Thinking

I received this link from a non-witness cousin a little while back.  He told me, it scared him.
Pity, that most Christians do not take notice of what is behind Xmas and the spiritism behind it.
 

My recollection, of our multiple congregation studies of Revelation over the decades, is that the ‘ten kings’ were representative of ALL the governments of the earth, who bind together in one hour (i.e. a short period of time) to support the ‘image of the wild beast’ (UN).
‘10’ in the Bible, representing “completeness”.
*** Insight, vol. 2 pp. 513 ***
“Ten. Ten is a number denoting fullness, entirety, the aggregate, the sum of all that exists of something.“
Correct me, please, Arauna, if I’m missing something.

Yesterday, I was at Wallkill and Warwick. And it wasn't what you might be thinking. It was to take the grandkids (ages 3 & 6) apple picking. When my own children were young, this was an easy thing to do. Load everyone in a car; drive at least 30 miles outside NYC; watch for signs; take your pick of places; end it with a simple hay-ride, and then take home your pick of apples. Now many of the farms that manage these things only take reservations for picking. They charge $40 for a half-bushel. The have expensive vendor stands creating a makeshift food court, a gift shop, a donut shop, a cider shop. The one we ended up at yesterday had about 500 cars when we arrived (and parking for only about 400). And live music. (?!?!)
Not quite the vibe I grew up with.

We picked about as many bad apple-related puns as we did apples that day. That's because there's always a cornucopia of corny puns to cope with. They're like low-hanging fruit. I do remember one really dumb "pear" joke I made on the hayride when we passed up the rows of out-of-season pears, and I saw one still on a tree:  I started singing:  ". . . And a Bartlett in a pear tree."  [wrong crowd?]
But I made an unrelated but even odder "pair" joke on the way back home. Unfortunately, it was kind of an off-color joke, for my wife's ears only, that I shouldn't repeat here.
So here goes: 😮
It was based on an actual experience from a couple of days earlier when my wife didn't have the cash at the time to tip the nail salon people and she sent me back there with the tip a couple hours later. I was to find two people, Tina and Lee-Lee, the owner and the "nail-doer," respectively. It was my first time in a nail salon, surrounded by women, and I played up that part of the story when my wife asked me if I had found everyone OK. (Wives won't always admit it, but there is a certain kind of tension when they've just send their husbands into a bevy of women to represent them.)
So all that background of the story had almost nothing to do with the joke. Almost. I thought it would be fun to tell my wife about a certain woman I saw in the nail salon who was just finishing up getting intricate designs put on her nails by the same nail-doer, Lee-Lee, and I had to interrupt them. In excruciating detail I described to my wife how the woman getting her nails done had these extreme upper body elements that reminded me of when Dolly Parton once described her bra with the words, "It's like trying to put 100 pounds of mud in a 50-pound gunny sack." 
But I also mentioned to my wife that, waiting out in front of the salon, was another woman in a car who had almost exactly the same figure, and the same mode of displaying it with a lower-than-low-cut blouse. (Or maybe it was a dress; I don't remember looking.)
I said to myself: I bet that woman in the car is waiting for the same woman I just interrupted. And I'll bet she is going to get in the same car with her. And sure enough, as I was getting back to my own car, that other woman left the salon and got in the car with her, right there in front of the salon.
"How do you think that I was able to predict that this was going to happen?" I asked my by-now-thoroughly-exasperated wife.
 

Um—she made my take some of her pears. Sorry.

Oh, C’mon! Show a little backbone, why don’t you?
Next thing you know you’ll be agreeing with that anti-cult whack job Korelov who calls the United States “the spiritual garbage dump of humanity” and who paints Jehovah’s Witnesses foremost in advancing that cause. I distinctly remember in the 70s working with the tract “Jehovah’s Witnesses—Christians or Communists”—designed to counter just the opposite impression, that Witnesses were agents of Russian communism.
https://bitterwinter.org/russia-sensational-revelations-jehovahs-witnesses-prepare-an-anti-putin-coup/
 

I just realised this may sound like I was inferring that JWI is stupid. Of course I don't mean that. If you live in the USA, you don't have much choice, especially not if you don't live close to a gruff German grandma! 

