Carmen Erwin

And thank you dear sister! Queen Esther!

Thank you Jehovah ?!

New Neighbors at Warwick  
 

“Jehovah … Created All Things” 

I should correct this for accuracy. I spoke often with George Gangas, and even practiced some modern Greek with him at the dinner table.  I actually have no idea, however, if he really knew that much about koine or "New Testament" Greek. People often asked him how similar it was to modern Greek and he was given out numbers like "85% the same." I never personally asked him about the meaning of a Biblical Greek word and he never offered any knowledge of Greek in his morning worship talks. (Several others did.) He actually seemed uncomfortable discussing anything but the most simple doctrinal matters. Around Bethel, he would often ask a trivia question about the Bible but I never heard him speak of anything doctrinal. At morning worship he gave experiences and stories but very little in the way of a spiritual lesson. When he prayed at Bethel meals people made fun of him (wrongly of course) for thanking Jehovah for the potatoes and the napkins and the silverware and the lettuce, and going on and on as if he was just looking around the table to add more things to the list. I found this kind of endearing and I liked him. But I have to admit that there was also a rumor that he was added to the NWT committee around 1949 because he was already known to be a long-time, loyal Bethelite who never questioned anything, and had already been put on the Board of Directors of the Watch Tower Pennsylvania corporation for the same reason. Most people on the Board of Directors were there for legal reasons, but had absolutely nothing to do and no say in how things were run. Brother Gangas continued to work in the kitchen, just as others on that board continued to work menial jobs in the factory (Charles Feckel in bindery, Lyman Swingle making ink, etc). Later these same ones were put on the Governing Body.
By this, I don't mean to say that he did not have some knowledge of koine Greek, but I gave a response that made it seem like I knew he did, when I was only taking him at his own word when he said things like koine was 80 to 90% the same as modern Greek. I wouldn't have said anything more, except that there really was a rumor that he didn't know much of anything about koine Greek, per se, even though he was good at modern Greek.

There is not one verse in the entire NWT that does not have some support from somewhere else in either a Hebrew or Greek dictionary, or another translation that came out prior to the NWT. I know this doesn't prove anything, but at the very least, it shows that a lot of work went into finding support for the translation choices from other persons. So in every case where you disagree with a choice of translation or meaing in the NWT, you are also disagreeing with a translation choice found in non-JW sources. You area also claiming that those other sources have no scholarship involved. There are times, I agree, when the NWT picked an unlikely choice of words - "impalement," for example. The 2013 update takes care of several awkward translation choices that were probably very wrong. But the early NWT also looked for words that could be translated consistently everywhere the same word was found. This is not always the correct thing to do since some words will have different meanings in different contexts. Some of these choices have also been corrected in the current NWT. 
Also, it's even true that the belief that Jesus is/was Michael did not originate with Jehovah's Witnesses, but has been taught by several scholars for hundreds of years.  Note this passage from Wikipedia under Michael (archangel):
Citing Hengstenberg, John A. Lees, in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, states: "The earlier Protestant scholars usually identified Michael with the pre-incarnate Christ, finding support for their view, not only in the juxtaposition of the 'child' and the archangel in Rev 12:1-17, but also in the attributes ascribed to him in Daniel."[13]Charles Haddon Spurgeon,[52][53] a Trinitarian, stated that Jesus is Michael “the only Archangel”,[54] and that he is God the Son, and co-equal to the Father.[52] In Spurgeon’s view, "archangel" means "head of the angels" rather than "head angel," and is a title similar to "Prince or Leader of the host." (Daniel 8:11)[55][56][not in citation given]
Within Anglicanism, Bishop Robert Clayton proposed that Michael was the Logos and Gabriel the Holy Spirit.[57] Controversy over Clayton's views led the government to order his prosecution, but he died before his scheduled examination.[58][59]

I   think  yes,  all  went  ok !  When  anything  was  going  bad, I will tell you in time. Yes, thank you Jehovah❤️
 

Do you know If they got to go to the next two days of the convention peacefully I hope!

THANKS  TO  MY  BROTHERS & *SISTERS*❤   OF  COURSE  TOO, I  always  try  posting  true  or  nice  things  for  us  all  ;o)
We're  living  in  a  bad  system  of  world  -  so,  not  all  is  for  laughing,  sorry  ;-(   Anyhow,  thank  you  so  much !

Thanks  my  Brothers  for  your  recognition...  ;o)

Of course, first our thoughts by the brothers, sisters and the affected humans !

Personally I would never grab my jw.org button and pray to Jehovah with it. I would never wear it as a symbol of the Christ .  I would not hang it in my house or in my car for a form of protection. And I would only direct ones to it as a teaching tool that leads them to their bibles and the truth Jesus taught according to jehovahs direction. These are the last days and Jehovah is trying to reach every searching soul. Disciples of truth. Just my two scents?

