Melinda Mills

That is why I often say we should retire the saying "religion is a snare and a racket". We should be ashamed of that kind of speech because it is not necessary. Actually, it is incorrect, because Jehovah's Witnesses say they are a legitimate religion, and should be respected as such. Therefore if religion is a snare and a racket, JWs would also be included in that. We have to take care with our words. And we should not highlight or resurrect ignorance. God has overlooked those times. Leave them in the past.

via TheWorldNewsOrgWorld News

YES....  and  I  was puzzling  why  not ?   Caleb  &  Sofia  is  a  total  other  theme !  LOL    / wrong  at  this  place  here...

I see that fire tornado was the piller of fire that kept away the Egyptians from the Israelites during the Exodus. Anyone agrees?

A  Fire  Tornado. These  are  not  exceptionally  rare,  just  rarely  documented. Mt. Conner  outback,  Australia...
NEVER  SEEN  IN  REAL !!

HOW WILL THIS WORLD COME TO AN END?-THE EVENTS TO COME SOON! - TIME FOR YOUR HOMEWORK! 
?☄️???☄️?
(1 Thessalonians 5:2-4) For YOU yourselves know quite well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. 3 Whenever it is that they are saying: “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape. 4 But YOU, brothers, YOU are not in darkness, so that that day should overtake YOU as it would thieves."
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(Revelation 17:16) And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire."
?☄️???☄️?
(Daniel 2:44-45) “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite; 45 forasmuch as you beheld that out of the mountain a stone was cut not by hands, and [that] it crushed the iron, the copper, the molded clay, the silver and the gold. The grand God himself has made known to the king what is to occur after this. And the dream is reliable, and the interpretation of it is trustworthy.”
?☄️???☄️?
(Ezekiel 38:2) “Son of man, set your face against Gog [of] the land of Ma′gog, the head chieftain of Me′shech and Tu′bal, and prophesy against him."
?☄️???☄️?
(Ezekiel 38:15-16) And you will certainly come from your place, from the remotest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great congregation, even a numerous military force. 16 And you will be bound to come up against my people Israel, like clouds to cover the land. In the final part of the days it will occur, and I shall certainly bring you against my land, for the purpose that the nations may know me when I sanctify myself in you before their eyes, O Gog.”’
?☄️???☄️?
(Ezekiel 38:23) And I shall certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah."
?☄️???☄️?
(Revelation 20:1-3) And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 And he hurled him into the abyss and shut [it] and sealed [it] over him, that he might not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After these things he must be let loose for a little while."
?☄️???☄️?
 
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2012681?q=how+this+world+come+to+an+end&p=par
 

