Since my spouse is an active elder, I accompany him to SADs, CAs and DAs, at least for the time being. Anyway, I thought I'd share some of the more odd/disturbing bits from the latest "Sanctify God's Name" CA. There wasn't anything particularly new but the tone toward porn, higher ed, bad assoc, "habitual" murmuring and harmful gossip is definitely hardening, as are the cautions against social networking.
One demo that was particularly telling was a monologue by a brother who'd just come home from work all stressed out. He sits down at a table and starts looking through the latest mags, all the while talking to himself. The upshot was that he's doing "all he can" as far as service, cong., and supporting his family and he's tired (he sighed A LOT all the way through) but--wait for it--yup, you guessed it: He wants to DO MORE! He doesn't know how, though, because, as he says, "My plate is already full with spiritual things." OH WAIT--he has a few days' vacation coming to him. He can use those days to pioneer in April. If he does that and goes out all day Sat and Sun, then he can get his time in!! How refreshing that will be! The demo concludes w/him leaping to his feet to go tell his wife what their "new" schedule is going to be for the next month.
The emphasis is definitely on doing more--regardless of how much you're already doing. Yikes.
I didn't hear higher ed being likened to offering your child to Molech, as another poster mentioned, but there was a demo where one bro. says to another that he can't understand the overlapping gen. and it seems like the FDS is "putting Armaggedon off." The new explanation is so hard to understand! The "mature" brother says, "You're making it harder than it is. When Jesus used the term "generation," he EVIDENTLY meant the lives of those anointed living in 1914 would overlap with those anointed who would see the end." The "unsure" brother responds: "Oh, is that it? Well, that's not so hard." Or something to that effect (paraphrase). Duh!! The rhetorical strategy was pretty slick--divert attention away from the underlying, though unspoken question of "Why are they changing the meaning again?" to "Is it really that hard to understand?" Then present a simplified one-sentence summary of the new light, without bothering to spend even a moment on any kind of factual or Biblical evidence that might support such a ridiculous "definition" of generation.
Apostates were railed against by the DO who characterized them as "kidnappers" who are looking to kidnap those in the cong. I kid you not. They have a problem with ego--ego means using spirituality for your own benefit. (Makes no sense). So we need to shun apostates and cling to God's org because, after all, "What would you know about the Bible if not for God's organization?" (Direct quote). Double yikes.
Finally, about higher ed: The DO said: Some say we shouldn't be cautioning against pursuing higher education. And yet, it's not surprising that in lands where people receive higher education, belief in God is at an all-time low!"
No shit, Einstein!!! Think about it. Oops--that's exactly what they DON'T want.
