Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-19-2011 WT Study (FRUITAGE)

Matthew 5:46-47 46 For if YOU love those loving YOU, what reward do YOU have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? 47 And if YOU greet YOUR brothers only, what extraordinary thing are YOU doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing?

START OF ARTICLE

1, 2. (a) What opportunities do we have to encourage

others? (b) What gift from Jehovah enhances

our ability to serve him?

CONSIDER two scenarios: A Christian

woman notices that a younger sister

seems preoccupied. She makes arrangements

to work with her in field service.

As they are conversing between doors, the

younger sister begins sharing what is troubling

her. Later that day in prayer, the younger

woman thanks Jehovah for the loving

interest of the mature sister; it was just what

she needed. In another place, a couple has

recently returned from preaching in a foreign

land. At a gathering, as they excitedly

relate experiences, a young brother is quietly

listening. Some years later, as he is preparing

to leave for his own foreign assignment,

he thinks of that couple and the

conversation that made him want to be a

missionary.

COMMENTS

A Christian woman = only a jw

Makes arrangements to work with her in field service----to dig into her personal life under the guise of helping her but really only to get some juicy gossip to share with other sisters

The experiences I heard from returning Gilead graduates were reasons not to sign up….I always asked why they gave up this privilege after only 2 years.

2 Perhaps those situations remind you of

Someone who made a difference in your life

or of someone whose life you touched.

Of course, rarely does a single conversation

change someone’s life, but each day,

we have opportunities to encourage and

strengthen others. Imagine that there was

something that would enhance your abilities

and attributes, making them more beneficial

to your brothers and more useful to

God. Would that not be wonderful? Actually,

Jehovah gives us just such a gift—his holy

spirit. (Luke 11:13) As God’s spirit operates

in our life, it produces in us beautiful qualities

that enhance every aspect of our service

to God. What a marvelous gift!—Read Galatians

5:22, 23.

COMMENTS

Someone who made a difference in my life—not elders for sure, but some older jws, the looked down upon in the congregation

Just beneficial to the “brothers” not the sisters?

So how do you have you have received holy spirit?

3. (a) How does our cultivating “the fruitage of the

spirit” glorify God? (b)What questions will we consider?

3 The qualities that holy spirit produces

are a reflection of the very personality of the

Source of that spirit, Jehovah God. (Col. 3:

9, 10) Jesus indicated the foremost reason

why Christians should strive to imitate God

when he told his apostles: “My Father is glorified

in this, that you keep bearing much

fruit.”* (John 15:8) As we cultivate “the

fruitage of the spirit,” the results are plain to

see in the way we speak and act; this, in turn,

brings praise to our God. (Matt. 5:16) In

what ways is the spirit’s fruitage different

from the traits of Satan’s world? How can we

cultivate the fruitage of the spirit? Why may

we find it a challenge to do so? We will consider

these questions as we discuss the first

three aspects of the spirit’s fruitage—love,

joy, and peace.

*The fruit Jesus mentioned includes both “the fruitage

of the spirit” and “the fruit of lips” that Christians

offer to God by means of the Kingdom-preaching work.

—Heb. 13:15.

COMMENTS

Does the WTS consider that a jw has produced by “fruit of lips” if after 40 or more years, not one person they “preached to” becomes a jw, not even their own children?

Christians offer = only jws, all other religions do nothing.

If the WTS “suggested” presentations in the current KMs mention the “kingdom” once out of 48 presentations, could it be called the KINGDOM-preaching work?

Love Based on a Higher Principle

4. What kind of love did Jesus teach his followers to

practice?

4 The love produced by holy spirit is

markedly different from the sort of love that

is common in the world. How so? It is based

on a higher principle. Jesus highlighted this

difference in the Sermon on the Mount.

(Read Matthew 5:43-48.) He noted that

even sinners will follow a policy of like for

like, treating others as others treat them.

