Arauna

You are so funny James.  Your 'test' is not important to me. 
If you are blind enough or lazy enough to remain with CCJW then why should i be concerned about your opinion ?  I gave you an option, which you obviously do not like. 
Stay safe, America seems to be suffering badly. 

@4Jah2me This is really amazing!
I told my wife that maybe there will never again be meetings as before. I hope the JWs will wake up and start to examine the scriptures seriously and search what all this could lead to.

Not this weekend, but starting with the mid-week meeting, we will be. They will be held in ‘Zoom rooms’—who would have thought it? In the meanwhile, different options for different friends, even entire congregations. Many have streamed meetings from jw.org. A trial meeting which would ordinarily be the meeting for field service was held Saturday. Most took some time to get their heads around the app, including me. Some never made it at all. But I have not the slightest doubt that anyone desiring will be brought up to speed in fairly short order. It is not that hard. Meanwhile, though not an elder, I make it a point to phone one or two each day, and I try to think of ones who may be at some risk of falling through the cracks.

We had our meeting online today - the entire congregation.  Most witnesses are still doing telephone witnessing.
Being 67 years of age, I already quaranteened myself before the emergency conditions were called out in my country. 
This does not mean that we stop preaching or attending meetings! Or have contact with our spiritual family! 

We had our meeting online today - the entire congregation.  Most witnesses are still doing telephone witnessing.
Being 67 years of age, I already quaranteened myself before the emergency conditions were called out in my country. 
This does not mean that we stop preaching or attending meetings! Or have contact with our spiritual family! 

I have several friends who make money by building and investing in property. It definitely beats the stock exchange - as long as one does not overpay for the property and the location is good.
My best friend supported her family with construction work. Yes, a woman with her own company and she did preaching when she could.
My husband thankfully had his heart attack in Sweden otherwise all our savings would have been wiped out  in USA.  He was only 61 years old.   
Nine days hospitalization five years back in Florida for a bout if pneumonia cost a friend  almost 70,000 dollars. She was only 45 years old...... and that is without the Bill's for the doctors.  So one bit of sickness can wipe out the profit on a property overnight.
I do not think it is wrong to save in this way for some health event...... I did it myself.  Nothing wrong with being prudent.  Young people who have no hospital bills to pay do not realize how expensive it is. Cancer treatment is quite sketchy if one does not have good health insurance and Medicare does not guarantee the best treatment. 
A holiday property next to the sea is also not a sin - although you really try hard to make it look this way.  
If I decide to leave a property in my will to the organization it is my business and if I do some prudent business on the side I am fulfilling proverbs 31... by being a smart wife.... whether I am JW or not.
Yes, if all my thinking is consumed by a "love " of money or the accumulation of wealth ..... then it would be a sin. But it is not wrong to earn money by your personal endeavours while serving God. Abraham obeyed God and showed exceptional  faith and God blessed him materially.  So do a little finger pointing in Abraham's and Jacob's direction!
I personally think that showing jealousy of another's success is an even bigger sin than making money by prudent and honest endeavours. Also the petty research to try and malign another persons reputation is also a sin. 
What did all this research and wasted time  prove?  Not much......it only shone a light on the intent of the presenter.

Hi- nice to see you are still here.  Jehovah does not change.   Jesus DID encourage us to not love money but it is not wrong to let money work for you. Especially if you are preaching full time and you have a property lying fallow - it can later be sold for a profit.
To make property pay you have to pay now but reap dividends later when the property has picked up more value - an investment which one does not have to work hard at.

Babylon had land, Nineveh had land, Elam had land and so did other nations which God had judged.  The land was not the focus for punishment but the wicked people......  I wonder sometimes if you ever take jehovah or the bible seriously.  You are not just condescending towards people but even towards God.  Do you take anything seriously????  
 

