Srecko Sostar

If you can listen to the video again, you will see that the leaders were very convincing that 1975 was the date Armageddon was to come.  The first speaker is Fred Franz, the past president of the Watchtower.  The other speaker is a district overseer, Charles Sinutko.  There is another recorded talk by a district overseer where he used the phrase, “Stayin Alive ‘till ‘75”.  There are many Watchtower references concerning the date, but you won’t find them in the recent collections of the organization’s website.    
I do not put my faith in any literal timetable because Jesus expects us to find the answers from him that we need to know, at the time we need to know it. John 6:27; Matt 13:44,36,51 
 If we are to look at chronology, wouldn’t we be just like the Pharisees who sought a sign for the coming Kingdom?  Yet, the Wt. has set many dates regardless of Jesus’ words.  They have been dogmatic about ignoring Jesus’ words.
Jesus said, "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed." Matt.16:4
Obviously, that 1975 marked the date of 6,000 years of the existence of mankind has nothing to do with the sign of Christ’s coming, but in 1975 Watchtower leaders expressed it as a very big deal.  Men disregarded Jesus’ warning of Matt 16:4, and went with it anyway as they have done so since the beginning of the organization.   Should it be dismissed that Jesus said any who do so are a “wicked and adulterous generation”? 
How do the Watchtower leaders present this false prophesy today?
“This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wickedness.”  Prov 30:20; Rev 2:20; 17:4-6
The Watchtower has a history of chart-making, from Russel and the pyramid measurements, to the “overlapping generation” – all based on a date.  1 Cor 2:13,14

My two posts on this thread will explain why we currently are doing this since the early 1950's:
 

The outline posted online shows that there is a reference to the 07/15 1985 WT, page 19, para 14. This says:
To be fair this is not a completely new tack. The example in the talk is taken from the WT 85 7/15 page19 para14
In the video of the talk available online the speaker uses this almost verbatim.

Correct. Where do you allow a 13,000 pound elephant to sit?
Wherever he wants to.  Isa. 55:8

This scripture applies to EVERYBODY!

Although the Governing Body was FORCED to admit, after the fact, by the Australian Royal Commission on Child Abuse that they were NOT inspired of God ... OR infallible ... until the ARC met and pried that out of Geoffery Jackson, under oath ... the "working theory" was that they WERE inspired of God, and infallible. 
At the very least they are in actual fact TREATED like they are ... even now ..... EVEN BY YOU!
Abraham was loved by God so much that they had a special two-way relationship and TALKED TO EACH OTHER DIRECTLY!
If you think the Governing Body has that relationship it would demonstrate one of TWO things ...
(1.) it would prove that Jehovah God is flaky, petulant, cruel, irrational, and that there is no real love or Justice in his principles .. all of which is absurd on the face of it ... or
(2.)that the people claiming to be his "Faithful and Discrete Slave"  are flaky, petulant, cruel and have no real love Or Justice in ITS applied interpretation of core principles.
If you have been keeping up with current events internationally, and have eyes to see, you know that one or the other HAS to be true.
There is no third choice for rationally thinking people.
If I had the same personal relationship with Jehovah God that Abraham had, and I do not ... I also would have had the faith that Jehovah's Justice would prevail, and that slaughtering my son was a righteous thing to do.
When the Governing Body commands that Love and Justice as defined by Jehovah God involves what disfellowshipping has become ... for people that DO love Love and Justice ... that too is absurd on the face of it ... and unfortunately, we here down at the bottom of the theocratic food chain have to sacrifice the sheep to the ones with the power to disfellowship US ALSO, if there is any real discussion, questioning, or demand for accountability.
We too are sheep, and MAY BE NEXT TO BE EATEN.
THERE IS A REASON that Judicial Trials at the Kingdom Halls are held in secret ... and that those charged cannot have tape recorders, stenographers, or friendly Witnesses to observe the goings-on, completely unlike the Judicial System that worked well for thousands of years, where the accused would be tried in the City Gates, where all people could observe, and the Judges, KNOWING that, were restrained by fear of retribution from incensed everyday Jews, to actually act justly.
Back then, the judges were accountable to the general population to actually make Justice happen.
Now, there is no Earthly checks and balances whatsoever on whatever the Governing Body says is the standard ... and because that is true ... the NATURAL result is that is self aggrandizing tyranny ... as is ALWAYS the case among the affairs of men, when there is no restraint of power.
There has never been any exceptions in the history of the world, and there are none now.
With my own eyes I have seen the cruelty and injustice of punishing whole families for one person's transgressions, and the shedding of crocodile tears, and seeing people beat down with a metal fist in a feathered silk glove, with soothing words, and a LOT of them.
So don't pull this "Abraham" crap on me .... they are two entirely different scenarios ..... except for those who bent it into a pretzel to support their cruelty, power, position and status.
The Governing Body cannot be criticized, or FIRED for screwing up peoples' lives ... they are accountable to NO ONE on this Earth.
.If I personally screw up my life, I personally am responsible, and I personally have to pay the price the Universe always demands.
If the Governing body screws up my life to sustain it's position of power and authority ... NO ONE is responsible.
They NEVER apologize for ANYTHING!
 