The gruff German grandma down the road loaded me up with enough pairs from her tree to last weeks. I was just walking by with headphones on, the way I do, and greeted her as she was crossing the street. Turned out she had just returned from giving a load to people there, also. 
My greeting was enough. She pulled me into her yard and made me take some of her pairs. However many I took, it was not enough, and I left with a bag as heavy as I could carry. So I brought them to the congregation get-together where several young children who had never eaten pairs before dove into them, found them delicious, and probably had the runs for a week.
My wife has called on this women before in the course of her ministry. ‘I don’t think she’s interested,’ she says. ‘She’s gruff, but underneath pretty decent.’ So I told her my wife’s verdict, which I agree with. I’ve been back since for more pears and even some apples.
(I should have told her that city-slicker @JW Insiderwould pay her $40 a bag for whatever came off her trees, even $80 if she serenades him with an accordion band.)

I agree. Things that used to be simple, have been made ridiculously complicated and commercialized. That's why I like the former soviet countries, they haven't caught on to this rubbish yet, or at least they have bigger fish to fry for now.....OR they know they wouldn't get the customers because people aren't stupid enough, yet* 🤪😂 OR, these kind of enterprises are not the best type for money laundering
*they go to grandma's orchard and pick their free apples for free, or pick the apples that grow on trees lining country roads...
 

The world has gone insane....
Mundane stuff is being commoditized as never before as people are trying to attribute value to every single small iota of life amidst the foundational cash being devalued like never before in generations.
Stay tuned for more absurdities I'm sure.
Soon we will be asked to post $ in order to make posts online in forums etc.

Who cares?
If it’s a total waste of time …. It’s THEIRS to waste!

Just to be seen, this is in itself a Witness. Also, those who are really interested, they find a way to come and take literature. 

I guess you havent tried it. There are many countries where there is still many responses.... and in those where there are not significant  responses... jehovah sees the faithfulness of the sisters and the public are reminded when they see the stands. Every time they ignore us they are making a choice!
You see nothing we do for jehovah is vanity or in vain.  Wasting time on other pursuits is vanity as Solomon said.  
 

I guess the above-mentioned, works for the zeal of Christ and the Apostles that continued that fine work. Apostle Paul comes to mind. Yet, to some extent, someone might think that kind of work can be exaggerated or excessive, while Jesus wouldn't have thought of it that way. It's good to know there are still people willing to proclaim the good news with such passion as it was done in Jesus time.  An Organization that follows Jesus teachings can only be a fine example on how not to listen to old and forgotten members that just couldn't appreciate those teachings.
 

Iran’s protests continue, and a university in Tehran was under siege by “security forces” who allegedly shot at the dorms. The Iranian Parliamentary Speaker, himself a veteran of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, admitted that the protests could destabilize Iran.

I think the problem is due largely to ignorance of the function of governments and international organizations.  In another comment, I will highlight some of the benefits we enjoy worldwide because of the work of the United Nations.  Jehovah has allowed governments to keep order and to help us in our preaching work.  ((1 Tim 2:1,2; Romans 13:1). Nothing can be achieved without relative peace.  Only Jehovah's Kingdom will bring peace and we must not worship the peace beast as the only hope for mankind as has Christendom. We can still cooperate with governments to achieve certain goals.  There is no requirement to hate them.  It is Satan who is using them to harm and persecute us.  Satan has fostered all worldly governments but they are made up of people who we are supposed to love and set a good example to.  They are thousands of examples where Jehovah's Witnesses have been commended by the governments for good work and conduct.  The United Nations is made up of  individual governments.  That is why it is called the image of the wild beast. If we respect the government we individually live under, we must also respect the United Nations.
Granted something unintentional was done to achieve greater access to information to maybe prove fulfillment of prophecy and obtain statistics of every sort. However, I think the complaint has been pushed out of proportion.
I endorse the comment of Eoin Joyce and also recommend studying how Jehovah and his representatives who appreciated the role of government cooperated to get things done. We have just studied Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and we see how Esther and Mordecai along with Jehovah's intervention used good judgement to protect His people. Romans chapter 13 is essential reading also.  See below: (Taken from w95 10/1 "A World without War - When?")
THE CHRISTIAN VIEW OF THE UNITED NATIONS
  In Bible prophecy, human governments are often symbolized by wild beasts. (Daniel 7:6, 12, 23; 8:20-22) Hence, for many decades the Watchtower magazine has identified the wild beasts of Revelation chapters 13 and 17 with today’s worldly governments. This includes the United Nations, which is depicted in Revelation chapter 17 as a scarlet-colored beast with seven heads and ten horns.
  However, this Scriptural position does not condone any form of disrespect toward governments or their officials. The Bible clearly states: “Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. Therefore he who opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will receive judgment to themselves.”—Romans 13:1, 2.
                                                                                         
