Melinda Mills

Well? Don't just sit there. Tell me if I can do it or not.
One brother said about such articles: "I read the question, then I skip to the end to see if I can do it or not."
Alright, alright, he was not being serious. He was kidding. But there were likely some who did it just that way. After all, it's not a joke unless there's a kernel of truth in it. People are people, inside God's organization or out.

Go-pher it!

To my knowledge, no one can be controlled unless they want to be, or unless they are subject to extreme psychological duress.   
These are all excuses.  Assigning blame on something or someone else instead of accepting we went the direction we didn’t really want to go, or changed our mind about the direction later. Most of these accusations are only a cover up for immorality and other behaviours unacceptable in the Christian congregation. The congregation has to be kept morally and doctrinally clean.  Recommendation against higher education is just that, recommendation.  Humans are very, very good at blaming and making excuses, and have been since the creation of Adam.

This is a rather old list isn't it. Being faithful is far more important than being famous.

STOP SPREAD THIS HOAX

WE ARE POWERFUL! USE YOUR WORDS TO MAKE PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND BRING UNITY! YOU WILL BE BLESSED!
What do you need to do?
Give evidence that you care about the thoughts of other people and are concerned about their welfare.
Why is it important?
This is one way we imitate the love shown by Jehovah, and it may enable us to reach a person’s heart.
WHEN sharing Bible truths with others, we need to do more than inform the mind. We must appeal to the heart. One way to do this is by showing a sincere personal interest in our listeners. Such interest can be demonstrated in a variety of ways.
Consider Your Listeners’ Viewpoint
Listen Attentively. 
Help Others to Progress
Give Practical Assistance
Show Interest From the Heart
(Colossians 4:5-6) . . ..  Let YOUR utterance be always with graciousness, seasoned with salt, so as to know how YOU ought to give an answer to each one."
Take a Personal Interest in Others
“Keeping an eye, not in personal interest upon just your own matters, but also in personal interest upon those of the others.”—PHILIPPIANS 2:4.
WE HAVE good reasons for taking a personal interest in others. For instance, fellow humans should interest us because we differ from one another. The genetic material of our body cells carries a blueprint of our hereditary makeup. So distinctive is it that crime-detection agencies have added genetic “fingerprinting” to their range of identification techniques.
There are other reasons why we differ and are interesting as individuals. From conception, we are subject to the influence of our environment. There is much evidence that unborn babies react to what goes on outside the womb. Then, after we enter the world as independent breathers, or souls, our parents’ attitudes and ways affect us. As we grow up, we may be an only child or be joined by brothers and sisters and have some share in caring for them. Such association or lack of it has a bearing on how we develop. What we read, are taught in school, and watch on television also influence our thinking and actions.
 So, then, the way we differ promotes some interest in one another. But the apostle Paul had in mind a higher reason for interest in others. Thus, he urged fellow Christians to be ‘keeping an eye, not in personal interest upon just their own matters, but also in personal interest upon those of the others.’ (Philippians 2:4) Instead of seeking our own advantage, we should especially be interested in others spiritually.
HOW TO SHOW GENUINE INTEREST
Listen when the other person speaks. Thank him for expressing his thoughts and feelings. Ask questions in order to understand his thinking more clearly.
Think about the person after you have talked together. Get in touch with him again soon.
Share Bible truths that most directly fill his needs.
Do things to help him. Consider both immediate and long-term needs.

Fake mothers?
Accepting and sharing FAKE NEWS gives some credence to the saying that we are a gullible lot, when the opposite is true for the majority. I think it is an ego thing. We need to work on modesty. Shame!

Classic! 
Anyway, the picture is actually a record of this event:
 
 

Picture is them singing God save the Queen English national anthem
 

...and now for something completely different ....
 

