JW Insider

I often chalk up your statements as hyperbole-laden rants. But this I must agree with whole-heartedly. One can make an argument that our process is actually Biblical, but then Jesus said it was OK to throw out some of those legalistic principles in favor of love and mercy.

I am beginning to believe that ALL the Scriptures in the Bible, talking about how the "love of the greater number will cool off", and in the end times, a wide range of cruelties will be abundant, that it is talking about what is going on INSIDE the "Truth" ... not the world.
We have been thoroughly trained, year after year after year ... to be able to turn family love and affection on and off ....on and off ..... on and off, with the "light switch" of disfellowshipping.
We deeply love our families ... unless they get disfellowshipped ... then they are invisible, and in effect cease to exist.
If they are reinstated, we are taught to flip the switch and turn those affections back on ... at least in theory.
It is insane in theory .... and insane in actual practice.
This is cruel, mean, extreme, despicable,  hateful, and hypocritical .... and does not lend itself to sane thinking.
These policies over time can erode and  destroy a civilization, theocratic or secular.
Even the Russkies understand that!

@JW Insider It was regarding his Glasgow comment from a while back of which he put forth before, only after doing some research I see the errors and made the response, even not yielding upon assumption. He quickly deleted both comments from Dec. 2017 and Jul. 2018, in the same thread he used a registry and or census via link to make proof of an owned business, location being Australia if I remember correctly, when actually seeing the link itself we do not see any proof of an owned business or corporation, just a listed non-profit and nothing more, granted such websites that have a registry of this kind have a list of institutions and other things. Not sure but you had a bit of a presence on this thread too from a while back. The deleted item linked was done immediately on Sostar's part when the research have been made, for if it was not for the research my response would have been different. As for the video that came from the now deleted 2017 post by him, it can still be found on YouTube of which it paints the faith as being part of the world and or sponsoring a sporting event or banking on it for that matter, when in reality, they simply rented out the Hydro venue weeks after the sporting event.
Some of us may be quick to assume things and or say something and later do the research if need be, but it was and never is the case with this man, as to wherever and anywhere he is seen.
@TrueTomHarley The thing is we have a big enemy, an enemy people are not paying attention to, and it is only drawing in more converts, all one can do is avoid such, be vigilant and be aware, and be very very careful. There are some things I have to further do research on to find more information, some of which even overwrites what I already know, but the more you go deeper into these things, the more you want to seek. Another problem for me, as do some, most sources I rely on have gotten axe'd since the whole Alex Jones thing and it is not that easy as it use to be to seek out clear information as of late.
That being said, I had been recommend a small source of which I am getting use to for some days now regarding things in the EU, especially Russia.
Other than that, after what went down for my people, I, as do others, tend to be a bit paranoid at times.

This is a case of being "righteous overmuch" or "self-righteous" and "haughty" like the Pharisees. Paul put the ideas together in Romans quoted above:
(Romans 1:28-2:1) 28 And just as they did not approve of holding God in accurate knowledge, God gave them up to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting,  . . . haughty, self-assuming, inventors of injurious things, . . . having no natural affection, merciless. 32 Although these know full well the righteous decree of God, that those practicing such things are deserving of death, they not only keep on doing them but also consent with those practicing them. 2 Therefore you are inexcusable . . . The haughty, self-righteous Pharisees and scribes, too, were "inventors of [such] injurious things" as Jesus pointed out:
(Matthew 15:5, 6) . . .‘Whoever says to his father or mother: “Whatever I have that could benefit you is a gift dedicated to God,” 6 he need not honor his father at all.’ So you have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. They found ways to avoid the merciful treatment of relatives by trading it for evidence of how righteous they looked in front of others.
(Matthew 6:2) . . .So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. . . . It's directly related to the issue of "table fellowship," too:
(Matthew 9:10-13) 10 Later as he was dining in the house, look! many tax collectors and sinners came and began dining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 But on seeing this, the Pharisees said to his disciples: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 Hearing them, he said: “Healthy people do not need a physician, but those who are ill do. 13 Go, then, and learn what this means: ‘I want mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.”

In case that sounded too flippant, I wanted to add that I have full confidence in the insight and guidance that the slave displayed when Losch put that scripture (Proverbs 14:15) in the center of his speech.

My opinion? I believe that Proverbs 14:15 is an excellent scripture. ?

