James Thomas Rook Jr.

I have avoided my old habit of fault-finding for quite a while, but this one just brought up the need for some good, old-fashioned nit-picking again. One thing I like to avoid is the use of a scripture that appears so removed from context that we look like proof text cherry-pickers. I know the average householder is not going to notice at all, but it still seems like a stretch to use Jeremiah 29 as an "all encompassing verse." Here's why:
In context, Jeremiah is saying that his fellow Jewish countrymen just have to give in to Babylon (in effect, they must now compromise with Babylon and pray for Babylon and whatever city they end up in) and let themselves be taken willingly to Babylon as captives.  He says that if you allow Babylon to take you, you can try to do the best you can while you are living there and, because the entire Babylonian Empire is only supposed to last for 70 years max, and at least 13 or 14 of those years are already used up. (The 14 years detail is not part of our doctrine, but is clear from the Hebrew of Jeremiah 10:25; 28:17, 29:10, etc.) So, Jeremiah says that you are going to be a long time in Babylon, so if you just give in, by building houses, planting fruit trees, and getting married and having children in Babylon, you might even personally have a chance to come back to this nation, when Babylon's time is up. 
So, in context, Jeremiah is saying that this is a situation where people are lying to you, but if you follow Jehovah's thinking, there is a good solution by compromising with Babylon. But Jehovah's thinking also includes the thought that if you decide to listen to prophets like Hananiah, or decide to defend Israel/Judah, or defend the Temple, or defend the Davidic kingdom, or even listen to certain misguided prophets already in Babylon. For these Jehovah's thinking is as follows:
(Jeremiah 29:1“For this is what Jehovah says to the king sitting on the throne of David and to all the people dwelling in this city, your brothers who have not gone with you into exile, 17 ‘This is what Jehovah of armies says: “Here I am sending against them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and I will make them like rotten figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten.”’
18 “‘And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, and I will make them an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, and a curse, and an object of astonishment, something to whistle at, and a reproach among all the nations to which I disperse them, 19 because they have not listened to my words that I sent to them with my servants the prophets,’ declares Jehovah, ‘sending them again and again.’
“‘But you have not listened,’ declares Jehovah.
20 “Therefore, hear the word of Jehovah, all you exiled people, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 This is what Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, says. . . , ‘Here I am giving them into the hand of King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar of Babylon, and he will strike them down before your eyes. 22 And what happens to them will become a curse spoken by all the exiles of Judah in Babylon: “May Jehovah make you like Zed·e·kiʹah and like Aʹhab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire!” . . .
“‘“I am the One who knows, and I am a witness,” declares Jehovah.’”
. . . 28 For he [Jeremiah] even sent to us at Babylon, saying: “It will be a long time! Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit,—”’”’”
In other words this is not an all encompassing verse about how Jehovah is not ready to rake us over, or that he is thinking good thoughts toward us. It's about a specific set of circumstances when he is about to rake a lot of people over, and is thinking to make a curse out of those who won't listen to Jehovah. In this case, Jehovah wanted his people to stop defending Judea and Jerusalem and their Davidic kingdom. He would only protect them if they "compromised" with the enemy and prayed for that enemy, at least until its 70 years was up.
I wouldn't be as nit-picky about your use of Matthew 5:3 because I'm sure we all have the right idea on this one. But there is something to note here:
Very few people know this verse as one that says anything about being conscious of something, especially not conscious of a spiritual need. In Greek, the verse just says, happy are those who are poor in spirit (the same words that would mean  depressed or broken hearted or those with a "broken spirit." Most translations correctly say something like "poor in spirit" which aligns with parallel expressions in context about those who are meek, merciful, or mournful. Our NWT translation is more likely an interpretation rather than a translation here. If it were in an obscure place like Jeremiah it might be different, but a lot of people know the "beatitudes" from the Sermon on the Mount, and this could give them the impression we have changed the Bible to fit our beliefs.
There are plenty of good replacement scriptures, however, which I'm sure you already know.

