JW Insider

Says who? Paul himself, mostly, plus a handful that could testify he had experienced some sort of religious experience, though they were not able to catch any of the words. Skeptics on this forum would not have been impressed.
 What if those first century Christians had refused to listen to him or read his letters, saying 
 
Why could they not have reasoned similarly? Let Jesus speak himself, if he has something to say! Why could they not have refused to listen to Paul the Middleman? When the verse says "Listen to him" it is not speaking of Paul.
Perhaps there were some who did argue that way. I don't see why there wouldn't have been. Where are they now?
The good news enjoyed tremendous growth under Paul? Big deal. It has done the same under the direction of the GB, yet that makes no difference to critics here.
Practically speaking, what do you propose we should do if we allow no one to represent Christ, but insist on communication from Jesus himself?
 
 

You will probably admit that it would be very difficult to accomplish what we have accomplished globally without having a centralized body. I personally see nothing wrong, or even unscriptural about it. Even with regard to keeping a uniform doctrine. 
Here are two articles from the same WT that go into detail of why this idea is reasonable:
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130715/jesus-feeds-many/
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130715/who-is-faithful-discreet-slave/
 
 

by going beyond the application intended,  (Isaiah 25:20 and 30:21, 1John 5:3,  Zephaniah 2:3 as cited in the two paragraphs) claiming that "our survival of coming events will depend on our obedience to Jehovah’s instructions" and  "Therefore, we want to develop heartfelt obedience to the guidance we are receiving. (1 John 5:3) If we do so today, we will be more inclined to obey willingly in the future and thus receive the protection of our Father, Jehovah, and our King, Jesus" for the purpose of the Slave reaffirming God given authority over the flock at the present time?
To me, it sounds awfully like some kind of soft threat you make to a child. What I hear when I read those two paragraphs in the “God’s Kingdom book”  is: “you better obey the Slave NOW or you’re gonna die!” And I am thinking, do we really need that? Are we presumed so shallow as to obey merely to save our hides? Or shouldn’t we be granted the dignity that our obedience surely has deeper motives than that?
 
There, I’ve said it in a nutshell.

Acts 3:22,23 is referring to Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is often called the "Greater Moses". We know that Jesus Christ is our undeniable leader and we should "Listen to him" as it says in Matthew 17:5. Now, how should we expect to receive direction from Jesus Christ today and in the coming years? Is it direct from Christ or from a body of men acting as representatives for him? This isn't meant as an attack on the GB, but I just wanted some clarification on this matter. Because in the first century, Jesus Christ was able to direct Saul/Paul directly to preach on his behalf. He didn't go through a centralized body to see that work done.

For the sake of this discussion I see the need to separate for a moment organizational procedures and spiritual matters, (although many times they are intertwined obviously). We understand organizational procedures to involve things like congregational protocol, certain policies on handling various matters etc. etc.
Spiritual things or doctrinal matters on the other hand are those that we learn when we study the Bible, meditate on, and put into practice what we learn in our lives. This must be what Jesus had in mind when he makes all those references to salvation.
Organizational matters are important for obvious reasons, and cooperation with those taking the lead in these matters is obviously important too.
However, when it comes to actual salvation on that day, are we perhaps going beyond what is written if we attach importance to a location, i.e. where we find ourselves physically, when it seems clear from the scriptures that it is our spiritual state that will decide the outcome for an individual at Armageddon?
  

I will add these scriptures:
(2 Peter 2:9) So, then, Jehovah knows how to rescue people of godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous people to be destroyed on the day of judgment,
(Acts 3:22, 23) 22 In fact, Moses said: ‘Jehovah your God will raise up for you from among your brothers a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. 23 Indeed, anyone who does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people.. . .
(Matthew 17:5) 5 While he was still speaking, look! a bright cloud overshadowed them, and look! a voice out of the cloud said: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved. Listen to him.” 
(1 Corinthians 4:6) 6 Now, brothers, these things I have applied to myself and A·polʹlos for your good, that through us you may learn the rule: “Do not go beyond the things that are written,” so that you may not be puffed up with pride, favoring one against the other. 
 