Such “love” does not involve real sacrifice

but amounts to an exchange of favors. If we

want to ‘prove ourselves sons of our Father

who is in the heavens,’ we must be different.

Rather than treating others as they treat us,

we are to view and treat others as Jehovah

views and treats them. How, though, is it

possible to love our enemies, as Jesus commanded?

COMMENTS

Even sinners (non-jws) show love to their friends and family…It doesn’t involve real sacrifice!!!!!! Can you think of examples that non-jws have shown real sacrifice and jws don’t even show love to fellow jws let alone non-jws?

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/89447/1/Comments-You-Will-Not-Hear-at-the-4-24-05-WT-Study-Self-Sacrifice-3-15-05

Is that really true? Are JWs surrounded by lazy people who don’t work hard for themselves, their family, their community?

Who run the food pantries?

Who help out the non-JWs and the JWs in disasters?

Who clean up the lakes each year?

Who pick up the dog pucky in the parks?

Take an honest look at your community, your neighbors, your workmates, etc., etc. The vast majority of them are hardworking, caring people.

Go sell your belongings and give to the poor

Think about this; was Jesus saying that JWs today should sell everything and give it the poor? Who are the poor? Just JWs? How many JWs do you know that did this? Those considered the spiritual leaders in the congregation?

5. How can we show love for those who persecute

us?

5 Consider one Bible example. While

preaching in Philippi, Paul and Silas were arrested,

severely beaten, and thrown into the

inner prison, where their feet were secured

in stocks. In the process, they may well have

been mistreated by the jailer also. When

they were unexpectedly freed as a result of

an earthquake, did they relish the prospect

of getting even with that man? No. Their

sincere concern for his welfare—their self sacrificing

love—moved them to act swiftly

in his behalf, opening the way for the jailer

and his entire household to become believers.

(Acts 16:19-34) Many of our brothers

in modern times have similarly followed

a course of “blessing those who persecute.”

—Rom. 12:14.

COMMENTS

MAY HAVE BEEN mistreated by the jailer—another addition to the Bible moment (just like the dramas)

Getting even—I can remember jws that had grudges against other jws that lasted to the grave, that would not be their householder in the school, go out in the field service in the same car group, would not sit on the same side of the KH….

Holding a grudge…talking about a matter again…how long does it take elders to let go of the so-called sins of the rank and file?

Other jws that pronounce grumpy householders “goats” doomed to die at Armageddon.

After a mild rebuff from a person at the door, a sister muttered under her breath, "goat." I did remind her that the judging was being done by Jesus, self-righteous prig I was. But it made me wonder what kind of message her body language sent to people at the door. The WTS was less mild years ago. They are a little more tactful to the faces of non-JWs. But this is what they read and hear at their meetings. Can you imagine what a visiting non-JW might think?

*** w05 5/15 p. 7 A World Without Poverty Is Near ***

Goatlike humans, who reject Jesus’ rule, will be destroyed forever.

*** w99 2/1 p. 10 par. 6 The Great Potter and His Work ***

When the glorious King, Christ Jesus, comes for judgment, such dishonorable vessels will include all obstinate goatlike humans who will, as Matthew 25:46 states, "depart into everlasting cutting-off."

*** w97 2/15 p. 29 Questions From Readers ***

Jesus said nothing about people who long displayed goatlike attributes suddenly turning around and becoming like sheep.

*** w95 10/15 p. 26 par. 15 What Future for the Sheep and the Goats? ***

Preferring the wicked world, goatlike ones reject the Kingdom message, whether hearing it directly or indirectly.

*** w95 10/15 p. 28 par. 24 What Future for the Sheep and the Goats? ***

Some who at present seem goatlike may change and become like sheep. The point is that those responding and actively supporting the remnant of Christ’s brothers are thereby now giving evidence that will provide a basis for them to be placed on Jesus’ right hand when, in the near future, he sits down on his throne to render judgment.

