Gorbatchov: The artwork behind him. Cult!
FWIW a slightly cropped version of the artwork appears in the Watchtower, July 15, 2013, page 19
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130715/jesus-feeds-many/
Interesting subtext
darkspilver
JoinedPosts by darkspilver
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27
Irma Message
by wifibandit ingreetings brothers,.
the branch committee has prepared an encouraging video meant to encourage and reassure those affected by the recent storm.
please note that this link or any images from the video are not to be posted to the internet or any social media.. irma message - english.
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darkspilver
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1st it was happy at bethel now it also appears in the KH
by joe134cd inhttps://youtu.be/lfddxzipzga.
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darkspilver
Thanks - FWIW this is from a 44 minute video that was discussed here back in July 2014:
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/281447/_post/5047340
The OP section starts around the 30 minute mark.
The video is from the June 2014 Special Conventions in the USA.
That would mean it pre-dates the Bethel video?
I believe the 'Happy @ Bethel' surfaced in January 2015?
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Irma Message
by wifibandit ingreetings brothers,.
the branch committee has prepared an encouraging video meant to encourage and reassure those affected by the recent storm.
please note that this link or any images from the video are not to be posted to the internet or any social media.. irma message - english.
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darkspilver
Two things I noticed...
First - the background for both English and Spanish is completely the same (plant on left side is also unmoved etc) BUT they swapped over the Bibles on the right hand side - English has the new 'silver' bibles on display, but of course the Spanish don't, they get the 'old' version
Second - the lighting! The English version is darker with Leon Weaver, Jr, while the Spanish version with
Adrian Fernandez has noticably brighter lighting.... -
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What is this MTV visit they are talking about?
by hoser inwhat is mtv visit at the kingdom hall?
i know it is something about maintenance but what does the acronym stand for?.
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darkspilver
Could be Maintenance Training Visit?
Check out:
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Police cordon around Honiton's Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses after fatal stabbing
by ShirleyW inhey uk folks, what's going with this story?
was it an unbelieving mate that attacked and elder or something?.
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darkspilver
UPDATE
Man accused of murdering Jehovah's Witness is moved to mental health unit
DevonLive, Friday, September 22, 2017
Beviss will undergo psychiatric assesment
A man who is accused of murdering an electrician as he was working at a Jehovah's Witness hall is to be moved to hospital for a psychiatric assessment.
Keith Beviss, aged 54, of Woodhayes Drive, Honiton, is currently on remand at Long Lartin Prison but is likely to be transferred shortly.
He is due to be tried at Exeter Crown Court on November 27 for the murder of 55-year-old Philip Ryan at the Jehovah Witness Kingdom Hall in Dowell Street, Honiton, on Tuesday June 6.
Judge Geoffrey Mercer, QC, adjourned the case for a further hearing on November 3, when the arrangements for the trial will be finalised. He remanded Beviss into custody.
READ FULL ARTICLE: http://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/man-accused-murdering-jehovahs-witness-517994
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Irma Message
by wifibandit ingreetings brothers,.
the branch committee has prepared an encouraging video meant to encourage and reassure those affected by the recent storm.
please note that this link or any images from the video are not to be posted to the internet or any social media.. irma message - english.
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darkspilver
thanks wifibandit
FYI
On behalf of the United States Branch Committee it's my privilege to speak with you for a few minutes.
You dear friends have been close to our minds and hearts over the past days, and we have been earnestly supplicating Jehovah in your behalf. This is especially the case since many of you are now preparing for yet another storm, Maria.
As you know, over the past few weeks portions of our Branch territory have suffered greatly as a result of numerous storms. Because of this our Branch Committee has been working very closely with the Disaster Relief Desk here at the Branch to keep up-to-date on the difficult situation being faced by so many.
However today, we want to talk to you who have been directly affected by Hurricane Irma. We want you to know that already your Circuit Overseers and four Disaster Relief Committees are working tirelessly, responding to your immediate needs and organizing for a long-term relief effort.
It is evident that you have taken to heart Proverbs 22:3 where it states “the shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself.”
We want to some sincerely commend you dear ones for working in harmony with the organizational arrangements put in place for situations like these. Due to your excellent cooperation with the local elders and your congregation, information about your condition has been made available quickly, which greatly assist us in caring for your immediate and long-term needs. We also wish to thank those of you who, out of brotherly love, immediately made homes available to receive brothers and sisters who have been displaced, as well as those who have assisted in other practical ways.
You will be pleased to know that representatives from the branch will be visiting your area this weekend and will assist your local brothers to begin laying the foundation for a successful relief effort. In addition, we have asked that they visit many of you personally, and view the extent of damage this hurricane has caused.
The relief effort is sure to extend into the coming weeks and months. Therefore continue to work along with your local elders and the circuit overseer as they provide direction. As soon as possible please try to resume your theocratic routine and be alert to opportunities to provide spiritual and emotional support to others including your neighbors.
