My friend in New York did not write the notes. He received them from someone else and shared them with me and I am sharing them with you.
Sour Grapes
JoinedPosts by Sour Grapes
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Brooklyn Update – January 10, 2015
by Sour Grapes inemail sent to me from a friend in new york city..
brooklyn update january 10, 2015.
we have spent the last few weeks in training at the montgomery facility (near walkill) there are 6 couples that were trained to go on the road as ldc field representatives of the branch.
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Brooklyn Update – January 10, 2015
by Sour Grapes inemail sent to me from a friend in new york city..
brooklyn update january 10, 2015.
we have spent the last few weeks in training at the montgomery facility (near walkill) there are 6 couples that were trained to go on the road as ldc field representatives of the branch.
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Sour Grapes
Email sent to me from a friend in New York City.
Brooklyn Update – January 10, 2015
We have spent the last few weeks in training at the Montgomery facility (near Walkill) There are 6 couples that were trained to go on the road as LDC Field Representatives of the Branch. We will have a work week that mirrors the brothers & sisters in the CO work – Tuesday thru Saturday – Sunday & Monday off for meetings & service (and everything else!)
Our full-time job is to take specific projects assigned by the Branch according to who has the greatest need in a particular area – then meet with the local elders to understand the needs of their congregations – figure out where the absolute best place to put a new KH – (based on need, not price). Once we figure that out – then the Branch will direct us to go after that property weather or not it is for sale. Elders will get the full scope of the new arrangement on Jan 31st when the LDC rolls out the new arrangement to the nation – you are gonna love it!!!!
Right after our school – the instructors went to Palm Coast FL to train 4 couples for Zone 2 – then California – then Texas. So 4 of the 7 zones in the US will be up and running within 6 weeks.
Zone 1 includes the entire Northeast (from Virginia up to Maine) – currently all 6 couples have been put in the New York/ New Jersey/ Conn area. Dave Palen, our overseer, said we are going to take NYC by storm! We are going to be working 12-14 hour days, at first, to pound it out and get it off the ground – the friends here have waited a long time. This is a demanding job – I have a lot of respect for the RBC brothers who were doing this work while holding jobs, raising families, being elders – that’s such a heavy load.
We started working immediately - and have already started visiting local halls that either need a renovation or a complete change. It is eye opening to see what the brothers deal with in the city. Across the country the friends who have less money in urban areas have the greatest need. Under the old arrangement – they couldn’t afford to upgrade – but now Jehovah is making sure they are cared for first!!! Such a loving arrangement!
We visited a Hall yesterday – that truly looked like a 1970’s funeral home! It had everything but the organ music and the corpse! Very dated, unappealing façade, poor layout, leaky roof – not a place you would feel proud to invite an interested bible student – however the brother showing us around reminded us that this particular Hall is the best building in the neighborhood – and nicer than all the homes near there – so it’s all relative. Wow!
It’s going to be fun to be a part of giving these friends a dignified place to worship – they are so humble and faithful! I understand now why we are living in the city – there is no way you can truly understand the issues for the friends here unless you have lived here. Only now do we realize that placing a Kingdom Hall a few blocks one way or another on a map may look fine – but in real life – it means an elderly sister or single mother has to deal with that walk, in all kinds of weather every week. This arrangement allows us to accommodate the friends and bible students by being put in the best spot possible – regardless of price! We are told - this is “need” driven, not “money” driven. We will save money where we can but not at the expense of the spiritual health of our brothers. How cool is that!
At our graduation – Brother Palen made a point that I found really powerful. “When you are concerned that you can’t do this job and it’s too overwhelming – even for oversight – remember – even if you don’t know what you are doing – you will succeed! How can that be true? Prophecy!”
“Turn to Ezekiel 38:11,12 “I will invade the land of unprotected settlements… it will be to take much spoil and plunder…places that are now inhabited by a people regathered from the nations, who are accumulating wealth and property “. (check cross reference for ‘property’) In this time of the end Jehovah’s people will be the largest property owners in the world – and our great God Jehovah’s name will be on every one of them!! And “they will have to know that I am Jehovah”!!” (vs 23)
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Upcoming meeting Re: KH Construction
by pixel infresh from the "press":to all bodies of elders in the united states branch territoryre: local design/construction department broadcastdear brothers:the work of constructing and maintaining theocratic facilities throughout the unitedstates branch territory is indeed great!
