Anna

6 minutes ago, Amidstheroses said:

Since we are a geographically far-flung group, and come from all sorts of backgrounds, if some or even one of you,  would take pity on this man in his distress, and share the good news, in addition to my feeble attempt, we will have done a good deed and served our Master obediently.

I will try! (But I'm also in the United States).

You are like me, I also feel compassion for people who are upset over the situation in the world. I agree we should write to him. After all, Jehovah is looking for people like that!

1 hour ago, JW Insider said:

Where have we seen that before, I wonder???

Allen! Allen! Allen! Allen! Allen!

ALLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!

15 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

 

https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2022/08/an-obedient-heart-or-an-understanding-heartwhich-is-it.html

Good analysis.

If you don't mind...I spotted a typo. I think you meant to say "jump on the internet" not of.

6 hours ago, Pudgy said:

and the prevailing winds are from west to east.

Ha!

13 hours ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

Advancing mankind's progress to legalising Child Sexual Abuse more like,

You are so ridiculous, just listen to yourself...

21 minutes ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

JWs therefore will only believe the interpretation of their GB. 

Well duh! 

21 minutes ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

this attitude that if someone is no longer a JW then that person no longer has love for God or Christ. 

Well that's because it eventually manifests itself in one way or another...

Just because someone says they love God....well we know how that goes...

9 hours ago, Witness said:

It is an admittance to other interpretations

Well yes, there are other interpretations, aren't there? Just yesterday the lady who lost her farther told me they obviously needed a electrician in heaven. And then there's the Trinity and hell fire and a host of other things.

11 minutes ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

But i also notice that just like the elders rule the Kingdom halls, you have made up rules for the 'closed club'. 

Actually, bad comparison. The elders don't make up rules, they are supposed to stick clearly to the tenets of the Bible, as interpreted by Jehovahs Witnesses. We on the other hand are not the elders, we are not the KH, we can make up any rules we like.

2 hours ago, JW Insider said:

and you are allowed to reach your own conclusions about the preponderance of the evidence. That's the way a book of historical research should be written

Yes!! 

5 hours ago, Pudgy said:

, I initiated and asked the Elders to disfellowship me, and reluctantly, they eventually did,

I am surprised they did. Usually they don't disfellowship someone just because they ask to be disfellowshipped (?) The only way I think that would work is if you handed them a letter of dissasociation...(?) But what do I know....

And yes, if you want to join the closed club you can.....as Tom said, it might be more beneficial for you than here only. 

@Patiently waiting for Truth 

We have already discussed on here quite a number of times that not everyone will get the chance to react favorably to the preaching work. This is talking about those who know what they should be doing and don't do it. 

There is nothing wrong or sinister about supporting "Christ's brothers". Supporting one another is a good thing in the Christian congregation, wouldn't you agree? 

On 5/24/2022 at 8:21 AM, TrueTomHarley said:

So does the Bible, most notably putting the singers up front.

What’s the big deal? Having just viewed the video for the midweek meeting about pulling unitedly should disaster strike, I find it impossible to grumble about it. If someone wants to pull my bacon out of the fire, and train me to do the same for others, why would I interfere with that? You could just view these bits of advice as given to overcome the natural human tendency to squabble and go off in a hundred different directions in times of stress. Can you imagine the participants here all pulling together in times of chaos? 

Don’t overthink it. When the time comes if you find you can’t do something, don’t.

It’s a little like when the Babylon Bee guys pressed Elon Musk into whether he would confess Jesus and be saved. After dancing around a little, Elon said ‘if Jesus is into saving people, I have no problem with that. Sure, why not?’

Do the same kind of dance yourself.

I agree, but that's not what I was talking about.

To me it looks more like they are trying to make us think that they will deliver some kind of "piece de resistance" which will save our lives at Armageddon and if we don't listen to instructions now, we may not listen to that special piece of instruction later on and as a consequence we will die. That is rubbish*. Again, I am not saying instructions are bad. It is the way this is being done. Using this type of reasoning as a coercive tool to obey instructions today. That's what I don't like. Not the listening to instructions.  The thing is, like this they have every Witness second guessing themselves with how far they should take today's instructions seriously, (vaccination being an example) and sitting on the edge of their seat in anticipation of some future imagined instruction, instead of focusing on what really matters. Too much focus on last minute "life saving" instructions coming from imperfect men. As I explained in my original post, the mark on our forehead is what qualifies each individual for survival. The way we live our life now. The mark for survival is not given at obedience to some instructions delivered at, or just before, Armageddon. Pure worship book: "Before the destruction comes, individuals need to be “sighing and groaning”—deeply grieved  at heart—over the wickedness of this world. And rather than hide their feelings, they must demonstrate by words and actions their devotion to pure worship. How can they do so? They need to react favorably to the preaching work that is being done today, to continue putting on a Christlike personality, to get baptized in symbol of their dedication to Jehovah, and to support Christ’s brothers loyally."  It doesn't say "And you must listen to instructions to go and hide in an attic/basement/forest and get vaccinated" Or whatever the case may be....

