Patiently waiting for Truth

I agree. It is a sin against your body if you fill it with unhealthy food and eat to excess. Why? Because you clog your arteries, get diabetes, ruin your joints and a host of other ailments directly associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, one of which is gluttony. I would say it's tantamount to smoking, unfortunately it's hard to define. How fat is too fat? How much food is too much food? Where would one draw the line? What would be the criterion for counseling someone and for forming a judicial committee? So unfortunately, it is impossible and will never happen. Unfortunately too though, these obese brothers and sisters are giving a bad witness. Perhaps if they realized this, they would try and live healthy for Jehovah, if not for themselves.
Also of course, some really cannot help it because of certain medical condition or medication. This is only a small percentage though. But you will not know everyone's circumstance, and if the elders were to pry into reasons why someone is fat, then that would border on harassment. So I don't think anyone will be disfellowshipped for being fat anytime soon, if that were the case, then congregations in America would go down by half 😂

So, yes I was referring to the jw's hypocrisy.....can't celebrate holidays because pagans celebrated those holidays, can't celebrate birthdays because some pagans celebrated birthdays in the bible.
Just sayin.

I would comment this way. Example: Birthday and celebrating a birthday is not “satanic”. But wishing someone’s death as a birthday wish is certainly “satanic”.
The discovery of a new communication technique and resources (clay tablets, paper, pens, analog and digital notation and everything that will be invented in the future) cannot simply be described as "divine" or "satanic". All of these things are mostly or completely “neutral” at their core.
Producing a weapon with the intent to kill causes some questions. Whether these weapons were created to defend their own lives or to hunt for food or to conquer and enslave or destroy, we can say that the weapon is dangerous. But if one uses a weapon to save or defend one’s life, then it is difficult to attribute any or specific origin to such a weapon.
I would say that the intention and purpose is in the hands (mind, emotion) of the user, and the one in whose hands the "tool" is, can to some extent be classified in some category.

I'm sure @Matthew9969 is bringing the subject up because of past teachings of the organization - basically, that the internet is a dangerous place, stay away from social platforms, etc.  Now as is the usual practice of hypocrisy,  the organization has embraced it, and the internet is the place to go for spiritual "food".  What is the distinction from all other religions?  A zoom meeting with a password?  Does that virtual meeting place become "Jehovah's House"?  
Your scripture cannot apply in this case, but it does apply to those who bend to the fallacious rules and regulations of men, and not to those of God.   
"To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but both their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny him, because they are detestable and disobedient, and unfit for every good deed."  Titus 1:15,16

Why on Earth would the GB suddenly decide that ONLYTHEY are the Faithful and discreet Slave ? When the teaching was that ALL ANOINTED ONES were the Faithful and discreet Slave
Why on Earth would the GB then say that the Anointed SHOULD NOT GATHER TOGETHER as it would be WORKING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT ?  
Why ? Well I think it shows jealousy or fear on the part of the GB and maybe others too. 

Oh dear tom, twisting things again.
The comparison is not with the Twelve. The comparison is with the Pharisees.  And if you know your bible you will know what Jesus called the Pharisees. 
The Twelve were learning something new, a totally different way of life. They were not the teacher.
The Pharisees were well established and were supposed to know and teach the way of God.
The Watchtower / JW organisation are well established and should know and be teaching the way of God. 
There is a correct comparison. 
Witness is right about the hypocrisy. 
I think you totally miss the point, and i think many JWs twist things in this way, but the reason for leaving would more likely be, coming to understand that neither God or Christ are leading the Watchtower / JW org. 
I find it funny ( because I have the strength of faith in God through Christ ) that JWs have to lay the blame on those that LEAVE.  
The Twelve disciples and may others LEFT  the Jewish 'way of life' to follow Christ and to serve God properly.  
 
 

Are you sure we weren't in the same congregation? FS sounds about right.

It has become the thing. I would love to see a national breakdown of it. Is it evenly spread among all of Jehovah’s people or is it focused in a few nations of similar attributes.? I’d bet a fairly large sum that it is the latter.
Though i would not bet in the presence of “cowboy” elders. We all know some of them have existed, and in their wake there is a certain amount of damage? What if you knew another in that same congregation?
 