Oh no, not another one! A friend of mine sent me the first fake news about Trump offering the Witnesses asylum. This is how our conversation on messenger went:
Me (initial enthusiasm): "Wow! Thank you for sharing"!
(10 minutes later) "I am finding out that now that this may be fake news"
Friend: "What makes you think so?"
Me:This has been posted 5 days ago already and anything Trump says is reported on other news sites and so far I have not found anything about it at all in any of the serious news sites. This website looks untrustworthy. If there is anything else I find out about it I will let you know
Friend: OK
Friend next day: I just found out that it's not fake mail. Trumps son in law married to Ivanka , he handled the sale of the New York properties. He spent a great deal of time at Bethel and knows what J.W.s is all about. I think they bought some of the properties in Brooklyn. That came from the N.Y. News paper. FYI.
Me: What came from the N.Y. news paper?
Friend: The fake mail. It's not fake
Me:So the report about Trump warning Russia about banning Witnesses and giving Witnesses asylum in the States you read in a N.Y. news paper?
Friend:I didn't read it. One of our brothers let our friend know about it. We know friends in Bethel. They keep in touch. That article about trump was real news.
Me: Ok, could you please ask them which news paper was it. I'm just interested. Thanks
Friend: OK
Needless to say she never got back to me about that, but sent other news articles (this time from reputable news sites) unrelated to this Trump thing, but related to the Witnesses in Russia.
I am just posting our conversation as an example of how some of us get easily sucked into this kind of thing. "I have friends who have friends who know friends in Bethel and they said...she said" kind of thing. But there is absolutely no concrete evidence for anything...Perhaps this is good in a sense that we can all learn not to be hasty in accepting "news", or anything for that matter until we have solid evidence it is true. Although the Bible itself gives that very advice, we still seem to have a hard time applying it, as we have seen with the plethora of fake news surrounding the Witnesses in Russia, which friends were spreading as supposed "facts".
 

Thanks Eoin
Interesting, so it didn't come from any apostates or any Witnesses just a news outlet that is not legit and appears several others were doing the same thing on many topics not just Witnesses. Irregardless of it being fake or not did you notice the increased publicity the Witnesses got from it anyway. Just goes to show that Jehovah can turn any news even bad news or unreal news to the advantage of a "witness to the nations" because now people who read this will look up the true story and see how phony the ruling by the Supreme Court was. PRAISE JAH 
Matt. 10:18 says :"And you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations." and also
" He will not fear bad news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in Jehovah.   8  His heart is unshakable;  he is not afraid;  ]In the end he will look in triumph on his adversaries. PSALM 112:7,8 AND
 No weapon formed against you will have any success, And you will condemn any tongue that rises up against you in the judgment. This is the heritage  of the servants of Jehovah,  And their righteousness is from me,” declares Jehovah.  ISA 54:17
BE OPTIMISTIC JEHOVAH IS IN CONTROL 

“During the early morning hours of Saturday, April 1, 2017, three rivers overflowed near the city of Mocoa, the capital of the Colombian province Putumayo, causing devastating mudslides that killed hundreds. 
“Unfortunately, the Colombia branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses reports that two of Jehovah’s Witnesses died in the disaster and one other is missing. 
 
Seems to be ColOmbia - South America.  Heading of article and picture caption contain wrong spelling.
(Someone on the Facebook section had queried which country it was.)

Thanks for the information! But being one of Jehovah witnesses means more than  just being raised in a household where your mom or Dad are actually a baptized witness and following in Christ Jesus foot steps, and NO he is not the kind of GOD, that is behinds one winning a champion ship or no. 
   I am not trying to judge anyone, because I was raised in a household where my mom and grandmother were actually baptized Wittness,and the school I attended would call me a Wittness,but I didn't get baptized until 1988 many years later! But the way we carried ourselves said a lot's. I just found out that many of my class mates are now Jehovah Witnesses, all because of our conduct at school! I'm so grateful to be a part of such a beautiful organization nothing like having a God who are patient and gave me a opportunity to know him and his love.
Thank you very much.
GIGI Blake

