James Thomas Rook Jr.

I’m gettin’ up in the morning—I believe I’ll dust my broom
Keeping away from the women
I’m givin’ ’em lots of room - Bob Dylan

I was there, and paying attention.
I know better.

Yes. But I'll tell you the real problem I have with manipulating information. And I'm not saying you are the source of the manipulation. First of all, it's no longer "truth" in the most appropriate sense. If something purports to be from a specific source, then anyone who changes that source is putting words in the mouth of someone else. It's therefore the same as a misquote. Since it has very similar meaning, it's more of a paraphrase, but even a paraphrase should identify itself as such.
In the long run, it often weakens the impact of information even when people think it strengthens the impact. Imagine what would happen if a person has excellent information about some mistakes the Watch Tower Society was making. Imagine that some of these, if taken seriously by the WTS, could result in fairness and justice for thousands of people who are now being treated inconsistently and unjustly. There were persons who publicly pointed out the inconsistency between the WTS political stance in Malawi vs. Mexico, for example. But by pointing it out, the WTS may have taken quicker steps to fix the problem they had created in Mexico. And in many other countries around the world, thousands were being unjustly imprisoned for the specific choices they were told that they could and could not conscientiously take with respect to alternative civil service. They, the GB, had already decided that it wasn't that important or even Biblical to hold onto the old traditional practice, and that a change could happen as soon as they found the time to vote on it again. But it was put off for a couple of more years, until a very public reminder was published in an infamous book by an ex-JW. In the meantime, during the delay, hundreds more JWs were unjustly imprisoned, but as soon as the GB voted again, the problem was taken care of just as the ex-JW had said. So what would have happened if that particular ex-JW had a reputation for manipulating information. Obviously, it would have been easy to ignore what he said, and just say that it was more lies from ex-JW apostates. Information can have value no matter where it comes from. Why weaken the value with manipulation?
Also, in the specific case above where some JW-focused information was added, it came across as both pejorative and smart-aleck. Even flippant in the sense of borrowing slightly from the advertising slogan: "Coming to a theater near you!" This gives the impression that whoever wrote it wanted to "stick it" to JWs in particular. This can "back-fire" having a devaluing effect on the value of the information. It is useful to know that there may now be up to SEVENTEEN different victims and that one of them was abused perhaps 100 times. This is important information. But a lot of JWs might look at this poster and say:
"Look how we are being picked on talking about "Kingdom Halls" like that. Look how they are going after us unfairly. Look how they focus on Kingdom Halls. I wonder if they would say the same about using churches as a hiding place to find sanctuary." Maybe they would; I don't know. But I do know that everyone has a certain amount of defensiveness that is natural for people of the same "tribe." Our tribe is our worldwide organization, and many Witnesses are quick to defend and grasp at straws to do so. Don't make up evidence. The real evidence is all people need.
(See updated news release on this same criminal here: https://www.usmarshals.gov/news/chron/2009/122909.htm )

Good catch @JW Insider !
You have a real talent for spotting the small differences and hence frauds.

I disagree. Jesus "framework" is/are interpreted many times by many people or organizations as how they see how would Jesus do this or that. So when you put quote that sound so final and as definitive diagnosis; " the Watchtower has the same framework as Jesus did", i must be careful, alert :)))) Not forget how same WT using phrases (when they explaining GB doctrines) as "Jesus must be thinking this or that, he obviously mean this or that. So, please do not call for Jesus authority when promote own or GB ideas :))  

If you use the TOR browser to get to the Archive, one's IP address could be from ANYWHERE.

There is a basic rule I discovered:
The more words a person uses to explain a simple idea ... the less likely it is to be true.
MANY words are used to hypnotize with boredom ... NOT inform.

I watched the video you posted in it's entirety, and the narrator said that Bro. Lett was a "simpleton".  
I was aware of that word, but had never seen it applied to anyone before, so I looked it up.
Merriam-Webster defines "simpleton" as a person completely devoid of common sense. (paraphrased).
I know several people, completely devoid of any common sense, and have walked that path myself.
After I realized I had been a verifiable simpleton, I was deeply ashamed and embarrassed, and resolved to change. ( Eccl: 12:12)
I think I was in the 8th grade, when that happened .... I remember the moment as if it was yesterday.
Sometimes ... a single word  can hit like a grenade, and blow your perceptive world apart.
"Simpleton"
The piece of the puzzle that explains a LOT.
There is a time in everyone's life when he needs to stop thinking like a child, and grow up.
 
