Melinda Mills

Oh, that means it takes the average publisher about 1825 years to help one person become a Jehovah's Witness.

I just had to post this for those who are easily offended by a word.  ?

Crazy stuff S. M.  You seem to do a lot of research and are full of unusual information. but  this one I find funny.
Of course it's not funny in a true sense, it is very serious. 
As for people not finding a real human partner, in some ways it is understandable. There are many reasons why one may wish to live life alone. If a person has lived alone for many years they may not wish to share all of their material possessions, or share their money, or their house. They may wish to be able to just come and go as they please without consulting a partner. They may not want any type of confrontation. They may wish to follow a special way of life, a religion maybe, that needs their full dedication. 
Being married has its own complications, and not everyone wants that. Even God's written word advises to stay single if we can cope with it.   

The sad reality is that the whole robots and doll used as sexual pleasure is going to cause problems, and those who mass produce such things know the demographic they are targeting, pretty much exploiting that community, for example, you have the Otaku community, of which I made mention of before. These people, majority being males are targets because those who make the robots and dolls cater to their liking when it comes to characters seen in Japanese culture, be it from video games or Manga (the equivalent to comic books), on the other side of the spectrum, outside of this community, you have those who seek a similar thing however beyond that of the culture of the Otaku community itself, therefore the including of body suits, pillows and a list of other things also being produce if one cannot get his or her hands on a robot or doll. The most appalling thing that comes from whole robot/doll points to something that you show yourself to be adamantly against strongly.
But that being said, sexual gratification to oneself,which also includes robots and or dolls is still, to the majority,  categorized in masturbation and pornography.
Another thing is that it is crazy how nowadays instead of seeking a real partner, people tend to seek robots, pillows, dolls, virtual partners (for example, someone marrying a video game character), inanimate objects such as a car or a toaster, etc. And speaking about Otakus, there are less and less people seeking mates in Japan, and or those who think little of getting into relationships while on the other side of the spectrum, you have some people trying to make Momoko-san their waifu and senpai.
A crazy world it is.
This is one of the things I refer to: https://kotaku.com/5409877/the-one-about-the-guy-who-married-a-video-game
The unnamed man is married to the character, Nene Anegasaki, which in this case, is his "[Mai]  Waifu". Even even got everything ready at a literal church, with people, for he was that serious.

It isn't hard to imagine the case with robots, if we have situations like this.

According to our understanding of the bible, humans were the ONLY beings created in God’s image. Adam and Eve were the only “perfect” creation and therefore the only beings immune from sickness and death. Animals were always subject to sickness, disease, and death, so Dino-cancer does not conflict with JW doctrine at all.

The problem with that is that sometimes in someone's eyes you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. And what someone calls being stumbled, someone else calls being strengthened, by exactly the same thing. I suppose it all boils down to attitude and :
Colossians  3:13
"Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely even if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Just as Jehovah freely forgave you, you must also do the same. 14  But besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union."
 

It is only inconvenient at the start for many of us. It just means a change of routine. Things we do later in the day because of the ministry, we can do earlier because of the ministry. There's no joy in collecting not homes. Change the order, and we will find more joy, and what was once inconvenient becomes today's must do!

I am not saying that the GB tell lies. It's very easy to get caught up in a style of speaking and writing as if we know we must be right and that only our current explanation is correct.
Doctrines are NOT promoted because a member of the GB (or Writing Dept) is thinking about whether a certain doctrine might be right or wrong, it's just that they have already accepted that it MUST be right because people before them presented it as if it must be right. If we are "puppets" that follow along without questioning, then so have been most members of the GB. They follow the persons who came before because they never saw a reason not to. If our doctrines are obviously correct about Trinity, Hellfire, Neutrality, New Earth, Preaching, God's Name, etc., then our more questionable doctrines (Blood, Chronology, Higher Education, etc) must also be absolutely right by default. The GB would have no more reason to question them than we would. What makes some doctrines finally get questioned and corrected is almost always the inability to answer a specific question about that doctrine that gets sent to the Society.
But sometimes such questions are TOO disturbing and will not be dealt with, except by looking for reasons to punish the person who asked, and I would have to admit that this reaction is very wrong. Unfortunately, this is how some humans have always reacted to those who would question established traditions.
On the other hand, it takes a lot of humility to make changes to long-established ("deeply entrenched") doctrines. It doesn't mean that we or they (GB) were lying when we accepted and promoted the former doctrines. We just weren't "making sure of all things." More and more changes of this nature have been made in the last 10 to 20 years, and they are tending to clear up many of the doctrinal inconsistencies.