(1 chron.
29:1) with this in mind, we are pleased to informyou of a special meeting to be presented on saturday, january 31, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. easternstandard time (est) to all elders and circuit overseers in the united states branch territory.the meeting will be approximately two and a half hours in length and will includepresentations by members of the local design/construction department, the united statesbranch committee, the worldwide design/construction department, and a member of the governingbody.
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Sour Grapes
A brother from Kentucky told me that where definite plans to build a new assembly hall in southern Ohio. All of the congregations had saved $4,000,000 for the project. Well the funds per confiscated by "Mother" and now the excuse is given that there is a hold up in the project due to paperwork. When will everyone wake up and see what is going on? The marjority who can see the problem will do nothing due to family and shunning. The WTBS is a very smart and conniving company.
Sour Grapes
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Watchtower Study today Jan 4 2015 , Fallacious Reasoning (issue Nov 15 2014)
by BluesBrother inthe subject of the study was jesus resurrection .
my post is not about the subject and whether or not that can be believed in.
millions of christians do and it is not my place to debunk religious faith.
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Sour Grapes
The Earth is Flat !!!!!!!! I have proof. in 1490 Christopher Columbus's uncle said that over 10,000 people said that the earth is flat and they said that Christopher would fall off of the edge of the earth if he sailed to the west. That is well documented. How can we dispute all of those witnesses?
Sour Grapes
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Watchtower Study today Jan 4 2015 , Fallacious Reasoning (issue Nov 15 2014)
by BluesBrother inthe subject of the study was jesus resurrection .
my post is not about the subject and whether or not that can be believed in.
millions of christians do and it is not my place to debunk religious faith.
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Sour Grapes
All of the posts are so good! The harder something is to believe the more non-proof is given. I heard comments that "the study was so good today." How can so many little bread crumbs of non-information excite JW's so much? I think that they have to keep saying we have the Truth (or my god we have got to have the Truth) because if they don't they have just admitted to being hoodwinked into dedicating their life's to a book publishing company who knows how to make the big bucks selling fixed up buildings with free labor so they can sell them and get everyone excited about fixing up different buildings. I wish that my mother never spent $0.10 on the Watchtower and Awake in the late 1960's. -
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JW's love to talk themselves into believing stupidity
by Sour Grapes inwell today the watchtower conductor makes the statement that "the tv.jw.org web site is proof that we have jehovah's blessing because such an endeavor would have been impossible without his help".
of course that causes all of the bobbing heads in full agreement.
i wonder what god blessed cbs, abc, and nbc to get up and going and offer their programming?.
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Sour Grapes
Well today the Watchtower conductor makes the statement that "the tv.jw.org web site is proof that we have Jehovah's blessing because such an endeavor would have been impossible without His help". Of course that causes all of the bobbing heads in full agreement. I wonder what god blessed CBS, ABC, and NBC to get up and going and offer their programming?
Another doozy today was the comment that our being at the meeting today is proof that we have the Truth.
Sour Grapes
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LDC Semininar
by Sour Grapes inldc semininar @ patterson nov 15-18, 2014 .
entire ldc dept included remote workers/design/legal/real estate/purchasing.
oversight.
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Sour Grapes
LDC SEMININAR @ PATTERSON Nov 15-18, 2014
Entire LDC dept included – remote workers/design/legal/Real Estate/purchasing
Oversight
Jamaica & Palm coast are linked in
Most of seminar is not confidential (I have excluded anything confidential)
HARMONIOUSLY WORKING TOGETHER – Jonathan Robbins (S. Africa)
Today we will get the full picture of a new program that is in no way related to RBC or to LWLR (lands with limited resources) – both programs are history
LDC is New! With elements of the old arrangements
We will get an overview of the vision of where we have to go – logic will tell you it cant work – but Jesus is in control
GB as said “this is the way…”
Don’t apply your professional thinking to this concept – we will use it but it won’t guide you.
