James Thomas Rook Jr.

I think there are going to be a LOT of very profound surprises!

In 1969, I lived in the Hollywood Hills, on Pacific View Trail, and dated a gal from the famous hotel you mentioned, but I have forgotten its actual name.
.... but that's another story......

EVERYBODY learns fast when there is "outrageous and obscene profits"  to be made.
I remember when a computer with a 100 MEGABYTE hard drive cost $5,000. and was as big as a sewing machine.
I bought one, a laptop four inches thick ... with a black and white screen.
"Outrageous profits" made it happen  that you can get a TERRABYTE SD card, dirt cheap, etc., etc.

There is a very real difference between "kicking a man when he is down" when someone has stumbled or become a victim of folly, or chance and circumstance .... and "kicking a man when he is down" who just tried to assault you ... or did in fact assault you, and in combat you prevailed and got him to the ground.
In that case, I would kick him while he was down until he completely and unquestionably had the ability to fight permanently removed from his sorry body ....  and completely ceased to be a threat to anyone.
THAT ... IS CONTEXT!

It is true, though, for context is key.

Which means, when translated, something like: Hello, the Bible should be read in context and one should not try to understand it by taking a verse out of context.

Hardly! Britain very nearly could not even save itself. And the USA made use of a 'get in there as late as possible' tactic which allowed all the other nations of imperialist leanings to lose power by the end of war.
The true credit goes to the Russians for holding out so long against the Nazis. To scale, it was more like this:

 

Very True ..... the Russians lost 20 MILLION and more people fighting the Nazis.
Infinite variety.

Can you add an example of a JW Cultural Rule from YOUR area?
Example Trimmed moustaches are not ok in certain areas.....and WHERE are you located?
Oh it’s sorta like when you want to grow a beard, but thereÂ’s no Biblical basis for not being able to grow one, but the elders say NO simply because itÂ’s “cultural”. You mean like that?

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

Appearances again! Policeman holding beer and arresting a suspect of DIU. Somebody takes his picture - no end of trouble.
"Policeman arrests an innocent man while under the influence." - headline.
Goes both ways.  (Rook would write it like this.)
 

A family in a house is to God, as a litter of puppies in a box is to us.

..... when a police officer pulls you over and asks for your driver's license ... ask his permission before opening the glove compartment, or reaching into a purse or pocket to get it to get it, and never EVER say "Here ... hold my beer!".

I left the JW Org at the beginning of this year due to the massive amount of Child Abuse / Pedophilia that has been and still is allowed to go on in the JW Org. 
All you say about serving God, be it Yahweh or Jehovah, had no connection to the JW Org. This is something I'm trying to get into people's heads. The JW Org does not 'own' God. God, through Jesus Christ is available to anyone, not just through your GB. 
The GB have in fact put themselves in the place of Jesus Christ. They have said many times in the past, and it has been shown here on this website, that the GB have said, people can only be saved through Armageddon by being part of JW Org and by doing exactly what the GB say. Now that is putting themselves in the place of Jesus and its totally wrong. 

A "Man Year" is considered to be 50 weeks per year, times 40 hours per week, with a theoretical 2 week vacation every year.
That means One "Man-Year" equals 2,000 hours a year, so for 25 years that is 50,000 hours.
It takes about 50,000 hours, on the average, to get ONE new Jehovah's Witness Convert, who will stay in the "fold", his entire lifetime.
I cheated.
I got married, and had three children, and raised them to adulthood to be strong, independent, thinking people.
All three ( to the best of my knowledge ...) are very strong and active in theocratic activity and are progressing wonderfully.
They know the difference between what is Truth, and what is drivel, and ignore the drivel.  My oldest Son was recently made an Elder.
The fact of the matter is ... it is quicker, and less work to create new children, and raise them in the Truth, than it is to go from door to door, to bring people to Jehovah
That is ....  if you are looking for permanent, long term results.
Of course, that has been my experience .... results will vary with each "Publishers" personality and perspective on life, which will be reflected in type and style, and content of his Ministry.
And pure, dumb luck.
Of course, I will never know how they all turned out at the end of their lives, as I will be dead.
 
 
 
 

Many, many people ... totally innocent people ... have been shot to death, or spent years in prison, because they APPEARED to be guilty of some societal or cultural infraction.
I used to tell my children when they were small, and would go through a store, picking up things to look at them ... it is not only important to BE innocent ... it is important to APPEAR to be innocent.
STUFF HAPPENS.
 

Many, many people ... totally innocent people ... have been shot to death, or spent years in prison, because they APPEARED to be guilty of some societal or cultural infraction.
I used to tell my children when they were small, and would go through a store, picking up things to look at them ... it is not only important to BE innocent ... it is important to APPEAR to be innocent.
STUFF HAPPENS.
 

Many, many people ... totally innocent people ... have been shot to death, or spent years in prison, because they APPEARED to be guilty of some societal or cultural infraction.
I used to tell my children when they were small, and would go through a store, picking up things to look at them ... it is not only important to BE innocent ... it is important to APPEAR to be innocent.
STUFF HAPPENS.
 

