27 Questions

by Saintbertholdt 10 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Saintbertholdt
    Saintbertholdt

    Hello there all,

    I've been on and off the forum for a couple of years now. Mostly lurking.

    The last time I set foot in a kingdom hall was back in 2005 before I disassociated myself formally.

    Over the years I've kept up with the doctrinal changes and changes in practices.

    The problem is that because I haven't been practically experiencing these changes, much of the new information has not stuck clearly in my head. Where I am now is a 2005 ex-witness with some gaps and distortions in my current JW knowledge.

    Therefore I come to you for help. I have formulated 27 main questions with some sub questions which sums up my half-baked understanding since 2005.

    So have a look and perhaps there are one or more questions you can help me with.

    If you could indicate which question/s you are answering that would be much appreciated.

    kindest regards

    Saintbertholdt

    ---

    1. Can circuit overseers, elders and governing body members count public talks as field service?

    2. If so can they count their travel times also?

    ---

    3. How many meetings do the witnesses have now every week?

    Public talk + watchtower study (2 hours)

    Misery School + Service meeting (2 hours)

    Is the book study included anywhere? Has it totally fallen away?

    What is the family study meeting called? The 'family study'? Is there any prescribed literature?

    ---

    4. What is a Presiding Overseer called now? Why was a change made?

    ---

    5. Has the new overlapping generation doctrine caused any other theological repercussions that were addressed in Watchtower articles?

    6. Has there been any articles addressing the increase in emblem participation?

    ---

    7. Why has the trinity brochure fallen away? Has it been replaced at all?

    ---

    8. Where is a good forum thread that discusses the changes in the New new World translation?

    9. Have they just brought it in line with the New International Version or have any additional verses been omitted?

    ---

    10. Whats the story with the video broadcasts? Who does it feature, what are the topics, and why are they doing it?

    ---

    11. Will/Has the Watchtower CD Rom been discontinued?

    ---

    12. Has there been any new vocabulary added to the dogma? Brazen conduct comes to mind.

    ---

    13. What scriptures now feature regularly? Still Mathew 24:14, 2 Timothy 3:1-5?

    ---

    14. Now that the new song book has been around for a couple of years, are the new songs in it any good? Did they remove the song that featured the intro to Looney Tunes? Is Shulamite maiden still in there? Do any new songs allude to new dogma?

    ---

    15. King of the north, any news?

    ---

    16. Have they alluded to distancing themselves from C.T. Russell?

    ---

    17. Has there been a change in dub attitude over the past couple of years? Is Armageddon's eminence still imminent? Whats the general demeanor? Same old, same old or brimstone super super soon?

    ---

    18. How are things in Russia since 2010 when the bans started? Is it getting worse and what is the status of the cases in the international courts?

    ---

    19. Is the Gilead school still around? Was there any truth to the rumor that it would be discontinued?

    ---

    20. Have the number of international/district/special conventions remained the same/increased/decreased?

    ---

    21. Any new special arrangements for obtaining money? Pledges etc.

    ---

    22. Any new 'deep' ideas like spiritual paradise or sacred secret?

    ---

    23. Any new shots fired against apostates? (I know about mentally diseased)

    ---

    24. Any new Watchtower articles that have caused a stir in the past year/coming three months?

    ---

    25. Pedophile news? Any changes to policy? Anything after the Candace Conti case?

    Did she lose on appeal? Is there a good forum thread on the topic?

    ---

    26. Are the hours still the same for auxiliary pioneer, pioneer and special pioneer?

    ---

    27. Have I covered everything? Anything else you can think of that's new or even new subtle shifts?

    ---

  • Splash
    Splash

    ---

    1. Can circuit overseers, elders and governing body members count public talks as field service? YES

    2. If so can they count their travel times also? NO

    ---

    3. How many meetings do the witnesses have now every week? TWO

    Public talk + watchtower study (2 hours)

    BOOK STUDY + Misery School + Service meeting (2 hours)

    Is the book study included anywhere? Has it totally fallen away? ADDED TO START OF MIDWEEK MTG

    What is the family study meeting called? The 'family study'? Is there any prescribed literature? FAMILLY WORSHIP NIGHT

    ---

    4. What is a Presiding Overseer called now? Why was a change made? STILL PO

    ---

    5. Has the new overlapping generation doctrine caused any other theological repercussions that were addressed in Watchtower articles? NO BUT NEW FDS DOCTRINE HAS

    6. Has there been any articles addressing the increase in emblem participation? YES. 1935 IS NO LONGER THE CUT OFF YEAR SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT INCREASES

    ---

    7. Why has the trinity brochure fallen away? Has it been replaced at all? WAS FULL OF MISQUOTES

    ---

    8. Where is a good forum thread that discusses the changes in the New new World translation?

    9. Have they just brought it in line with the New International Version or have any additional verses been omitted? COMPLETE OVERHAUL - EVERY VERSE HAS CHANGED.