Table of contents
Friday morning
No. 1 Chairman’s Address: We Must Not Give Up —Especially Now!
No. 2 Continue Preaching “Without Letup” (Symposium)—Informally
No. 3 Continue Preaching “Without Letup” (Symposium) —From House to House
No. 4 Continue Preaching “Without Letup” (Symposium)—Publicly
No. 5 Continue Preaching “Without Letup” (Symposium) —Making Disciples
DRAMATIC BIBLE READING: Jehovah Delivers His People
No. 7 Jehovah—The Greatest Example of Endurance
Friday afternoon
No. 8 Enduring Despite . . . (Symposium) —Unjust Treatment
No. 9 Enduring Despite . . . (Symposium) —Advancing Age
No. 10 Enduring Despite . . . (Symposium) —Our Own Imperfections
No. 11 Enduring Despite . . . (Symposium) —Humbling Experiences
No. 12 Enduring Despite . . . (Symposium) —Prolonged Illness
No. 13 Enduring Despite . . . (Symposium) —The Loss of a Loved One
No. 14 Enduring Despite . . . (Symposium) —Persecution
DRAMA: Remember the Wife of Lot—Part 1
No. 16 Cultivate Qualities That Promote Endurance (Symposium)—Faith
No. 17 Cultivate Qualities That Promote Endurance (Symposium) —Virtue
No. 18 Cultivate Qualities That Promote Endurance (Symposium) —Knowledge
No. 19 Cultivate Qualities That Promote Endurance (Symposium) —Self-Control
No. 20 How You Can “By No Means Ever Fail”
Saturday morning
No. 21 How Jehovah “Supplies Endurance and Comfort” to . . . (Symposium)—The Weak and Those Who Are Depressed
No. 22 How Jehovah “Supplies Endurance and Comfort” to . . . (Symposium)—Those in Material Need
No. 23 How Jehovah “Supplies Endurance and Comfort” to . . . (Symposium)—“The Fatherless”
No. 24 How Jehovah “Supplies Endurance and Comfort” to . . . (Symposium)—Older Ones
No. 25 Build a House That Will Endure (Symposium) —Be “Content With the Present Things”
No. 26 Build a House That Will Endure (Symposium) —Safeguard Your Children From “What Is Evil”
No. 27 Build a House That Will Endure (Symposium) —Train Your Children in ‘the Way They Should Go’
No. 28 BAPTISM: “Do Not Give In to Fear”!
Saturday afternoon
No. 29 Imitate “Those Who Have Endured” (Symposium)—Joseph
No. 30 Imitate “Those Who Have Endured” (Symposium)—Job
No. 31 Imitate “Those Who Have Endured” (Symposium) —Jephthah’s Daughter
No. 32 Imitate “Those Who Have Endured” (Symposium)—Jeremiah
DRAMA: Remember the Wife of Lot—Part 2
No. 34 Learn Endurance From Creation (Symposium) —Camels
No. 35 Learn Endurance From Creation (Symposium) —Alpine Trees
No. 36 Learn Endurance From Creation (Symposium) —Butterflies
No. 37 Learn Endurance From Creation (Symposium) —Arctic Terns
No. 38 Learn Endurance From Creation (Symposium) —Lapwings
No. 39 Learn Endurance From Creation (Symposium) —Acacia Trees
No. 40 Young Ones—Your Endurance Makes Jehovah Rejoice!
Sunday morning
No. 41 We Must “Run With Endurance” (Symposium) —Run to Win!
No. 42 We Must “Run With Endurance” (Symposium) —Train Diligently
No. 43 We Must “Run With Endurance” (Symposium) —Let Go of Unnecessary Burdens
No. 44 We Must “Run With Endurance” (Symposium) —Imitate Good Examples
No. 45 We Must “Run with Endurance” (Symposium) —Eat Nutritious Food
No. 46 We Must “Run With Endurance” (Symposium) —Drink Plenty of Water
No. 47 We Must “Run With Endurance” (Symposium) —Obey the Rules of the Contest
No. 48 We Must “Run With Endurance” (Symposium) —Be Confident of Gaining the Prize
No. 49 PUBLIC BIBLE DISCOURSE: Never Give Up Hope!
No. 50 Summary of The Watchtower
Sunday afternoon
DRAMA: Remember the Wife of Lot—Part 3
No. 52 “Keep in Expectation . . . It Will Not Be Late!”
Downloads:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwofxgrfEXucbFRfcUFYQ0J4SXM

If this is a reference to 607 (it is not JWI's fault if I do not do my homework), I think of the expression 'it is the victors that write history.' It is a political statement regarding world powers, but it applies to everything. Certainly, science is fraught with accounts of one view coming into vogue, and then crushing the opposition for as long as possible.
My understanding is that some scholarly type has written a defense of 607. That's all you need. Not one Witness teaching is the majority view today; should we insist this one must be? For all the hype about 'critical thinking' today, the pattern remains what it has always been; in fact, it intensifies: choose your belief (largely based on 'heart') then go find some 'experts' to back you up.
Will 1914 fall? If it does, it does. But I am far from burying it just yet. Nor do I feel I should encourage the GB to have the wisdom and courage to do whatever is right. If I drop dead tomorrow, they will do just fine.
 I have grown used to explaining that 'if the greatest war in history, the ONLY time until then that the entire world went to war at the same time (China & region excepted, as it was isolated at the time), AND if the greatest pestilence in history does not constitute fulfillment of Matt 24:7 and Luke 21:10, 11, what does? Vs 8 of Matt indicates it starts off with a bang, but continues for some time.
Will I have to change my tune on this?
On the vs 8 'you ain't seen nothin' yet' front, terrorist knife or vehicle attacks, unheard of not long ago, are now just 'one of those things.' The gay revolution took decades; whereas the transgendered revolution has taken mere months, and a 9 year old girl can be, on National Geographic, not just transgendered, but a transgendered activist. 'Fake news,' absolutely unheard of just 3 years ago, is now a staple of life, one more of many pitfalls to mess with us.
Perhaps 1914 will suffice to get us through to the end. Maybe that won't be so far off after all.