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I agree that disfellowshipping is a necessary component of Congregational discipline ... and a straight reading of the Bible makes that very, very clear .... but THE WAY it's done makes all the difference.
Currently it is petulant, overreaching, cruel, and ONLY serves the purpose of creating fear and a foreboding ... so much so that The Russian Federation, used to the tyrannies of the old Soviet Union, are very close to EXPELLING the Jehovah's Witnesses Organizations from their country for "Extremism", because the way disfellowshipping is DONE, we are destroying whole families.... not just the ones disfellowshipped!,
.... not because the Russian Government is  persecuting anybody ... but because we DESERVE it.
If there is ANY civilization on this Earth that fully understands what political "purging" in a "worker's paradise" is ... it's the Russians.
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"Why is it necessary, when someone feels that they can no longer abide the organisation and has to disassociate - why is it necessary to shun them? Why can't they keep having social contact
with those people who happen to remain in the organisation?"
- Australian Royal Commission to Jehovah's Witnesses 

Gnosis Pithos 9 hours ago  
 
Dear Gnosis is the common Greek noun for knowledge (??????, gnôsis, f.).[1] The term is used in various Hellenistic religions and philosophies.[2][3] It is best known from Gnosticism, where it signifies a knowledge or insight into man's real nature as Divine, leading to the deliverance of the Divine spark within man from the constraints of earthly existence.
What confusing you in this simple, clear and truthful Anna's quote??? !!! 

There is an interesting (seeming) paradox here.
Those who do sin against God's spirit are unlikely to think they have. Those who do not sin against God's spirit often think they have.

I don't think any of us can claim that, and it is rather presumptuous of you if you think you can!

"God deals with you as with sons..." 
not as with  bread for garbage, trash can.
 
 

again - one person failed (your sinful dfd brother) and others JW members run from them as he is "mentally diseased" apostate. But ok if you scare of apostates, do not talk with him.  What about other sorts of sin? They are also dangerous?
So where is "companion" who will lift up him? Only elders, once a year????? Is elder his "companion"?? or it is someone else??  "But woe.."

I will put this verse to some topic. 
Loyalty and Truth. Two moral powers that can exist on same level. 
Are you loyally love your failed "friend" at all times". In bad times, not only in good times?
Can your brotherhood with him, and his with your, be born in "adversity"?
If you start to shun, ignore, reject him because he is "sinner", how you will fulfilled Proverbs? 
Or Jesus words - LOVE YOUR ENEMY?  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,..."
 
Is your failed friend your enemy?? Is your dfd brother from cong. your enemy??
If it is LOVE HIM.
If he is not LOVE  HIM. 

WT said this words applied to policeman, inspectors, soldiers, officers .... of secular government ---not elders and judicial committee

No, i am not. But i heard that some elders in particular congregation came to knowledge about one bro who have homosexual  inclinations. And they solve that issue by giving him this kind of solution. Be gay, but not have sex with other male.
Thanks for funny side :)) But i can be sure about your cognitive abilities that you see the point with this verses. All human are sinners, by accident or by half intention or by full intention to doing bad. And according to sinful state of mind and heart, no matter is that sinning last 2-5 seconds, 15 minutes or on daily basis, once a year, or in some other frequency. if Jesus mean literally what he said, then all would have to face judicial committee :)))))

We humans can only judge what we see or hear about. Jehovah judges the heart.

Thank you, Nana Fofana.  I used the Good News Translation, the same as in the video.
Would not God’s name express authority? Ps 124:8; Prov 18:10; Jer 29:9; Ezek 39:7 and many other instances.
I can see why it was translated as it was:  In describing “name” in John 5:23, blueletterbible says of its usage:
“the name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one's rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.”
We can see the implication of authority in a name by reading Acts 4:7; Rom 2:24; 2 Thess 3:6; etc.
Scriptures support its usage when we read other instances where Jesus’ authority is addressed:
John 5:26,27 - “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,  and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.”
Matt 21:24 -  "But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”
And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."
 No, he was not seeking honor from men as he says 5:41, but he made it clear that the honor bestowed on him by God must be recognized.  He came bearing the authority, honor and power of the Father. 
In the same chapter of John, Jesus said:
“For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”  John 5:22,23
 “… however, someone comes with his own authority, you will receive him.”
“… If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.”
"There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name (authority) under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12
Only he has direct authority over us, not an organization and its rulership.
 
