Thinking

JW Insider/Outsider
Furuli showed otherwise and has provided the explanation that you seek.
That strong cable of WT Chronology based on 4 prophetic witnesses is not reliant on such ancient artifacts susceptible to interpretation and fail to properly account for Neb's missing 7 years of regnal vacancy and the notorious 20 year gap and Jeremiah's 70 years.
Yes, you need imagination when trying to interpret the so-called 17 lines of secular evidence and trying to harmonize secular chronology with that strong cable of WT Chronology.
The gap is an historical reality when trying to sort out the muddle of NB Chronology and is well supported by the biblical evidence of 70 years along with the other three witnesses unlike the muddle of secular chronology.
Finally, some honesty appears on the horizon so you better stick to the Bible and not to COJ's deception- the Devil's work.
scholar JW

Which proves you are not a man of God, yet again.
You cannot sit at the table of God, and hang with demons on a festive evening.
Yet again, proving yourself, the mainstream Christians, such as yourself belittle how God views such things.
You can joke with God all you want, but do not be surprised when his Day comes on how things will turn out for the charlatans and cherry pickers.
That being said, I said the same thing to that Pastor you follow; his community put him on blast.

Not defensive at all, according to what was brought forth the last time we spoke, it is 100% correct.
The claims (News Corp) is regarding the money situation or these rumors that were going around prior to the Redress coming to a conclusion, to which were proven unfounded, granted there was no evidence; and when you were asked, along with the others, nothing was ever said. Yet a few months ago you and the others profess it as a truth when present day, this so called "truth" is unfounded still. The irony of it all, you guys attempted to educate someone on the difference between Alt-Left and Alt-Right with a silly representation of a video - what a joke.
As of recent, the JWs are indeed still operating in Australia AFTER the Redress. Last I checked, anything related to the Redress or the latter a group and or institution DOES NOT CEASE FROM EXISTENCE despite the outcome. You have to be living in a dream world to assume after these events that suddenly a group or institution simply vanished from the country, that is silly. In regards to the Redress, as pointed out just because they do not acknowledge and or submit to such, does not mean they are gone. This also goes for the police in Australia and other authorities, who, although they get the blame in this too, are still operating as normal, but this time, with a history.
I have seen the changes, in regards to what YOU wrote, there is no update, that is what I am referring to. Since June, we already know what the Redress Scheme was going to do to a number of groups and what transpired after that, and looking at recent news, it reflects that. Nothing big has happened every since then, hence my response. If you really wish to correct me, tell me something that WAS NOT SAID in regards to the Redress that is new now. Apparently - nothing.
That being said, in regards to the Redress prior to, during and after, we know what changes were made, and since then, there was not much of an update after June (last recent being July) because the Redress made it clear what it's intentions were for those that did not sign with them oppose to others who rather stick to the Court System.
The last known update was, like I said, back in June, the only recent, was news in July about the Redress Scheme.
Next time if you are going to quote the Bible out of context, use it in the right situation, apparently, using that verse here regarding an event that has last been updated months ago isn't going to help you, and a specific verse, I have used time and time again, has already countered you in this regard, hence the lack of discernment and understanding on your part.

Same as always with me, however, I was invited to a community that is aiding in csa prevention due to the thread I made a while back reasons why I spend more time there due to the progress of some folks who are well above me in action; hence my point of going about things the correct way, one situation I had to defend my adversary at one point due to a situation.
I've always been keeping an eye on events that is taking place in the US, EU and elsewhere due to the fact of what I said in the past is escalating.
I do not fear COVID, let alone let it hinder me, granted I know how to take care of myself and handle my business, but sadly a lot of people slowly give into to fear. I have seen the current situation making some of your people, your faith community, fatigued to the point of breaking. Do what you need to do wisely so you do not face that same situation, but since you are young, you are open to making wise decisions than most.
 
That being said, vigilance, endurance, and faith overcomes COVID; remain in faith, and you are of God's favor regardless of what happens, even if something unexpected happens to you. You'd be amazed of how people seem to forget about the hope that God will give, as seen in the other thread regarding a specific Symbiote...

