Arauna

I believe I do have an open mind and I am open to new ways of looking at things but when one argues about history and dates one really has to have the expertise in the field to distinguish fact from fiction...  And unfortunately most experts will accept dodgy historians of ancient days while overriding what the bible has to say.   This is when I evaluate what the bible has to say first and look at what material the organization has looked at and evaluated before me.  In the past I used to get the books ( quoted in the Insight book) from the library  (when possible)  and look at it for myself.    
I think one should really evaluate the information which the governing body has put together as part of your decision making process and not be an expert on your own.  In collaboration with others one will reach a better conclusion.  I do not reject new thinking but I think that when someone has done the trouble to go through all the available information on the subject to assist us one should NOT be suspicious that they are pushing an agenda as though they are our enemy and wish to harm us. They truly believe they have a mission to uphold Jehovah's word - despite the fact that they are fallible and sometimes grumpy old men. 
This is why I like the idea of writing committees because this ensures that most agree with what must be written before it is published.  Yes there are always domineering individuals but I do think that this is eventually sorted out - and when it comes to history or evaluating ideas - one has to evaluate everything that is available.
One of my first test of any new information is : how does it fit in with what the rest of the Bible says about this subject.... if there are several other places which confirms a particular viewpoint - this is what I will go with.  
I believe that there will in future be wicked individual slaves - like in the past - who will sow seeds of apostasy and as part of Satans final onslaught to attack the slave --- by slanderous material (already happening) and spreading false information (already here) and sowing doubt about basic teachings.  I am vigilant to this - not to be infected by persons who are not really convinced in their heart of the time-line in the purpose of Jehovah.
I have studied this time-line before but now I have renewed vigor to look at it again!   I do look at Darwinian websites so I can think like one of them when I speak to them.  I like to see issues I have not thought of before.  I also like Physics and the new developments... to see where my faith may be challenged ; and I have always love history - ancient history and modern. 
I am NOT a scholar but an autodidact..... and the more I know the more I realize how little I know.... I had a big ego when I was younger and had a great future with a great talent but I have let all that  go and work daily to be the best I can be to the glory of Jehovah.    
Now and then I get on this site and let go - to the chagrin of my fellow witnesses....  Apologies if I hurt someone's feelings because it is arrogant to think that one can be the protector of what Jehovah has said.  He has the power and insight to do it all by himself.  But I do think that I should love my fellows enough, to tell them with honesty when I see that they do not value what has already been prepared for us and value their own ideas more - to the detriment of themselves.  
 

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To use the illustration of the woman who is pregnant. There is no doubt she is pregnant because the signs are there. One can see she is pregnant long before the birth pains start. ( conclusion of system).  Later the birth pains start to intensify severely (problems intensify - great tribulation) and then the birth/end.
We know the signs are here on earth that Jesus has been ruling amidst his enemies since 1914.   We expect the conditions to severely intensify before the end.

To use the illustration of the woman who is pregnant. There is no doubt she is pregnant because the signs are there. One can see she is pregnant long before the birth pains start. ( conclusion of system).  Later the birth pains start to intensify severely (problems intensify - great tribulation) and then the birth/end.
We know the signs are here on earth that Jesus has been ruling amidst his enemies since 1914.   We expect the conditions to severely intensify before the end.

To use the illustration of the woman who is pregnant. There is no doubt she is pregnant because the signs are there. One can see she is pregnant long before the birth pains start. ( conclusion of system).  Later the birth pains start to intensify severely (problems intensify - great tribulation) and then the birth/end.
We know the signs are here on earth that Jesus has been ruling amidst his enemies since 1914.   We expect the conditions to severely intensify before the end.

It is so easy to "whitewash" any reasonings.  This is why I am careful.  I recall Jesus calling the Pharisees out on their "teachings of men"..... By this time the Greek way of reasoning had infiltrated the Sanhedrin.  With the building of gymnasiums in the Decapolis and the appointment of non-Levites into the Sanhedrin.  Human reasoning had allowed the Jews to steer away from the Torah and start to teach " teachings of men".  These non-Levites and power-happy individuals were behind the rejection of Jesus.

