ComfortMyPeople

I sincerely hope he doesn't change.
I've enjoyed his brutal truth throughout the years. 
Courage is not something that needs changing.
I hope you are ok @James Thomas Rook Jr.
 
 

Let me put your mind at ease, I, like you, know when to keep my mouth shut. There are doctrinal interpretations that I have considered incorrect, and some which are pointed out to me and I now consider incorrect, but who am I to start making waves about it? 607, 1914, peace and security, the generation....and so on, do not nullify, or undermine, the fundamental core of what it means to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses and do not, actually should not,  undermine ones relationship with God. At least not for me. Heck, if I can read Ray's books and still be o.k, that says it all I think. 
If I discern something really WRONG then I will speak, but so far, this has not happened....

If there is a question about something, then it is not my place to say that I am necessarily representing what is TRUE. I am representing my particular take on the question. I may think it's true and might think I KNOW it's true. That doesn't make it true. At best, it's something that ought to be considered and questioned. It's our Christian duty to keep questioning to make sure of all things and hold fast to what is fine. It is not our duty to represent our views as absolute truth that others must follow.
Also there is a difference in not being honest and being dishonest. One may not be honest without realizing it, through sloppy research, biased thinking, misunderstanding, steeped in tradition etc. When something comes across as dishonest, I have stated the case to persons in responsible positions who will understand the problem. I don't treat anything as if there was purposeful dishonesty.
I think there is some kind of balance we should all reach. There is always a danger of causing unnecessary divisions.

Every now and then someone says something that says, in effect, "Ah! He understands me!" Then my next breath is breathlessly and frantically worried, "Uh-Oh! He understands me!!!"
It happened once, a couple years ago, on this forum when someone named, let's say, "Joyce" presented a supportive point that favored my own take on 607 BCE. His point was (and is) thoroughty devastating to the 607 theory from a very simple Biblical persepective. I worried instantly that he might start seriously considering more about these forum discussions and actually change his mind on the topic. I worried about what that could mean to his respectability in his congregation if he were vocal about it. And what about a wife and kids? Or perhaps an elderly brother who depends on his generosity to get by? What if discovering that one doctrine is wrong could avalanche into a "faith disaster" where related dominoes fell? What if someone has a rug pulled out from under them with nothing to fall back upon?
For two years, I consciously avoided repeating that particular argument that "Joyce" had himself presented, even though I always thought it was one of the most important points. I didn't want to be seen as going after a particular individual, manipulating a "chink" in the armor. Yet, I gladly went on to discuss other points.
It happened more recently, a few weeks ago, when someone named, let's say, "Anna" asked if I thought the GB had it wrong on the "cry of peace and security." Then she went on about how she agreed that the Bible context does not support the explanation we get from the GB. That scared me again, immediately, and I almost said it as a response to her. But it would not have been understood as a serious concern in a context where I was still expressing the same opinion on that topic. It would have seemed disingenuous, or manipulating. Still, I worry about where a discussion with her husband might end up. What about her children? What about her reputation in the congregation?
Where I have a difference with the view expressed in the WT, I always hope I have made clear that these are not things to just bring up openly in the congregation setting. For those who don't wish to deal with such topics, I am happy to be counted among those who are seen as "crazy" or "haughty" or even "apostate" because that makes it easier to dismiss for those who wish to dismiss. Of course, others will recognize a point, here and there, as something worthy of a discussion, or pushback, or counter-argument. I look forward to that type of response. 
Also, I know that a few others have been watching this forum. Not persons from Bethel(s) as far as I know. But I get contacted now and then about whether someone can quote or use what I've said here on someone's website, with or without attribution. My answer is always, go ahead! For the same reasons I just gave above, I don't care how or where or why a person would want to repeat anything from here. But I have no concern about controlling how anything is used by others. Perhaps others here get similar requests.
I should also add that I don't consider anything said here as "enlightenment" to be recognized. I treat this forum more the way I would want people to treat a comments section over at jw.org, if they had one.