Reminder for those of us who still use the word "plan" in relation to something Jehovah God will do. In light of understanding what his name means, it is hard to understand why people don't remember.
*** w95 5/15 pp. 24-25 Part 2—Flashes of Light—Great and Small *** Increased Light on Terminology 15 “The congregator sought to find the delightful words and the writing of correct words of truth.” (Ecclesiastes 12:10) These words might well be applied to our present subject, for light has shone not only on such important matters as doctrine and conduct but also on Christian terminology and its accurate meaning. For example, among the Bible Students, one of the most beloved publications was volume one of Studies in the Scriptures, entitled The Divine Plan of the Ages. However, in time, it was realized that God’s Word speaks only of humans as making plans. (Proverbs 19:21) The Scriptures never speak of Jehovah as planning. He does not need to plan. Whatever he purposes is sure to succeed because of his infinite wisdom and power, even as we read at Ephesians 1:9, 10: “It is according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times.”
So it was gradually seen that the term “purpose” is the more appropriate one when referring to Jehovah.

I wonder what this means not answers yet? Noted as of 2015 article? We definitely DEEP into these prophecies. 
Daniel 11: 36 “The king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt himself and magnify himself above every god; and against the God of gods+ he will speak astonishing things. And he will prove successful until the denunciation comes to a finish; because what is determined must take place. 37 He will show no regard for the God of his fathers; nor will he show regard for the desire of women or for any other god, but he will magnify himself over everyone. 38 But instead* he will give glory to the god of fortresses; to a god that his fathers did not know he will give glory by means of gold and silver and precious stones and desirable* things. 39 He will act effectively against the most fortified strongholds, along with* a foreign god. He will give great glory to those who give him recognition,*and he will make them rule among many; and the ground he will apportion out* for a price."
As keen students of God’s Word, we wait with eager anticipation to see who in the near future will assume the role of “the king of the north.”But no matter who may take the lead in this coalition of nations, we are certain of two things: (1) Gog of Magog and his armies will be defeated and destroyed; and (2) our reigning King, Jesus Christ, will save God’s people and usher them into a new world of peace and true security.—Rev. 7:14-17. 
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015364

@bruceq  "Has this been flagged as fake news?" Remember my comment soon after the original post was made? You acted very quickly to affirm this and well done to you.
I for one found all your press postings re background on the Russian trial of our brothers very useful and informative, especially those about Alexander Dvorkin's activity.
Such an emotive and contraversial a subject as that regarding the treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia is bound to draw all sorts of attention from friend and foe alike. This will of course include that of the fake news mongers, who exploit the heightened interest in a sort of duping excercise that ranges in level from that of schoolboy prank to downright slanderous lies.
Here's an example of a photo used in fake news that duped many to believe it was a picture of our 2017 Russian mail campaign letters, when in fact it pictures a completely unrelated and much earlier mail out as the context reveals!
Don't let a few misunderstood remarks cause you to take offence and withdraw your contribution to the Forum!

"I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another.     35 By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.” (John13:34,35) 
Be  courteous to others and show love, we are highly prized by our Father when we prove who we are. We all love the Father and the Son and one another. Display love  prove yourselves sons of your Father and the Heaven.
Words can have a powerful effect for good. “Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and a healing to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24)
?????

Remember my first comment yesterday,  I wrote you about  FAKE NEWS  by starting that theme here, @bruceq....  Be careful, yes !  You can bring Brothers and Sisters total confused with such of reports. 
Also @Bible Speaks Better you stop with that too !  We have JEHOVAH, that is more importend !!  HE has ALL under  HIS  control !!!!
@Peter Kutzer-Salm,  I agree again with you !  All quak quak or bla bla 
THANKS ✔️???

???????‍? Trump doesn't want Mexicans but jw's? ????
 
