James Thomas Rook Jr.

When I swim in the Ocean .. I AM shark repellent!
Grrrrrrr !

From Google Translate:
THIS MAN IS FROM THE COUNTRY WHICH MUST BE DENOUNCED FOR FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY WE ARE NOT SELLERS OF BOOKS WE GIVE THEM FREE OF CHARGE TO PEOPLE THOSE BOOKS HE HAS GRABBED ON THE EXPORTERS. perhaps a bit more detail and such would make it make sense.
 

I would rather see "them" show the Bethel produced "Pillowgate" videos, and watch as the air gets sucked out of the room.

Before I retired (90% pay cut ... ) I used to cash my paycheck and offer it ALL to God.
I would toss the whole wad of cash into the air, and whatever God needed ... he took.
Whatever fell back to Earth, was MINE!

Most probably the others avoid "theatrical" spectacle because it implies acting on a stage. While this could have been the meaning, it is an interpreted one, and not necessary to imply in translating. In the context, it was much more likely that Paul was referring to the procession of those who were taken to theaters to be killed. No acting required!
Contemporary English Version
It seems to me that God has put us apostles in the worst possible place. We are like prisoners on their way to death. Angels and the people of this world just laugh at us.  [A pretty bad translation that implies angels are just laughing at people like Paul]

Good News Translation
For it seems to me that God has given the very last place to us apostles, like people condemned to die in public as a spectacle for the whole world of angels and of human beings.  [Much better in that it links the condemnation directly with the idea of being a condemned spectacle, a very common sight in Greek/Roman theaters at this time.]
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For I suppose that God has appointed us Apostles at last, as for death, that we would be a stage play for the universe, for Angels and for men. [Same idea as the NWT]
 

 

It is a group of people who are independent from Russian media and tends to find out the truth in regards to things taking place in Russia. Odd name, but that is what they go by, perhaps in an effort to evade the FSB from coming through the roof, doors and or floor boards to apprehend them. Just like their other counterpart, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, who also focuses on Russia, seek the actual information vs. that of which is brought forth by Russian's obviously controlled media to which most US and EU people are clearly not aware of. In the case of Christians outside of the Russian Orthodox Church, a lot of falsehood is being spoken of such ones. As for JWs, the RoC sees them as a competitor, granted their size is very small in Russia, the RoC is red hot mad to the point they were involved in the Russian ban prior to Spiritual Enlightenment from the ice of the earth and words from the Vatican's Pope.
This crew still operates today an they are among my sources of which I even found out about the FSB websites. You can only find this group, as with any group connected to them if you dwell on information solely in the EU and Russia, in their language, technically like using a key to open up a door, that key being the very language these people speak, Russian, and dwelling on information that could be found by means of that key.
They other than JWs, an the actions of the RoC, they have a focus on the State Duma, the Kremlin and a list of other things, such as the whole Alexei Navalny situation months ago, as well as the mass protest and arrest in Russia and the forceful take down of Russian civilian Soviet Era homes.
As we speak, the Russian's Duma, has been working to block such ones from speaking truth, the very reason the Duma Laws were created to crackdown on independent media who are actually saying something.
Meanwhile, you have the public around the globe being duped by nearly 80% of Russian affiliated media, for instance, RT News, for some of their segments is downright propaganda and or false information, which prompts truth seekers to look for the actual truth of a story, for example, anything in relations to news about Syria, as seen several months ago.

