat the leopard will lie down, And the calf and the lion and the fattened animal will all be together; And a little boy will lead them.  7 The cow and the bear will feed together, And their young will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the bull.
 

So, it is now a crime for literature to reflect the morality of the Bible?

*** it-1 p. 596 Death ***
Cause of Death in Humans. The first reference to death in the Scriptures occurs at Genesis 2:16, 17 in God’s command to the first man concerning the eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, violation of which command would result in death. (See NW ftn.) However, death among animals as a natural process was evidently already in effect, since they are passed over completely in the Biblical presentation of the introduction of death into the human family. (Compare 2Pe 2:12.) The gravity of God’s warning about the death penalty for disobedience would therefore be understandable to his human son, Adam. Adam’s disobedience to his Creator brought death to him. (Ge 3:19; Jas 1:14, 15) Thereafter, Adam’s sin and its consequence, death, spread to all men.—Ro 5:12; 6:23.
 
(2 Peter 2:12) But these men, like unreasoning animals that act on instinct and are born to be caught and destroyed, speak abusively about things of which they are ignorant. They will suffer destruction brought on by their own destructive course,
 

Of course, there was that "God-damned" snake in the grass back in Eden. It was cursed to crawl on the ground and lick the dust with its [forked] tongue.
Then there were those pigs that allowed themselves to be possessed by demons, and were driven to commit suicide.
Certain animals might have listened to communication from God to be able to receive a name from Adam. The same could be said for the animals that listened to communication from God to get on Noah's ark. Or for ravens to find Elijah to bring him food. Or, perhaps even a big fish who nearly snacked on Jonah. And there's that special relationship between Jehovah and Leviathan and Behemoth.
God gives animals "meat in due season" (food at the proper time):
(Psalm 104:27) . . .All of them wait for you To give them their food in its season. And a donkey evidently saved a man's life by ascertaining an invisible angel.
On a serious note, I think most people agree that many persons have an unbalanced view of pets. But it's also easy to get unbalanced in the direction of disdaining pets and animals. Remember that Jehovah himself rejoices at his works which obviously includes his many interactions with animals according to the context of Psalm 104. 
(Psalm 104:28-31) . . .What you give them, they gather. When you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. 29 When you hide your face, they are disturbed. If you take away their spirit, they die and return to the dust. 30 If you send out your spirit, they are created, And you renew the surface of the ground. 31 The glory of Jehovah will last forever. Jehovah will rejoice in his works.

*** it-1 p. 596 Death ***
Cause of Death in Humans. The first reference to death in the Scriptures occurs at Genesis 2:16, 17 in God’s command to the first man concerning the eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, violation of which command would result in death. (See NW ftn.) However, death among animals as a natural process was evidently already in effect, since they are passed over completely in the Biblical presentation of the introduction of death into the human family. (Compare 2Pe 2:12.) The gravity of God’s warning about the death penalty for disobedience would therefore be understandable to his human son, Adam. Adam’s disobedience to his Creator brought death to him. (Ge 3:19; Jas 1:14, 15) Thereafter, Adam’s sin and its consequence, death, spread to all men.—Ro 5:12; 6:23.
 
(2 Peter 2:12) But these men, like unreasoning animals that act on instinct and are born to be caught and destroyed, speak abusively about things of which they are ignorant. They will suffer destruction brought on by their own destructive course,
 

Things we have to learn about the animals:
Adam was in the garden several years before Eve was created.  He saw animals dying and knew about death. Therefore he understood what would happen if he disobeyed.  Why did Jehovah not give or promise everlasting life to animals although they did not sin?
Why did not Jesus die for animals? 
 