Which “goals” of Hitler that JR agreed with do you think that he was speaking about?
Was JR referring to Hitler’s goal to bring paradise to the entire earth so that residents could pet the animals?
Was JR referring to Hitler’s goal to bring everlasting life in perfect health to all of his subjects?
Was JR referring to Hitler’s goal to break up the works of the devil and hurl him into the abyss?
NO! he was referring to the feel-good cumbaya boiler-plate goals that every human agency that  comes down the pipe promises and fails to deliver because of their insistence to do it by human thinking and not God’s. JR is doing no more than building a bridge of introduction so that the rest of his communication will not be tossed in the trash, the same as Is universally thought a good thing to do with anybody.
What would you have him say: ‘Dear Rat-face’?
This is why he chose tact at the time and didn’t say: “Dear Rat-face.” He did later on.
Same here: What “high principles” do you think are being referenced?
Was Is the League’s high principle to bring paradise to the entire earth so that residents could pet the animals?
Was Is the League’s high principle to bring everlasting life in perfect health to all of earth’s subjects?
Was Is the League’s high principle to break up the works of the devil and hurl him into the abyss?
NO! he was referring to the feel-good cumbaya boiler-plate high principles that every human agency that  comes down the pipe promises and fails to deliver because of their insistence to do it by human thinking and not God’s!
Certain ones have commented with some disapproval —I think you have been one of them—at the seeming ‘need’ of the organization to diss anything that does not come from them. Here you seem to be holding them accountable for not doing just that.
 

1 Thessalonians 5:20  Do not treat prophecies with contempt.
2 Peter 1:19  So we have the prophetic word made more sure, and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place….
 Revelation 22:7 Look! I am coming quickly. Happy is anyone observing the words of the prophecy of this scroll.”
Revelation 1:3  Happy is the one who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy and who observe the things written in it,....
1 Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, yet keep striving for the spiritual gifts, but preferably that you may prophesy…...3 However, the one who prophesies builds up and encourages and consoles men by his speech.
22  Therefore, tongues are not a sign for the believers but for the unbelievers, whereas prophecy is not for the unbelievers but for the believers…...31 For you can all prophesy one at a time, so that all may learn and all may be encouraged…..39  So, my brothers, keep striving to prophesy,....
Daniel 12:4  “As for you, Daniel, keep the words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.”.....9  Then he said: “Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the time of the end. 10 Many will cleanse themselves and whiten themselves and will be refined. And the wicked ones will act wickedly, and none of the wicked will understand; but those having insight will understand.
 

Now John Butler would have loved that comment   

North Korea is a totalitarian dictatorship with its citizens starving most of the time. A shocker for me two years ago was the soldier which defected. He would not have survived longer if he did not defect..... he had so many different kinds of  parasites in his body. This tells you the condition of their soldiers..... and how they care for the soldiers they put on TV parades with the face of the dictator everywhere. 
Venezuela has oil. It should be a rich country.... but a benevolent socialist  dictator brought the poor out if poverty....(he did well on that ) . but then he went further and nationalized all assets and became communist.  He died - The next dictator put the nail in the coffin of the system... Communism killed Venezuela- not America.  It is a bad system of governance. I equate it with feudalism. This is the system the UN is proposing.... a kind of feudalism to get control of the environment..
While I do not support any form of human government - I do evaluate what they do.... and I do not think it is conspiracy when I say I foresee a terrible future for the world if these plans comes to fruition.   That is all. Hopefully jehovah steps in before it goes too far. 
I do believe that some scientists are lying about the environment in their so-called studies.  I believe the biosphere has tremendous problems and geo-engineering is definitely going on to cover up the problems. The forests are being dessimated by China and those still in existence are drying out.  The roots are so dry that new saplings are not sprouting up. Leaves are dry. There are fires in Siberia and Sweden. The Himalaya' s glaciers (Bhuthan is facing severe threats) are melting and forming lakes. When these start to burst and brim over thousands of lives and farming land will be lost. There are islands going under in Maldives.... Too much to mention. 