 

I have been reading a bit of psychology and have watched some videos on philosophy etc. regarding the human condition.  Most psychologists/philosophers worth their salt (doing research at university - an know what they are doing - because there are not many),  know that the human condition is not flawed but downright malevolent - yes malevolent. (No man has not sinned).
They will quote the mass killings in recent human history (and 20th century) and all the deviations going on around us, to prove how bad the human condition actually is.  Some predict that we are now entering the worst time in human history - an end to human civilization as we know it.  Some say that an attachment to Christian-Judeo values has kept mankind from the most debased practices and given us some human rights - but now with post-modernism philosophy all objective values of right and wrong are being thrown out together with the Bible and everything it stands for. Debased practices will openly become part of the human condition soon....... and one can see that as a moral society we are going down fast.
To think that Witnesses are above this debased state is silly.  It is our education in Jehovah's ways that have dignified us somewhat. This is why we are warned to wage constant war against our own inclinations by Paul and other bible writers, who wrote under inspiration. We are all unbalanced, debased and in a sorry state - to think otherwise is to bamboozle yourself.  So we all have something mentally unbalanced somewhere - just depends on the degree. Sin and all the other things going on in this system is crouching at our door - all the time.  Just depends if we let it in.
However, when we lift ourselves out of this condition and try very hard to obey Jehovah with all effort, then we can get his approval and a measure of his spirit - if we humble ourselves to ask for it. When we maintain our relationship with Jehovah then we can uplift ourselves and this in turn positivizes us, makes us aware that we need to show compassion and take care of each other tenderly. These qualities we develop gives us dignity and of course the promises of future blessings gives us hope... and yes - it is something to smile about when we share it with others.
So when we start with any form of deviant behavior (away from Jehovah) then we become a wild card. What will come out of it we ourselves do not even know - like the waves of the sea being thrown hither and tither.  So this is why it is important to stay close to Jehovah by regularly reading his word and listening to the warnings of the slave - even if it does look like they are talking down to us.... Staying away from porn, bad movies etc. elevates us and helps us to stay a little more balanced in an increasingly deviant world.
The human condition is so dire and seriously sick that we all should be very afraid to go there.
 
 
 

I see patriotism to the United States couched in semi-religious language. For most people this is not a bad thing. For many Christians it is a misplaced patriotism, because Christians --in solidarity with other Christians scattered throughout the world--do not identify with a single earthly nation:
(James 1:1) 1 James, a slave of God and of [the] Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are scattered about:. . . (James 1:26, 27) . . .. 27 The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.
(Psalm 39:11, 12) . . .Surely every earthling man is an exhalation. Seʹlah. 12 Do hear my prayer, O Jehovah, . . .  For I am but an alien resident with you, A settler the same as all my forefathers.
(Hebrews 11:13-16) 13 In faith all these died, although they did not get the [fulfillment of the] promises, but they saw them afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. 14 For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. 15 And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that [place] from which they had gone forth, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them.
(1 Peter 1:1) 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the temporary residents scattered about in Ponʹtus, Ga·laʹti·a, Cap·pa·doʹci·a, Asia, and Bi·thynʹi·a, to the ones chosen
(1 Peter 2:11, 12) 11 Beloved, I exhort YOU as aliens and temporary residents to keep abstaining from fleshly desires, which are the very ones that carry on a conflict against the soul. 12 Maintain YOUR conduct fine among the nations, that, in the thing in which they are speaking against YOU as evildoers, they may as a result of YOUR fine works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God in the day for [his] inspection.
In spite of all that, Fred Franz, at Bethel, from around 1976 to 1979, would make sure we had the American standard Thanksgiving meal (turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberries, pumpkin pie) on the exact day of Thanksgiving, and he would make a point of saying that while the United States of America is celebrating its Thanksgiving, we have even more reasons to celebrate. I think most of us thought about it as a kind of inside joke that only Fred Franz would try to get away with, and which might stumble those on the outside if they knew about it. Fred Franz was known for saying things specifically to be provocative or make others uncomfortable. But this could also have been a trial balloon for a change, who knows?
 