 

Please all who have magazines and publication that are quoted here to send me confirmation about authenticity.  
“The published timetable resulting from this independent study gives the date of man’s creation as 4026 B.C.E. According to this trustworthy Bible chronology six thousand years from man’s creation will end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in the fall of 1975 C.E. So six thousand years of man’s existence on earth will soon be up, yes, within this generation. So in not many years within our own generation we are reaching what Jehovah God could view as the seventh day of man’s existence. How appropriate it would be for Jehovah God to make of this coming seventh period of a thousand years a Sabbath period of rest and release, a great Jubilee Sabbath for the proclaiming of liberty throughout the earth to all its inhabitants! This would be most timely for mankind. It would also be most fitting on God’s part, for, remember, mankind has yet ahead of it what the last book of the Holy Bible speaks of as the reign of Jesus Christ over earth for a thousand years, the millennial reign of Christ. It would not be by mere chance or accident but would be according to the loving purpose of Jehovah God for the reign of Jesus Christ, the ‘Lord of the Sabbath,’ to run parallel with the seventh millennium of man’s existence.” Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God 1966 pp.26-30
  “Does God’s rest day parallel the time man has been on earth since his creation? Apparently so. In what year, then, would the first 6,000 years of man’s existence and also the first 6,000 years of Gods rest day come to an end? The year 1975. It means that within a relatively few years we will witness the fulfillment of the remaining prophecies that have to do with the “time of the end”.”Awake! 1966 Oct 8 pp.19-20   Just think, brothers, there are only about ninety months left before 6,000 years of man’s existence on earth is completed. Do you remember what we learned at the assemblies last summer? The majority of people living today will probably be alive when Armageddon breaks out, and there are no resurrection hopes for those that are destroyed then.” Kingdom Ministry 1968 Mar p.4
“The immediate future is certain to be filled with climactic events, for this old system is nearing its complete end. Within a few years at most the final parts of Bible prophecy relative to these “last days” will undergo fulfillment.” Watchtower 1968 May 1 p.272
 
“Are we to assume from this study that the battle of Armageddon will be all over by the autumn of 1975, and the long-looked-for thousand-year reign of Christ will begin by then? Possibly, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man’s existence coincides with the Sabbath like thousand-year reign of Christ. If these two periods run parallel with each other as to the calendar year, it will not be by mere chance or accident but will be according to Jehovah’s loving and timely purposes. Our chronology, however, which is reasonably accurate (but admittedly not infallible), at the best only points to the autumn of 1975 as the end of 6,000 years of man’s existence on earth. It does not necessarily mean that 1975 marks the end of the first 6,000 years of Jehovah’s seventh creative “day.” Why not? Because after his creation Adam lived some time during the “sixth day,” which unknown amount of time would need to be subtracted from Adam’s 930 years, to determine when the sixth seven-thousand-year period or “day” ended, and how long Adam lived into the “seventh day.” And yet the end of that sixth creative “day” could end within the same Gregorian calendar year of Adam’s creation. It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years.” Watchtower 1968 Aug 15 p.499
“The fact that fifty-four years of the period called the “last days” have already gone by is highly significant. It means that only a few years, at most, remain before the corrupt system of things dominating the earth is destroyed by God.” Awake! 1968 Oct 8 p.13
 
“Many schools now have student counselors who encourage one to pursue higher education after high school, to pursue a career with a future in this system of things. Do not be influenced by them. Do not let them “brainwash” you with the Devil’s propaganda to get ahead, to make something of yourself in this world. This world has very little time left! Any “future” this world offers is no future! Wisely, then, let God’s Word influence you in selecting a course that will result in your protection and blessing. Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry, with the possibility of Bethel or missionary service your goal. This is a life that offers an everlasting future!” Watchtower 1969 Mar 15 p.171
“If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not?Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the “last days” in 1914, Jesus foretold: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”-Matt. 24:34. Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!” Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15
“And now, as the year 1975 opens up, some thousands of the anointed remnant, still alive on this earth, look ahead to realizing that joyful prospect. The increasing “great crowd” of their sheep like companions look forward with them to entering the New Order without interruption of life. In the New Order Jehovah God will add to the “length of days” of the anointed remnant on earth to the point of satisfying the members thereof. It remains to be seen whether they will be yet retained here on earth to see the start of the resurrection of the earthly dead and to meet faithful witnesses of ancient, pre-Christian times. They would enjoy that, before being taken off the earthly scene to the heavenly reward with Christ.” Watchtower 1974 Dec 15 p.766
“Yes, since the summer of 1973 there have been new peaks in pioneers every month. Now there are 20,394 regular and special pioneers in the United States, an all-time peak. That is 5,190 more than there were in February 1973! A 34-percent increase! Does that not warm our hearts? Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service.Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end.” Kingdom Ministry May 1974 p.3 How Are You Using Your Life?
“Today there is a great crowd of people who are confident that a destruction of even greater magnitude is now imminent. The evidence is that Jesus’ prophecy will shortly have a major fulfillment, upon this entire system of things. This has been a major factor in influencing many couples to decide not to have children at this time.” Awake! 1974 Nov 8 p.11

Stephen Lett quote: "We are supposed to comply with or obey what they tell us. Of course that would be with a proviso unless they tell us to do something that is unscriptural. And of course that would be extremely rare. "
Rare or not but Mr Lett clearly said that GB from time to time tells  members something that in fact  is Unscriptural!
 