We all need to be clear with 1 voice for our family and friends to understand it – we are the face of LDC – be excited - do you realize how incredible this is?!
When things look impossible – how do we spiritually get our thinking right?
Look at creation – its all in sync its all in order – that is reassuring – Be part of that order – Jehovah blesses unity!
“Do Jehovah’s work – Jehovah’s way” We are spiritual people asked to do a physical task.
On Jan 17 & 24 the GB will do live streaming to elders & CO’s to inform them of the changes
EX 12:37 Israelites depart from Egypt – they seem to wander a bit before they get to the Red Sea –first they are told to go toward Succoth - if you are an Israelite you know Succoth is in the wrong direction – human wisdom says go North to Zoar – it’s the shortest route – there’s a highway – its well watered – it makes perfect sense!
Ex 13:20 from Succoth to Edom – now what?? We are near the wilderness – speaking of Moses, what would you have said to your wife? “He’s lost – he’s old!”
Ex 14:2 now they turn back to Pihahiroth and camp by the sea – what? Now you say “hes completely lost it!” You are only looking at the man . Are we sitting here at LDC saying “these brothers don’t know what they’re doing – this is ridiculous!”
Ex 14:17 (Heres what no one knew – Jeh had a plan) God chose not to send them the shortest way – he knew that they may turn back if they were faced with a way out. Ex 14:4 says ‘ I will allow pharaoh’s heart to become obstinate and he will chase after them” – why? “thus I will glorify MYSELF by means of Pharaoh” There was a bigger reason for doing things this way.
The bigger reason was and is = Jehovah’s glory!
We have the tremendous privilege of experiencing his mighty hand…
EX 14:30,31 “Jehovah saved Israel…they saw the Egyptians dead on the shore…they saw his great power. And the people began to fear Jehovah and put faith in him and his servant Moses”
When the horses were pounding down on them – would you have doubted?
Right now the RBC has 275,000 people in Builder Assist – we are reducing that to a handful? Ridiculous?
Do we really believe that Jehovah is in control?
EX 13: the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire – were visible evidence of Jehovah’s direction
Look at EX 14:10,11 – When the Israelites were frightened they lost sight of Jehovah and saw only the man – they didn’t see the pillar of fire!
2 months later – after going thru the Red Sea – witnessing a miracle of Jeh’s saving power – what did they do? Built a golden calf and called it Jehovah! They got afraid – they needed something visible. But what was on the other side of the camp – all while they were building the calf? Yes…the pillar of fire!!! They chose not to see the evidence Jeh provided and chose to look at the calf!
Can you see the Pillar of Fire today?
YES! The organization is growing at a phenomenal rate
At an unprecedented rate – people are simplifying their lives – ridding themselves of their belongings to come and serve Jeh more fully – the room is filled with professionals from all over the country and world – that have chosen to completely unplug from their livelihoods – leave everything and everyone to come work on this historic project
GB says simplify – earn less money but at the same time they need millions more to do what we need to do – a contradiction? NO – Jehovah makes it happen. – consider:
We are the largest printing house in the world - all unskilled workers
We are the largest translation organization in the world – 700 lang- unskilled
We are one of the largest property development corporations in the world – we own over 80,000 properties – this is all managed by volunteers
Can you see it? The pillar of fire?
We are asked to adjust our thinking and feelings – Jehovah is in control. When we are told “go this way” we say “ I will go even if I don’t understand why right now”
Zech 4:6 “not by military force, nor by power, but by my spirit ”
We are tools…our value is based upon obedience and loyalty – not talent.
In Africa –land ownership is in layers – it can take years to get thru the red tape and fully gain ownership. Jonathan said his team used to celebrate when they would finally acquire a property – but
then they would immediately stop and thank Jehovah for the victory – by his spirit – not because they were clever or smart.
The fact is – they are clever and smart – but that is not why it works – it works by His spirit alone!
When working together – do you think you have a better way? – there are often many ways to accomplish a task – but in the end we must settle on 1 way and go with it!