We stopped using that number in the 1970s. The jw.org site has a better approximation now:
https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jw-holocaust-facts-concentration-camps/
About 1,500 of Jehovah’s Witnesses died during the time of the Holocaust, out of some 35,000 Witnesses living in Germany and Nazi-occupied countries. The cause of death is not known in all cases. Since research is ongoing, figures and other details may be updated in time. Executions: Close to 400 Witnesses were executed in Germany and in Nazi-occupied countries. Most victims were tried in court, sentenced to death, and beheaded. Others were shot or hanged without a formal court hearing. Severe detention conditions: More than 1,000 Witnesses died in Nazi concentration camps and prisons. They were worked to death or died as a result of torture, starvation, exposure to cold, illness, or poor medical care. As a result of the brutal treatment, others died shortly after their liberation at the end of World War II. Other causes: Some Witnesses were killed in gas chambers, subjected to deadly medical experiments, or given lethal injections. The last group under "other causes" could have been as many as 100 Witnesses. Further study on this shows that many of those deaths we might still be counting as "Jehovah's Witnesses" were actually "Bible Students" who were either still one of the other factions of "Russellites" or who had returned to "Bible Students" associations after certain issues they had with J.Rutherford especially after 1927 and after 1933.

Yes. That's the point. Things like this can literally happen, and have literally happened in the past right up to the point of the miraculous divine intervention.
In the past such things have happened even to peaceful secular groups who are perceived as being a threat to totalitarian and imperial states. Even if NOT exactly like what will happen during the great tribulation and Armageddon, it still creates a picture of the divine intervention that can be seen in a symbolic way that all Christians should experience when facing death for a righteous cause. Stephen's faith, for example, may have allowed him to see such a vision of divine intervention just prior to being stoned to death. Long prior to Armageddon, in the first three centuries of Christianity, perhaps hundreds of thousands faced death in such a manner in arenas, by mobs, by trial and execution, on stakes and crosses, by wild beasts, by fire, etc. Those true Christians in the past can still experience what is perhaps similar imagery in their very next conscious moments after their death, at the time of their resurrection. This imagery in the video should help produce a reason to feel the same courage in a potentially near future time when that same imagery may happen literally just prior to divine intervention. 
So all this part of the video, and even the video itself is well done and should have a good effect on our courage.
But you hit upon a major theme of the video, even if it was not very overt. It's also about being obedient to men. This could end up making people associate salvation with obedience to humans. I'm sure that @Witness might have mentioned this before somewhere else, but the very article quoted above by "Witness" about Gog and Magog is the article that you quoted from earlier in this topic:
*** ws13 11/15 p. 20 pars. 16-17 Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today *** [Simplified Watchtower]
The Bible says that this army is made up of “seven shepherds” and “eight dukes,” or princes. (Micah 5:5) Who are they? They are the congregation elders. (1 Peter 5:2) Today, Jehovah is using many faithful elders to shepherd and to strengthen his people for the future attack of “the Assyrian.” (See footnote.) . . .  (3) At that time, the direction that you receive from Jehovah’s organization may seem strange or unusual. But all of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether we agree with them or not, because obeying these instructions will save our lives. *** w13 11/15 p. 20 par. 17 Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today ***
(3) At that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not. It's just my personal opinion, of course, but this is where I see a danger. We are telling people who expect to be surrounded by doubt and fear [the first words of the song in the video] to remember that for salvation they must be ready to obey instructions they hear through the elders that might sound strange and not make any sense "from a human standpoint." In other words, we are to accept and obey the instructions from humans as if they are from something greater than just a human standpoint.
Notice that the simplified Watchtower version comes out and just plainly states that our salvation depends upon obeying strange and unusual direction from elders through the organization: salvation by obedience to men. Did we forget?
(Psalm 146:3)  3 Do not put YOUR trust in nobles, Nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs [who cannot bring salvation, NWT Revised]. Calling them nobles, princes, or dukes, doesn't make a difference;  they are still sons of earthling man, humans. The idea above subverts the scripture.
 
 
 
 

Christians, too, but without physical weapons:
(Ephesians 6:10-13) 10 Finally, go on acquiring power in the Lord and in the mightiness of his strength. 11 Put on the complete suit of armor from God so that you may be able to stand firm against the crafty acts of the Devil; 12 because we have a struggle, not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places. 13 For this reason take up the complete suit of armor from God, so that you may be able to resist in the wicked day and, after you have accomplished everything, to stand firm. And of course, the next verses go on to prove that our weapons and armor, etc., are not physical weapons:
14 Stand firm, therefore, with the belt of truth fastened around your waist, wearing the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having your feet shod in readiness to declare the good news of peace. 16 Besides all of this, take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the wicked one’s burning arrows. 17 Also, accept the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word, 18 while with every form of prayer and supplication you carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit.  
 