Since love doesn't keep account of the injury and covers a multitude of sins, I will not go back and show you what you have actually said. Besides, I've never wanted to make this into a contest of who is smart or not. I've never claimed to be smarter than you or anyone else here. This just happens to be one of my strong interests -- and of course it's an interest that is recommended in the Watchtower itself. It's easy to make mistakes in this area of study. I've made quite a few while learning and might still be making some. I'm hoping to be corrected where I am making mistakes. But it gets easier, and makes more sense every time I read another book and compare it with the evidence and the appropriate Bible passages.
But I'm sure you'll agree that there's nothing wrong with taking an interest in this topic:
*** w11 10/1 p. 26 When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part One ***
But why be interested in the actual date when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II razed the city of Jerusalem? First, because the event marked an important turning point in the history of God’s people. . . .
Second, because knowing the actual year when this “ultimate catastrophe” began and understanding how the restoration of true worship in Jerusalem fulfilled a precise Bible prophecy will build your confidence in the reliability of God’s Word. So why do Jehovah’s Witnesses hold to a date that differs from widely accepted chronology by 20 years? In short, because of evidence within the Bible itself.
The problem, of course, is not just taking an interest, but discovering that the Watchtower's solution produces too many contradictions and cannot be supported without manipulation or rejection of the Biblical and archaeological evidence.
Of course the only right thing to do when one discovers that the evidence leads to a different conclusion is to be quiet and wait on Jehovah. At least that's what I was told even by the persons who first showed me a few pieces of this evidence in 1977 and 1978. If you speak up, you could be disfellowshipped, I was warned. So I stayed pretty quiet about it for more than a third of a century (i.e., 33 years) but I have kept studying about these things off and on.
But my conscience bothered me a bit, because Jehovah is the "God of Truth." (Psalm 31:5) If we see our brother take a false step we shouldn't just ignore it. When I asked about these things with responsible persons in the organization, who I respected, I realized that the only defense was "empty speeches." (Non-answers, avoidance, evasion, misquotes, and very weak or completely unrelated evidence.) Mostly you begin to see that no one really has looked at the evidence. Or, if they are like Furuli, they try to exploit a weakness in one or two tiny pieces of evidence, and won't even admit that their theory is already demolished by 1,000 other bits of independent evidence.
So for me, I must follow my conscience.
(2 Timothy 2:14-18) . . .. 15 Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright. 16 But reject empty speeches that violate what is holy, for they will lead to more and more ungodliness, 17 and their word will spread like gangrene. Hy·me·naeʹus and Phi·leʹtus are among them. 18 These men have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are subverting the faith of some.
Hmmmm. Thanks? Well, that should convince her!  I think she trusts your judgment pretty much the way she judges mine.

Ann O'Maly
Nonsense. WT Chronology unlike secular NB Chronology is a strong cable of Bible Chronology whereas the latter is simply a chain of events- a string of beads. WT Chronology falsifies secular chronology by means of the 70 years. Further, it shows a twenty year gap between the two chronologies and highlights Neb's missing 'seven years' for starters and shows that the methodology for secular chronology is flawed because of the 586/7 BCE dilemma. Not a pretty picture!!!!!
scholar JW

Out of the blue someone tweeted a 15 minute video to me of someone challenging 1914, apparently just assuming I would drop everything to do it. He tweeted it three times in quick succession! Three times for emphasis? Three times for the Trinity? Three times to establish his digital ineptness? Who knows?
”Look, I think I know where this is going, and this fellow is a little dull,” I replied. Don’t you have something in print form that I can review in 1/10th the time? What is it with these yo-yos that think they can throw any clod your way and you will drop everything to analyze it?
I did not tell him, but will if he fires another salvo, that I do have something in print, and that it is not boiler-plate dull. There is some originality to it, and not just parroting what other ideologues have said. JWs may be the first to attach the spiritual significance to 1914 that they have, but they are certainly not the first to attach secular significance to it. There was a time when few people with historical consciousness did not. Thus my “1914 quotes collection”—a fine hobby for the student of history.
https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2010/01/the-1914-collection.html
But now people revise history at the drop of a pin. WWI rolled into WWII, but WWII did not roll into WWIII. Instead, it devolved into a constant stream of smaller atrocities so numerous that they have come to be accepted as standard fare and nothing to make a fuss over. Thus, the “facts on the ground” that @Outta Herespoke of get trampled into the ground. 
Granted, to undermine Jehovah’s Witnesses through attacking this teaching has become a cottage industry today—thus the dullard’s video sent to me. So? It is a cottage industry to attack them on a dozen unrelated points, and they are opposed, sometimes violently, in different parts of the world on these grounds that have nothing to do with each other. Surely, “if you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own, but because [Jesus] has called you out of this world, on this account the world hates you” covers it. 
Okay, I got it that we are out of sync with the majority scholastic view on this matter. So? We are out of sync with the majority scientific view on the origin of humankind, too. Must we all be like that sycophant Alan, who panics as soon as he learns he is out of sync with the “educated” world, and so promptly throws spiritual things overboard to toe the line with his new mommy? Anna DMed me his signature online article, and I didn’t read it, but later while looking for something else I came across it again and did read it. I was struck by how quickly he abandoned long-held beliefs to get into step with his new professors in college. You can see it in his unrelated matters of interest. It is very important to him to show himself smarter than others, and you don’t do that by taking a minority view. You take the majority view and then use the lofty credentials of your new friends  to bludgeon others. It is all about ego, as @Araunahas said of some.
Not to worry if you are out of sync with the mainstream Just wait for the next headline to proclaim: “Everything you thought you knew about [such-and-such] is wrong!” Things change, and one way to handle your “cognitive dissonance” is to say that you don’t have to know everything. Another is to say that you don’t have to know everything now.
You think it’s a piece of cake looking into the future? If they’re wrong about 1914, they’ll change it. They do it all the time and are very open about it, calling it tacking and the light getting brighter—the only ones who go apoplectic over it are the ones who already oppose them. Cite a place in which they seem to claim all-knowing authority, and I will say that they changed that, too. Look, they are the ones who are doing things, and few others (certainly regarding this 1914 topic) are doing anything—they just sit on their posteriors and work to sabotage the doers.
Besides, it is a Mark Twain “reports of my death are greatly exaggerated” type of thing. If it were wrong, definite proof of such will not manifest itself for a long time to come. In the meantime, maybe they are right. There is no sense in letting the “kingdom of God overtake you.” Why make a name for yourself ignoring the advice of Gamaliel?