When I am captain of the dodge ball team, choosing up players, my first choice will be Joseph. Just look at his stats:
“From the time [Potiphar] appointed him over his house and in charge of all that was his, Jehovah kept blessing the house of the Egyptian because of Joseph, and Jehovah’s blessing came to be on all that he had in the house and in the field. He eventually left everything that was his in Joseph’s care, and he gave no thought to anything except the food he was eating.” (Genesis 39:5-6)
“So the chief officer of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners in the prison, and everything that they were doing there, he was the one having it done. The chief officer of the prison was looking after absolutely nothing that was in Joseph’s care, for Jehovah was with Joseph and Jehovah made whatever he did successful.” (Genesis 39:22-23) 
“Pharaoh further said to Joseph: “I am Pharaoh, but without your authorization, no man may do a single thing in all the land of Egypt.” ...The people began to cry to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians: “Go to Joseph, and do whatever he tells you.” ...People of all the earth came to Egypt to buy from Joseph, because the famine had a strong grip on all the earth.” (Genesis 41:44, 55-57)
The bolded words say it all. He was a really good player. Were he on my team, he would soon be doing it all. We wouldn’t have to suffer being smashed with a ball and tagged out—that hurts!—we would voluntarily tag ourselves out and sit on the sidelines drinking Gatorade while he singlehandedly won the game.
He had dreams, too. Cool dreams. Not the type of dreams that I have, like how I  am sitting in the stands and suddenly remember that I have the next talk, only I have forgotten to wear my pants this day, and—come to think of it—the talk itself had slipped my mind so I haven’t prepared, but I might possibly be able to ad lib my way through—still, it would have been better had I remembered my pants...
No. Joseph’s dreams were about the rise and fall of peoples. At first, they got him into trouble, but later in life they got him out of trouble and landed him in some hotshot jobs, like being savior of the earth. (41:57)
He wasn’t full of himself, though. After interpreting Pharoah’s dream about how seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of want, he says: “So now let Pharaoh look for a man who is discreet and wise and place him over the land of Egypt.” He doesn’t add—after he had just interpreted the dream that no one else could!—“Ahem...and I’m your man.” But it goes that way anyhow because he just interpreted the dream that no one else could. Isn’t there some verse somewhere about how it is better for other people to praise you than it is to jump the gun and do it yourself? 
“Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; Others, and not your own lips.” (Proverbs 27:2)
I like too how he always showed interest in others. Here he is in a prison hole greeting his mates with: “Why are your faces gloomy today?” (40:7) Turns out that they were gloomy because they’d each had a dream that they couldn’t figure out, and so Joseph did it for them. It ended up springing him from the hoosegow—so it couldn’t have been too much a waste of time for him to show fellow-feeling. 
Genesis 41:46 is relevant, too: “Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt” [to be granted his new role as administrator]. 30—same as was David when he began to rule and Jesus when he began his ministry.
Now, as it turns out, I was married on my thirtieth birthday. When elders sneak up the way they do trying to make it hot for me with my birthday cake, I always turn the table on them and send them away frustrated by pointing out that it is an anniversary cake. However, this fact of a significant phase of my life starting at 30 like with other worthies—it indicates that I am a hotshot. I am someone to be listened to and it distresses me that nobody is.
I throw in this personal revelation on account of a recent comment from Kos, upset that the GB should be “discouraging the ‘other sheep’ to ask the anointed about anything that conserns their anointing or if they could have any ‘new light.’”
 
To me, this says it all, not only for him, but for others in his spot. The longing to instruct and to be recognized as an instructor is palpable. And when they are NOT so recognized—since all you would have to do to be so recognized is to partake of the emblems, and there is no way to separate the crazies from the real anointed, and so I can’t imagine any real anointed making a fuss over it, since it is mostly a token of a future assignment—whoa! you should hear them carry on!
Well, me too! I want to be listened to, but nobody is. With all the blogging I have done for 15 years, I ought to be an in-house theologian by now. Not just me, but also @JW Insider. He should be in-house theologian for all his posts—and even (God help us) @James Thomas Rook Jr.. None of us are recognized. We all want to be. The organization isn’t enthralled with bloggers and maybe this post serves to remind why. Sure, I’m loyal now—but what if I park on the lawn and the elders tell me not to and I point out that I live in America so I can do anything I want and I decide to settle the score with them on my own blog—well, what then? If a brother goes bad at Bethel, they simply yank him and throw in another, but what will they do when I go bad? No wonder blogging doesn’t do it for them.
Now—whereas Kos and his contemporaries complain non-stop that their enlightenment is not recognized, do I? (much?) No. Does JWI? Not at all. Does JTR? Even though he lodges more complaints than most people take breaths, he does not complain about that! So I offer our excellent example to these frustrated anointed who want so badly for the flock to listen to them. You would think they would go out and find their own flock, but no! they want to filch sheep from the present Witness congregation.
 
 
 
 

I had a good friend once tell me, and I realized it might be true, "You are not crazy enough to be put away ... but if you ever got in, they might not let you go!".

