Strangely enough, something tells me that even after Raleigh pays them $150,000, they somehow still get the announcement on Sunday that they're running a deficit for that weekend!
R_O
respectful_observer
JoinedPosts by respectful_observer
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Conventions in 2013 will continue to add to Watchtower Bible and Tract Societies' bottom line.
by Balaamsass inthis headline came up on google alerts at work today.
i was unaware that some cities pay watchtower to hold conventions.
combined with the standard travel agency 10% hotel room commission, cash, and credit card revenues....= a tidy profit!!!!.
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Do the elders have "clear direction" that it's ok to use an ipad at meetings?
by nochoice ini read this post more than a year ago: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/212313/1/watchtower-publications-for-ipad.
since i saw it, i've been waiting for the first brother or sister to show up at the hall with an ipad to see what happens.
a little here and there at the conventions and assemblies.
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respectful_observer
Mr. Falcon....that's hysterical. It reminds me of something YEARS ago. A brother who'd moved cross-country for a hi-tech job dropped the meeting for a visit. (This was just after the first WT CD-ROM) was released.) He proceeded to fire up his laptop, plug it into the wall (this was a long time ago) and furiously take notes throught the Public Talk. Then when it came time for the WT Study, he started raising his hand and citing obscure references straight off his screen, all the while loudly clacking away on his keyboard. The conductor (my dad) fell for it twice, then just stopped calling on him.
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Do the elders have "clear direction" that it's ok to use an ipad at meetings?
by nochoice ini read this post more than a year ago: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/212313/1/watchtower-publications-for-ipad.
since i saw it, i've been waiting for the first brother or sister to show up at the hall with an ipad to see what happens.
a little here and there at the conventions and assemblies.
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respectful_observer
I think it all depends on the congregation. I've been to halls where maybe only 5 people are using an iPad or tablet. In my congregation, it's probably closer to 15-20% (elders and MS included). In fact during last week's Bible study, the person sitting next to me nudged me and pointed out that he was the only person out of 8 people in the row that WASN'T using an iPad. It made me laugh because the School Overseer TM had to quickly put his away when it was his turn to conduct The School since they are forbidden on stage.
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Jonathan Holt's wife, Amanda Holt
by blondie inhttp://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/court-wife-of-jonathan-holt-files-for-divorce/_yrllehsfuau05kwm4bobw.cspx.
http://www.kgw.com/home/jonathan-holts-wife-files-for-divorce-176341531.html.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/divorce-filing-wife-of-man-charged-in-ore-death-3991648.php.
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respectful_observer
I haven’t been able to identify any static approach when it comes congregation judicial action where a J-dub’s been arrested for a crime.
I’ve seen cases where a member of the congregation is publicly reproved after an arrest with the explanation that “since the community knows it has to be public reproof.” Which would make total sense, except I’ve also seen cases where a well-respected J-dub is arrested for a serious violent crime, and in the months/years of pre-trial, no announcement is made to the cong about any judicial action.
The reasons given by an elder in the cong?:
“You don’t know, maybe the elders have dealt with it privately.”
“But his arrest and arraignment were all over the news. Everyone knows, so should any reproof be announced to the cong?”
“Usually yes, but they may be waiting until he’s found guilty or innocent in court.”
“So you’re saying judicial action by the elders will hinge upon whether a ‘worldly’ court finds him innocent or guilty first?”
“Well no, of course not.”
“So you’re saying if a jury finds him innocent of the charges, he won’t get DF’d?”
“Probably.”
“So HOW is it that the cong’s judicial process isn’t being influenced by a ‘worldly’ court?”
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Has the rescent change in the identity of the FDS been released in print yet
by A.M. Number 1 injust wondering what wt issue has actually put it down in print.
i know that some of my jw frineds already know about it, but they didn't tell me if it was an announcement at the hall or actually in the wt..
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respectful_observer
I was speaking with an elder the other day and he mentioned how he needed to go over the baptism questions with someone the next day. I asked him how the person should answer the baptism question of "who is the 'faithful and discreet slave'? Are they supposed to reply with what the book and all current literature says, or should they reply with the information delivered at the Annual Meeting?" He said, "it doesn't really matter-- as long as it close to one of the two."
I just laughed, shook my head and reminded him that when I went over the questions years ago, I provided the response that is now the Nooo Lite TM , and that he had to spend several minutes talking me around to the (now) Old Lite. I asked him, had "I actually been right the first time those years ago?"
"No, not really, because it wasn't the current understanding at the time."
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Whitney Heichel - first hand account from congregation member on Facebook
by sir82 inwhy, he even has gone to some meetings at their kingdom hall!
someone calls with a large wedding tent that they would like to donate and set up in the kingdom hall parking lot for the public memorial on friday.
i was amazed how people who came that didnt even know whitney, but simply felt a need to be here and comfort the family.