Yea, I was in the Organization in 1975 (was baptized 1973) and while brothers and sisters were speculating about it all the time in private I never heard it mentioned on the platform and I did not see it in important books we were studying.  Many were thinking that the day of "rest" would start (1000 reign). 
 

Some people here think we are not worthy 'sparring' partners.  I studied all this years ago- I can give you the date of the Fall of Nineveh 612 BCE after the fall of Ashur without looking it up on the internet.
As I said before, the secular dates are not set in stone because the Assyrian dates are set to correlate with Egyptian dates. The dynasty of Babylon FOLLOWED the Assyrian kings who controlled the region before the Babylonians and hence the Babylonian dates have to follow on the Assyrian dates .....and their dates are not 100% accurate - it is only Archeologist opinions. ..... so people on this forum  are continually referring to dates that are in line with current secular thought which are NOT 100% accurate no matter how hard you insist on it.
If you are an engineer and you look for the root cause of the problem one does not go searching around the middle - one works back from where the problem started.  I satisfied myself a long time ago that the organization has it right (give a year or two)...... because the ULTIMATE proof after all is in the signs on the ground - in 1914.  NO ONE CAN SPAR ABOUT A BETTER DATE THAN 1914 ON THE GROUND!  So what is the use of 'sparring' about any other SECULAR dates for the fall of Babylon when it brings you to a date in our time when NOTHING significant happened on the ground after 1914, until WW2 - and WW2 was a continuation of what happened in WW1.
It is just an exercise of self gratification and having someone to 'spar' with because some people spar with the 'slave' all the time!
The Babylonians went into exile for 70 years because they did not observe the Sabbath years in which the land was to lay fallow - for no other reasons- we all know that.
 

In Western countries it is easier to have your own opinion and just get on with life because you will not pose a threat to anyone else's spirituality in the congregation.  Since we have one family in the entire world we must take care not to stumble others. It is our duty to be responsible towards others and use our words only in an upbuilding way. The "idea" for the discussion is not the problem - it is the underlying attitude behind the promotion of a new idea that can become the problem
Satan started in this way - promoted a new idea..... and it just happened to be a treasonous one.  We all like to think we are intellectual and smart and we like to give ourselves the "permission" to discuss intellectually with others a subject -  but it is mainly to satisfy a selfish desire.
I happen to have lived in Africa 45 years..... I understand that elders have to be vigilant to new ideas that may be corrupting.  Education is often limited and tribal ideas still flourish..... politics and tribal issues easily influence people.  I now again heard of brothers that were reproved......because they do not "see" the implications of what they do.  I  now also work in Middle Eastern communities which is the total opposite.  To say something against Mohammad is treason and punishable by death.
We have a much more reasonable approach - to allow free thought but to be watchful for spreading of contentious ideas. 
Sadly, I have lost some friends and a family member to apostasy.....I know the signs and the pattern of behavior.   It usually starts with a 'brilliant new way of looking at a subject....... then the person becomes totally obsessive about it..... then the person tries to have others agree with them and the strange thing is - they do not stop ...... they go on and on......they cannot help themselves....there is an uncanny obsessiveness about it.........then they turn nasty against the "slave" when they are called in and reproved... and then become a rebel against authority in the organization and then some go on to extend their activities into activism to the point where they malign the "slave" and  organization.
I have seen on these pages here that the 70 years in captivity was questioned;  I have seen on these pages that a date (607 BCE) was questioned (while I gave very good reasons why it is a valid date for the beginning of the trampling by the nations);  I have seen the 1914 was questioned and the Parousia.....  I can go on and on....You see - when one does not accept the one idea - then it leads to so many other things that are not accepted and "questioned".
I have seen the "OCD"  which is so strong that a person will spend hours and hours of their life to just focus on this "one" subject and basically cannot go on with other activities  - like being an active part of the congregation and spend much time in preaching This to me is a "flag" that all is not "kosher" - I do not care how open minded and spiritual you say you are. - this is a flag  I know the spreading of new "ideas" and the compulsion which drives it.
As I said before ...... If you do not believe that Jesus is ruling invisible in heaven now and he started ruling in 1914.  What are you doing in this organization?  because you cannot be trusted to go out in field service and teach the truth in an "unhypocritical " way.   I would not trust such a one - and I am not and elder and never will be.  
So, I can only say - the new way of looking at these dates is not the problem to me - it is the obsessiveness with it - which is.  It is as though this drives the person and all his social contacts....to this point of discussion. And what better place can one find than a forum like this?
 

