None of us know what the paradise would be like, at first it all sounds wonderful, Wat illustrations make it look fairy-tale-ish. But though, if true, perfect health, plentiful food...etc what not to like? But in reality I don't believe in fairy tales. I believe there would be much hard work to do, industry, farming, fixing and repairing tools and buildings and equipment as time and wear takes it's toll. I don't believe petting a lion and playing with a cobra is literal. In the wild food chain will still be there. Then we'll have to learn "new scrolls". KH every night. Worship every day. Suits and ties again. Here we go again.
pontoon
JoinedPosts by pontoon
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40
how important was the hope of the paradise to you? and what do you hope in now?
by Curtains inmany become and remain witnesses because of the hope of living in a paradise earth.
for those who have left how did you cope with the loss of this hope?
or do you still have this hope?.
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Dinner With a Pioneer Couple Last Night
by dontplaceliterature inmy wife and i had dinner with a pioneer couple last night that we've been friends with for a long time.
they are both nice people, with the wife having a few dashes of pretentiousness mixed in.. usually when we are together, they always talk about pioneering, which makes some sense as it's the primary focus of thier lives.
however, it has gotten progressively more dominate in conversation over the last couple of years, to the point of being annoying.
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pontoon
No doubt in my mind that many work to hour requirement not love of "service". Pioneers are relieved when they make their hours and you probably won't see them out in service again until the new service year. Just more joy than they can stand I guess. I've known hundreds of bethelites. Out of all of them 4 (2 couples) left bethel because they missed the full time ministry. So they all say how important FS is but only these four were truly sincere about it. I have too admire them for their not being the least bit hipocritical. Bethelites encourage pioneering. If anybody should pioneer, they should. After their work day they don't have to prepare meals, clean house, mow grass, do laundry, go grocery shopping........etc. It was rare in my old congregation a bethelite would temp. pioneer. A young guy once in a great while looking to make points and also to spend time with pioneer single sisters. Really thats true. They say their bethel service is sacred service, (its not, it is however how they earn their living) but aren't we they suppose to do all their circumstances allow in FS? Its all about status, double standards, man pleasing, crap, crap, and more crap.
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"They took no note"
by sabastious inall through my witness childhood i was constantly reminded (it seemed like at least) of the people of the "days of noah.
" the watchtower would often point out the general dispositions the victims of the global flood had.
"they took no note, and the were all washed away by the flood" or some respect.. as a kid this always irked me.
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pontoon
Nobody else had a boat? No trade ships with food supplies stowed away?
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A Concerned Elder Speaks
by Franklin Massey ina lot of talk has centered around information dispensed at the recent km schools.
many brothers feel there is a "tightening up" taking place.
i had a recent experience that you may find interesting.. after the meeting i was working with our cobe on some congregation tasks when out of nowhere he said, "have you looked up any extra information about higher education since the km school?
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pontoon
Sorry about that blank. Anyway it will depend on how seriously the body takes themselves. I've seen bodies talk for hours about NOTHING. Hopefully a body has at least one or two reasonable bros. that are able to rein the group in.
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A Concerned Elder Speaks
by Franklin Massey ina lot of talk has centered around information dispensed at the recent km schools.
many brothers feel there is a "tightening up" taking place.
i had a recent experience that you may find interesting.. after the meeting i was working with our cobe on some congregation tasks when out of nowhere he said, "have you looked up any extra information about higher education since the km school?
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110
A Concerned Elder Speaks
by Franklin Massey ina lot of talk has centered around information dispensed at the recent km schools.
many brothers feel there is a "tightening up" taking place.
i had a recent experience that you may find interesting.. after the meeting i was working with our cobe on some congregation tasks when out of nowhere he said, "have you looked up any extra information about higher education since the km school?
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pontoon
Back some years when I served as an elder and was probably 90% "in" the org mentally, a bethel bro., very educated and very well paid before he became a witness gave a talk about the waste of time worldly education was. He had in the past told me about how great Wat. farm life was with no living expenses. He was able to enjoy his wealth, nice cars, vacations, not saying he flaunted his money, but it obviously made his life more enjoyable. I don't believe he really had "freedom of speech" on that topic. I can understand what Finger is saying. Another "Farm Boy" gave a part that had to do with secular work and dealing with our employers. This kid never had a job. Went from HS to daddy supported pioneer to Wat. farm. He knew nothing about the dynamics and politics of a work place. He knew nothing about paying bills and putting food on a table. And now he is giving counsel from the platform to men and women that have and are raising families. I dislike that crap so much. It made me feel so not at peace in my head. So,... I figured out that if what was coming from the platform was good scriptural counsel, from the slave, I'll take it. Everything else in one ear and out the other. That thinking helped me for a while. Not too long after my big drift began.
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A Concerned Elder Speaks
by Franklin Massey ina lot of talk has centered around information dispensed at the recent km schools.
many brothers feel there is a "tightening up" taking place.
i had a recent experience that you may find interesting.. after the meeting i was working with our cobe on some congregation tasks when out of nowhere he said, "have you looked up any extra information about higher education since the km school?
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pontoon
Look, miseryloveselders, the Borg doesn't believe God will provide. That is why they rely on their teams of HIGHLY EDUCATED LAWYERS.
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CO visit last Tuesday- Platform announcement
by DeeDubs inwe had the co visit in the cong last week.
he reread the pioneer letter for april at the end of the meeting on tuesday, he basically stated he was looking especially forward to every elders and ms and their families application, and it would be nice to see out of the 150 publishers with the elders and ms and their families "taking the lead" if we could break 100 aux pioneers that month.
you could hear a pin drop...it was a bit strong to say the least.
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pontoon
I don't know if they get a bethel allowance. In this country (USA) they do get apt with all utilities paid for by circuit, society car usually no more than 2 yrs old expenses paid for by circuit, (one time while serving my old congo CO car was due service and he just turned the bill into our congo, not the circuit, it was a couple hundred), medical, dental, CO would turn his grocery bill into congo, we had one CO who required that his circuit provided apt had a extra bedroom for his mother. I'm sure their green handshakes provided them with more cash than 90% of the pioneers. So, yes, they get provided all the things we have to earn cash for to buy.
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CO visit last Tuesday- Platform announcement
by DeeDubs inwe had the co visit in the cong last week.
he reread the pioneer letter for april at the end of the meeting on tuesday, he basically stated he was looking especially forward to every elders and ms and their families application, and it would be nice to see out of the 150 publishers with the elders and ms and their families "taking the lead" if we could break 100 aux pioneers that month.
you could hear a pin drop...it was a bit strong to say the least.
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pontoon
freetosee is right on point. CO is doing his job. It's how he makes his living. Just like you or I may be a plumber, accountant, doctor,-whatever to put food on our tables, CO works for the borg and it's his job to "encourage" and pressure dubs to do more. Its his job.
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WT articles that make you go, "WTF?"
by undercover inmarch 1, 2011 wt kool aid edition.... the article: does the bible condemn gambling.
notice the highlighted boxes.... first the indication that the catholic church does not consider gambling itself a sin... and then challenges that because no scriptural passages are given in proof of their assertion.. the very next column though, the wts admits that the bible does not directly mention gambling.
so, um, how do you expect the catholics to come up with scriptures if there are none?.
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pontoon
About 2-3, 4 years a study article comparing Jeh to a rock badger (rodent), a gecko (lizard), and a third critter I can't remember. I was sitting in ther hall listening to this thinking "oh my god......" Anyone remember that article? I' like to reference it for laughs.