Is JW.org openly inviting dissent?

[Jack Ryan]

Never would we want to be like the Pharisees, who resented those who questioned them and persecuted those who expressed an opinion contrary to their own.—Mark 3:1-6; John 9:29-34.

- Watchtower September 2019

 

 

[JJJ-AUSTRALIA]

Lol we didn't see that at the Australian international convention 2019, as they made a man made JW barracade to stop the peaceful protesters showing their posters, stopping  them and dropping the f bomb and the looks given to the protesters, it was an embarrassment. Shameful honestly. They didn't try that the following day. 

[The Librarian]

@JW Insider do we know the writer of this paragraph in the writing committee? Just curious.

How did this get by the proofreaders?

[Srecko Sostar]

17 minutes ago, The Librarian said:

do we know the writer of this paragraph in the writing committee? Just curious

Perhaps some "spirit empowered" individuum ....

 “Why do you ask My name,” said the Angel of the LORD, “since it is beyond comprehension?” - Judges 13

:)))

23 minutes ago, The Librarian said:

How did this get by the proofreaders?

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,.... 2 Cor 4

Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door. - Genesis 19

:)))

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

1 hour ago, Jack Ryan said:

Never would we want to be like the Pharisees, who resented those who questioned them and persecuted those who expressed an opinion contrary to their own.—Mark 3:1-6; John 9:29-34.

- Watchtower September 2019

 

 

Persecuted Jesus to the point of death. And, some would say, the GB persecute the Anointed by saying that the rest of the Anointed are not the F&DS  and by telling them not to contact each other, even though they are ONE BODY with Christ as head.. 

[JW Insider]

2 hours ago, The Librarian said:

 do we know the writer of this paragraph in the writing committee? Just curious.

I don't have any way of telling. As of about the last four or five years, the last of the writers I might have generally recognized are failing in health and getting very few, if any, new assignments. (Aulicino, Smalley, Wischuk).

I noticed that in the preceding paragraph there is a point about "greenhouses" that appears incomplete. This is sometimes a hint that it was edited down from a talk that had once expanded on the greenhouse illustration. Perhaps someone remembers who gave such a talk?

*** w19 September p. 23 pars. 10-11 “Come to Me, . . . and I Will Refresh You” ***
10 Jesus created a peaceful, inviting environment for his fellow workers, and he enjoyed training them. (Luke 10:1, 19-21) He encouraged his disciples to ask questions, and he wanted to hear their opinions. (Matt. 16:13-16) Much like plants in a greenhouse, the disciples flourished. They absorbed the lessons that Jesus taught and produced fruit in the form of good works.
11 Do you have a position of authority? If so, ask yourself: ‘What kind of environment do I create at work or at home? Do I promote peace? Do I encourage others to ask questions? And am I willing to hear their opinions?’ Never would we want to be like the Pharisees, who resented those who questioned them and persecuted those who expressed an opinion contrary to their own.—Mark 3:1-6; John 9:29-34.

There is no specific reason to reference greenhouses as they are not mentioned in the Bible. There is just as much reason to say above "Much like plants in a fertile, well-watered field, the disciples flourished." The reason to mention a greenhouse is to speak about a closed environment "independent of external circumstances" and independent of "world" conditions. That is not done above, but was the previous use in a 1997 Watchtower:

*** w97 1/1 p. 4 Why Should We All Praise God? ***
It can be cultivated independent of external circumstances, just as plants can grow in a greenhouse whatever the weather is like outside.”

2 hours ago, The Librarian said:

How did this get by the proofreaders?

In general, the proofreaders would never question something like this. It's the type of thing that an editorial committee (and/or GB) might question. But only if they were thinking in the mindset of how it might be used against them. When editors are reading it as counsel only for others and not for themselves, it's easy to say things that might sound hypocritical or self-incriminating.

Of course, I prefer the idea that Brother Splane, for example, is using an opportunity to create a more open Society. Perhaps opening up a question or suggestion box on JW.ORG. Perhaps allowing suggestions to be upvoted and downvoted by millions of JWs. 😀  Splane, of course, was the one to make the biggest use of Luke 10 to highlight Jesus' methods of teaching in his Annual Meeting talk in 2014, and this is echoed in paragraph 10.

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

It's quite funny in KH's Watchtower studies. People answer like puppets. No one is allowed to ask any questions, just answer from the paragraph. And even funnier when parents tell answers to young children. It's so obvious that the children don't know what they are talking about, but parents try to make the kids look knowledgeable..  

You think the GB would dare to let real people ask questions ?  I think not. It would all be pre-planned script. 

 

[TrueTomHarley]

1 hour ago, 4Jah2me said:

It's so obvious that the children don't know what they are talking about, but parents try to make the kids look knowledgeable..  

I got to be a district overseer this way.

I had ten kids—I had them for just this reason—and I would feed each one the answer to a question. I got so many credits for this that promotion was a slam-dunk.

2 hours ago, JW Insider said:

I don't have any way of telling. As of about the last four or five years, the last of the writers I might have generally recognized are failing in health and getting very few, if any, new assignments. (Aulicino, Smalley, Wischuk).

I am told that the brother who wrote the Truth book was a fellow named Peleyn. Yes? 

[JW Insider]

13 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

I am told that the brother who wrote the Truth book was a fellow named Peleyn. Yes? 

I don't believe I was ever told. Or if I was told, it wasn't his name I remembered. You are referring to Harry Peloyan, a Harvard Graduate. He was given a lot of the scientific and creation items to work on and became the Awake! editor, also handling most "science" related articles himself. Since the original Evolution book was last revised in 1967 and the original Truth book in 1968, I would have serious doubts that he did them both. 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

5 hours ago, Jack Ryan said:

Never would we want to be like the Pharisees, who resented those who questioned them and persecuted those who expressed an opinion contrary to their own.—Mark 3:1-6; John 9:29-34.

- Watchtower September 2019

I think I am going to find that quote, cut it out, have it laminated, and keep it in my wallet, as a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card for future use.

Several years ago I was Df'd, and at one of my many reinstatement hearings over a period of three years, the last one where I was reinstated, the C.C. asked me something along the lines of "What do you think about the decisions of the Governing Body?"

I looked at him in the eyes and replied "I will have to agree with what was stated in the February 2017 Watchtower, that they are neither inspired, or infallible."

Dead silence as if they had been bonked on the head with a wooden mallet.

Then the C.C. said to the other two Brothers' surprise "Oh, yeah ... I remember reading about that ...".

I was reinstated the following Wednesday night at the Circuit Overseer's visit.

 

[TrueTomHarley]

10 minutes ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

I was reinstated the following Wednesday night at the Circuit Overseer's visit.

That says it all, then. You can seek revenge, or you can bury the hatchet.

33 minutes ago, JW Insider said:

Since the original Evolution book was last revised in 1967 and the original Truth book in 1968, I would have serious doubts that he did them both. 

The brother who told me, and who is now in poor health, says he was his table head.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

10 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

That says it all, then. You can seek revenge, or you can bury the hatchet.

I am fully aware that Justice you ONLY get from God ... everything else is due process, which only approximates Justice.

..... sometimes.

I don't expect much from humans, and I am never disappointed.

... just another day in the 'hood.

------------------------------------------------

... and with that exposition, I return you to real life, already in progress.