Who is the slave.... to give food at proper time.  You either believe they are the appointed slave to give food at proper time or you don't.  Simple.  Your words and actions will prove what you think....One must be prepared to step back and let your opinions take second place.
As someone said earlier - if interpretation were given to everyone - we would have 8 million different interpretations wouldn't we? As each person thinks they can serve better and have more of Jehovah's Spirit to interpret what they find.  Our final test (I think) will come when the slave is attacked in a most vicious way and false information spread about them to deceive and take Witnesses away from our most basic beliefs such as not voting, neutrality etc.
I also think there is a difference  between having confidence/trust in Jehovah and his abilities to lead; and personal humility.  I think that very few people work on the teaching of Christ that we should lessen ourselves and be prepared to suffer for it as he did. Most Witnesses need to work on this.  Moses had to spend 40 years of his life with SHEEP!  Intellectual pursuit ?  Naa....  he had to learn to trust Jehovah completely.   Then only - was he ready to lead Jehovah's people in true humility of spirit.  All that fancy education in Pharaoh's palace was useless. Joseph spent 13 years in a prison.... (he really had to trust in Jehovah -  I would have given up by year 3)..... Must have been pretty nasty in there.  No human rights.... etc.
I wanted to mention that if the Sumerian chronology is out - then you start at a very rocky basis for the other dynasties which come after.... and some of them overlapped and ran simultaneously. Perfect clarity and "absolute" is not the words I would use to describe the DATES for these dynasties.... Very skeptical....
I mentioned my book to demonstrate that it is not important what we achieve in this world.....  at present I am too busy in the field in any case..... but that we sometimes have to step back and be happy with being a no-body and not achieving anything of great significance!  I have lost all ambition regarding this world and since I did that I am extremely happy!   I was raised in an extremely ambitious family and it took a long time to get rid of this trait.  Like a jack-in-the box- it jumps out sometimes and I have to push it back in.  One can even be ambitious in the truth - to stand out....... all of us should investigate ourselves to see if that spark of putting ourselves in front and grudging others a place in the sun is still part of our personality.  I do not count my value in how many people I helped get in the truth, how many studies at one time, and how many seeds I sowed.....  I just keep at the job and wait on Jehovah.... and the peace it brings is so uncluttered!
If all of us had a waiting attitude (while doing what Jehovah requires from us) most things usually sorts itself out.... and there are always adjustments in the teachings to help us stay faithful to Jehovah...... is this not after all the main goal of all of us? ..... to stay faithful?
 
 

I just want to know what "Bigly" world events happened in 1925 which outweighs 1914.... ... or any other date for that matter.  Any date which brought forth the world changing events of 1914.  Please help me out here!  You can change the date to whatever date you like with astounding reasonings and many quoted scriptures etc...... but I want to see the evidence on the ground!... and it must be really more significant than the events in and from 1914.  I am prepared to look at something I feel is really credible - otherwise you do not deserve  my attention!
Also - how much time is spent in teaching others about the Kingdom as instructed by Jesus.  This is our obligation.  We can spend all day in searching the scriptures and when we do not DO what Jesus said - all is in vain.  Our obedience is more important than knowledge because knowledge can puff us up and make us lose focus of bringing praise to Jehovah and warning  and informing our fellow humans on earth.  The attention of the focus can be ourselves if we indulge our own pleasures too much - whatever it is.
As you possibly may know my first language is not English and when I write fast I sometimes fail to check my sentences and my language... ..  I realize I am at a little disadvantage here! LOL  I am going to bow out gracefully now.  I have much preparation to do and I have been rushing in and out to return visits today..... so singing off in Sweden!
Good night.

