I attended this year. I'm not a Witness but I write about them. So I attend some meeting or convention each year. My take on this one is that the Hispanic elder who gave the sermon did not understand basic Watchtower doctrine. This is not uncommon among Watchtower elders. The problem is poor education. The Watchtower's "Kingdom Ministry School" is inadequate, Nothing about Watchtower 'education' produces competent pastors.
Posts by vienne
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32How long since your last memorial?
by NewYork44M inthis is my 15th year without going to the memorial.
based on comments, it seems i did not miss anything.
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vienne
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8
Religion Project
by Darren Doody ini've recently taken a particular interest in the jehovah's witness belief, and as a result, have decided to do a project on this belief as part of my college study.
i am a student teacher in ireland, so, i am undertaking this project from an educational perspective; i want to see how jehovah's witnesses are catered for in religious education in schools, and if there are any ways one could improve it.
i would appreciate if anyone could give their opinion on this topic.
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vienne
Little posted here addresses the issue. I'm a long-term educator, but not in the EU. Before bad health forced me into retirement, I was a school administrator. In American public schools there is little place for religion. Teaching religion in public schools runs up against the constitution. But that doesn't mean educators are insensitive to religious issues. Ideally, teachers should keep their personal feelings out of religious discussions. They will arise. During my tenure I suspended or fired three teachers for abusing students over their religious choices.
If you're pursuing this topic you will want to familiarize yourself with Witness doctrine and practice. Read their literature, attend a meeting or two. But you will want an outside view too. I recommend Zoe Knox's new book: Jehovah's Witnesses and the Secular World. This is a largely accurate consideration of Witness culture that discusses its conflicts with the state and society. I also recommend George Chryssides' Jehovah's Witnesses: Continuity and Change. Both books have some errors, as do most books on Witnesses, but they are largely neutral. And neither author lies to you. I should tell you that Zoe says nice things about my book in hers. But I'm not recommending her book to you because of that. I should tell you that I am on friendly terms with both authors, but it is a professional, not a social relationship.
Not all Witness children have fully adopted that faith. Some will leave it as they approach adulthood. Some are fully committed from a very early age. Nevertheless, they and their beliefs should be treated with respect, especially by teachers. Some Witness practices put children in a sometimes uncomfortable spotlight. A teacher's duty is to mitigate that. Accommodate difference in the gentlest and most sensitive way possible.
In a class that examines historical roots, point out that Witness theology rests within Christian history, just not withing 'orthodox' history. At one point elements of Witness theology dominated Europe. An even handed teacher will not present religions as true or false, but just present matters as they are. This requires a depth of research not characteristic of most lower-grades teachers. And there are few to no texts and guides that fill the gap. A religion teacher should be an adept and committed educator.
Some Witness children are very open and adept speakers. For some years I taught Gifted and Talented students. An uncharacteristically high percentage came from Witness families. They were articulate and willing to prompt class discussions. Give Witness students an opportunity to speak if they want to. This should be voluntary, not forced.
If you want more from me, say so here or PM me.
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27
The Home of Charles Taze Russell - Renovated
by Wild_Thing incharles and maria russell lived in one side.
emma russell lived on the other.
emma russell was maria's younger sister who married charles's father.
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vienne
This is a bit of self-promotion. All sorts of things you may not have known about Russell and his associates are found in past articles on the truthhistory.blogspot.com blog and in our two history books. See links on the blog.
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Watchtower History Gem: I Found When Maria Got Her Teaching Certificate
by Wild_Thing ini consider myself an amateur watchtower history buff.
i have always read that maria frances ackley russell, charles taze russell's first and only wife, went to a teacher training college and was a teacher for a number of years before marrying russell.
but, i have never seen proof that she truly did finish college and became a certified teacher.
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vienne
I think M. Russell's claims to have written parts or most of the Millennial Dawn Series are way overblown. They appear in the divorce transcript. The transcript indicates that she edited for grammar. After making claims to authorship, she repeatedly refers to the books as "Mr. Russell's books" - Not at 'our books' or 'my books.' She made her claims in an attempt to gain money, and in doing so made several claims that do not stand up.
When the Watch Tower was new she handled correspondence. Russell sometimes outlined an article in detail and gave it to her to write. She was very much more a research assistant than an author.
Her education is overblown by modern researchers. She attended Pittsburgh High School for one year where Russell took night classes offered through the YMCA. There was little difference in content, though Maria obviously had a better command of grammar. She attended Curry Normal School, a teacher training institute. Modern researchers confuse this with the modern teacher education. [BEd in 4 years; MEd additional 1-2, etc.] Curry institute had several educational tracks, teacher training was one. Course work lasted six months. Maria was not college educated in any sense, and in many respects was an autodidact.
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When did Watchtower writings start becoming anonymous?
by Wild_Thing ini think most people know that authorship was credited in the old watchtower literature, but at some point everything became anonymous.
i still do not know exactly when this started, but i found this in charles taze russell's last will and testament.
his will was not honored in other respects, so i doubt they would have honored this request.
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vienne
Russell wrote semi-anonymously because of Brethren influence. Brethren writers wrote using only initials to avoid self-praise. Christ's praise was what was important. So Russell published his books and tracts without author name. Rutherford abandoned this, and his name appears on almost everything he wrote, except Watch Tower articles which were published anonymously. Golden Age articles have his name. After Rutherford's death the Society returned to Russell's practice. The most recent Society statement on this is in the July 15, 2015, Watchtower. It presents the same reasoning. It avoids praise to humans.
To me this seems somewhat hypocritical. They praise the Governing Body endlessly in ways that seem to me to belong to Christ. Christ gives holy spirit, understanding, supports us in faith and prompts holy works. No ecclesiastical authority does this. BUT, organizations are entitled to their hierarchy. No-one else must accept it.
As an academic, I find this a bit puzzling. I take responsibility for the quality of my work by sticking my name on it. That's what responsible researchers do. By choosing to be anonymous, one avoids responsibility.
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Youtube (English subs) Dutch Government debate on JW Child Sexual Abuse
by jochie inchild sexual abuse within the jehovah's witnesses' community was on the agenda of a meeting by dutch representatives.
this is an editing of that meeting (only the relevant parts on jw) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7r_8blcw7q.
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vienne
This is excellent.
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43
Gun Nuts...
by silentbuddha inanyone here into guns.
i know alot of the euros here hate the idea but i wonder if there are any other members who are collectors or who are into hunting, target shooti g etc.. no shame zone?.
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Gun Nuts...
by silentbuddha inanyone here into guns.
i know alot of the euros here hate the idea but i wonder if there are any other members who are collectors or who are into hunting, target shooti g etc.. no shame zone?.
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vienne
I distance target shoot [Think Creedmoor style matches] using a sharps 45-90 and an 1885 45-70 Highwall. I'm not great, but I can hit a target at 750 yards using iron sights. I use a five inch Vernier sight. These are black powder rifles in modern reproduction. I also like timed shoots. I use a High Standard Olympic Special with the long barrel.
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The Harp of God book
by blownaway ini am looking for the book the harp of god.
i am told it has some crazy passages in it.
can anyone put up some quotes of the book?
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vienne
There are two versions of Harp. One published before 1927 that says Russell is the Faithful Servant, and one published after that removes all that junk Essentially two books with the same title. -
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Atlantis!-More Paton Files-(The World's Hope)
by Atlantis inhi folks:.
grab these for your archives while the link is still active.
these are in addition to the ones i released a few years back.
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vienne
Thanks Atlantis. That worked.