    ---

    10. Whats the story with the video broadcasts? Who does it feature, what are the topics, and why are they doing it? ALL THE GB, FULL LENGTH FILMS, CARTOONS, GB HELPERS.

    ---

    11. Will/Has the Watchtower CD Rom been discontinued? STILL AVAILABLE

    ---

    12. Has there been any new vocabulary added to the dogma? Brazen conduct comes to mind.

    ---

    13. What scriptures now feature regularly? Still Mathew 24:14, 2 Timothy 3:1-5? SAME OLD SAME OLD

    ---

    14. Now that the new song book has been around for a couple of years, are the new songs in it any good? Did they remove the song that featured the intro to Looney Tunes? Is Shulamite maiden still in there? Do any new songs allude to new dogma? NEW SONGS STILL COMING OUT ONLINE, SO EVEN NEW SONG BOOK IS OUT OF DATE

    ---

    15. King of the north, any news? NO NEW REVELATIONS

    ---

    16. Have they alluded to distancing themselves from C.T. Russell? HE'S NO LONGER ONE OF THE F&DS

    ---

    17. Has there been a change in dub attitude over the past couple of years? Is Armageddon's eminence still imminent? Whats the general demeanor? Same old, same old or brimstone super super soon? IT'S ALWAYS 'SOON'

    ---

    18. How are things in Russia since 2010 when the bans started? Is it getting worse and what is the status of the cases in the international courts?

    ---

    19. Is the Gilead school still around? Was there any truth to the rumor that it would be discontinued?

    ---

    20. Have the number of international/district/special conventions remained the same/increased/decreased?

    ---

    21. Any new special arrangements for obtaining money? Pledges etc.ALL KHALLS HAVE BEEN 'ACQUIRED' BY THE SOCIETY. MONTHLY PLEDGES VOTED ON BY ALL HALLS. LOANS WILL BE PAID EVEN AFTER THEY ARE PAID OFF.

    ---

    22. Any new 'deep' ideas like spiritual paradise or sacred secret?

    ---

    23. Any new shots fired against apostates? (I know about mentally diseased)

    ---

    24. Any new Watchtower articles that have caused a stir in the past year/coming three months?

    ---

    25. Pedophile news? Any changes to policy? Anything after the Candace Conti case?

    Did she lose on appeal? Is there a good forum thread on the topic?

    ---

    26. Are the hours still the same for auxiliary pioneer, pioneer and special pioneer? 30HRS FOR AUX 3X PER YEAR, 50 FOR AUXILIARY NORMALLY, 70 FOR REGULARS

    ---

    27. Have I covered everything? Anything else you can think of that's new or even new subtle shifts?

    ---

  • FadingTruth
    FadingTruth

    4. Presiding Overseer is called the Coordinator for the Body of Elders, or COBE.

    12. "Need Greaters". Maybe I wasn't paying attention before, but this latest Watchtower study was the first time I read that expression in print.

    20. There are no longer two day conventions, just one day

  • Saintbertholdt
    Saintbertholdt

    Hi Splash,

    Thanks for your answers. I have new questions based upon your answers.

    2. If so can they count their travel times also? NO

    The reason why I asked is because my girlfriend/fiance used to be a full time pioneer. She would start counting time whenever she traveled from the field service arrangement to the field and also back home. Like a plumber on a call-out :) Her father was an elder and she told me that she had inquired about it and supposedly it was fine. Was she wrong?

    5. Has the new overlapping generation doctrine caused any other theological repercussions that were addressed in Watchtower articles? NO BUT NEW FDS DOCTRINE HAS

    The new FDS doctrine: Only the Governing Body are the FDS? Does this include other sheep who also prepare literature?

    What repercussions has the new FDS 'understanding' had on doctrine? Are there any Watchtower articles you can refer me to?

    16. Have they alluded to distancing themselves from C.T. Russell? HE'S NO LONGER ONE OF THE F&DS

    What?!! :) Any Watchtower references?

    21. Any new special arrangements for obtaining money? Pledges etc.ALL KHALLS HAVE BEEN 'ACQUIRED' BY THE SOCIETY. MONTHLY PLEDGES VOTED ON BY ALL HALLS. LOANS WILL BE PAID EVEN AFTER THEY ARE PAID OFF.

    I thought all kingdom halls have always been the property of the Watchtower corporation since the days of Rutherford.

