I found out recently all the elders in Canada are attending a 5 day course at various locations throughout the country.
I thought maybe they were getting a new book, but I guess they've already received it some time ago.
I was wondering if the US has these meetings also? (they just had a 2 day course not that long ago, now they have
to use up their holidays for a 5-day course, right in the middle of summer)
i find many similiarities between the pharisees and witnesses today......... both used disfellowshipping as a weapon (john 12: 42........"because of the pharisees they would not confess.
him, in order not to be expelled from the synagogue").
both add endless rules, yet forget about the important ones, such as love, etc.
I find many similiarities between the Pharisees and Witnesses today........
both used disfellowshipping as a weapon (John 12: 42........"because of the Pharisees they would not confess
him, in order not to be expelled from the synagogue")
both add endless rules, yet forget about the important ones, such as love, etc. (Matt. 23: 23......."disregarded
the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness.")
both used every opportunity to emphasize their position over the people.......(ex. ......we can no longer have
a watchtower study without several mentions of the "faithful and discreet slave")
There are probably many more similiarities, but thinking about it, many Witnesses would have made excellent Pharisees
back in Jesus' days on earth.
last meeting there was a lot of emphasis on singing......even giving out the songs for the upcoming ca so we.
could practice.
and of course they emphasized how we should be present for songs, etc.
Last meeting there was a lot of emphasis on singing......even giving out the songs for the upcoming ca so we
could practice. And of course they emphasized how we should be present for songs, etc. etc.
My point is.........at any of the elders meetings I went to (many years ago now).......we never sang any songs, even at
the very large meetings when there were brothers from the whole circuit or more.
I doubt this has changed, so unless someone knows differently..........I think the singing thing is off key entirely.
(btw............our congregation absolutely sucks at all of the songs)
looks like they're almost begging for elders and ms's.
take a fresh look.
the need for overseers and ministerial servants is greater today than ever before.we.
It's pretty much the same in our congregation.......there are as many ex-elders as elders now........
currently i am not taking any of sides, but here's an interresting topic, i would be interrested what can an anti-trinitarian answer to this.. i found this article here: has the jehovah's witness' god performed the greatest act of love?.
in a nutshell: john 15:3 "greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends".
jesus laid down his life.
If you believe God laid down his life for mankind.........that means God was actually dead........a total impossibility.
it seems with the recent assembly about "keeping on the watch" many are totally excited about armageddon.. i've heard numerous descriptions about the last days......... for example- "we are now in the final part of the end of the last days".
-"it's as if we're approaching the final minutes of this system".
-"the end is closer than it has ever been before".
It seems with the recent assembly about "keeping on the watch" many are totally excited about Armageddon.
I've heard numerous descriptions about the last days........
for example- "we are now in the final part of the end of the last days"
-"it's as if we're approaching the final minutes of this system"
-"the end is closer than it has ever been before"
-"if we knew how close the end was, we would literally be running from door to door"
(that last one was from a Circuit Overseer)
It seems everyone is now breaking up the last days into parts, and including all kinds of new descriptions to keep
up their enthusiasm. Is this happening in other congregations also?
Re: Caliber.........that time you had to clean carpets in the church........I was wondering if it was quite a few years ago in western Canada..............as I recall a similiar experience.
Just curious, but don't share any more information than you're comfortable with.
some may have seen this tid-bit being passed around in certain jw email circles.
a "deeply concerned" jw relative (who knows i have soured on the whole jw thing) emailed this to me in hopes that it would improve my attitude.
at first i was just going to thank them for their concern and for the "encourgaging" email, but then i decided i must respond to this.
I was at an assembly day recently, and the brother from Bethel (Brother Little) actually said "if the faithful and discreet slave tells us to jump, we should say "how high?"......and while we're on the way up........:" (I guess he's in agreement with the cult mentality)
Another interesting statement was from a sister, many years in the truth. She was talking about facing challenges in her life, etc. .........one of them was taking care of her aging parents, and she mentioned "I never thought they would grow old in this system of things, but now we have to accept that not only are they getting much older.......but we are too" (not an exact quotation, but as close as I can remember)
the bible says the 144000 would be the first fruits.
witnesses have interpetted that over .
and over as meaning that the first 144000 to accept christ would be his bride.
Excellent subject.......and very much an Achilles heel for the Society........
In time they'll have to drop the "literal" number as related to the anointed.
(Nice to see so many "doing the math")
and what would you say about the book often referenced by the society as a backing for the stake theory, the non-christian cross by j. d. parsons ?.
you can also download it here if you prefer.
i know that book was written in 19th century so i hope that won't be used as an argument against it after all sir isaac newton's principia was written in 1687 and we aren't holding that against it either.
just read my post.........sorry about the spelling.........getting late I guess
