Pudgy

“The fact that fifty-four years of the period called the “last days” have already gone by is highly significant. It means that only a few years, at most, remain before the corrupt system of things dominating the earth is destroyed by God.” Awake! 1968 Oct 8 p.13
 
“If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the “last days” in 1914, Jesus foretold: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”-Matt. 24:34. Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in highschool and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!” Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15
 
“Yes, since the summer of 1973 there have been new peaks in pioneers every month. Now there are 20,394 regular and special pioneers in the United States, an all-time peak. That is 5,190 more than there were in February 1973! A 34-percent increase! Does that not warm our hearts? Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end.” Kingdom Ministry May 1974 p.3 How Are You Using Your Life?

Their greatest fear is that the waterfall of unending free money will slow down or stop. The accountants and lawyers are the puppeteers of JW theology, as we have seen in Sweden and Finland, and now Norway.
Years ago someone documented that when they globetrot all over, they fly first class or business class.
I have done both, three times in my life, because someone else was paying the bill. I even flew once as the sole passenger on a small Lear Jet.
I LIKED IT !!!!!
You can see the pilots and the radar screen, and through the windshield. The left seat Pilot turned around and asked me “Sir, would you mind if I “punched it?”.
I replied “Go!” and we went up at full trust and at 45°.
In what seemed like an instant we were at 47,000 feet!
I LIKED IT !!!!
I was even wearing a new Suit at the time !
…… VERY addictive.
 
 

Their greatest fear is that the waterfall of unending free money will slow down or stop. The accountants and lawyers are the puppeteers of JW theology, as we have seen in Sweden and Finland, and now Norway.
Years ago someone documented that when they globetrot all over, they fly first class or business class.
I have done both, three times in my life, because someone else was paying the bill. I even flew once as the sole passenger on a small Lear Jet.
I LIKED IT !!!!!
You can see the pilots and the radar screen, and through the windshield. The left seat Pilot turned around and asked me “Sir, would you mind if I “punched it?”.
I replied “Go!” and we went up at full trust and at 45°.
In what seemed like an instant we were at 47,000 feet!
I LIKED IT !!!!
I was even wearing a new Suit at the time !
…… VERY addictive.
 
 

GB and 1975. They blame JW members for wrong expectations, misunderstanding of articles in WT publications and similar.

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/delhi-minor-stabbed-murder-people-indifferent-police-rohini-shahbad-dairy-2386114-2023-05-29
 
"A man killed a 16-year-old girl by repeatedly stabbing and bludgeoning her in full public view. A CCTV footage of the crime, which has gone viral, sends shivers down the spine. But what is equally chilling is the indifference of the passers-by who didn't intervene."
 
(Can you imagine if she was known to be "disfellowshipped" and the people walking by were Jehovah's Witnesses...do you think they would intervene?)
 
I know @Pudgy would intervene.
 
"He who is faithful in least is faithful in much."
 
If you saw "abusive behavior", @TrueTomHarley, enough to note it and to think it merited the administrator removing the abusive person, why did you not think to comfort the "victim"?
 
"He who is unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous in what is much."
 
That is why the "tax collectors and prostitutes and sinners" and disfellowshipped people who know how to show kindness with impartiality are going ahead of you into the Kingdom.

Part II of the book, entitled Apologia, is an exploration of all factors that may contribute to the opposition to the JW faith in Russia. Included are chapters entitled ‘Brainwashing,’ ‘Discipline,’ and ‘Governing Body.’ You may find what you are looking for there. I hope you do.
The meaning of ‘cult’ has changed over the years. Many groups that were once on one side of the word are now on the other. If JWs are a cult, it is because the Bible is a cult manual. If it is, they are. If it is not, they aren’t. As long as they find themselves on the same side as is the Bible, they are content. Let others squabble over the verbiage.
You actually don’t know that. When someone resolutely trashes what I hold dear, I tend to leave them to their own trashing, whether they be DFed or not. Nonetheless, I’ve not said an unkind word about you, whereas some of those you label as ‘more loving’ have become so abusive toward you as to (presumably) be driven off the platform by its administator.
Sometimes people disagree.  I can live with that. Do not confuse recognition of that fact with being ‘unloving.’

"And Jehovah God went on to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living person."
 
