TheListener

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Posts by TheListener

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  17

  7 Million?

  by gringojj in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the preaching work must have really had an impact this month!

  my sister in law just told my wife that at this mornings meeting they said there are now 7 million witnesses worldwide!

  wow!!!.

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  TheListener

  But to really count 7 million members they have to have a stable membership. The peak won't cut it. It has to be the average.
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  24

  Latest "Remeber When..." JW email floating around

  by Jourles in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  notice how #29 sounds a little apostatish?

  shame on them for slipping that one in.. remembering when .

  .. 1. when there was a grading system on the written review to indicate how well you did.. 2. when the circuit overseer considered the "continue in the things learned.".

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  TheListener

  The following don't strike me as anything a dub would put into an email or that other dubs would willingly forward along. They MIGHT say some of these things in private conversation but I doubt this would be in a pro-dub email.

  3. When all Elders and Ministerial Servants only wore white shirts. You better not come out with a colorful combination

  12. Regular Pioneers put in 100 hours per month (and there was no "yearly special"; like when it went to 90 / 1000 for the year). 100 hours per month meant 1200 for the year...

  27. The national average for regular publishers in the US for time spent in field service was always more than 10 hours?

  28. There were only 3 million of us worldwide but we were still happy?

  29. You got baptized in symbol of your dedication to Jehovah?

  38. Ministerial servants weren't in their teenage years when they got appointed?

  41. Divorce was almost unheard of in the organization?

  42. When WE paid a specific price for literature and only pioneers got their literature for free or discount

  47. When there rarely was a Black brother giving a talk at District or Circuit assembly

  48. When Bethelites weren't allowed to get married and stay in Bethel
  
  49.When Bethelites were absolutely, totally part of your family not here today gone in a year. And they had to sign up to stay in Bethel for FOUR years, NOT one year.

  57. When they announced specifically why someone got disfellowshipped not just "because of conduct unbecoming a Christian" or "so and so has been disfellowshipped"

  70. When you had to go to two conventions because you got nothing out of your own because you worked so hard at your assembly.

  Sounds odd to me.
• 
  17

  7 Million?

  by gringojj in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the preaching work must have really had an impact this month!

  my sister in law just told my wife that at this mornings meeting they said there are now 7 million witnesses worldwide!

  wow!!!.

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  TheListener

  From 1986 – 1990 (5 years) they were in the 3 millions.

  From 1991 – 1995 (5 years) they were in the 4 millions.

  From 1996 – 2001 (6 years) they were in the 5 millions.

  Since 2002 – present (4 years) they’ve reported in the 6 millions.

  The 2005 report showed only 6.4 million witnesses. After 4 reporting years in the 6 millions they would need to have much higher numbers or stronger growth rate to reach the 7 million mark anytime soon.

  My estimate, extrapolated from the historical growth data from 2001-2005, is that they will reach the 7 million mark by 2010 or 2011.

  If they achieve growth like they did in the 80s and 90s they could reach the 7 million mark by 2007.
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  21

  With Albert Schroeder gone, there is a disturbance in the force...

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with prince albert in heaven at jesus' right hand, there is now a gap in the force among the governing body.. the new administration is now one man short.

  who will be his replacement?

  maybe that's why they appointed geoffrey jackson and the other dude to gb members - they knew schroeder was going soon, maybe barr will be next.. .

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  TheListener

  Just an observation but weren't both the new appointees to the GB circuit or district overseers for a long time? I'm sure most of you know which department runs the COs and DOs right? If not, it's the Service Department. Any guesses who runs that? TJ.

  Someone I trust very very much told me that 'if these two got appointed then they've already passes the TJ loyalty test.'
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  26

  Can you advise the WTS on what to do about travelling overseers?

  by ozziepost in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  yep, metatron's thread got me thinking.. http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/109442/1.ashx.

  let's apply some lateral thinking to this situation.

  ever thought of that?