Jan Kosonen, @Kosonen
In several places online, you have seen fit to provide your name, your email address, and much of your personal history. But you have also provided an "audit trail" of failed time-based interpretations and predictions. I began to point this out before and you do not appear back away from this history. Instead you continue to present yourself as an anointed person who actually wants to be seen as a modern day prophet.
I began to write a paraphrase of your letter as I think it will have been understood by any responsible person who reads it at the headquarters of the CCJW/WTS. But that started looking like an exercise in parody. And I didn't want you to think I was just trying to make fun of you. I do think you will be seen as one of hundreds of mentally disturbed and imbalanced persons who has associated with Jehovah's Witnesses. I know another person very well who left Bethel in good mental health, but within a few years began to suffer greatly, and began to consider a lot of conspiracies and speculations about various "end-times" scenarios. I see several similarities. I don't wish to spell out these many similarities, but I do feel badly that he doesn't attempt to get the mental health care that he desperately needs. I am not sure if you have sought mental health professionals yourself. I hope that you have.
In addition, I hope you have also prayed for the kind of spiritual guidance that can help us maintain mental balance. I know that you consider yourself one of the anointed, and are therefore very familiar with the following verses:
(Romans 8:26, 27) 26 In like manner, the spirit also joins in with help for our weakness; for the problem is that we do not know what we should pray for as we need to, but the spirit itself pleads for us with unuttered groanings. 27 But the one who searches the hearts knows what the meaning of the spirit is, because it is pleading in harmony with God for the holy ones.
(1 Corinthians 10:12, 13) . . .Consequently let him that thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has taken YOU except what is common to men. But God is faithful, and he will not let YOU be tempted beyond what YOU can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out in order for YOU to be able to endure it.
You show a lot of bravery and boldness in sending your letters as you have. But you also display a lot of haughtiness in a way that makes me think you are likely not always aware of how you come across to other people. This is a common theme among certain kinds of mental health issues. In cases like this, the sound of the haughtiness might sound to you like the necessary boldness to speak as an anointed prophet might. But if one truly has the "spirit" they would understand the need to pray for the ability to put themselves in the place of the other person, the ones you wish to speak to.
(Philippians 2:1-4) . . .If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any spiritual fellowship, if any tender affection and compassion, 2 make my joy full by being of the same mind and having the same love, being completely united, having the one thought in mind. 3 Do nothing out of contentiousness or out of egotism, but with humility consider others superior to you, 4 as you look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.
(1 Corinthians 10:23, 24) . . .All things are lawful; but not all things are advantageous. All things are lawful; but not all things build up. 24 Let each one keep seeking, not his own [advantage], but that of the other person.
I would hope you are brave and bold enough to allow persons you trust to speak openly to you about this possible health problem. Have you honestly asked anyone if they believe you might have mental health issues? Sometimes, what we won't see for ourselves is clear to others. Paul spoke to Timothy about men whose folly was very plain to all.
(2 Timothy 3:9, 10) . . .Nevertheless, they will make no further progress, for their folly will be very plain to all, as it was with those two men. 10 But you have closely followed my teaching, my course of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance,
So, I'll ask you more directly: Do you think that you might have mental health issues?
I hope that you have persons you trust to ask this question about yourself.  If any of us ask enough people around us, I don't think any of us would get a perfect score on this account. But if there is any question at all in the minds of others then it's a very important point to consider, and look into more closely. And I can tell you right now that this question about you is already in the minds of several of us here.
(Philippians 4:5-7) 5 Let your reasonableness become known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.
I'll be happy to engage the specifics of the points you made, but I do hope you will respond to these points, too.

There is much, much more to be said in answer to this than you are making out. I don't usually buy into "they question how something was handled because they don't have all the facts" line - especially when in many cases it's the ones making the accusations on certain things that DO have all the facts. So I see that explanation sometimes as a dodge. But I will have to say that in this case, you apparently do not have all the facts - even if there are at times exceptions and legal considerations involved that provide an exception. But this has been hashed over many times before in numerous threads. Believe what you want.
Good points. Most people think of the physical and emotional pain and suffering Job went through when Satan attacked him. But really, there was nothing that wasn't common to men - for instance in times of war. Millions of people have lost everything. Lost their families, status in the community, their possessions, their health... So yes, Job lost a lot and suffered a lot. But Satan was more interested in compromising Job's integrity - his everlasting prospects based on his relationship with God. How did he do that? By making the test very difficult to rationalize or understand within the context of his faith. He made it appear as "discipline from Jehovah." As if God was unfairly disciplining him for something he knew he was not guilty of. Discipline can rightly be viewed as coming from Jehovah when it based on the principles and clear direction expressed in God's Word. It's "discipline" from Satan when it is used to deliberately harm innocent people or hide wickedness. Satan hasn't changed his tactics and still uses them. "All things were written aforetime..."

It's not all that uncommon that elders decisions are overruled or reversed on appeal (I wouldn't say it's common either though). In the case of one of the anointed elders, Bethel didn't even allow an appeal (not surprising since an appeal would have put more eyes on what they were endeavouring to cover up and he was exposing. It would have made them look pretty bad actually). But there is a provision that probably thousands of appointed men have made use of over the many decades that allows for an appeal in writing of the decision if the person feels strongly they were not dealt with fairly/scipturally. If a person is removed or disfellowshipped, my understanding is that it's pretty standard practice to be notified that they can appeal. Although some don't advertise it unless the individual specifically asks for it. It's no real secret - although most won't publicize confidential instructions - and neither would I if in that position. As to "where can we find instructions on that?: you would have to have access to written instructions and directions through letters and books. Apparently you don't - which I would say is a good thing frankly. Are there Bible examples of persons in authority who reversed their decision once they found out they made a bad decision? Yes, of course. Look it up. I'm not going to do your homework for you.  As for posthumous reinstatement, evidently the elder body thought it fair to right a grievous and wicked wrong committed by certain elders against an innocent man, which had tarnished his reputation. I can't imagine what that poor brother went through, yet he faithfully continued on and never saw justice in his lifetime. (1 Tim. 5:24) After all, Jesus didn't either did he as a human? Neither did many other faithful men (Heb. 11...) 