"For he well knows how we are formed,
Remembering that we are dust."
 
"Defend the lowly and the fatherless.
Render justice to the helpless and destitute."
 
Dust and mud are pretty close to each other. Pretty much the same thing.
 
There's no reason for any of us to get overly exalted. We eat. We poop. We came from the dust. We're going to the dust. It's only Jehovah who can keep us alive forever. We're all in the same boat.
 
"Now the Pharisees...began to sneer at him.  So he said to them: “You are those who declare yourselves righteous before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is considered exalted by men is a disgusting thing in God’s sight."
 
Jehovah knows what we're made of. I don't mind playing with mud pies, as long as I can clean up before I eat something. (But I won't play in the manure pile. Too stinky!🤭)
 
 
I don't know what your point is a lot of the time. You twist around so much.
 

 
 
I try to humor you when I can because I do have affection for you, and I find it entertaining too when you're not behaving completely insane. Here you go - have a mud pie...
 
In my personal experience attempting to acquire "an education" in the anthropology profession, I learned about many Christian denominations, including the Native American Church.
 

 
The Native American Church blends elements of Christianity with spiritism, including the use of mind-altering drugs. (I do not recommend it.)
 
One way some Native American cultures use drugs is through what some lay-people call "a peace pipe".
 

 
A peace pipe is also known as a calumet in some circles.
 
Calumet City is where you could obtain instruments and equipment at Ray's Music Exchange before it closed.
 

 
If you watch the following video clip, there is a scene at Ray's Music Exchange where Ray plays a song to show that the keyboard action works just fine.
 

 
If you sing and dance along with the video clip of the movie, you might end up doing the twist again...
 
 
(But I'm too tired to twist anymore tonight, so I'm retiring for now...hope you character-s have fun "duking" it out...)
 
Speaking of "the Duke"...
 

 
The Bible talks about what it means to be "morally stupid".
 
"Engaging in shameful conduct is like a game to the stupid one,
But wisdom is for the man of discernment."
(Proverbs 10:23)
 
"I am more ignorant than anyone else,
And I lack the understanding a man should have.  
I have not learned wisdom,
And I do not possess the knowledge of the Most Holy One."
(Proverbs 30:2,3)
 
"For “whoever would love life and see good days must guard his tongue from bad and his lips from speaking deception.  Let him turn away from what is bad and do what is good; let him seek peace and pursue it.  For the eyes of Jehovah are on the righteous, and his ears listen to their supplication, but the face of Jehovah is against those doing bad things.”
 
(1 Peter 3:10-12)
 
"Guarding the tongue" sometimes means being quiet. It's not always easy to be quiet, especially for someone with Tourette's...
 
 
 
 
Goodnight dear ones! May you have peace! 😁💖😘🫶🌿😎

Goodness and truth...Some types of dancing are not "good". There was inappropriate dancing at the feast of the golden calf. Obviously that's not the kind of dancing Jehovah approves of. But there are so many other times in the Bible dancing is mentioned and associated with goodness, true worship and love of God and good clean joy and happiness...
 
"Finally Jephʹthah came to his home in Mizʹpah, and look! his daughter was coming out to meet him, playing the tambourine and dancing!"
 
(Judges 11:34)
 
"But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quick! bring out a robe, the best one, and clothe him with it, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  Also bring the fattened calf, slaughter it, and let us eat and celebrate, for this son of mine was dead but has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they started to enjoy themselves. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he returned and got near the house, he heard music and dancing...Then his father came out and began to plead with him....But we just had to celebrate and rejoice, for your brother was dead but has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”
 
(Luke 15:22-32)
 
"David was dancing around before Jehovah with all his might...King David leaping and dancing around before Jehovah..."
 
(2 Samuel 6:14-16)
 
"Praise Jah! Sing to Jehovah a new song; Praise him in the congregation of the loyal ones.  Let Israel rejoice in its Grand Maker; Let the sons of Zion be joyful in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing And sing praises to him, accompanied by the tambourine and the harp."
 
(Psalm 149:1-3)
 
"From far away Jehovah appeared to me and said: “I have loved you with an everlasting love. That is why I have drawn you to me with loyal love. Yet again I will rebuild you and you will be rebuilt. O virgin of Israel, you will again take up your tambourines And go forth dancing joyfully."
 
