Melinda Mills

Dogs were ceremonially unclean animals and not likely to have been pets in Jewish homes.  They were wild carnivorous animals.  Job a non-Jew had flocks of dogs, but none are mentioned among Jewish shepherds.
Look it it in the Insight Book.  
Paul was from Jewish background, so his customs would have been Jewish, although later he came to embrace all nations of men.  It would be unlikely that Paul would have been accompanied by something revolting to the Jews.  He had enough problems already and a dog accompanying him would not have helped. 
Interesting, but not particularly beneficial to pursue this.

I seconded this.
That being said, if Paul did have a dog, or a number of dogs, the likelihood of him being attacked while preaching the gospel would be reduce.

Dogs were ceremonially unclean animals and not likely to have been pets in Jewish homes.  They were wild carnivorous animals.  Job a non-Jew had flocks of dogs, but none are mentioned among Jewish shepherds.
Look it it in the Insight Book.  
Paul was from Jewish background, so his customs would have been Jewish, although later he came to embrace all nations of men.  It would be unlikely that Paul would have been accompanied by something revolting to the Jews.  He had enough problems already and a dog accompanying him would not have helped. 
Interesting, but not particularly beneficial to pursue this.

Dogs were ceremonially unclean animals and not likely to have been pets in Jewish homes.  They were wild carnivorous animals.  Job a non-Jew had flocks of dogs, but none are mentioned among Jewish shepherds.
Look it it in the Insight Book.  
Paul was from Jewish background, so his customs would have been Jewish, although later he came to embrace all nations of men.  It would be unlikely that Paul would have been accompanied by something revolting to the Jews.  He had enough problems already and a dog accompanying him would not have helped. 
Interesting, but not particularly beneficial to pursue this.

but it still qualifies me to be premier spokesperson for those who don’t like Jehovah’s Witnesses.

People invariably relate experiences both good and bad.
If you happen to have been in the same room as the event being reported, you have greater credibility with yourself if you agree with the judgment that it's "good" or "bad" because you were present.
Of course this doesn't mean that your judgment is correct. A third person or even a fourth of fifth person might disagree.
Eyewitness testimony isn't very good. This is why the police interview everyone they can when investigating a crime. No one expects the testimony to be consistent or correct.
It's more like plotting points on a graph. The more points plotted, the more likely you have an accurate picture of a given graphed function.
On the other hand it's important that the eyewitnesses not have time to rehearse their testimony or time to synchronize their testimony with those of others.
Actual footage of an event from multiple angles is best and if you can also get audio that adds value.
A person's attitude, their previous experiences and the things they believe to be true and righteous vary and this is true even among Jehovah's Witnesses.
Now on the synchronization side of things we can see that people quite naturally seek out others who see things the way they do and are not particularly pleased if there isn't agreement.
I see the grumbling lot not as liars, but as those who as a result of various factors has chosen to play a different movie of the annoying events in their lives and with a different music track to these events.
I remember reading in a book somewhere that in a relationship the more things you have in common (as long as these are positive things) the better. I'm talking about a value system as well more importantly. But, they countered that having identical values isn't sufficient as it needs to be determined how these values rank in relation to each other. In a scarce or competing resource situation, how will these things be prioritized?
Some people are more "feelings" oriented and if something doesn't feel right, even if it is right it isn't enough for them and this is why you have to dig deep and see what it is in your own mind (because we all have feelings) that feels right or doesn't feel right and really figure out why.

All I can say it that we must love the people; keep honing your skills, as we are being taught at the meetings. Use the telephone and any other safe methods to reach more people.  When I was in Trinidad an old Chinese sister who was a pioneer (she died a couple of years ago) would say: " God is not going to kill any sheep.  So if you want the end to come keep preaching."  Jesus also used to say: "The good news of the Kingdom has to be preached first." The owner of the symbolic vineyard is Jehovah God, and jointly his Son, Jesus.  They are the ones that know when it will have been preached sufficiently.
I will also again add what Jesus said in Acts 1:7, below:
*** Bible Citations ***
6 So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7 He said to them: “It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction. 8 But you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all Ju·deʹa and Sa·marʹi·a, and to the most distant part of the earth.” 9 After he had said these things, while they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from their sight. 
Also what he said at Matthew 24:36-42
36 “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. 38 For as they were in those days before the Flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 and they took no note until the Flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. 41 Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. 42 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. "
As Rook would say: " It is crystal clear", we are not going to know when the end will come.  Jesus warned us that he will come at an hour that "YOU" (meaning his disciples/true Christians) do not think to be it.  And we know already why he is not going to say.
 