Yikes! No “data-gathering” according to the new privacy law. What to do?
As far as I am concerned, this is a blessing in disguise. Jehovah’s people will adapt. They always do. 
I even think it will be beneficial for us, overall. We have some people who become obsessed over records, the way some people do with regard to records of any sort. We have some who call back repeatedly if the householder does so much as give them the time of day—training them not to, in my opinion. Working with this new European law will force more discernment and maturity, though initially inconvenient in some respects. I wouldn’t mind if it spread to here in the States.
This law will alter the logistics of the Matthew 28:19-20 aspect of Christianity— “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, (Mathew 28:19) but it will not impact the Matthew 24:14 aspect at all: “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) It will probably even enhance it. 
The more I think about it, the more I like it.
Most of the suggested field service presentations I don’t like. I don’t like them because they do not work for me. Of course, it is “different strokes for different folks,” but from what I have seen, they don’t work that well for others, either. They are incremental in approach, and many, when implemented by anyone less than an expert, come off as passive-aggressive. Sometimes I wonder where they come from, because they do not necessarily dovetail with each other. Probably they are the products of various full-time evangelizers who are brainstorming. Since many start with floating a question that will seldom be on the typical person’s mind, such as “Where are the dead?” you pretty much have to record the response and hope that you have laid the foundation for furthering it or starting another topic. All that requires you write stuff down, which is now illegal unless the person has authorized it.
Better—or at least it works better for me—to bring up something more all-encompassing. The circuit overseer last visit made much of the 1-minute (and six seconds) video “Would You Like Good News?” Invite people to hear it—it only is one minute (and it is good to say literally one minute) The video ends with a plug for the Good News from God brochure and that brochure has a table of contents:
“Which topic interests you most?” It says. They include 
Who Is God?, 
Who Is Jesus Christ?, 
What Is God’s Purpose for the Earth?, 
What Hope Is There for the Dead?, 
What Is God’s Kingdom?, 
Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?,
How Can Your Family Be Happy?, and 
How Can You Draw Close to God?
The video is here: 
If the person registers any interest, you can set up something then and there. If not, off you go with a sincere thanks for their time—after all, we call without appointment, which is becoming a rarety in the West, nobody is required to listen to what we have to say, so whenever someone does, I thank them for their time.
Some all-encompassing verses that also work for starters—just offer to read a verse, give a brief statement as to why you read it, ask what the person thinks about it, and then offer to disappear. Such as:
Jeremiah 29:11 - “For I myself well know the thoughts that I am thinking toward you,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” (The reason I like the verse is because some people think God is out to rake us over, or judging from the current state of things, that there is no God, and this verse says not only that there is, but he thinks good thoughts towards us.)
Or Matthew 5:3 - “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.” (The reason I like the verse is because we all have a spiritual need, but we are not necessarily conscious of it—it is more like vitamins, that if neglected, may lead to sickness and we never know quite why.)
There are no end of verses that can be used. It just takes adjusting to the idea. All work except for the verse Tom Pearlsandswine latched onto in my first book, ‘Tom Irregardless and Me’: Revelation 21:8: “But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death.” “The reason I like that verse,” he would say, “is that it shows sinners are going down and you’d better shape up.” He is such an idiot. 
With a flat response to any chosen verse other than his, off you go. With a favorable one, you can even go to a longer video, with the intro that I find works well, “This video runs almost four minutes, but you don’t have to listen to it all. The minute it gets boring, hand it back.” It puts the control in the householder’s hands and defuses any impression of being pushy. I hate being pushy and try hard not to give that impression. There are few people in the world easier to get rid of than me.
None of these presentations require the use of memory-jogging records. If the response if favorable, there is no difficulty in exchanging contact information if desired.
As for keeping track of who is not-at-home—JWs do this—I even know one person who writes down every address beforehand and crosses them out as she finds them home, completely reversing how it is intended to be done—one might respond by forgetting all about it. Put the angels in charge of that one. Call when the majority of persons are likely to be home in the first place, which we do not always do. 
As for keeping records of those who have requested we not call on them again—well, I don’t know. Tell them we’d love to comply but the new law is screwing us up.
Not to mention that we have long been moving in that direction anyway. That’s what the mobile cart witnessing is all about. That’s what the website is all about. They are two forms of advertising the good news without going to anyone’s door at all. On the home page of jw.org is a new Bible study feature. A series of studies that are multimedia, self-guided at one’s own pace, and require no registration or entry of info—“I’ll never know if you do it or not,” I tell people. In fact, I am looking forward to the time—the timing and circumstances will have to be just right, you wouldn’t do it just with anyone—when I tell someone, “I don’t want to study the Bible with you. Do it yourself.” We spoon-feed people too much, and it is hardly necessary with the majority. I even think being constantly obsessed over presentation of the very basics keeps us from pressing on to maturity, in some respects.
They have done us a favor with their new law, is my take.