I am sad. This is not just for the loss of this particular book, but also because it reminds me of the saddest episode in the history of Bethel (in my opinion, of course).
There are two books in my opinion that best managed to encapsulate the entire meaning of Christianity and our entire purpose as Jehovah's Witnesses.
Admittedly, I am somewhat of a critical reader and often find things that are easy to disagree with, at least slightly. Usually, it's when our publications make a statement that is not necessarily wrong, but could easily need to be updated in a future publication. This might be for any of the following reasons:
Some explanation was worded as if the meaning of a thing can only be understood in one specific way when in fact the Biblical evidence makes it clear that there are other possible meanings and our conclusion is really speculation. Or when a quote is used but it was misunderstood or misused by the writer. Or when a historical event is referred to as evidence of something when the event didn't really occur exactly as was stated. Or when a concept isn't actually explained or defined correctly. Or when examples are used that can easily become obsolete, out of date, and might later require a new explanation if trends change. Or when a specific date or chronological system is used without Biblical or secular support. (Our date might be correct in those cases, but since we sometimes make use of an alternate dating system without Biblical or secular support, I always feel that at least an explanation of our assumptions should be included, so people know why we give a different date from 99.9 percent of encyclopedias, for example.) But these two particular favorite books, I have always been able to read and re-read without ever noticing anything of the type that might have to be changed in the future. There are no explanations that state that something MUST mean this or that. They are simply full of general explanations of the words of James and Peter in the context of the original meaning to the first centuries C.E., and how these Biblical concepts might be applied to Christians in our era, too. They don't try to brag about our modern-day history. They don't try to prove things about topics that tend to need constant clarification. They are merely about ideas that strengthen our faith and love for Jehovah and Jesus. They always make me appreciate the true value of the Bible itself, and the way that our publications can emphasize the Bible instead of our organizational accomplishments. (There are several wonderful articles in the Watchtower that I love for the same reasons that I love these two books, but these books stand out from most of our other books in this regard.)
So, of course, the books are "Commentary on the Letter of James" and the "Commentary on the Letters of Peter" (which was finally named "Choosing the Best Way of Life"). The first was the only book study book that we didn't study at the Congregation Bible Study (the "Book Study"), although most of the book was reviewed in a series of 15-minute "Instruction Talks." It was supposed to be a "Book Study" book, but a decision was made to replace this 1979 book for the "Book Study" with "God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years - Has Approached" (which reviewed the Society's modern-day history under Russell and Rutherford). That was a 1973 book which we were to study for a second time.
This book "Commentary on the Letter of James" was not dropped because it's old. The Watchtower Library includes the books going back to 1971, and still includes 14 books that came out prior to this one. Even the obsolete "Word Government" book (1977), covering parts of Daniel, is still included. The 1973 "God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years" book had many errors already known about even in 1979, prior to the decision to study it again, and it's still available now. In fact, the "James Commentary" is the only one that has been dropped. I just checked the 2006 WT CD, the 2012, 2014 and 2015. They all still have it along with all the others from the 1970's that are still available now. It was even dropped from the online library at https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/lv/r1/lp-e/0/56220.  All the other books from the 1970's are still at wol.jw.org.
I didn't check exactly when it disappeared. You might still have had it on the 2016/17 WT Library "CD" download, but it could have been removed if you accepted the regular online update.