*** kc chap. 16 p. 155 par. 9 "A Great Crowd" Hails the King ***

When you call on your neighbors with the Kingdom message, you may find some who display a goatlike disposition. This they do by showing indifference or rudeness, or by outright opposition

6. In what ways can we show self-sacrificing love for

our brothers? (See box on page 21.)

6 Our love for fellow believers goes further.

“We are under obligation to surrender

our souls for our brothers.” (Read 1 John 3:

16-18.) More often, though, we can show

love in smaller ways. For example, if we say

or do something that offends a brother, we

can demonstrate love by taking the initiative

to restore peace. (Matt. 5:23, 24)What if

someone offends us? Are we “ready to forgive,”

or are we sometimes inclined to hold

a grudge? (Ps. 86:5) The intense love produced

by holy spirit can help us to cover

over minor transgressions, freely forgiving

others “even as Jehovah freely forgave” us.

—Col. 3:13, 14; 1 Pet. 4:8.

COMMENTS

Love for fellow believers—only jws if that, mostly family and friends (yes not all jws view all other jws as “friends”

Offend a brother…take the initiative by running to an elder and complaining insisting the elder go to the person and straighten them out….or complain to everyone but the person you think offended you….not exactly Matthew 18

What is a “minor” transgression?

7, 8. (a) How is love for people linked with love for

God? (b) How can we deepen our love for Jehovah?

7 How can we cultivate self-sacrificing

love for our brothers? By deepening our love

for God. (Eph. 5:1, 2; 1 John 4:9-11, 20,

21) The intimate moments we spend with

(See illustration below.)

Jehovah in Bible reading, meditation, and

prayer nourish our hearts and nurture our

love for our heavenly Father. However, we

need to buy out time to draw close to God.

COMMENTS

Love for God = love for people = every time jws label non-jws goats or other jws defective spiritually they trumpet they don’t love God

(1 John 4:20) . . .If anyone makes the statement: “I love God,” and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot be loving God, whom he has not seen.

Or the jws with empty platitudes?

(James 2:15-16) If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day, yet a certain one of YOU says to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,” but YOU do not give them the necessities for [their] body, of what benefit is it?

Do you buy out time each day

from other activities to draw

close to Jehovah?

8 To illustrate: Imagine that it was possible

to read God’s Word, meditate on it, and

pray to Jehovah only during a certain hour

each day. Would you not jealously guard

that time slot so that nothing interfered

with your personal time with Jehovah? Of

course, no one can restrict our access to God

in prayer, and most of us can read the Bible

whenever we want to. Yet, we may need to

take measures to prevent the whirlwind of

daily activities from infringing on our personal

time with God. Do you buy out as

much time as possible each day to draw

close to Jehovah?

COMMENTS

Are these guys writing this smoking weed? Most jws don’t read the bible or pray except if they are a brother selected at the KH or a sister at a restaurant or on a bible study.

Rather than let other things not compete, jws put their jobs, their work at home, secular school, their children, their tv watching, video games, soap operas ahead of reading the bible….

“Joy of Holy Spirit”

9. What is a characteristic of the joy produced by

holy spirit?

9 A notable characteristic of the fruitage

of the spirit is its stability. Joy, the second

aspect we will consider, exemplifies this

resilience. Joy is like a hardy plant that

can thrive even in a hostile environment.

Throughout the earth, many of God’s servants

have “accepted the word under much

tribulation with joy of holy spirit.” (1 Thess.

1:6) Others face hardships and deprivations.

Yet, Jehovah empowers them by means of

his spirit “to endure fully and be longsuffering

with joy.” (Col. 1:11) What is the

source of this joy?

COMMENTS

When you went/go to the KH do you hear joyful comments about the meetings, d2d, other jws? Or is it one complaint session about their health problems, lack of money….

10. What is the source of our joy?

10 Unlike the “uncertain riches” of Satan’s

world, the spiritual treasures we have received

from Jehovah have lasting value.