Work with those in oversight! Be obedient – be whole souled – have a strong work ethic. Don’t neglect the details…remember Moses did “just as Jeh commanded”
Show initiative: math 25 talents are given to the slaves – they had to show initiative to make the talent grow.
We have sacrificed careers, family, children, and comfort – to give a witness – to care for new ones coming into the truth – to give them a dignified place to meet.
Consider it a privilege to do this work.
ACCELERATING THE CONSTRUCTION OF KINGDOM HALLS Jason Paterson
WT 5-15-14 - there is remarkable growth because of Jehovah
Isaiah “little one will become a 1000; the small one a mighty nation” – Jehovah said he would “speed it up” in the time of the end.
Imagine in the future, speaking to Isaiah about what we are doing???? He had no idea when he wrote those words…
The GB has been reviewing the 2 programs used to build worldwide (RBC and LWLR) and have decided to make a new arrangement that will be unified worldwide.
Organizational Structure looks like this now in 2014: (top down approach)
Publishing Committee
WDC /RDC (Worldwide Design/contr) & (Regional Design/Contr for assembly halls )
LDC - Dept
CG – construction Groups
CV – construction Volunteers
We all agree that the Warwick Project is monumental – and of utmost importance…
To illustrate the scope of work of the LDC consider this:
(Based on square footage)
KH builds needed right now = 3.3 Warwicks
KH remodels needed = 5 Warwicks
Maintenance = 12.2 Warwiks
Total 20.4 Warwicks AND…… the goal is 5 years!
Add to that 1700 Full time Servant Residences & translation offices
Now…you can begin to see the enormity of the undertaking!
Add to that the fact that the US is divided into 7 zones – each zone is geographically as big or bigger than any branch out there.
We have to help change the Perception amongst the friends as to what the priorities are, for example most people think like this in terms of importance:
Warwick
Wallkill
Patterson
Brooklyn
Assembly Halls
Kingdom Halls
Maintenance of Assembly Halls
Maintenance of Kingdom Halls
We need to change the friends thinking to this in terms of importance:
Objective of the Department: simplify / build / renovate / maintain all of our buildings FASTER & with LESS PEOPLE!
RBC is not a failure! Anymore that the DO’s that are being reassigned are failures. Would we say the book study arrangement was a failure simply because we have combined the meetings? NO - Simply put – the time for RBC is past – it is clear we need to make adjustments to keep up with Jehovahs Chariot!
Read the account of Gideon at Judges 7:
32,000 men – already outnumbered by the enemy – Jehovah reduced them down to only 300 men - notice why he did this… verse 2 “otherwise Israel might brag about itself against me and say ‘my own hand saved me’”
Jeh helped Gideon figure out who to search for as key men
Jeh gave them the tools they needed
Vs 17 he gave them exact instructions “watch me and do as I do” Notice 1 standard! – if they were to succeed they had to be unified!
Only AFTER they were unified – then the Holy Spirit was added – and the win!
Jehovah likes impossible odds – this way its clear that He is with his people.
Right now we have:
132 RBC’s
1350 overseers
270,000 people in Builder Assist (we want to reduce this down to 30,000)
We built only 65 new KH in past year – we have a back log of 500 halls to be built plus more every day
Zone 1 – Montgomery NY – Dave Palen
Zone 2 – Palm coast – Matt Gowen
Zone 3 – Chicago
Zone 4 – Rosenberg TX – Ray Andrews (knows Les Jones)
Zone 5 – Denver CO Zone 6 – Malmora CA – Tom McFarland
Zone 7 – Peolip,
Zone 8 – Islands – Rafael Torres
Remember in 1990 how you felt when the branch said we are no longer going to ask for money for the magazines? We wondered how will this work? It costs a lot of money to produce the literature – how can we just hope people will donate?
Well, 24 years later – we are fine – in fact Jehovah has moved people to donate more than enough to keep the work going and growing! Nothing short of a miracle!
Now – this new arrangement dwarfs that miracle – the loan arrangement for building Kingdom Halls is being done away with. The Branch is essentially saying “here’s a $600,000 facility at NO CHARGE - ENJOY!!!!!”