 

Nice play. Not convincing though.  God did tell him to go subduing in the midst of his enemies (competing kings for world domination). However, God is not the cause of the future conditions that were shown on earth, which have started to be fulfilled around World War I.   
When you read Revelation 12: 7-12 you will see that  as a result of Jesus assuming Kingship he ousted Satan from the heavens (verse 7)  and as a result Satan confines his attention to the earth and the resulting woes come about. It says at verse 12: "On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time".   Go back to Genesis 3:15 and see that Jesus is the one assigned by God to fix the problem started by rebellion in the Garden of Eden.  He is the Seed or Offspring that will crush the great Serpent, Satan in the head.
His ride started by removing Satan and turning his attention to the earth.  He promised when he went away to be with his disciples. The good news of the Kingdom is being preached since the late 19th Century; now being done in over 240 lands and islands of the sea. Don't forget all the court victories establishing the right to preach and assemble that were won by his people over these years. He has many Kingdom interests here on earth which he is overseeing. "All authority has been given me in heaven and in earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.  And, look!  I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things".
How is he going to have disciples and future subjects of his Kingdom, if God is going to ask him to kill them with a pandemic.  Tell me.
And how is he going to help people to avoid destruction and inherit the new heavens  (heavenly government) and new earth (earthly society)  if he is not going to save them now by being patient with them so they can hear the good news and repent. Tell me.
2 Peter 3:9-15: " 9 Jehovah is now slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. 10 But Jehovah's day will come as a thief,  in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.  11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, 12  as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense hear.  13  But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise and in these righteousness is to dwell.... 14 Further, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also write you according to the wisdom given him."
How could this sound like a person who wants to kill people with a pandemic!  Is God you friend?
I rest my case.
 

'Thy shall not steal' comes to mind.  Your perspective (above) is totally one-sided and bias.  You do not understand law and the application of true justice.
The organization has asked Jehovah's witnesses not to put this online.  It is not their personal content to use as they please. Simply put - it does not belong to them. Most JWs comply unless they want to make some money off of other peoples hard work. 
They are setting a precedent because anyone can go on to combine disrespecting pictures with the songs and our other content and do what they like.  This is like the tabloid newspapers in England and tabloid TV stations in USA who lie about people and use other peoples lives to get clicks (clickbait) and make money though misleading headlines.
 It was just recently revealed how they misled and lied to Princess Diana to get that interview from her which led to the final divorce.  Tabloids know that court cases cost tooo much and do and say what they like about people and organizations.  Social media has become similar in its sleazy coverage of many subjects.
It is totally justified to protect your own content. It is there for the education and benefit of only the brothers and should be free for the brothers.  It was not created to provide freeloaders with a free income. 

I don't think I wish to be responsible for transporting people, for several reasons, so that would suit me, but I would like to see other members in person from time to time.

I don't think I wish to be responsible for transporting people, for several reasons, so that would suit me, but I would like to see other members in person from time to time.

I read recently that China was taking Christians into custody that were regularly using zoom. I think the platform will allow for this type of government abuse.  In the end it could make all of us more vulnerable.  I do not know what is the solution because the JW app has now been banned in Russia.  So a JW meeting app may not work either.   
I think we are reaching a time where we all will have to be ready to stand up for our faith and even go to "re-education camps"  for it..... it is this serious. 
I have also heard of kingdom halls that were successfully sold.  There is a boom in property sales now (a massive bubble)- so the GB will get some money to go on from selling properties.  They must sell while the boom lasts. Halls cost money to maintain with no-one using it.
Inflation is going up and the stock market and housing market is artificially high (just as before the great depression).  The dollar has lost so much of its value that the food prices will soon be shooting up.
We really are close to a great catastrophe.....  The central banks will soon replace the physical money with digital money and start a new fiat digital  currency to keep the world gong. They want to centrally control all of us.  The money you have in your bank and the house which is yours may be nationalized.  Gold and siver can be taken away and bitcoin may be illegal. When we do not comply to their moral standards (being Christians) our "universal income" will be cut off.  The hate towards Christians is growing.  We are not the same as other Christians ... but to them we are part of that category.
The GB are smart to let kingdom halls go as we can no longer physically meet.  The vaccination will not stop (more to come) as it gives them control over us.  It is the beginning of a series of vaccinations. People are starting to wake up to the manipulation going on but we are like helpless little birds in a trap - only Jehovah can remove us from it by some miracle.
The Ezekiel book we did 3 weeks ago reminded me of our situation now.  The city (world) in lockdown and a third dying of hunger and pestilence - the rest by the sword. Those fleeing will also be pursued.  Pretty grim picture but I think it is very possible for our time.
The final climax of the world where science and tech (human pride for what they can achieve)  is the new god. They will use it for oppression because they are imperfect and they are all atheist. 
Keep the faith, attend the meetings as long as possible and stay true to Jehovah. Do not get the mark of the beast (any identification as putting trust in any part of the world political system.)  Human institutions are now all corrupt and soon will be obsolete. 