 

There is no direct statement in the publications that we must "hide." You have included some bigger questions about timing and survival and obedience, and those are worth discussing. However, the logic of the two paragraphs indicates nothing about "hiding" in any modern-day fulfillment of Isaiah 26:20. The point was only that, in this past example, survival depended on obedience to "commands" and the same will be true in the near future.

There is no direct statement in the publications that we must "hide." You have included some bigger questions about timing and survival and obedience, and those are worth discussing. However, the logic of the two paragraphs indicates nothing about "hiding" in any modern-day fulfillment of Isaiah 26:20. The point was only that, in this past example, survival depended on obedience to "commands" and the same will be true in the near future.

There is no direct statement in the publications that we must "hide." You have included some bigger questions about timing and survival and obedience, and those are worth discussing. However, the logic of the two paragraphs indicates nothing about "hiding" in any modern-day fulfillment of Isaiah 26:20. The point was only that, in this past example, survival depended on obedience to "commands" and the same will be true in the near future.

Oh, stop it with the ad homenum attacks, will you? If you MUST revel in ad homenum attacks, then revel in the ones I make against you, for they are accurate.
If you even walked back your idiot statement or attempted to clarify it, I would cut you slack, but you unfurl it as though you would replace Rutherford for the keynote talk with your huge banner: 'Behold! Advertise, Advertise, Advertise that Witness Ministers of the Kingdom are Nuts!' (and yet you intend to raise your kids Witnesses!!  Why should not THAT be considered parental abuse? Raise those kids to embrace the religion you hate.)
Of course! One quarter of a percent of the population is responsible for one third of the suicides!! Count yourself l**ky that I did not call you a liar. I did not do so, because I allowed for the possibility that you belonged in an asylum.
Now THAT is another statement entirely.  Had you said that, you would not have come off as an unhinged lunatic. 
Is it true? It is in one particular place and time. Furuli later made a YouTube perhaps in response to it, as though this fellow had butchered his findings. And JWI, who will spill JW shortcomings at the drop of a pin, says Furuli's numbers should hardly be relied upon. So who can know?
But there is another way to look at it. 
Even if it were true, it is no more than what one would expect when Jesus says he came to seek, not those who do not need a physician, but those that do. The groups to worry about, to my mind, are those who have low rates of mental illness among them - for there are a lot of mentally ill people around. It must be that they feel excluded - driven away by condescension, lack of love, or inhospitality. 
Those who can operate smoothly among this world’s calamities – who can absorb all the atrocities routinely distributed and accommodate themselves to it without fuss - those are the people to worry about, IMO. Besides, when our people go off the rails, they nonetheless wouldn’t hurt a fly. If persons of the greater world go off the rails - better call the SWAT team and secure a new identity from the authorities!
Yes. Why do you think he brings it up?