I think I told Mr. Butler before, excommunication and handling by the faith itself is as it is, but at the same time it usually depends on who issues X for the actions of Y. So let's say you have an Indian church in New York (A) and a French church in Boston (B).
Let's say in Church A, someone got busted for smoking and he was only caught because of a post online, and in Church B, a similar situation, but the family found out and informed the leaders of church B.
Church A can give a warning, as well instruct while church B ends up expelling the person, church ties are cut so the church will shun you, but the expelled person does not dwell in Apostasy and later reinstates himself. Let's add another church into the mix, church C, Greek Church, same situation, this person is excommunicated, but now speaks ill of the church despite being shun by it, this will also lead that same person to be quite rude and ignorant of his actions to even his own family, at this point is is Apostasy because the expelled person this he is in the right when he was busted for smoking.
Excommunication cannot effect cultural based practices, which is something not really much known to Americans and most in the EU and it is usually in such in the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia, for Asia, East Asia to be specific, has the East Asians Filial Piety. I can give example of myself also, let's say I was of the church and was excommunicated, all church ties among the leaders with me will be gone as well as with some members who have a position in the church, at the same time, I will receive in a few months people of the church coming to speak with me, to give instruction on steps needed to work on my own error: At this point I can accept the advice and later on chose to go about it or not, I can say to myself, smoked once, it won't hurt me again, I have my own money, I can buy a pack or not. This will bring forth the strength of the family to help me put the advice into good use, and help me get back to the church. If I become an Apostate because I wish to smoke up a storm at my choosing, at this point the my family will simply leave m,e to my own devices, hoping I make the change, and then lung cancer, paid for it in the end.
In short, due to how my people are in culture and practices, excommunicated or not, there is a solution to help you with yourself and or get back to the church. As for Americans though, are not the ones to have core cultural basis compared to those who do, so that, with excommunication can lead to a lot of things, majority of the time, Apostasy because hey, when you leave a church, Apostasy is easy when you can spark Interfaith-sque attitude to everyone and your household.
Tragically, people have done these things, suicide and even murder and other things, for such ones are taking things to the extreme, and usually in social media, the information is often convoluted and leads a person of the church to actually thing this is what is going on and or God hates them and that their life is indeed worthless, but at the same time we have to take into account the value that life is, mainly in front of the eyes of the life giver himself. This also happens when Interfaith is in subjection with the expelled one's current and or former faith. But it is crazy that some would take the extreme approach as suicide when the help from other sources is present.
As for the other, technically there is Spiritual Death, out of excommunication, the other form, Herem, is a stoning of sons and daughters, not literally of course, but the presence of the one within Herem is pretty much asking to be ignored and stoned. Herem is tough because there is little to no chance to be reinstated and Apostasy leads you off road at this point, pretty much you have to rebuild your reputation of the faith community greatly in order to get yourself out of a Herem.
Other than that, church ties are severed. The only connection is your family, but the reputation with them will be a bit low due to them being in the same church as you are, and you would have to be careful with them for they are literally the key to being reinstated to the church faith. Even though the church unfriended you at this point, you have to work on yourself to build yourself back up, prove it, which can also be done to your family. And as time processes, you can go back to the church, and you, the stone, is put back in the foundation you fell from. While excommunicated, it is easy to become an Apostasy so one has to be very careful of that, for church ties can and never will be an easy to fix, and in some lands, Apostasy is like dishonoring not just God, but your family, and you'll be treated as a man treats his not so friendly mother in law.
But yeah, messing with what binds and loosens, as strict as it is, we cannot tweak and or change what it is, you can only work with what you have in this regard.
 
Oh and if we still had stoning, it is best to craft a shield for the stone storm and run away, not only that you are excommunicated, but you exile yourself from the community. Also getting pegged by a stone HURTS - like getting it by a not so smooth golf club.

Indeed. For pastors, elders stewards, servants are only putting into application what the Church has been entrusted with by means of Jesus. No one wants top put a crack and or dent in the very foundation of the church itself, the only reason why expelling aka excommunication, be it disfellowship, Herem, Takfir is as of what it is and always be, not the watered down version practiced by the mainstream. Church ties will be cut, and it is up to the person, who has been expelled, to reinstate him or herself or not, at the same time, said person has to be careful not to dwell in the realm of Apostasy.
 
I had a good source for this a while back, I will probably re-post them when I have the time.

I just know that Jehovah's eyes are everywhere and He certainly knows what is going on.   In His own time...Jehovah will correct what needs correcting.   We should all pray for and about the Elders.       I have been disfellowshipped.  The yearning for association within Pure Worship and  Good People prompted me to earn my way "back".   Of course I was angry at being disfellowshipped...but,  my behavior warranted that action.    What in this system is fair?    Jehovah knows what is going on, that is why when someone is treated unfairly, God gives the offended party strength to endure.  Hence the word "Faith".    These seeds of grumbling and discontent are machinations of the devil.   I truly believe this.   Is not Jesus Christ the Head of the Congregations?   
 
 

Moral of the story:
Never sleep in water upside down.

You are right, Space Merchant ... funeral customs vary greatly!
When the need arose ... and it always did ... and before I knew better, and became against the practice on the basis of just basic human dignity and respect for life,  My Daughter and I would hold "funeral services", and ad-hoc "Burials at Sea", in our home, in the bathroom, for her pet goldfishes.
Especially valid is the fact that after flushing them, they did not eventually go to the sea ... but to the septic tank.
Later, at my insistence, a more dignified way of giving our dearly departed adopted family pet  gold fishes was instituted, befitting their status as members of our  family.
I tossed them over the fence.
 

