Posts by Earnest

20

Did they use to applaud after reinstatement after being Disfellowshipped, but then it stopped?

by ThomasCovenant in

i don't remember disfellowshippings happening very often and announcements about being re instated but i think i remember that we used to clap hands if someone came back after being disfellowshipped.

but then i think clapping wasn't allowed.

am i correct in my recollections?.

Earnest

In the Kingdom Ministry of February, 2000 this question was discussed. It quoted The Watchtower of October 1, 1998, p.17 which said :

“We must remember, however, that most in the congregation are not aware of the particular circumstances that led to a person’s expulsion or to his reinstatement. In addition, there may be some who have been personally affected or hurt—perhaps even on a long-term basis—by the wrongdoing of the repentant one. Being sensitive to such matters, therefore, when an announcement of reinstatement is made, we would understandably withhold expressions of welcome until such can be made on a personal basis.”

The conclusion was that applause at the time of reinstatement would not be appropriate.

You may also be interested that on the Theocratic Ministry School and Service Meeting (and, presumably, their current counterparts) there are no rules forbidding applause if it is done spontaneously, but we normally do not applaud each presentation.

This was clarified in the Kingdom Ministry of April, 1972 and confirmed in the Kingdom Ministry of May, 2008.

4

Trevor Pope and Jesse Hemery

by BereanThinker7 in

jw
friends

does anybody know anything about trevor pope?

he compiled some ideas from jesse hemery and wrote a book on end times called "a bible study investigation into our relationship to god and into the time of the end" .

its interesting so far and its already hard enough to even find any writings about hemery or info on his goshen fellowship.

Earnest

In a plug for the book in 2013 the publishers say this about Trevor Pope :

Trevor Pope the editor of this Bible study investigation has been an independent free Bible student for some seventy years. His current beliefs on the return of Jesus Christ were formed in studies and discussions in the 1950s with Jesse Hemery, one of the most respected Bible students of his generation. Hemery printed some of his thoughts privately, but they were never professionally published. Here they are commended to all Christians interested in the Lord’s return for they offer a broader understanding of the subject than is normally available.

9

Jehovah’s Witnesses Reject Plasma Injections for COVID-19

by Rattigan350 in

jehovah’s witnesses reject plasma injections for covid-19.

https://www.newsintervention.com/jehovahs-witnesses-reject-plasma-injections-covid-19/.

the jehovah’s witnesses have issues with modern medical information because this is seen as against the tenets of the religious faith.

Earnest

Thanks, John Redwood. I have read your article in JW Survey and find it convincing. It makes more sense to me that this directive comes via a Circuit Overseer rather than directly from the Watchtower Society. It is not that it is contrary to Society policy but it is not the way I am accustomed to the Watchtower Society expressing themselves.

16

What did Russell and the Bible students say about racism?

by Fadeaway1962 in

featured on jworg , what does the bible say about racism?

.

and a video , johny and gideon: once enemies, now brothers , two men from south africa.. what did russell and rutherford have to say about racism in the congregations ?.

Earnest

The situation in South Africa ever since the Group Areas Act of 1950 was that racial groups were restricted to different residential areas. The result was that if a Kingdom Hall or Assembly was in a white area the only people living in that area would be white. Likewise, in a black area the only people living there would be black. The effect of the Group Areas Act was that the congregations were not mixed. There was an exception to this when an employee (usually a maid or gardener) lived on the property of their employer, in which case they attended the congregation in that area.

Ever since the Group Areas Act was abolished in 1991 the congregations were mixed. Although I would say that there have been Witnesses who were racist due to their background, as a group they have never practiced apartheid in South Africa.

9

Jehovah’s Witnesses Reject Plasma Injections for COVID-19

by Rattigan350 in

jehovah’s witnesses reject plasma injections for covid-19.

https://www.newsintervention.com/jehovahs-witnesses-reject-plasma-injections-covid-19/.

the jehovah’s witnesses have issues with modern medical information because this is seen as against the tenets of the religious faith.

Earnest

The article suggests that the following in italics is a Watchtower directive:

The Blood Issue: There’s talk about the FDA allowing doctors to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients with “convalescent plasma therapy.” It would be wise to advise the publishers that it’s understood that this is giving the patient the whole plasma of the person who has developed the antibodies which would be unacceptable for Jehovah’s Witnesses.
However if the antibodies were extracted from the plasma (fractions/immunoglobulins) and then given to the patient, it would be a conscience matter for Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some doctors may view plasma as a fraction. Therefore the publisher may need to explain their personal decision not to accept any of the blood’s four main components, one of them being plasma.