I think that hits the point exactly. The elders, especially during previous years, were directly taught at KM school (Elder Training) that the first time that there is suspicion of two persons of the opposite sex spending hours of time alone together, that there should be some kind of very strong counsel and even sanction due to the appearance alone, even if the elders were convinced that they were innocent of loose conduct. It was the same at Bethel, because there was a rule against being alone with a sister in your room unless the door was open, this meant that as soon as the door was closed, there should be strong counsel and even sanction. I knew that the rule was often broken, and I think that very few would turn someone else in, yet multiple infractions of the rule could mean dismissal.
If a couple of the opposite sex ever were seen to have contrived to be alone together, it was simply assumed that they went too far in their conduct with one another. The elder training gave examples of appropriate questions to ask, even if it was not overnight, and these questions assumed the worst, and would try to draw out a confession of "loose conduct." There would be a probation or loss of privileges of some kind, even if both vehemently denied any misconduct.
If the time spent together appeared contrived, and was overnight, especially if reported by a third party who saw a car parked overnight in front of the other person's house,  then the assumption was always that fornication had occurred and that any denial means the two are lying. The types of questions to be asked gave away the assumption of immorality and dishonesty. If they had previously been counseled, this could immediately escalate to disfellowshipping. 
Having been raised in the truth, and having gone to school in Missouri, I didn't realize until I went to college that many of our assumptions were similar to many of the fundamentalists around us. It wasn't just JWs but most old-time religionists, assuming that leaving two persons of the opposite sex alone together was always an instant recipe for fornication and/or adultery. If you listened to radio preachers you'd hear the same assumptions. Witnesses were also assuming that there was nothing else that young people could possibly be interested in.
It wasn't until after Bethel when I went to college that I realized that many persons were immoral, but also that many had morals likely superior to ours. And most surprisingly that many persons of the opposite sex actually lived together as roommates and still didn't ever worry about the topic of sex/fornication ever coming up. Now, I have seen statistics that show that teenage pregnancies were always much higher in the "Bible Belt." Perhaps part of the problem was in the assumption that young people have nothing better to do.

True, some people have integrity and good parental training and example but the Bible still warns us about trusting in our own heart. Good parents teach their children etiquette.  This helps them to avoid what the scripture below is speaking about:
 I did not find the wording that I used to hear as a youth.  “Shun the very appearance of evil”. But this scripture appears to be saying the same thing.
 
1 Thessalonians 5:22-24 King James Version (KJV)
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
 
(Proverbs 4:14, 15) Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil men. 15 Shun it, do not take it; Turn away from it, and pass it by.
 
 Every law has principles to help you to apply the law.  That is where etiquette comes in.  From what I see being done today I wonder whether people still instill these principles in their children, so they can avoid poor decisions that will lead into sinful conduct.
 
 
 
 
 

The 'average publisher' doesn't even get inside the person's house to give a study. Hence they brought in the idea of 'having a small study' on the doorstep. Many 'studies' are just old folk that want someone to talk to or someone to do their shopping for them. 
It sounds really impressive when someone has 3 or 4 studies, until you find out the details of what the 'study' actually consists of. 

There is a LOT of money, prestiege, accolades, and status  to be had  in making yourself into a fortune teller, Shaman, Witch Doctor, Snake-Oil Salesman, Prophet, Prognosticator, Savant, Priest, Counselor, Governing Body, or Elder.
A LOT of money!
Technically ... it may not be yours ... but you control it ... without any accountability whatsoever, to those footing the bill.
Not your "followers".
Not even the IRS.
... even if you have taken a vow of poverty ... you fly Business Class, and stay in very fine hotels, sleep warm, eat well, and have a staff to do anything you want done.
It is a VERY FINE OCCUPATION, much to be sought after, .... if you can keep up the razzle-dazzle .... and keep down your gag reflex.

At what moment "The Truth" has ceased to be "The Truth"?
 
In a nutshell .... "The Truth" has ceased to be "The Truth", when best guesses, and opinions are represented as exclusive direction and revelations from God ...... without qualifying clearly and unambiguously that they are ONLY best guesses, and considered opinions.
There is of course a VERY serious problem with being direct and honest with people with whom you publish your opinions to ... IF ... if  you DO NOT represent your thinking as the directed " Voice of God" ...
.... they will not give you money, and you will miss meals, and sleep cold at night ... or have to get a REAL job... and you will not be revered as a wise person (or persons).
The next thing on the list is that you have to seriously disparage getting more than a basic education to those you are deluding ... for fear that they will become smarter than you, and figure this out.
... and you lose MONEY!
 
 
 

I agree..... and in order to further your altruistic viewpoint, and upbeat perspective on life,  and to help in any way to assist you in remaining humble, I would like to invite you and your wife to come to my home and do free yard work for a year.
I do not live in a dilapidated mansion, but there is also plenty of carpentry work and painting to do.
When you return home in 2020, you can bask in the glow of a job well done.
I know it's a lot to expect, but I will do my best to work you hard every day.

As Queen Gertrude said, in iambic pentameter in Shakespear's HAMLET, Act III, Scene II (paraphrased):
" ... Methinks BillyTheKid46 doth protest too much ...."
Reminds me of when my younger sister, about five years old, came in with one of her friends from playing in the yard, and asked our Mother:
"Can I get a bowl of milk? Not gonna give it to the  cat."