(Jeremiah 31:3,4)
 
"O Jehovah, become my helper. You have changed my mourning into dancing; You have removed my sackcloth, and you clothe me with rejoicing, So that I may sing your praise and not keep silent.  O Jehovah my God, I will praise you forever."
 
(Psalm 30:10-12)
 
 
There are Christian denominations that include "good" dancing as part of their worship of God.
 
Honestly, don't you think the Kingdom Halls would be more fun if there was sometimes dancing like this at the meetings for worship of Jehovah? 😃
 
 
 

@Fausto Hoover I didn't know that @redHarmonioussparrow was Ukrainian? Are you sure?
 
(If you are a 66-year-old married brother, @Fausto Hoover, that is nice for you and your wife. I haven't seen any flirting in this forum, except quotes from religious organizations flirting with weird Greek philosophies, so you don't have to worry, nobody is going to give you a hard time about whether your conduct in that regard is acceptable or unacceptable. You're all good.😎)

Hmmmm …good question. How DOES a person get married over the Internet?
I am positive that the Brother you are trying to make yourself appear more righteous than, by attempting to disparage is someone that you are insanely jealous of …. Probably because you are so like Wally McNasty of Archive fame, and terminally single, or in such a miserable marriage that his happiness in finding someone is driving you crazy.
I am also positive that the Brother was legally divorced at the time, and would not look for a mate other than a Jehovah’s Witness, and has been very happily married for over almost a decade.
For your own good mental health you need to give up this obsession, because this has only resulted in your being branded as a proven liar, and slanderer, by your own words.
What’s worse is that you have become, by whatever mask pops up out of the corn hole, Wally McNasty.

Here’s a idea ….!
if you are trying to convey information to others, put it in small print AND make the print almost invisible light grey!
it’s a real time saver for the reader, as he can skip over it to something he CAN read.

At one time, circa 1973 or so, the Society got a bee in it’s bonnet to try and forbid “bedroom gymnastics” between husbands and wives which resulted in thousands of broken marriages and disfellowshippings and destroyed marriages.
There was a general rebellion about that for about six more years, resulting in more disfellowshippings and destroyed marriages.
Then they shut up as creepy bedroom police, and I don’t remember hearing a peep about that since the early 1980’s.
Apparently they “learned their lesson”, but the damage was immense.
I cannot remember the timeline that for several years it was official policy, published in the Watchtower on several occasions that if a husband had a homosexual sex life, a Sister could NOT consider that as grounds for divorce, and many were doomed to have to just endure it.
After several years there was “NEW LIGHT” (click SPOING!), and they changed the policy.
THEY paid no price whatsoever for the massive ruination of peoples’ lives.
Not even an apology.
And things like that, dear audience is WHY you are forbidden to talk to disfellowshipped one’s.
That is the reason “shunning” is a requirement.
If this was any government that wanted to keep secrets secret, it is called “compartmentalization”.
 

I was there … I saw it. 
Perhaps that is why the line resonates with me so dramatically, “Don’t piss on my back and tell me it’s raining”.

You will see it when Jehovah makes an accounting and sets everything right. How good it will be for everyone to finally have peace.💖
 
"For you will go out with rejoicing,
And in peace you will be brought back.  
The mountains and the hills will become cheerful before you with a joyful cry,
And the trees of the field will all clap their hands.  
Instead of thornbushes the juniper tree will grow,
And instead of the stinging nettle the myrtle tree will grow.  
And it will bring fame to Jehovah,
An everlasting sign that will never perish."
 
(Isaiah 55:12,13)
 
Until then, I hope you can have some peace and rest, as much as is possible in this world right now, while we wait for That Day...it is coming, likely at the time we least expect it. 🙂
 

 
 