 
 
 
 

I once heard a talk about this very thing, many years ago....what on earth does it mean? The brother gave some good insight on it that really helped shed some light on Jesus words. His explanation was that an individual who thinks or looks at another long enough to have sexual desires for that person....usually at some point acts it out. If one is in the habit of [constantly] having sexual fantasies and or  Sexual desires he/she has a high probability of submitting to it.
The seed of sin has already been planted (looking, longing, fantasizing) within the mind and it is fertilized each time the person in question engages in such thoughts or habits.  Once the root grows deep in the heart....there will be nothing to hold you back. You will act.
So yes....the person has technically ALREADY SINNED  (Premeditation) before the act itself was ever committed. 

While reading again your comment i found some parallel in OT rules and NT rules. About sinners. If OT congregation found you guilty and found reason to sentenced you in finally way, all congregants would stone the sinner to the dead.
But in 1 century NT congregations introduced new rules on sinners. They are not using stones any more. They using new the type of weapon. After some judicial process, similar or not to the original way of investigation and judging given by Law, congregant was using in first place - words (to judge person) and after that silence, ignoring, dfd (to stone person).  
Of course this observation is in err if WT interpretation on NT reports are mistakenly representing how to be applied this or that bible verse. Like their explanation on excommunication was  in 1947 Awake, totally opposite to later standpoint which came to power and is until now.     

Comparison of religious system is not so bad to do. You respond on my question, asking "Who is closer to Bible truth? JW or Amish?" with one more example of Scientology. Thanks. But, if i agree with you in statement about "only two possibilities"  would i hear your opinion on  the issue Who is closer to Bible instruction about treatment, handling with "sinners" inside congregation?? JW, Amish or Scientology?
I will ask you the same 3 times. 3 is symbolic number :))))) This is second time asking. hehe

We are just humans, and we all have our good and bad. And must be able, have courage to say it.
This afternoon i was recal one simple and "not important" behaviour in some other every day circumstances. Let me tell you.  The brother from the former assembly often parks his car on the parking lot, near the school where I work. This is a parking lot for my colleague school staff and two other institutions in the same building. He has no right to park there, but he still does. But what is ironic is this. After I left JWorg, he did not want to greet me on the street when we met  each other once, twice. But when his car was "trapped" in the parking lot because the ramp was down, he sent me an SMS message and asked me to help him get out. :)) Hypocrisy or not?

I think it is clear. Bible wrote that God has said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,"

just counting natural things of human life, nothing more or less.

Quotations from JWorg. It can be on other issue also, but this is also interesting: my comments are in red color.
"While the Bible disapproves of homosexual acts, it does not condone hatred of homosexuals or homophobia. Instead, Christians are directed to “respect everyone.”—1 Peter 2:17, Good News Translation.
Question: How JW show respect to everyone if are not willing to say even hello on street to person who is: everyday sinner, in process of cleaning from sin, in the state of repentance and not doing sin, in a process of fighting against own bad desires with more or less success?  
Can a person be born homosexual?
The Bible doesn’t comment directly on the biology of homosexual desires, though it acknowledges that we are all born with a tendency to go against what God commands. (Romans 7:21-25) Rather than focus on the cause of homosexual desires, however, the Bible prohibits homosexual acts.
the Bible speaks of “those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts,” and then it adds: “That is what some of you were.”—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
In saying “that is what some of you were,” does the Bible mean that those who stopped engaging in homosexual acts never again experienced any homosexual desires? That could hardly be the case, because the Bible also exhorts: “Keep walking by spirit and you will carry out no fleshly desire.”—Galatians 5:16.
As to my knowledge from JWorg publications, person who is homosexual is allowed to be baptized and to become member of JW cong as long as he/she not practicing such behavior. In other words, Bro John Doe is a gay, but because he is passive gay or pedophile or ...  (he can have desire, and he have desire) because he have good self control and not practicing sinful desire, he can be invite for lunch in some family with ...minor kids.!?   
Note that the Bible does not say that a Christian will never experience an improper desire. Rather, it says that he or she will choose not to carry out that desire. Christians learn to bring such desires under control, not dwelling on them to the point of acting on them.—James 1:14, 15. [6]
The Bible thus makes a distinction between inclinations and practices. (Romans 7:16-25) A person who has homosexual leanings can control what he allows his mind to dwell on, just as he would control any other wrong desire, including leanings toward anger, adultery, and greed.—1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Peter 2:14, 15.
While Jehovah’s Witnesses uphold the moral code set forth in the Bible, they do not force their views on others. Nor do they try to reverse laws that protect the human rights of those whose lifestyle differs from theirs. The message that Jehovah’s Witnesses bear is a positive one, and they eagerly share it with all who will listen.—Acts 20:20.
But Jesus said, someone who have sinful thoughts, desires he already made a sin. No matter did he engaging in act or not. So, this is somehow in opposition to explanation we read before in text by JWorg. So, did someone who have just desire and never done nothing to realized it (he is made sin in mind and heart, and by Jesus words, he is wrongdoer) braking the unwritten law said by Jesus.                 Mat 5:27,28  "You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." 
Does JW members take a stand about this (statement from Jesus) according to Bible or they need to reconsider rules about this matter?