In fact I am. When you have a gift, you bring it to the altar. You don’t diss everyone else for not having it. You see if (hopefully) they may have another gift.
This is all starting to come together. The music is rising to heart-bending finale.
I have not noticed this with my mutt but I am keeping a close eye on him. He is known to do anything he can to get extra treats. You should see how it wolfs down peanut butter on carrot.

Every man and his dog on line now claims to be anointed....it’s hard to take any of them serious...why on earth would he or any one be jealous of them??...I’ve had my differences with JWI here..but I will stand up for him..on this..I think he’s  got a lot more guts and backbone ..than you give him credit.

Well it totally depends on what amount of damage the hypocrisy .( that’s the only point I’m addressing here) .which is there...actually did...and we are not and nor will we be for many years be like Jesus ....In  The ability or power...of forgiveness ...but we can try....I think that’s what your saying Tom.
I think what certain ones here have done.....is  allowing their pain..and often a extreme pain ...a righteous anger ...turn to resentment and bitterness that may even be justified....BUT...it then it controls them....thus satan has got them either way.
Im Not  sure exactly what was said In This thread as I have blocked a couple but can pick up a fair bit.
what helps me..is remembering where Jehovah planted his son...right smack In The middle of his.....Then people...the most self righteous pious lot if there ever was...but ALSO there..were the wheat...and people struggling to serve their God .....and a lot that have been hurt forget that...and their anger consumes them and they are then a tool of the devil ....thus those that were the culprits..those  hypocrites...won.
I actually dont write this for anyone here ...because I know they will smart mouth my comment...but hopefully some one reading who has been hurt may be encouraged.

No. She is not absolutely right about the “hypocrisy.” She does not forgive it. She too quickly converts human inadequacy into hypocrisy. She does the very opposite of Jesus when confronted with the “hypocrisy” of his twelve. He forgives them up to 77 times. He patiently corrects them once again when, on the night he knows he is to die, they have begun squabbling over who is the greater—the most childish of concerns.
Jesus forgave freely. Witness does not. Not at all. Possibly she did at one time. But she doesn’t anymore.
Let us say that a given meeting for field service consists of 32. Three are elders, each of whom have their wives, and one of them also has 2 children. Two of those three elders work full time and only get out in service on the weekends. One of those two missed service last weekend and has butterflies himself. Of the other adults, about half are weak and look forward to working with those stronger. Scattered among them are three other children. Six have their arrangements pre-made, and are not open to being arranged differently. Four of the adults have to leave early. You have an assortment of vehicles that carry 4 persons each, 5 max. You (check with 4Jah on this) are not one to separate children from their parents. Two publishers arrive as you are forming groups. The two unaccompanied mothers have 5 children between them and two car seats. One of them arrived in a two door car because her husband is unbelieving and doesn’t like 4 doors. 
Arrange the car group for me. I don’t disagree with everything you say. All the same, arrange the car group for me.

That doesn’t matter. I haven’t worn shinable shoes in years. What IS important is that you don’t go onstage the wrong way, entering from behind the quarter-walls. Forget the fatties. THAT ought to be outlawed:
https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2019/04/you-dont-enter-stage-from-behind-the-quarter-walls.html
In fact, there is some reason to think that God brought about the pandemic to shut down KHs because too many brothers were doing that.
I like this. It reminds me of Mark Twain. He told of the boy who complained that he got a spanking for something he didn’t do. The old man said, “Well—in that case it was for something you did do that you should have gotten a spanking for but didn’t!”

It may be that he simply prefers a place of sanity.

I think you would have removed several of the apostles from this designation if you had lived in the first century. When Jesus failed to perform any significant miracles in his hometown (Mark 6:5) I can just see you saying: "Well, it's not him, we still have to wait for a True Anointed. Maybe in 5 to 10 years."

Perfect! 👍👏

When this gathering takes place of those who cause stumbling, the good wheat are taken up to shine in the kingdom of the father.
 
We are already in this time - the conclusion of the Parousia is very near...... it just depends on how long the UN and its kings rule. UN already ruling and dictating policies in the world.  For example - WHO ordered a lock down for Corona and all governments in the world complied.  Only two (that I know of ) followed their own Corona protocol - Taiwan and Sweden...
Most countries will soon lock down everyone in the fortress of the 'internet of things' wherein everyone will be monitored.  We will all be monitored all the time so the governments can follow through on the plan of "sustainable development" on the earth.  UN Agenda 2030 is the sustainable development plan. 
This does indeed refer to those who cause stumbling but not necessarily the GB - you are inserting your own interpretation in it. Suddenly in your mind it refers to those 'taking the lead'' ....but the scripture does not say so..... lol..... talk about jumping to your own conclusions!