"As a deer that longs for streams of water, 
So I long for you, O God.  
I do thirst for God, for the living God. 
When may I come and appear before God? 
My tears are my food day and night; 
All day long people taunt me: 
“Where is your God?”  
These things I remember, and I pour out my soul, 
For I once walked along with the multitude; 
I used to walk solemnly before them to the house of God, 
With sounds of rejoicing and thanksgiving, 
Those of a crowd celebrating a festival.  
Why am I in despair? 
Why is this turmoil within me? 
Wait for God, 
For I will yet praise him as my Grand Savior....
...Judge me, O God, 
Defend my legal case against a disloyal nation.  
Rescue me from the man of deception and unrighteousness. 
For you are my God, my fortress. 
Why have you cast me off? 
Why must I walk about sad because of the oppression by my enemy? 
Send out your light and your truth. 
May these lead me; 
May they guide me to your holy mountain and to your grand tabernacle.  
Then I will come to the altar of God, 
To God, my exceeding joy.  
And I will praise you with the harp, 
O God, my God. 
Why am I in despair? 
Why is this turmoil within me? 
Wait for God, 
For I will yet praise him as my Grand Savior and my God." 
 
(Psalm 42-43)
 
"For look! the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the presumptuous ones and all those practicing wickedness will become like stubble. The coming day will certainly devour them,” says Jehovah of armies, “and it will leave them neither root nor branch.  But on you who honor my name, the sun of righteousness will shine, with healing in its rays; and you will skip about like fattened calves." (Malachi 4:1,2)
 
(Sometimes we fall asleep for awhile and then wake up later.)
 
Thank you for loving justice - true justice is from Jehovah. I know you love Jehovah because you love His Ways and His Friends. Good night for now, my friend.🙂

Wow!     I never thought of Gumby as window caulk!
… several Brothers, perhaps ….

🤣

God's law has not changed. The governing body has misled the people into "eating things sacrificed to idols", namely, the idols of the medical system. Because of fear of man and feeling the need to compromise, or because of outright disobedience, or maybe some other reason, I don't know, the GB has told the people lies, that somehow "blood fractions" are not blood. 🤔🙄🤨?
 
Jehovah has not changed, and He's mad at them for misleading the people.
 
Jehovah didn't ask for tithes from the Christian congregation. He didn't require pioneers or elder schools or a Bethel or movie studios or publications. He said "don't commit immorality" and "don't take blood."
 
"For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you except these necessary things:  to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” (Acts 15:28,29)
 
What part of "no" don't they understand?
 
 
 
Because of teaching the flock to accept blood fractions, the GB has led the congregation into spiritual adultery, a form of spiritual fornication and unfaithfulness. It's not a "conscience matter" to disregard the blood of the Christ. Accepting even a fraction of human blood is disobedient to Jehovah's command to "pour out the blood on the ground", and is like having "a one night stand" with an idol, a false god that cannot save a life. There is no medical treatment on earth that will save a person's life forever. There is no medical treatment on earth that will keep someone from ever dying. Only Jesus' blood can do that. But it has to be at Jehovah's appointed time. Sometimes we just have to wait. Jesus had to wait. He doesn't ask anything more of us than he was willing to do. He can help us wait.
 
"“‘Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there those adhering to the teaching of Baʹlaam, who taught Baʹlak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.  In the same way, you also have those adhering to the teaching of the sect of Nic·o·laʹus.  So repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war against them with the long sword of my mouth." (Revelation 2:14-16)
 
"‘Nevertheless, I do hold this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezʹe·bel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and misleads my slaves to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.  And I gave her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality.  Look! I am about to throw her into a sickbed, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.  And I will kill her children with deadly plague, so that all the congregations will know that I am the one who searches the innermost thoughts and hearts, and I will give to you individually according to your deeds." (Revelation 2:20-23)
 
The GB is like Balaam and like Jezebel. They have misled the people into spiritual fornication. Jesus said he's going to clear things up. You know what happened to Balaam and to Jezebel.
 
(Hopefully they repent before Jesus gets here, those Balaam/Jezebel types. They won't all repent. The Bible says so.)
 
"And I will kill her children with deadly plague, so that all the congregations will know that I am the one who searches the innermost thoughts and hearts, and I will give to you individually according to your deeds."
 
These plagues are figurative. They are the plagues of Revelation. This "kill" is figurative. It has to do with repentance. When they are "killed" it just means they "die" as to their former bad ways and do good instead.
 
