having a conversation with a pimi elder and i asked him how he deals with the fact that he never expected to get old.
i get the feeling that some dubs still have the original generation explanation hard-wired, even though they claim to accept the new version.
so my question is, how old do you have to be to be considered old?
First meeting I ever attended an elders wife (who is a better collector of news and information then the police!! ) said everyone over 35 is going downhill and life will get more difficult
I felt a little deflated, I’m a little over and still hit the gym
If you can climb into the top bunk in a hostel you are young in my book!
we have been in a battle over health care for so long here in the us regarding public, private, gov't subsidized, obama care, medicare for all, and just about every permutation of the above.. we hear the horror stories here that people wait 20 years for a check-up (ok, bit of an exaggeration), but you get the point.
one side tells us that canadians flock across the border when they are sick and need to see a doctor.
the other side says that is simply not the case.. so tell us, if you live under one of the government systems would you replace it?
From Ireland here
Our health service gets nothing but criticism but it my experience its actually quite good.
There is a public & private system side by side. You can pay for private insurance and it can cost from maybe 600 euro upwards per year for a single person. That is bare bones, say 1000 euro per year (1,100 USD) for a decent plan. Cover your GP visits and helps you skip queues to meet consultants.
Once you get admitted into hospital the staff and service is very good. If you are a public patient you pay 75 euro per night to a maximum of 750 euro per year. If you have private insurance that might be covered, depends on your policy.
There are many problems.
What is good
from the silly website today..... thursday, august 15god .
energizes you, giving you both the desire and the power to act.—phil.
2:13.courageous men who are willing to take on more responsibility are a blessing to a congregation.
From the little I’ve seen in the local congregation there was no shortage of elders and many were quite young, early 30’s and upwards.
The congregation was very short of ministerial servants though. We have a dozen or more young men but most did what I did, sit back and listen. I never saw them doing anything more.
So that amazing fulfilling role of carrying microphones was done by the elders mostly. I wonder if they grumbled
i may have got this wrong, but using the dreaded jw website, they seem to be directing the irish j.w's to go to birmingham in england this weekend.. is this correct ?
they always used to hold two conventions in ireland, are there none in 2019 ??.
probably the irish ones actually, truly, made a loss, but think of all the travelling, including a flight or sea ferry crossing if i am correct.
I do not know about breakfast or shoddy treatment in Citywest Dublin but I know some Irish people went to London for the convention for August 16th - 18th. Probably combine a bit of sightseeing too
Charging children over 2 adult rates in Dublin is scandalous. I worked in Irish hotels and the done thing and common practice was 12 years old. When I worked in Irish hotels I gave many "baby bowls" for free from the carvary
I 100% agree with hotel rates in Dublin being rip off. It is among the most expensive in Europe, pure rip off. No doubt England would be cheaper even with air fare
i have been working through the grey book with a married couple for several months.
actually after a while what happened was a different brother or sister got invited each week to my study.
i met lots and lots.
I have been working through the grey book with a married couple for several months. Actually after a while what happened was a different brother or sister got invited each week to my study. I met lots and lots
I think they consider me hard work as I ask many questions. “You mean my Catholic family will be swept away in Armageddon and that’s a good thing?!?! “ and they were so blasé and thinking all will be positive. It took 3 weeks for me to get through that chapter. Yeah I’m hard work. I got sent to a different elder for one session and he was a better explainer than my bible study conductor. More experience I guess
What I liked:
- Once I asked my conductor let’s do a session with only the Bible and put aside the grey book. He worked hard with a lot of handwritten notes and I liked that session. He did put a lot of preparation into that to be fair.
- The standard of public speaking is pretty excellent and better than many Catholic priests with decades of experience. The men do learn a valuable skill
- some of the talks from visiting brothers were excellent
- there is laughter in some meetings and not in a cruel way. Just some funny mistakes, usually the sisters doing ministry demonstrations and unintentionally insult the householder haha
- The chat with others. Once I helped clean the hall before memorial. I sweated like mad but it was good fun and much laughter and we had fun and someone made a video montage of the photos
- some people with comments are highly original and interesting. I can count these people on one hand
- I visited another hall on holidays and was made feel welcome and one brother went out of way to help me get to the bus station. Very welcoming
What I dislike
- mind numbing watchtower study. A question is asked and someone reads the text back. I could have stayed home.....
- The realization that cliques exist. Despite me being pretty chatty some people ignore me in the hall and walk past me on the street. I did nothing wrong but they have their own friends and they wouldn’t give me the time of day. Most people are lovely but Im not in all the cliques
- what started as encouragement to attend became suffocating pressure. I work full time and can be shattered on Friday evenings and still must attend or I feel I let people down
- the elders have more plans for my future than I do. “Wait until you help with microphones and give talks!!” There is a shortage of men in the congregation and the elders often do microphones, I guess they want new blood. I’m happy to clean the hall and help out but I don’t want responsibility. I’d be happy with cleaning, I’ve no goals to be a leader
- I made the mistake of saying I didn’t enjoy fully every meeting and was informed it was my responsibility to associate more before and after and also prepare and read more in advance.Sorry
- awwwwing when a 5 year old comments. Does that child even understand what they are saying?
