my only prowess in making predictions stems from my 77-years of life in the united statesgrowing up under president truman, eisenhower, kennedy, nixon, .....etc.
etc.i was a widdle kid sitting in front of a tiny black and white tv set when the very first broadcastsof political conventions, deal-making, debates (nixon vs kennedy), assassinations (jfk, rfk, martin luther king, etc.
) i grew up with duck and cover under my elementary schooldesk, the cold war, the iron curtain, the korean war, the vietnam war and i went to federal prisonas a jw conscientious objector while hippies, flower children, political activists protested and universitystudents were fired up on by troops.i grew up reading newspapers (2 of them).
Beth Sarim - “In Canada right next door… Tuesday has many scratching our heads wondering...”
Yeah, we’re like the neighbour who can’t help but hear the constantly (and bizarrely) escalating domestic squabble next door, and are like, “what the hairy blue fuck are you guys doing???”
disfellowshipping is slowly fading into the night.. last efforts to survive.. https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/1gh3ilq/wt_vs_norway_wt_sends_letter_to_the_goverment/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button.
God, just how hungry are they for taxpayers’ money? 😵💫
A sensible organization would cut their losses and back away from the table.
https://youtu.be/ocufvpm3t04?si=75zmussxknhlsrs7.
the first watchtower for 2025 is out, and immediately, articles 4 and 5 drew my attention.
these will be studied near the memorial season, a time the witnesses prepare for their yearly commemoration of jesus’ death, i will be returning on this articles near at the time.
Touchofgrey - “…Sin is a imaginary disease invented by religions to sell you an imaginary cure…”
https://youtu.be/hwzly3fnpdo?si=0p8zd0_9a-lwtb_9.
the study article 2 from the january 2025 watchtower study edition titled “husbands, honor your wife” represents a marked shift from the earlier, stricter watchtower stance on marital intimacy among jehovah’s witnesses.
this article’s language feels more relaxed, with paragraph 17 and its footnote stating, “the bible does not provide details as to what sexual practices between a husband and a wife should be considered clean or unclean.
The euphemisms are coming fast, thick, and hard. 😏
realistically, between now and 2034, what do you think watchtower will change or reform to appear more mainstream?
what business opportunities do you see watchtower getting involved in?.
my predictions are as follows: .
Even more fringey.
https://youtu.be/ocufvpm3t04?si=75zmussxknhlsrs7.
the first watchtower for 2025 is out, and immediately, articles 4 and 5 drew my attention.
these will be studied near the memorial season, a time the witnesses prepare for their yearly commemoration of jesus’ death, i will be returning on this articles near at the time.
peacefulpete - “…They argue that the crucifixion defied expectations and required a creative explanation…”
You gotta admit, that is a much simpler explanation.
i wasn't surprised they didn't go online, i was shocked.
the perfect opportunity handed in a silver plate.
more time goes, more proof coming they took wrong decision going back to hall's.
In-person attendance and activity are still the most effective methods of ensuring any group’s internal cohesion and solidarity…
…but…
…the number of folks who used Covid and Zoom to fade revealed that there were way more PIMIs than the Org or the XJW community had previously anticipated…
…which would have been cause for alarm.
While the WTS may still intend to transition into an e-church, projections based on that information likely indicated that whatever rearrangement of their assets necessary to accomplish that goal (cough*realestate*cough) weren’t established enough for said transition to be successful and sustainable.
https://youtu.be/ocufvpm3t04?si=75zmussxknhlsrs7.
the first watchtower for 2025 is out, and immediately, articles 4 and 5 drew my attention.
these will be studied near the memorial season, a time the witnesses prepare for their yearly commemoration of jesus’ death, i will be returning on this articles near at the time.
It’s to make rank-and-file members (yes I’m still gonna call them that, deal with it) feel more obligated…
…“Jesus paid the toll to buy you back from the death you personally deserve (because Adam fucked up), so you’re duty-bound to listen, obey, and (maybe some day in the future, but not right now) be blessed.”
https://youtu.be/uxqqyrrffow?si=wo0jotyvjg76oljk.
well that's sort of related to the next talk on our program brother jeffrey jackson will discuss the theme don't be surprised by sudden changes, brother jeff you have our.