(1 Tim. 6:17; Matt. 6:19, 20) He holds before

us the joyful prospect of an unending future.

We have the joy of being part of a

worldwide Christian brotherhood. Above

all, our joy is founded on our relationship

with God. We share the feelings expressed

by David, who although forced to live as

a fugitive, praised Jehovah in song, saying:

“Because your loving-kindness is better

than life, my own lips will commend you.

Thus I shall bless you during my lifetime.”

(Ps. 63:3, 4) Even when we experience hardships,

joyful praise to God wells up in our

hearts.

COMMENTS

What are the spiritual treasures, 132 years of false dates as to when the END is coming?

CARROT—Prospect of an unending future (not a certainty, just a prospect)

Worldwide Christian brotherhood—where the jws in your congregation have their little cliques that are sanctioned by the elders by saying certain people are bad association because they don’t make enough meetings, fake enough d2d…?

11. Why is it important that we serve Jehovah with

joy?

11 The apostle Paul urged Christians: “Always

rejoice in the Lord. Once more I will

say, Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4) Why is it important

for Christians to carry out their service to

Jehovah with joy? Because of the issue Satan

raised in connection with Jehovah’s sovereignty.

Satan claims that no one serves God

out of a willing heart. (Job 1:9-11) If we were

to serve Jehovah dutifully but joylessly, our

sacrifice of praise would be incomplete. We

therefore endeavor to heed the psalmist’s

exhortation: “Serve Jehovah with rejoicing.

Come in before him with a joyful cry.”

(Ps. 100:2) Service rendered from a joyful,

willing heart glorifies God.

12, 13. What can we do to combat negative feelings?

12 Realistically, though, even devoted servants

of Jehovah will have times when they

become downhearted and struggle to maintain

a positive outlook. (Phil. 2:25-30) What

can help us during such times? Ephesians 5:

18, 19 says: “Keep getting filled with spirit,

speaking to yourselves with psalms and

praises to God and spiritual songs, singing

and accompanying yourselves with music

in your hearts to Jehovah.” How can we apply

that counsel?

COMMENTS

Devoted servants of Jehovah = only jws = yes even they can be depressed but it is probably because of guilt for something they did wrong

13 When beset by negative feelings, we

can beseech Jehovah in prayer and endeavor

to meditate on praiseworthy things. (Read

Philippians 4:6-9.) Some find that softly

humming along with recordings of our

Kingdom songs lifts their spirits and helps

to rechannel their thoughts. A brother who

faced an ordeal that often left him feeling

frustrated and discouraged recalls: “In addition

to regular heartfelt prayer, I memorized

a few Kingdom songs. It brought peace to

my heart to sing these beautiful praises to

Jehovah either out loud or silently to myself.

Also, the book Draw Close to Jehovah

was released about that time. I read it twice

during the following year. It was like a

soothing balm for my heart. I know Jehovah

blessed my efforts.”

COMMENTS

So how many jws KNOW the tunes of the Kingdom songs…have even memorized parts of the bible. Read the WT publication Draw Close TWICE, but no mention of the Bible?!

“The Uniting Bond of Peace”

14. What is a notable feature of the peace produced

by holy spirit?

14 At our international conventions, delegates

from diverse backgrounds bask in

the warmth of Christian fellowship. Such

scenes highlight a feature of the peace enjoyed

by God’s people today—our global

unity. Onlookers are often astonished when

they see people whom they would expect to

be at enmity with one another “earnestly

endeavoring to observe the oneness of the

spirit in the uniting bond of peace.” (Eph.

4:3) This unity is truly remarkable in view of

what many have had to overcome.

COMMENTS

So how many days are these people thrown together, 3 or 4? How much time out of the 24 hours each day do they interact with any jws new to them, not in their congregation or circuit?

What do they mean “people whom they would expect to be at enmity”?

Even non-jws can put on an act of peacefulness for a few hours of sitting in a chair and not talking to each other.

