freddo

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Posts by freddo

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  45

  Berkshire Circuit (UK)

  by Dont_Believe_The_Truth in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm hearing rumours of huge changes within the berkshire circuit here in the uk .

  congregations being dispanded and kingdom halls closing down and being sold off.... official announcements within the next month apparently .

  does anyone else have anymore info?.

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  freddo

  Phone up the coordinator of one of those listed congos and ask him if/tell him that "wondrous expansion is still taking place round his way!?"
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  52

  What does the rise of Donald Trump tell us about the USA?

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. social
  2. current

  i thank one of my former lecturers for drawing my attention to this overview.. after some 100 years, living out its "manifest destiny" dream, as the hegemon of the world, what has this 'dream' done to/for the usa?

  the approaching presidential election provides an opportunity to examine this question.. and what of all the appendage organisations (like the wts) that rode across the world on the hegemon's coattails?.

  the answer may be here: http://www.vox.com/2016/3/1/11127424/trump-authoritarianism.

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  freddo

  USA may have been the power (business and militarily) hegemon of the world since WW1 but the description falls down in it's cultural influence.

  Western Europe is the wider cultural influence which comes from the spread of earlier times of France, Spain and Great Britain and why South America, Africa and much of Asia in many ways look to Europe - the historical trade and communication routes have been there for centuries.

  This is why the USA (republicans especially) has a reputation for being insular and self serving. Actually given it's awesome power I believe it has been quite benign militarily speaking and I believe its British background roots has a lot to do with this.

  It is still a relatively young culture - as Disraeli said to an Englishman who made anti-jewish comments "3000 years ago when your ancestors were painting themselves blue and running around half naked, mine were building Solomon's temple."

  The western world is steadily dropping the Christian religion as a major influence; the USA is a little behind the rest in this. Possibly because many there still believe its success stems from it.

  I don't think Trump will be your next President.
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  100

  Shiver Me Timbers I Gots a Bible Study Matey!

  by RayPublisher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the new wt 2013 june tells kids that they might get to study with a pirate someday!

  perhaps johnny depp will be resurrected for just that purpose?.

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  freddo

  New revised bible study aid for pirates after Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrmageddon.

  What does the Bible really teach Edward Teach?

  Study conductor: "Welcome to paradise Mr. Teach!"

  Blackbeard: "Huh? I was fightin' on the poop deck me hearty and someone lopped off me 'ead! Yet it's back on my body like a good'un!"

  Study conductor: "Yes Mr. Teach! You have been restored to good health - the Royal Navy is no more and me and little Jonny are assigned to study the bible with you and restore you to everlasting life."

  Blackbeard: "Arrrrrr! That sounds good me landlubbers! Now where's me treasure?"

  Study conductor: "Well (laughing nervously) it's been replaced by "Treasures from God's Word!"

  Blackbeard: "Now don't you play games with me! Where's me treasure?"

  Study conductor: "Look why don't we tidy you up and shave off your beard and then I can show you this new fashionable item we all wear - it's called a necktie ... then we can search for spiritual gems ... "

  Blackbeard: "Whaaaaaat!!??"
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  23

  Wt "study" Participation, is it a "True Believer" Indication?-- or not?

  by prologos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in our congregation, the elders rarely comment.

  the majority rarely comment, 2 sisters, vehemently, and often comment.

  since in their case, it can not possibly be" teaching in the congregation", is participation in the wt "study"in general an affirmation of faith?

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  freddo

  Commenting in my corner of hundred acre wood goes thus.

  Kids: Some say nothing or shyly lisp an answer that is whispered in their ears.

  Teenagers: Generally stay shtum except the precocious pioneer at age 15 who answers three times per meeting.

  Non-appointed brothers/ex appointed brothers who are not reaching out and sisters not pioneering and who are not elders' wives: Maybe one answer every couple of weeks.

  As above but ex-elder in an almighty sulk but goes to meetings because Jehovah knows he is right: No answers ever!

  Elders and MS's and brothers who pioneer: One answer per meeting.

  Elder wishing to make a point: Three times per meeting.

  Elder's wives: Two times per meeting

  Pioneer sisters: Two/Three times per meeting.

  Frustrated Single Pioneer sister: As many times as possible!
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  10

  As a JW: major personal blunders

  by Hecce in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to make mistakes is human, to make mistakes dictated by faith is also human but foolish.

  i am pretty sure that as jws we all have made decisions that later on we regretted, in some cases they have been minor and in others they had profound effect in our life; major items were like blood and education related.

  i am going to post one decision that was a major disaster for the person involved and if you know of something similar please contribute.. in a spanish speaking country where "machismo" was the norm and it was common for a man to have several mistresses, there was a sister married to a wealthy man and they had four children.

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  freddo

  Not sure there could have been any happy ending in that situation.
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  9

  Special talk outline or highlights?

  by stephanie61092 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i apologize if this has already been covered but i've actually had a really busy, fun weekend with friends and family and i haven't been online.

  that being said, i missed the special talk yesterday.

  does anyone have the outline or highlights of the talk?

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  freddo

  @sir82

  "Round our way" (UK) it was April 3rd ... as in second weekend after the memorial.
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  11

  Ronnie Corbett.

  by karter in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  and it's good nite from him.. one of the greatest comedians of my lifetime,he never used foul language he and ronnie barker were just truly funny.. i always enjoyed he two ronnie's.. rip.. karter.

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  freddo

  Yes - gentle clever sometimes saucy British humour of the best kind.
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  21

  JW TV - Britain Branch Report

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  although it is titled as "britain branch report" it's not much of a report.

  it only goes for just over 6 minutes and half of it is some 'wild talk' about romeo and juliette, i say wild talk because it has nothing to do with the british branch and if there was any point to it, it's lost on me.. anyway, about the only thing said that is of any importance was this (at the 2.20 mark) -.

  "the governing body, very kindly, have given us permission to continue construction once we have reviewed the scope of the building so we hope to be underway very soon".

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  freddo

  I'm not sure if the "build, build, build - we're going places" of this time last year followed by everything coming to a screeching halt was pure incompetence or a crafty master plan.

  It certainly got donations to the fore and "justified" begging for kingdom hall project savings funds. And they can still fund a tiny Chelmsford for 100 instead of 1000 people by the money made from selling the London properties and moving printing to Selters.

  Then the surplus from that and the KH's gets sent to New York to keep it away from UK investigations.

  ...

  If it is a crafty master plan then they've done it on the backs of gullible and trusting bethelites and followers ... if it's incompetence followed by opportunism then the result is the same but with less bad motive.

  Ignore me; just musing.
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  16

  A mistake we did ...

  by Absolutesbeginners in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hello girls !.

  i ve been reading you all many times , and from many years ..... i am sure my english is getting better and better because of you !

  i am from france, no sorry , from "small brittany " ...so what ?

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  freddo

  Salud. Mat an traoù.

  Is your mother's husband a witness? The guy 22 years younger than her? Are you officially DF'd or DA'd?

  Welcome to the forum.
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  76

  1958 Convention Program. 8 days from 9am till 9pm. Anyone attend?

  by StopTheTears in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how in the world did they justify this torture?

  imagine the children forced to sit in the summer heat at yankee stadium for 12 hours a day.

  for 8 days.

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  freddo

  I wasn't born then but went to the 1969 Wembley, London 8 day International aged 8. The sessions were a blur of boredom but the food tents and double towers of the old Wembley stadium remain imprinted on my mind. I remember my first experience of London Underground trains which was cool.