 

A sister sent me this a few minutes ago all excited. Thankfully the cynic that I am, only sent it to my husband and no one else. Then I went on line to do some research because it sounded just too crazy (but you never know with Trump). No one else was writing about it, I thought that was strange, but then at the back of my mind there was that connection with JWs through Jared Kushner......
So how did you find out it was fake? @bruceq
P.S. On top of that Trump apparently saying that he invites any JWs to seek asylum is just a stretch too far. I can just imagine any Russian Tom Dick and Harry becoming JW just so they can move to the US and live the high life. Even Trump, with his craziness, surely would not open up a can of worms like that.

Whereas English has been around a long time, is a language heavily used in writing, and promptly seeks to incorporate new ideas and distinguish nuances, that is not true of many other languages. In Vietnamese for instance, anything mechanical was preceded by the word "may" (pronounced my) meaning 'machine.'  There would be (if memory serves)  'may bay' (machine that flies) for airplane, and 'may hut buoi' (machine that sucks dirt) for vacuum cleaner.
I'm not surprised if languages don't all show a clear contrast between plan and purpose.
(I better not hear JTR saying: Tom hut buoi)

While the Watch Tower Society was still publishing the "Divine Plan of the Ages" a few brothers and sisters started using the word "purpose." But it fell out of favor again, possibly because it was Maria Russell (who evidently co-wrote "Divine Plan of the Ages") who preferred the term God's "Eternal Purpose." In fact, after divorcing Charles Taze Russell, she wrote an entire book called "The Eternal Purpose."
More recently our 1959 history of Jehovah's Witnesses was called "Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose" and we even had a "Divine Purpose District Assembly" in 1974, where the problem with the words "Divine Plan" was discussed further. As Melinda pointed out, this was a "flash of light" per the 1995 Watchtower. Based on its history within the organization, however, I think it was merely deflected light, that took about 50 light years to get back to us.

Interesting discussion, despite meandering off the original post. I suppose for me (in English), Jehovah doesn't need to plan. He has a purpose and it will be accomplished, regardless of any obstacle. That's what His name is all about.
He does provide frameworks to his intelligent servants on earth in order for them to work and share in acheiving His purpose. The population mandate, the plans for tabernacle and temple, the Law Covenant, the Christian mission, are just some examples, but He is not dependent on their success to acheive His own.
Men do need to plan in the sense of mapping a route to achieve an objective, which includes consideration and contingency. Even then, human purpose may still continue to be interrupted due to inadequacy, or unforseen circumstance, or even opposition. When these things occur, men can re-route, and/or even adjust their goal, but with no complete guarantee their (revised) plan will succeed in achieving that goal. Also, purpose unfulfilled could be not always because men plan to fail, but simply because they fail to plan.
Jehovah is not subject to any of these limitations. That is why He can say:
"So my word that goes out of my mouth will be. It will not return to me without results, But it will certainly accomplish whatever is my delight, And it will have sure success in what I send it to do." Isaiah 55:11

Reminder for those of us who still use the word "plan" in relation to something Jehovah God will do. In light of understanding what his name means, it is hard to understand why people don't remember.
*** w95 5/15 pp. 24-25 Part 2—Flashes of Light—Great and Small *** Increased Light on Terminology 15 “The congregator sought to find the delightful words and the writing of correct words of truth.” (Ecclesiastes 12:10) These words might well be applied to our present subject, for light has shone not only on such important matters as doctrine and conduct but also on Christian terminology and its accurate meaning. For example, among the Bible Students, one of the most beloved publications was volume one of Studies in the Scriptures, entitled The Divine Plan of the Ages. However, in time, it was realized that God’s Word speaks only of humans as making plans. (Proverbs 19:21) The Scriptures never speak of Jehovah as planning. He does not need to plan. Whatever he purposes is sure to succeed because of his infinite wisdom and power, even as we read at Ephesians 1:9, 10: “It is according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times.”
So it was gradually seen that the term “purpose” is the more appropriate one when referring to Jehovah.