Posts by respectful

67

Is their a slackening off / lack of zeal in the witnessing work that I am observing or is it just the area I`m living in

by smiddy in

last saturday i was home with my wife,having a leisurely brekky pottering around in the kitchen ,then i noticed her standing still pondering ,what`s up i asked , wife :i thought i heard someone knocking ,i looked out the window to see two middle aged guys exciting my front drive.why didn`t you tell me they were their,i didn`t hear them.

i would have engaged them in conversation , but my wife doesn`t think i ought to,just let it go ,is her motto.. but my point is : i`m not deaf , and i didn`t hear them at the door , we were both in the front room ,my wife only thought she heard someone at the door only to be proved right observing them leaving i was in my pj`s and dressing gown so was not going to pursue them.

we have been living here nearly 5 years now and i can honestly say they have never been on our doorstep more than 4 times if that , i personally have only encountered them 3 times at the most.

respectful_observer

The average publisher hours per month in my congregration is........

6 hours.

Considering how much the average publisher "pads" his/her time slip (or just makes up the entire thing), it shows you how much enthusiasm there is (or isn't) in my area.

59

Br. Jackson Illustration: "Run, Idiot, Run!"

by respectful_observer in

i'm not sure if this has already been posted and i just haven't seen it, but here's an email i received recently that gave me a chuckle.... ...................... run, idiot, run.

br.

jackson of the governing body concluding a talk @ la district convention had this neat illustration at the very end of the convention.

respectful_observer

I'm not sure if this has already been posted and I just haven't seen it, but here's an email I received recently that gave me a chuckle...

.....................

Run, Idiot, Run

Br. Jackson of the governing body concluding a talk @ LA District Convention had this neat illustration at the very end of the convention.

He said "What if you were watching a football game on TV & it was the Trojans against the Fighting Irish...& it's been a good game...and it's coming down to the last seconds and the Trojans get the ball (then he stands like a football player) and then he starts running (and he picks uphis foot like he's going to take off) and you're glued to the TV-just waiting to see what will happen...and he makes it to the 30 then the 20 then the 10 yard line and he's at the one inch line...and he ..stops!

THE GUY WITH THE BALL STOPS!!! ..and he starts looking around for the game clock..and he yells, "how much time do I have left?"

And you are staring at the TV in disbelief!!! What do you do?

You yell at the TV -Run, Idiot!!!, Run!!!

...(Bro Jackson is yelling this from the stage) it was so hysterical- then he stops and says ...

That's where you are...This system is dying.

We're the event that the universe is watching.

We are at the one inch line ..and some are stopping and looking around and wondering where we are in the stream of time.

RUN!!! IDIOT!!! RUN!!! Don't look at the time...just run...run...we're almost there.

It was a very dramatic ending.

.............................

I look forward to reading everyone's reviews!

R_O

26

Quick, the elders are coming to the house! Hide that!

by bronzefist in

jw
friends

what did you have to hide from the elder's sight if they came to your house?.

respectful_observer

nugget: It was the absence of literature that we had to explain

.............

My spouse and I both have certain self-righteous relatives that love to visit someone's home, then afterward will start verbally speculating on how "spiritual" the person is based on how much or little WT literature is in plain view.

Them: "Oh, it was dissappointing to see how your cousin/brother/etc is doing spiritually."

Me: "Really, what makes you say that?"

Them: "Well I was over their house yesterday for a visit and I didn't see a single WT or even the Daily Text anywhere!"

Me:

We used to tuck our R-rated movies out of sight when certain people came over. Since most of the JWs I know now watch them regularly we really don't even worry about that anymore.

56

Add your favorite JW prayer cliche'

by King Solomon in

you know what i'm talking about: the trite, often-repeated phrases that convey the person offering the prayer has drawn a mental blank, and utters these words while their brain desperately searches for the next cliche', so they can conclude the ritual with the required tag, "in jesus' name we pray".... (is that like the postage stamp?).

ok, i'll kick this one off, and take the most obvious:.

"forgive us where we fall short....".

respectful_observer

"...an extra portion of your Holy Spirit..."

"...thank you for the provisions you provide..."

The Memorial was held at the Assembly Hall a few years ago, one the GB members gave the talk and all the prayers were said by annointed brothers. One said in his prayer: "...and we pray that the Governing Body can maintain their unity..." My eyes just about popped out of my head (yeah, they were open).

30

Crisis of Conscience, Apostacy and the Antichrist

by konceptual99 in

i've just finished reading coc and it's truely a thought provoking book that's given me much to think about.. one thing that has struck me is the way rf was disfellowshipped and how he tried to reason with the elders on the jc.

a key point of reasoning was that how the elders could define the disassocated one he ate with as "the antichrist" or one practicing the things described in 1 cor 9. apparently the elders either remain silent on the matter or said it was not for them to judge.. i thought the reasoning was really sound but i have been doing some checking on the definition of apostacy and the antichrist according to the society and it seems pretty clear to me that anyone guilt of apostacy becomes part of the antichrist.

characteristics of apostacy as defined in the it-1 book are described as follows:.

respectful_observer

Interesting, I never noticed this before:

"Not all holidays directly involve false religion and require judicial action."

I'd be curious to know which holidays a JW could celebrate without being threatened with "judicial action?"

65

New Article - Birthdays, Why the Watchtower stance is wrong

by jwfacts in

i have a new article at http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/birthdays.php outlining why the watchtower stance against birthdays is wrong.

there have been a number of threads on jwn discussing this, and the article collates and summarises the points raised in these threads.

please feel free to point out any errors in grammar or logic.

respectful_observer

Blues Brothers:

The reasoning that I once read on here was to say to the dub

" So then, when a baby is born in your family, nobody has a "baby shower" or send gifts and cards?

dub "Oh yes we do - that is different"

What is different? You are saying that it is proper to celebrate year zero, but not years 1. 2. 3 etc?