I was there, and paying attention.
I know better.

Then you must be part of that group that read between the lines (tea leaves) and only paid attention to rumors rather than what the Watchtower message was actually conveying.

The fact that you would mention being there as though your words are golden? Doesn’t prove a thing. I would say, many former witnesses say the same thing with various misleading publications. Some posted here without the proper context. Many of us were around back then. When 5 people, see the same accident? you eventually get different stories. This is why there are investigators to sort that information out, to get to the truth. This is where the investigator separates facts from fiction. Undoubtedly, something that can't see said here with reasoning.

I think several postings above this one Sreko Sostar did provide standard definitions.
The problem with people making their OWN definitions ... is that people make their OWN agenda driven definitions, to fit their distorted world view, and call good, evil ... and call evil, good.

No ... not really ... petitions to God prayer is trying to influence God.... NOT politicians.
 

That is just plain SILLY!
It's "Aluminum Foil Hat" silly!
That is correct ... and that is Reality, as it exists on the ground ... where the "rubber meets the road".
64 MILLION LETTERS TO TRY AND GET A GOVERNMENT TO CHANGE ITS POLICIES ... IS POLITICAL ACTIVISM.
YOU are the one playing with words ... to take what is actually the case, and pretend that it does not apply in THIS case ... and it DOES.
The FACTS are either one of two things ... and cannot be a third thing.
The past Presidents of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Russell, Rutherford, and Knoor (whom I have seen in person) did in actual fact swear allegiance to the Constitution of the United States, and swore to defend it, in their heart of hearts, without reservation, or mental evasion .... OR ... to get a Passport, they Swore under Oath before God... and LIED .... lying under oath before man and God to the United States State Department, and each of their Passport applications were fraudulent ... AND they lied SPECIFICALLY before God by their signing that crystal clear and unambiguous oath.
There is no third choice, unless you are agenda driven irrational, and borderline (?) insane.
MEANWHILE ... the Brothers and Sisters in Malawi were being tortured and killed because Bro. Knoor, who signed an oath of allegiance to the United States Constitution, before God and man, refused,  when there  was only ONE political party in Malawi at the time, to  let them buy a 25 cent National ID card. (foreigners were exempt from that requirement).
I lived through those times, when it was all going on, as contemporary news !
I REMEMBER IT !
 
 

Sure ... I do the same thing, completely of my own initiative ...Any JW I refer to as Brother  or Sister. I also capitalize the first letter of "holy words", such as Justice, and similar words.   It also helps to differentiate between a family brother or sister.
I break the "rules of grammer", according to the amount of honor I attribute to something.
That being said, I do maintain, entirely due to the book "1984" by George Orwell, the capitalization of "Big Brother", which I see as a VERY important philosophical concept to "Grok" ... which is another capitalized philosophical concept, of major importance.

That is just plain SILLY!
It's "Aluminum Foil Hat" silly!
 

If you read carefully hidden in Sunday's WT lesson for last week .. the emphasis was on OVERTHROWING governments, or regime change.
Be a sport ... read the WT study article once again, with that kept in your mind.
It appears that the only way many of us develop reading comprehension is after reading something incorrectly, recovering from figurative "bullet wounds".
The Society is VERY careful nowadays NOT to directly speak against voting.
Probably learned from recovering from too many continuous governmental sanction "bullet wounds".
The legal staff and accountants and the "Helpers" are now running the show.
I have carefully watched this transition and power shift over 50 years and more.
It has been funny, and terribly, terribly sad, at the same time.
 

By the way Grey Reformer ... did you know that former  Presidents of the WTB&TS swore under oath before God to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America?
Here is the oath they swore:
"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to to the same; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. So help me God."
If they had not ... they would not have gotten a US Passport.
.... talk about selling your birthright for a bowl of stew ......
 
