Posts by Brother Jeramy

60

Does The Governing Body Have Enemies At Bethel?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

i would think that a lot of resentment is building up for these for these guys at bethel even though it may not be discussed openly for fear of being abused by the gb in some way.. any way looking at their personality and the extreme phoniness of rubber mouth/face lett, and am#3, and the chicken shit coward leosch who won't even show up in court when subpoena'd to defend his faith or policies, and i'm sure they have many more undesirable traits that repel people instead of attract and that has to work its toll on relationships they have at bethel.. and this shunning thing i'm sure must really erk some at god's house and while they may not be free to voice their discontent i feel it must be building because these guys are complete nincompoops when it come to reality and the only way they know how to give direction is with fear and guilt which i'm sure is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way.. and let not forget the issues that are raise when they stole all the congregations savings and the pledge drive for more cash, ban on higher education, lawsuit pay out and etc.... what is this doing to the relation ship they have with legal and accounting i see trouble brewing right thier in the spiritual pair of dice..

Brother Jeramy

Brokeback Watchtower,

A more apt analogy would be the GB is the British monarch and the corporate executives of the WTS and other corporations are the Parliament. The monarchy is an integral part of the cultural, political, and social identity of the society, but the real policy and operational power is in the Parliament.

The fabric of the GB's cloak of control is wearing very thin thanks to the numerous ongoing revisions of its key doctrines. Executive officers at WTS corporations, the vast majority of whom are of the so-called "other sheep," are not blind to this. There are only so many more times the Writing Department can author a revision of the "this generation" teaching (along with more doctrine revisions enforcing the GB's centrality of authority over all Witnesses) before the GB's remaining facade of credibility completely implodes. When that happens (and it will happen), the GB will have to necessarily be dissolved and someone will have to take its place in order to viably manage the foreseeably tremendous fallout.

It's only a matter of time.

But yes. For the most part the GB is just a figurehead. Has been for years, actually, though now so even more than ever.

60

Does The Governing Body Have Enemies At Bethel?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

i would think that a lot of resentment is building up for these for these guys at bethel even though it may not be discussed openly for fear of being abused by the gb in some way.. any way looking at their personality and the extreme phoniness of rubber mouth/face lett, and am#3, and the chicken shit coward leosch who won't even show up in court when subpoena'd to defend his faith or policies, and i'm sure they have many more undesirable traits that repel people instead of attract and that has to work its toll on relationships they have at bethel.. and this shunning thing i'm sure must really erk some at god's house and while they may not be free to voice their discontent i feel it must be building because these guys are complete nincompoops when it come to reality and the only way they know how to give direction is with fear and guilt which i'm sure is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way.. and let not forget the issues that are raise when they stole all the congregations savings and the pledge drive for more cash, ban on higher education, lawsuit pay out and etc.... what is this doing to the relation ship they have with legal and accounting i see trouble brewing right thier in the spiritual pair of dice..

Brother Jeramy

Bethel is very much like most congregations. It's mostly populated with WTS/GB loyalists, but has its small share of lukewarms and a healthy share of dissidents (who become dissidents after getting to Bethel). The issue at WT headquarters is in the various upper echelons of corporate management. While the GB has an ecclesiastical grip on the theological underpinnings of the WTS, the actual operational control is far more out of their hands now than most realize. The actual power brokerage (from which stems many of the doctrinal changes, both recent and upcoming) happens outside the GB weekly conferences and at the hands of "other sheep."

28

Preparing for Governing Body 3.0? Making older GB step down? (New September Watchtower)

by FusionTheism in

watchtower, study edition, september 2015, "are you reaching the stature that belongs to christ?":.

paragraph 6: the mature christian shows humility in that he recognizes that jehovahs ways and standards are always better than his own.

[footnote: for example, older, experienced brothers may be asked to step aside from certain responsibilities and to lend support to younger brothers as they take on those responsibilities.].

Brother Jeramy

There's a huge shift happening right now with the GB, WTS, and the other related corporations. Minus the corporate and legal issues (which are significant), the theological/theocratic matters are of very high consequence. Keep an eye out for future Watchtower "type/anti-type"-ish articles highlighting changes in leadership in the Hebrew Scriptures and how those are akin to what's happening at WTS right now.

19

Ideas how to answer a jw friend

by Daniel1555 in

jw
friends

i faded completely (no kh visits or field service).. just recently a close friend from the kh wrote:.

"dear daniel.

it's a pity that we don't see you anymore at the kingdom hall.

Brother Jeramy

I would recommend a simple reply expressing gratitude for the email and for her thinking of you, and that you hope all is well with her. Keep it simple and charitable, without opening the door to a conversation that you'd clearly prefer not to have.

7

The Other Sheep and the Little Flock -- Simplified Suggestion

by FusionTheism in

if you look at the context of the scriptures, you'll see that the "little flock" jesus was going to give the kingdom to (luke 12:32) are the leaders in the congregations, the ones who faithfully serve his sheep, beginning with the apostles and original jewish believers.. in addition, the "other sheep" who would be brought into the congregation later, given the context in the gospel of john, would be the gentile (non-jewish) christians.

(see john 12:20-32).

nothing in these scriptures says anything about an earthly hope for the other sheep and a heavenly hope for the little flock.. that is going beyond what is written..

Brother Jeramy

The "little flock" illustration is part of a large sermon Jesus gave to "a crowd of so many thousands." (Luke 12:1) It covers the entirety of Luke chapter 12.

In verses 1 to 21 Jesus addresses the crowd.

In verses 22 to 40 he addresses his disciples (whom we can assume are the twelve, though it could have included others).