I think you keep on trying to prove you are right because you are not happy with what you have in the truth.  Why spend hours trying to get someone to agree with you.  What is the purpose of it?   If hypothetically I agree with you - then what will the next step be for us?  We go and make our own happy little group separate from other Witnesses - and pat ourselves on the back that we are smarter than the slave? or what?
It has nothing to do with being smart or scholarly or even being RIGHT - it has to do with recognizing Jehovah and the channel he is using to preach the Kingdom as the only hope for mankind.  I honestly believe that we must have Jehovah's spirit to stay connected with Him and stay in the truth.  I have enough knowledge of other history to firmly believe that WW1 was a major change in world affairs and that the year 537BCE is a reasonably good year (take a year of two) for the building work to restart in Jerusalem......and this will easily bring the date of Jerusalem's fall to 607 (70 years in Babylon ) - which makes 1914 not a mirage at all! 
And the other arguments that Jehovah will not use a wicked king and his 7 periods of madness as a symbol of the inhumane nations ruling the earth until Jesus kingdom starts to rule does not tread water at all.  Jehovah used prophets whose wives were unfaithful to illustrate the situation that his people were in..... Yes I have seen the things you took a lot of time to write and I honestly do not think it is worth my time to reply because  think that you are determined to promote your own way of thinking......  
It so happens that I do not agree with you.  In your mind you are the expert on this.   So be the expert and where will it get you? You need to serve Jehovah together with his servants or stay behind.  You need to be actively helping others to come closer to Jehovah - but with this expert fault finding scholarship you will not have enough time or enough of Jehovah's spirit to do this.
I learnt Jehovah's name, the fact that the immortality of the soul is a lie from satan, that Jesus really died for me (soul died) and that Jesus is not God - I learnt all from the Witnesses.  There is no other religion which stands up for the vindication of Jehovah's name like the slave does.  In fact our persecution will start because we proclaim this name and took it for ourselves to be identified by...
Most churches accept the name Jesus but not Jehovah's name.  Even Muslims accept a form of Jesus.... so this should tell you to appreciate the fact that Jehovah in his graciousness allowed both of us to be part of this group of people. ..... While it is good to investigate what you believe so you can stay strong - one should not go beyond/ or brazenly go ahead - where is the unity in that?  I have on occasion not agreed with small things and later came to this conclusion:-  it sorts itself out......  The really important stuff is all there and is understood....
I started writing a book about the intrinsic  LOGIC of the Bible and how everything fits in perfectly - a few years back and decided to stop..... because I decided that I do not want to be competition for the slave..... Jehovah gave them the job to advertise the kingdom.... and I will not use what I learnt from the organization (even if I have a lot of my own ideas - to make money for myself.   I may later finish it and ask them if I can publish..... and if they do not like  ..... it is OK with me.  I am participating in the greatest work on earth - to teach others about Jehovah. 
There is a thin line which one can overstep.  Think of Adam and Eve - it was a very simple test...... and such a small thing.... which actually shows the level of obedience and cooperation which Jehovah really expects from us.  This is why the bible shows we must be in unity and in cooperation when he finds us.....  We can use our powers to sow discord and doubt..... which is not the way Jehovah wants us to be.  We must be slaves...... of others ....not scholars.  Jesus knew all the knowledge there is all to know in heaven and on earth but not once did he show that he knows more than other people.  He stayed lowly until his death. We all - me included - can learn from this! for sure!

Yes, soy milk is deadly - even for women.  The latest health craze..... but the lectins are very bad apart from the female hormones. The only soy which is acceptable is fermented soy.

Too much hormones, plastics and poisons in our food. All imitate female hormones and disrupt enzyme functions.  Read recently that the sperm count has gone down so drastically that our survival in future will be threatened if it goes down at the same rate as present...... 
Humans are messing up this earth and its sensitive balance for sure! Jehovah will have to step in ..... soon!

