TrueTomHarley

Relatively few are. Even nobody is, if measured by standard counsel regarding associations. The beginnings? It is well beyond that point.

Others will say: ‘It’s not a cake until you mix the ingredients.’

I think it is just that they developed or came across something that they thought entitled them to drive the bus. They left when they discovered that they would not be allowed to. In some cases they were caught red-handed trying to hotwire the bus. In the end it is a too high opinion of oneself and one’s wisdom that sinks one. The worship and deeds of Jehovah’s Witnesses, magnified by their organized quality, either appeal to the heart or they don’t.

I, too, was outraged. That is why I tried to top it.

The Beverly Hillbillies began playing in reruns that night and the ones that you despise love that old show.

I did not know this. It also makes me want to dig the James commentary out again.

Thank you, don’t mind if I do. Please pass the...WHAT!! No ladybugwing toppings for my taco?!!

Obviously if one has gone atheist, the whole thing is a massive waste. That will not be the point of view of most here, however.

I will go further to suggest that when you devise a completely new production and distribution channel to get a low-cost, even free, modern Bible into the hands of an impoverished person so that he or she is not stuck with some 200-year old turkey of a translation that he can neither afford nor understand, you are ‘helping’ the God who plainly wants people to be educated in his ways. I will even suggest that the Witness organization is not being arrogant in so doing.

I am ahead of the curve here. I have been trying to pay my bills this way for some time, so far unsuccessfully, and even occasionally incurring the ire of the payee, but, you know that the pioneers always take the arrows.

He also had a very high regard for Jehovah’s Witnesses, likely through his close association with Mickey Spillane

What! You would prod a tiger in its lair? Now I know that you are a glutton for punishment. Â

For then I shall give to peoples the change to a pure language, in order for them all to call upon the name of Jehovah, in order to serve him shoulder to shoulder.’ (Zeph 3:9) Whenever you serve someone, in can be reasonably be said that you are ‘helping’ him, can it not?

Oh. Okay. Now I see where you are coming from. The same place that you always come from. But it is so entirely irrelevant to the post that it threw me. My bad, of course. Exactly.

Your comment makes no sense whatsoever.

Okay, serious again. Back to work. The inclusion of 2 Samuel 16:5-13 in the midweek meeting is telling, in my view. It was particularly so since that same meeting, in the 'Book Study' portion, discussed Matthew 11, where Jesus states that they criticize you no matter what you do, like children, so the best recourse is to go full speed ahead and let 'wisdom be proved righteous by its works.' The GB doesn't make specific statements regarding accusations, even when some prove true and the media shouts them to the high heavens. They do a Matthew 11, or a Psalm 34:18, or a Luke 9:62. They don't play the game of responding to outside reports. Some of them are true. Some of them are untrue. Some of them are partially true. If they weigh in on each one it not only focuses the spotlight on the greater world's information channel, but it leaves them time to do anything else. Nonetheless, by including the 2 Samuel verses, it is clear their what their attitude is, and it is so far from 'arrogant' that anyone charging it ought to have his or her head examined. In those verses, David strays from familiar turf. Shimei confronts him from afar. He curses him, calling him 'blood-guilty,' 'good-for-nothing,' and throws stones at him. David's man wants to take his head off, but David says: 'Well, he has a point.' No, he doesn't say that literally, but he comes pretty close. Whatever Shimei thinks, he came by his viewpoint through his interpretation of things that actually transpired, and David says, in effect, 'Well, if Jehovah permits him to abuse me like this, who am I to say he cannot do it?' It is incredible humility on his part. He says exactly: "Here my own son, who has come forth out of my own inward parts, is looking for my soul, and how much more [this man.] Let him alone that he may call down evil" and let Jehovah figure it out, however he will. With that David and his men kept going on in the road, while Shimei was walking on the side of the mountain, walking abreast of him that he might call down evil; and he kept throwing stones while abreast of him, and he threw a lot of dust. Now, there is nothing significant that enters the meeting content without the express approval of Governing Body members, as they serve on various committees. There is no way they that cannot be putting themselves in the place of David. Whatever may be gleaned from this, one thing that cannot be missed is that they are the most self-effacing men on earth.

I suspect @admin wants nothing to do with this and is sorry he ever stuck his toe in the water. He turns over everything of religious bent to his assistant @The Librarian, who does the best she can. (the old hen) @James Thomas Rook Jr. is another thing entirely. He never saw a fight he did not like and I half-imagine that he would apply himself to learn Portuguese if need be just so he can go there are argue with you.

Keep it clean, buster. ‘Portuguese’ sounds very much like ‘pork and cheese.’

Watch for it..... I don’t want to issue a spoiler, but think Star Wars. ”Luke....I am your father!”

Well, he is right on that. @Admin should take that under consideration before he goes Howard Beale on us again.

I am ok with it. Sometimes it is even deserved. That is, as long as you confine yourself to Gone Home’s second definition. Go in peace, my son.

Look, don’t make me mad! GREEN IS GOOD. RED IS BAD!! Or is it the other way around. Either way, Xmas sucks.

We don’t do Christmas around here. What! Did you forget everything?

Hey @admin! Like what you see? It sure did scare me when you whirled about with ‘If you kids don’t stop crying back there, I’m going to stop this car and give you something to cry about!’ No lasting effect, though. You may not have seen how I expanded upon that last post. I had tons of fun with it. And I am not done yet. Not to worry. It all makes you look good, and even the Librarian will survive: http://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2018/10/high-praise-for-chuckles.html

Billy’s right. Often the answer is ‘Who cares?’ Bethel only cares that the scriptures not be dissed. They do not presume to instruct scientists on their own turf, and when they do, they back off. They have referred to the time since the beginning as eons, and the creative days as epochs. Do with those terms what you will. Does some view of science back them into a corner? Maybe it will change. If it doesn’t and seems to be valid, new light will take care of it. Let scientists be scientists and Bible teachers be Bible Teachers. It’s amazing how anal some people get. Are they dogmatic at JW headquarters? They have published an interview with Michael Behe, who accepts evolution in the main, but just insists that it has limits. They wouldn’t have done that if they hated each others guts.