ABOUT WHERE IT'S BEING HEARD...
@JW Insider has referred some comments for others. I have other sources as well. A Bethelite with many years at the world headquarters tells me that when they meet by chance some members of the G.B. half jokingly, half seriously, they comment aloud things like "how well the zoom meetings work, how well everything is working" or the like. I know that these brothers want the G.B. keep thinking that there is a new approach to celebrate meetings, that they consider it.
WEEKLY IN-HOUSE MEETINGS
The face-to-face meetings, held in a physical location, I see as absolutely essential. There are emotional, delicate and uplifting conversations that I myself cannot have with some brothers because I cannot touch or see them up close (perhaps things from my Mediterranean culture). This is only one of the negative effects of not having face-to-face meetings, among many others that could be cited. Now, where in the Bible does it say that there are to be one, two, or three weekly meetings? Do biblical principles prevent some of these meetings from being in an online format?
Real -positive- cases that are occurring due to the zoom meetings:
A brother who comes home late from work, often missed the meeting or was late, because it is not enough for him to just get home, he has to fix himself, go back to the K.H., park the car ... Now He says he's arriving, puts on his tie, and you're done!
Young couples with small children who used to return late from the meeting on weekdays. When he returned, it was his turn to feed the children and fix them for bed. Now he saves a lot of time.
Brothers who at the time of the meeting have some discomfort or another and do not see themselves with the strength to go to the meeting. Being less expensive (even if they look bad for health they turn off the video) they don't miss the zoom meeting at home.
Saving effort, time, money ... well, there would be more, but not to extend myself.
THE ASSEMBLIES
I think it is another anachronism: as Israel had three major annual conventions, so did we. As I have said before, many brothers attend the assembly and find out absolutely nothing: they take care of young children or relatives in poor health. They get up early every day to get ready and be at the assembly hall on time. They invest money in this process. Then you are asked to spend about 5 hours of attentive program, taking notes and everything.
The benefits of zoom assemblies have been impressive. We can listen, repeat the videos, absorb the information much better, save effort, money.
On the latter, thousands and thousands of brothers have invested hours of work for the preparations of the assemblies, or for the weekly care of the premises in the case of the assembly halls. Many of us have missed entire programs doing essential work for the operation of the program.
And isn't it nice that we see thousands of brothers in a beautiful assembly hall? Yes of course! That is why I say that, following the format of international assemblies, these face-to-face assemblies should be scheduled each year. Families and siblings whose personal and financial circumstances allow them to attend in a given year would simply sign up to attend. The rest would see the assembly at home, or in kingdom halls, in short, in zoom format, like last year.
THE PERSECUTION
The JWs believe that we will soon face a worldwide violent persecution that will affect our meetings (as now in Russia, but all over the world). Therefore, the ideal would be to continue having experience in this type of online format.
Well, I better not extend myself further. I don't know what you think. I'm sure that I left things in the pipeline, and I don't think I have the absolute truth, let me know!
 

I don't think I wish to be responsible for transporting people, for several reasons, so that would suit me, but I would like to see other members in person from time to time.

Me too. As I see my parents getting older, I see that the Zoom meetings work for them better than the telephone connection which they have used on occasion in the past.
We used to have a KH in the suburb where I live and we consolidated with another KH two towns north of here. No travel problems because it's only an extra 3 miles, and we traveled more than a mile as it was. But the decision included two factors. We could sell our local Hall for more money and use it to upgrade the other Hall, which is now central to 5 congregations (although it hasn't been used for months). The other reason for the decision is that the "new" Hall provides better "advertising" on a highly traveled street. The old Hall was nicer looking, but out of the way.
I think this is an important factor. I've mentioned before that a local "evangelical" church that bought an old synagogue nearby has turned it into something like a mega-church that draws literally three hundred cars twice on Saturday and twice on Sunday, which has started up again these last two months bigger than when they stopped last year for Covid-19. I don't know if these are different services for the same "congregation" or for multiple "congregations" but I'm guessing the latter. It also serves as a large food and charity distribution center since Covid-19. This provides them with a lot of easy "advertising" and I bet that's a reason for part of their growth.
Giving up the KH would be nearly impossible to imagine, and as it is, I think an entire community of two or three suburban towns would wonder what happened to us if that Hall disappeared.