Who is this arrogant horn who speaks great things?  The British empire which later became the dual Anglo-American empire. This the the horn who persecuted the people of God. It will go down as a world empire and the "rest of the beasts" will be "prolonged for a season" in the United Nations."  
You said some witnesses felt this way: the truth is that many witnesses hate history - have never opened a history book in their lives apart from the bit of  history about their own country they were forced to learn in school and barely passed. Now imagine this in a Daniel or Revelation book..... they do not dig in...... they just sigh and complain.... and say they do not understand.
This is why I partly believe that that the GB are now careful  to not get too complicated. They spoon feed prophecy - only that which is absolutely necessary to understand or being fulfilled in the presenf time - and can clearly be seen. 
It is better for new ones (and old) to learn to cope in a wicked world because there is a violent asault on morality all the time from every aspect of society. It is important to build every ones moral endurance  before Armageddon and their capacity to make good descisions.  GB teach life skills better than ever before..... 
 

So, is the individual killings by a soldier, that trespasses on another persons land to take possession of it, murder ?
Surely it is premeditated killing. 
In Bible times the Israelites were told to give the enemy a chance to surrender before going in for the kill. 
But if an army of soldiers go straight in for the kill, just to take the land belonging to others, surely that is murder. Those soldiers know that they will be deliberately killing people. That is premeditated.
And, it is also racist. For an army of soldiers to deliberately steal land from another nation, that army of soldiers must think they have more right to own that land. Therefore it shows that the army of soldiers are of a mind that their race is superior and has more rights than the other nation. That has to be racism. 
James there has to be a reason you are pushing your point of view on this so much. 
It brings forth the question, are you American or are you a Christian ? 

You play the same old record but you have no proof at all. 
Tom you do not know who has or is committing the abuse in JW Org. 
1. Because it is hidden in congregations around the Earth
2. Because the GB / Lawyers are still hiding that 23 year American JW Database. 
So how can you know Tom ?
You just make it up as you go along, and most times it's just to promote your own books. 
Very selfish Tom. 
 

In virtually every case except Jehovah’s Witnesses the ones committing the abuse were the ones holding authority or office within the institution
With Jehovah’s Witnesses, that is rarely the case. Their organization is being asked to assume responsibility for any of their members who have ever committed the crime.
It is not exactly apples to apples.
 https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2020/02/i-almost-wish-there-would-be-more-public-response.html

It is not wrong to know what is going on in the world  but it is wrong to take sides in its issues and get involved in it..... 
I watch world events to see in which direction world events are heading....... just as Abraham asked jehovah about sodom and gomorrah and travelled around. 
I do not belong to any worldly organisations or even vote for a seemingly innocent thing. Neither do I fund any organization be it religious or political or any other issues. I do not go to parties, clubs, celebrate worldly festivals or follow a worldly career.  Twice I gave up a lucrative career that could have brought recognition and  money.... I do not watch modern movies or ...... agh........ I leave it there.  Jehovah will judge me...... thanks to Him, it will not be your job to judge me. 
My knowledge of the world and what is going on in it helps me in my preaching work........ which I enjoy tremendously.......I meet tourists every day here in Tbilisi and can immediately relate to them because of my knowledge of the political situation in their countries. My general knowledge helps as well.
For example just in the last few days I preached to an Irishman and could open a conversation about the kingdom by referring to sinn fein. ....which he immediately explained.....how they recently won the election. He left amicably with information about Jehovahs kingdom in contrast with the political turmoil in the world..... and where he can get more info.
I also spoke to a Chinese woman who wants to leave China due to the new level of surveillance.....she says they check telephones on return to China in random fashion. There is no freedom of speech. She was also kicked out of three hotels in Tbilisi because of discrimination regarding the Corona virus.  She gave me her email address.  I already sent her information to help her. We spoke at length about JWs and the kingdom as the only solution.
Today I met an Arab from Saudi Arabia on the metro train.  I gave him my number.
Tonight I had a long return visit with him over the phone and immediately understood his fears about talking to JWs (because I studied his religion and know the political situation in his country). He did not go into lengthy explanations because he saw that I knew what he was talking about.  I gave him good advice because he can be killed in his own country if they inspect his phone.  He expressed his thoughts that he thinks we are the true nation of God after I had explained the difference between our teachings regarding the future government of God and that of Islam..... 
I rest my case....... 
 