I won't say what I found when I looked you up
The truth is some on here know me better than others and vice versa, right @TrueTomHarley ? Hehee heee :))))

not know personally
even when I know someone personally
everyone online is a liar
open with that assumption
sometimes I have my doubts about you
.... or similar quotes, no matter who said it, it is in general use, and not originated by Mr TTH.
Yes, we are living in such atmosphere of human interactions where  suspicion, mistrust, and the possibility of being deceived is the reality of every society on Earth. This is/was present in every particle of time to this day.  
What do you think? Did Jesus  have similar/same thoughts and feelings about 12, and even Judas till the his final betrayal, in that short period of "privately knowing each other"?  And what Jesus decided to make it, to do about it? What are His (public or private or tacit) comments about them? Bible is very, very short about that. Wonder why? Perhaps He was so above  of commenting other this way? Oh, how i I want to be like him! But always miss the goal, intent. Some good thoughts from books of E.M Remarque comes to my mind now.  
It doesn't matter what name some of us put in such context. 
But to continue to be "moron" for some of my readers, this time i will put my signature on letter (as Paul has his) 
hehehe:))))) 
 
2 Thessalonians 3:17 New International Version (NIV)
17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.
 

Not, of course, if you came to that conclusion after multiple interactions among several different types of personalities under several different types of circumstances.
We are naive if we jump to such conclusions prior to seeing good evidence about someone, or at least the personalit(ies) they represent. On social media, people are apt to represent only specific sides of their personality, or specific (or special) aspects of their life and lifestyle. It's very difficult to get a well-rounded view of a person on such a limited basis, no matter how much they write.
That said, I agree that we can all get a good sense of the personality of all the people you mentioned, among many others (yourself included). But I was rather surprised to see that picture of you with the King of Siam when I looked you up on the Internet. 

Look, Miss Librarian!!! He’s doing it again! Make him stop!

Not, of course, if you came to that conclusion after multiple interactions among several different types of personalities under several different types of circumstances.
We are naive if we jump to such conclusions prior to seeing good evidence about someone, or at least the personalit(ies) they represent. On social media, people are apt to represent only specific sides of their personality, or specific (or special) aspects of their life and lifestyle. It's very difficult to get a well-rounded view of a person on such a limited basis, no matter how much they write.
That said, I agree that we can all get a good sense of the personality of all the people you mentioned, among many others (yourself included). But I was rather surprised to see that picture of you with the King of Siam when I looked you up on the Internet. 

Actually, I did not take my first commercial flight until I was in my 50's. It was very exciting. Successive flights increasingly become a pain, mostly for things having nothing to do with the plane but for the hassles boarding it. In the old days, you could pull up with 15 minutes to spare, and nobody at all wanted to strip-search you. 
Occassionally, some witnessing helps pass the time, and I don't always do it  but sometimes I do. Like one flight where I laid the contact card down on the armrest midflight and said to the man traveling next to me: "Look, everyone has a cause, and this is mine. We don't have to talk about it, or anything else. On the other hand, there is time to kill, we will never meet again, and it may suggest some conversation if you want it."
It was a while before he said anything. Presently he opened up on the purpose of his trip and his background. He was a microbiologist at some university. He said he liked the power of faith, but of course, he was a scientist. We exchanged some boiler-plate remarks, and somewhere along the line I mentioned telemeres. He took up the topic but pronounced the word differently. "You mean I've been making a donkey of myself all these years, saying it wrong?" was my response.
It was just idle conversation, not particularly going anywhere. Out of the blue he brings up that his trip had another purpose. He is traveling to get his daughter out of her latest jam. He doesn't know what happened to her. He did his best to bring her up right, but she takes up with one lowlife scoundrel after another and has made a hopeless hash of her life. 
I didn't say: "Too bad she is not a Jehovah's Witness. Then all of her troubles would be over." I mostly just listened, and asked a few questions to draw him out. Who doesn't like to be reminded what can happen to kids in the absence of Bible prinicples, and sometimes even with  Bible principles they veer off the track. I was blown away that, not knowing me from a bag of beans, he would so quickly turn to me as Father Confessor. It was likely because he had NO spiritual componant to his life, and when he came across one, the dam burst.
The time flew with the plane and landed in no time at all. I'll never see him again, most likely. But you never know. Perhaps he will be like the man who accepted a few magazines, but eventually told me he would do so no more because his wife was allergic to newsprint. 'Look, just tell me if you don't like them,' I said to myself. 'What a stupid excuse!'
Years later I met them at a convention, both baptized.
 
 

Yes, it could be applied that way, but it almost never is. It's called a Toyota assembly plant because that's where they assemble Toyotas, not because workers assemble together. They should only assemble there when they are not assembling.
Jehovah's Witnesses -- Some Assembly Required!

I have a Brother Label Maker that makes labels on gummed tape, with which I label things.  I even labeled my label maker with a label that reads "Label Maker", and on the Label Maker's label that says "label maker", there is a tiny label that says "Label".
In the kitchen is a pyrex graduated two cup measuring container with a handle, and on the bottom is a label that says "Urine samples", which my wife did not see, 'cause it was on the bottom.
She wrote a very nasty letter to the Betty Crocker cake mix people.
 