15, 16. (a) What was Peter’s background, and how

did that pose a challenge for him? (b) How did Jehovah

help Peter to adjust his attitude?

15 Uniting people who are of different

backgrounds is a challenge. To help us gain

insight into what must be overcome to

achieve such unity, let us consider a first century

example, the apostle Peter. His attitude

toward uncircumcised Gentiles can be

detected in his words: “You well know how

unlawful it is for a Jew to join himself to or

approach a man of another race; and yet

God has shown me I should call no man defiled

or unclean.” (Acts 10:24-29; 11:1-3) In

keeping with a viewpoint common at the

time, Peter apparently grew up believing

that the Law obligated him to love only fellow

Jews. It may have seemed completely

normal to him to view Gentiles as enemies

to be hated.*

*Leviticus 19:18 says: “You must not take vengeance

nor have a grudge against the sons of your people; and

you must love your fellow as yourself.” Jewish religious

leaders held that “the sons of your people” and “your

fellow” referred to Jews only. The Law required that the

Israelites stay separate from other nations. However, it

did not endorse the viewpoint promoted by the first century

religious leaders, namely, that all non-Jews were

enemies and were to be hated as individuals.

COMMENTS

United at the KH, cliques, grudges, lighter blacks not associating with darker blacks, “spiritual” jws avoid less spiritual jws, brothers not being appointed for years in one congregation go to another and being appointed that same year.

Are all non-jws viewed as enemies by the WTS?

***w09 7/15 p. 19 par. 2 Imitate Jesus—Preach With Boldness ***

Jesus told his disciples: “Do not think I came to put peace upon the earth; I came to put, not peace, but a sword. For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law. Indeed, a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household.” (Matt. 10:34-36) Instead of embracing the good news, most people reject it. Some make themselves enemies of those who proclaim it, even if they are close family members.

Remember that years later after baptizing Gentile Cornelius, Peter drew away from the Gentile Christians in the Galatian congregation.

(Galatians 2:11-14) . . .However, when Ce′phas came to Antioch, I resisted him face to face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before the arrival of certain men from James, he used to eat with people of the nations; but when they arrived, he went withdrawing and separating himself, in fear of those of the circumcised class. 13 The rest of the Jews also joined him in putting on this pretense, so that even Bar′na·bas was led along with them in their pretense. 14 But when I saw they were not walking straight according to the truth of the good news, I said to Ce′phas before them all: “If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do, and not as Jews do, how is it that you are compelling people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?”

COMMENTS

Note that these Bible Students/jws did not share their food with non-jws.

(BOX PAGE 21) “These Are True Christians”

The book Between Resistance and Martyrdom—

Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Third

Reich relates the comments of a young

Jewish prisoner, in which he describes his

first encounter with Jehovah’s Witnesses

after he arrived at the Neuengamme concentration

camp:

“As soon as we Jews from Dachau came

into the block, the other Jews began

to hide everything they had so that

they would not have to share with us . . . .

Outside [of the concentration camp], we

had been there for one another. But here,

in a situation of life and death, everybody’s

first concern is to save himself,

forgetting about the others. But imagine

what the Bible Students were doing.

At that time, they had to work very hard,

repairing some water pipes. The weather

was cold and they were standing all

day long in ice-cold water. Nobody understood

how they could endure this.

They said Jehovah gives them the

strength. They needed their bread desperately,

just like we, because they were

hungry. But what were they doing? They

collected all the bread they had, took half

of it for themselves, and the other half

they gave to their fellow believers who

had just arrived from Dachau . And they

welcomed them and kissed them. Before

they ate, they prayed. Afterwards, they

all were satisfied and happy. They said

that they were no longer hungry. You see,

that is when I thought: These are the true

Christians.”

