Evacuated

Cant see this under Russian news yet:
https://tv.jw.org/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/pub-jwb_201707_14_VIDEO
 

I can see that this "tossing about" appears to have definitely been the case for some of you, particularly those with a long history and previous generations of relatives associated with the morphing movement we know today as Jehovah's Witnesses. 
My own first hand experience with legacy association was with a friend, much older than me, whose father was one of the first two to become Bible Students in the UK in the 1880s. This gave me a good grounding in some of the "cloud-cuckoo-land" ideas held at various times over the years. 
That Pyramid stuff??? Wow! One of the first calls I ever had even before baptism was an actual Pyramidologist. That was an experience for someone who had only been associated 3 months.
It must be quite embarrassing to look back and realise what nonsensical rubbish (not just Pyramids) was actually taken seriously at one time, especially if you actually promoted it. The notion that one's loyalty is tested by moving with adjustments and avoiding the understandable temptation to "bite the hand that feeds" is likely not so far from the truth. Probably the 1975 thing is the most glaring example I have personally experienced, although I was thankfully enlightened about the erroneous expectations attached about 1972 or so, and seem to have avoided the "hysteria" others appear to have experienced. I'm looking forward to the Assembly bit on this. In fact,  I think I'll watch in advance as I will probably miss it with Assembly work as my "listening" Assembly has been cancelled due to "terrorism"!
As for strange Bethel behaviour, I remember one of our COs who told me that the first time he heard 4-letter words regularly used was in Bethel! However, Willi Diehl's father understated the matter perfectly in 1931 when he warned his son that "the brothers there are not angels"! (WT 1 Nov 1991 p26)
Funny though, I have never really been subjected to the intensity of weirdness that some others emphasize like the "subliminal art" stuff, or "personal Bible study policing" although these things obviously go on, and I have known some casualties.
I have experienced some child abusers and dodgy elders in my time, but have seen them get their come-uppance. 
Apart from time out to raise children, I have pioneered most of the time so this work and the responsibility of helping others to clean up their lives have been the main focus for me. The experience of observing the way applying Bible principles really changes people's lives for the better so radically has been enough to convince me of Jehovah's active involvement, and has likely minimised the effect of some of these other issues that apparently trouble so many.
So, enjoyed the exchange @JWInsider and other regular contributers. I'll be back some time, but for now I really have...........

I am not sure I understand you here. Are you saying that the use of the word Hades was a post-apostolic insertion into the Greek Scriptures? Or do you mean that the false religious concepts associated with the word are what were later introduced by apostates.
It must be the latter view because the Septuagint Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures pre-dates the establishment of the Christian congregation, and itself uses Hades for the Hebrew word Sheol. Perhaps outstandingly so at Ps.16:10, because of the recording by Luke of Peter's application of this text to Jesus. (Acts 2:27, 31).
Please clarify.

If Jesus had spoken in English, would he have used the English word "hell" when quoting from Hebrew texts that used the Hebrew word "Sheol"? Perhaps he would have, if he had felt that the basic meaning of the word in English conveyed a meaning sufficiently matching what was commonly believed by those who adhered to the Biblical concepts attached to the Hebrew word. After all, both Sheol and the corresponding Greek word, Hades, were used interchangeably by Bible writers, despite there having been unscriptural and false ideas also associated with each word. 
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, defines “Hell” as coming “from O[ld] E[nglish] helan, to conceal”. So despite the common misguided idea of "Hell" being a place where the wicked are kept alive in fiery torment, there is also a totally different association of meaning to the word related to it's origin and in keeping with a more Scriptural understanding.
Hence we have interesting secular usages in English: 
The word helmet, literally a ‘hell-met’, meaning a covering or concealment for the head. Hardly would anyone set their "head on fire" to protect it. In the old English dialect the expression “helling potatoes” meant, not to roast them in a fire, but simply to place the potatoes in the ground or in a cellar in Winter, covering them, in order to preserve them; To "hell a house" has been said to refer to putting a thatched roof on a building  to cover it, certainly not to set it on fire. For me, however the most telling and simply thorough refutation to the false notion that sinners are somehow kept alive to be burned forever in a place of fire is clear in the words of Jesus to Nicodemus recorded at John 3:16: 
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life."
 