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  TheListener

  *** w71 11/15 pp. 700-701 A "Body of Elders" with Rotating Chairmanship ***

  ELDERS

  APPOINTED TO VISIT CONGREGATIONS

  Then what about circuit and district servants? Will there be any rotation concerning them? Yes, these the Society expects to rotate to new assignments every two years. Sometimes circuit servants may even be made district servants for a period of two years and then, after being district servants, they may be made circuit servants, depending on what is felt to be best in the interest of the work generally throughout the country.

  These brothers, of course, qualify as elders; that is why they are in these positions. When visiting congregations they will cooperate with the "body of elders" of each congregation to the full and join in their field activities and in building up the entire congregation spiritually. But after servants are appointed during the year or rotate the following year, there will be no need for the circuit servant to recommend any changes, unless the circuit servant along with the whole "body of elders" sees that there is an emergency calling for a change.

  Does a circuit servant when he visits a congregation have more authority than the elders of the congregation and can he change things in the congregation, such as times of meetings, the arrangement of the hall, or change brothers in the various positions of oversight? No! A circuit servant does not have that authority. A circuit servant is simply an elder appointed by the Society to visit congregations to build them up spiritually and take the lead in the field service. His being a circuit servant does not mean that he is better qualified than are the local elders. Often the Society uses congregation servants to be circuit servants on weekends to serve other congregations in the vicinity. These congregation servants or other servants are used because they are qualified to give spiritual advice and counsel. The circuit servant or district servant should never think himself superior to the "body of elders" in the congregation. He should consider himself as an elder sent to the congregation by the Society to give what help and assistance he can offer and to encourage the whole congregation to press on in their grand work. The "body of elders" in the congregation should look forward twice a year to the visit of the circuit servant, who is also an elder, knowing that he will bring some good spiritual counsel from the Word of God and that he himself will set a good lead in the field service.

  Of course, the governing body will have a lot more to say about this in the Society’s publications as time goes on. In the meantime the congregations will function just as they are with the appointed servants, and when September 1972 rolls around, then the congregations having received their appointments of servants will begin to transfer the work over to the new servants during the month of September, and on October 1 the new presiding minister of the congregation will become chairman of the "body of elders" or older men, each handling his overseer’s assignment. Each year the brothers in the congregation will rotate in their respective positions and work together as a body, having just one interest in mind, and that is the welfare of the congregation itself, and they will cooperate and shepherd the flock of God that has been allotted to them.

  These organization adjustments will help to bring the operation of the congregations into closer conformity with God’s Word, and surely that will result in greater blessings from Jehovah. There will be more of a sharing of the load of work in the congregations, and this will make it possible for the "older men" to devote greater attention to the actual teaching of God’s Word and to shepherding the flock, to help each one to keep strong in faith. Also, as we get a clearer view of the matter of overseers, it helps us to focus our attention more sharply on Jehovah God, our Chief overseer, and on the one whom Jehovah has designated as the Head of His congregation, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is now actively ruling as king. As we do this, it will greatly strengthen our appreciation for the way in which Jehovah leads his people.
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  4

  ScienoSitter - Could a Watchtower Version be in the Works?

  by Oroborus21 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  so i have been reading a little about the filtering software program, scienositter (sometimes called "sceniositter"), used by the cofs to attempt to restrict access to info on the internet by its members and it sorta raised my antennae a bit because i could easily envision a special thursday night meeting where a jw-version could be distributed to all jws who have a home computer (or made available from the literature counter) with "strong encouragement" to install the program.. sure the program is easily circumvented and maintaining an updated list might be somewhat difficult, though perhaps no more difficult than updating anti-virus software and could even be automated, but still i could see that many jws, especially jw parents who are not keeping up technologically with their kids, might install it thinking that it would be a good thing.. i could also see that it could be packaged with a new wt library cd-rom and installed as part of that process.. now these thoughts are a little more paranoid and conspiratorial re: the society than i generally lean, however, since i do see the internet as being the most potent threat to the status quo and the greatest catalyst for change within the organization, i would be willing to believe that the society might be capable of implementing a tactic such as this.. any thoughts?.

  -eduardo leaton jr., esq..

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  TheListener

  MJ, if they explained to the friends that this was for their protection they would eat it up and be glad to do so.