Help me out on a call.
A sister placed magazines with a college kid, conversed a while, and he said she could call back. His father, however, would not likely be welcoming, he said.
She gave the call to me. I made it. He was not home. His father was, and the son had been right. The father was not welcoming. Neither did he tell me to get lost. Well – he did, but it was not in the ordering sort of tone, and I said I had not been looking for him anyway, but his son. He was the family head, and I told him I would not try to sneak around him, but did he mind if I called again on his son? The kid was smart, I told the old man, and that must mean his parents are smart. He said his son was his own person, and if he wanted to speak with me again, that was up to him.
I called again. The son, of course, was not home. The unwelcoming dad was. He was in a wheelchair, as he had been the first time. One bumper sticker on the family car read “Born right the first time.” The other said: “There are death squads in America; they’re called insurance companies.” I think we overdo our advice to take cues from bumper stickers, but this time the Ten Commandments could not have told me more. All that remains is to fill in a few blanks.
Sometimes I open with Job 34:10 – “it is unthinkable for the true God to act wickedly.” I like the verse, I told him, because some people think he does act wickedly. And some see all the nasty things going down and say: “I don’t think there is a true God.” It plays into the theme of why there is suffering, I told the fellow.
He wasn’t nice. I made clear that the instant he told me to go away, I would. We were conversing through the storm door, which added a measure of challenge. I almost reached to open it, for it was awkward for him to do so, but I decided it would be a bit much. He laughed derisively at my Bible verse. “You’re here because you want to tell me about suffering?” he shot back from his wheelchair. I answered: “No. I want you to tell me. I don’t have to talk at all. I want you to invite me in and tell me.”
I said: “Look – everyone has a story, but no one wants to hear it. So I will,. I've got the time.” He’ll never see me again anyway – what does he have to lose? I told him. He answered sarcastically that he could never get over the Christians’ “need” to “save” people. Look, he said, he was one of the 5% who are atheist. “Yeah – I’m here to change that,” I answered. This is far more blunt than I would ever be ordinarily, but I decided I would answer him in kind. It was not even true, really, or at least it was not a goal I realistically held. I also told him that he was right – we are Christian, and it is a bit much that we should appear out of thin air, but that Jehovah’s Witnesses are in a league of their own.
He responded by saying his number one man from his working days had been a Witness, and that he had been the nicest, most reliable fellow in the world. “Yeah, we’re all nice,” I said. “You think I’m nice? Wait to you get a load of Clyde,” I motioned to the brother behind me, who could barely make out through the door what the man was saying. His praise for the brother he once supervised at work didn’t yield me as much ground as might be expected. After two or three more minutes maneuvering, I told him that while I would like to know more, one can only go far, and we would take our leave. He didn’t cry over the prospect, but had never taken the bait of saying I should go.
I am not sure what to do. I will let it go, probably. One more call in a few months to see if anything has moved, and then I am done. Maybe before, but I have no plans at the present. Any advice?

@Allen Smith - most can see through the sensationalist language used, but it is reporting a true story.
How naive are you?
Victim: "I was attacked and beaten, and I have life-changing injuries which will require therapy for the rest of my life!"
Allen: "You are very brave to speak up. There, there. Now don't you feel better?"
Victim: "So is my attacker to be penalized for what he did?"
Allen: "You having a voice is enough. On your way."
"Some here claim"? Hahaha. This is what Watchtower Australia claimed - they categorized the 1006 cases as child sexual abuse allegations. (Idiot.)
 

Thought that the Watchtower provided the names as a response to a request for all the cases of sexual child abuse on file. (The cases cover quite a range that might not always be defined as criminal child sexual abuse, but it was the Watchtower intending to provide cases that fell under this definition.) Also, it wasn't 1006 incidents, but 1,006 files about the abusers. Therefore the number of incidents was higher than the 1,006 cases of abusers.
I also understand that several of the cases have already been turned over to the authorities based on time that has past, and evidence of criminality. A few of these have already hit local Australian papers. I've been sent 4 of them, and told about others, but I am not interested in posting them. Enough of that happens by others. (In one of the cases, where the person is much older now, the authorities decided not to prosecute, stating that his disfellowshipping by his congregation had already produced a severe punishment. I guess they consider disfellowshipping to be a bit like a prison sentence.)

Thought that the Watchtower provided the names as a response to a request for all the cases of sexual child abuse on file. (The cases cover quite a range that might not always be defined as criminal child sexual abuse, but it was the Watchtower intending to provide cases that fell under this definition.) Also, it wasn't 1006 incidents, but 1,006 files about the abusers. Therefore the number of incidents was higher than the 1,006 cases of abusers.
I also understand that several of the cases have already been turned over to the authorities based on time that has past, and evidence of criminality. A few of these have already hit local Australian papers. I've been sent 4 of them, and told about others, but I am not interested in posting them. Enough of that happens by others. (In one of the cases, where the person is much older now, the authorities decided not to prosecute, stating that his disfellowshipping by his congregation had already produced a severe punishment. I guess they consider disfellowshipping to be a bit like a prison sentence.)