 

( I know your are just quoting a report here, @Librarian)
This baseless dishonesty reminds me of the spirit shown in the despicable treatment Armeniens received at the hands of the crumbling Ottoman Empire during the First World War period. 
United States Ambassador Henry Morgenthau remembers that Interior Minister, Mehmet Talaat Pasha, asked him to assist in persuading the New York Life Insurance Company and other firms that had issued policies to now “vanished” Armenians to escheat their benefits to the Ottoman state, since the "disappeared" persons were Ottoman subjects and no living heirs were to be found.
In Chap. 25 of his memoir, Morgenthau recounts the following exchange in the late summer of 1915: "One day Talaat made what was perhaps the most astonishing request I had ever heard. The New York Life Insurance Company and the Equitable Life of New York had for years done considerable business among the Armenians. The extent to which this people insured their lives was merely another indicator of their thrifty habits. “I wish,” Talaat now said, “that you would get the American life insurance companies to send us a complete list of their Armenian policy holders. They are practically all dead now and have left no heirs to collect the money. It of course all escheats to the State. The Government is the beneficiary now. Will you do so?” This was almost too much and I lost my temper “You will get no such list from me,” I said, and I got up and left him." (Ambassador Morgenthau's Story. Henry Morgenthau. Dobleday, Page and Company. 1918).
(The fact that it took some 90 years, until 2004 to actually settle the policy issue is another story entirely. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/20m-settlement-for-armenians/)

I have said all I know how to say ..... time to move on.
 

Think I said "koff". Not German, I just prefer the spelling due to it's association with Guaifenesin.

I agree with your views expressed very well here. Just to add that whilst indeed the movement of people is due to the "shaking" of this world system, Jehovah's "shaking" of the nations (Hag.2:7) is by means of the preaching that we do. Personal focus and involvement in that activity as much as we can at this time will serve greatly in our endeavour to keep ourselves in Jehovah's love. 

Dunno what your driving at mate. You're gonna have to be more explicit. I know you can do it if you try. You're an engineer after all and you talk a lot of sense..... sometimes.
However, your cut-and-paste innuendos are as old hat and irrelevant this time as they have been in the past, so just get real for a change and explain yourself clearly because I just do not "get yer drift".
The scripture I quoted applies to your spiritually jaded and sarcastic comments. You yourself stated that you are  "a man with no spiritual qualifications". You have furnished your own proof of this, so what's your gripe? I'm not getting it?
Have you decided that your own hat actually does not fit?? I know you can't be offended by and don't care about anything anybody could say to you about anything, as you have stated so clearly elsewhere. So just what are you getting at??

I agree with your views expressed very well here. Just to add that whilst indeed the movement of people is due to the "shaking" of this world system, Jehovah's "shaking" of the nations (Hag.2:7) is by means of the preaching that we do. Personal focus and involvement in that activity as much as we can at this time will serve greatly in our endeavour to keep ourselves in Jehovah's love. 

Good advice actually (seriously). I'll check out your 7000 posts again......but later, (koff), I have got to watch some paint dry first.

Foreign reaction to Supreme Court ruling quick
EU STICKS UP FOR RUSSIAN JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Interfax.ru, 18 July 2017
 
Russian Jehovah's Witnesses, like all other religious groups, should have the possibility of enjoying freedom of assembly, the press secretary of the European External Action Service declared on Tuesday.
 
Yesterday the Supreme Court turned down the appeal of the Russian Jehovah's Witnesses of the ban of the organization and its liquidation on the basis of a lawsuit by the Russian Ministry of Justice.
 
"Jehovah's Witnesses, like all other religious groups, should have the possibility of peacefully enjoying freedom of assembly without interference, which is guaranteed by the constitution of the Russian federation and also by Russia's international obligations and international standards in the area of human rights" a statement of the press secretary of the European External Action Service, which was distributed by the embassy of the EU in Russia, says.
 
"This ban has already led to criminal prosecutions of Jehovah's Witnesses and also to police raids in places of worship, deliberate arson, and other forms of repression," the European Union's declaration says.
 
On 20 April, the Russian Supreme Court ruled, on the basis of a lawsuit by the Russian Ministry of Justice, that Russian Jehovah's Witnesses are an extremist organization and prohibited its activity on the territory of the country. On 17 July, the Supreme Court left without change its previous decision on the liquidation of all registered organizations. According to the ruling, the parent organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" is liquidated, as well as 395 regional divisions. The organization's property, according to the court's decision, was turned over as state income.
 
