Posts by Listener

12

Is "Active Publishers" a new concept?

by jwfacts in

i just saw the congregation analysis report for 2020, a form i have not noticed before.

it asks for the number of "active publishers.

" this is a term i have not seen specified before.

Listener

If you follow their instructions then you could have a person counted as all three, Active, Inactive and Re-activated in the one reporting year.

26

The Spiritual Food Box!

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

the spiritual food box.. .

https://www.jw.org/en/library/series/how-your-donations-are-used/a-small-box-that-delivers-spiritual-food/.

petra!.

Listener

It's a pity the spiritual food box can't translate. Watching voiced over video's and talks can't be much fun, they are hard enough to watch in original english.

15

Thinking about Flipper

by HappyDad in

jw
friends

with all the fires raging in california and oregon, i have been thinking about flipper and hoping he is ok. .

flipper..........if you read this, know that we are sending love your way.

we will most likely worry about you until we hear from you..

Upcoming Neutrality Talk Oct 26, 2020

by Listener in

thanks petra and atlantis for providing the latest announcements from the watchtower.. they are telling congregations to replace the 15 minute local needs talk in the midweek meeting of october 26th with a talk on neutrality.

i am not sure if this is due to there being a usa election on tues 3rd, november or because of their worldwide preaching campaign targeting government officials.

it does sound like it is due to the usa election due to comments about propaganda and political promises.

Listener

I wonder how many JWs will receive a reply thanking them for their support since most officials like to recognise that a potential voter has written to them. I don't imagine that will sit well with some JWs.

30

Worldwide preaching campaign targeting government officials.

by smiddy3 in

does anybody know what this message will contain ?

is it designed to provoke a response that will bring persecution on the religion ?

or is it just going to be some meaningless weak campaign to get the rank and file all excited about it and achieving nothing.. or is it going to suggest to the government officials that this mob could very well be the next jonestown /wacol incident and we need to act now.

Listener

They are going to write a fairly generic letter and include the 2020 No 2 Watchtower about God's Kingdom. There are a couple of comments in this magazine that might bother some officials but I doubt they will even read the magazine. Likely, it will go straight in the bin.

The comments from the magazine include -

Things are no different today. In 2009, a United Nations publication said that bad rulership is increasingly being viewed as “one of the root causes of all evil within our societies.” TIME FOR ACTION! The world needs better rulers and a better form of government. And that is what our Creator has promised! God has set up a Kingdom, or government, that will replace all human rule, and “it alone will stand forever.” (Daniel 2:44) This is the Kingdom for which millions have been praying. (Matthew 6:9, 10)...
˘ End human rulership. God’s Kingdom will take action to put an end to all human rulership.—Revelation 19:15, 17, 18....
Ruling as King in heaven, Jesus will accomplish much more than any human ruler ever could. He will be assisted by 144,000 corulers, who are chosen from among mankind.

27

UGHHHHH Wife wants to pioneer. Our future together doesn’t look promising

by goingthruthemotions in

ughhhhh wife wants to pioneer.

our future together doesn't look promising .

i told her she doesn’t know what she is getting into.

Listener

That title of pioneer can be so important to some JWs, they wouldn't think of just putting in the same hours without acknowledgement.

17

Upcoming Neutrality Talk Oct 26, 2020

by Listener in

thanks petra and atlantis for providing the latest announcements from the watchtower.. they are telling congregations to replace the 15 minute local needs talk in the midweek meeting of october 26th with a talk on neutrality.

i am not sure if this is due to there being a usa election on tues 3rd, november or because of their worldwide preaching campaign targeting government officials.

it does sound like it is due to the usa election due to comments about propaganda and political promises.

Listener

Thanks Petra and Atlantis for providing the latest Announcements from the Watchtower.

They are telling Congregations to replace the 15 minute local needs talk in the Midweek Meeting of October 26th with a talk on neutrality.

I am not sure if this is due to there being a USA election on Tues 3rd, November or because of their worldwide preaching campaign targeting Government officials. It does sound like it is due to the USA election due to comments about propaganda and political promises.

