covid-19 Australia jworg style.

by jonahstourguide 5 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  jonahstourguide

  Hi all.

  I wanted to post this somewhere that all could see it.

  Here is a letter being circulated in Melbourne Australia area.

  COVID-19 ANNOUNCEMENT
  
  Dear friends, the local body of elders have agreed on the following actions in relation to today’s announcement.
  
  Theocratic Events
  At this stage congregation meetings will continue to run as normal. No publisher should feel obligated to attend congregation meetings at this time if they feel concerned or anxious about doing so. Please be assured, you are not being unfaithful for taking such precautions. If you choose not to physically attend our meetings at this time please take advantage of the dial in and video conferencing facilities. Please call your group overseer if you need assistance with the Zoom app.
  
  Memorial Arrangements
  In view of the accelerating risk of COVID-19 transmission. We will not invite the general public to the memorial. We may invite family members and friends only. However there will be strict Hygiene requirements that all will be required to adhere to, prior, during, and after the memorial commemoration. Please prepare your friends and family for this so as to protect themselves and all those who attend. (Phil 2:4) “look out for others”.
  
  Field Service
  Effective immediately and until further notice we will not continue going from door to door nor be in close proximity to the general community. Our weekly field service groups will still proceed as we are currently arranging alternative field service provisions. More details will follow very soon.
  We understand this may impact those who have chosen to Regular or Auxiliary pioneer. Rest assured that those taking the lead understand your situation. We serve a happy and reasonable god, so keep doing your best and Jehovah will do the rest.
  The current global pandemic reminds us of the description of the ride of the fourth horseman in Revelation chapter 6, which includes mention of “deadly plague.” These events strengthen our faith that we are living in the final part of the last days.
  
  More than ever, it is vital that we do not panic, but demonstrate faith by “keeping calm and showing trust” in Jehovah. (Isa. 30:15)
  
  If you have any questions or concerns in regard to these adjustments please speak to one of the elders.

  End of letter.
  

  In addition to this, today, all circuit overseers have been advised that no visits will be conducted for the next two months.

  The co's have been advised to attend a cong of their choice if they want to in the interim. As it happens, many of the co's are in the high risk area.
  

  All circus assemblies have been cancelled for two months at this time.

  jtg.
  
• 

  Anders Andersen

  No publisher should feel obligated to attend congregation meetings at this time if they feel concerned or anxious about doing so.

  This implies that JW should (are made to) feel obligated to visit meetings during normal times...

  Please be assured, you are not being unfaithful for taking such precautions.

  What about the JW in Russia and other areas where JW are banned or bullied? Will JW who take sensible precautions and worship Jehovah from home, without going to illegal meetings or joining in illegal preaching activities, be seen as unfaithful?
  
  
• 

  smiddy3

  Their is a scripture for every occasion and JW`s are masters at using them to their advantage .

  The current global pandemic reminds us of the description of the ride of the fourth horseman in Revelation chapter 6, which includes mention of “deadly plague.” These events strengthen our faith that we are living in the final part of the last days.

  "The Bible is like a musical instrument that you can play any tune on." to fit your agenda.

  Of course they omit the fact that the earth and humanity have suffered many plagues throughout the centuries and the "end" didn`t come then.
  
  
• 

  alanv

  Good point Smiddy3. They can make the bible back anything they say. Pretty easy considering how big a book the bible is.

  All circus assemblies have been cancelled for two months at this time.

  circus assemblies? haha
  
  
• 

  MacHislopp

  Hello everyone,

  good points and observations:

  from A A :This implies that JW should (are made to) feel obligated to visit meetings during normal times...

  from smiddy3 : "they omit the fact that the earth and humanity have suffered many plagues throughout the centuries and the "end" didn`t come then.'

  A final comment: wait until the Society wille HAVE to CHJANGE plolicies, when things will became worst in terms of infections and hundreds of cases under intensive care ...and more death like in Europe.

  Take for example : Italy 24.747 case virus Sars-CoV-2,

  1809 died

  and 2335 are out of danger.

  The whole country is a restricted place:

  Spain n France Austria, Germany; Belgium are in similar situations!!!

  Greetings,

  JC MacHislopp
• 

  WTWizard

  "No publisher should feel obligated to attend congregation meetings at this time..."

  However, there is the unspoken rule that anyone that skips a boasting session for coronavirus is "spiritually weak". Those who go despite the virus (and despite getting it, spreading it through the whole congregation) are ballyhooed as "spiritually strong" and get extra points for "privileges".

  More hogwash. It is not worth it to attend a boasting session, even without coronavirus. The time and energy wasted does not get you benefits equal to or greater than what you are wasting. Throw in a pandemic, and it really is not worth it. This is a potentially dangerous situation--not only with a death rate that fluctuates between 2 and 9% and is higher among elderly and infirm people, but it could mutate into something that gives three months' suffering and kills more than 99%, including healthy young people. This is unpredictable--and the more people that donate their energy to this thing through reading and abiding by the bible or quran, or anything in the name of either of those filthy books, the more likely such a strain will come up or we will get communism as the result (which is, to me, even worse than outright dying).

  I can only hope they are smart enough to cancel the whole memorial. For a boring 45 minute talk and the chance to pass a plate and glass (touched by something like 200 hands--which one has the coronavirus?), you risk picking up the disease. They want me to go? They had better use field circus time studying German--I have something like 1 1/2 years' head start on them.