..................................

We always show up to visit the new baby in the Hall with an actual "Happy Birthday" card. We love to see the expression on their faces when they open it...

"What's the matter, we ARE celebrating a birth here, right? Let's enjoy it, it's his/her only birthday we're allowed to celebrate!!"

We enjoy watching the ever-so-rusty gears in their brains begin to turn as they mull that one over.

2

Interesting WP read: Parishioners Question Need for Fidelity Oath

by respectful_observer in

the wts has the two baptism questions that must be answered aloud.

interesting to see how members of another faith react to something similar.

i pasted a few excerpts below (emphasis mine).. ................... http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/sunday-school-teachers-balk-at-oath-agreeing-to-all-church-teachings/2012/07/11/gjqacavgew_story.html.

respectful_observer

The WTS has the two baptism questions that must be answered aloud. Interesting to see how members of another faith react to something similar. I pasted a few excerpts below (emphasis mine).

..................

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/sunday-school-teachers-balk-at-oath-agreeing-to-all-church-teachings/2012/07/11/gJQAcAvGeW_story.html

The Arlington Diocese, which includes nearly a half-million Catholics across northern and eastern Virginia, is one of a small but growing number that are starting to demand fidelity oaths.

[F]or some, particularly more liberal Catholics, the oaths are an alarming effort to stamp out debate in the church at a time when it is bleeding members and clergy in the West. They note that church leaders’ views have changed over the centuries on various subjects, including contraception .

“I’m just shocked, I can’t believe they’re asking me to sign this,” said Riley, who said she may keep her own children out of the parish education program in the fall. “The bishops are human, and sometimes their judgment is not God’s judgment. We always have to be vigilant about that. The Holy Spirit gives us the responsibility to look into our own consciences.”

15

'Obey the organization like Moses'--why this is wrong

by sd-7 in

i was just thinking about how the watchtower often compares the organization's position to that of moses.

challenging moses, in their retelling of the biblical account, equated challenging god's authority, as korah, dathan, and abiram did, to their own peril.

the conclusion we are to gain from this is not to challenge, question, or disagree with the watchtower society's teachings even in our private thoughts.

respectful_observer

sd-7....you beat me to the punch. Reading that DC transcript posted earlier, I was thinking the EXACT SAME THING.

It seems a bit foolish for the GB (oh, I mean the F&DS) to compare themselves to Moses...someone who Jehovah saw as unworthy to enter the Promised Land because he essentially had claimed that he was the means of delivering life-giving water.

Of course the GB wouldn't have to worry about that, it's not like they claim that what they produce and distribute is the sole source of life giving....oh, wait....

162

No more 3-day DCs starting in 2013?

by respectful_observer in

apologies if there is another recent thread on this, but i have heard from 4 different people in 3 different geographic areas (including someone who does advance work for the dcs), that beginning in 2013 the three day dc program will be replaced by a second two-day circuit assembly.

some people were passing the info along like a secret, others seemed to think that everyone already knew.. if everyone in j-dub land is already talking about this, how is it not all over this forum??.

anyway, can anyone confirm or deny?.

respectful_observer

They'll do it will closed circuit TVs. People will go to Assm Halls and watch televised talks. At least for the "keynote" talks where they will "pipe in" from the conventions where GB or Bethel brass are speaking.

............

Ugh...that would be torture. Total snooze-fest.

Anywhooo, whatever they have up their sleeve, we'll probably have to wait until January 2013 for official word. (Isn't that when "the letter" usually gets sent out? Commence the stampede to the Information Board T M so you can book the best place of the Required Recommended Lodging TM List!)

As an aside, I noticed the 2012 DC program posted on JW.org is printed in the oh-so-creative color of black. Is it actually printed in BLACK this year? And the badge cards? (I have yet to "forget" to pick mine up.) I'd laugh if it is...maybe black represents the death of the 3-day DC???

162

No more 3-day DCs starting in 2013?

by respectful_observer in

apologies if there is another recent thread on this, but i have heard from 4 different people in 3 different geographic areas (including someone who does advance work for the dcs), that beginning in 2013 the three day dc program will be replaced by a second two-day circuit assembly.

some people were passing the info along like a secret, others seemed to think that everyone already knew.. if everyone in j-dub land is already talking about this, how is it not all over this forum??.

anyway, can anyone confirm or deny?.

respectful_observer

Thanks elderlite. I actually thought of your thread when it came up for the first time this weekend! I was working in service this weekend with an elder that works on elements of the DC program far in advance made some veiled comment that we wouldn't have to worry about lousy hotels for the DC next year. When I asked if that meant we were moving it to a new location, he said "Well, I really can't say anything about it. I actually stumbled across some information that wasn't intended for me, so I don't want to get ahead of the 'Faithful Slave.'"

A couple of days later, someone (who doesn't know and lives far away from that elder) just came out and said, "Hey, did you hear that they're scrapping the 3-day conventions next year? I guess they decided it's too much of a burden on the friends (hotels, travel, time off). They're going to replace it with a second 2-day at the Assembly Halls. I tried to ask my (substitute CO) cousin. He said couldn't talk about it. When I asked my friends in (another state) if they'd heard anything, they said "Yes, doesn't everyone already know that?"

Still another person who works in the hospitality industry (not a JW) was told by the local DC venue that the JWs had pull out of their contract for next year's DC.

If it is just a rumor, it is wide spread. If it's true, it's now the worst-kept secret in the world.

respectful_observer

Posts by respectful_observer