This is the talk outline

Why Is Neutrality So Important?
PLEASE NOTE: This part is to be delivered as a discussion. Warmly commend the congregation and remind them that Jehovah treasures their faithful service as they shoulder their personal responsibility in this important matter (Joh 17:14; 18:36; Ga 6:5)
[After a brief introduction, play the seven-minute video Why Is Neutrality So Important? Thereafter, ask the questions listed below]
Question: What does Christian neutrality mean? [Not taking sides in political issues, either actively or mentally]
Question: Why is Christian neutrality important? [The political system wants to put its mark on us (Re 13:16, 17)]
Question: What are three things that could erode our Christian neutrality? [{1) Propaganda the media puts forth, (2) sporting events, (3) political promises being made during election time]
Question: What are the benefits of maintaining Christian neutrality? [Without elaborating, ask the audience to make note of the references listed below for consideration in their personal study and family worship] •
November 1, 1999, Watchtower, pages 28-29, "Questions From Readers" • June 2018 Watchtower, pages 3-7, "My Kingdom Is No Part of This World" • Remain in God's Love, page 244, endnote 16 • Video Christian Neutrality-What It Means, What It Takes, and Why We Choose It. On jw.org, go to LIBRARY> VIDEOS> JW BROADCASTING> TALKS. In JW Library, go to MEDIA> VIDEO> JW BROADCASTING> TALKS May we be determined to remain part of Jehovah's united people by maintaining our neutrality in a divided world!
TO BE COVERED IN 15 MINUTES © 2020
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania 9/20

In regards to political neutrality I thought this instruction regarding the November 'political' campaign to be of note -

2. Worldwide Campaign in November 2020: A sample letter dated November 3, 2020, for use in distributing The Watchtower No. 2 2020 to local government officials has been posted on jw.org. Similar wording may be used for letters written to businesses. The date of the letter may be adjusted. The official's office address or the business address should be used to send such correspondence. Publishers should not send the magazine to officials who are actively opposing our activities. (Matt. 10: 16, 17) As a reminder, personal letterhead rather than congregation letterhead should be used.

They quote Matt 10:16,17 which states

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues.

So they are well aware that what they are doing may well provoke persecution and it is only officials who are actively opposing their activities that they are not to write to. This whole letter campaign has the potential to be politically dangerous for them as the magazine they are sending says their Government will be destroyed.

But also, in the neutrality talk they say that Christian neutrality means not taking sides in political issues, either actively or mentally. Wouldn't making decisions as to which officials are actively opposing their activities and not sending Watchtowers out to them but sending them to other officials (even those who oppose them but not actively) mean they are not taking a neutral stand?

27

Ok, We Need To Talk About The Latest Caleb & Sophia Cartoon

by pale.emperor in

(as of 10 sep 2020) there's a new caleb & sophia cartoon in which the org puts into the minds of children the idea that celebrating a birthday will cause jehovah to not want to be your friend anymore.. https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/children/become-jehovahs-friend/videos/trailer-jehovah-forgives/.

can you imagine being 6 years old and thinking god himself is no longer your friend because you blew out a candle on a birthday cake or wished someone a happy birthday?.

as bad as all this is, the birthday thing is just one of many jw rules that isnt even supported by scripure.

Listener

Bats in the belfry - Does Caleb ever grow up? Wasn't he about 6 years of age when he was introduced to the public some six years ago?

That's the beauty of never having a birthday.😉

27

Ok, We Need To Talk About The Latest Caleb & Sophia Cartoon

by pale.emperor in

(as of 10 sep 2020) there's a new caleb & sophia cartoon in which the org puts into the minds of children the idea that celebrating a birthday will cause jehovah to not want to be your friend anymore.. https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/children/become-jehovahs-friend/videos/trailer-jehovah-forgives/.

can you imagine being 6 years old and thinking god himself is no longer your friend because you blew out a candle on a birthday cake or wished someone a happy birthday?.

as bad as all this is, the birthday thing is just one of many jw rules that isnt even supported by scripure.

Listener

How amusing that they are doing trailers for a cartoon that doesn't go for more than five minutes.

They love to tickle their ears.

32

David Splane's 2020 Conventionl talk ....''Jehovah has to come first''

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

'' has your desire to put jehovah first been tested during this pandemic?

you lost your job and you searched for another one.

finally, after a long search, you found one but it was a job that would require you to miss all your meetings and field service.

Listener

It's a God given responsibility to support the family. There is no biblical mandate to attend all the meetings or to go out in field service at any particular time or to do it in any particular method. Except, the GB believe that because they say so, they must be obeyed.

The recent months should have made it clear to the GB that meetings and Conventions can be watched at any time. Also, the witnessing work can be done in different ways.