"Turn me on, dead man"  -  The Beatles
National pep talks are fine. Thanksgiving to God we can all live with and don't have to rain on anyone else's parade. But if Jehovah is this kind of a God, he sure took his eye off the ball as regards many parts of the earth, didn't he?
That said, whenever I am bold (or dumb) enough to go out in service on a holiday, I find some verse of harmonious theme and say something like:  'this is what we are doing out of respect for the holiday.' It seems an insult to the householder to not connect your remarks to his interest of the day - we otherwise unfailingly try to do that - reading bumper stickers and so forth. (which as often as not were affixed by the previous owner)
Even as I write, I warm further to this idea, though it is Witnessing 401 - an advanced course. Many brothers get their heads handed to them on a platter for holiday witnessing. Is it possible, for those so inclined, to connect their remarks with the day's theme and become almost a holiday tradition?
I like him already. (within limits)
 
I like him already.
 
Wasn't he the brother who enjoyed the sauna? It seems he was little concerned about tongues wagging. 

I see patriotism to the United States couched in semi-religious language. For most people this is not a bad thing. For many Christians it is a misplaced patriotism, because Christians --in solidarity with other Christians scattered throughout the world--do not identify with a single earthly nation:
(James 1:1) 1 James, a slave of God and of [the] Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are scattered about:. . . (James 1:26, 27) . . .. 27 The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.
(Psalm 39:11, 12) . . .Surely every earthling man is an exhalation. Seʹlah. 12 Do hear my prayer, O Jehovah, . . .  For I am but an alien resident with you, A settler the same as all my forefathers.
(Hebrews 11:13-16) 13 In faith all these died, although they did not get the [fulfillment of the] promises, but they saw them afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. 14 For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. 15 And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that [place] from which they had gone forth, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them.
(1 Peter 1:1) 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the temporary residents scattered about in Ponʹtus, Ga·laʹti·a, Cap·pa·doʹci·a, Asia, and Bi·thynʹi·a, to the ones chosen
(1 Peter 2:11, 12) 11 Beloved, I exhort YOU as aliens and temporary residents to keep abstaining from fleshly desires, which are the very ones that carry on a conflict against the soul. 12 Maintain YOUR conduct fine among the nations, that, in the thing in which they are speaking against YOU as evildoers, they may as a result of YOUR fine works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God in the day for [his] inspection.
In spite of all that, Fred Franz, at Bethel, from around 1976 to 1979, would make sure we had the American standard Thanksgiving meal (turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberries, pumpkin pie) on the exact day of Thanksgiving, and he would make a point of saying that while the United States of America is celebrating its Thanksgiving, we have even more reasons to celebrate. I think most of us thought about it as a kind of inside joke that only Fred Franz would try to get away with, and which might stumble those on the outside if they knew about it. Fred Franz was known for saying things specifically to be provocative or make others uncomfortable. But this could also have been a trial balloon for a change, who knows?
 
 

I see patriotism to the United States couched in semi-religious language. For most people this is not a bad thing. For many Christians it is a misplaced patriotism, because Christians --in solidarity with other Christians scattered throughout the world--do not identify with a single earthly nation:
(James 1:1) 1 James, a slave of God and of [the] Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are scattered about:. . . (James 1:26, 27) . . .. 27 The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.
(Psalm 39:11, 12) . . .Surely every earthling man is an exhalation. Seʹlah. 12 Do hear my prayer, O Jehovah, . . .  For I am but an alien resident with you, A settler the same as all my forefathers.
(Hebrews 11:13-16) 13 In faith all these died, although they did not get the [fulfillment of the] promises, but they saw them afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. 14 For those who say such things give evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. 15 And yet, if they had indeed kept remembering that [place] from which they had gone forth, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they are reaching out for a better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them.
(1 Peter 1:1) 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the temporary residents scattered about in Ponʹtus, Ga·laʹti·a, Cap·pa·doʹci·a, Asia, and Bi·thynʹi·a, to the ones chosen
(1 Peter 2:11, 12) 11 Beloved, I exhort YOU as aliens and temporary residents to keep abstaining from fleshly desires, which are the very ones that carry on a conflict against the soul. 12 Maintain YOUR conduct fine among the nations, that, in the thing in which they are speaking against YOU as evildoers, they may as a result of YOUR fine works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God in the day for [his] inspection.
In spite of all that, Fred Franz, at Bethel, from around 1976 to 1979, would make sure we had the American standard Thanksgiving meal (turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberries, pumpkin pie) on the exact day of Thanksgiving, and he would make a point of saying that while the United States of America is celebrating its Thanksgiving, we have even more reasons to celebrate. I think most of us thought about it as a kind of inside joke that only Fred Franz would try to get away with, and which might stumble those on the outside if they knew about it. Fred Franz was known for saying things specifically to be provocative or make others uncomfortable. But this could also have been a trial balloon for a change, who knows?
 