India was raped by the British empire.  As all great European civilizations did in the past, they had "colonies' all over the world. They stripped them of their wealth while they made themselves the upper class and the natives of the land the lower class in their own country. No wonder the Bible refers to them in prophecy as the little horn who speaks grandiose things!
Gandhi followed the idea of "peaceful resistance".  He used to read the new testament while in Africa and actually said his famous words to this effect:-  if everyone followed the teachings of Christ there would be no war on earth.  Many Hindus were killed in the peaceful demonstrations / resistance because they were just mowed down by the British..... but as the word got out in the media and world - it brought shame to the British and they decided to leave.
Gandhi was disappointed that Indians could not all live together - he wanted to keep one country, but later, with the violence between Muslims and Hindus and a call for separation, he conceded to a split of the country into India and Pakistan.
These two religions still hate each other.  At present there is a far right government in India which declared the 'Hindu culture' the dominant culture of the land (and Immediately an Al Qaida branch opened up which has perpetrated many crimes against Hindus.)  Islam considers itself superior to Hindus who are called "polytheists" in the Qur'an, deserving of death.
Christians are regularly (almost daily) killed by intolerance in Pakistan - and it is not really covered in the western media. If you do not like a Christian neighbor it is easy:-  You accuse them of blasphemy against Mohammad - saying something against Mohammad or of burning a page of the Qur'an - and the entire village comes out to stone you.  The blasphemy laws in Pakistan are very strict and hence the government does not follow up if people stone of kill someone in the name of blasphemy. School children are also targeted.  They often abduct Christian girls - rape them and marry them to make them Muslim. 
This is the world we are living in..... and things are escalating.... religious hatred and intolerance is everywhere. Hindus are also becoming "nationalistic" about their religion - teaching their children to fight for Hinduism.  So things can only get worse - not better.
Thanks to Jehovah - we are taught to be truly neutral and we are activists only when it comes to the proclamation of Jehovah's kingdom.  We have brothers in both countries - I am sure!

It is so easy to "whitewash" any reasonings.  This is why I am careful.  I recall Jesus calling the Pharisees out on their "teachings of men"..... By this time the Greek way of reasoning had infiltrated the Sanhedrin.  With the building of gymnasiums in the Decapolis and the appointment of non-Levites into the Sanhedrin.  Human reasoning had allowed the Jews to steer away from the Torah and start to teach " teachings of men".  These non-Levites and power-happy individuals were behind the rejection of Jesus.

India was raped by the British empire.  As all great European civilizations did in the past, they had "colonies' all over the world. They stripped them of their wealth while they made themselves the upper class and the natives of the land the lower class in their own country. No wonder the Bible refers to them in prophecy as the little horn who speaks grandiose things!
Gandhi followed the idea of "peaceful resistance".  He used to read the new testament while in Africa and actually said his famous words to this effect:-  if everyone followed the teachings of Christ there would be no war on earth.  Many Hindus were killed in the peaceful demonstrations / resistance because they were just mowed down by the British..... but as the word got out in the media and world - it brought shame to the British and they decided to leave.
Gandhi was disappointed that Indians could not all live together - he wanted to keep one country, but later, with the violence between Muslims and Hindus and a call for separation, he conceded to a split of the country into India and Pakistan.
These two religions still hate each other.  At present there is a far right government in India which declared the 'Hindu culture' the dominant culture of the land (and Immediately an Al Qaida branch opened up which has perpetrated many crimes against Hindus.)  Islam considers itself superior to Hindus who are called "polytheists" in the Qur'an, deserving of death.
Christians are regularly (almost daily) killed by intolerance in Pakistan - and it is not really covered in the western media. If you do not like a Christian neighbor it is easy:-  You accuse them of blasphemy against Mohammad - saying something against Mohammad or of burning a page of the Qur'an - and the entire village comes out to stone you.  The blasphemy laws in Pakistan are very strict and hence the government does not follow up if people stone of kill someone in the name of blasphemy. School children are also targeted.  They often abduct Christian girls - rape them and marry them to make them Muslim. 
This is the world we are living in..... and things are escalating.... religious hatred and intolerance is everywhere. Hindus are also becoming "nationalistic" about their religion - teaching their children to fight for Hinduism.  So things can only get worse - not better.
Thanks to Jehovah - we are taught to be truly neutral and we are activists only when it comes to the proclamation of Jehovah's kingdom.  We have brothers in both countries - I am sure!