In addition be assured that we are making every effort to help you.
In the meantime remember that Jehovah is aware of your situation and is your fortress in times of distress as stated at Psalm 37:39. In addition please continue to take to heart these words at Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times, O people. Pour out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us.”
It is with deep heartfelt love that our Committee sends this message to you.
You friends are dear to our hearts and it is our sincere prayer that Jehovah will care for you and watch over you in the days to come.
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In the last 20 years How Many Changes Have Occurred in Watchtower Beliefs?
by minimus injehovah's witnesses say that they have the truth and the truth is constant.
they believe that what they teach is the truth that comes directly from jehovah god.
can you think of anything that has changed in the last 20 years to show a jehovah's witness that the truth is not necessarily the truth..
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darkspilver
darkspilver: It's no secret, in fact the GB proudly highlight the changes they've made... Listed in the Index under the heading 'Beliefs Clarified'
FAKE
There seems to be an issue here with the use of 'changes' / 'clarification'
The OP originally asked about changes
darkspilver linked to the WT Online Index, and pasted a summary of clarifications
Clarifications are NOT changes and should NOT be confused.
Sorry about that - I should have re-worded my original reply to emphasize 'clarifications' rather than 'changes' in order to avoid the confusion - thanks to careful for picking this up!
For example2000: use of one’s own blood: w00 10/15 30-31
This was a clarification in view of medical advances - such as the introduction of the 'cell-saver' machine:
Watchtower, October 15, 2000
Questions From Readers: In the light of Bible commands about the proper use of blood, how do Jehovah’s Witnesses view medical procedures using one’s own blood?
Blood that flows into a wound may be captured and filtered so that the red cells can be returned to the patient; this is called cell salvage. In a different process, blood may be directed to a machine that temporarily carries on a function normally handled by body organs (for example, the heart, lungs, or kidneys). The blood from the machine is then returned to the patient. In other procedures, blood is diverted to a separator (centrifuge) so that damaging or defective portions of it can be eliminated. Or the goal may be to isolate some of a blood component and apply that elsewhere on the body. There are also tests in which a quantity of blood is withdrawn in order to tag it or to mix it with medicine, whereupon it is put back into the patient.
The details may vary, and new procedures, treatments, and tests will certainly be developed. It is not our place to analyze each variation and render a decision. A Christian must decide for himself how his own blood will be handled in the course of a surgical procedure, medical test, or current therapy.
This, in principle, is no different from the following from 1978 - and hence, in the example, this is NOT a change, but a clarification.Watchtower June 15, 1978
Questions From Readers: What about a device such as a heart-lung pump or a dialysis (artificial kidney) machine? Might a Christian use such?
There are Christian witnesses of Jehovah who, with a good conscience, have allowed these devices to be used, provided that the machines were primed with a nonblood fluid, such as Ringer’s lactate solution.
When this sort of device is operating, the patient’s blood flows from a blood vessel through tubing and the machine (where it is pumped, oxygenated and/or filtered) and then flows back into his circulatory system. The machine temporarily performs some of the functions normally handled by the patient’s own organs.
Some Christians have conscientiously reasoned that the blood is flowing continuously and that the external circuit might be viewed as an extension of the circulatory system. They have considered it comparable to a piece of tubing that might be implanted in the body to shunt blood around a blockage in a vessel.
Of course, each Christian should weigh what is involved in the use of these and similar devices. He could consider whether he views the blood involved to be blood that clearly has left his body and so should be disposed of or as blood that, basically, is still part of his circulatory system. (Deut. 12:16) Then he can make a decision that will leave him with a clear conscience before God.—1 Pet. 3:16.
MacHislopp: The change, very carefully worded is clear! “Each Christian decides for himself how his own blood will be handled..”
Isn't that really just a slightly shorter way to express the same principle as contained in the last paragraph I quoted above from the 1978 Watchtower?
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interesting EX-CO AMA ( Ask Me Anything) over on exjwreddit
by Diogenesister inex-circuit overseer here, ama.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/6usaky/excircuit_overseer_here_ama/.
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darkspilver
More answers....
So what is the punishment for a JW who visits another church and goes inside the building?As long as you don't "worship" in there then there is technically nothing wrong with going inside. Many witnesses visit St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, but not during the service.
However when someone does go in, some elders use that to give them counsel. No big deal really. But they make it seem like it is.
What it's like to be a Circuit Overseer - Part 7Sunday morning
The entire congregation would show up to preach. I mean everyone. Even non-publishers would show up sometimes and Bible Studies. I let them go out preaching to "observe." The elders and I would preach a little then try to resolve last minute issues.
Sunday Afternoon
Public Talk, which I hated to give. Boring and repetitive. Plus no Halls back then had air conditioning so I would be dripping with sweat by the end of my talk. Then a quick WT and then my final talk. I often didn't even use my notes since I gave the same talk so much. I tried to encourage everyone. I thanked everyone for their hospitality. I tried to create enthusiasm for upcoming assemblies.