It would be unfair to paint with too wide a brush to basically say "everyone" is "always" this or that. Many/most brothers who serve as elders are loving shepherds who just want to do what is right. Who love Jehovah, love their families and love their brothers and sisters - regardless of whether you share their beliefs or not. But as has always been true, (whether in the times of the patriarchs, Israelites under Law and even the Christian congregation), there have been men who were "bad actors" who were anything but loving. Who grasped at positions of authority for totally the wrong reasons. Do we have men like that today? Although an "inconvenient truth," It shouldn't surprise us that yes, we do. In fact, doesn't the Jehovah clearly warn us against such ones in his word? Also, while recognizing my limited perspective geographically, I will grant you that from my "neck of the woods," there does in fact appear to be a concerted attack against anointed Christians from "wicked men and imposters" from within the organization. I personally know quite a few anointed Christians very well as close friends even serving with them and their greatest tests have come from within. I've seen it. Too often in fact to be a coincidence and not for doing bad, but exposing badness of other "shepherds." It's not that they were disliked - in fact most loved and respected them for the good lead they set spiritually - but I can only describe what I have personally seen as a murderous hatred. Well beyond what I would consider normal. Too clever, too orchestrated, too many outright lies and deception levelled against them to be coincidental. It seems more like a "machination" because of that. I'm not writing this to provide more "ammo" to opposers since as I had stated, I don't know if this goes any farther than my geographical area and it certainly does not characterize the vast majority of shepherds I know, nor does it necessarily describe the experience of anointed Christians elsewhere - but it's there. Yet, all of those are still serving with Jehovah's organization faithfully as pillars in the congregation despite Satan's evil efforts from men within. (Except for the anointed brother who died while disfellowshipped for years. He was posthumously reinstated when it was found that 3 "shepherds"/elders lyingly framed him in order to get him disfellowshipped. They in turn were disfellowshipped themselves when found out). There's a saying in my country: "Don't expect justice from Bethel." I would have to agree with that from what I have seen in my country. But I have also seen many good things. The bad shepherds you referred to in Jeremiah most certainly CAN at times describe men from within. But to my mind more appropriately describe those in Christendom as it's history shows. Of course, I can't mention sensitive stuff I know about to the average rank and file JW - it's too far beyond their scope of experience. But while I disagree with your broad application and decidedly negative only viewpoint, I also know things happen that shouldn't happen. 

At Bethel in Brooklyn all brothers would be periodically assigned to either a few hours of after-dinner dish duty or a whole night of guard duty, which entailed walking through totally dark floors in the factories at Squibb (25/30 Columbia Heights) or the 4 main factories at 117 Adams. You would try not to bump into anything as you searched for "key boxes" with a flashlight. Then you'd turn a key and go on to find the next key box, using a page of ambiguous instructions instead of a map. If all the key boxes were hit correctly and in a timely manner every night, the Society could save a lot on insurance. Being the kind of non-sleeper that I am, I never did dish duty, and always swapped it for guard duty.
I was shown where a brother, 20-some years earlier, emptied 6 rounds into a roll of printing paper because he didn't know that rolls of paper can expand and contract due to temperature changes and the pops they make can sound like gunfire. 25 to 30 years earlier the Bethelites could still carry a gun on guard duty. This probably stopped in the 1950's, I'm not sure. It probably stopped soon after that shootout with the paper roll. 

