Anna

This is what the Wikipedia article says: " The trunk itself is estimated to be only a few hundred years old, but the plant has survived for much longer due to a process known as layering (when a branch comes in contact with the ground, it sprouts a new root), or vegetative cloning (when the trunk dies but the root system is still alive, it may sprout a new trunk)". So in view of that, it's a bit misleading to say the tree itself is that old, but evidently the root system survived the flood and was able to sprout, probably repeating the process many times throughout several millennia...

Your posts are pretty much off topic and it seems you are going on a rant, but I couldn't help noticing the above statement. Well that was the Pharisees wasn't it? We would not expect them to understand what Jesus meant would we? On the other hand Jesus explained to his true disciples exactly what he meant: John 17: 20 -23 "“I make request, not concerning these only, but also concerning those putting faith in me through their word, 21 so that they may all be one,+ just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you,+ that they also may be in union with us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you have given me, in order that they may be one just as we are one.+ 23 I in union with them and you in union with me, in order that they may be perfected into one,* so that the world may know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me". Surely you would not suggest the disciples were God and/or Jesus would you? Rather it is obvious that Jesus was referring to the complete agreement that exists between him and his father and would also exist between them and his followers. In fact if you read further on in John 10: 34-36 Jesus shows that he rejected their (the pharisees) understanding (that he was saying he is God) and then 10:37-38 it is quite clear Jesus was saying he is God's son and that he is doing the works of his Father: "Do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?+ 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me".

Hmmmm....I haven't looked at the brochure yet but if it's an "update" you would have thought they would have used more "up to date" quotes

Know the difference between counterfeit Christians and true Christians. It's not a new teaching. The scriptures warn about this and give clear identifying marks to help distinguish the two.

You know everything! I have to beware 😀

Looks very familiar, no wonder, that's where I got baptised ☺️. It was my circuits assembly hall all of 20 years!

Just today, a sister and I were waiting for her father who was at the Dr. and we were talking about "our hope" and wondering how it was all going to transpire in reality. I'm afraid I am too much of a realist and I go too deep. I can't help thinking about the practical side of things when I visualize paradise. Human society has such a complicated infrastructure going on it's hard to imagine all that collapsed and gone and still be able to function. The friends talk about doing this and that, forgetting that those things require a set of many other things. In our magazines we see those beautiful houses in the middle of nowhere like it was the simplest thing to do. Who will cut the wood into workable timber? Who will provide the machinery and the power to do so? How will it be transported? If by horses, those horses need to be fed and watered and taken care of. Who will make the harness to pull the cart? Who will make the cart? The workers need to be fed and watered and taken care of. Who will till the soil and plant the seeds, harvest and mill the flour and build the ovens to make that beautiful bread to feed the workers? What about the clothes on their backs (assuming we will have clothing)? Who will plant and harvest the cotton? Who will spin the thread to make the cloth? Who will sow the cloth? Who will make the needles to sow with? The list goes on and on and we haven't even begun to lay the foundation of that beautiful house. We also have to bare in mind that although there will be plenty of people who will know how to do all this, (those resurrected) will all those various craftsmen and farmers all be conveniently located on our chosen plot of land? Of course we will have plenty of time to to do all things, but we will still have to eat and be clothed. And we will all have to be relatively close to a stream or body of water to drink and to wash in and have somewhere to lay our head down. I could go on and on as I am sure other will be able to if they really think about it. Oh, and some think we will have TV to watch monthly broadcasts or paradise news. I wonder how the electricity will be supplied to our devices? Who will make and take care of the turbines (or whatever will be used) that makes the electricity? I guess we could have individual solar powered generators.... It will be interesting to see how we will do things. We will have a perfect mind, so there is no telling where that could take us . And there is nothing to say that we won't have angelic help either. I would quite welcome that!

They can keep it, thanks 😀. I'm with Queen Esther on this one. I think it's silly. It's like the 5 year old riding on the back of an orca whale.....there will be some very disappointed 5 year olds.

Ooooh! Makes me feel so old! I used to call everyone auntie or uncle, and then I myself got called auntie by the younger ones...that was 20 years ago.....I guess times change...

I thought it was because of farting cows....

Hahaha, when I ask "what's so and so's second name?", here in America, they look at me funny. Here it's called "the last name" . I guess because so many have middle names, so they get confused . Yes, that's sooo British

Yes, because unfortunately so far one has been finding out things from 3rd parties, and most are false, but just to complicate things, some turn out to be true. So in my humble opinion it would be better if we were informed directly in the first place, so that we could happily ignore information from those 3rd parties......transparency is the word.

This is not really a response to you @JW Insider but to the quote. Although Jesus was supposed to have entrusted the Slave with spiritually feeding his flock, there is no guarantee this will always be done in a perfect way. Our first and foremost loyalty is to Jehovah and Jesus. So if the GB do or say something that is out of whack with Bible principles then we are under no obligation to obey, or believe. (Acts 5:29). So even if the GB were found to be doing those things then it shouldn't make any difference to us. As for being arrested and falsely accused, well that wouldn't be the first time. Perhaps this is the reason Br. Jackson mentioned it. To let everyone know those are false accusations. But even if they were true, why should that affect us. No one can take our personal relationship with Jehovah away, regardless of what the GB do or don't do.

Well yes. But we still don't know for what purpose these properties were purchased. Opposers would have us know that these properties are for the private use of the GB, in other words they live in them. However, I don't think so. I believe they have apartments at HQ as they have always done in the past. I think if they did live there, and travel to work at the HQ, it would become common knowledge, and I have not heard anything. Real estate is good investment. Perhaps that's the reason why WT has acquired these properties. Or perhaps they want to turn them into apartments (one of those properties is actually an apartment block) for those who are visiting....perhaps they were donated.....who knows. I won't be too concerned about it until each member of the GB lives in their own sprawling mansion with ocean view, helipad, and yacht in the harbor, all paid for by donated funds....

This might be another topic, but yes, I noticed that, therefor after the meeting I immediately asked an elder who was sitting in front of me. I said it was odd, why mention two questions and then only talk about one. (At that point my husband fled). He said because the second question would be off topic, since the discussion was about dedication to Jehovah. So I said sure, but without answering yes to the second question you couldn't get baptised. He said the second question would probably get discussed in the next lesson. I told him no, I looked. So he said not to worry, it will come up sometime....