Thanks, SNG,
Many are sisters looking for a new field to find husbands. Others are bored with the English congregations or looking for the Christian love they aren?t finding.
This was clearly the case with most people I knew that switched to a foreign language group. Being in a foreign language group at least gives you a taste of something exciting, and there's always that hope that new and better things are there.
I heard many complaints from the Spanish-speaking core of those congregations, that people would come looking for husbands and not spend much time learning the language to participate in the ministry or in the meetings. I know of people that went down to places such as the Dominican Republic especially for that reason, stayed until they found a husband or their money ran out, usually about a year.
Good point, Maverick,
The WTS claim to preach the message of the Christ. While they acknowledge many millions of people have not been reached, they accept no blame for this fact putting it off on God, or the governments or anybody but themselves. In lands where they can preach without too much opposition they still accept no blame if the work does not progress, putting that blame on the worker bees who don't have the right spirit.
Yes, the rank and file are always to blame.
I looked up 1 Thessalonians 4:16 in the NWT, Will Power.
because
the Lord* himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel?s voice and with God?s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. 1 THESSALONIANS 4:16*
Footnote Rbi8 1 Thessalonians 4:16"The Lord,"
אABVg; J 7,8,13,14 , "Jehovah."It is interesting how quick the WTS is to insert Jehovah in the OT where it never occurred, yet at this juncture it does not because it would interfere with their pet little doctrine about Jesus not Jehovah having an archangel?s voice. The smaller NWTs would not have this information and few JWs look at the footnotes in the larger NWT.
Notice what insertion they make in this quote from the Insight Book Volume 2 page 1161 under "Voice"?
Hi jgnat,The apostle Paul said, when writing to the Thessalonian congregation about the gathering of God?s anointed holy ones: "
The Lord [Jesus Christ] himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel?s voice and with God?s trumpet." (1Th 4:16)
Any one who claims to represent Jesus, yet does not bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, kindness, etc., etc. does not belong to Him.
The WTS talks about the fruit and trots out some rare occurrence of it, but those of us who have been in the congregations day after day, year after year, have not seen it or experienced it. I can remember growing up with an abusive father being told that he told me just because he was my biological father. After all fathers must love their children because that is what fathers do, right? After never seeing it in action, I finally wised up; the same is true of the WTS.
Cybersista
, don?t we know it!Morbid fear would have been a wrong motive for obeying Christ?.Today, we likewise do not use fear or similar negative emotions, such as guilt and shame, to coerce others into obeying Christ
Look at brother/sister Many Troubles; they are regular pioneering, why aren?t you?
Hi, lurk,
why should everyone asume the WTS is the correct channel
My husband noticed just before he stepped aside as an elder that the BOE letters referred less and less to scriptures to support their views. The only one they kept using was Matthew 24:45-47. We are the slave so you have to listen to us. No proof that they are the slave and continue to be the slave, to follow Christ, just we are the slave, we tell you what the scriptures mean and if there is no scripture, remember we are the slave, Matthew 24:45-47.
Hi wannaexit,
What always baffled me were the ones that went to the effort of learning Spanish or French for the purpose of helping these foreign congs and then turn around and go back to the English congregation. The reason being that these smaller congs were not a big enough stepping stone in their goal to climb the so called "spiritual ladder".
I find that is sometimes brothers go to Bethel and stay only about 5 years and then return to the congregation. Before their excursion, they were not considered qualified to be a MS or an elder; when they return they are held up as shining examples, get married, get appointed, get used on assembly/convention parts and you always hear, "they were at Bethel," as if they visited heaven and returned to tell us about it.
Very good, Cyberguy,
Par. 9: "Today, we likewise do not use fear or similar negative emotions, such as guilt and shame, to coerce others into obeying Christ."
Oh really? Then why do they keep a monthly record of our field service hours? Can a person pass microphones if they don?t meet the hourly average?How does most of the flock treat widows, orphans, and sickly ones, if they don?t measure-up regarding meeting attendance and hours in field service? How are such ones treated? If a "servant" is removed from his "privileges" how is he treated by others, including elders?
Microphones, I can remember a congregation that had few brothers that qualified by hours to do the mikes. The CO said they couldn?t use sisters and that the elders had to do it?.as if the elders would stoop that low.
Good point, the WTS mentions that only those in "good standing" can be helped and they gauge that on hours and meeting attendance.
Even if a servant/elder steps down for personal reasons, they are punished because the other elders and MS get stuck with more chores.
Hey Oxnard,
Do they hold guns to our heads? No. Must we comply with their rules unquestioningly in order to remain a part of their flock? Yes.
Emotional blackmail is so much more effective.
Excellent comments, folks.
Blondie