I am always happy when JWI does the heavy lifting for me ... as a Barbarian the only thing I have going for me is single minded focus, which can be good ... or bad.
From my many comments here one might very reasonably think I  am on a quest to destroy the Governing Body, and that they are my sworn enemy, but that would be a stretch of enormous proportions, basically because that is not the case at all.
I would like to see MANY reforms, so that others are not chased away from the TRUTH, as I could have been, through no want of considerable effort by clueless Elders, and that others do not have to experience the persecution and discouragement I have faced, because of choosing a life of pursuing the things that interested me, about which Jehovah God has not expressed any opinion on whatsoever, in any way, shape or form, but which offends the sensibilities of those not so inclined. ( Classic example: skydiving, having a beard, and imitating at least two of the Apostles, being armed at all times).
Jehovah did not appoint the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day, neither did he appoint the Governing Body.
BOTH took it upon themselves to "seat themselves in the seat of Moses", a job that I appreciate, and I appreciate that for the most part, their motives and motivation are as pure as the wind driven snow .... sometimes not ...but willy-nilly, the largest problem is the talent pool available.
The GB is recruited from humans ... big ugly nasty, frail, error prone, illogical, greedy and seriously flawed bags of water, sloshing around usually doing the best they can, each with individual "thorns in their side", that stab them and throw them off balance.
I understand this, and I understand that currently there is NO WAY TO GET AROUND IT.
So, without any duplicity, or being two faced, I agree with the principle for the Governing Body the same as what Jesus said for the scribes and Pharisees, of his day..
(Matthew 23:2, 3) . . .“The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. 3 Therefore, all the things they tell you, do and observe, . .
After three years and about six months of being disfellowshipped, about five years ago, I could not compromise about the issue about which I was disfellowshipped, and say "I was sorry", and had three separate reinstatement hearings, the last of which I only promised never to do what got me disfellowshipped again.
By this time, the Elders had gotten to know me better.
They also began to understand the issue better.
At the first hearing, they may have been afraid I might shoot them.(?)
The last hearing only lasted about 4 minutes, less than ten minutes ... and they only asked me three questions.
1.) QUESTION: "What do you think of the Governing Body?"
    ANSWER: " I think I will have to agree with their self assessment in the February 2017 Watchtower, where they stated that they were neither inspired of God, or infallible."
2.) QUESTION: 'What do you not like about "The Truth?""
ANSWER: "Well, I could certainly do without Caleb and Sophia"
3.) QUESTION: "Will you support Jehovah and his Organization?"
ANSWER::" I always have. " ( correctly implying that I always will.)
This was on a Saturday.
They announced my reinstatement the following Tuesday, at a Circuit Overseer's visit.
So, if you who have left "The Truth" are encouraged by my resistance to stupidity, illogic, and injustices found among Jehovah's people, by my "bad example", and my rants and rails against what I have in the past referred to is "the clown car"., you are making the same mistake the Elders made.
The main reason I am so crude, and blunt, and un-diplomatic is that people glaze over with soft words spoken in dulcet tones, and they enjoy being hypnotized.
Also, I never have to remember what I have said .... or to who!!
If you have abandoned "The Truth", you have only shot yourself in the foot, and it takes awhile to bleed out.
Any involvement with any collection of people has the same foibles and weaknesses, and they are legion.
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water ... but it's OK to recognize and rail against bathwater that needs to be thrown out.
.... contrary to mainstream preferences.
For blind pawns, Justice must be tempered with mercy, or real love ceases to exist. (John 9:41)
.... and we are ALL, blind pawns, made from DNA.
 

People should be defended wherever possible. The motives can be quite pure and still mistakes are made. In fact, I would say that there are specific good motives that make certain kinds of mistakes even more likely. I'm pretty sure that's why we have extra warnings in the Bible about not being misled when it comes to speculation about the end-time events. Paul said not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us. Obviously, the end-time events get us all excited, and these are the most likely times and events that persons would be speculating upon.

I know this wasn't directed directly at me, but I am just as likely to ridicule the chart as several others around here. The reason is reason:
(Philippians 4:5) 5 Let your reasonableness become known to all men.. . .
(2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2) . . .However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you 2 not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.
(James 1:22) . . .However, become doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with false reasoning. . .
(Romans 12:1) . . .Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason.
(James 3:17) 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, reasonable, . . .
This reminds me of the time when Rutherford began teaching about "Armageddon" in 1925 (and the start of the resurrection of the ancient worthies like Abraham and David). He said it was not just a possibility or probability, but the practical equivalent of a certainty. This teaching was Rutherford's most famous prophetic interpretation from the moment that he was supposed to have embodied the "faithful slave" and the "Governing Body" starting in 1919. The 1919 prophetic message "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" was a message about how people would stop dying in 1925.
Should anyone have said anything to Rutherford about how unreasonable this idea was? Should anyone have said anything to anyone else who was teaching this? Rutherford was saying that his hearers and readers could be more certain of 1925 than Noah could have been certain about an imminent Flood. He said 1925 was more of a certainty than 1914 had been. (Which year had also been displayed in famous charts and chart-dependent presentations.) 
I think you are implying that out of respect for Rutherford (and the "faithful slave" and the "Governing Body") that no one should have pointed out that this was unreasonable. Something similar might go for the idea that the Governing Body said that there should be no divorce allowed for a sister in the congregation when her husband was found to be committing adultery with another man. In the latter case, I'm pretty sure that the rule was changed only when enough people were bold enough to make fun of it. If no one had spoken up, we might still be stuck with this unreasonable teaching.
You point out that it now seems reasonable that the end might come about based upon the travails that the world is going through at this time. That might seem reasonable to a lot of people. Yet, even if it happens to be correct that we are currently listening to the world's "death rattle," it still does not follow that an unreasonable chart had anything to do with it.
If the end comes tonight and someone later discovers that a man in, say, Northern Queensland had been holding up a sign to that effect in a cow pasture, we could not reasonably connect the man's sign to the end-times event.

This is so sad. When the state goes beyond its authority and doctors do so as well. Seems this doctor trained in China and has this attitude.
My daughter was operated on almost 42 years ago in south africa.  She had cancer as a 8 and half month old baby.  The operation took the entire day. It was a thoractomy without blood. A massive and dangerous surgery.  (Called an OP. In SA)
The brilliant surgeon did a fantastic job, quaterizing arteries as he worked. She healed fast after the operation- she took about a quarter of the time it takes  other patients to heal because they usually take blood.
She overcame the cancer and 6 years ago became a mother of a healthy child - despite doctors warnings.
Jehovah knows best.  I am afraid that China has taken control of the WHO and the human rights council - so in future it will be harder and harder for JWs to control our own bodies and that of our children.  They will treat us as property if the state...... to do with as they please.