I don't think I wish to be responsible for transporting people, for several reasons, so that would suit me, but I would like to see other members in person from time to time.

Interesting. I like Zoom meetings across the board for many reasons. But no KH? I can see KH and Zoom or some other video platform, but no KH from our end sounds a bit odd. Circumstantial imposition like Russia I can see as time goes on, but voluntarily? That would be a game changer.

My vision is that the G.B. Please note that the format that we have followed for decades is not the only one. I mean: since there were 3 big annual meetings in Israel, we had three big meetings -assemblies-.
Kissing, hugging, touching, "sniffing" us is biblical and appropriate. But during the week the meeting ends late, the children have to go to school early, they have to have dinner ... Well, why not the meeting during the week for zoom, and the face-to-face weekend, at the k.h.?
Large assemblies could be made voluntary. Brothers eager to meet others, to meet, to embrace, to take photos, to meet potential future spouses... These meetings could be prepared and voluntarily attended (as now international ones)
But those of us who want to listen, learn, those of us who do not have much money, or many children, or sick family members, and who attend an assembly lasting several days involves a great effort and small returns (in terms of learning), because we could have those assemblies in the zoom format, for several weekends, like lately.
It follows from the above that all assembly halls could be sold. Send home hundreds of brothers who are employed to support them. Save thousands of hours of volunteer work preparing assemblies worldwide, save money ...
To keep it short: we would use the best of both worlds. Face-to-face + zoom.
(Sometimes I ask Jehovah to "enlighten the C.G. on this - sure, but I suppose that many, many factors escape me ,,,)

As an aside, here, I keep hearing more talk that the WTS is transitioning to no more KH at all, just assembly halls and larger conventions perhaps. It's not just us, but churches, too, have spoken about the success they have had with Zoom in terms of attendance. I fear that it would be a losing decision about the KH's if this rumor is true, but attendance numbers on Zoom have normalized and even risen for some churches.
For us, I fear that less physical gathering would result in more drifting, too much video content, less local participation and enthusiasm. Even --dare I say it?-- more marriages to unbelieving mates!

27  So the slaves of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow fine seed in your field? How, then, does it have weeds?’ 28  He said to them, ‘An enemy, a man, did this.’y The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go out and collect them?’ 29  He said, ‘No, for fear that while collecting the weeds, you uproot the wheat with them. 30  Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest season, I will tell the reapers: First collect the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them up; then gather the wheat into my storehouse.’”z - Mt. 13:27-30
We're not angels, and we could imagine we're wheat when we could be a bit on the weedy side. So it strikes me that the garden one has a right and responsibility to "weed" is that of one's own heart.
Where groups and people go wrong is when these decide they need to engage in a bunch of weed whacking of someone or some group other than themselves.
As long as two or more are gathered in Jesus name he said "I'm in their midst". So we have to find a place where we can associate w/people whom we feel are supporting our own efforts at self-weeding. The problem may come (and it often does) when we decide we need to readjust other people on matters unclear at present, or engage in endless harping on past behaviors or expectations. Jesus said "sufficient for each day is its own badness".
 
18  “Now listen to the illustration of the man who sowed.q 19  Where anyone hears the word of the Kingdom but does not get the sense of it, the wicked one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; this is the one sown alongside the road.
 

Pretty much of it going into fulfillment right now!  What verses were you interested in?

Bravo! true! and be proud of it!

My grandchildren are coming over in a few minutes, so just finished a snowman.
A few people have already stopped to take a picture of it.
 

The Lord’s supper is the term used to describe an arrangement that Jesus instituted on the night of his betrayal. In brief, it consists of a Scriptural discussion, the giving of thanks and the partaking of bread and wine. Some refer to it as the Eucharist, because of Jesus’ “giving thanks” on that occasion. It is also referred to as the Communion and the Mass. Doubtless, the most fitting of all names for it is “the Lord’s evening meal.”—1 Cor. 11:20. - https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1959205

Yes. “While they were listening to these things, he told another illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear instantly.” Luke 19:11
No. Unrepentant wrongdoers would be expelled, as happens today.
Yes. “As they traveled on through the cities, they would deliver to them for observance the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and the elders who were in Jerusalem.” Acts 16:4