The word lowly in English seems to have a dual meaning as an adverb or adjective. A person can be put in a lowly position without being lowly in mind, just as a person can be humbled without being humble. Or they can actually be lowly in heart or humble in spirit as well as having a lowly position, and then be elevated in position without losing the dis-postion. or vice versa. So I can't see anything too deep here. Jesus was lowly in mind in the sense of being humble in disposition. As far as his enemies were concerned, he was the lowest of the low, deserving treatment reserved for the lowest criminals. That image they portrayed may well have been believed by some, even if Pilate was not convinced. The description in Daniel allows room for both views.
So the purpose of Nebuchadnezzar's dream as a way of highlighting that no government, good or bad, can rule without Gods sanction is not contradicted by either view. Secular authorities only rule by Jehovah's toleration and as such even currently serve as his "minister" (Rom.13:4), just as much as the government described elsewhere in Daniel (2:44).
Pr.21:1 reminds us of this fact: "A king’s heart is like streams of water in Jehovah’s hand. He directs it wherever He pleases"
This the real purpose of the Daniel 4 account of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. So applying the dream to immediate events in historical context, and then widening the picture to include an overarching view of events in connection with resolving the issue of Jehovah's Sovereignty seems quite in order (to me at least).

The glitch I am speaking of is the following:
(But first some doctrinal history because I know how much certain people here just love doctrinal history.)
Russell left the "1914" doctrine in disarray by predicting so many things for it that failed. And even changing the "End of the Gentile Times" to 1915, and at least once also implying that the "Jewish Year 1915" could run from October 1915 to October 1916. But even Rutherford had continued to create a mess around the 1914 problem by waffling on 1914 for a while, pushing for 1918, then 1925, and only very slowly giving up on the the idea that the "End of the Gentile Times" was still going to be a Jewish mitzvah in Palestine.
It took Rutherford a while to give up on the great pyramid, and the seven or so other evidences for reaching 1914 by using 'divine proofs for 1874' plus the 40-year harvest. Including "parallel dispensations" in Old Testament Israel as the proof of divine origin of our chronology. Although even this last 1914 proof, he had "messed with," by adjusting "1874+40=1914" to 1878 plus a 40-year harvest to reach 1918. (1878+40=1918)The old emphasis on Elijah passing the mantle to Elisha would give Rutherford a more personal sense of scriptural authority, when he moved the date out of Russell's time slot and into the start of his own presidency in 1918. The same idea carried over into the "ns" book when that entire Russell/Rutherford transition was moved from 1918 to 1942 to represent the Rutherford/Knorr-Franz transition where "Elijah" was now the time under Rutherford's presidency and "Elisha" became the transition to the time of the Knorr/[Franz] presidency).
[edited to add: No one should get the idea that 1914 had been downplayed as a doctrine. The war broke out in 1914, and by mid-1915 the doctrine was being explained pretty much as it is now, but still with Zionist overtones, and with the background chronological reasons in question or in flux. By 1916 the "parousia" signs were being added to it. But that old consistent stable basis for 1914 was being shaken a bit. And Daniel 4 had not been utilized very much, even for the 2,520 years. Articles mentioning the 2,520 years did NOT include Daniel 4. I might add an explanation of what I mean here under another topic.]
So when Rutherford died (1942), it was up to F.W.Franz to push hard for the tree dream prophecy again because all those other methods now needed to be dropped completely. Officially Christ's presence was still 1874 right up until about 1943:
*** ka chap. 11 pp. 209-210 par. 55 “Here Is the Bridegroom!” ***
In the year 1943 the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society published the book “The Truth Shall Make You Free.” In its chapter 11, entitled “The Count of Time,” . . .  Naturally this did away with the year 1874 C.E. as the date of return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of his invisible presence or parousia.
The book just mentioned, "The Truth Shall Make You Free," was the first big push on the chronology of 1914 in quite a while. But this was back before the NWT was available, and we often used the American Standard Version, and Rotherham's translation. This is where and when the first glitch was much more visible, and had to be overcome. Note page 240 of the book:
To whom does Jehovah give the heavenly overlordship over all men of good-will in A.D. 1914? Daniel4: 17 answers: "To the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men." "One low among men he setteth up over it." (Roth.)
Humiliating Nebuchadnezzar with insanity and making him eat with the beasts was a way of showing just how low and beastly these kingdoms of men really were, but that Jehovah was still so far above them, that almost "on a whim" Jehovah could prove just how "base" these rulers were that he allowed to rule in the kingdom of men.
So this entire parable was not about the Kingdom of God, but about how "base" and "beastly" were these relatively weak and transient humans who thought they were so great in the kingdom of men.
So the first thing to do is get rid of that phrase the "basest of men." Rotherham helped here. If it can apply to Jesus, we could get away with "lowest" instead of "basest" because then we could use Jesus' humility, or his perceived stature by those who were not of honest hearts. Even this is a problem, because Jesus wasn't really "low." It's just that people were mistaken when they considered him "low." (Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Isn't he the carpenter's son? How can he say he existed before Abraham? etc.)
So page 241 of the same 1943 book goes on:
God has not given the 'kingdom of men" to totalitarian and religious dictators, who are wicked demonized men. Jehovah God has given the heavenly kingdom of the new world to the one whom politicians, commercial traffickers and religious clergy despjse as the "basest of men", namely, Christ Jesus, who was nailed to a tree between two thieves.
Note the deceptive twisting of the Bible's words here. With a kind of sleight of hand, and taking advantage of the negative opening in the sentence, Franz makes the "kingdom of men" represent "the heavenly kingdom." And while Daniel 4 was about a truly vicious beast who needed to be humiliated for his haughtiness, "the basest of men," Jesus is only falsely accused of being the basest of men. There is no need to humiliate Jesus for his haughtiness. Jesus is not a vicious beast. Jesus does not need to be taught a lesson by making him go insane.
So over the years, there has been a near disappearance of this explanation about how Jesus is like the "basest of men." And tricks of language are still being used to try to make the parallel between the return of wicked, pagan, gentile Nebuchadnezzar after 7 years to refer to the return of the Jewish Messianic Kingdom through the enthronement of Jesus Christ, who was not wicked, pagan, or gentile -- after 7 "times."