"But the rest of the people who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands; they did not stop worshipping the demons and the idols of gold and silver and copper and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.  And they did not repent of their murders nor of their spiritistic practices nor of their sexual immorality nor of their thefts." (Revelation 9:20,21)
 

Some humor however is not appreciated.
Tuesday is kids night at the Golden Corral, and kids under a certain age are free or reduced price with a paying adult, for dinner.
So I asked the waitress, “… So you serve kids free or at a reduced price on Tuesdays, eh?”
She replied that they did.
I replied “Great!, I’ll take two, with barbecue sauce!”

I think the important points that you made in your post, Audrey what is that each person is an individual and there’s no homogenous this or that hiding under any societal label.
I was reading TTH‘s book last night about Putin and in the Forward it said there was a fellow that said “they call me crazy, but that was back when crazy meant something…… nowadays everybody is crazy“. (Paraphrased.).
I often visualize a flying saucer out off the solar ecliptic, bathing Earth in a “stupid ray”, affecting everyone.
Having this theoretical insight, it was a revelation that I was not immune.
We all take turns being a traumatic irritant or danger to someone else.
Yesterday at Golden Corral a large black man was about six tables away, laughing continually with friends so unbearably loud I could not think, and I was getting angry, but then I realized that was not his problem, it was my problem.
Others were trying to hide their anger also, but then I decided to share his joy of life, and was grinning ear to ear looking directly at him.
Others saw my grin and they started grinning and raising their eyebrows in recognition, and in six seconds it was all funny and enjoyable !
Much better than a knife and fist fight with those dinky Golden Corral serrated steak knives.

I am not sure, @Srecko Sostar, if this is how you meant that word: "Unsubordinate: Not subordinate; not of inferior rank, dignity, class, or order."
 
Jesus was truly superior to everyone on earth, since he was the only perfect person and he was God's firstborn son, in that way he was "unsubordinate". While he could be considered "independent" from sin, he lowered himself to become a slave and was willing to lower himself to obey the direction of the imperfect organization of his time, even though that organization was extremely corrupt.
 
He told us to imitate his example, to follow his way. Jesus submitted himself to the authority of the organization bearing Jehovah's name at that time, but Jesus did not compromise his integrity. Today, we can submit to the direction of those in authority (whether it be the authorities in a congregation or the authorities in the local governments). But if those authorities (any of them) ask us to do something that would lead to a compromise of our integrity, then we resolutely "obey God as ruler rather than men."
 
Jesus was willing to obey the secular authorities as they put him through a kangaroo court trial with false charges and no justice. Jesus was willing to submit to a course of abuse that was designed to humiliate him (although he despised shame and the real humiliation was on his persecutors) and then he submitted to death on a torture stake. 
 
Sometimes it is possible to remain in a congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and keep integrity. A lot of people feel "cognitive dissonance" but are able to continue in the congregation, knowing that in time Jehovah will clear things up. Some people are not able to conscientiously remain in the organization at this time and disassociate themselves with it because of conscience. Others are willing to remain but are kicked out. Many people in the congregations are just ignorant of the false doctrines at present and go on their merry way in a temporary peace. 
 
Jehovah knows the heart. To the degree possible, we strive to imitate the Christ. As far as autonomy, or self-government, we exercise our free will to submit to Jehovah's will for us, even though sometimes it's distasteful at present. It was distasteful at first for Jesus to go through what he did, but it worked out for a blessing.
 
"And going a little way forward, he fell facedown, praying: “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39)
 
Jesus self-governed himself in a way that showed immense strength. He did not take up a sword or a gun. He did not fear death or torture or what people thought. He knew what he was going to face, he trusted God's projection and interpretation, or will, for him, and he went through with it.

There is at least one other choice that I can think of immediately:
1.) sometimes they guess, and guess wrong and when they do they never apologize…… Never ever…… And so they have to cover it up.

There is at least one other choice that I can think of immediately:
1.) sometimes they guess, and guess wrong and when they do they never apologize…… Never ever…… And so they have to cover it up.

Some humor however is not appreciated.
Tuesday is kids night at the Golden Corral, and kids under a certain age are free or reduced price with a paying adult, for dinner.
So I asked the waitress, “… So you serve kids free or at a reduced price on Tuesdays, eh?”
She replied that they did.
I replied “Great!, I’ll take two, with barbecue sauce!”

One of my favorite cartoons!

Yeah, it's kinda like this one, lol...
 
😝 (And I read that quote in TTH's book last night too, Mr. Manson made it, yuck!)