My best wishes. Get well soon!

Tom, I guess you are hoping to get very old or live through Armageddon. I am sick a second time.  I had these symptoms 6 weeks ago and got over it....... but it came back today.... lol.   I worked with tourists......
I remain in quaranteen and doctor myself. I will never go to a hospital.
This world-wide lockdown reminds me of the 66CE lockdown  in Jerusalem....... I believe we are on our way to that situation we have been waiting for!
After this the money system will be digital and all governance controlling..... central policies by UN....... maybe after our JW message a second lockdown? Like 70CE?
 

Blasphemy is a death offence.  It is happening daily in Pakistan. If they do not like your face or want your possessions or daughter, they accuse you of having said something against Allah or quran 
Pakistan is a terrible place. When Pakistanis come to western countries they do not show this extremistic face  but in Pakistan - this is the rule of sharia law.
In Islam it is also a death offence to preach another God. This is why one is not allowed to take in a bible to these countries where Islam is the state religion.  Saudi Arabia and Iran comes to mind. The state randomly checks citizen's  cell phones when they come back from foreign trips - just like in China.

1482598_10152111876512043_407444675_n_10152111868802043.mp4

Wann have some fun?
Plug in an X-Box Game controller !

I accept the lead of good examples. These "leaders" set a very good example in promoting international brotherhood, organizing efficient world wide preaching, designing an educational program that puts Bible examples in front of us constantly so we can learn from good and bad examples. Also, the level of morality that's promoted includes, not just the standard morality of fundamentalists, but also neutrality when it comes to participation in divisive politics and violent wars. I don't remain with my brothers and sisters because of a history of chronology doctrine, and I do my best to point out that this is a trap which could start rearing its ugly head again when the two-part generation starts running out.
But as JTR said, find me another religion or association that I could join, and if it's better, I'll join it. Just make sure it has the same position on War, Trinity, Neutrality, Preaching, and New Heavens and New Earth.

Similar, but not quite the same thing as picking a date and then saying, "well it wasn't 1975 let's see if it's going to be 1976 or 1977" etc. From the tied-in perspective of counting the number of years in a life-span or generation starting with someone old enough in 1914, then yes, it was part of a series of failed dates. But, interestingly, even though 1975 was just a part of an expectation for 'what the 1970's would bring,' that particular prophetic expectation for 1975 did not get stronger as the 1970's wore on after 1975. Instead it was dropped like a hot potato for a couple of years. No one talked about it in 1976, even though you'd think it would become even more important. Shows how much focus had actually been put on that one year even though technically it was about the decade of the 70's.
But I was also referring to how Daniel says that the person who waits until the last chance "1335" would be happy, and how the Watchtower still identifies this time ending in 1925 and 1926 as "time of great happiness." Yet it was actually a sad time.
*** [Daniel's Prophecy] dp chap. 17 p. 303 par. 24 Identifying True Worshipers in the Time of the End ***
at the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days!” (Daniel 12:12) The angel gives no clues as to when this period begins or ends. History suggests that it simply follows on the heels of the preceding period. In that case it would run from the autumn of 1922 to the late spring of 1926 (Northern Hemisphere). Did the holy ones come to a state of happiness by the end of that period? Yes, in important spiritual ways.
*** dp chap. 17 p. 304 par. 26 Identifying True Worshipers in the Time of the End ***
The issue of March 1, 1925, carried the historic article “Birth of the Nation,” giving God’s people a full understanding of what had happened in the 1914-19 period. After 1925 passed, the holy ones no longer served God with an immediate, explicit deadline in view. Rather, the sanctification of Jehovah’s name was paramount. This vital truth was highlighted, as never before, in the January 1, 1926, . . .
The period of 1335 is said to have ended in the late spring of 1926, but if we look at the literature, we see that 1925 was still being pushed right up to the last day of 1925. The expression '1925 is not over yet' was used in a publication, very similarly to how Millerites still thought the 1844 year would be correct even if the October date had passed.
Different from 1975, the back-peddling began when 1925 arrived. But in this case the back-peddling wasn't a drop of the expectation, but a shift to include 1926 in the prediction. So that the pain and embarrassment and sadness was merely extended by giving false hope for another year.
History proves that the ouster proceedings began promptly on time. Prophecy indicates that 1925-1926 will see the greater part of the ousting completed. All the world's statesmen are dreading the next few years." The Way to Paradise (1925) p.171
"The year 1926 would therefore begin about October first, 1925. ... We should, therefore, expect shortly after 1925 to see the awakening of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Melchisedec, Job, Moses, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, John the Baptist, and others mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. The Way to Paradise (1925) p.224
It's so typical for persons to get their entire lives wrapped up in chronology. Once they get started, it becomes kind of a trap that they never give up on. And then Jesus warned against it, so that we know it's also unchristian and unloving. Russell was attracted to Adventist chronology from a very young age and kept at it until he died in 1916. Harold Camping (non-JW) in the United States was another case of someone who just kept predicting right up until he died, hurting thousands of people by doing so. I had a very sad conversation with one of his "flock" the day before the "end."