It seems that is not the concern (of WT) whether someone's bad rule is used for the sake of illustration (by Jehovah) for a secondary fulfillment of something that is good.  Cameron states:
"The prophecy in Daniel chapter 4 was given so that people would know that “the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind.” This in itself indicates that the prophecy has a bigger fulfillment than just the one involving Nebuchadnezzar. And throughout the book of Daniel, we find prophecies about the establishment of God’s Kingdom under the rulership of his Son. Do you think it’s reasonable to conclude, then, that this prophecy in Daniel chapter 4 also has something to do with God’s Kingdom?"
Whether that is a reasonable conclusion or not I don't know. What might make it more convincing is if the Bible anywhere else uses something bad, to illustrate something good.  Anyone?
Also, what would make an antitypical fulfillment warranted? Or is the account of Neb's demise and rise just purely a lesson to show who is ultimately in charge? Since the book of Daniel is a prophetic book, it would seem that this prophesy could have a secondary application, and that this lesson is too random for it not to have an extended meaning...just my thoughts.
Just as an aside, does anyone know who first came up with an antitypical fulfillment of Neb's dream? 

I was harsh, because the more I study it, the more I believe that one MUST use deception to keep any kind of "prophetic chronology" going. I see the way that F.W.Franz toyed with language to keep people hyped up about 1975. I see the way that Rutherford was using deceptive language to keep people hyped up about 1925. And then looking back at Miller and Barbour I see the same thing. I just read some of Harold Camping's predictions for May 21, 2011 and I see the same exact style. And, as I started to write up what I saw in the Jon & Cameron conversation, I saw some of the same.
This doesn't mean the deception is on purpose. We "inherit" our beliefs about chronology, just as Russell "inherited" them from Nelson Barbour. Just as I expect that you personally believed this material about 1914 when you were a Witness because you "inherited" it from your teachers, a combination of the person who studied with you, and the Watchtower publications, and from the platform, as it were. You weren't being purposely deceptive when you shared this with others. But you were using the same deceptive language, highlighting innuendos and skipping inconsistencies. It's just one of those traditions, in my opinion, that makes the word of God invalid. (I say this because this particular tradition does indeed invalidate the very counsel of the Scriptures.)
But that inherited tradition about chronology doesn't invalidate all the other teachings. It just means that we have to prove to ourselves and make sure of all things. It was the same principle Jesus taught his audience:
(Matthew 23:1-3) . . .Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying: 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. 3 Therefore, all the things they tell you, do and observe,. . .
The Scribes and Pharisees were incorrect about several things, and yet Jesus could tell his audience to do and observe all the things they tell you. Jehovah reads hearts and judges us individually before the judgment seat.
 

Or, why not advance from several mistakes to less mistakes? We are not supposed to look for "True Anointed" because this would make us followers of men. Do you assume that Paul and Peter were "True Anointed"? If so, remember that persons in the Christian congregation were NOT supposed to follow them. Peter and Paul and others made serious mistakes. This is why the only "True Anointed" we follow is Jesus Christ.

Human Sacrifice? That is a stretch Matt. 😬Seeing how long this has been going on, I doubt a small number of people is causing damage to the Russian population. This is more of, well, a specific group that doesn't want competition and said group has many many allies, even other religous leaders.

