I remember with great reverence the immortal words Of Abraham Lincoln, who guided the Republic through a great and terrible Civil War ....

"Never believe ANYTHING, that you read on the Internet!"

STATE OF THE 'WORLD' HOW NEAR IS THE END TIMES ?

First ... consider that people educated in History, are not only NOT doomed to repeat it, but understand the world and its interactions with a lot greater clarity and accuracy of those who think History is dull and un-interesting.

For those that really do understand the facts and lessons from History, it is crystal clear that we are currently living in a time of unparalleled peace and prosperity, advancement and enlightenment ... such has never been seen before in the history of Mankind.

Using ANY criteria ... there is less "bad stuff going on", and has been for the last 70 years, all over the world, an every area of human interaction.  

Those ignorant of History will adamantly disagree with this, but that is just agenda driven total ignorance.

All that being said ... I will tell you the answer to the question

STATE OF THE 'WORLD' HOW NEAR IS THE END TIMES ?

It is this ........  and is accurate, complete, comprehensive, and most of all.... TRUE.

Ahem! (here it is............)

No one knows.

The pretenders to know have prognosticated for 2.000 and more years.

They have .... without exception ... always been wrong.

Now, does that make you fell better?

Silly question.

Of course it doesn't.

Putin: "You krazy Arab ... stealing Obama tablecloth right off capitalist picnic table!"

True, but God's approval ... AND being able to pay $195,000 for  a coronary bypass, entirely without blood, saved my life.

If I had to do one, but not both ... which would have kept me alive?

In this case, both did, as I avoided "Manny the Used Car Bone Saw Surgeon", by insisting on NO BLOOD or blood fractions, and had to transfer to another hospital with more skilled surgeons.

Abraham had both God's approval, and was immensely wealthy.

So was King David.

Having Gods approval means you may (may!) not starve.

Having God's approval, and money means you eat three times a day ... and well!

There is no shame to be in poverty ... but it has absolutely NOTHING to recommend itself.

Of course ... the wolf packs in the New System will all eat straw ... while staring at the sheep.

24 minutes ago, Space Merchant said:

Other than that, this is why most people in American shouldn't have or be trusted with guns:

I disagree .... Most people SHOULD be trusted with guns.

...just not the evil, insane, and stupid.

I think you need a better, more responsible, smarter group of friends.

24 minutes ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

Sort of funny but very serious too. Stay safe and have peace. 

Everywhere around me, to about a 100 foot radius, is a safe, peaceful place.

That's how I avoid mood swings, depression and anger.

"Praise the LORD, and pass the ammunition!"

9 minutes ago, Space Merchant said:

@James Thomas Rook Jr. Just be careful. Although I am not a fan of firearms, there are those who have the license to carry and take up the second amendment end up as targets for those in the government and law enforcement. A day will come whereas the government with the aid of the United Nations will come to disarm you and they will say they will shower you with protection, but later on, you will realize that this so called UN and Gov't protection was only means to desolate you.

I am far less worried about all your paranoid agenda driven irrational ranting than I am about being hit by a meteorite.

I have "packed heavy" for over 50 years now, every day ... and never had a real problem from "the authorities".

People that know what they are doing don't either.

Sign on a mahogany plaque somewhere ;

"You can never be too thin, or too rich"

The helicopter I want costs 8 million dollars.

Currently, I could not afford the gas for it.

In the meantime ... when assaulted ... throw your cell phone at them.

A " helicopter parent" is a parent who hovers over his or her children, ever watchful, ever close-by ... ready to guide and direct the children wherever and whenever needed, but at a manageable distance, and close enough to provide real, not imagined protection and security.

Like admin says... it may take ten minutes for police to respond, whereas I have the capability to make bad guys behave themselves (probably) faster than the speed of sound ....about 1100 feet per second.

I have been armed every day of my life, for the past  half-century or so, and have avoided at least three "incidents" just by being obviously armed ( I had to pull my gun, which is otherwise always concealed.

That gun I posted the picture of on another thread is small and light, and has a one-watt green laser on the top, ( my own modification so it works in bright sunlight ...) and still fits in my front right pocket.

I do not expect to get into gun battles ... merely restrain or stop the stupid and undisciplined.  I am never without it, except in courthouses, where it is not allowed ... and airports, and in the bath ... where it is on the adjacent toilet seat, under a towel.

If I expect a sustained fight, I "dress heavier", and differently.

6 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

What is a 'helicopter parent' please ? and do you really carry a loaded gun around ? Please be honest as i will believe your answers. 

Carrying an unloaded gun around is a good way to get killed .... like trying to outrun an avalanche in a snowmobile with no gas.

OF COURSE IT'S LOADED!