I'm not at all suggesting that this is the true meaning of those final verses of Daniel, but they do rather eerily correspond to the experience of almost everyone who feels the frustration of pinning their hopes on chronology.
Here is a quote from the actual verses again, followed by a paraphrase of what might be written between the lines. Let the reader use discernment, while keeping their tongue in cheek:
([ACTUAL] Daniel 12:6-13) . . .“How long will it be to the end of these marvelous things?” 7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was up above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left hand to the heavens and swore by the One who is alive forever: “It will be for an appointed time, appointed times, and half a time. . . . 8 Now as for me, I heard, but I could not understand; so I said: “O my lord, what will be the outcome of these things?” 9 Then he said: “Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the time of the end. 10 Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand. 11 . . . there will be 1,290 days. 12 “Happy is the one who keeps in expectation and who arrives at the 1,335 days! 13 “But as for you, go on to the end. You will rest, but you will stand up for your lot at the end of the days.”
([FAKE] Daniel 12:6-13) . . .“How long will it be to the end of these marvelous things?” 7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was up above the waters of the stream, as he raised his right hand and his left hand to the heavens and swore by the One who is alive forever: [“IT'S GOING TO BE 1,260 DAYS"] . . .  8 Now as for me, I heard, but I could not understand; so I said: “O my lord, what will be the outcome of these things?” 9 Then he said: “Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the time of the end. 10 Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand. . . . [YOU WILL PROBABLY WONDER WHY NOTHING SEEMED TO HAPPEN AT THE END OF 1,260 DAYS AND RECALCULATE TO ANNOUNCE]. . . .there will be 1,290 days. [AND WHEN THAT DOESN'T WORK OUT YOU WILL PROBABLY THINK YOU CAN RECALCULATE AGAIN AND ANNOUNCE:] 12 “Happy is the one who keeps in expectation and who arrives at the 1,335 days! 13 “But as for you, go on to the end. [IN FACT, YOU MAY CONTINUE TO GO ON FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE AND WONDER WHY YOU NEVER COULD FIGURE OUT WHY YOUR OWN EXPECTATION PROVED WRONG FOR 1,260, then 1290, THEN 1,335 DAYS. BUT DON'T WORRY AT ALL. THESE TIME PERIODS ARE GOD'S, NOT YOURS. YOU MAY LIVE OUT YOUR LIFE AND REST IN THE GROUND, BUT REST ASSURED] . . . You will rest, but you will stand up for your lot at the end of the days.”
Although this FAKE ending of Daniel probably seems ludicrous to you, it has been the exact experience of thousands of persons who thought they could figure out just what is the meaning of the 1,260 days. Several times in the 1800's, for example, men tried to pinpoint the end. Some started announcing in 1840 that the end was about 3.5 years away, but when it didn't happen in 1843, they recalculated and picked new dates in 1844, and then when it didn't happen in October 1844, they waited right up to nearly the last cold day of 1844. Then again it happened in the 1860's, and then it happened again in the 1870's. (Barbour said it would be 1873, then changed it to 1874, then his group recalculated possible dates in 1874. Then, when 1874 failed, they decided it was 1874 all along but invisible.) Then it happened again around 1914, when the "END" of this system had been predicted, and then when it didn't happen, the end "of the Gentile Times" was moved to 1915. A few months after it didn't happen then, the Finished Mystery book, predicted the end of this system for 1918. When it didn't happen then, it was predicted again for 1925.**
I think we should stop trying to go where angels should fear to tread, and trust that the end can come at any time. It is our lot to live our lives in expectation that it can happen at any time, yet, for all of us it will happen unexpectedly, in an instant, at the very end of our current lives, if not sooner.
**Ironically, the expression in Daniel 12:12: "Happy is the one who keeps in expectation and who arrives at the 1,335 days" is interpreted in the Watchtower to mean the year 1925. This was probably the saddest and most embarrassing year in the history of the Watch Tower Society. Does this sound happy?
*** yb75 p. 146 Part 2—United States of America ***
So, as Anna MacDonald recalls: “1925 was a sad year for many brothers. Some of them were stumbled; their hopes were dashed. They had hoped to see some of the ‘ancient worthies’ [men of old like Abraham] resurrected. Instead of its being considered a ‘probability,’ they read into it that it was a ‘certainty,’ and some prepared for their own loved ones with expectancy of their resurrection.
Imagine, being told that 1925 was a sure thing, even surer than 1914, with even more assurances than Noah had for believing God when God told him there would be a flood. The Watchtower said it was not just a probability but a certainty. Based on that certainty, some brothers even built houses and extra rooms for their resurrected loved ones. Imagine them thinking of Noah explaining to passersby why he was building an ark, when brothers in 1924 and 1925 were explaining to passersby why they were building additions onto their homes. Then imagine being told that it was their own fault for believing the Watchtower which had indicated that it was a certainty, and not just a probability. In fact, they should have never even considered 1925 to be any stronger of a probability than 1850 or 1935 or 1975 or 2034!
Those who pin their hopes on any specific signs or dates will probably have those hopes dashed.