According to what I've seen, these are often for piercing.

He he he! By the way, I think the Librarian is on holiday again, otherwise surely she/he wouldn't be tolerating that sewer discussion between you and JTR, and the Rolex affair with me...

"This concludes this evening's performance of 'The 1914 Overture,' with Maestro Bruce Q conducting the Forum Orchestra and Chorale, with JTR acccompanying on the cymbals. Maestro Q brilliantly led the orchestra through a strident interpretation of 'Hail to the Chief,' before finally rallying all for a stirring rendition of 'We Will Be Loyal With Caveats!' Our thanks to @The Librarianfor keeping the concert hall open past her bedtime. Tune in next week when we will hear a performance of the timeless opera 'The Overlappers.'"

I suggest you start a new thread with this as a poll question.

Why should we get so upset and cry “Apostate!", over a date?
You are just attacking the person, not presenting a reasonable and valid counter argument. A few others don’t agree with everything JWInsider says on here, however they are able to present a respectful reply, keeping to the topic, without ad hominem attacks and insults. Perhaps we are making a mistake holding onto 1914 as if it was some precious oracle that under no circumstances could ever change. We tend to get frustrated with Trinitarians and criticize them for believing in the trinity because  that word is not even in the Bible, but neither is 1914. In the grand scheme of things Jesus became King and is King, and as such he will bring about what sincere Christians pray for, and what we as Jehovah’s Witnesses preach to all people. There is no doubt that 1914 and the generation teaching keep us on our toes spiritually, whereas on the contrary, Christendom is sleeping. Just yesterday the brother who gave us a local needs part reminded us of how close the end is. The convention is about how close the end is. We’ve been saying how lose the end is since Russel’s days. The common thread is, that ALL would like to see the end come in THEIR life time. Russel hoped it would come in 1914, Rutherford hoped it would come in 1925, Franz and Knorr hoped in 1975, then after that there were no more dates, but the former generation teaching as taught by the old school GB of the 80’s suggested within the end of the 20th Century, and now, with the latest formation of the GB, and the refined teaching of the overlapping generation, within the next 35 years, in which case the two youngest members of the GB could still be alive to see it. I personally do not have a problem with that. There is absolutely nothing wrong with anticipating and wishing the end would come in one’s life time. There is nothing unscriptural about it. In fact the opposite, it has scriptural backing as we know. And it WILL come in somebody’s life time. But to staunchly insist on something despite obvious evidence to the contrary is crazy. This is why we have adjusted our understanding on so many things! We do not staunchly insist on something that just doesn’t seem right (although sometimes it takes a while). However, there are some individuals, even on this forum, who insist on believing something even when it makes no scriptural sense and even insist we must be loyal to an idea even if it is bad!
IF the system goes on for another 50 or so years, I very much doubt 1914 will remain. It will be adjusted somehow, it will have to be, because elapsed time will become the dictator for a new understanding  just like time made necessary the creation of the overlapping generation. And who knows, perhaps JWInsider’s scriptural interpretation will be adopted, or some other interpretation. It would not be the first time. On the other hand, if the end comes before that, then obviously there will be no need to even think about 1914. So either way, it doesn’t make much difference in the grand scheme of things. Just think, when we are all (hopefully) sitting at dinner in the new world, and someone mentions 1914, or 1975, or the overlapping generation or any other chronological theory,  we will probably just smile and think “those were the days, when we were still in nappies (diapers), and we just did the best we could”. I don’t think anybody is going to be saying “see, you were wrong”! either way.
As regards the scriptures you quoted about apostates, Acts 20:30, Rom 16:17,18. Titus 3:10,11. Do not apply to anyone on here, really.  I mean JTR, flattering speech? Are you kidding? And I don’t think JWInsider is interested in drawing disciples after himself.
And as for this one:  "They publicly declare that they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they are detestable and disobedient and NOT APPROVED FOR GOOD WORK OF ANY SORT."  Titus 1:16.Well, that’s a bit judgemental isn’t it? Do you know their works? I mean respectfully discussing alternative scriptural ideas of ambiguous scriptures (not core teachings!) means that those are bad works?  Are you saying that those who discuss these things are automatically detestable and disobedient and unapproved for good work of any sort? I discuss these things quite often with my step dad. He is an elder.
As for Ray Franz’s book, I have heard it is in the Bethel locked library, or used to be (can someone verify this?) In any case, his book has led many away from Jehovah and the organization. Many of them have become atheists. I don’t think Ray has come up with any new teachings, he merely related what he heard and saw when he was privy to what goes on behind closed doors on Wednesdays (and other days).  Of course some of it was intentionally coloured, (after all he was upset that he got the boot)  and a lot of it was his opinion and/or interpretation of what was going on. But he did succeed in demystifying the GB, and unfortunately for some, this spelled the end of their trust in them and the organization and with it Jehovah. Why? No doubt because these people were basing their faith on dates and men.  Nowadays, the GB are "demystifying" themselves for us. Increasingly, WT articles, books and assembly items remind us of their imperfection, remind us that they are also the domestics, and remind us that they need our prayers and that in the end each man and woman will stand for themselves in front of Jehovah....