There are people that are sheep, and there are people that are Sheepdogs, like myself ... who have fangs and consider it my genetic duty to protect the innocent (myself included).

An incompetent defense is no defense at all .... and that's why they get eaten by wolves, and  eventually .... the sheep get sheared,  eaten by their Shepherds.

Think of me as a "helicopter gunship" Sheepdog parent.

Once you get that image in your mind ... you may need several beers.

The question just BEGS to be asked .... How does anyone here know she DIDN'T do it?

It's hard to believe that was 30 some years ago the George H.W. Bush was President of the United States .... seems like yesterday.

WOW!

Any idea how much it will cost?

Several times in my life I have had stupid people ask me why I was such a "helicopter parent", and was always armed to enforce it.

This is why.

I LOVE this!

That's why I believe many difficult problems can be solved with superior firepower.

It's only a five-shot, but I can acquire and hit center mass using only my peripheral vision.  If I need more bullets, I will use theirs.

( The scripture on my little plaque is heavily paraphrased .... )

Gather around Grasshoppers, and listen to the wisdom of Jimminy Cricket.

To John Butler, this is a second hand, or third hand rumor.

If absolutely true, the fact remains that John did not cause anyone harm, and has no personal responsibility for the evil people do.

However, just ACCUSING someone of this particular crime can ruin the accused person's  life FOREVER, because it ruins his reputation FOREVER ... whether he is guilty, or completely innocent.

If John does NOTHING .... he has not personally CAUSED any harm to anyone.

If he acts, and the accused is innocent ... no one remembers that .... only that someone thought he was CAPABLE of doing whatever it was.

The Gossip Mill never sleeps, and grinds up anyone.

Second hand information, or third hand information is GOSSIP.

Sometimes doing the "right" thing is so complicated it is impossible.

.... best we can hope for is not personally causing harm.

But, sometimes like a frog in a pasture ... we just have to jump ... and the grasshoppers  have to scatter, or become frog food.

14 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

On 11/30/2018 at 5:41 PM, JOHN BUTLER said:

I think some on here are brothers of 'high rank' in the JW Org. So would you take it further ? 

.... He’s wise to you, @James Thomas Rook Jr.. Get on it.

 

I read somewhere that it is inappropriate for a man to bathe in past glories.

Now that I am retired, the only rank I have, is bathing infrequently.

I often wondered why military uniforms had so many patches, braids, medals, and other stuff on them.

Then I realized that men were decorated up like that so that people who "knew the code" could tell at a glance your entire history and experience level, and your motivation levels, and other factors ... like a ten page resume that could be evaluated in two seconds.

I see nothing wrong with announcing that someone is willing to Pioneer ... go out for "sustained combat".

It is hard work, and perhaps they will need encouragement or some physical assistance.

Give honor where it is due!

I would like to see something like the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor or some other appropriate award for "I survived Bethel"....

George Bush, as Director of the C.I.A., also had a sense of humor.

He often signed his correspondence.

"George H.W. Bush

Head Spook"

To give you an example of how much power he had ... pull out a one-dollar bill and look at it.

He had his beloved wife, Barbara Bush's picture put on the one-dollar bill.

15 minutes ago, admin said:

Holy Crap! 😉 You JW's can twist any post into anything.

Once you accept the concept that one generation actually means two overlapping generations ... and that is what Jesus meant when he said "This generation will not pass away, until all these things occur", your observation is, regretfully .... absolutely fair.

Who died and made you boss?

23 minutes ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

I'm only on here this evening as I'm wanting someone to buy the big pram / baby carriage I have on a Buy It Now on ebay UK. I need to be doing something whilst I'm hoping, so this is a good a place as any.  I did say a while back I'm no longer taking it seriously. 

Here in the United States we call them "Baby Buggys". 

I understand in the UK, they call the hood of a car, which covers the engine compartment a "bonnet".

The best way to make a baby buggy, is to continuously tickle its feet.

Circa 1978 I was at a Kingdom Hall in Angleton Texas, arriving late in the pouring rain, to go out in evening Service and the District Overseer, who had never met me,  got there ahead of me, but he did not have a key to the Kingdom Hall, so there he was, huddled up against the building, under the KH overhang, looking down. 

I got out of my truck wearing my large brimmed cowboy hat, and hunched down against the rain,  ran over and joined him, and straightened up.

Without looking up he started talking about Dinosaur Poop, which apparently fossilizes, and it is called Corporalite.

He collected Corporalite.

He knew a LOT about Corporalite.

After awhile he looked up ( I am 6'6" tall ) and saw I had a full beard, which surprised him.

It was clear his mental vocabulary had a switch in terminology.

He did not speak to me after that.