 

The crux of the problem is that our policies were always more preventive focused and proactive as you say, and less cure focused.  We naively assumed that if we educate the friends on how to avoid child sexual abuse in the first palace, then all will be solved, there will be no victims. That was the ideal situation of course, but was however not taking into account the fact that not everyone was going to, or even capable of applying this advice.
I am trying to  be fair and I have no problem admitting we’ve had to eat humble pie because we thought our child protection was the best, because it focused on prevention. Indeed what’s better than that? In theory it was very good, and that’s because it was assuming that every parent and child applied all that advice that was put out there. But of course in practice this wasn’t the case, and so these preventative measures did not always achieve their goal because they were not always applied. So now, we have to revise the preventive idea and supplement it with getting justice for those for who it is too late, the victims, making disclosure as comfortable as possible, and ensuring punishment for those who committed the crime including limiting access to congregants.  And that all is a whole different ball game, but I trust we are doing our best because we do not want any of our children to suffer.

Bathroom is down the hall and to the left.

Yes Bible talking about that, but "sheep" not using own mental power, powered by holy spirit, to make conclusions. They, generally, let to GB to made conclusion for them.
About possible future changing on "two witness rule", the rule GB defends with body and mind hahha. Perhaps WT decide to accept criminal forensic as "second witness". Not just another human witness :))))))

Another problem is that we seem always eager to identify with celebrities.  Don't know why.   Why should we rush these things to the site - what is the benefit to us. 
We should take to heart what Jesus  said as to the status of those who love Jehovah and his Son.  They will be persecuted. They are no part of the world and should not court the world.
(Matthew 24:9-12) 9 “Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. 10 Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; 12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. 13 But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. 
Paul said the Christians back there were not ashamed of his prison bonds.
"(Philippians 1:7) 7 It is only right for me to think this regarding all of you, since I have you in my heart, you who are sharers with me in the undeserved kindness both in my prison bonds and in the defending and legally establishing of the good news. . ".
(Colossians 4:2-4) 2 Persevere in prayer, remaining awake in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open a door for the word so that we can declare the sacred secret about the Christ, for which I am in prison bonds, 4 and that I may proclaim it as clearly as I ought to.
( Matt 25:34)34 “Then the King will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. 35 For I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably; 36 naked and you clothed me. I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 In reply the King will say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ "
 
We should identify with those who are suffering for righteousness sake.  (Remember those brothers in Eritrea and Russia  and other places and don't forget to pray for them.)  If we understand the issues regarding universal sovereignty we will understand how we are viewed by Satan and his world.  Our motives for wanting to be in the spotlight and attracting the wrong kind of attention to ourselves should be examined.  Satan would be glad if we attract trouble for ourselves.
 
 
 

 

In my mind there is no difference. There is no transparency as to finances in the organisation except at congregation level. The very fact that a financial report is read out at a religious meeting assumes that by so doing those in attendance will be "motivated" to give. It is passing the plate covertly.

I am sure I will not explain this case, but I can bring the light in to the matter of finance. It is more complex then pay the money for a nice hall. Every assembly elders from the area meet to hear a finance report and approve some money spending like theocratic school, pioneer school or transfer the money to Bethel or whenever it's needed. Don't be foolish to spread the hate.