------
(Exodus 21:28-32) 28 “If a bull gores a man or a woman and that one dies, the bull must be stoned to death and its meat is not to be eaten; but the owner of the bull is free from punishment. 29 But if a bull was in the habit of goring and its owner had been warned but he would not keep it under guard and it killed a man or a woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner is also to be put to death. 30 If a ransom is imposed on him, he must give as the redemption price for his life all that may be imposed on him. 31 Whether it gored a son or a daughter, it is to be done to the bull’s owner according to this judicial decision. 32 If the bull gored a slave man or a slave girl, he will give the price of 30 shekels to that one’s master, and the bull will be stoned to death.
(Accounting with animals? but judgement had to be executed by man. Bull will not stone itself to death.)

Well... Noah did not want to think about giraffes, either ... that's why when they showed up he had to cut two big square holes in the roof of the Ark.
Now... for the next few minutes, do NOT to think about Noah's Ark, with two big square holes cut in the roof, with giraffe necks and heads sticking out.
 

Sounds like a good idea. However, get a good breakfast - it is very important.  The body needs the food when we are facing the pressures of the day not late in the evening. It dumps most of the stuff then and we put on weight.  Before 4.00 p.m. seems OK, but get some healthy snacks in between.

There is no way to lose weight without being hungry.
... except of course, for cancer, or something.

Again, Why would we want to discuss that now? (Are we in tune with the spirit of this world? Racism, etc.)

(Acts 17:30) True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance; but now he is declaring to all people everywhere that they should repent.
(2 Peter 2:21, 22) 21 It would have been better for them not to have accurately known the path of righteousness than after knowing it to turn away from the holy commandment they had received. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog has returned to its own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire.”
(Philippians 1:8-11) . . .. 9 And this is what I continue praying, that your love may abound still more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment; 10 that you may make sure of the more important things, so that you may be flawless and not stumbling others up to the day of Christ; 11 and that you may be filled with righteous fruit, which is through Jesus Christ, to God’s glory and praise.
 
After such an uplifting Convention?
 

Sounds like a good idea. However, get a good breakfast - it is very important.  The body needs the food when we are facing the pressures of the day not late in the evening. It dumps most of the stuff then and we put on weight.  Before 4.00 p.m. seems OK, but get some healthy snacks in between.

Yeah .... I had to give up bacon many years ago, because I just could not afford it ... or would not afford it because the price was so high ... and MANY foods escalated in price to the point I stopped buying them.   But Golden Corral Buffet has a TREMENDOUS selection, and my wife and I are "Seniors", and if we get there before 4PM, we can get the dinner menu for the price of a "Senior Lunch/Early Bird Special".
That means that for $9.00 apiece, we can feast like kings ... steak, spare ribs, giant shrimp prepared four different ways, pizza, fried chicken, chili, beef stew, clam chowder ( my favorite...), and before 4pm we get free soft drinks, as well. Every kind of desert you could want, and any kind of salads you could fix. Eight different kinds of fruit,  and all the real, quality ice cream you can eat!
I calculated that by eating one large meal a day, we can eat like kings for $10 a day apiece, which is less than the cost of groceries to eat half as well,  AAAAAAND ... no preparation, OR dishes to wash! 
Even including the fuel cost to get there and back,, it's cheaper.
..and light years better!
 

To me, 1 Tim 6:20 seems more related to the so-called knowledge that comes from inside the congregation, because this would be consistent with the prior context of 1 Timothy. The idea of falsely called wisdom from the outside is referred to especially in the first three chapters of 1 Corinthians, which @Outta Here referred to. Not that the idea is wrong, but bringing up 1 Tim 6:20 in the context of something that the JW Organization should be particularly good at seems wrong to me. That's because I believe it refers to something that SHOULD be a pet peeve of every Witness about a particular habit of the Watchtower writers that continues to get us in trouble.
We very often, historically, have made claims about certain interpretations of the scriptures that are completely unnecessary, and which turn out to be things that we end up dropping when the contradictions to actual events or other scriptures become too untenable to stretch belief any further. I could relist every single teaching which has had to be updated to make this point.
But each of those interpretations was treated as knowledge when it was taught. Even though they turned out to be false, and required updating. Just because we like to avoid the word false, and call it "refinements" or "increasing light" changes nothing about the falsehood of the previously called knowledge.
But spiritual food does not have a shelf life. Those false teachings were never spiritual food to begin with. There has NEVER been a reason to turn a specific interpretation into "knowledge."