Prov 27:1 – “Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth”
And the result of “predicting”?
Matt 24:48-51 - But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
These “servants” are anointed slaves of Christ.  (Matt 25:21)
How are the anointed Temple "stones", “beaten”?  Oh, it has been brought out so many times here, and not one JW who comments, takes note. 
1 Cor 3:16,17 - "Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple."
Is there  truly "anyone" destroying God's temple?
"Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.  Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.  He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God."  2 Thess 2:1-4
Doesn't any JW see, that the fulfillment and the warning scriptures of the end times apply directly to the anointed? 
"Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. "
Who is the man of lawlessness that has exalted itself over the anointed Temple?   The "evil servant" of Christ who, after so many failed predictions, gathers his army of elders who "eat and drink" what the evil servant produces.  The anointed cannot bond, they are trampled by "Gentiles" who have replaced them as God's priests.  THIS is a direct order from the evil slave. (Rev 13:1,2,5-7,11,12,15)
   
 
 
 

I was counseled on how I walked up to the stage and that my shoes weren't shiny. I thought "What does it matter if I knuckle my way about the hall like a half-human primate? Plus, I hate dress shoes. So I found some that defied shining.?" 
I also got counseled on how I appeared to rely on human wisdom too much. So I indexed my remarks w/citations from publications. (Like the article in the awake magazine on the Heisenberg uncertainty principle as applied to free will) 
It was quite some time before I got appointed. I think they got embarrassed by the CO. What were they to do? A brother who fulfilled all his assignments, worked full time while being a regular pioneer and whose wife also was a regular pioneer? 
One brother once asked me "Have you ever wondered why you haven't been appointed as an elder?" I think I shamed/surprised him by saying "I think it's because Jehovah hasn't decided it's time yet."
You could see him get uncomfortable. (like he was thinking "wrongo bud! WE decide) 
I grew up as a gringo in Laredo, TX, so I'm used to getting picked on and hazed. I got it at home too. 
If I were to complain, what I'd get at home would be "What did YOU do to help create the situation", never taking my side.
So I'm used to taking a "What can I learn from this situation?". "I'm getting counsel. Is it biblical? Maybe. Does the brother think it is? Yes. Do I? Maybe. Do I have to tell him what I think? No. Is it good counsel for someone, even if not me? I'm sure it is somewhere and some time. Are you too proud to listen? No. Even if I think it's off."
So I think there's value in taking counsel and trying to see it from the other person's point of view.
I figured that if I help this brother use me as his crash-test dummy on giving counsel and make him feel good about the exchange, maybe he'll be less likely to do a crappy job of being an elder and maybe stop picking on people unnecessarily.
Glad to be a human punching bag. 

In the height of summer here in England, the Elders would moan at me for not wearing a jacket and tie to the meetings.  So Who makes the jacket and tie rules ? For sure it's not in God's written word.  No praise for actually being at the meeting with my wife and five children, just complaint about the way I was dressed. That's one small example of what I mean about Elders being policemen. 
 

Then you are a most unusual Elder indeed  

It takes a lot of work. I have been called in to salute the flag on a few instances.
(I kept my fingers crossed)

I can understand making predictions. I can't count the times I thought to myself during a meeting "Shhh!...I'm just looking at Daniel again...nothing to see here holy spirit..." as if the answer is in plain sight but hidden unless you look really quickly when Jehovah's not looking....

I haven't enforced any GB rules. Just what's in the bible.

WHOA! I need me a pair of these! I am entirely too nice to several around here and I let altogether too much slide by!

To their credit, Russell and Rutherford and Franz and the current GB have all given good evidence that they hoped for the end. Sometimes a strong hope for the end will cloud one's judgment about the rationality of predicting a specific time period for the end. But there is a big difference in hoping for the end, which is always proper, and predicting a specific time period for the end, which is ALWAYS improper, according to Jesus. We have examples set before us in the Bible showing the folly of trying to predict the time period. The Bible gives many reasons why this is foolishness to try to predict the time period.
Hoping for the end implies faithfulness and humility. Predicting a specific time period for the end implies presumptuousness and haughtiness.