16 Just imagine the awkwardness Peter

must have felt as he entered the home of

Cornelius. Could a man who had previously

held negative views of Gentiles ever become

“harmoniously joined together” with them

in “the uniting bond of peace”? (Eph. 4:3,

16) Yes, for just days earlier, God’s spirit had

opened Peter’s heart, enabling him to begin

to adjust his attitude and overcome his prejudice.

Through a vision, Jehovah made it

clear to him that God’s view of people is not

determined by race or nationality. (Acts

10:10-15) Thus, Peter could tell Cornelius:

“For a certainty I perceive that God is not

partial, but in every nation the man that

fears him and works righteousness is acceptable

to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) Peter changed,

and he became truly united with “the whole

association of brothers.”—1 Pet. 2:17.

COMMENTS

It took several outstanding visions to convince Peter to baptize Cornelius and his family and household but not until God poured out holy spirit on them and showed public evidence of that.

(Acts 10:44-48) . . .While Peter was yet speaking about these matters the holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word. 45 And the faithful ones that had come with Peter who were of those circumcised were amazed, because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also upon people of the nations. 46 For they heard them speaking with tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter responded: 47 “Can anyone forbid water so that these might not be baptized who have received the holy spirit even as we have?” 48 With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they requested him to remain for some days.

------------Yet later Peter was removing himself from the association of other Gentile Christians and had to be counseled publicly by Paul.

17. How is the unity enjoyed by God’s people remarkable?

17 Peter’s experience helps us to appreciate

the remarkable transformation that is

taking place among God’s people today.

(Read Isaiah 2:3, 4.) Millions of people

“out of all nations and tribes and peoples

and tongues” have adjusted their thinking

to conform to “the good and acceptable and

perfect will of God.” (Rev. 7:9; Rom. 12:2)

Many of these at one time were steeped in

the hatreds, enmities, and divisiveness of

Satan’s world. But through a study of God’s

Word and with the help of holy spirit, they

have learned to “pursue the things making

for peace.” (Rom. 14:19) The resulting unity

brings praise to God.

COMMENTS

So has the “remarkable transformation” changed in some jws (God’s people only) like it did in Peter, the apostle with the keys?

Adjusted and conformed to the WTS doctrine and policies

Now instead of hating other non-jws they can hate jws.

Can you think of hidden pockets of non-peace in congregations: elder meetings, competition between elder’s wives, competition between congregations (especially those that share buildings)….?

18, 19. (a) How can each of us contribute to the

peace and unity of the congregation? (b) What will

we consider in the next article?

18 How can each of us contribute to the

peace and unity found among God’s people?

Many congregations include those who

have moved from a foreign land. Some may

have different customs or may not speak

our language well. Do we reach out to

them? This is the course God’s Word recommends.

Writing to the congregation in

Rome , which included both Jewish and

Gentile believers, Paul stated: “Welcome

one another, just as the Christ also welcomed

us, with glory to God in view.” (Rom. 15:7)

Is there someone in your congregation whom

you could get to know better?

COMMENTS

Unity or uniformity—achieved by obeying the elders, Cos, Dos, WTS in all ways—or God?

I remember when they encouraged people at the conventions to turn to the people next to them and greet them…..these people had no time, had to meet up with their “real” friends……….gone with the wind they were.

Get to know people at the hall—common excuse: too busy with congregation duties, “studying,” helping own family to get to know anyone new unless it is the new CO and his wife, the new Brother Big Bucks, etc.

19 What else can we do to allow holy spirit

to operate in our lives? The next article will

consider this question as we discuss the remaining

aspects of the fruitage of the spirit.

COMMENTS

How do we even know we have the holy spirit? At least Cornelius spoke in tongues so he knew and others too.

How Would You Answer?

How can we show self-sacrificing love

for our brothers?

Why is it important that we carry out

our service to God with joy?

How can we contribute to the peace

and unity of the congregation?

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

Next week, ARE YOU ALLOWING GOD’S SPIRIT TO LEAD YOU? Does the WTS have leaders, or just people “who take the lead”?