The lawsuit against the religious organization was filed on 15 March, at a time when, by order of the Ministry of Justice before consideration of the suit in the Supreme Court of the RF, the work of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia was suspended because of extremist activity. The press service of the ministry told Interfax that the lawsuit was filed on the basis of results of an unscheduled documentary inspection conducted from 8 to 27 February 2017, on the correspondence of the activity of the religious organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" with the goals and tasks declared in its charter. According to information of the Ministry of Justice, "the activity of the organization is conducted with violations of charter goals and tasks and also of existing legislation of the RF, including federal law 'On combating extremist activity.'"
 
In addition to the appellate complaint in the Russian Supreme Court, Russian Jehovah's Witnesses have turned to the European Court of Human Rights, a representative of the organization, Sergei Cherepanov, told Interfax earlier. (tr. by PDS, posted 18 July 2017)

"Forever is a long...long time."
No one gets stuck in anything longer than their current life or until Armageddon...whichever comes first.

Between a man with no spiritual qualifications (self assessed), and an inability to evaluate things spiritually? Sorry James. I don't follow your reasoning this time. 

Agreed, Jehovah is shaking the nations by preaching work (not literally shaken). ...And this preaching work is upsetting the Russian government and the Mighty Orthodox church.....because we are effective!
However, I think Jehovah is allowing satan to literally shake the nations due to the activities of man (wars, poverty etc.) which is causing stress in societies in many parts of the world. We are observing an influx of people to other areas and these have not had opportunity to get a good witness because they live in areas where the work has been banned or restricted.
 

I agree with your views expressed very well here. Just to add that whilst indeed the movement of people is due to the "shaking" of this world system, Jehovah's "shaking" of the nations (Hag.2:7) is by means of the preaching that we do. Personal focus and involvement in that activity as much as we can at this time will serve greatly in our endeavour to keep ourselves in Jehovah's love. 

I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO GO OUR WAY!  Here are my reasons:
I have been watching Russia for more than 12 years and saw its sincere "human rights lawyers and reporters" mysteriously killed on the streets with no-one being brought to justice.  In the past I have called it a thugocracy! They killed dissidents in other countries too - think of the polonium-210  killing in London which grabbed some headlines! (please watch the video link I put in my previous comment about Russia.)
Putin has made the Russian Orthodox religion his bedfellow in creating a new Russian-religious Nationalism.  Russian pride is at an all-time high and this is their food at present which unites them against all else /anything different. Many people are joining the orthodox church because Putin is the equivalent to a pop-star god and he seen as a strong leader.  He is dangerous, shrewd and a killer!  No-one stands in his way - totalitarian.... and his bedfellow church is the same! 
By shrewd selling of weapons and assistance his influence is increasing in the world  (especially the middle east). The Russians love him for it.
Satan is blinding the eyes of the world leaders.  Putin is also keeping the lid on the 27 million Muslims in his country by brutal oppression. Searches and Indiscriminate jailing of these people have made them live in fear of the government.... 
Like his cold war predecessors - Putin and the Russian government is putting on a façade - allowing this high supreme court case, just to make this ban on JWs legal in the eyes of the people - justice has been through the process..... the quality of the process does not matter.  There was never an intention to listen to arguments in a fair /just way..... It was a set decision beforehand and the entire country is in a trance propagated by the Russian propaganda machine. All "feel" the same in their nationalism.   (Remember the Nazi machine of pride and nationalism?  A modern version of it...no right and wrong standards with injustices perpetrated and victims with no rights.)
It is therefore not a surprise that Russia is the first country to stand in the "holy place" - I expect more and more to join this stance against Jehovah's defenseless people.   We do believe that it is the time of the end, don't we?  Then expect more to come. 
We will suffer - but Jehovah will cut it off at the right time.  We will be dragged before governors and give our witness.  And our enemies will be deriding us - where is your god now?  Why does he not save you?  
The propaganda of Satan (expressions of demons) is everywhere - going out to divide the earth as never before ! to get them ready for Armageddon. Rev 16:14-16.  Religious hate (religions hating each other and weapons training in religious nationalism is something new), hard-core racial hatred, and political party hatred (militant far-left and militant far-right) are getting people worked up for violence and fierceness to perpetrate unthinkable things against their fellow man in future. (brother killing brother).
In the world there is not a place where there is not one or other form of hatred being propagated.  The values of right and wrong have disappeared.  Most Christians nations (especially Europe) are Christians at face value only because philosophies of humanist nature have taken its place....All religions are equal they say.... there is no right and wrong....  
In this moral confusion the pressure pot is building - and the longer it builds- the bigger the explosion.  Whether we will see another world war - I do not know.  Whether we will see an ISIS-like organization take over in Europe and Canada - I do not know.   All I can see is signs of a building hatred amongst people which is directly from Satan.
Satan wants to control the world completely and stamp out Jehovah's worship.  He is using imperialistic false religion and political systems to do this.  In previous generations there were decent people who held back this overwhelming control of satan but now there are very little wise people left with a sincere love for god.  In many countries there is an inordinate surge in Spiritism  - practiced on a daily basis with druids and witch doctors....  I saw this while living in Africa and England and have been watching the trends.
Jehovah is now allowing the nations to be shaken (refugees moving everywhere) so that we can bring them the message and they receive an opportunity to choose... so keep busy while we have freedom to do so.
I see signs of Jehovah's Witness enemies using Facebook and false news to perpetuate and spread vile lies about us and build a hatred against us.... Who is behind this?  Satan of course.  
So my brothers....and sisters. Keep yourself in Jehovah's love..... do not stray and keep the eyes simple and focussed.  Do not collect material things or influence for yourself ..... it is not the time to contemplate these things... because they can be taken away from you in one minute....
Jesus did not say without reason it will be the worst tribulation ever! 
 