“Russia’s religious persecution focuses almost exclusively on Jehovah’s Witnesses,” said Denber. (See below article)
This is much stronger than I would have put it, but it is also from someone more in the know. Rachel Denbar is a spokesperson of Human Rights Watch. She spotlights human rights violations in Russia for all causes—not just religious, but also political, journalistic, persecution of gays, etc. When it comes to religion, there is only one worth mentioning, she reports.
I have said that all minority religion in Russia is harassed, but that JWs are in the vanguard; I said in Dear Mr. Putin - Jehovah’s Witnesses Write Russia that JWs are banned, but others are shaking in their boots that they will be next. Turns out I was wrong. They can rest easy. For all practical purposes, it is only Jehovah’s Witnesses. “You don’t see this kind of ban on other sorts of religious life,” Ms Denbar says.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/russia-sentences-66-y-o-jehovahs-witness-to-6-years-in-prison.html
“In the 2017 Supreme Court case, the actual verdict wasn’t about condemning beliefs, it was about liquidating legal entities. Whether or not someone is a believer, really has nothing to do with liquidating a legal entity,” he said. “They’re using that law as a weapon and misapplying it to attack Jehovah’s Witnesses religious beliefs.”
Of course! The notion of outlawing a religious organization but not the individuals of that religion is so duplicitous that ordinary people cannot get their heads around it and just carry on as though the people themselves were outlawed. It may have been planned that way. Or it may simply represent manipulation from devious ones, even a Devious One, who prefer to remain hidden.
The 66-year old just sentenced to prison, where he will rub shoulders with violent criminals and risk getting COVID-19, says: I have found myself being accused not of a crime, but of being a follower of the religious teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I have no enemies, and for my almost 67 years I have never been brought to administrative or criminal responsibility. I am against any form of violence, be it verbal, psychological or physical.” Everyone knows it is true, save for a few fringe anticultists who equate not hanging out with those who turn 180 degrees against you as “psychological violence.” Everyone else instantly realizes the truthfulness of his statement.
“The law targets those who are extremists or terrorists or dangerous. It’s a gross misapplication of the law.” Of course, again.
And what are the chances, in any kind of a sane world, that these are the persons who would be persecuted, when there are so many who in the blink of an eye will turn to violence, and a few that specialize in it? It makes no sense from a human point of view. Therefore, persons can be forgiven if they look for a superhuman point of view—and there they can find one.
“The Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time....[He] became enraged at the woman [mommy, according to Alan] and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her offspring, who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness concerning Jesus.”
I think of a local brother with a certain dramatic flair decades ago taking a globe onstage for his public talk. He quoted Matthew 24:14: “This good news of the kingdom will be be declared in all the earth for a witness and then the end will come,” and as he did so, he put his finger down upon this or that small area of the globe in which the area king said, “This good news of the kingdom WILL NOT be be declared in my part of the earth.” The unspoken question carried an implied answer: “Who will prevail—the maker of the globe or the one who would defy God on this small section of it?”
Sometimes those who don’t like Witnesses will carry on about how they overstate their “persecution complex.” We see here from the Christianpost.com that, in reality, Witnesses understate it. 
 
 

I have unchained my inner hermit and he is doing okay. It is tougher on the young people, though. Trying to be flexible for whatever comes down the pipe.

Seeing that a lot of peeps here are from around the world, just wanna know how you guys are holding up? I was always on lurk mode because I am busy, so I was bored today.
For me I am busy with virtual classes now, which are dreadful. The brothers and sisters are doing fine, as well as family. Some of our friends and the people we preach too are doing good.
With the vaccines out there is a lot of fear in the black and latino communities, even outside of it. 2 of my professors are against it, but like all others, they say it is personal choice.
Anyways.... How about you guys?
The pandemic is taking a toll on some peeps directly and indirectly. 
To my Latinos and Latinas
Viendo que mucha gente aquí es de todo el mundo, ¿solo quieren saber cómo les está yendo?  Siempre estuve al acecho porque estoy ocupado, así que hoy estaba aburrido.
Para mí ahora estoy ocupado con clases virtuales, que son espantosas.  Los hermanos y hermanas están bien, al igual que la familia.  Algunos de nuestros amigos y las personas a las que predicamos también lo están haciendo bien.
Con las Covid-19 vaccine, hay mucho miedo en las comunidades black y Latin communities, fuera de ellas.  2 de mis profesores están en contra, pero como todos los demás, dicen que es una elección personal.
 De todos modos .... ¿Qué hay de ustedes?

Grab your metal detector!
For several months gold and silver jewelry, ornaments, and golden nuggets have started washing up on the shore of a small Venezuelan fishing village that had been devastated by the country’s economic crisis and COVID-19.
Yolman Lares was the first to find treasure on the beach in Guaca in September when he found a gold medallion with an image of the Virgin Mary.
“I began to shake, I cried from joy,” Lares, 25, told The New York Times. “It was the first time something special has happened to me.”
Read more: https://nypost.com/2020/12/12/mysterious-gold-jewelry-washes-up-on-venezuelan-beach/

You do know this reasoning is whack. I am being disfellowshipped, because I have sinned and do not want to repent or it shames Jehovah's name. The congregation does not need to know what I did, but that I have been disciplined and they should take the appropriate action toward me. Not treat me as usual but as one who has defamed Jehovah not the organization. It's his name and reputation my actions have stained. So this removal action from the congregation has to be done. No elder can bring action to just remove me just because he dislikes me, he himself would have to lie and bring falsehoods to arrange the meetings if I have not done anything. So again your premise is faulty. You don't like the whole arrangement of The JW, so all is flawed. But it isn't. Many want it to fail, but have nothing to replace it. A void is not a place to go after being with family. One headed by the Almighty and his Son. The men are imperfect, the GB, are imperfect, but they are the ones at the wheel of this bus, so as long as it is going down the path of everlasting life and Jehovah has not changed the drivers, no man can. No matter the fuss we can put up can change what Jehovah is using. It is never human uprising that brings about change in Jehovah's arrangement, it is him alone, at his set appointed time. Man can't rush him. Nor see from his perspective, but we should. So things are fine, could be better, but not what persons want, it is what we need NOW! THe world will use what they see to attack, those who hurt from what happened to them while here, will join them also, Satan will use these moments, and media will fan to,fire things along. But we will just stay where we are, watching the world end. Enduring to the end as best we can, preaching to,the end. And as Jehovah said he would do himself, make his name known among the nations, that he is Jehovah! And to do that, no wicked will live, no governments will survive. Only the righteous, meek ones who are covered by Jehovah's mercy in that day survive! And they are not all JW's. But their heart is disposed to Jehovah, for Jehovah to save them in that hour. He did that! Who ever is left standing should be blessed. 