Photo: DSC00212 by gauge opinion
 

Billy, since you have no sense of humor, whatsoever ... you do not see the screaming irony of your last post.
.... and just as an aside ... I laugh at EVERYBODY, and even myself!
You ought to try it, sometime ... it's good for the soul!
..and just to rattle your chain ....
 

Noaw that the GB is no longer preaching types/antitypes out the Wazoo, prophesys that never come true out the Kazoo,  and juggling Gog of Magog and King of the North like live chain saws, the 85% drivel is slowly evaporating ... but the 15% core truths that are valuable and irreplaceable can be stated in two pages.
That includes our ENTIRE theology.
The part that is not clueless pontification anyway.
I would include some imogis (emojis?), but I did not download the worksheet from the Society's web site of how to decide which one to use, and I do not want anyone to think I am flirting with you
.

I will have to agree with Billy on THAT one.
We should be very suspicious of any individual or group of people who assume controlling religious authority.
Hmmmm... why does that sound so familiar?
 

Good question .... and the answer should use some common sense in addition to being provable.
OTHERWISE, the answer will have no value whatsoever.
..... merely someone's opinion.

I did not "upvote" her thread ... I upvoted John Butler's posting a coherent essay ... which started this thread.  It's not HER thread ... it's John Butler's thread.
There is a difference.
I am amazed you can tie your shoes, without doing a front-flip.

TTH: Because I never take offense ... ( Invariably a sign of neurotic insecurity, living in a fragile fantasy world of mental construct, or other mental instability ...) give it your best shot !
I gives me a rational, non-pushy excuse for a broadside rebuttal!
The worst that can happen is I get a hernia from belly-laughing!

No.
...sounds like a good time to sign on as a Merchant Seaman on a ship going anywhere else.
In Africa, they catch monkeys and eat them.
The way they catch them is they take a dried gourd, hollow it out, put a banana inside, and tie the gourd to a tree. The monkey comes along, smells the banana, and sticks his hand through the hole to grab the banana ... but now .. the banana in his fist is too large to get out of the hole.
He will not let go of the banana, and he is captured and eaten.
There is a lesson there for humans .. let go and run like hell.
The Jews in Poland during WWII stayed with their ancestral inheritances ... businesses and homes ... and left Poland up a crematorium chimney.
 
 

Billy, since you have no sense of humor, whatsoever ... you do not see the screaming irony of your last post.
.... and just as an aside ... I laugh at EVERYBODY, and even myself!
You ought to try it, sometime ... it's good for the soul!
..and just to rattle your chain ....
 

Even in ancient days, Assemblies were VERY important ... but they discussed theology, economics and military strategy, and agriculture and animal husbandry, and judicial matters, as well as keeping the gene pool strong, through long distance marriages.
I used to ( and still would, except that they are grown and on their own...) insist that Assemblies are VERY important .... if for no other reason than to find an exceptional mate ... which two out of three of my children did in fact do, and my Daughter is still single.
Assemblies are too far for my wife and I, and we have six dogs and 20 chickens ... the dogs need insulin twice a day, and the chickens needing fresh water five times a day.
And I and my wife need a nap, to avoid dying in mid-step in the  living room like one of our overworked Elders did, in his living room.
When I lived and worked in Roanoke Virginia, I met several old brothers who had NEVER been out of Roanoke County, which, like an elephant graveyard, is where all the ugly Sisters go to die.
 

Sometimes we get upset over imagining the silliest things.
I get depressed, walking along with a hunched over look, staring at the sidewalk, depressed, as if looking for loose change ... possibly even a nickle ... when I think about Kingdom Hall restrooms, with condom machines.