9  “You must pray, then, this way:“‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 
Depending on which Bible you chose, but basically it say the same thing. I think this shows what we would look forward to if we serve God properly. I for my part have no interest in going to heaven. 
And as S.M. says, God's original purpose was for mankind to live here on this planet Earth and that purpose will be fulfilled. 

Well, from the reports I have been getting back from "the other side" .... it could go either way, or not at all.
Soon enough ... perhaps too soon .... without exception, we will all know.

@Jack Ryan God's original purpose was for man to fill up the earth, and his purpose and will will be accomplished.

Question sent in to to me....
Answer: Yes. And usually only sisters attend them.

Therapy at the tutelage of Worldly mental health professionals has, in many cases, real and significant value.
My first wife Dale,  dead now since 1982, was born with Cystic Fibrosis, which is a horrible way to live, and a horrible way to die,  depended heavily on "therapy" to stay relatively functional ... but came to think that her therapist was the only solution to coping.
Perhaps he was.... perhaps not ... I never attended any sessions .. I was merely the chauffeur.
Different things work for different people, I suppose.
For me it was John Wayne Western Movies about characters that "went through hell", and shrugged it off.
That, and two years later, I bought a 1971 Corvette convertible with a 454 engine.
Worked for me!

? My heart breaks for anyone who has suffered abuse at the hands of a minister or anyone in authority abusing the trust that has been given to them. Soon the Prince of Peace will render justice to the earth. Amen!

It was only temporary, but it did cause people to freak out. Although when it id happen no warning was issued.
But hey, at least it gave people sometime to take a break.... or at least I thought when there is other forms of media present and video games left and right. There should be a day when everything shuts down for a good hour.

Ok. It appears to be back up now... Phew!  The world seemed to be holding their collective breath there for a moment....  

It is my understanding (?) that SEARS owns Discover Credit Card ... and that for more than 20 years the interest made from Sears Credit Cards, was more than their profits from retail sales.
If true, and perhaps someone knows different if not ... that is a very interesting evolution .

Source

New research in the USA shows that Jehovah's Witnesses who refuse blood transfusions recover from heart surgery faster and with fewer complications than those who have transfusions.
Patients who are Jehovah's Witnesses had better survival rates, shorter hospital stays, fewer additional operations for bleeding and spent fewer days in the intensive care unit than those who received blood trans­fusions during surgery, a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows.
Jehovah's Witnesses undergo extensive blood conservation before surgery, including red blood-cell boosting erythropoietin drugs, iron and B-complex vitamins to guard against anaemia. The practice offered a "unique natural experiment" for scientists to study the short and long-term effects of the blood management strategy and may point to ways to reduce need for transfusions, researchers said.
The study included 322 Jehovah's Witness patients and 87,453 other patients who underwent heart surgery at the Cleveland Clinic from 1983 to 2011. All Jehovah's Witness patients refused blood transfusions. In the other group, 38,467 did not receive transfusions while 48,986 did.
The authors wanted to look at the difference between patients who receive blood transfusions during surgery and Jehovah's Witness patients, who undergo strict blood conservation practices before, during and after surgery, Koch said.
While many patients do not have blood transfusions during and after heart surgery, they also do not undergo the same blood conservation practices that doctors use for Jehovah's Witness patients.
Jehovah's Witness patients had an 86 per cent chance of survival at five years and a 34 per cent chance of survival 20 years after surgery, compared with 74 per cent at five years and 23 per cent at 20 years for non-Jehovah's Witness patients who had transfusions.
https://www.secularism.org.uk/news/2012/07/refusal-of-blood-transfusions-by-jehovahs-witnesses-not-always-detrimental-research-finds?fbclid=IwAR2FqyNQ6S_ILvtLzBldwslGcpfBbvJQpk8kbbROMEMmyVsgMQDGMoZvgmU