 

For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the Angel of Great Counsel: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him. (Isaiah 9:6) This scripture easily links to (Proverbs 8:35-36) & (Judges 13:18)
His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: upon the throne of David, and his kingdom, to establish it, and to support with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The seal of Jehovah of hosts shall perform this. (Isaiah 9:7)
Notice that the Angel of Great Counsel would bring Peace to those who take heed, but he would bring righteous judgement to those who refuse to listen or obey him. “I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you on the way and to bring you into the place that I have prepared.  Pay attention to him, and obey his voice. Do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, because my name is in him.” (Exodus 23:20-21)
There is much to research, but it would be repetitive. Look at the two scriptures:
For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the Angel of Great Counsel: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him. Isaiah 9:6 (LXX) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) After reviewing both scriptures, one can easily assert how the KJV came about in removing the Angel of Great Counsel and then deleting for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him and replacing it with Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. It’s a substitution trying to appease the scripture that was removed, for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him. Three “the”s were added to the text at a latter time by KJV translators. Looking at the Hebrew text itself, you will not find them listed because they don’t exist. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/isaiah/9-6.htm
Daniel 12:1 states Michael the Great Prince would stand up which indicates the real scripture at Isaiah 9:6 LXX which says, “I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him” would be more accurate instead of the three titles Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace that replaced it. The following scripture fits like a glove. “Look! A king will reign for righteousness, And princes will rule for justice. And each one will be like a hiding place from the wind, A place of concealment from the rainstorm, Like streams of water in a waterless land, Like the shadow of a massive crag in a parched land.” (Isaiah 32:1-2) Anyways, didn’t Jesus tell his Disciples ‘not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One’? (Matthew 23:9)
Now if you noticed, Great Prince is set up by the definite article “the” which provides emphasis. But in Isaiah 9:6 KJV, there is only one definite article in referring to the government which would be God’s Kingdom. Isaiah 9:6 contains the indefinite article “a” for “a child” and “a son“. If the truth be told, really the prophecy at Isaiah and the Old Testament in it’s entirety is referring to Michael the Archangel. Archangel means Chief Messenger.
Michael is the one given the name (Philippians 2:9-11, Hebrews 1:4, Acts 4:12) Michael is the beginning of creation (John 1:1, Col 1:15, Rev 3:14, Rev 22:16) Michael and his angels fight against Satan (Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:21, Daniel 12:1, Jude 1:9, Zechariah 3:2, Joshua 5:14, Exodus 23:20-21, Rev 18:1, Rev 12:7-9) Michael is the one who abysses Satan (Rev 20:1, Rev 9:11, Luke 8:31, 1 Cor 10:10) Not only is Michael named the Angel of Great Counsel but also called by the name The Word of God. (Rev 19:11-13, Rev 1:13-15,) Michael speaks in behalf of his Father as his personal messenger [angel] (Exodus 3:2, Acts 7:30, Isaiah 49:2, Rev 1:14-16, Matthew 17:2, Act 9:3, Acts 16:13, Acts 27:23)  

That too (normally w/ some inflationary precautions, ha ha). But the day of reckoning over debt is put further off if there is more international interdependence on that same dollar. The Petro Dollar was only the largest tactic. Other tactics include military aid in $USD, foreign aid in $USD, IMF loans, and even putting military bases in as many countries as possible which forces the host country (Japan, for example) to deal with a lot of $USD alongside their own currency.
To keep it propped, other nations must give it its props.