They will be able to spy on the west while their own systems are impenetrable and their weapons systems and banking systems will also be independent and safe.  So they can hack and do criminal business in the west as they see fit.  Russia has the same agenda.

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Yea, I was in the Organization in 1975 (was baptized 1973) and while brothers and sisters were speculating about it all the time in private I never heard it mentioned on the platform and I did not see it in important books we were studying.  Many were thinking that the day of "rest" would start (1000 reign). 
 

Absolutely. Revisionists try to redefine WWI as just "one of those things." The eventual next step will be to redefine the last days. ISIS attacks, North Korea, sexbots programmed to 'rape,' gender-hopping, addictive drug pandemics, and universal FAKE NEWS will all be just "another one of those things."

Some people here think we are not worthy 'sparring' partners.  I studied all this years ago- I can give you the date of the Fall of Nineveh 612 BCE after the fall of Ashur without looking it up on the internet.
As I said before, the secular dates are not set in stone because the Assyrian dates are set to correlate with Egyptian dates. The dynasty of Babylon FOLLOWED the Assyrian kings who controlled the region before the Babylonians and hence the Babylonian dates have to follow on the Assyrian dates .....and their dates are not 100% accurate - it is only Archeologist opinions. ..... so people on this forum  are continually referring to dates that are in line with current secular thought which are NOT 100% accurate no matter how hard you insist on it.
If you are an engineer and you look for the root cause of the problem one does not go searching around the middle - one works back from where the problem started.  I satisfied myself a long time ago that the organization has it right (give a year or two)...... because the ULTIMATE proof after all is in the signs on the ground - in 1914.  NO ONE CAN SPAR ABOUT A BETTER DATE THAN 1914 ON THE GROUND!  So what is the use of 'sparring' about any other SECULAR dates for the fall of Babylon when it brings you to a date in our time when NOTHING significant happened on the ground after 1914, until WW2 - and WW2 was a continuation of what happened in WW1.
It is just an exercise of self gratification and having someone to 'spar' with because some people spar with the 'slave' all the time!
The Babylonians went into exile for 70 years because they did not observe the Sabbath years in which the land was to lay fallow - for no other reasons- we all know that.
 