*It’s as stupid as saying you all must get vaccinated in order to get saved at Armageddon. 

Interpol, CIA, FBI  😂

1 hour ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

You JWs do not think it all through do you.

Yes we do, we definitely think it all through.

1 hour ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

7 hours ago, Anna said:

What really irritates me though is this constant need to harp on about the reason to obey now .....the reason being that if we get used to obeying now,  it will mean our salvation in the future when we have to obey this one last instruction (whatever "impractical" thing that will be) to get saved. That is wrong. It's like a veiled threat. 

And you wonder why some are now onthe outside?

Yes, I do wonder. Being irritated by something is no reason to go outside where there is chaos and where there are no answers. 

5 hours ago, WalterPrescott said:

Anna, TTH, and many others have asked the Librarian to ban people

I have never asked the Librarian to ban anyone. 

One thing I would like to know; why do you write G-d? Are you a secret Jew? There is no good reason if you are a JW. Well actually there is no good reason for a Jew either, only something they made up. Why do you do it?

5 hours ago, WalterPrescott said:

Hmm! How does someone that shouldn't have full access to the Watchtower Library archive get access if that person is not an Elder?

Are you referring to the link I posted, or to something else?

1 hour ago, JW Insider said:

In fact, PSL apparently never jumped out of a window, but let himself down from the balcony where his feet could reach the fence, and then let himself down from the fence, also without jumping.

It is my bad @Thinkingfor saying jumping and thanks JWI for the correction. Just goes to show how fleeing out of a window or balcony becomes jumping out of it. That is what had stuck in my mind, I did not mean jumping as in jumping from a great height in danger of hurting oneself, but figuratively speaking as in running away....it sounds more dramatic but easily givers a false impression. I had wanted to read the whole account again for accuracy but I was on my phone and all my files were on the computer. The account is in a booklet called Harvest Siftings that was later reprinted in a WT of the same year I believe.

Here it is in PDF file of Harvest Siftings. It will give you a good idea of what transpired during that period, at least from the point of view of Rutherford and others. The bit about the window saga is on page 6.

https://ia600902.us.archive.org/5/items/WatchtowerLibrary/booklets/1917_shf_E.pdf

5 hours ago, JW Insider said:

P.S.L. Johnson was actually a very good friend of Rutherford's at the time. (Later they had a big falling out.)

I had read about that in one of the old WT. It was quite crazy reading....Johnson jumping out of a window in London bethel to get away from the brothers who had come to ask him questions. Apparently it was in the local newspaper, reported by a passerby who saw him jumping, lol

9 hours ago, WalterPrescott said:

That means hypocrisy is at its highest since you have done that in the past, and recently! Why do people find it so easy to be fake? Yes! Moderators have banned. They have that capability. Yet they find a need to whine and suggest they don't. 😏

No Walter, (am I really taking time out to reply to this nonsense?) you are a troll with ADHD and a persecution complex. Please believe me when I say NO ONE can be bothered to delete content or ban anyone. You are not that important, this site is not that important, no one here is that important.

Once in a blue moon when the Librarian takes a look in here he may have banned someone for breaking forum rules....but I don't even know that. I am just taking your word for it when you say you've been banned. I know for a fact that neither JWI nor me have banned you or deleted any of your content....or anyone else's content.

But you won't believe me of course because you evidently have delusional views of your own importance and grandeur. 

(wasted minute I will never get back)

57 minutes ago, JW Insider said:

The Librarian has offered moderator functions to a couple people here, including me, and maybe we are supposed to try to keep order.

I am sure you have the ability to also delete other people's comments. I have been tempted a few times, but then I think nah....and I retire to the closed club 😁

Let us know what you find out that you already didn't know....in the closed club if you can 😊

Oh and thanks for this expression: "not creating  negative "drama" out of guesswork". I will try and remember that phrase because people tend to do this 99% of the time and it's very annoying! Now I will just respond with: "stop creating drama out if guesswork" instead of going into long explanations... that without facts you can't really judge....and you were not a fly on the wall....etc.

2 hours ago, JW Insider said:

Those were the days

Believe it or not we did that in Europe too! It was great. I started on the shelf of the rear window in Calais, and next time I woke up we were in Zurich, embracing my grandparents. That's how I remember it anyway....we probably did stop on the way to empty our bladders....and for my step dad to rest...but those are just minor details, lol.