After the meeting we would go in the back room with the elders and I would read my report and have them sign it. The report includes all the numbers, publishers, new baptized, attendance at meetings, accounts, etc. On the other side of that page were my comments. What are the congregations needs, what I did to help the congregation, etc. The second paper is the recommendations for elder and servant. I know that's all changed now. But anyhow we reviewed who was going to be recommended and then we all signed it. They kept a copy and I sent the other copy to the Branch.
Then they would give me an envelope with some money in it, usually about $50. Handshakes all around.
And that was it. I would drive away relieved. I would drive back to the missionary home blasting music in my car and think about my day off the next day. The other CO would usually be there already, drinking a beer. I would watch a movie or sports with him and his wife and another single missionary brother. Usually it was an R-rated action flick. We would talk about mostly fun stuff.
That's about it. Every few months we had Circuit assemblies to prepare for and that was fun. Pioneer Schools once or twice a year. I also taught Kingdom Ministry School for Elders. But basically that's the weekly routine. And that's what the dozens of CO's I have interacted with do also. Give talks, go in service, try to solve problems, and move on to the next congregation. It's draining. I enjoyed having the position of Circuit Overseer but not really the work of a Circuit Overseer. I think it's because you never get to see Armageddon. Everything we do is preparing for Armageddon and helping others get ready. But it never comes. So I drummed up enthusiasm week after week, month after month and year after year but there was never the fulfillment. There was some joy in seeing younger people become pioneers or servants or bethelites, and sometimes a feeling of having encouraged everyone, but that's about it. So I liked the position, but the work was drudgery. Weeks and months and years of drudgery. And you can't complain about it, because you're the Circuit Overseer! You can't even admit it's drudgery, EVEN TO YOURSELF!
I remember one night getting a phone call from another missionary CO, a married brother. He said he felt so empty after the convention even though he had given two talks, and that he felt the same after his CO visits. He asked me if I felt the same. I told him he was giving out a lot so that's why he was tired.
If Armageddon had come, then in retrospect circuit work would have been great. I would have sacrificed all that time for a good cause, my talks would have helped people make it through. But that's not what is happening
Now that I look back, I remember the strange feeling that I often had years ago, that underneath it all we had been tricked. It's a hollow, horrible empty feeling that I tried to push away all the time.
You know when I was really waking up about 5 years ago, I went in service with the local CO here. He knew I had been a missionary. He called on me to comment any time I raised my hand at the meeting. So in field service one day between doors I asked him how he was doing. He gave the usual answer about how great everything was going.
But in his eyes and in his words I could see the same hollowness I used to have when I was a CO.
I'm so glad I got out.
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Jw meeting locator
by Done ini was born in and a jw for about 40 years, most of it in the same state.
im getting ready to move about an hour away and typed in my possible new zip code to the meeting locator to see who of my past contacts i will possibly run into.. when the locator gives you the list of nearest congos, is congo "a" the one that your address would be "assigned" to?
the congo that works your territory?
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darkspilver
OK - I get the same result as I got before.
The East Saginaw St KH is listed first with the two congregations that meet their listed alphabetically, ie:
First: East Lansing - MI (USA)
Second: Okemos - MI (USA)The fact that I can't replicate your results means something is going on - which may be device specific - and it is highly unlikely to be based on congregation territory.
BUT I note that when using 'any language' - the E and F congregations at North East St are not listed alphabetically for me - that may be a 'foreign language' issue, but alphabetically English (cong F) is before Spanish (cong E), and the two letter codes the WT use are EN (English) and ES (Spanish).
From the programming side I would expect some kind of 'listing order' to be used, if only to speed up the results.
Interestingly the other congregation identifier that WT uses is the 'congregation number' (used internally for literature and magazine shipping etc etc) - this could explain the results in my earlier post where I have most, but not all the data, but numerical order by congregation number could be what is happening to my results (and by coincidence they're alphabetical aswell) - but again interesting that I can't replicate your results using the same location.
You could be in any one of three congregations - I would say unlikely to be East Lansing (they'll probably have enough territory in the built up areas) which leaves either St Johns or Owosso - but it's anybody's guess....
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Jw meeting locator
by Done ini was born in and a jw for about 40 years, most of it in the same state.
im getting ready to move about an hour away and typed in my possible new zip code to the meeting locator to see who of my past contacts i will possibly run into.. when the locator gives you the list of nearest congos, is congo "a" the one that your address would be "assigned" to?
the congo that works your territory?
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darkspilver
Interesting - are you on a mobile / tablet?
I'm currently using a laptop / PC
When I do a search using my location as either
Shaftsburg
Okemos
WilliamstonEvery time the East Saginaw St KH is listed first with the two congregations that meet their listed alphabetically, ie:
First: East Lansing - MI (USA)
Second: Okemos - MI (USA)