The  sister  wrote....
I have just received from brothers from Munich:
Because of the assassination in Munich, so many register with us. I wanted to give you some feedback. Today we had our regional convention in our convention hall, which is 700 meters from the  site  of  crime.  We went at 5:46pm with the subway of Congress home. 14 minutes later the attack a subway station was right on!  WE got  well  home !  However, even  200 brothers  still  in the hall, but these may not leave. Many brothers parked  exactly in this shopping center, where the stop was. We hope and pray that none of our brothers is concerned. We are all in a  state of shock.   ----   Pray for our brothers !!!
Approximately 150 brothers still sit firmly in the congress hall. In Feldmoching shots from automatic weapons have been reported.  Is a neighbor  place, Calvin, 4 km away from us  here. The brothers in the convention hall  making  ready  for  night  to stay there  now. From injured Bro. nothing is known, if so, we knew that already. I just  talked with a brother who was at the conference. Helicopter circling above us and it is lively in our area. Have got terror alert. We  made  an around  call  to  all  our congration  brothers  and  all  are  safe  at  home.
MAY  JEHOVAH  BLESS  THE  NEXT  2  CONVENTION  DAY'S❤

LOOK...  JEHOVAH  IS  POPULAR  &  AROUND  OUR  EARTH  KNOWN❤
IN  SO  MANY  LANGUAGES.....  THATS  GREAT !

Not really. But I know that Brother Rutherford made a point to speak often of "The Signal" which technically meant the Kingdom that started in 1914. The "Signal" was always described exactly the same as a 'a flag.' Even under Brother Knorr's administration, we sang about "The Signal" in several of the Kingdom Songs up until 1966 (the year before I was baptized). I still remember singing about "the glorious Signal raised" in Kingdom songs, and it was clear that this was the equivalent of 'our flag.' But it was a flag for a 'new nation' born in 1914, without regard to earthly political divisions. Even our Supreme Court arguments about the flag in the 1940's included this idea that we look to a 'flag' that supersedes the flags of nations.
*** w50 3/15 p. 92 ***   for everywhere and in every language Jehovah’s people were holding high the Signal.  
*** w50 10/1 p. 350 par. 4 “Droop Not Your Hands” ***   It has drawn them to the heavenly Signal, the Kingdom, and has unified them all over the earth, in utter contempt of the racial, color, social, language, political, national, and religious differences and divisions of this world.  
The problem was that so many talks and Watchtower articles always tied the "Kingdom" ("The Signal") right back to the Watch Tower organization, as the visible head of that Kingdom that we must "obey". In Brother Rutherford's time it was common to put into print that 'obedience to the [Watch Tower] Society was the same as obedience to the Lord.' (One "Bulletin" [which became "The Informant" which become "The Kingdom Ministry" which became "Our Kingdom Service"] actually said that 'obedience to Brother Rutherford was the same as obedience to the Lord.') I don't recall this idea being stated so directly after Rutherford died, but it was still the idea during the time of Brother Knorr. In a talk he referred to the idea that the Society was the "signal-bearer" and we were like rank-and-file soldiers walking in "lockstep" with the Society.
This hearkens back to the idea under Russell when he was asked if he himself was the "faithful and wise servant" and he would say that "'Some say I am, while some say the Society is.' Both statements were true for Brother Russell was in fact the Society."  -- Watchtower, March 1, 1923, p.68
This idea is still fairly obvious in the 1950 Watchtower, quoted below, nearly a decade after Brother Rutherford died. The "sign" or "signal" of the Kingdom was the fact that "miracles" were being wrought spiritually through the earthly, visible part of the Kingdom. The Society was thought of as a "living servant." It was the real representative of the "anointed remnant."
 