 

Hopefully, this callous observation reflects only what the apostle Paul stated at 1Cor.2:14:
"A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the teachings of God's Spirit. He thinks they're nonsense. He can't understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them."

More pathetically callous observations, reflecting the words of the apostle Paul at 1 Cor.2:14:
"A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the teachings of God's Spirit. He thinks they're nonsense. He can't understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them."

Russia Disfellowships All Jehovah's Witnesses Worldwide.
JW's are getting a taste of their own medicine.
==========================
If WatchTower was in charge of governing countries.
How much Freedom of Religion would there be?......ZERO...

"Forever is a long...long time."
No one gets stuck in anything longer than their current life or until Armageddon...whichever comes first.

"I mean, why shouldn't this number increase? I know we have put date limiters on it in the past, but surely we have become less rigid about this in more recent years? (@Melinda Mills could substantiate this with numerous WT references!)
Anointed ones answer only to Jehovah as to the genuineness of their claim (1Cor 11:27-29)." -- Eoin Joyce
Agree with Eoin that we should not worry about genuineness of the claim to be of the anointed of persons who have caused this number to increase. Jehovah is the one choosing them and he is keeping the tally.  It is possible some are not genuine but it still doesn't matter because we still  won't be able to judge or disallow any, whether they might seem to have emotional problems or not.
I get the feeling also that we have not been stressing the date limit as in the past, but here is a fairly recent one I found.
*** w14 2/15 p. 11 par. 14 Rejoice Over the Marriage of the Lamb! ***
"Since 1935, millions of people have allowed the remnant to ‘bring them to righteousness.’ (Dan. 12:3) These loyal companions of the anointed Christians have purified their lives, becoming spiritual virgins. These “virgin companions” of the bride have dedicated themselves to Jehovah and have proved themselves to be faithful subjects of the Bridegroom-King."
In any case Jehovah is not limited by our understanding of the scriptures or to any time period that we may have in mind.  He is managing the big picture (gathering the ones who would be fitting companions for his Royal Son) and it could be that whereas we were expecting logically a dwindling of the number as the 1914 generation disappears it may be that Jehovah will have more persons representing the epoch wherein more persons are living on earth and wherein a greater shout of praise is being carried out on the earth.  Who knows? It could be too that more surprises might be in store for his servants including the faithful slave.
I also like Eoin's reference to Luke 15 because the increase in the anointed is concomitant with the increase in the average publishers worldwide. So although it is puzzling at first,  on re-examination it should indeed be an outcome deserving applause.
 

Knock knock knockin' on heaven's door........
It is aways interesting (for me) to look at the partakers graph against the average publishers graph as shown here. (They will be included in these figures).
I mean, why shouldn't this number increase? I know we have put date limiters on it in the past, but surely we have become less rigid about this in more recent years? (@Melinda Mills could substantiate this with numerous WT references!)
Anointed ones answer only to Jehovah as to the genuineness of their claim (1Cor 11:27-29).
We are rejoicing at the increase, if we show the same spirit that the angels do when sinners repent:
Luke 15:10:  "I tell you, joy arises among the angels of God over one sinner who repents"