Posts by respectful

27

GB Pierce - DEAD

by Smiles in

announcement here:.

.

http://www.jw.org/en/news/headlines/?v=2552828400#mid702014108.

respectful_observer

Guess we can't call the GB the "Crazy Eight", anymore.

...and "Sept-pope" doesn't roll off the tongue quite as smoothly as "Octo-pope".

They better fill that blank spot...STAT!

36

Replacing Guy Piercehow big is the pool from which to choose?

by L3G in

respectful_observer's thread on guy pierce's death,.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/277198/1/heard-a-rumor-guy-pierce-died-this-morning#.uyq-pv21x1n.

got me thinking.

respectful_observer

I'm sure there are others in the mix besides Joel Friedman, but since I'd met him several times in distant years' past, he was most front of mind.

Here is another mention of him (spelled "Freedman") on JWN almost 10 years ago as being on the short list:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/81709/1/Info-about-Governing-Body-required#.UysfefldUYo

A couple of 'anointed' COs--Tony Morris and Joel Freedman (sp?)--got pulled into Bethel within the last couple of years before I left the org. They had been COs for less than ten years at the time, so I'm not sure how much longer they'll have to serve before they're considered for the GB. There's got to be a lot of resentment among the upper echelons at Bethel about young COs getting promoted over their heads just because theyre 'anointed'.

From what I know, they're both pretty hard-line JWs, Freedman more so than Morris. And incidentally, I believe they're both in their 50's now, and received their 'anointings' in the 1970's.

There may be others being groomed, I just know about those two because my family is acquainted with them.

There was a "special" Memorial at an Assembly Hall recently where one of the GB was the speaker; Joel Friedman was also introduced as being from "World Headquarters" and said one of the bread/wine prayers. So, at some level, he's in the wings at Headquarters around the GB.

He's partaken for decades, is an excellent speaker, and comes across as very kind both in person and from stage. Interestingly enough, he only has 1 child, a daughter, who left the Org (maybe 20 years ago?) with her husband not too long after they got married.

42

BOE: Kaboom to DOs

by pixel in

to all congregations re: district overseers.

dear brothers:.

march 20, 2014. we are pleased to inform you of a significant decision made by the governing body that will affect the work of traveling overseers worldwide.

respectful_observer

Agreed that it sounds like an attempt to fill a need for COs, especially once the 70+ COs are forced into retirement soon.

Many DOs seem to have HUGE egos, so it'll be interesting to see how they handle this demotion.

R_O

83

Heard a rumor: Guy Pierce died this morning

by respectful_observer in

jw
friends

didn't see any other threads, apologies if one already exists.

apparently died of a massive stroke this morning.. r_o.

(completely unconfirmed.

respectful_observer

Sure, their lives overlap with 1.0, but that may not give them as much of a "stretch" as they intended unless they start taking their health seriously.

Come to think of it, I seem to remember Sam Herd saying from the stage one time that he's got diabetes. No idea if it's Type 1 or 2.

Any thoughts on replacements? After they appointed someone as young as Sanderson, I keep waiting for the next wave of young guys to come in. Someone told me once that Joel Friedman (sp?) had been brought into Bethel a few years ago as a "short list" candidate, but didn't make the cut. He's probably about Sanderson's age (maybe a bit older, but looks even younger the last time I saw him).

I thought I saw a list recently that the oldest appointments on the current were all made in 1999 (including Pierce), which seems like a "young" GB overall.

83

Heard a rumor: Guy Pierce died this morning

by respectful_observer in

jw
friends

didn't see any other threads, apologies if one already exists.

apparently died of a massive stroke this morning.. r_o.

(completely unconfirmed.

respectful_observer

Who knows, he might come out at Morning Worship TM tomorrow and say: " ‘The report of my death was an exaggeration."

I heard it as a rumor from an uber-Dub, so thought I'd at least post it here (as an unsubstantiated rumor) since everyone here seems to enjoy rumor and speculation as much as the next person!

83

Heard a rumor: Guy Pierce died this morning

by respectful_observer in

jw
friends

didn't see any other threads, apologies if one already exists.

apparently died of a massive stroke this morning.. r_o.

(completely unconfirmed.

respectful_observer

Didn't see any other threads, apologies if one already exists. Apparently died of a massive stroke this morning.