*** w50 8/1 pp. 231-232 pars. 2-4 Servant’s Care of the Master’s Goods ***   The Kingdom Signal is raised on high, the road prepared for the returning exiles. The sheep are protected against aggressive and ruthless men, and those who would harm their eternal interests. The barren places in the world are blossoming, for where only a few years ago one or two persons were praising Jehovah now there are hundreds, yes, and thousands. The eyes of the blind are being opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, the tongue of the dumb loosened, and the lame can leap. These miracles are now being wrought in the spiritual sense, but in the new world they will be realized in a very literal manner.  Other interests (“goods”) of the Kingdom are also receiving the most careful, thoughtful and thorough attention, for the whole structure of the Lord’s visible organization is watched and weak parts continually strengthened. The very charter of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society was brought up to date, and so the Society was made a more direct, living part and a powerful, usable instrument. Then there are the interests of organizing and directing all the branches, missionary homes, Watchtower School of Gilead, radio station, Kingdom farms, circuits and districts, all the assemblies, companies, pioneers, public witness service, Bible studies, Theocratic ministry school. There are many more new world interests which are “goods” or “possessions” placed in the care of the “servant” Yes, these “goods” have been placed under the jurisdiction of the anointed remnant with its legal governing body operating through the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. No one else in the whole world has been given or made responsible for these possessions, nor given the authority to direct and handle such interests. To some readers this may seem a hard statement; but it is the truth, and is made for the protection of the Lord’s “other sheep”, that they may recognize this “faithful and wise servant” and know the “master” has confidence in his discharging faithfully what has been entrusted. Therefore, see now the progressive works of the returned Master in using his faithful people. If we see these things it becomes our bounden duty to cooperate with this servant to receive favor. The 1978 "Victorious Faith" International Conventions blended the theme of putting faith in Jehovah as the same as putting faith in the organization, although this is not as closely related to "flag" allegiance as is "bounden duty" and "cooperation" mentioned above.
*** w79 3/1 p. 18 par. 20 Faith in Jehovah’s Victorious Organization ***   So Jehovah’s visible organization came off victorious once again to his vindication. For dedicated, baptized persons to share in that victory, what did it take? Faith in Jehovah’s theocratic organization. Did the remnant of spiritual Israelites and their theocratic companions, the “great crowd” of Christ’s “other sheep,” have such victorious faith? Yes!  
The more recent change in the July 15, 2013 Watchtower about the "faithful slave" not yet being appointed over all the belongings was the first major adjustment to idea of the "given authority" of the 'faithful slave.'
*** w13 7/15 p. 8 par. 17 “Tell Us, When Will These Things Be?” ***    In the past, we have stated in our publications that these last four references apply to Jesus’ arriving, or coming, in 1918. As an example, take Jesus’ statement about “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Read Matthew 24:45-47.) We understood that the “arriving” mentioned in verse 46 was linked to the time when Jesus came to inspect the spiritual condition of the anointed in 1918 and that the appointment of the slave over all the Master’s belongings occurred in 1919. (Mal. 3:1) However, a further consideration of Jesus’ prophecy indicates that an adjustment in our understanding of the timing of certain aspects of Jesus’ prophecy is needed. . . . So it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus’ arrival to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings, mentioned at Matthew 24:46, 47, also applies to his future coming, during the great tribulation. But the new idea about authority "over all his belongings" being future, probably has very little impact on the ongoing idea of "obedience" and "loyalty" to the visible authority of the "faithful slave." We don't use the term, but those words together are exactly the same as "allegiance." In effect, we 'pledge allegiance to the anointed remnant as represented through the governing body.' The terms are a little different today, because we tend to remove the idea of "The Society" and "The Watch Tower" from the equation. But since most of the "anointed remnant" are considered to be in the same "fold" as the "other sheep" from a practical standpoint, we can't avoid the idea that our obedience [allegiance] is still to the governing body which is still associated with the "Society." That's why we still get counsel such as the following:
*** w15 3/15 p. 29 par. 17 Loyally Supporting Christ’s Brothers ***    The growing number of prospective sheep count it a privilege to support Christ’s brothers not only in the preaching work but also in other practical ways. For example, they give financial contributions and help to build Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, and branch facilities, and they loyally obey those appointed by “the faithful and discreet slave” to take the lead.—Matt. 24:45-47; Heb. 13:17.  
*** w14 8/15 p. 21 par. 2 Hear Jehovah’s Voice Wherever You Are ***    In effect, Jesus also conveys Jehovah’s voice to us as he directs the congregation through “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45) We need to take this guidance and direction seriously, for our everlasting life depends on our obedience.—Heb. 5:9.  
So the idea from a practical standpoint hasn't changed even if the wording has been transformed from "Watch Tower Society" to "governing body" and from "flag" to words meaning the same as "allegiance."

You're welcome! Please Share with others So the most can benefit.

A simple book of the New Songs:
Here are links to download ether the regular lead sheets or large print with a cover page that when printed on both sides of the page can be stapled together to make a book. since we don’t know how long it will be until we get our new song books most probably wont want to invest a lot into a book of the new song and this will provide a simple but nice looking book.
Please share this with your friends and family so the most can get the benefit of it.
Regular lead sheets:
snsmnw_E.pdf
Large print:
snylpnw_E.pdf

SING  TO  JEHOVAH  -  LARGE  PRINT  NEW  SONG BOOK  *2016*
 ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫.♪ ♫ ♪ ♫.♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫.♪ ♫ ♪ ♫.♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫.♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

This was such a nice video of the Kiev Convention.  I can understand why it was taken down now that the new Russian law has gone into effect as of 7/20/2016.  I'm so happy Jehovah provided the convention prior to the new law.  Let's all pray for our dear brothers and sisters.   May Jehovah be praised and show his mighty hand in their behalf!

The roaring of the lion.....

Very  good  !!!!

Jalisco, Mexico #jw #jworg #jehovahswitnesses #jwmexico #jwjalisco #jalisco #mexico http://ift.tt/29TYrzD
Via