  They really feel that "mother" is looking out for them and when provisions like this come along the flock is happy.

  I had a discussion some time ago with a good friend about the KM articles containing questions for certain articles (where they hadn't printed questions before but left it up to the speaker to create his own) and how the CAs and SADs have main points printed and reviewed in the KM prior to attendance and after attendance. I said that things like that make people's minds become lazy. They don't have to think so they don't. I didn't feel that it would be good for people's long-term spirituality to make everything so easy. He felt that I was being overly critical and picking at small meaningless things. He felt that the FDS knew how hard these last days are and are doing their best to lighten our load. I made some snide remark about why have the SADs or CAs when we could cover the main points in 20 minutes during the Service Meeting. He didn't appreciate that. In the end I felt like the FDS was controlling and manipulating and he felt they were protecting and lightening. go figure!

  The end result is that dubs just know that the FDS is looking out for them and the more restrictive they become the more comfortable many dubs get. The dubs that aren't comfortable with it may end up here. :)
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  74

  PAYPAL ACCOUNT SET UP FOR DONATIONS FOR LAWSUIT AGAINST THE WATCHTOWER

  by SHUNNED FATHER in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  thankyou for wanting to help.

  i believe i have a good chance of winning this lawsuit.

  the watchtower lawyers are defendants and have tried three times to have the lawsuit thrown out and have failed.

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  TheListener

  I've been pm'd with how to send anonymous money. You really wouldn't think that would be a problem eh?

  Anyway I hope the lawsuit is successful and you receive the support you need.
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  27

  Last king of the north - Russia

  by TheListener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  from the 2005 cdrom there are plenty of references to russia being the king of the north.

  this starts, as far as i found, at least as early as 1960. what is more difficult to locate are articles that imply that russia is the last kofn.

  if anyone has any handy please paste them.

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  TheListener

  Yes, I've heard various definitions for the new KOTN. Russian Federation, China, Korea, Iraq, Iran, Canada (hehehe), and the current speculation is Islam. I'm not sure how Islam, a religion, fits but perhaps they mean the Islamic countries acting together will form some sort of empire or confederation and become the KOTN.

  Anyway just a few weeks ago a friend said she thought it was Iran.

  Grasping at straws.
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  8

  Cosmic Rays = King of the North? Connected?

  by TheListener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  hmmmm, i wonder if they thought the end was near in 1960?

  yes, the answer is yes; they did think the end was near.

  bwahahahaha.. *** w60 4/1 pp.

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  TheListener

  Yes. I was looking for KOTN information and stumbled upon this and couldn't stop laughing. Then it hit me - I used to believe this crap! Then I couldn't stop crying. Well, not really but metaphorically.
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  77

  Bro. Schroeder dies

  by bythesea in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just received this news from a bro who has connections in bethel.... .

  bro albert d schroeder died at 10:30 am new york time today at brooklyn bethel...he was 94 yrs old.. he was born on april 7, 1911 in saginaw, michigan and entered bethel service in 1932. he was appointed a member of the governing body on december 18, 1974. bro schroeder's life story appeared in the march 1, '88 wt pages 10-17: entitled: "my life in jehovah's spirit-directed organization.".

  i don't know if the "today" means it was actually today...as i can't be sure when my friend received this news... but anyway, another of the old guys bites the dust.. .

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  TheListener

  Schroeder chaired uninspiring morning worship programs. I belive someone posted that already. I just wanted to agree with that poster.

  Schroeder appeared to feel that if he maintained an aura of intelligence the friends would unquestioning follow. Apparently, for the most part, he was right.

  If you know who started every prayer this way you truly were a bethelite: "oh our grand, magnificent, awe inspiring, powerful, strong, wonderful, loving..... heavenly father" - not the same exact adjectives each prayer but pretty similar. The prayers were long and it took a long long time to get past Jehovah's qualities into the prayer portion.

  Also, which morning worship chairman made every text somehow connect to homosexuality? Or has he would say "homoooooosexuuuuuual" (hard to sound out but if you were there you'd remember.