I doubt it.

4

Will Covid 19 deaths exceed 'flu deaths in the U.K.?

by BoogerMan in

i hope not.

thankfully, c19 appears to be waning as the summer comes in.. 2017/18 'flu deaths: england & wales = 50,100, scotland - 23,137, & n.i.

- 1500. total = 74,637.

Earnest

The first reported deaths in 2020 for England and Wales by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) where COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate was in the week ending 13 March 2020 in which there were 5 deaths. The most recent report by the ONS is for the week ending 22 May 2020. For purposes of comparison the figures below only cover England and Wales for the same period of eleven weeks in the years 2018, 2019 and 2020.

In 2018 there were 17,524 deaths from respiratory diseases including influenza. This was 14.9% of all deaths in the same period.

In 2019 there were 15,334 deaths from respiratory diseases including influenza. This was 13.8% of all deaths in the same period.

In 2020 there were 16,001 deaths from respiratory diseases including influenza but excluding COVID-19. This was 9.4% of all deaths in the same period.

In the same period there were 43,694 deaths in which COVID-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. This was 25.8% of all deaths in the same period.

For purposes of comparison, there were 56,194 more deaths from all causes in 2020 than the average number of deaths over the same period in the previous five years. This means that in 2020 there has been an increase of 49.6% over the average number of deaths

All figures were obtained from the ONS website here.

9

Mario Di Maggio critical review of Creation book

by Darkanyons in

hello guys,.

i've trying to search out the critical review of the book life-how did it get here?

by evolution or creation?

Earnest

Hi Mario, thank you very much for this. Is it possible to obtain a PDF copy of your Critical Analysis of the Creation Book?

The names Jan Haugland and Alan Feuerbacher bring back to mind a time when there were intellectual giants in this land. I hope you stick around.

11

JW imprisonment

by BourneIdentity in

this is on the jw news site.

news alert | crimean supreme court sentenced brother artem gerasimov to six years in prison.

on june 4, 2020, the crimean supreme court sentenced brother artem gerasimov to six years in prison for his peaceful christian worship.

Earnest

Regarding the increase in sentence of Artyom Gerasimov, the article says:

It became known that along with an appeal from a believer, a prosecutor's appeal was filed to the court "for the sentence is lenient". As a result, the panel of judges (Judge-Rapporteur - Aleksei Lastov) denied the appeal of the believer, but partially satisfied the representation of the prosecutor. The prosecutor, Oksana Chuchueva, asked for a 6.5-year sentence in the colony. On June 4, during the appeal hearing the Supreme Court of Crimea took the side of the prosecution and replaced the fine with [six years] imprisonment. The verdict came into force. The defense intends to appeal this decision to the court of cassation.

6

UK: Time to punish the Covid 19 PROFITEERS!

by BoogerMan in

laws have been very quickly created in order to oppress & suppress uk citizens' basic freedoms and rights, while profiteering - thanks to the mantra of "supply & demand" - is allowed to flourish with nothing being done by the government to penalise companies who are more than likely reducing production of ppe in order to inflate their prices.

(oil companies have done likewise for years) .

"apart from actually finding the equipment, there are other problems.

Earnest

https://www.coronavirus-business-complaint.service.gov.uk/

3

Highlights from Watch Tower Britain and IBSA reports

by Corney in

here are some highlights from watch tower britain and ibsa annual reports.

1. no more printing operations in britain.

it’s already has been reported: .

Earnest

betterdaze : Grants [of £70.7 million] from who or what?

I cannot immediately establish from whom or what these grants came from, but in the same period Watchtower Britain spent £88.6 million in assisting entities overseas. Of this, £57.8 million were grants paid to such overseas entities.

Of greater interest to me was the information from the Kingdom Hall Trust, that during 2019

The most significant income of KHT was £3.8 million of donated assets. This was due to congregations joining the Trust merger project. Part of this merge is the transfer of beneficial ownership of Kingdom Halls from the congregations. ... all expenditure relating to the transfer of title to the Trust is the responsibility of local congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. If congregations choose to merge with the Trust, their own congregation funds and donations are utilised for their expenses.

At the time of the report the KHT held title to 636 properties as custodian trustee.