My main issue was the suffocating pressure to attend meetings. I was exhausted after work and sitting on the train home waiting to depart. I felt I was wrong or weak or something and got off the train and went to the meeting. I deal with pressure in my finance job but this different as if I’m under control. I was suffocating under it.
A book “ who is doing Jehovah will “ states in some countries people walk through jungles to attend meetings and I was told in a high handed way we have no jungles here do we?? My cheeky comment saying traffic in this city is a jungle didn’t impress I didn’t feel helped, I felt worthless and guilty
Last night I told my bible study conductor I want to take a break for a few months. Was asked if all ok and immediate concern but I just repeated and “don’t call me, I’ll call you” but said in a nice way, not sharp like that. I am unfailingly polite. I signed up to bible study and I enjoyed it. It’s all I wanted
sorry for long post, just thought I’d share
i may have got this wrong, but using the dreaded jw website, they seem to be directing the irish j.w's to go to birmingham in england this weekend.. is this correct ?
they always used to hold two conventions in ireland, are there none in 2019 ??.
probably the irish ones actually, truly, made a loss, but think of all the travelling, including a flight or sea ferry crossing if i am correct.
There was a convention in Ireland in late June or early July, I don’t remember the exact time
Same place as every year, Citywest convention centre in Dublin
this weeks meeting features a video about maintaining kingdom halls.
it mentions a few times, how kh belong to jehovah, and are dedicated to him.. anybody ever wondered, if they belong to jehovah, how come, they are being sold all the time?
can you give something to jehovah and then take it back?
Our hall is a bit run down and has structural issues like leaks. Having said that the congregations do work hard at keeping it as best they can.
The area it is in is a bit “wrong side of the tracks”, not the best. It is being transformed though with large demolitions and new office blocks being built. Gentrification I think is the term. It’s a country with sky high land prices so while the building is not worth much the land is worth a fortune I would say.
My very first bible study I was told the Kingdom Hall would give up their plot of land but in return get a floor in a swish new office building. Sounds a fair trade to me!
Only last week I learned the local congregations do not own the building at all?? All negotiations and valuation and legal work is done by the local Bethal. This was explained to me as a good thing hmmmmm
The members kept this building going for decades, paid all the running costs and do not even hold the deeds? Bizarre,
i do bible study and attend meetings.
”well i was away and i was going to attend in that city”.
i did everything right, i told my bible study conductors in advance and genuinely i wanted to see another hall.
I do bible study and attend meetings.
I was away in another city last weekend (short holiday) and told the Bible study conductors I’d try to attend a meeting there. Was looking forward to seeing another hall as I’ve only been in one in our own city. In the end I didn’t make the meeting as I’m disorganized and I messed up trains but then it’s a city I don’t know. It happens, many of us get lost even with google maps.
Monday lunchtime I was sitting in a park reading football news on my phone and chilling from my job
A pioneer sister came over and a bit of chit chat, sunny day, where you live, oh I cycle around there, etc.
”I didn’t see you Sunday”
”well I was away and I was going to attend in that city”
”I didn’t see you. So important to attend meetings. Satan will try to get back in if you don’t”
”well I was on a weekend holiday and I told my bible study conductors and “ <interrupt>
”in these end times it’s important to attend meetings “ and on she went
chat ended with some ramble about bus routes home
I did everything right, I told my bible study conductors in advance and genuinely I wanted to see another hall. Now I’ve been scolded.
My attendance is better than many of the baptized members.
i have done bible study for about four months now.
the married couple who do it with me are lovely.
i have attended meetings for about two months.
OP here, thanks for replies
I didn’t know the chaperone rule. She asked me in the Kingdom Hall right after the meeting and we went for lunch and a beer so I asked her out for the following week for drinks. I’m a student, this rule was never made known to me.
Yes I think the text was feeling a bit guilty and taking a step back. It wasn’t unfriendly but it wasn’t warm either. The sickness thing is a crock of .......
I blew off the meeting today as I was feeling down and got a text from my instructor (the husband) was I was ok and then later he texted he was worried and should he drive over to check. Concern is nice n’all but that is suffocating!
I attended the last seven weeks and I miss one meeting and get questioned. I thought I was doing well. I’m going to have to lodge my vacation time in advance like I do with my employer
i have done bible study for about four months now.
the married couple who do it with me are lovely.
i have attended meetings for about two months.
Hi, am new here
I have done bible study for about four months now. The married couple who do it with me are lovely.
I have attended meetings for about two months.
Im a chatty sort and I talk to lots and lots after the meetings. A girl sat beside me last meeting and we chatted afterwards. She invited me to lunch and it was fun and we had a beer too. We arranged to go for drinks after the next meeting. Some light hearted texting during the week. I was looking forward to it.
This morning two hours before Sunday meeting I got a text she would be able to attend the meeting but had to go home straight afterwards due to being sick. Hmmm I don’t believe it for a second but oh well. She suggested we go another day with some brothers too. I didn’t bother even going to the meeting today.
I understand getting blown off or rejected, happened me since a teenager. Was she feeling guilty about some rule? Why bring others along? Why do brothers need to be there? I’m a nice respectful guy I hope. She knows I’m not baptized and I’m studying. Can I forget about dating until I’m baptised? Well that if I stay with it.