Here is the task of the LDC:
Build 5 times as many Kingdom halls with 1/10 the work force – oh, and 1 more thing – do it for no money!
STANDARIZATION = SIMPLIFICATION=ACCELERATION
As a Business Model – this would be utterly ridiculous!! But this is “Jehovah’s Work – Jehovah’s Way” …so we already know it will be a success – again we are told to work in unity and keep out of the way of the Holy Spirit!
Micah 4:1 prophecy – “ In the time of the end, the mountain of the house of Jeh will be firmly established…and into it peoples will stream”
Problem: people are steaming in faster than we can build! Actually it’s a good problem to have!
STRATEGIC DESIGN (Byron Deitrick)
Jehovah and Jesus have had a special relationship for untold millions of years – Jesus being his “master worker” helping in the creation of everything and all creatures.
Their relationship is much like the relationship between the Architect & the Builder.
The Architect has the vision – the Builder brings it to life!
Job 39:27-29 Job chapter 39 talks about many creatures that were created by Jeh & Jesus – lets take just one: vs 27 the Eagle
Imagine : Jeh says to Jesus – Ok I want this creature to be lighter than air – but very strong – strong enough to carry not only it’s own weight while flying but also the weight of its prey…make its eyesight so keen that it would be like sitting on the top of the Empire State Building yet still be able to see an ant on the ground… go to work!
Jesus figures out that to carry the weight needed and have the ability to fly without tiring out – the wing span would have to be huge – so he creates the eagle with a 7 foot wingspan and designs it to flap its
wings to get lift – and be able to soar using the laws of physics with the wind against its wings – impressive right!
Now Jehovah says: ok today I want you to build a creature that can also fly (Jesus may be thinking he can use the same principles and perhaps design as he did for the eagle) but there’s a catch! This creature is not lighter than air – it’s round and kind of stubby – it’s purpose is to deliver liquid from one place to another – so it needs to fly. We are talking about the Bumble Bee – which at first glance flight for this creature seems to defy the laws of Physics.
Did Jesus turn to Jehovah and cite all the reasons it can’t be done? “your own laws of physics prevent flight of this creature –I can’t do it!” - It’s doubtful he said that…so what did he do?
Turns out the little bees wings have to be short in order for them to get in close to the flowers they are drinking the nectar from – short wings will not create lift for such a heavy bee – the key is in the movement of the wings! Instead of flapping up and down – they move front to back in an alternating pattern – in fact – 1 wing moves at a faster rate than the other – giving its flight a wobbly appearance – it is able to hover and fly straight up and down! Amazing!!
It shouldn’t be able to do this – but it does!!
Jehovah and Jesus created what in human terms should be impossible!
They told us – the GB is aware that when you draw on your years of expertise in the secular world – you will have concerns and see all the reasons this will never work – they understand that – now they want to he how it WILL work!
They ask us to reserve judgment till we have heard fully
In the US we have 7 different climate zones – that creates a problem when you are trying to standardize the Kingdom Hall design.
**We believe reductions of 20% or more is achievable if we simplify the design
3 Principles:
Standardization – leads to simplification – we can improve and learn from our mistakes – we will be building the same thing over and over
Longevity of Materials – using better materials with a longer life will allow us to lengthen the time between remodels
Design is not done in a Vacuum – design works hand in hand with purchasing to determine the best outcome for the best price
The new design will be a bit more commercial in nature – dryvit/stone/ flat roof with parapet / mechanicals on the roof
Recognizable Images like JW.org
Transparency – windows and a store front like entrance - that passersby will be able to see into
Welcoming Atmosphere –this new design will draw people in
Self Serve Literature display immediately in the lobby – this first thing you see – it will mimic what the public is used to seeing in our Metropolitan cart witnessing
The whole idea is like “branding” – or “franchising” – and very recognizable building / logo / message repeated over and over across the country.