I am not disagreeing with the need for church or family discipline and accountability.
I am only disagreeing with the EXTENT and SEVERITY, and CRUELTY of how it is currently done.
(... many have reacted to such "loving cruelty" with suicide, or worse.)
It's a good thing we do not chastise our wayward children by cutting off their heads.
....  with soothing words in a kind and loving way ... of course.

That is WAAAAaaay beyond size 18 ...  I myself wear a size 16.

Good point.
But it's probably more about work than thermal efficiency.

They will have a problem when this happens then: 
"Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power" 1 Cor.15:24.

My Father said..."If you cannot play by the rules...get out of the game".   

A better than usual treatment of the subject. Doesn't sound like a hit piece on Witnesses.
After I retired, I was talked into taking a job in Ohio for a data center. I didn't have to travel but once a month or so, but still had to go to off-site meetings with the other directors, and these could take three or four days. One was in Ohio and one of the other attendees had been Mennonite and still went to some sort of church that seemed to be a cross between Mennonites and some other Evangelical/Fundamentalist. I asked her about the new church and she said that a lot of shunned Mennonites go there. It was started by a shunned Mennonite. I told her that I thought Amish shun but Mennonites were not quite the same. She said that Mennonites shun just as badly but it might take more to get to that point. At any rate, she said that they claim not to shun, but still do. Harshly, sometimes.

WOOOooooEEEEEEEooooooo
It is the exact same joke I was thinking of at your intro to your telling of it!
Know about the Hunchback that got a tailor made suit?

As Sherlock Holmes used to say "The Game is afoot!!"
Remember the ending scene of the classic movie, available on Youtube, "Bambi Meets Godzilla"?
Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969, HQ).mp4

..... being a living anacronism, I too am so "yesterday" on all this.
Neither enrique's  or "Tight Pants Tony's" ( affectionally known as TPT) comments had ANYTHING to do with medical issues at all.
Enrique' s comment was merely a  parody of the bats in the belfries.
......... and as far a "Would Jesus wear tight pants?"
Under that robe he coulda had  a goldfish bowl with water and fish pressed between his knees!
Who knows?
 

I went to the site and read about the kinds of testicular medical problems you can get from tight pants, and it reminded me of a dirty joke. Which you can find here: http://www.ebaumsworld.com/jokes/tight-underwear/1057145/
Or, it's a pretty old joke, so I could just copy it:
The doctor said, "Joe, the good news is I can cure your headaches. The bad news is that it will require castration. You have a very rare condition, which causes your testicles to press on your spine, and the pressure creates one hell of a headache. The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles."

Joe was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He couldn't concentrate long enough to answer, but decided he had no choice but to go under the knife.

When he left the hospital he was without a headache for the first time in 20 years, but he felt like he was missing an important part of himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life. He saw a men's clothing store & thought, "That's what I need - a new suit."

He entered the shop and told the salesman, "I'd like a new suit." The elderly tailor eyed him briefly and said, "Let's see ... size 44 long." Joe laughed, "That's right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!" Joe tried on the suit. It fit perfectly.

As Joe admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked, "How about a new shirt?" Joe thought for a moment and then said, "Sure." The salesman eyed Joe and said, "Let's see, 34 sleeve & 16-1/2 neck." Again, Joe was surprised, "That's right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!"

Joe tried on the shirt, and it fit perfectly. As Joe adjusted the collar in the mirror, the salesman asked, "How about new shoes?" Joe was on a roll and said, "Sure." The salesman eyed Joe's feet and said, "Let's see ... 9-1/2 E." Joe was astonished, "That's right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!"

Joe tried on the shoes and they fit perfectly. Joe walked comfortably around the shop and the salesman asked, "How about some new underwear?" Joe thought for a second and said, "Sure." The salesman stepped back, eyed Joe's waist and said, "Let's see... size 36."
 
 
[wait scroll for it]
 


Joe laughed. "Ah ha! I got you! I've worn size 34 since I was 18 years old." The salesman shook his head, "You can't wear a size 34. A size 34 underwear would press your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell of a headache.

The info provided does not support your statement on the adjustment made concerning 2019 regional convention from 3 days to 2 days! 

What happened to "be in submission to the secular authorities" stuff?, oh that's right it goes out the window if it could hit the bank balance.

Before I retired (90% pay cut ... ) I used to cash my paycheck and offer it ALL to God.
I would toss the whole wad of cash into the air, and whatever God needed ... he took.
Whatever fell back to Earth, was MINE!