Upon arriving I ran into lots of old friends and really enjoyed seeing everyone and visiting. They dont know that Im currently struggling with doubts about the organization and they think that Im the same old zealous brother. I couldnt help but feel a sence of guilt visiting with them about our current number of publishers and how many we had pioneering ect. It really made me feel hypocritical because I hate putting on a false front.
I couldnt help but notice as soon as I opened the program that during the afternoon symposium there would be a talk entitled Be "Ready to Obey" Organizational Direction it was the 4th talk under the title "Manifesting the wisdom from above in our life" and of course the wisdom from above works through
an organization that we should be ready to obey! 2 years ago I would have never given this a thought. I immediatly pointed this talk out to my wife and she gave me a look of dissapointment. I wish I had never pointed it out to her because she is confused about whats happening to me and my doubts. No doubt she would have never noticed it. The 2nd to last talk on Sunday was entitled " Do not become wise in your own eyes" I knew this would also be a talk that hit home. Listed below are some things that I wrote down that I thought were interesting.
Our district overseer came from Michigan. He brought out that during george washingtons day they had a procedure called "blood letting" where they would rid the body of blood. Now they have blood transfusions.
He made mention that both of these were harmful and that true christians have been protected from things like this. He read Col 2:8 where Paul warned not to follow philosophies of man and that this reasoning should be paramount in our life "Being led by Gods wisdom." Of course later this day we would have a talk on being ready to obey organizational direction. I wondered If I was the only one who was bothered by this contridiction in the whole place.
He also said " As long as we are preaching the good news regularly we wont have time to get involved with the things of the world."
Several times during the assembly they warned strongly against the internet and PORN. They asked the question "are we avoiding the snares of the internet?" Col 3:5,6 says deaden your body members. They brought out that many witnesses have gotten addicted to porn and have become slaves to it like drugs.
They warned against stumbling our brothers. The brother advised sisters to ask themselves before they wear something " Is this too low cut? Is this going to cause someone to have unclean thoughts? (I almost laughed at that!)
They warned against being to critical of our congregation. Used an example of one circuit overseers wife who was always critical of everyone and there excuses for low hours ect. but that now that shes older and has problems shes understanding and compassionate.
We were encouraged to set reasonable goals and that Jah knows our limitations. ( I was actually kinda suprised that they would say this. I figure they would think we would get lazy or get the wrong idea.
Just a little earlier they encouraged us to stay very busy in the ministry to keep us out of trouble.)
IN the ready to obey talk they mentioned that when we get direction from a trusted source we do it "right then!" Doctore ect. ect. He said a well trained soldier responds quickly and the King saul was given dirction from the prophet samuel but that king saul disobeyed and it cost him. He brought out that not listening to Jehovah means we dont trust him. Gen 6:8 ( of course Jehovah in this situation means governing body) It was said that Noah did all that Jah told him to and that he was good example for us.
HE THEN ENCOURAGE US TO MAKE DECISIONS WITH THE HELP OF EITHER THE PUBLICATIONS OF JEHOVAHS ORGANIZATION
OR USE THE BIBLE. (in that order) He said that the publications were based on bible principles. Went on to give example of a local couple of gave up their succesful business and laid off all the employees to
move where they were needed more and do Jehovahs work. It was mentioned that they had some serious money problems but they are now doing ok with the janitorial jobs they picked up and that some brother was renting them a house where they moved in clayton nm.
The district overseer said that he was visiting with a man at the door and he read some books from the society and that they were college level quality. He said that we were getting thousands of dollars worth of education for free and come to find out this man had been the HEAD MAN AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY.
(everyone in the audience gasped with excitment at this point)
It was said that Jehovah gave us the privelege to preach and that Jesus set the perfect example for us in
his preaching by "keeping things simple". Simple teaching and simple reasoning. He said "we need simple truth" (i was thinking at this point that our message is completely diff from what Jesus taught and not simple at all!)
They interviewed 91 year old sister who hardly ever misses meetings and who has been zealous for most of her life.
He asked "are we slacking in the harvest work? The brother brought out that during a real harvest even
the children are expected to help. He said people have questions and we have answers. He asked if others are having to carry our load? (several times this assembly it was mentioned that finding people
at home is almost rare and that we need to go where the people are(business territory,phone witnessing ect) He said we went from 88 pioneers in 2003 to 125 pioneers in 2004. He mentioned that we were living in the last days and that "we can have godly wisdom"
in our needs of the circuit talk it was based on changing our circumstances and the preaching work.