In verse 32 Jesus says, "Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has approved of giving you the Kingdom." He then continues the illustration by emphasizing the need for readiness in anticipation of the Master's return.

At verse 41 Peter asks Jesus, "Lord, are you telling this illustration to us or also to everyone?"

This is an interesting question for Peter to ask, because it suggests that Peter felt Jesus' audience may not have been limited to just the twelve, and that those among the "crowd of so many thousands" may have also been Jesus' intended audience for the "little flock" illustration.

Instead of giving a direct answer to Peter, Jesus' response in verses 42-53 is broad and very telling: "Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time?"

Then at verse 54 Jesus addresses "the crowds" again. What he tells them directly correlates with what he had just said to the disciples moments earlier about the necessity of diligence and readiness, and the cost of negligence and unreadiness. See verses 45-46 where he tells his disciples the illustration of the consequences of bad stewardship, and then compare verses 54-59 where he likewise tells the crowds another illustration about the consequences of bad stewardship.

The answer to Peter's question seems to be clear: Jesus' "little flock" illustration was meant for, and applicable to, the disciples as well as the crowds.

This ultimately suggests that anyone who "takes the lead" by undertaking the responsibility to shepherd God's people is a "faithful steward, the discreet one." And with that responsibility comes tremendous accountability.

71

A big hello and thank you

by iwasblind in

i just wanted to introduce myself and say a big hello to all of my mentally diseased friends.. i say friends because i have been lurking for some time so it feels like home (us lurkers are a bit scared and cautious so it takes a while).

i won't bore you with too many details, but i am a born in, currently serving as the cobe of a congregation.

my wife and i have pioneered for the last 10 years and were shaken awake by that ridiculous 15th july 2013 wt about the generation and 1914.. my wife who is much smarter than me has questioned for years.

Brother Jeramy

iwasblind . . .

I can very much identify with your situation. I am curious, though, how have you thus far sustained your numerous and demanding responsibilities as COBE (both in terms of shepherding and administration) while at the same time carrying the weight of your strongly expressed doubts and conclusions about the Watchtower Society and individual Witnesses? And how much longer do you think you can remain as COBE under these circumstances?

146

Why I remain one of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Brother Jeramy in

allow me to begin with a clarification: when i say i am one of jehovah's witnesses, i don't mean that i am an advocate of the watchtower society or a devotee of some of its more controversial false teachings.

i mean that i am a christian, a disciple of jesus christ dedicated to jehovah god, and who remains in union with my brothers and sisters who make up the family of faith that globally refers to itself as jehovah's witnesses.

some totally understand the distinction between the family of brothers and sisters and the corporate organization known as the watchtower society (wts).

Brother Jeramy

VIviane, cappytan, OUTLAW . . .

I've said my piece, you've each said yours. There will clearly be no agreement, which is obviously fine, but there's an obvious descending spiral in the things each of you are writing that approaches the level of obsession "with arguments and debates about words.These things give rise to envy, strife, slander, wicked suspicions, constant disputes" and are at best nothing more than "fights about words, something of no usefulness at all." (1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 2:14)

At that, and with the recognition that I certainly do not walk on water, I'll not be responding to either of you from here on out, as it honestly would not be foreseeably fruitful or of any real benefit. I do, though, wish you all blessings, and hope that you wish the same for me without qualification or condition, if you are disposed to do so.

146

Why I remain one of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Brother Jeramy in

allow me to begin with a clarification: when i say i am one of jehovah's witnesses, i don't mean that i am an advocate of the watchtower society or a devotee of some of its more controversial false teachings.

i mean that i am a christian, a disciple of jesus christ dedicated to jehovah god, and who remains in union with my brothers and sisters who make up the family of faith that globally refers to itself as jehovah's witnesses.

some totally understand the distinction between the family of brothers and sisters and the corporate organization known as the watchtower society (wts).

Brother Jeramy

Miss Behaving, what I do certainly appreciate is that you are at least delightfully rational (and with a good sense of humour), even when you have disagreed with a certain viewpoint. And yes, there were some posts that were kind, and I certainly expressed my gratitude to such ones (openly, and in some cases privately).

Thanks, and blessings.

146

Why I remain one of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Brother Jeramy in

allow me to begin with a clarification: when i say i am one of jehovah's witnesses, i don't mean that i am an advocate of the watchtower society or a devotee of some of its more controversial false teachings.

i mean that i am a christian, a disciple of jesus christ dedicated to jehovah god, and who remains in union with my brothers and sisters who make up the family of faith that globally refers to itself as jehovah's witnesses.

some totally understand the distinction between the family of brothers and sisters and the corporate organization known as the watchtower society (wts).

Brother Jeramy

cappytan . . .

For starters, what I wrote wasn't ad hominem. I was identifying the nature of Viviane's statements, not casting any aspersions on her character.

146

Why I remain one of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Brother Jeramy in

allow me to begin with a clarification: when i say i am one of jehovah's witnesses, i don't mean that i am an advocate of the watchtower society or a devotee of some of its more controversial false teachings.

i mean that i am a christian, a disciple of jesus christ dedicated to jehovah god, and who remains in union with my brothers and sisters who make up the family of faith that globally refers to itself as jehovah's witnesses.

some totally understand the distinction between the family of brothers and sisters and the corporate organization known as the watchtower society (wts).

Brother Jeramy

OUTLAW, with all due respect (and yes, even with a slight appreciation for your snark), given the very little I've mentioned about where I stand and why, you simply don't know enough about the details of my personal life and nature of my congregational involvement to draw the broad conclusions about me that you have. What the WTS is corporately does not make who JWs are communally, nor defines who I am personally.

Simple conclusions hoisted upon generalizations, while satisfying and convenient, rarely ever represent the complex realities of a matter.