That is what I addressed before.
Must be the cologne, Joop is a primary preference and no, I am very strict, critical nowhere am I obnoxious or rude. For if I last recall, you rants is very evident to JWs here, you call me rude, yet you shed Christian Infighting tactics and antics, come on now, Deserter.
Ok, we know what the verse is, you want to discuss it, yet you barely said anything at all. You have to do better than that. Those who want to learn the Bible are not going to take tolerant that from you and in the realm of hermeneutics, it will not be tolerant and it will be confuted the second it is seen.
JWs, as said before, are Restorationist, a Christian group do are not of the mainstream. The irony here is, the source of which you take most of your information from is an advocate for wanting Jehovah's Witnesses not only to be like the mainstream, but to abandon Laws of which Go had made, in addition to abandoning what Jesus had entrusted the church.
As for prophecies, the Jehovah's Witnesses never have claimed to be inspired, for they are simply lowly followers of the Word and take into regard of who and what God is, and take into account his purpose and will, just as Jesus have. Moreover, any man who follows the bible 100% is deemed a cultist by the mainstream, for the mainstream is known to cherry-pick and spout falsehood compared to a bible strict individual who speaks nothing but the truth, both Restorationist individuals, as well as a group, for it is primarily the JWs as a Restorationist group for the others have fallen to the mainstream, follow the Bible strictly, therefore, when one studies their Christology, they understand of where they are coming from, I am not going to take the banter from a man who claims they deny Jesus, or those who claim JWs have a weapons cache and poison in the basement of their Churches, that is absurd, an the only people to believe such are JW opponents, apparent you do also, for you adhere to what a Wiccan follower is putting on the website of the opposing side to JWs.
As for Cults, I know a cult when I see one and throughout my life and experience, I had seen firsthand of what a cult who uses the bible to bring forth underground sex rings, making militants and or brides out of children, the killing of animals and the drinking of their blood, the list goes on, for the bunny hole is very deep, some of such that I know cannot be say will make the any man or woman here cringe to think of such that actually exist. On the other side of the spectrum, there is parts of the world, such cults that perform rituals and the like whereas influence and or manifestation of an evil spirit is actually possible, which was the case with a story I had stumbled upon a few years back regarding a Christian youth group that had quite the surprise during nightfall.
 
That being said, you no very little compared to someone such as myself who had seen, heard the testimony of others regarding such things, some of which, relatives and fiends have been affected by such things to a grander scale, leaving them scarred or literally ripped to shreds by those who practice this stuff, a friend of mind, who lost a cousin of his for those who practice such have killed her in the most brutal way possible.
So when we speak of real Anti-Christians and Cults, clearly you haven't really understand the grave scale of the wicked on the earth, what power it has and what it can do, therefore, real Christians need to endure and remain vigilant and maintain their faith, for as seen in Jude, maintaining our faith, our salvation is a hard fight when it comes to the truth.
Other than that, I am neutral with those who are also seeking truth because any mistake can put one such as myself in front of the white throne, and such a risk I, or anyone isn't willing to take. But idling about I do not, for anyone who speak of mistruths and conspiracy, such ones will be dealt with, and even ones who adhere to a false teaching, pushing their false truths and man made understanding into the bible, these persons will not be refuted, they will be confuted with actual information of what the Bible says, in addition to a correction to making false claims to one's Christology, ESPECIALLY when such ones use false bible verses to push the Triune God belief, in addition to twisting inspired verses to push said belief. Clearly, that does not sit well with me, or anyone who is bible strict  and a response and correction will be made.
If you actually have read this section and what was posed, you'd understand, therefore, I have stated, this has been refuted before.
Yet you adhere to what the mainstream teach about the bible, for they believe not only the Father as God, but they believe Jesus as God and they believe the Holy Spirit is God, perhaps a forth God also, for Trinitarians also believe that God's Spoken Word is also God. In addition to that, you adhere to an obvious faith opponent who clearly hates not just Jehovah's Witnesses, but the Bible as well, which is very evident to the hypocrisy and the conspiracy spreading.
And no, you would not know what this enemy is because you tend to stick to solely attacking Jehovah's Witnesses, for you, not even applying what 1 John 4:1 even means, over and over again.
The true enemy is what your following/group adheres to and only them, for if you were truly vigilant, you'd realize what a danger such a threat is, and such has originated from both Israel and the Vatican, it's power is stronger in America because anyone can easily be swayed to follow such, it will not be a surprise if you yourself adhere to it for such ones follow the Trinity, just as yourself. If a poor man in the EU can see this threat, you cannot spout any excuses.
That being said, a Zebra has no idea that a Lion is nearby, and before you know it, it is too late, which seems to be the case when the devil is seeking to devour someone.
Indeed, somehow he manage to get people to think of Jesus being God, when we see in the Bible, Satan already knew that the Messiah, Jesus is the Son of God. Moreover, our early Christian brothers and sisters of the early church knew the Father as the only God and Jesus as his Son, never made any mention of the Holy Spirit being a Person, years down the road, there was the whole debate of Jesus being God or not, and an unholy alliance between the Trinitarians and the Modalist which lead to a brutal death of a man who clearly had a different view than them, eventually, his followers were threaten with death and as time passes, an Emperor came around and would kill any man who didn't adhere to the Trinity, therefore, forcing people into the belief, it does not stop there either, we had such ones twist the bible in order to justify slavery, the killing of anyone deemed un-christian, the support of polygamy, etc, while those who know their bible had to remain in total secrecy as all this was going down.
Now we have the present day, for the Trinity is dominant, only like a fire, those who adhere to bible truths will make themselves known, be it those in a group or individuals, and God recognizes such people who knows what the Bible is all about.
Lord knows what should the end time and tribulations come, and what the Trinitarians will do, but surely, they will be quite the gnashing of the teeth.
As for you, I am critical against you because clearly you are not ignorant, you possibly do not know any better, but the response seen by you makes me very skeptical, but you are not as different as other Trinitarians who are clearly lost, the very reason I brought up the Bob the Builder guy, for you express the same way as him, he is like this in person.