STRATEGIC PLANNING (Mark Lafdany )
District Representatives (these are the brothers in charge of each of the 7 zones – they are all CO’s or DO’s pulled off the road for this assignment)
These brothers will need to be good at selecting the right candidates to help them on their LDCO (LDC field office) don’t worry that you will have to teach your helpers everything – LDC will send brothers to help train.
Mark 9:17 child had epilepsy – wanted help from Jesus – he said “if you can help”
Verse 23 Jesus says this expression “if you can?” “all things are possible for he who has faith”
Don’t worry about the methodology – the Holy Spirit can do that!
Land acquisition is critical and includes:
-representative of the occupants of the building (elders)
- trained field workers who gain data in a Geogrid Area
- this data if filtered by another group – down to a few properties that could work.
Our methods will be vastly different than in the RBC approach – once the Branch determines there is a need for land in a specific area - that’s called a (Geo-grid)
We will search for what we NEED – not for whats available! We may often be making offers on properties that are not even for sale – we are giving the Holy Spirit a chance to get us exactly what is needed rather than being limited to whats on the market.
NOT BY MILITARY FORCE! (Darrell Buchanon)
Zech 5;37 “not by military force or by power but by my Holy spirit” that is what will crush insurmountable odds!!!
**we are in a War – we are in small battles with each property
We have enraged Satan
617 / week are getting baptized – he is angry
32,518 / year
Our professionalism can be a weakness – we succeed because of Jehovah NOT because of our skills
Prov 3:9 “Honor Jehovah with your valuable things” our skills are valuable as long as we know our place
We are Guaranteed Success for these reasons:
Jeh wants it done
Spiritual people will do it
You will see the “pillar of cloud & fire”
They asked: Will you go on this journey with us??? If you do, You will see the Red Sea part!!!!!
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A picture of a WT dream
by Sour Grapes inpeople stay jehovah's witnesses for several reasons.
the foremost is because they are taught that they could cheat death and not have to die or even better yet not have to get old.
the second is they can see their dead relatives again , who have a direct pass to paradise, and that we must obey to get there to see them in the resurrection.
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Sour Grapes
People stay Jehovah's Witnesses for several reasons. The foremost is because they are taught that they could cheat death and not have to die or even better yet not have to get old. The second is they can see their dead relatives again , who have a direct pass to paradise, and that we must obey to get there to see them in the resurrection. And a third one is to believe the pretty pictures are a snapshot of reality.
I hope that the claws on the baby panda on the shoulder of the young boy do not rip his clothing or cut into his skin. Moma panda is eating bambo but I don't see any bambo trees around.
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Two pet peeves of mine
by Sour Grapes inthere are two things that just drive me crazy.
one is that the art work in the watchtower is treated like they are actual still photo's taken thousands of years ago.
your will hear comments about look at the smiles on their faces or the sadnees or happiness in their eyes, or notice the reaction of the crowd, etc.
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Sour Grapes
I remember that years ago an old timer who conducted the Watchtower would actually from the platform analyze the size and color of the font of the title for the article. Everything had a hidden message or meaning like the symbolic gnat's eyelash.
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Two pet peeves of mine
by Sour Grapes inthere are two things that just drive me crazy.
one is that the art work in the watchtower is treated like they are actual still photo's taken thousands of years ago.
your will hear comments about look at the smiles on their faces or the sadnees or happiness in their eyes, or notice the reaction of the crowd, etc.
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Sour Grapes
There are two things that just drive me crazy. One is that the art work in the Watchtower is treated like they are actual still photo's taken thousands of years ago. Your will hear comments about look at the smiles on their faces or the sadnees or happiness in their eyes, or notice the reaction of the crowd, etc. Then you have artwork for the future paradise where they could spend an hour with the types of food on the picnic tables, or what animals are playing together, or what nationalities are shown. There is always a running stream with a house on the hill side and people who look like they are over dressed. What is never shown is the inside of the pretty houses on the hill side and where is the elephant pooper scooper hiding.
My second pet peeve is how the speakers will refer to the Watchtower like you are looking up a scripture in the Bible. "The January 15, 1998 Watchtower on page 15 paragraph 12 says:" In fact, the Watchtower usually has a stronger position than the Bible at most meetings.
Sour Grapes