    Loans will paid even after they are paid off? Like a congregation tithe in other words :)

    26. Are the hours still the same for auxiliary pioneer, pioneer and special pioneer? 30HRS FOR AUX 3X PER YEAR, 50 FOR AUXILIARY NORMALLY, 70 FOR REGULARS

    So you can commit to auxiliary pioneering for 3 times a year and then do only 30 hours per instance? When did this come about?

    Thank you for your response once again.

  • Lemonp
    Lemonp

    6 - There has been a questions from readers addressing the rising annointed. They put it down to new people not understanding and people with mental problems.

    "Memorial partakers. This is the number of baptized individuals who partake of the emblems at the Memorial worldwide. Does this total represent the number of anointed ones on earth? Not necessarily. A number of factors — including past religious beliefs or even mental or emotional imbalance — might cause some to assume mistakenly that they have the heavenly calling. We thus have no way of knowing the exact number of anointed ones on earth; nor do we need to know." Watchtower 2011 Aug 15 p.22


    23 - An upcoming WT study article now equates apostates with the Anti-Christ.


    24 - The last two months have been a doozy of new light. March Study Edition

    Types and Anti types have been thrown out the window.

    1919 is no longer the date that they received divine appointment. (not sure WHEN they received it now)

    More importantly now to be part of the "sheep" and not the "goats" of Jesus' parable the defining factor is support of the FDS

    Now the remaining living annointed will be raptured at the end of the Great Tribulation. (not sure if this means that no one is in heaven yet)

  • Saintbertholdt
    Saintbertholdt

    Hi there FadingTruth,
    4. Presiding Overseer is called the Coordinator for the Body of Elders, or COBE

    Thanks for that. I thought it had changed. Do they still use the term PO in everyday speech? Is Jesus now called the Chief Information Officer? :)
    12. "Need Greaters". Maybe I wasn't paying attention before, but this latest Watchtower study was the first time I read that expression in print.

    What does "Need Greaters" mean?
    thanks

  • Saintbertholdt
    Saintbertholdt

    Hi Lemonparty,

    What a name!
    6 - There has been a questions from readers addressing the rising annointed. They put it down to new people not understanding and people with mental problems.
    "Memorial partakers. This is the number of baptized individuals who partake of the emblems at the Memorial worldwide. Does this total represent the number of anointed ones on earth? Not necessarily. A number of factors — including past religious beliefs or even mental or emotional imbalance — might cause some to assume mistakenly that they have the heavenly calling. We thus have no way of knowing the exact number of anointed ones on earth; nor do we need to know." Watchtower 2011 Aug 15 p.22
    "nor do we need to know." - Then why count them? :)

    23 - An upcoming WT study article now equates apostates with the Anti-Christ.

    Oh I get where they're going with this one: Many anti-Christs in the last days.

    24 - The last two months have been a doozy of new light. March Study Edition
    Types and Anti types have been thrown out the window.

    Um not sure what you mean. Refresh my memory/ Enlighten me :)
    1919 is no longer the date that they received divine appointment. (not sure WHEN they received it now)

    Whoah! That is big news. The entire divine appointment hinges on 1919.What now????

    More importantly now to be part of the "sheep" and not the "goats" of Jesus' parable the defining factor is support of the FDS

    Yes. Zig Heil and all that.

    Now the remaining living annointed will be raptured at the end of the Great Tribulation. (not sure if this means that no one is in heaven yet)

    Hahahahaha. They can never make up their mind about the remnant.Flip flop. Flip flop.

    Thanks

  • Splash
    Splash

    Ah yes, COBE, not PO. My mistake.

    The travel time is often not counted directly after the group for FService has been taken, but if you 'started' before the group then you would likely count your travel time as well.

    The 30 hour pioneer concession is 2x when the CO comes, and also during the Memorial campaign.

  • Saintbertholdt
    Saintbertholdt

    The travel time is often not counted directly after the group for FService has been taken, but if you 'started' before the group then you would likely count your travel time as well.

    Ah yes I remember now

    thanks

  • FadingTruth
    FadingTruth
    What does "Need Greaters" mean?
    THE WATCHTOWER (STUDY EDITION) APRIL 2015

    Elders, How Do You Feel About Training Others?

    IN SOME parts of the world, numerous congregations receive much help in the form of “need greaters”—brothers and sisters who have moved in from abroad. These self-sacrificing Witnesses have a large share in bringing in the spiritual harvest. But what would happen if these hardworking Kingdom preachers were to leave the country? In many congregations, there would not be enough qualified local brothers to care for all the congregation responsibilities. Hence, “need greaters” serving as elders have a compelling mission—that of helping local brothers to become shepherds of the flock.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit