besides the usual drivel there were a couple interesting things.
1. an entire 1 hour discourse on helping our children become little innocent martyrs for the wt via.
their flawed and unreasonable blood doctrine.
Facebook is the devil. They are concerned because so many families are using it to communicate with DFed family members thus undermining the DF arrangement. Also there have been BIG parties across several states/ districts that have resulted in JC meetings. Once the investigations begin, the kids go to facebook and everyone is tipped off that there is a witchhunt in progress. This makes the investigations very hard when a lot of people have the same knowledge.
SIAM
besides the usual drivel there were a couple interesting things.
1. an entire 1 hour discourse on helping our children become little innocent martyrs for the wt via.
their flawed and unreasonable blood doctrine.
Doubting Bro,
I agree that they are subjective questions. Generally after the KM schools there is a letter of review that comes to the BOE. The policy letter will give direction on how to consistently apply the direction given. It is not an automatic that you will be removed as an elder if your kid goes to college, but the review of qualifications will lean that direction. For example a review of an elders qualifications only happens when there has been wrongdoing, weakness, or a lapse in judgment as defined by the GB. The review is motivated by a negative event or action.
Hope this helps
SIAM
besides the usual drivel there were a couple interesting things.
1. an entire 1 hour discourse on helping our children become little innocent martyrs for the wt via.
their flawed and unreasonable blood doctrine.
Other quotes notes from the school:
"No time in history have we had so many problems in the congregations"
"Keep your life simple" - "spiritual men enjoy a simple life" we have had good counsel to sell homes, limit expensive recreation, cut off television.
"meeting attendance is an issue even within the body of appointed men"
"How parents safeguard children from misuse of blood"- The printout was reviewed. One interesting comment was- parents if possible should choose good health insurance for their families. Some bloodless treatments are not covered by some policies. (is this contradictory or what? Simplify your life, don't get educated, but somehow make sure you get the most expensive health insurance?)
Pornography is a plague even within the organization
Strong counsel not to allow DF family members back into the home. Facebook association is the same as regular association and should not be used to circumvent the direction from the FDS.
"The governing body knows that you as appointed men are under a lot of pressure"
besides the usual drivel there were a couple interesting things.
1. an entire 1 hour discourse on helping our children become little innocent martyrs for the wt via.
their flawed and unreasonable blood doctrine.
RO -
" Pursue Divine Education"was the talk. Some key points are:
Ask yourself the question, "am I secretly hoping to prove wrong the warnings that have been given regarding Higher education?"
Am I trusting in Jesus words at Matt. 6:33? Manna was a not just a gift of food to the Israelites it was a lesson that God will take care of any need that we have. Higher education such as a college or university education has no value, it's expensive, and a sign of a lack of faith in Jehovah if you encourage your children to pursue. Look at Baruch's example and how he was seeking great things for himself. Printed Experience from a "brother" who went to college. He said, "I am incredibly sad that I wasted those years in college" College is a snake pit.
If an appointed man's children attend college, or if he encourages higher education his qualifications would automatically be reviewed by the entire BOE using the following questions. It is likely that he would no longer qualify for the privilege of service.
1. Does he show by his example that he is putting the Kingdom 1st?
2. Does he teach his family to put the Kingdom 1st?
3. Does he respect and obey what has been published by the FDS?
4. Do his speech and conduct reveal that he is a spiritual person?
5. How is this decision or attitude viewed by the congregation?
6. Why is his child pursuing higher learning?
7. Does his Family have theocratic goals?
8. Does this pursuit of learning push out meetings and service?
I am missing the last two questions.... does anyone else have them?
One point that was made was that once a child goes to college that many of them if not most, stop being active witnesses. This has got the branch on the defensive. I couldn't believe how negatively higher education was portrayed.
SIAM
besides the usual drivel there were a couple interesting things.
1. an entire 1 hour discourse on helping our children become little innocent martyrs for the wt via.
their flawed and unreasonable blood doctrine.
