with the jw congregations about to be informed that the ubiquitous awake!
magazine is to be issued just once a month from january 2006, now is an apt time for interested parties to share brief memories and/or impressions about the bi-monthly awake!
magazines, whether poignant, hard-hitting or humorous.
I think (if this is true), there must be a huge money problem with the whole organization.
As far as missing the Awake....sure some of the articles were interesting.......but a lot of them were totally useless.
There was one whole article devoted on how to tie your tie properly.........many subjects were totally rediculous to be showing to people at their door.
I'll be interested to see this March KM if all these rumours are true.
last year, a faithful sister passed away in a neighboring cong.
she did have some disfellowshipped relatives............i guess everyone assumed they wouldn't show up.
but they did (which they certainly have every right to do).........and it seemed it caused quite a stir.. one elder, who stayed to visit the family, ended up having to apologize to the entire congregation.
Last year, a faithful sister passed away in a neighboring cong.
She did have some disfellowshipped relatives............I guess everyone assumed they wouldn't show up. But they did (which they certainly have every right to do).........and it seemed it caused quite a stir.
One elder, who stayed to visit the family, ended up having to apologize to the entire congregation. (Despite not having "said a greeting", or "eating" specifically with the disfellowshipped relative.)
It makes me think of Jesus words to the Pharisees..........."1/10 of mint, etc..........yet forgot about justice and mercy and faithfulness". (Matt. 23: 23,24) I suppose this kind of thing happens rather often.
we had the c/o meeting this week and he confirmed on the platform that the watchtower is "experimenting" with television add's in the usa.
he also said that they are on 'community' television and are free.
anyone ever seen them?
We've had some ads up in Canada.............I get a laugh about ones showing a husband and wife strolling along a beach around sunset, or some families playing in the park, etc.
In our congregation those things never happen..........everyone's way too busy with "spiritual things".......so the ads seem very misleading.
i've heard many comments about cong.
members won't be presenting this mag..........it's a touchy subject, not to mention the advice in the awake isn't any different than advice from dr. phil, oprah, etc... etc........... one interesting obversation- at the end of the article it doens't say to just "wait on god's kingdom".........this is how the very last paragraph goes.......... "where there's a will, there's a way.
do you have the motivation to do something about it?
I've heard many comments about cong. members won't be presenting this mag..........it's a touchy subject, not to mention the advice in the awake isn't any different than advice from Dr. Phil, Oprah, etc... etc..........
One interesting obversation- at the end of the article it doens't say to just "wait on God's Kingdom".........this is how the very last paragraph goes.........
"where there's a will, there's a way. Do you have the motivation to do something about it? As an overweight child or overweight adult, what are your choices? Lose wight of possibly lose years of life. Adopt an active life-style, and feel the satisfaction of accomplishment- even in small things, such as smaller sizes in your clothing!" (exclamation point in magazine also)
Years ago, people with health problems weren't encouraged to get them taken care of.......just had to wait for the "new system".
"if you knew for sure that the impending execution of divine judgment would not come for a few more years, would that change how you are using your life?
if the end of this old system is already later than you expected, have you allowed this to slow you down in jehovah's service?
" - page 14 .
For any problem in the world, the answer is always God's Kingdom. That's a great long-term view, but many people could use help in the here-and-now. I feel the organization has become like the Pharisees- lots of rigid rules, yet "have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness...." (Matt. 23: 23,24)
We're actually discouraged from giving to worthy charitable groups............but that doesn't change the fact it is a very Christian thing to do.........
Many people in ancient time served God admirably, even though they knew the end was far off..........it says a lot about witnesses that they always need to be thinking it's very near, or their spirituality goes down the drain.
hi everyone, i'm new :) i know jesus died on an upright stake and not a cross but i don't know where to find the info on where or when the idea of the crucifixation orginated from.
can someone help me on this please?
thanks in advanced :)
In the Theocratic School this year, many of the talks were based on the "Reasoning" Book. When it came to the chapter on the Cross...........I don't recall those paragraphs being covered in any talk.
I'm of the opinion the Society has been wrong on this one for decades, and won't admit to it. They just want people to forget about these little details.
I would feel very foolish now to try and bring this up to anyone in the ministry...........the Bible itself gives more evidence towards the traditional view. (Ex. -sign above his head, not hands.............nails, not one nail in his hands, etc.)
the cover of the nov. 1 watchtower is a work of irony as it well illustrates many of the.
very accusations made about witnesses.
it shows three people staring off in different directions.
For every problem in the world........it's always the same answer- God's Kingdom will correct everything.
This is an encouraging thought, but isn't often a "Christian" thing to do to be involved in helping out with at least some of the world's problems?
Many in our congregation use an organization for the handicapped to get free transportation to the Kingdom Hall...........yet are we ever encouraged to send donations to this organization? No.........pretty much the opposite. Rather we get the annual (seems to be more often than that in recent years) reminder of all the various ways to contribute to the Society.
i'm sure very few (if any) jw's donate organs, with the paranoia about blood, etc.
years ago it was condemned as "cannabilism".. yet now, it's okay to accept an organ donation..........at least some organs, anyway.
(i recall a life experience in the awake where the individual benefited from a kidney transplant).
I'm sure very few (if any) JW's donate organs, with the paranoia about blood, etc. Years ago it was condemned as "cannabilism".
Yet now, it's okay to accept an organ donation..........at least some organs, anyway. (I recall a life experience in the Awake where the individual benefited from a kidney transplant)
Wouldn't it be the "Christian" thing to do to also be an organ donor? What about "doing unto others as you would have them do to you?"
I sincerely doubt we'll ever see that type of encouragement printed in any of the literature, though.
" matthew 28:18-20
"all authority has been given me"
"out of all the languages"paragraphs 12-13
The comment about 5000 being baptized on average each week..............I recall doing a part on statistics around 10 or 12 years ago, and the average per day was around 1200- so the numbers have dropped quite a bit.
This isn't mentioned in the watchtower, but the average has come down from about 8400/week, to the 5000/week now.
one of the hardest doctrines of the witnesses that i couldn't wrap my little brain around, was the teaching that the resurrected would not marry.. i remember one assembly, a whole talk was spent on the resurrection, and emphasis was placed on the fact that they would not marry.
the couple sitting in front of me (obviously a happy couple, 'cause this distressed them) whispered how they just couldn't believe it.. here's the scripture they use to back their doctrine:.
matt 22:22-33 specifically vs 30 "for in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels in heaven...".
These verses have always been applied to ones with an earthly resurrection hope........when Jesus uttered this statement, the opportunity to ascend to heaven wasn't open yet.
The references to the ancient prophets are also in harmony with Jesus statement, as all of these ones will have an earthly resurrection.
One beneficial aspect of this knowledge, is that no one can criticize someone for re-marrying after the death of a spouse, knowing that they will not be married in the new system.
This is a common question brought to the Branches, and this kind of information is always presented in their answers.
It would be interesting to see how other religions view these statements, but likely they would be thinking that everyone would be in heaven anyway.
