BluesBrother

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Posts by BluesBrother

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  63

  Is Bible prophecy now starting to come true regarding the prelude to the great tribulation?

  by Disillusioned JW in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  is bible prophecy now starting to come true regarding a prelude to the great tribulation?.

  full disclosure: i still don't believe in the bible's claims about the existence of the supernatural, even of jehovah god (i'm an atheist and a scientific/philosophical naturalist), but i am asking this question because recent events are starting to seem (to me) to fit well the description of some prophecies in the bible.

  consider the following.. several hours ago (on 11-26-2021) as i was about to enter a local fred meyer store of my city (in suburb or small city in the metro area of a large city) a person i know told me that a moment earlier a person left the store in a hurry with a cart load up with unpaid merchandise (i think i was told it was groceries but i don't remember that for sure).

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  BluesBrother

  Sometimes I can watch the news and Can’t help thinking, “ this world is on the brink” ……But I recognise that I have been conditioned to think that way by an upbringing within the WTS.

  From what I gather , men have always thought that their own time period “must be the one” because of the things happening. Certainly, the more that you learn of the past and our social history, the more you learn just how hard it was to live then .They had different problems,often, but equally difficult or worse.

  Scientists predict terrible things sometimes, but mankind has always been useless at foretelling the future, so I curb my fears and hope for the best.
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  39

  BBC interview about 1975 - never heard this before..

  by defender of truth in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  for any lurkers who don't believe the watchtower taught that the world would end in 1975... rare jehovah's witnesses 1968 interview "armageddon and 1975" london watchtower rep speaks to bbc.

  http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=npmt-ml-m-g. --------.

  but where will this system of things be by that time?

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  BluesBrother

  Well, I never heard of that interview or seen this thread before, things can pass you by.

  I do remember Phil Reece at the London Bethel. Up until now I always liked his manner, a typically plain speaking Australian.

  He does not mince words though....

  “Q) Does this mean the rest will die

  A ) Yes..........”

  He must have passed away now along with all those old enough to take the lead in promoting that wrong idea . They were exciting, happy days for dubs.

  Now they have a long slog ahead to their eventual death before “waking up in the New World “. At least, that’s how the older ones see it.
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  33

  CO retirement severance?

  by road to nowhere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a friend says the wt gives a substantial sum to retiring cos. he says one bought land and built near him, a desirable rural area.

  i think it must have been saved green handshake money or inherited.. btw this man also thinks the gb are the smartest men alive..

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  BluesBrother

  I don’t think they last that long so as to retire, not these days anyway. In times past I knew some old ones, Ted Wright, Ken Wildig , Bill Newman etc.

  Nowadays they seem to be young Pioneers and after a few years they come off the work, either the wife gets pregnant or ill health.... or something.

  I never heard of a generous payout for them . I don’t think it exists.
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  14

  What happens if a JW say “Happy Holidays!”?

  by Iamallcool in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  any takers?.

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  BluesBrother

  Around here it would raise eyebrows and get a frown....

  Actually, back in the distant past we had a dear old sister in our group . She was a regular at the Tuesday book Study. Dear old N..... she was sweet natured but definitely “sixpence short of. Shilling “

  At Christmas time she would always say as she went to leave “ Compliments of the Season Everybody “ ( that’s a rather old fashioned way of saying Merry Christmas)..

  We all thought it funny.. I did not have the heart to counsel the old girl who clearly did not quite get it....

  They were happy days at Tuesday groups...
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  15

  Circuit Overseer's visit and Body of Elders

  by bola in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  who is more powerful out of the co and the body of elders?

  i remembered a time i was a reg.

  pioneer and my service overseer in my congo was asking one of the regular pioneers during the meeting with the co. how powerful is the co to the body of elders and how powerful is the body of elders to the co?

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  BluesBrother

  It is rare, but it can happen because the C/O has authority,”executive authority “ I once heard it called by an instructor at a big elders meeting.