DB, No there wasn't an encourage former servants to reach out part. The part really emphasized taking a young man under your wing and becoming a mentor. I think that the Branch might feel that the men who served in the past might be more of a liablilty than asset.
besides the usual drivel there were a couple interesting things.
1. an entire 1 hour discourse on helping our children become little innocent martyrs for the wt via.
their flawed and unreasonable blood doctrine.
"Encourage young men to reach out" was the title of another talk.
Sitting in the auditorium you could see it was needed.
Of all in attendance:
10% - age 30-40
10% age 40-50
30% age 50-60
30% age 60-70
20% age 70+
That means that if my area is a typical cross section of the Org- that 80% of all elders are over 50 years of age, and that 50% are over 60 years old. They have no succession plan, and they know it.
SIAM
i am curious if anyone knows the process by which new light, or revisions in beliefs actually are agreed on for presentation to the followers?.
does one member of the gb bring up something and they all talk about it and decide?
or do they get a bunch of questions in the mail and decide to re-evaluate something based on the fan mail?
Ding- great comment.
besides the usual drivel there were a couple interesting things.
1. an entire 1 hour discourse on helping our children become little innocent martyrs for the wt via.
their flawed and unreasonable blood doctrine.
Heck, I will add a couple of thoughts...
The second to last talk on Saturday is..."trust in the faithful and discreet slave" The speaker really emphasized how there is a problem with some elders who do not trust or obey the GB as the representative of God on earth. It was 1/2 hr of "following the the GB and their direction is the only way we will get from here to paradise." True quote.
The education talk was unenlightening. There are 10 questions that elders were asked to write down to review an appointed man's qualifications. If your kid goes to college there is a likelihood that you will be removed. It is crazy how anti education they are now.
Apparently there have been a number of kids that have received transfusions. It was interesting that the handout that was provided had specific instructions not to allow the information to be reproduced. The elders were told expect a court order in a parent declining a transfusion. The elders were also coached in this talk on what to say and what not to say to a judge.
Anyones else have some morsels from this great spiritual banquet?
SIAM
well things have changed big time for me.
on the 3rd of dec. finally, i have left my work at bethel and moved almost 500 kilometres away to a new life.. some of you were aware of my work in a european branch, and have kept my confidence.
for this i am eternally grateful...you know who you are.. the huge weight that has been taken off my shoulders is both a comfort and a relief.. when i settle into my new home properly, i intend to write some memoirs of life at the branch, hoping that others will find it of interest.. for now my future is for the first time uncertain and that makes it very very exciting, but i am no longer under the control of others yay!!.
Congratulations!
Erik,
Your example is what caused me to stop lurking and start posting. You are the man, I wish you happiness as your new life begins.
SIAM
the reported death of governing body member bro.
barr marks the end of an era.
many of the original members of the governing body were around during the days of president rutherford.
It is powerful to look at the picture in the proclaimers book of the 12 GB members and see that all of them have died. Many of us were taught that the anointed would still be alive when the big A came. The GB in the 70's -early 90's were a representative group of those that professed to be anointed. Most were around before the "other sheep" were identified. It was easy for the rank and file to believe, because these guys were old and had been around since Rutherford.
In my perspective, the new bunch of boys are even greater impostors than their predecessors. They are fairly young, unintelligent or unimaginative, and holding on to the eroding foundations of doctrines that were built 50-100 years ago. Everyone who is their age or younger who is a witness has been conditioned to think that they are unworthy of the heavenly calling. It makes it tough for the rank and file to accept these younger GB members who are the same as us. The moving target of 1935 was a tacit admission that the FDS was wrong, the effect of this teaching was that for 70 + years they closed the door to heaven for 99% of JWS.
They are stuck because as time drags on it becomes even more clear that 144,000 is not a literal number. They are going to have to make a doctrinal move which will further weaken their "chosen" position as more people begin to partake. Of course these clowns in Brooklyn feel that the people that do partake are not real anointed which will make it tough for them to appoint replacements to the GB. It is a clusterf#$%.
The wheels are falling off the bus.
SIAM