Love, Blondie

OnTheWayOut

Para. 3 Blondie comment:

Does the WTS consider that a jw has produced by “fruit of lips” if after 40 or more years, not one person they “preached to” becomes a jw, not even their own children?

Yes! The JW that has done this has not physically produced a single piece of fruit, but has assisted in the upcoming judging work. Separating the weeds from the wheat is all part of the process used to produce wheat.

(I could so write their garbage for them. I could milk my statement above into at least 4 paragraphs to show why it is so in WT-land.)

maninthemiddle

Thank You Blondie.

And you also have a PM form me.

Mary

Blondie said: Makes arrangements to work with her in field service----to dig into her personal life under the guise of helping her but really only to get some juicy gossip to share with other sisters

LMAO! Exactly. And if the 'younger sisters has committed some perceived 'sin' (like perhaps wanting to go to university or buying a birthday card for her mother), then the gossipy older sister will not only relay all the salacious details to her clique, but she'll rat the younger sister out to the elders who will 'have a little chat with her' to 'readjust her thinking' and possibly establish their 3-man kangaroo court to act as judge, jury and executioner.

Perhaps those situations remind you of Someone who made a difference in your life or of someone whose life you touched.

It sure does. Ray Franz was instrumental in helping me get out of this damn cult and I will be eternally grateful to him for that.

Realistically, though, even devoted servants of Jehovah will have times when they become downhearted and struggle to maintain a positive outlook.

Can't imagine why. Perhaps because they based their entire lives believing that not only would they never die, they'd never have to watch their parents die. Sadly, they've been duped by false prophecies given by a bunch of false prophets who guaranteed that the generation of 1914 would not pass away:

Yet another snorefest of a study article written by men who are desperately trying to shore up their fledging rank and file's increasingly questioning nature. While you will always have those who will blindly follow their lies and deceit, more and more Witnesses are pissed off at the waste of their lives that they based on what "the Slave" said.

BluesBrother

O k so they take a theme scripture and well trodden idea "The fruitage of the Spirit" ,,then weave around it all the little bits of "counsel" that you want to give over ...and that is it...Anybody of experience could have put this together. They are getting sloppy

It is like the Thursday night items I used to do towards the end when I no longer cared and I just had a quick look at it and "winged it"

Perhaps they no longer care?

Quarterback

Again, Blondie

You are so right. Enjoyed your research, and comments.

Peace to you.

QB

WTWizard

This is a farce. The real motivation for the witlesses is shame and guilt, backed up with fear of getting destroyed. So you listen to a "bad" song? You don't pio-sneer despite that others want you to? Or, you dress a little too "casual". Shame and guilt are the first things they use to get you in line--if that doesn't work, fear of getting disfellowshipped or destroyed is used. No love or joy there.

No joy in field circus, either. I have gone out many a time in field circus in the morning. Invariably, people are straggling in a good 15 minutes late, often poorly organized. It usually takes several tries to finalize the arrangements, and that is with only 7 or 8 people out. When they claimed that Jehovah expected us out in the territory at 9:15 (when field circus arrangements start at 9), I only managed that once. This is so rare that I wonder if anyone even tries anymore (and that was in the late 1980s, back when there was at least a bit more excitement in the religion). These days, you are lucky to be in the territory 30 minutes after the meeting starts--45 minutes is closer to normal. This is not the mark of joy--if people were joyful about it, a 15 minute meeting-to-reaching territory would be easy to achieve regularly. (And people would want to be there in 10 minutes, not straggling in late or disrupting the arrangements, and not dragging themselves out).

hoser

they really like promoting their crappy songs in par 13

"It brought peace to

my heart to sing these beautiful praises "

blondie

hoser, there were some that were not too bad, but with the advent of the new songbook, even those songs have been rendered unsingable. Out of 500 jws, maybe one hums the songs or sings them for fun. I'm sure none of the GB do.

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-19-2011 WT Study (FRUITAGE)

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