He said that we are fulfilling bible prophecy ps 110:3-you people will offer themselves willingly!
He said in israel some would fish at night because thats when the fish were biting and that some were doing evening witnessing in the area. He mentioned that some gold mines are being re-worked because we have better techniques. We can also use better techniques in the preaching work.
It was mentioned that the book studys were being skipped by alot of brothers and that it was ironic that we are studying the "draw close to Jehovah book" He said "this is exactly what satan doesnt want us to do!!" He mentioned that many say its the best book the society has put out in years. He read a poem called "daddy wouldnt go" about a father who quit the meeting and his little girl turn into a complete loser all becaue daddy wouldnt go.(you could hear a few sobs from the audience. I couldnt help but think of several friends whos daddys did go and they still turned out losers!)
They directed a large portion of the assembly to the young ones(I think lots of young ones are leaving and they are trying to really encourage them)
something interesting that I noticed was in the watchtower that we will study this weekend on alcohol. I will quoute it exactly in the 21 paragraph "Do not drink at all. That is what a woman whom we will cal Irene resolved to do. After almost two and a holf years of sobriety, she says, I began to think that just one drink might be all right, just to see how I would handle it. But the minute I feel that way, I immediately take the matter to Jehovah in prayer. I am determined not to have another alcoholic drink until the new system-if even then............>>>>>>>AT LEAST THEIR WILL BE ALCOHOL IN THE NEW SYSTEM!!!!! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IVE HEARD THIS!!!!!
Just got back from the 2004-2005 circuit assembly here are a few thoughts.
by PaNiCAtTaCk 106 Replies latest jw friends
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PaNiCAtTaCk
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upside/down
I get nauseous just reading your notes. I can take exception and fault-find with almost every sentence. It's pathetic that NOTHING changes. Do more- but it's OK if you can't, but you'll die if you don't, but show compassion, but do more, don't judge others who can't, associate with those that do more, don't forget those who can't, if you don't do more your working for Satan, so damn it DO MORE!!!
Always remember- most people are in a mild coma while attending these assemblies. How many of us have been jolted upright in our seats out of our coma while clapping, not knowing what the hell happened, but being grateful another talk was OVER? Be honest!
I thought so- no worries...
u/d
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Leolaia
Ugh...that comment about how the children are expected to work during a real harvest made me want to retch...
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czarofmischief
How refreshing! Thank you, faithful and discreet slave, for another wonderful spiritual banquet!
HA!
CZAR
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Gill
Sorry you had to sit through all that for us PaNICaTack!
Sounds like there really is nothing new under the sun!
So glad not to be there anymore!
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Maverick
My GF is a JW whose grown daughter came to visit over the Holidays. They went to the Assembly. I asked her about it. She told me they talked to old friends and met up with people they had not seen since the daughter moved away and got married a few years back. I asked about the program. She had this blank look, "The program...the talks?" She shook her head and said she was playing with her grandson and had no idea what the ding-dongs on the platform were talking about.
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JustTickledPink
So the brother giving the talk met the HEAD MAN AT OXFORD? Are we talking about the Oxford University in the UK???? That makes no sense that he'd be living in the US and make that comment. Maybe it was just some wing nut that said that, or it was made up.
I looked at their website and currently the High Steward is The Rt Hon Lord Bingham of Cornhill.. He's a Lord, and I am sure lives pretty well.
The story doesn't make sense.
You know the words "having their ears tickled" never made sense to me, but the more I hear, the more the people in the audience have to be ignorant and really want their ears tickled to buy into it anymore.
Sorry about your wife, but give her time. She might really want it to be true and is just in denial.
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blondie
The district overseer said that he was visiting with a man at the door and he read some books from the society and that they were college level quality. He said that we were getting thousands of dollars worth of education for free and come to find out this man had been the HEAD MAN AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY.
Notice he doesn't give the man's name so this little story can be verified. The WTS gives names but in many cases has a disclaimer saying the changed the name of the person.
Blondie
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PaNiCAtTaCk
When the District overseer was telling the story of the oxford man he really draggin it out and of course he had a strong accent and he had retired from being the head man at oxford university. He had retired and probably moved here.
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blondie
He still didn't give the man's name did he so it can be verified. How do we know the man was telling the DO the truth?