Ahem

Noaw that the GB is no longer preaching types/antitypes out the Wazoo, prophesys that never come true out the Kazoo,  and juggling Gog of Magog and King of the North like live chain saws, the 85% drivel is slowly evaporating ... but the 15% core truths that are valuable and irreplaceable can be stated in two pages.
That includes our ENTIRE theology.
The part that is not clueless pontification anyway.
I would include some imogis (emojis?), but I did not download the worksheet from the Society's web site of how to decide which one to use, and I do not want anyone to think I am flirting with you
.

Talking of flirting, that is what the Assemblies are for. Finding a mating partner to procreate, after getting married of course. 
Well, have to keep the numbers up in the 'flock'.  All the young dudes put on their tight suits and the dudesses dress up in sexy clothes and very high heels. Does it meet with God's approval ? Well God created man and woman to be attracted to each other so as to keep the human race going. Lets not pretend it doesn't happen. 
I did notice in the last couple of years of my time in the Org, that older folks stopped attending assemblies. Travel for older folks can be a bit much, but i think it was boredom too. It's a lot of hassle to learn nothing new. 

Noaw that the GB is no longer preaching types/antitypes out the Wazoo, prophesys that never come true out the Kazoo,  and juggling Gog of Magog and King of the North like live chain saws, the 85% drivel is slowly evaporating ... but the 15% core truths that are valuable and irreplaceable can be stated in two pages.
That includes our ENTIRE theology.
The part that is not clueless pontification anyway.
I would include some imogis (emojis?), but I did not download the worksheet from the Society's web site of how to decide which one to use, and I do not want anyone to think I am flirting with you
.

TTH: Because I never take offense ... ( Invariably a sign of neurotic insecurity, living in a fragile fantasy world of mental construct, or other mental instability ...) give it your best shot !
I gives me a rational, non-pushy excuse for a broadside rebuttal!
The worst that can happen is I get a hernia from belly-laughing!

Many words put people into an "Alpha State" of mind, which lowers their mental acuity dramatically.  When someone can answer a question with one sentence, and I get a half-hour dissertation on the history of the Universe. I either walk away, or interrupt with "Is there a bottom line to this story?"
I have found most three day Assemblies can be covered in a two page email.... and save three days, and $400.

This is so only if you are spiritually impervious and the bulk of what is offered bounces off you like skipping stones on a stagnant pond.
(I am being very mean to JTR lately. I want to apologize to him for a previous mean reply and I am just about fixing myself up to do it when he posts some crass &.attacking remark that recalls to my mind why I insulted him in the first place>)

Not me

@BillyTheKid46  Are you really using the Romans 13 scripture to mean the GB ? Are you joking ?
The Superior Authorities to whom we pay taxes are worldly governments. Surely even you can understand that ? 
You are proving day by day that you are not a JW.  
The only power the GB have is what they give themselves and what their servants (most JW's) give them.
The GB has no power given by God or Jesus Christ. 

Or do you just lack concentration time span ?   

I cannot stand this woman. She is somewhat insane in several instances.
If only you knew.....
 

John:
I would just like to remind you that until Jehovah God "overthrew" and replaced the old Jewish System, Jesus HIMSELF commended the unnamed widow for supporting the corrupt system that they all had to endure.
Jehovah had his Son fully submissive to the "old system" of governance ... and until Jehovah overthrows the CURRENT system (and there is nobody on Earth that can disfellowship the Governing Body) ... Jehovah's Witnesses are "The Only Game In Town".
Jehovah set the example of doing what he could... with what he had to work with.
 
 

Every anointed one should have an agenda to uphold Christ's truths.  It is the driving force sourced in Holy Spirit.  The battle of truth against lies may not appear to be "real", but it is a war fought on the spiritual battlefield.  Every heart in the Watchtower must makes a decision in this battle; they either serve the Father and Christ whole-souled, or they chose to be loyal to men and their idol.  Matt 22:37; Joel 3:14
 "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor. 10:3-5
It doesn't stop until the "wheat" are completely gathered into the storehouse, which is where the railroad track comes to an end.    Matt 3:12; 13:24-30; 13:40,41; Mal 3:1-6; Matt 13:42,43; Jer 23:29