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respectful_observer
It's always moving when any community comes together and pulls together during a crisis-- this included.
A few things jumped out at me:
- "The Chief of Police has said that it is obvious that “God is with you people” (Where was he for Whitney that morning?)
- "'With all of Jehovah’s direction and support this week, he isn’t about to let it rain.' Sure enough, it didn’t rain that day!"
- "The chief of police said that the next time someone goes missing in Portland, he is going to call on Jehovah’s Witnesses." (He's welcome to, he just better not expect to see the same level of response.)
- "The district overseer gave a very good half hour talk." (Glad to know someone who knew her and her family was able to do that. Of course does it really matter who gives that half hour talk since it's always the same strict outline being followed?)
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Watchtower on Global Indexing & ETFs
by TJ Curioso infollow the link and see the list of participants who stated (p.4 - end of the list/right side):.
http://www.imn.org/2012/etm1324/pdfs/etm1324_prospectus.pdf.
amaze yourself, because it is only as the chief investment officer of the watchtower bible and tract society!.
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respectful_observer
I guess I read "Alex's" experience and walk away with the message of, not that "investing in the stock market is wrong; don't do it," but more "don't invest in the stock market if you can't afford it. And for the love of God, don't use all your savings, borrow money, or lose your house doing it."
Alex would have been better off investing in index-based ETFs!
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Watchtower on Global Indexing & ETFs
by TJ Curioso infollow the link and see the list of participants who stated (p.4 - end of the list/right side):.
http://www.imn.org/2012/etm1324/pdfs/etm1324_prospectus.pdf.
amaze yourself, because it is only as the chief investment officer of the watchtower bible and tract society!.
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respectful_observer
ETFs are incredibly common these days, even for individual investors. They're very similar to a mutual fund. For anyone wondering what an ETF is exactly, or how one works, here is a good explanation:
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/etf.asp#axzz29kS9Cw8P
I'm going to back up Blondie and say that any large multinational corporation (including a non-profit) will invest a portion of their liquid assets in the market. Most of these institutional investors carry conservative investment mandates, so investing in something as historically stable as ETFs benchmarked against indices would be completely appropriate with that type of mandate.
To my knowledge, the WTS has never said "you can't" or "don't" invest, it has simply cautioned that doing so carries certain risks and not to invest in a way that demonstrates greed. Sorry, this just doesn't strike me as conspiritorial or hypocritical.
R_O
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Standard of Living in the New System
by cobaltcupcake ini used to wonder about this when i was still a dub: since they believe the industrialized world is going to be destroyed and the entire earth will be one big garden, exactly what kind of standard of living do they think they will have?
while they might be able to scavenge, say, a microwave oven or washing machine; and they might be able to figure out how to generate electricity, eventually all of these things will wear out and they'll be back in an early 18th century type of life.
people of that time and earlier who enjoyed a high standard of living employed armies of servants to do the dirty work, but since equality will reign in the ns, everyone will have to toil like a slave just to maintain the basics.. or do they think that big j will magically power their washing machines and water pumps and all the stuff that makes modern living so comfortable?.
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respectful_observer
King Solomon....
And good thing we have so many highly-educated nuclear engineers to keep an eye on things after the Big A!!!
Wait, what's that? You need more than a 2-year degree to be a nuclear engineer? Oh well, I guess we can kiss Europe goodbye!!!
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Standard of Living in the New System
by cobaltcupcake ini used to wonder about this when i was still a dub: since they believe the industrialized world is going to be destroyed and the entire earth will be one big garden, exactly what kind of standard of living do they think they will have?
while they might be able to scavenge, say, a microwave oven or washing machine; and they might be able to figure out how to generate electricity, eventually all of these things will wear out and they'll be back in an early 18th century type of life.
people of that time and earlier who enjoyed a high standard of living employed armies of servants to do the dirty work, but since equality will reign in the ns, everyone will have to toil like a slave just to maintain the basics.. or do they think that big j will magically power their washing machines and water pumps and all the stuff that makes modern living so comfortable?.
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respectful_observer
Yan Bibiyan...I was thinking of the exact same thing. I remember seeing something on Discovery (?) a few years ago that tracked what would happen if all humans suddenly vanished from the Earth. Once the power grid went down and the backup generators ran out of gas, the spent fuel rods would trigger a nuclear meltdown...all within mere days of the power grid going down. The program said that there are something like 300+ reactors in mainland Europe alone. So basically within days, all of Europe would be a nuclear wasteland.
That is, unless there was divine intervention...............
I've mentioned this fact on occassion to my Dub friends and they shrug and say "...well, who knows...".