@JW Insider There is a group, with many branches that all connect back to the Pope, Francis, of the Vatican. He's been going on a conquest for a while now to gather religious leaders as well as their followers to join his cause in seeking peace and unity. For since he began his travels, he had recruited many religious leaders, as well as politicians and people of the countries that he has visited, one namely being the people of Portugal with the 2 girls who were said to have seen the ghost of Mary (info), clearly we know who is really at work here. He had a desire to take this unity to another level, around 2016 in Washington DC, he held an event, backed by those who sent him out, called Together 2016, which is bigger than its Kairos, Pulse,etc. Movement branches because it included the Pope as a main focus.
This is an example of their promo back in 2016:
Those in connection with the event are listed by name here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Together_2016
As you can see, the drawing in of those not well adapt to what the Bible teaches, are the very ones to be drawn in, for the mainstream Christians love this kind of stuff, they attack the Pope, but fall on their own sword when they join these events because it makes them, as they say, united, which will result on an increase on such ones like this to be very negative towards the minority Christians who are clearly against the Pope and anything he has connection to regarding faith and politics.
A lot of people, even JW opponents love to talk about NGOs, not realizing there is thousands of NGOs out there and there is only a FEW out of said thousands that are both sponsored and meet the necessary requirements to take part in UN decisions and the like, having a role in such. This was the case with the NGO known as Elijah Interfaith, an NGO backed and takes part in UN affairs as well as politics and it is the only religious NGO that is sponsored that stands out and actually could make strong decisions within the United Nations. Moreover, it was evident as to what is to come due to what has been talked about from the early 2000s to the day Pope Francis, in 2015, had addressed in 2015 prior to the Together 2016 event: http://time.com/4049905/pope-francis-us-visit-united-nations-speech-transcript/
Another factor is the role situation with the banning and harassment of JWs in Russia, which came at a time whereas a historic event taken place when the Pope met the leader of the RoC, later on, the leader of the RoC going on a so called Spiritual Journey and eventually with the aid of political NGOs in France and others, resulted in the ban of JWs, which in turn increased more power to the RoC, but it does not stop there, for the RoC's hand even covers those who is against clearly against it.

Now we have those who are in connection with what the Pope is doing, The Kairos Movement, also referred to as the Kairos Conference. They seek to united all faiths and at the same time the falsehood of the mainstream is there. Such an event contact speakers like Kenneth Copeland, Francis Chen, and many, many more.

 
There was also the whole situation with the October 2017 Reformation, blustering the conquest for unity getting a whole bunch of Methodist, Protestants and several others into the fold.
The goal for them is very simple, they already teach mainstream Christianity and they have already drawn in such ones, even the non-religious. These are also the same people who speak falsehood and not of what the bible teaches and should you or anyone else say otherwise, they will do what is needed to paint you as an enemy or a blasphemer, the very reason why when those of a Christian minorities does something bad, be it a crime, abuse, stealing, etc they get more flack compared to those who are in the mainstream for the mainstream not only teach a falsehood, but they stick together with their group very strongly. The ironic thing is, even those who are not for the Pope, they still apply and accept what his underlings profess, such as Chen and Copeland, or any propriety or charismatic preacher out there.
Such people are indeed the enemy, for as they have alluded to in the past, if you are not with them, you are against them, for if you are not part of the conquest for peace and unity they are in pursuit of and still are, you are pretty much an enemy to them, or false.
 