attention well i'm sure we all agree with this fact in recent years there have been a lot of changes even since the last annual meeting there have been many changes some of them perhaps are a little surprising or may seem to be sudden but you know brothers and sisters when we look back on how these changes have come we can see that jehovah has gradually prepared us for each of these adjustments and changes let's review some of the recent changes we've had what changes have we seen with regard to our understand understanding of bible teachings at the 2021 annual meeting we received an adjusted understanding of john 529 it was explained that the resurrection of judgment will not be a judgment of condemnation rather it will be more like a period of probation the unrighteous mentioned at acts 24:15 will have an opportunity to gain everlasting life but their names will not be written wr in the book of life at the time of their resurrection to have their names eventually written in that book these ones will need to respond positively to the great educational work that will take place during the thousand-year reign then at the annual meeting in 2023 we gained enhanced insight into what we do know and what we don't know concerning jehovah's judgments we learned that the door of opportunity for people to take a stand for the kingdom does not shut when the great tribulation starts with the destruction of false religion at that time perhaps some will be like the egyptians in moses day who took a last minute stand and joined the exodus of god's people at the same annual meeting we adjusted our views with regard to jehovah's judgments of those who died in the flood and those who were destroyed in sodom and gomorrah also at that annual meeting an adjustment was made regarding the reporting of our time and activity in our preaching work instead of focusing on reports we try to make good use of every opportunity to witness then we receive the 2024 governing body update number two in that update we saw the need to adjust how we interact with those who have committed serious sins and have been removed from the congregation what other major adjustments have we recently seen in our preaching work the emphasis now is on studing bible studies and making disciples not on distributing literature to that end the focus is on studying meaningful conversations not just on using memorized presentations were you surprised by these adjustments perhaps so but as we look back we see how one adjustment in understanding gradually helped us with the next adjustment isn't it true that gradually jehovah has prepared us and when we look back on it we see how logical this training has been to refine our understanding but events in the world likewise have changed it's true sometimes in the world you have sudden changes for example the pandemic but often times change in the world is gradual isn't it true with regard to the view of morality homosexuality abortion even what's acceptable and not acceptable with regard to conduct all of that has happened gradually in the world and it's not until you look back and see how different the world is today with regard to those matters that we see that there have been a lot of changes but this can be dangerous because as things gradually change we may get used to gradual change and forget that there are some sudden changes about to occur uh let's take our bibles please and if you turn with me to the book of luke chap 21 now this is an example of sudden change in luke chap 21 uh notice there in verse 34 the words of our lord jesus are recorded and he said in verse 34 but pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with oving and heavy drinking and anxieties of life and suddenly suddenly that they be instantly instantly upon you it's interesting to note that jesus had already said that this day he was referring to would occur at a time that we don't think is likely so what lesson do we learn from what jesus said it's a warning isn't it that we can't just sit back and think well things are gradually going to develop we know which way it's going and maybe it's not going to happen yet you know got a little bit more wiggle room there with regard to the schedule but you see that's dangerous thinking now what we're going to do is consider two examples of areas where perhaps we could be a little guilty with regard to that for example our view as with regard to the number of anointed ones remaining on the earth now for many years what did we think we thought well that number would go down and down and down and down now i don't know about you but me i you when that report came out just how many how many partakers and and what were we thinking we probably you maybe we didn't say it but we were thinking you know the number will go down down down down and there'll be just a couple of old guys in a wheelchair who will get their reward well i'm exaggerating but that was sort of the feeling wasn't it but now what have we seen in recent years those numbers have gone up and up and not only that younger brothers have been appointed on the governing body now i know what you're all thinking two new ones how old are they we know you're not googling now but you will be but you see we need to be careful about what we're thinking with regard to the number of anointed ones left on earth you see 19 years ago i was appointed on the governing body even i thought i was too young now they tell me i'm not so young anymore but do we see the point what does the bible actually tell us with regard to this well it doesn't say the number would just dwindle down to just having a few uh older ones left no the great crowd of other sheep will be judged on the basis of how they deal with
Beth - “…do old school JWs who regularly subject themselves… deserve it?”
A little, yeah.
If they were assholes about it.
it appears the perp got the victims disfellowshiped!
the state attorney general has re-opened the botched case.. "the trial for a jehovah’s witness elder accused of molesting three girls in 1999 began in a lancaster county court monday with lawyers giving opening statements to the jury.. norman aviles-garriga, 45, was charged by the pennsylvania attorney general with two counts of aggravated indecent assault and 16 related offenses in connection with assaults alleged by three women who say the abuse happened when they were girls.. aviles-garriga is one of five pennsylvania jehovah's witnesses charged by a statewide grand jury with using their positions within their churches to sexually abuse children.
the attorney general’s office brought charges against the men in october 2022 and february 2023.. .
So, is he still in “good standing”, or has he been disfellowshipped removed in an embarrassed attempt at damage control? 🤨
