Regarding attire:
In many congregations, including ours, we are asked to NOT be dressed up. In fact, instruction has been given to NOT wear a tie, and to be more "casual", so as to not "scare off the general public". Slacks, or khakis, maybe a button up shirt. Sisters, casual, not quite to the point of pants, but as close as you are willing to take it.
The standards are falling fast.
take a ride with me back to 1987. picture yourself in your town, or city centre.
remember the clothes people wore, the hairstyles etc.... now imagine yourself doing your ministry out on the street, engaging with people, speaking with them, striking up conversations.
now, how would you feel, and what would you say, if you noticed two people appear nearby with a cart.
A long time ago, I knew a sister who took it upon herself to go to a local park (without anyone's "permission", without "applying" for the "PRIVILEGE"), spread out a blanket, and spread all sorts of literature out on it in a colorful fashion, and just wait for people to walk by and strike up a conversation. She was the "oddball" of the congregation, no one would hardly give her the time of day, she was NEVER interviewed or asked for experiences, regardless of her efforts. In talking to her, one had to admit that she always had great stories to tell, she was the kindest soul, and never would hurt a fly, very intelligent, and meant only the best for people. But the congregation and the elders paid ZERO attention to her, and kept her at arms length. I always wondered why??? She wasnt doing anything "wrong".
Now look where we are......
Another experience just popped into my head. Only about 10 years ago, we saw a group of some sort with a religious "booth" at the local county fair. SO much talk was made of those "CRAZY nutjobs", peddling their literature at the fair?!!! O...M....G....! How disgusting! Dont they know that the only way to imitate Jesus is to go DTD???
Lazy slackers!
alright.... so in another thread, most of us have been counseled for some lame stuff, and the responses range from funny to shocking.. now, let's focus on you giving counsel to others.
come on, don't be shy!.
i'll begin:.
I remember one time as a School Overseer, I had this pretty young lady of about 21 give a talk. She was wearing a moderately short skirt, and so it wanted to ride up the entire time she was seated, so she was constantly pulling on it. I took her in the back room, with another brother, and gave her kind but firm counsel on keeping in mind that her skirt was at eye level when she was on the stage, and you know..... blah blah blah.
Poor thing was so embarrassed, I got embarrassed with her and for her! I really did feel bad, but I meant well at the time, and not in a creepy perv kind of way.... As I recall, we didnt see her much after that, I dont know if it had much to do with my "counsel" or not, but I do still remember that and sincerely wish I could apologize for my nitpicking.
Erin, I'm sorry, please forgive me.......
i always like to hear baptism with attendance numbers at rcs.
observe if the bigger amount baptized are jw children?.
convention.
Salem, Oregon. 5/20, Saturday attendance 3800. 10 baptized, 5 of them children.
Jack Harper, Tech49
http://www.newsweek.com/jehovahs-witnesses-russia-ban-police-589791.
after ban, jehovah’s witnesses in russia harassed by police during religious services.
by jason le miere on 4/25/17 at 4:48 pm .
I agree completely with the comments of Sparrowdown.
If something is illegal, whether it is now, or tomorrow, or overnight changes make it illegal...you DONT DO IT! The law is the law. As mentioned, there is no "rule", or "law" that states you MUST OBEY GOD and go to meetings in order to be a JW. Just not true. I can guarantee you that I would NEVER put my family in harms way just to go to the KH, or to go to a hidden bunker meeting. That's just stupid, and smacks the face of the governmental authorities, whether you agree with them or not. Why INVITE a problem into your home.? Why put yourself in HARMS WAY for 7 old men in New York?
People are lemmings. Exactly as Steve2 said.... super easy for them to send the publishers to get arrested and jailed..... from the comfort of their new McMansion in New York.
Shameless and disgusting, but equally appalling is the "persecution complex" of the publishers. Gag.
jw special conventions.
who's going?.
are you "special" enough to be chosen?.
A couple of years ago, some friends of ours wanted so badly to go to a particular "Special" Convention in another country.
They were so worried, because they had "applied", but had not heard back yet as to whether they were "accepted" or not.
I said something like "..... um, so just go then. Book your flights and hotel. Its not like they check your name at the door.."
They looked at me like I had 2 heads and a devils tail! OMG! They were flabbergasted that I would even suggest such a thing! AHHHHHHRRGGGG!!!
I just walked away..... idiots...
i hope that one of the friends will post the letter soon.
i heard that on 3/27/2017 a letter with new instructions about the accounts at the circuit conventions was released.
the letter seems to adopt many of the corrections that had been suggested here at the forum, among other things during the accounts report they will be no mention of the per capita and the amount due is going to be released only to the elders.
Yes, so "per capita" literally means "per person" in attendance.
So going into an Assembly day, they dont know what the actual attendance will be. They have a pretty good idea..... That's part of the reason they take a "count" about an hour into the program. They then announce just before lunch what the attendance is.
Lets say for example that the attendance for the morning program was 1,000 people (yes, they include small children, and babies). Then, magically, you will note that the "expenses" for the assembly day will be right at about $11,000. No mention of actual expenses or any type of breakdown. That is the amount that they want to see in the contribution boxes, period. No matter if the hall is paid for, and has been for years!
The congregants are NEVER told that the amount they have to come up with is just a general "give us your money" amount dictated by headquarters.
i've seen this in a few posts and not sure what it means.
:) please help..
The newly combined Ministry School and Service meeting held during the week is now called the Christian Life and Ministry meeting (CLaM).
hey there.. if this point has been covered before please forgive me.. i have had the principles of noahs flood used by jw's to encourage me to attend meetings recently and this has got me musing about the flood....again.. genesis states that a river flowed from eden and branched out into four rivers, two of which being the tigris and the euphrates.. heres the baffling part; if it had never rained before, how is it that rivers existed before the flood?!!?.
a brief google search tells us that the euphrates begins its journey as snow melt and rain ( as most rivers do) in mountains in turkey.. ecc chapter 1 mentions the water cycle and describes the rivers flowing into the sea but the sea not becoming full.
how did it work pre-flood?
Not to hijack this thread, but a related question?
Are JW's the only people/religion that teaches the idea of no rain before the flood, and a "water canopy?
Just wondering......
school-bus-driver-accused-of-telling-boy-hed-go-to-hell-because-of-his-mom/.
Blondie, yes, it is a formal JW business card that is printed out by WT and available in bulk at the congregation level. Everyone is "encouraged" to use them as much as possible. They have all the pertinent JW.org info on them. They are like a super-mini tract..... there is a shot of it in that video.