R_O

(Completely unconfirmed. And I'm surprised I hadn't read it here first anyway.)

28

JW's Never Closed the Door On A Russian King of the North

by scotoma in

jw
friends

king of the north.

union, the "king of the south" can be none other than the rival non-communist bloc, under the .

so who is the king of the north now?

respectful_observer

The facts in print indicate that this time they left themselves a little wiggle-room.

Yup, they always do.

Not to derail too much, but I keep waiting for the GB to update the "understanding" of the clay/iron feet on Daniel's image. I could see them saying that the iron represents the totalitarian/Military/Communist regimes (ruling "by iron/the sword") around the world as a composite group, and the clay represents the composite group of "democratic" countries that center their governmental power from "The People" (humans are dust/dirt/clay, yadda yadda). The iron and clay co-exist, but do not mix. Basically making the arguement that all world powers through history ruled, essentially, through non-democratic (strong, metal-like) means-- but now at the end, clay is introduced as democratic (people/voter-based) powers enter the world scene.

30

100 Years of Rule and the 1/15 WT

by Bob_NC in

first, i cannot believe how dumbed-down and simplistic the writing is now.

we used to have study articles with substance.

the writing style now is for people with slow minds or at the level of junior high students with learning disabilities.

respectful_observer

I'm actually not surprised that the GB is really emphasizing this whole "100 years since 1914". In public relations terms that comes to mind is "damage control" and "getting out in front of it". If they never made a point out of it, more than a few J-dubs would figure it out on their own and questions/doubts would come to mind. By fully embracing it, even advertising it, the GB gets to take control of the issue, control the messaging, and spin it as a positive thing before JWs have a chance to question it in their own minds.

I have no doubt the GB saw this whole 1914/2014 issue coming years ago and have assembled a frighteningly well-planned corporate organizational strategy around it.

(This may be an obscure reference, or even a stretch, but whenever the GB starts celebrating the "100 years" (starting at last year's AGM, I believe) all I can think of is a scene from the movie "Clear and Present Danger". Basically a close associate of the U.S. President turns out to be connected to the Colombian drug cartels and is killed for it. When the press discovers his cartel connections, the President's handlers' first reaction is to disavow the relationship. Jack Ryan has the brillant idea to go in the complete opposite direction...basically run toward the fire....the result? When the press asks the President if they were friends, he responds: "Friends? No. No, we weren't friends...we were BEST of friends!" It gave the press nowhere to go; no story.

If someone asked the GB: "Isn't it a problem that it's been 100 years since 1914?" GB: "Problem? No. It's not a problem...it's AWESOME!")

11

May KM 2014 - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

by Ultimate Reality in

courtesy of watchtower87, the may 2014 km has an announcement on page 4 as follows:.

"beneficiaries of a government program known as deferred action for childhood arrivals (daca) may apply to serve as temporary bethel family members or temporary volunteers.

when answering questions regarding citizenship on the application, these individuals should identify themselves as daca beneficiaries.".

respectful_observer

I know that in areas of the country that tend to have high percentages of illegal/undocumented (choose your preferred Fox News/NPR term) immigrants, many of the (mostly Spanish) halls often have difficulty finding enough brothers that qualify for privileges because so many are illegal/undocumented. Looks like their kids are free-and-clear to be used at Bethel now, though.

30

100 Years of Rule and the 1/15 WT

by Bob_NC in

first, i cannot believe how dumbed-down and simplistic the writing is now.

we used to have study articles with substance.

the writing style now is for people with slow minds or at the level of junior high students with learning disabilities.

respectful_observer

If Jesus has been ruling for 100 years now does that mean we will only have a 900 year reign if the Big A happens today? It's only a 1000 year reign is it not? I am sure others have thought of this and just like Faithful Witness said "Maybe they are about to adjust their understanding."

I've asked that question to a close J-dub relative of mine. At first, they had a confused look on their faces, then more of a panicked look, and finally they came back with something along the lines of...."Well, he was appointed King in 1914, but his reign doesn't actually begin until his sits down on his throne."

All I can think of is that, after 100 years, the angels who are standing, watching that coronation ceromony in heaven must be getting some pretty sore feet by now, and more than a few probably really need to use the loo.

respectful_observer

Posts by respectful_observer