 

Po
I am glad you asked.
I did not insult you ... I only stated a fact, which you have confirmed just now, that in the area of political interactions in the REAL world, you are not aware of what is going on around you.
I am ignorant of many things, also. 
To say someone is ignorant is not an insult, especially in a specific area of human perception and thinking.
I could say that you have a nice car .... if you TAKE it as an insult, that does not mean I have insulted you.
 If you are a midget, and I say you are a midget, that is not an insult ... merely a statement of actual fact. Referring to you as a "little person" may be more diplomatic, but you would still be a midget..
The letter writing was a naive idea that could never have worked.  The Russian Federation is NOT governed by any concepts of fairness.
But, getting to your specific question ... Letter writing TO POLITICIANS and GOVERNMENTS is political activity.  Whether it succeeds in changing their governmental policy, or fails at changing their governmental policy is completely immaterial.
The fact that you TRIED is political activity.
You would think the GB would have figured that out after presenting their case in all lower courts, and the Russian Supreme Court .. twice.
Apparently NOT.
So ... they tried political activism.
That did not work, either.
But they niavely TRIED ... which the Russkies appreciated.
They must have laughed themselves into a coma, after stealing all the JW real estate, then .... getting 56 million dollars and 11 train boxcars full of thinly sliced firewood as a free bonus.
They have a policy that it is immoral to let a sucker keep his money ... but this exceeded their wildest expectations.
 
 

That is just the problem, Grey Reformer ... you are unaware.
You are unaware that anything one has to do with trying to change government policy is political activism.
You do not have to VOTE for something, to be heavily involved in politics.
Conversely, NOT speaking out against any issues of one "side" or another is ALSO , by omission, political activity.
You can protest in the streets in demonstrations.
You can engage in political activity by writing letters to your Senators, Congressmen, or even the President of the United States.
You can engage in political activity by entreaty,  by mailing 64 million letters to the Russian Government ... which by the way, NOBODY read, and they were either taken to a landfill, or used as fuel in wood burning stoves last winter. 
The only thing the Russian Government noted was the fact that 70% of the face value of the international postage was forwarded to them by the Universal Postal Union for terminal delivery, which never happened.
But they did .. they DID get... approximately $56 MILLION DOLLARS of the BROTHERHOOD'S hard earned money as an unintended free gift.
If you wanted to bribe someone, and make it seem invisible, that is one way to do it.
The Brotherhood in effect, at the pleading of the Governing Body ... gave the Russian Government 56 MILLION DOLLARS.
  The DIRECT result of political activism.
Plus, last winter "Fuel at the proper time".
You can "vote" with a ballot.
You can "vote" with your feet, by getting away, deliberately leaving the influence of political oppression.
You can "vote" with your wallet, by supporting, or NOT supporting things you find offensive, and reject.
And of course ... you can, as history has borne out, you can "vote" with a rifle.
You can "vote" by NOT picking up a rifle.
That is just the problem, Grey Reformer ... you are just plain ignorant,  uninformed, and consequently  unaware.
To one extent or another, everyone that lives, or has ever lived shares  that, including you, me, and the Governing Body ... as giving 56 MILLION DOLLARS to your political adversary clearly demonstrates.

These things have been shown, in context, in thousands of comments, with photocopies,  here on the Archive over the past seven or so years.
The context has been fully established many dozens of times.
What you have typed sounds very profound, but in reality, it is meaningless and fanciful.
In some very few cases your own perceptions may be true, but mostly they are simply just plain wrong.
 
 

I enjoyed the parts that were relevant.
They did not mention that Bros. Russel, Rutherford  and Knor,  Presidents of the WTB&TS, WILLINGLY swore an oath before God, to the U.S. State Department, on their passport applications to ".. protect and defend the United States Constitution, against all enemies, foreign and domestic."
They did not mention the political activism of 64 MILLION letters sent by the Brotherhood to the Russian Federation to try and influence their political stance against the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society .
I wonder if the current President of the WTB&TS has a passport?
We are BOTH presumably sane and open to reason.
The only difference is that I consider FACTS, and reality as it really is.
 
 

As far as some of your questions go, I will assume they are rhetorical.
About the other, I hold the same opinion Abraham Lincoln had when he was asked, during the American Civil War, whether God was on the side of the North ...or the South.
His reply was (possibly paraphrased...) "I don't think God got us into this war, and I don't think God will get us out of it."
The Allied Forces won because they had greater resources, an unlimited supply of soldiers, and because they developed the atomic bomb, first.
There is no evidence whatsoever that Jehovah God has influenced a single event in modern times.
If you know something more than I, that involves hard evidence ... please tell me.
 
 

The Nazis could have made the exact same statement against the Allied Forces in WWII .... that the Allied Forces perception was completely contrary THEIR perception and vision .... the mission and global blessings of half a world united under the superior philosophy of German Civilizationand the cultural superiority of the Empire of Japan.
Perception is a double edged sword.