easyreader1970

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Posts by easyreader1970

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  57

  Could This Be The Watchtower's Endgame?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  suppose you had a business that didn't make money.

  you would try to make the thing more efficient and probably lay off.

  some workers to cut costs.

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  easyreader1970

  Come back to me next year, but I am thinking the name change is because there won't be any more books studied. When was the last time the WBTS actually released what you might call a "meaty" book? Lately the books have been easy material that is meant to be presented in the ministry, not personal study material.

  I think what they will do is incorporate what is now part of the Ministry School, the Bible reading, into the Congregation Bible Study. Some portion of the Bible itself will be studied for that segement of the meeting, instead of having someone do a 10 minute talk on it. There may even be an update to the All Scriptures Inspired publication and this is what will be used.

  The Ministry School will then focus solely on presentations.

  Then the Service Meeting will continue as always.

  That's what I think just based upon the "milk" books they have released over the past few years.
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  57

  Could This Be The Watchtower's Endgame?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  suppose you had a business that didn't make money.

  you would try to make the thing more efficient and probably lay off.

  some workers to cut costs.

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  2. 
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  easyreader1970

  I am convinced that something is going on. Even before this, it seems like for the past couple of years they have been gradually positioning themselves for something. I am doubly convinced that I don't know what it is. There is a severe "qualified brother" drought due to old age and retention (mostly retention here lately). Are they just trying to find better ways to deal with the lack of men or is there something else in the works?

  I have never thought the WBTS was evil or had truly ill intentions, but there have been times during my association when it seemed misguided and even out of touch with its own people.

  Still, I get the feeling that all of this recent stuff ("this generation", "Witness only" Watchtower magazines, the demise of the book study, fish in nets, etc) is part of a greater plan and purpose of which I cannot conceive.
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  8

  The writing on the wall. The end is coming!

  by easyreader1970 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my lovely wife is planning for the end of the world now.

  as i said in a previous topic, she is in a fever over the announcement.

  this is a sort of paraphrasing of her commentary:.

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  easyreader1970

  My lovely wife is planning for the end of the world now. As I said in a previous topic, she is in a fever over the announcement.

  This is a sort of paraphrasing of her commentary:

  "Remember when they encouraged us to really get to know the people in our book study and to humbly submit to the arrangement when they were rotating families in book studies to promote fellowship? Now I see why! It was so that we could all get to know each other! Now that they are ending the arrangement, there was wisdom in that since you can't effectively get to know people at the Kingdom Hall! Now it makes sense about the Israelites being given directions though they might not have understood them at the time!"

  I was berated, of course, for not doing my part in hanging around after Thursday book study. "You should have been getting to know the friends instead of going to the car!" So now, because I have put the family at risk for not socializing enough, she is gung ho about trying to get to know people at our meeting that we don't already. Wonderful.

  Her disfellowshipped and wayward younger sister was at a meeting yesterday as well (not our meeting but one where she lives). She normally goes to a "church of Christendom" but, for some odd reason, she decided to go to the Kingdom Hall. I suspect that she heard about the announcement, but that's just my opinion. My wife, of course, is certain that it was divine inspiration of some kind because now her sister wants to try to "get back in." So her sister is going to start meeting with the elders.

  Where is Morpheus when I need him?
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  168

  Athiest or Agnostic?

  by real one in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how can one be considered an athiest?

  athiest means you believe god does not exist.

  agnostic means you don't know if god really exist.

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  easyreader1970

  I like the unicorn analogy. Most people do not believe that unicorns exist. There are legends and myths surrounding them and some people who will claim to have seen them. But there is no factual evidence to suggest that unicorns exist. However, you come across that logic where one cannot prove that something does not exist. So there are people that believe in unicorns, for whatever reasons they have for doing so.

  So you have the unicorn athiests, so to speak. They do not believe in unicorns. Never have never will. No proof that they existed beyond the imaginations of some creative people. Then you have the theists. These are people who feel as though they have proof, at least inwardly, that unicorns exist.

  Lastly are the people who don't really believe in unicorns, never think about unicorns, and if you asked them if they thought unicorns existed, they would say "of course not." However, these people are not unswayable. If you can present to them enough evidence that there are unicorns, they might think differently. Their minds are not closed to the existence of unicorns.
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  16

  Question: When did the Book Study arrangement begin ?

  by RubaDub in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we were having a discussion about this last evening and we couldn't seem to find the answer.

  i checked several pulblications to no avail.

  i see a lot of info regarding the tms and sm but not the book study.. does anyone know what year the book study arrangement (formally) began.?.

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  easyreader1970

  Even the oldest Witnesses that I know have always gone to a book study. This is why many people, especially people who have been around for longer than twenty years, are convinced that this is something major.
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  24

  Job lost everything and still praised God???? Would you?

  by Witness 007 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  so jehovah and satan are in vegas and decide to place "a bet" that loyal servant job would still be faithful if he lost his money, family, wife's respect and health....and yes, he still praises jehovah!

  is this logical?

  if god arranged for your family to be killed and destroyed your health and finances would you say:"thank you sir can i have another!

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  easyreader1970

  The story of Job is beneficial for all christians to know that they can continue to serve God under adverse circumstances. Believe it or not christians today go through much more brutal treatment then Job did and still continue to serve him. You don't understand that? Thats understandable.

  I think the difficulty is not that there is an issue in serving a good deity in spite of adverse circumstances or opposition. That part of the story anybody can understand. The difficulty is that, if the story is to be taken literally and factually, the Yahweh deity was the direct cause of Job's suffering as part of some sort of wager against Satan. The deity trivialized the lives of Job's family.
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  17

  Gee thanks, Governing Body

  by easyreader1970 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  now my wife is even more crazed with zeal than ever before.

  the announcement has proven to her that the end is almost visible.

  time has run out!

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  easyreader1970

  Apparently it isn't just her. The phone's been ringing alot to day and it's other people who are "recognizing the sign" that the time left is short. Otherwise why do away with a congregation staple?

  sigh.

  er
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  17

  Gee thanks, Governing Body

  by easyreader1970 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  now my wife is even more crazed with zeal than ever before.

  the announcement has proven to her that the end is almost visible.

  time has run out!

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  easyreader1970

  Now my wife is even more crazed with zeal than ever before. The announcement has proven to her that the end is almost visible. Time has run out! So she claims that we need to prepare to tested! Lord have mercy, the pain and suffering I am going to have for the next few months. I'll subside eventually, a year from now, when nothing else has happened. But who know, maybe they will find another letter to read that will string people on.

  Yes, they have gotten rid of independent thinking at the book studies. That is over. No more socializing with people not of "like minds".

  "I am Locutus of Borg. From this day forward you will service us."

  er
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  26

  Response in the US to announcement

  by CaptainSchmideo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one young, zealous brother was thrilled about it!

  "they (meaning the gov.

  body) know something's going to happen, or they wouldn't be doing this!

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  easyreader1970

  The letter had its desired effect. There is a little bit of disappointment because that was the members only opportunity to really socialize but mostly excitement as people I have spoken to today think that this is evidence that time is almost up, there is only a little bit of time left, and the ark doors are going to close soon.

  So, yeah, expect people to become more zealous in the ministry now that they think there is not much time left.

  er
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  10

  The Book Study change is for real

  by Hiddenwindow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  until now, i have been skeptical about the so called change in the book study meeting.

  however, maybe this anecdote proves me wrong.

  we (the elders) recently had a meeting.

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  easyreader1970

  No, the letter is being read to the elders prior to the public talk.