Who is trying to prove Jesus was not a king? The Scriptures are abundantly clear that Jesus, a king, can become a king in the same way that Jehovah, a king, can become a king. They are also abundantly clear that Jesus, UNLIKE Jehovah, has not always been a king. (Despite those who might seek to muse on how Jehovah could have been king when alone).Comp.Ps.90:2.
That even a human can become a king whilst being a king is shown in the words of Abner when negotiating with David: "Then Abʹner said to David: “Let me go and gather all Israel together to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and you will become king over all that you desire"" 2Sam.3:21.
As long as those who are unaware of or, who choose not to recognise, a king's authority remain, or there are those who are yet to recognise it, there is room for an existing king to "become king".
Hence, Ph.2:10 "in the name of Jesus every knee should bend—of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground" which is yet to be fufilled, itself only an echo of Is.45:23: "By myself I have sworn; The word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, And it will not return: To me every knee will bend, Every tongue will swear loyalty".
And, once again, 1Cor.15:28: "But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone". With regard to this last text, we have no  problem accepting that Jesus was not aready subject to Jehovah when he is spoken of subjecting himself at a future time here do we? So in that act, Jehovah "becomes king" to His Son, Jesus, whilst both He and Jesus are still kings, does He not?
Yes, both Jesus and His Father and Sovereign Lord, Jehovah, will both be kings and become kings on many future occasions, as they have done so in the past. Compare Isaiah 9:7: "To the increase of his rulership...there wil be no end"
Alas, there is no fuel for the fire on the back of this head ! (figuratively of course)
 

I have great difficulty in seeing what all the fuss is about over this matter. No one (no one??) disputes that Jehovah God is, was, and always will be the Sovereign Lord of the Universe (whatever the Universe comprises). By His very nature, He could not abdicate that position even if He wanted to. (Rev.4:11) Jesus himself has never disputed that fact (Phil.2:6), and never will, regardless of the exalted position he now enjoys (thoroughly attested to by @JWInsider),  see also 1Cor.15:27-28.
But, the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, who has never abdicated His position, is said on a number of occasions when expressing His Power in accomplishing His will in the face of opposition,  to have "become King" (1Chr.16:31; Ps.47:8; Ps.93:1; Ps.96:10; Ps.97:1; Ps.99:1; Is.24:23; Is.52:7. Let the reader sort the context).
So, why should we find it so difficult to grasp that Jesus, the image of the invisible God, the King of Jehovah's Messianic Kingdom, who will lead the heavenly angels in vanquishing all oppostion to Jehovah's Sovereign rulership expressed through that very kingdom of His Son, could not also express rulership in executive action at different times? And, as in the case of his Father who "becomes King", despite being King already, whenever He expresses His rulership, why cannot Jesus do the same? Surely this is all the more reason to glorify rightly that same Son of God who, after accomplishing the complete restoration of all things to His Father's satisfaction, then submits to His Father's rule in an action which once again enables Jehovah to "become KIng"?
To me this argument is a whole heap of smoke for which there is...just...no....fire!!!