  The old time C.Os were more inclined to “kick ass” and revel in telling the elders to buck up. The young lads ( they do look young to me) they send round these days don’t want any trouble. Mind you the last couple of years they only drop in on Zoom.
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  9

  What's actually recorded in publisher record cards?

  by optimisticskeptic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it seems to be unclear if things like public or private reproofs and details around those events being recorded and traveling with you.

  it seems like the details are largely part of whatever judicial paperwork there is and not necessarily attached to your publisher card permanently.

  i changed congregations a few years ago and it appears the letter the body wrote only covered the most recent issue and said nothing of a reproof that had happened a few years prior.

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  BluesBrother

  In my day as secretary the record card just contained mundane stuff like name address d of birth, and baptism date and whether you were anointed or other sheep. Every month it would be updated with reported hours and placements .

  Records of Judicial proceedings were separate and kept in sealed envelopes with your name on it . If you moved The Sec would write a letter of introduction (I tried to be nice) . Anything they needed to know might be conveyed in a phone call to the new cong.

  I have seen a guidance to keep such letters brief and factual,due to fear of a data subject request but I don’t know if that is followed
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  16

  The Watchtower—Study Edition | November 2021

  by RULES & REGULATIONS in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the watchtower—study edition | november 2021. .

  13. how did prayer help one family who were unjustly treated?.

  13 consider the experience of a sister named vero, who lives in the democratic republic of the congo.

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  BluesBrother

  I am not in a position to say whether their experiences are made up.. and neither is anyone. But I will say that for every one that gets an escape , a dozen more seem to get the chop.. as seen in Russia.

  So what is the criteria for protection? They can never answer that ....

  I won’t knock the concept of prayer. If you believe in God it is all part of faith
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  14

  Body of Elders Leadership

  by bola in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  who has more power in the body of elders in watchtower.

  is it the cboe, secretary, service overseer or who?

  i am just wondering since in my congo there seems to be cowards among them..

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  BluesBrother

  Punk and D of C have nailed it. In my experience the most assertive elder has his opinions listened to. That is human nature, I guess.

  When the Presiding Overseer became the Co-ordinater it was meant to show that there was no superiority but in practice little changed . Mostly the COBE is the smartest one and has been appointed by the C.O. , so he takes charge.

  In my last appointment, the PO and Service Overseer ruled the roost , a third elder always agreed with what they said, leaving me and another decent elder always out voted.
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  18

  So, When Did They Stop Singing?

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  rutherford said:.

  a few words like the above pronounced at the beginning of the study would be far more beneficial than to occupy the same time in singing songs, which often express much that is out of harmony with the truth of and concerning god's kingdom.watchtower/1938/may/1st/pg.139 .

  back then, they had what was called: order of study, and this is what every overseer was instructed to say to the audience.. .

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  BluesBrother

  Why is it not surprising that JFR wanted to ban singing and music? He wanted to stop birthdays, Mother’s Day and most pleasureable things , except Whisky and nice cars for himself!

  The really old , pre Rutherford songs were pretty gutsy , passionate, and often cribbed from hymn tunes. Once on the website they did a “look back “ video and it was someone singing Watchtower words but to the unmistakable tune of John Brown’s Body.
  

  In my distant youth , the old green songbook had some favourites. They were tougher, anti Satan, anti the Church and tunes that stuck in your mind. We used to raise the Kingdom Hall roof , with dear old Sister Nellie pounding away at the piano......

  Todays offerings are bland , pathetic nonentities.
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  5

  Money Spinners

  by Lost in the fog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i can remember when i was in that there were numerous articles and assembly talks about not using the congregation as a means of making money from a captive audience of brothers and sisters.. i was looking at the etsy website and stumbled upon a jw themed product.. i wondered if there were any more and discovered that there were lots.

  mind you maybe it's people who have left who see an opportunity for making money from gullible jws.. https://www.etsy.com/uk/search?q=jehovah%27s%20witness%20letter%20writing&ref=auto-1.

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  BluesBrother

  Firms like Bennet Cards and Ministry Ideas ( spellings?) claim to be run by active Witnesses. They seem to be accepted as legit and are well used by the dubs I know.