Together 2018 will be held in Texas, it will be hosted by this man as seen in these pictures, Nick Hall (his web contains his bio):

 

 
Where in Texas? Specifically Texas Motor Speedway on October 20-21 of 2018.
To quote the information of where this is cited:
Today, evangelism movement PULSE announced plans for the next Together event to be held Oct. 20-21, 2018 at Texas Motor Speedway, a venue in Fort Worth, Texas that can hold more than half a million people. The event will feature an all-star lineup of speakers, pastors, artists and leaders from various backgrounds with the aim to promote unity and lift up the name of Jesus. “In an age defined by division that often labels us as those who are for and against politics, issues and each other—Jesus invites all of us to move closer,” said Nick Hall, PULSE founder and evangelist. “He alone offers the hope and leadership we desperately need and Together is about calling people from all backgrounds to move closer to Jesus and the world around us.”
The list goes on and this is just the surface. Mainstream Christians are easily subdued by these problematic events like people being swooned by the music a DJ is playing not realizing the music being played has brief remarks to negative and or inappropriate things, for a man who listens will realize the music is bad and just leave the scene, but one who does not remains. They like what they see, they like what they hear and they accept it regardless, not realizing the devil is in the details.
It is very sad to see that many people are blind and have not heard the truth, and it is very tragic and mind-boggling to see those who know the truth and remain ignorant of what the truth is, but it would seem on this day an age the truth is being made known and even the non-religious will stand up to the mainstream and their Trinitarian doctrine, in addition to those who adhere to the bible and the early Christian church, these ones speak against the errors of the mainstream as well.
The irony of it all also the same people who speak ill of JWs and express a sheer hatred for them, are the very same ones who go to these events. Such ones are hypocrites.
 
That being said, there is more information out there, I tend to be brief with it because it is that much.

Years ago I did I study on the word 'spirit' and came to the conclusion that it meant "projected energy". .......jehovah's power / spirit is always active and directed - regarding our physical realm never in a dormant state. In the bible the words for power and spirit are closely associated.
Every piece of the visible universe has Jehovah's active energy in it. I came to the conclusion that the universe would collapse if Jehovah withdrew his 'energy' from it because all matter is energy in one form or another and it is many of these different energies which scientists have not yet come up with ONE formula to describe it all.  This is the illusive or magic formula these scientists are searching for, when 'sheeple' like me can come to good conclusions about it by studying the bible - the book scientist disparage. 
But Mr AlanF is turning the conversation away to another aspect -  to get a 'spiel' on the translation of a 'word' in Isaiah 40 to disprove the "power" which in this case means "truth",  of God's word. 
He disparaged the bible above by giving incorrect quotes from his memory. 
I answered with 3 short refrences from the bible..... 
Please Mr Alan F  explain to me why you did not find it appropriate to rather ask about the translation of the word "nothing" in the following scripture written by Moses under inspiration 3,500 years ago? 
job 26:7 " He stretches the northern sky over empty space, suspending the earth upon "NOTHING".
Scientifically - we no there is.  With the naked eye, it really hangs on nothing. 
 
 

NO - NO ,,,, I just wanted to say about the "waiting"..... I always thank you all for your comments, ...
seems that humans always like to know the future, and the history showed that we must wait to see what the future has for us, even the Governing Body is watching the world news, and also many people are wondering "what is going on" with some worldwide conditions, ..
we see that (before) that we had understand many things from the bible, progressively ... and this is what we must do, wait untill we see something happen .... 
it is amazing that the bible verses are already in the bible for years now, but our understanding changes !! (for some topics).
thank you! 
 

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1001061137?q=waiting+attitude&p=par

If this is a reference to 607 (it is not JWI's fault if I do not do my homework), I think of the expression 'it is the victors that write history.' It is a political statement regarding world powers, but it applies to everything. Certainly, science is fraught with accounts of one view coming into vogue, and then crushing the opposition for as long as possible.
My understanding is that some scholarly type has written a defense of 607. That's all you need. Not one Witness teaching is the majority view today; should we insist this one must be? For all the hype about 'critical thinking' today, the pattern remains what it has always been; in fact, it intensifies: choose your belief (largely based on 'heart') then go find some 'experts' to back you up.
Will 1914 fall? If it does, it does. But I am far from burying it just yet. Nor do I feel I should encourage the GB to have the wisdom and courage to do whatever is right. If I drop dead tomorrow, they will do just fine.
 I have grown used to explaining that 'if the greatest war in history, the ONLY time until then that the entire world went to war at the same time (China & region excepted, as it was isolated at the time), AND if the greatest pestilence in history does not constitute fulfillment of Matt 24:7 and Luke 21:10, 11, what does? Vs 8 of Matt indicates it starts off with a bang, but continues for some time.
Will I have to change my tune on this?
On the vs 8 'you ain't seen nothin' yet' front, terrorist knife or vehicle attacks, unheard of not long ago, are now just 'one of those things.' The gay revolution took decades; whereas the transgendered revolution has taken mere months, and a 9 year old girl can be, on National Geographic, not just transgendered, but a transgendered activist. 'Fake news,' absolutely unheard of just 3 years ago, is now a staple of life, one more of many pitfalls to mess with us.
Perhaps 1914 will suffice to get us through to the end. Maybe that won't be so far off after all.

(Luke 12:47, 48) . . .Then that slave who understood the will of his master but did not get ready or do what he asked will be beaten with many strokes. But the one who did not understand and yet did things deserving of strokes will be beaten with few. Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him, and the one who was put in charge of much will have more than usual demanded of him.
 
Anna, everyone of us know who has the responsability to fix the situation: "his master on coming" (Lu 12:43)
So, what can we do? Wait, be busy in the work and making fine things, and pray.
Pray for these brothers in th GB, that they have the wisdom and courage to act. Pray for the humble ones, that Jehovah grant them faith to wait without stumbling