Yes. I know of only a few other JWs who admit to believing this. Not that it should mean that much to us, but hundreds of thousands of Bible readers, and most Bible scholars and commentators have believed exactly this way through the centuries.
This is true. Even those persons and translators who didn't have access to the first-century definition of "royal parade-like visitation" (discovered in the early 1900's from first-century papyri) had already understood the truth of the matter even from the original "basic" definition of parousia, which is related to being present.
The parousia is accompanied by a spectacular judgment event, sometimes referred to in Jewish literature of that time period as a "synteleia" which can refer to a destructive "end of all things together." The "end of all things" judgment event is part of the parousia according to the Bible usage (Matthew 24:3). The parousia of a royal personage could include a judgment event even among the Roman emperors and their officials when they visited a province. But these other royal visitations were parade-like and therefore called parousia's, but not synteleia's. I think it's only a synteleia if it includes a destructive judgment event.
It's this judgment, I think, that is referred to with the symbolism of stars falling and in other places, mountains falling, the sun and moon not giving light, etc. The separation of sheep from goats, the resurrection of righteous and unrighteous, the gathering of the anointed, etc. All these things happen at this time period. It does not matter how long it takes, or exactly what things happen just before or after the other things, at this point. It's too late to change divine judgment at this point, so it doesn't matter if the time periods are literal or not after judgment begins.
Armageddon is probably NOT a place in Israel, so speculation based on this idea probably won't get us very far. Surely you do not actually think that 12,000 persons of the 144,000 are coming from the smallest tribe of Israel, and another 12,000 come from the largest tribe of Israel, do you? (Revelation 7:5-8) Is this literal when it says "out of the tribe of Zebʹu·lun 12,000"?
Since there is no literal Har-Mageddon, afaik, it seems unlikely.
Revelation does not describe a literal Jerusalem, and as I said before, I don't think there is a literal Har-Mageddon, so I think these are "virtual" locations. Much like the use of Jerusalem made in Hebrews and Galatians:
(Hebrews 12:22, 23) . . .But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels 23 in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens,. . .
(Galatians 4:26) 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
Because, if Babylon represents the primary tangible "enemy" that Christians must conquer, then when Christians have survived, and have actually conquered, It deserves a recap/summary as part of the final bowl.
(John 16:33) . . .. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world.
(1 John 5:4, 5) . . .And this is the conquest that has conquered the world, our faith. 5 Who can conquer the world? Is it not the one who has faith that Jesus is the Son of God?

The GB teaches that all of Matthew 24 are signs that were especially prevalent around 1914. This is not misusing the sufferings of others to hype up their own agenda. It's an interpretation. And yes, it's an interpretation that is very easy to fall into. I'm sure that's why Jesus warned us about exactly that sort of thing. There is a danger in it, but it's not the danger of misusing others' suffering.
I think the most likely dangers are the following:
The danger of hubris and presumptuousness and pride in thinking that we can solve some chronology issues related to the parousia when these are things that not even the angels should try to do. It's not in our jurisdiction. It's in Jehovah's jurisdiction. But we think that we are special and it gives us bragging rights to think of ourselves as a kind of prophet. The danger of believing that we are fated to a certain set of developments in our lifetime and our therefore "immune" to true empathy and sympathy for the sighing and groaning of people without hope in this system. The danger of starting to think we know a date that is just far enough off so that it gives us more time to prepare. The danger of starting to think we know a date that is so close that we begin "serving with a date in mind." In other words, our motivation for our service to Jehovah becomes a works-based sprint to see how much we can do, rather than a focus on love as a response to His undeserved kindness. But the GB are not now hurting anyone with an identification of the parousia happening in 1914. What we define as a parousia is something else altogether from what the Bible defined it as, so we are really just saying that Christ is King and has been present since before any of us were born. Whether that was 33 or 1874 or 1914 makes no difference now. We're in the same situation, regardless. It was only a problem while we were watching for the number of years since 1914 that might be in a generation or a lifespan while awaiting the REAL manifestation of his presence on judgment day. But we no longer do that.
I don't think it's a conscious decision, but the new definition of generation is really just a throw-away definition that effectively tosses out the idea of a generation or lifespan from 1914. So most of that problem is gone. 1914 itself is actually just kept as an artifact of pride. It's a way of protecting a tradition that 'saves face' since we already held onto it for so long and since it was once "predicted" by people related to us in the faith.  I mean that it was "predicted" in the sense that it was associated with a phrase: "end of the Gentile Times." Everything else about that prediction failed, and in fact even the phrase "end of the Gentile Times" failed. The phrase back then had nothing to do with what we claim it means now. Still, 1914 is so long ago that it has no effect on our current conduct. We are really right back to the Biblically-supported situation where we need to take advantage of the UNKNOWN AMOUNT of remaining time to keep maturing and showing love and faith and responding to undeserved kindness with actual "good works."
The context sounds better than just that one sentence. But yes, I think he fell into one of the common dangers of confirmation bias when you promote a specific eschatology. See danger #2 above, perhaps even a little of danger #1.