I will start with this WT Society quote from https://wol.jw.org/hr/wol/d/r19/lp-c/1102003023 : Tell him to stop and listen to the bird singing. Then ask him, "Who created the birds and taught them to sing?" God did this. God created heaven and earth and all living beings!He gives life.
Here we see how publication speaking about one special ability, among many others, ability to learn. So, by this quote we see how animals have ability to learn, and that, in a direct way, personally from God! :)) Yes, this WT Society book is for children, but as simplified edition it could be for adults too. :))
Let's go to article named: 
“His Invisible Qualities Are Clearly Seen”
 Paul said, "[God] invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and deity, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, because they are distinguished by what is created, so that these people have no excuses" ( Romans 1:20 ). If we look closely at these words, we will be convinced that the Creator is like an artist who signed his masterpiece. - source: https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp20130801/believe-in-god/
It is also interesting that in same Creative Day, God has made land animals and humans - together. For First Humans God was not given one Special Day and Separate Day for creating this The Crown of His Creation - humans. No, He made them in the same day. Are Humans the Only Bearers of God’s Image? Humans are not made with some special materials, but also from dust as animals. 
Also, Genesis not telling us about how in Paradise existed predators and prays. But how all living as Equal Creatures, with no Mastering from first Human above any of animal. They all had equal position in Paradise. To live and be happy. Only after the Flood we see how God speaking about huge change - Permission to kill animals for food: Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything. Mastering over them in:  The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 
But something is also very interesting:
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.
Lifeblood of animals and of humans are on same Level before God!
And next thing is interesting:
“I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth.
Why would God made covenant with Animals as the same with Human. Why if Animals have no Qualities that God gave, supposedly, only to Human? Why, if Animals have no brain, conscious, heart, ability as Humans?
Humans are Unique in Degree but Not Kind. The capability differences between humans and other creatures seem finally to amount to differences of degree and not kind. The differences among creatures pertain to complexity. There are good reasons to believe humans share basic attributes with other creatures. - source: http://thomasjayoord.com/index.php/blog/archives/animals-made-in-gods-image
Obviously, we have a lot to learn about Animals as creatures made by God Himself. :))

(Anna just reminded me that I promised to post what I heard.)
This is what I understood the speaker to say: Don't elevate animals to status of man. Man was made in God's image and has the ability to love, appreciate wisdom, reasoning, music and poetry and worship. Animals can't do that.  The speaker also cited the  Leona Hemsley  and what she left in her will for her dog (and to have him buried beside her). He said to show love to our great God, Jehovah. Jehovah will provide for us as he provides for the birds who are assured of confident eating ( Matt 6:26).

Concerning "Animals being given undo importance" ....
We are very fragile, big ugly bags of mostly water and require a LOT of things :of the world to stay alive, and healthy, and emotionally stable.
I have 16 pet chickens ( two died of heat exhaustion, from being run around the yard by my dogs, after flying out of their temporary enclosure, and I buried them this morning in the yard with little plastic pipe "tombstones" which I melted into the side with a soldering iron their names and date of death, which was yesterday).
And yet ... when I die, I do not care if I am just left where I fall, or someone puts my remains in a dumpster.
And yet ... today at Golden Corral, my wife and I ate fried chicken, and I pondered "Am I a hypocrite, for loving both live chickens ... and those crispy fried??"
I looked at myself in the mirror, and noticed my eyes are in front (predator), and the chickens' eyes are on the side of their heads (prey), and decided that  that is the natural order of things, and I should just get used to it, without recriminations.
Besides .... "Love Never Fails" .... and when I die, I will probably be too tough to eat, and with the fried  chicken .... it's no one we know.

But this brings me back to the point of whether that talk is given exactly  the same at every convention. 
However I do agree that humans are much more important than animals, and God and Christ are much more important than humans.