 

I may mention that during or just before Armageddon there may be anarchy when people attack and do as they please. There may be no law and order.  Better to die innocent before jehovah than to have blood on your hands.    
Practically, you may be able to fight off one person..... what do you do if a group comes at you? ....Best to have been loyal to jehovah from the start because the odds are not high that you can fight to defend yourself...... rather trust in the one who can give you back your life.   Our trust in Jah may be tested this far..... like jesus in a life and death situation. Jesus chose to die faithful to Jehovah's principles and healed the soldier's ear and told Peter to put away his sword.

Witnesses did not predict anything.  The magazine highlighted what the experts said - their educated guess - and brought it to the attention of the readers of Awake magazine, like they do with many important and timely subjects. Get over it!

Carefully crafted question to get the answer you have already decided upon.
You remind me of the liberation fighters in Africa who wrote doctors theses on their right to "fight" with weapons (and other means) to liberate themselves from colonial oppression. They all got degrees in theology and used the bible to justify their stance.   This means that anyone can justify their stance if they twist the teachings of Jesus. 
I firmly believe that we will be tested on this stance in future. The fact that we refuse to kill our brothers in another country or any other human (whatever the provocation) will test if we really love our neighbour.  Most religions are prepared to kill others.  If you love your life you will lose it - this was a scripture quoted last week in study.
"Abstain"   from blood, fornication and what us strangled...... this means stay away.... do not touch - the same as you will not touch or bring another woman close to you   or  Acts 20:    "but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood."
In your mind yes.  Bring me a scripture in the new testament where jesus, Paul, John , Peter or James said anything to this effect...... I dare you to find a scripture which indicates we can use a weapon against another or defend ourselves by taking a life of another!  The new testament is clear that even abusive speech is NOT acceptable - in book of Judas. 
The heart is treacherous...... why?  We follow our own independent way away from obedience to God.      

Well, it doesn’t entirely fit, but the speaker yesterday drew the following contrast between knowledge and understanding:
Knowledge: a tomato is a fruit
Understanding: Don’t put it in a fruit salad.

The question above is crafted very carefully  to avoid the main question: whether Jehovah allows any form of war or killing.  Especially after his Son paid the ransom sacrifice and told Peter to put away his sword - plus other scriptures which prove that christians are no part of the world otherwise they would fight.  Our fight is a spiritual warfare. Jesus was put to death because he did not become an earthly king to fight the Roman's.
Roman's 11: "  48 If we let him go on this way, they will all put faith in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
Romans 14:8  "For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah."  9 For
The  above question is designed to create a choice for either killing or murder - so no matter how  one answers it, it still looks as though war is acceptable because it is not murder.....so killing is acceptable......
A very sneaky question..... It reminds me of satan's question to eve:  you are not allowed to eat from ALL the trees in the garden......? .

Very brutal...... Russia is a theocracy who does not adhere to international law.
We pray for our brothers.  

A report on the torture of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia and 4Jah attaches an laughing emoji to it. What a nasty piece of work he is.

Yes there is a crazy imbalance of law and treatment of those breaking the law
Whilst I think it is horrendous that any person should be tortured for any reason, i have more sympathy / empathy with victims of CSA than i do for those who suffer for the sake of an Organisation. 
However I presume in Russia etc it is actual religious persecution, whereas in the other instances it is not.  But many religions in may places have suffered persecution so the activities in Russia etc does not prove the JW Org is 'serving God properly'.