Lending support to what you have said, one of the situations in that symposium to be endured was "humbling experiences," discussing Galatians 2:11-14. That certainly must have humbled Peter, who was among those taking the lead at the time. Still, he endured it, and continued to take the lead.
I recall thinking then that the year would likely be the end of this system. However, as it wore on and nothing happened, it provoked no crisis. I dismissed it as 'one of those things.' I'm not sure why. Nor does it necessarily speak well for me. I simply was not tripped up in this instance.
 

Quite a memorable exchange. In the US/English, this was the 1977 yb p.81-83. Also mentioned in the 1979 yb, p.35.
Nice post! Thanks for taking a break from your break.

Yes I remember such talks, but they were not the only talks I heard.
I suppose I was spoilt early on for this sort of pressure.  I learnt two things (which may or may not be orthodox), but they have stood me in good stead and, I believe, have served to prevent me from being quickly shaken from my reason or to be alarmed. (2Thess.2:2)
1. I shared lodgings with for a while with Hendry Carmichael, (Yearbook 1977 p81-83). I learned many things from this zealous, Glaswegian brother. He once said to me, with his twinkling blue eyes a-sparkle, "You know laddie, your Armageddon came the day you heard the good news, because what you do with it will make an everlasting difference to your future!".
2. Over the years, I have been blessed with many, wonderful bible studies who have progressed to dedication and baptism, including a woman who is now my wife and pioneer partner. She said to me recently that it sadddens her sometimes to hear that the end is as imminent as many brothers emphasize. I know what she means. If the end had come in 1975, she would not have found the truth. (And nor me, her). And when it does come, there will be no others to save out of this wicked world. I know the resurrection will afford unimaginable opportunities to help people learn the truth of God's puposes, but we are meeting new ones all the time now, and starting new studies, in a part of the world I was told is "unproductive"!
So what am I saying? Well, my Armageddon (figurative of course), has long come and gone, and I am making every effort to ensure that when the real one does, I am rightly disposed for everlasting life.(Acts 13:48). And as far as the time left is concerned? Well, every day in this system of things, lives are being saved in evidence of Jehovah's patience. (Ex.18:23) And we can have as much a share in this as our volunteer sprit impels. (2Cor.9:6-7) There is no organisation on earth that facilitates this work in the way that Jehovah's Witnesses do. (Mich.4:1-2)
And that I think, for me anyway, captures the essence of 1Tim.4:16: "Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you."

I feel bound to respond in that I have been quoted.
The orientation that I received way back then in 1972 was definitely "the right thing" in that it expressed a view, already in circulation, that I was not aware of at the time,  namely, that the date of 1975 was merely the (currently understood) end of 6000 years of man's existence. Nothing more. It had just been rather eclipsed by the more sensational (to some) 1975 speculation about "the great tribulation".
I note that you have not expressed regret at having entered full-time service at a young age, in spite of the rather biased considerations:
I haven't personally met any faithful servants of Jehovah that have expressed regrets about engaging in the pioneer ministry, regardless of their having been possibly prompted at first by chronological expectations that may have been a product of wishful thinking rather than God's spirit. I have, however,  met a few who no longer serve Jehovah and who have voiced regrets both regarding pioneering and early end time speculations.
It occurs to me that, apart from the clear warnings of obvious deviancy in the Christian congregation in the words of Paul, Peter, James, John, Jude, and Jesus; we don't really know much about the eccentric side of the 1st Century Christians. The terse record of inspired Scripture fulfils the requirement of 2Tim 3:16 to completly equip, and I am sure the presence of the apostles and the operation of God's Spirit minimised the uncoventional. But, in view of James's observation that only perfect men can avoid verbal stumbling, I am sure a few "kooky" ideas circulated in those 66 or so years in the 1st century before the apostasy took off.
And considering the literaly 1000s and 1000s of pages of information that have been produced in the last 140 years by only a comparatively few minds in our movement, without the safeguards of the 1st Century, surely among those many, many words, trangression cannot be avoided? (Pro10:19).
I think though, before we get overly righteous about dates and their effect on motivation, we need to remember the general principles found in Paul's words at Rom 9:17 regarding our preaching: "If I do this willingly, I have a reward; but even if I do it against my will, I still have a stewardship entrusted to me". and correct motivation: "Therefore, let those of us who are mature be of this mental attitude, and if you are mentally inclined otherwise in any respect, God will reveal the above attitude to you". Ph.3:15. (This, notwithstanding the immediate, contextual application).
 