In Western countries it is easier to have your own opinion and just get on with life because you will not pose a threat to anyone else's spirituality in the congregation.  Since we have one family in the entire world we must take care not to stumble others. It is our duty to be responsible towards others and use our words only in an upbuilding way. The "idea" for the discussion is not the problem - it is the underlying attitude behind the promotion of a new idea that can become the problem
Satan started in this way - promoted a new idea..... and it just happened to be a treasonous one.  We all like to think we are intellectual and smart and we like to give ourselves the "permission" to discuss intellectually with others a subject -  but it is mainly to satisfy a selfish desire.
I happen to have lived in Africa 45 years..... I understand that elders have to be vigilant to new ideas that may be corrupting.  Education is often limited and tribal ideas still flourish..... politics and tribal issues easily influence people.  I now again heard of brothers that were reproved......because they do not "see" the implications of what they do.  I  now also work in Middle Eastern communities which is the total opposite.  To say something against Mohammad is treason and punishable by death.
We have a much more reasonable approach - to allow free thought but to be watchful for spreading of contentious ideas. 
Sadly, I have lost some friends and a family member to apostasy.....I know the signs and the pattern of behavior.   It usually starts with a 'brilliant new way of looking at a subject....... then the person becomes totally obsessive about it..... then the person tries to have others agree with them and the strange thing is - they do not stop ...... they go on and on......they cannot help themselves....there is an uncanny obsessiveness about it.........then they turn nasty against the "slave" when they are called in and reproved... and then become a rebel against authority in the organization and then some go on to extend their activities into activism to the point where they malign the "slave" and  organization.
I have seen on these pages here that the 70 years in captivity was questioned;  I have seen on these pages that a date (607 BCE) was questioned (while I gave very good reasons why it is a valid date for the beginning of the trampling by the nations);  I have seen the 1914 was questioned and the Parousia.....  I can go on and on....You see - when one does not accept the one idea - then it leads to so many other things that are not accepted and "questioned".
I have seen the "OCD"  which is so strong that a person will spend hours and hours of their life to just focus on this "one" subject and basically cannot go on with other activities  - like being an active part of the congregation and spend much time in preaching This to me is a "flag" that all is not "kosher" - I do not care how open minded and spiritual you say you are. - this is a flag  I know the spreading of new "ideas" and the compulsion which drives it.
As I said before ...... If you do not believe that Jesus is ruling invisible in heaven now and he started ruling in 1914.  What are you doing in this organization?  because you cannot be trusted to go out in field service and teach the truth in an "unhypocritical " way.   I would not trust such a one - and I am not and elder and never will be.  
So, I can only say - the new way of looking at these dates is not the problem to me - it is the obsessiveness with it - which is.  It is as though this drives the person and all his social contacts....to this point of discussion. And what better place can one find than a forum like this?
 

Who is the slave.... to give food at proper time.  You either believe they are the appointed slave to give food at proper time or you don't.  Simple.  Your words and actions will prove what you think....One must be prepared to step back and let your opinions take second place.
As someone said earlier - if interpretation were given to everyone - we would have 8 million different interpretations wouldn't we? As each person thinks they can serve better and have more of Jehovah's Spirit to interpret what they find.  Our final test (I think) will come when the slave is attacked in a most vicious way and false information spread about them to deceive and take Witnesses away from our most basic beliefs such as not voting, neutrality etc.
I also think there is a difference  between having confidence/trust in Jehovah and his abilities to lead; and personal humility.  I think that very few people work on the teaching of Christ that we should lessen ourselves and be prepared to suffer for it as he did. Most Witnesses need to work on this.  Moses had to spend 40 years of his life with SHEEP!  Intellectual pursuit ?  Naa....  he had to learn to trust Jehovah completely.   Then only - was he ready to lead Jehovah's people in true humility of spirit.  All that fancy education in Pharaoh's palace was useless. Joseph spent 13 years in a prison.... (he really had to trust in Jehovah -  I would have given up by year 3)..... Must have been pretty nasty in there.  No human rights.... etc.
I wanted to mention that if the Sumerian chronology is out - then you start at a very rocky basis for the other dynasties which come after.... and some of them overlapped and ran simultaneously. Perfect clarity and "absolute" is not the words I would use to describe the DATES for these dynasties.... Very skeptical....
I mentioned my book to demonstrate that it is not important what we achieve in this world.....  at present I am too busy in the field in any case..... but that we sometimes have to step back and be happy with being a no-body and not achieving anything of great significance!  I have lost all ambition regarding this world and since I did that I am extremely happy!   I was raised in an extremely ambitious family and it took a long time to get rid of this trait.  Like a jack-in-the box- it jumps out sometimes and I have to push it back in.  One can even be ambitious in the truth - to stand out....... all of us should investigate ourselves to see if that spark of putting ourselves in front and grudging others a place in the sun is still part of our personality.  I do not count my value in how many people I helped get in the truth, how many studies at one time, and how many seeds I sowed.....  I just keep at the job and wait on Jehovah.... and the peace it brings is so uncluttered!
If all of us had a waiting attitude (while doing what Jehovah requires from us) most things usually sorts itself out.... and there are always adjustments in the teachings to help us stay faithful to Jehovah...... is this not after all the main goal of all of us? ..... to stay faithful?