In view of last weeks WT study "Do you have the facts" (August 2018, page 3) and thanks to @Gone Away for highlighting the following reports, I thought I would put this in a separate and concise topic to show an actual and recent example of misinformation.
NEWS REPORT: (I cut it a little short because the article went on about the ban in general. You van read the whole thing here: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/five-jehovah-s-witnesses-detained-in-russia-investigators-10812938)
MOSCOW: Five Jehovah's Witnesses have been detained in Russia and charged with possessing weapons and running an extremist group, investigators said Wednesday (Oct 10, 2018), in the latest case targeting the banned religious movement.
They were arrested in the Kirov region northeast of Moscow, where authorities said they found two grenades and a landmine in searches of their homes.
The Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian denomination that originated in the United States in the late 19th century.
The Russian authorities consider the movement a totalitarian sect and last year the country's supreme court banned the Jehovah's Witnesses from operating in Russia.
"They had been conducting meetings and called on others to join their organisation," Yevgenia Vorozhtsova, a spokeswoman for regional investigators, said.
She said officials were investigating how the members of the Jehovah's Witnesses had obtained the ammunition, but declined to provide further details.
Yaroslav Sivulskiy, a member of the European Association of Jehovah's Christian Witnesses, said it was the first time the Russian authorities had accused members of the movement of possessing ammunition.
"We were shocked," he said from the Latvian capital Riga. "It is both funny and strange. Why mines?"
One of those detained was a Polish national residing in Russia, he said.
 
THE FACTS: (here I took the liberty of slightly adjusting the translation by Google, so it made more sense)
On October 9, 2018, in the city of Kirov, during a search of the house of retired Vladimir Bogomolov, a collector of artifacts from the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), investigators seized fragments of obviously unusable rusty shells. The man was searched because his 69-year-old spouse (the only one of her entire family) professes the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. The woman does not share her husband's fascination with antiques. Thus, the report that the ammunition was seized allegedly from Jehovah's Witnesses is not true.
Jehovah's Witnesses do not take weapons for conscience reasons. For this position they appeared before tribunals of different countries and went to concentration camps. They will be grateful to the media for clarifying the misunderstanding .
Vladimir Bogomolov, from whom the relics were confiscated, was in the past an active participant in a search movement (aimed at burying the remains of the soldiers who died in World War II), he was the brigadier of the search party. The activities of his squad were written about in newspapers. On October 9, 2018, upon the discovery of the artifacts, a criminal case on the illegal possession of weapons was instituted, it was allocated in a separate proceeding. The items were sent for examination.
 Source: https://jw-russia.org/news
 
 

I believe it is new.
it's on the website

Pure Worship of Jehovah—Restored at Last! is the title of this book
 
 

Seems there must be. It's definitely not for everyone, despite it's availability:
2 Tim 3:16-17. "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness,  so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work."
Dan. 12:9-10. "Then he said: “Go, Daniel, because the words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the time of the end.  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.
Ps.25:14 "The intimacy with Jehovah belongs to those fearful of him, also his covenant, to cause them to know it"

Whether Jesus knows now or not he does not wish us to know.  Jehovah does not wish us to be skin savers. He wants genuine Christians who love Him and his Son. 
(Matthew 24:42-44) Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 On this account, you too prove yourselves ready, because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it.
Jesus has conquered the world and is dwelling in unapproachable light. No one can harm him. He has life in himself (immortality). He has nothing to worry about. It is we who have to prove ourselves faithful under death or to the end of this system, with serving Jehovah with eternity in view.
It is not unreasonable to believe that Jesus know the day/date of the end, as he has begun his ride to conquer all his enemies.  A person who goes on a journey usually has an idea of when he will reach his destination.  But that is for Jesus, not for us.   We have to prove our selves ready, always having oil in our lamps, doing the things commanded with a good motive.  Verse 44 above was addressed to Jesus' disciples and it said that  "the Son of man is coming at an hour that YOU do not think to be it."  So let us do the work willingly and with good motive and leave the end to Jehovah and Jesus.