(Daniel 11:43) . . .And he will rule over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the desirable things of Egypt. And the Libʹy·ans and the E·thi·oʹpi·ans will be at his steps.
I guess this assessment is a bit controversial...

FWIW, Here is the full picture for Thinking in case someone might get a skewed picture from the incomplete picture:

And several of those downvotes she received came from you-know-who, which makes them about as meaningless as downvotes can get.
If one were to do a quick comparison. She gives out less than 1% of her votes as downvotes. The ratio is 1967+55+148= 2,170 to 13. That's not even counting the ones that indicate a sense of humor.
By comparison, C-D67 has given out more than twice as many down-votes as ANY other kind of vote. Where have we seen that before, I wonder???
 
 

Allen! Allen! Allen! Allen! Allen!
ALLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!

Sure. It's a bad habit from past employment, but I think a lot about what people can do with statistics. You know: "lies, d#$%n lies and statistics." You can make people believe in things that are true, only half-true, or completely false. Here are my own numbers below. I had never looked at mine before, and it reminded me that the 11 downvotes I gave out were part of a joke that I was playing with someone else here.
But I can also state, with some sense of real accomplishment, that nearly 580 of the 618 downvotes I received, all came from the very same person, even though they came from about 27 of that same person's various accounts.

 

No. Gog of Magog (Satan's Entire Political System of things) is destroyed in the First Phase of Armageddon. Then, Jehovah's People will be protected during this period of a thousand years for several reasons.
“No more will there be an infant from that place who lives but a few days, Nor an old man who fails to live out his days. For anyone who dies at a hundred will be considered a mere boy, And the sinner will be cursed, even though he is a hundred years of age." (Isaiah 65:20)  "All the peoples of the earth will have to see that Jehovah’s name has been called upon you, and they will be afraid of you." (Deuteronomy 28:10) "They will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain, Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah As the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:9) As for the second Phase of Armageddon, Jehovah will destroy Gog and Magog with LITERAL fire and consume the rebels after the 1,000 years. "Now as soon as the 1,000 years have ended, Satan will be released from his prison, and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea." (Rev 20:7-8)
So....after the 1,000 years, does Gog and Magog (Rebels) die off. They die the second death as Adam and Eve did, but they do not die off little by little, but rather they are destroyed literally for all to SEE. "But fire came down out of heaven and consumed them." (Rev 20:9)
So what the difference?  Jehovah destroyed Adam and Eve in the day of a thousand years he allotted them to produce offspring. "So all the days of Adam’s life amounted to 930 years, and then he died." (Genesis 5:5)
Those who die during Christ's Millennial Reign are brought to nothing because Jehovah promised, "they will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain."
But after the 1,000 years, the judgment day has concluded and Jesus 'hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power.' (1 Corinthians 15:24)  
Therefore, anyone rejecting Jehovah's Sovereignty will be destroyed literally. "But fire came down out of heaven and consumed them." (Rev 20:9)
 
Summary:
During the first phase, under the direction of Jesus, angels will “separate the wicked from among the righteous” and destroy them. (Mt 13:40-42, 49)  Those alive who are 'wicked' when the Great Tribulation begins, die off.  Whether the 70 or 80 years of lifespan are cut down in the same manner when Jesus destroyed unfaithful Israel to 40 years in the wilderness is possible, but we do not know. Not everyone will be the age of zero but may be of all ages even 80 or older.  At any rate, their death could be sped up if they try to do harm to the Great Crowd. That would definitely speed up their death... instead of dying off.
However, before the second phase of destruction begins. Jesus 'hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power.' (1 Corinthians 15:24)  Since Jesus and the 144,000 brought mankind to Perfection in the manner that Adam and Eve had it, prior to sinning. Such one's will have the prospect of everlasting life.
The sad thing is, they (Gog and Magog) choose to follow in the same footsteps of Adam and Eve and rebel with the result being catastrophic and instant.  It's JEHOVAH himself that destroys them before an audience of Earthy and Heavenly Subjects. 
After all, isn't Armageddon associated with fire and the second death?  To claim the wicked will not be destroyed after the 1,000 years have ended would be in error.