 
 
 
 
..... apologies to TBBT, and  Sheldon Cooper

Meanwhile a suspicious police officer is looking for John Connor.

 
 

As much as I disagree with almost everything @Srecko Sostar says, and admittedly do not usually read all of his comments end-to-end, I will concede that he has markedly improved his presence. I once wrote that he "deliberatedly chooses to represent himself on this forum as a moron," due to his incessant: "hehehe )))))))))"
He doesn't do that anymore. English is obviously not his primary language, yet he has succeeded in employing it with more power.
None of this is personal. It is a fight over ideas, and only to a lesser extent over those who embrace them.

Here is another interesting thought ..... With Jehovah on our side ... "bow drawn and arrow set", why have any fear at all? 
Sit back and watch the show!!!
"hehehe )))))))))"
 

My opinion? I believe that Proverbs 14:15 is an excellent scripture. ?

In case that sounded too flippant, I wanted to add that I have full confidence in the insight and guidance that the slave displayed when Losch put that scripture (Proverbs 14:15) in the center of his speech.

This has been discussed before somewhere and you know what my feelings are on this and I've probably mentioned this already but this is a good post to mention it again; the argument seems to be that this reasoning would be following the pattern of the past, where God's people always had to follow some kind of instruction, whether splashing blood on the doorposts, or go somewhere etc. However, the very same people who present this argument say that other things are going to mean our deliverance. Actually just this last midweek meeting the workbook mentions we must prepare spiritually to be saved and we do that by
By developing TRUST IN JEHOVAH,
which gives us COURAGE,
which leads us to a POSITIVE ATTITUDE,
which coupled with BROTHERLY LOVE
enables us to ENCOURAGE fellow believers
  There is no mention of listening to any instructions. In any case the Bible might give examples of instructions in the past, but it never mentions anything like that in reference to "judgement day" /Armageddon. On the contrary, we are clearly told that those believing in Jesus will be saved. No verbal instructions which might seem illogical from a human standpoint there. Then there is the scripture in Matthew 24:40 " Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. 41  Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken along and the other abandoned" indicating that this can happen without any special instructions.
I wanted to check how the WT interpreted this scripture so I looked it up. There only seem to be three references to it (there might be newer ones that I don't know of) One is from WT 1975: "Weeks earlier Jesus had made a similar statement, prompting the disciples’ question, “Where, Lord?” He answered, “Where the body is, there also the eagles will be gathered together.” (Luke 17:37) The ones “taken along” are spiritually sharp-sighted, like eagles, who gather to the one whom they discern to be the Messiah, for the spiritual feast that Jehovah provides within his place of safety. They will gather together with God’s congregations on earth, under his true Messiah. Those “abandoned” will be those who do not keep spiritually awake and who consequently get swallowed up in a selfish way of life, as did the people in Noah’s day. Such are “abandoned” to destruction along with the world system of things in which they are involved".  Then God's kingdom of a thousand years book has a similar explanation also referring to Luke 17:37, and then the last reference was from WT 54 and in my mind seems the better explanation: "The word used here in the Greek for the expression “taken along” is also used when Joseph is said to have taken his wife home. It is also as when Jesus is said to have taken Peter, James and John along with him into the mount of transfiguration. Jesus used the word when he said: “I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.” (John 14:3; Matt. 1:20, 24; 17:1, NW) Thus, those “taken along” receive a favorable standing with the Lord and are brought into a way of salvation. This corresponds to Noah’s being taken into the ark the day of the flood and to Lot’s being taken by the hand and led out of the city and therefore precedes the execution of judgment."
In context, the question "Where Lord" in Luke 17:37 surely seems to be asking where will the man in the field, and the woman grinding at the mill be taken. And Jesus' answer surely indicates heaven, primarily, and salvation for those not of the heavenly class. But I still don't see any instructions.....because to be taken by the hand (as in Lot and Noah) and led somewhere, are not instructions

What is this? There's a hierarchy here, too, that I didn't know about? I thought this was a joke. Parts of it were funny.

Now that Barnum and Bailey has folded its tents, you may get less and less of these. I found this on https://www.drsoda.com/baancrb.html
Barnum's Animal Crackers (Bag)***DISCONTINUED***
So, who knows, a little self-control and an unshaken box with pristine, unbroken giraffe necks might someday yield $50 on eBay. I thought I'd sell my basement full of Hostess Twinkies on eBay when they were to be discontinued in May 2013. But since a new company bought them out of bankruptcy and resurrected them in July 2013, I guess I'll just have to use them for insulation, or maybe to stuff into pillows or something.