 

Thanks JWInsider. I am familiar with the publications you quoted and the article in the KM. I asked that question purposefully because I was not aware that there had been any publications that actually "recommended that we sell our belongings". I thought maybe I had missed one. However, as you pointed out, the insinuations were definitely there, if only because of the praise for those who had done so. This is why I find the video from the convention so curious. I listened to it again and here is the transcript from it (video part of the talk "How you can by no means ever fail") :
The setting, the father is relating his story of how when his wife died and thereafter
“With Jehovah’s help, and with the support of the brothers and sisters we got through it (the death of his wife). We learned to rely on Jehovah in ways we never had before. And that helped when years later another test came our way. You see, back then, some were looking to a certain date (1975) as signifying the end of this old system. A few went even so far as selling their homes and quitting their jobs. I admit, I was ready to see this old system go away too, but something just didn’t seem right. Both at meetings, and in my personal study, I was reminded of what Jesus said: Nobody knows the day or the hour. I was dedicated to Jehovah, not a date. After that year came and went, most of those who had wrong expectations made the needed adjustments and they stayed.  We didn’t run away and we didn’t give up. We trusted in Jehovah”.
So, what is the moral of the story? Since at that time those who had sold their homes and gave up their job were held up as a good example, as per the aforementioned KM,  my thoughts are that the GB is reminding us that they make mistakes, and that ultimately, when it comes to the crunch, if something doesn’t seem right, then the scriptures take precedent, (as attested to also by Geoffrey Jackson in his response to a question at the ARC hearing: "So our primary allegiance is to Jehovah God.  Now, the Governing Body realises that if we were to give some direction that is not in harmony with God's word, all of Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide who have the Bible would notice that and they would see that it was wrong direction") and a reminder that our dedication is to Jehovah and not to them, and that ultimately we can trust no man, only Jehovah.  Including remembering the key scriptures associated with the talk, 2 Peter 1:5-10, Isaiah 40:31, 2 Corinthians 4:7, 9,16 THAT in a nutshell is how we can “By No Means Ever Fail”  @bruceq
Otherwise you and  @TrueTomHarley I think have pretty much covered most of the points to do with indirect suggestions and "guilting" at that time.  "You have health problems? Family responsibilities? No excuse! Let's listen to this experience from [someplace] where a hearing and sight-impaired mother of 10 with no arms and legs got her kids ready for school every day and then put in 8 hours of service"  Just about cracked me up!

Yes. it was easy to get the frustrated feeling back then that whatever you were doing, it was not enough. And there was always some individual loose cannon somewhere to push that meme even harder. Such motivation has faded, and pioneering increasingly is presented for a more noble reason.
Pioneering is also being redefined, IMO, as a means of keeping ones occupied in kingdom activities of various types, giving ones more avenues to bring their gift to the altar.
As to the hour requirement, it is a concession to the times - an acknowledgment that life is simply so much more aggravating on all counts, and not just that of making a living. An insurance matter, for example, can take hours, even days to unravel, whereas at one time, you simply reached into your pocket and paid it. One now needs help to 'negotiate the health care system,' an indication plain as day that it is no good.
Sometimes in jest, with the new permutations of auxiliary pioneering at special times, I play hardball with the brothers. 'I'll do it,' I tell them, 'when the requirement drops to 15.' If one counts 'online witnessing,' I have special pioneered for many years. But I don't count it.
Having said that, a brother once expressed his annoyance at those who harp that Jehovah's Witnesses stress hours over people. 'The hours are people,'  he said.

That's true in our congregation, too. There are 9 pioneers in our congregation, and we were fortunate to keep 3 for most of the years that I was pioneering.
I thought it was good to get the whole context. There are similarities to now, but there is much less "guilting" into increased activity, and it's positive aspects are emphasized more these days. Pioneering is also much easier now than it was, with more leniency on making your hours, and easier ways to count your hours. These days, I could pioneer with both hands tied behind my back. [pulling a cart!]
The talks on pioneering back then were laced with some of the "guilting" you see in this KM, like: You have health problems? Family responsibilities? No excuse! Let's listen to this experience from [someplace] where a hearing and sight-impaired mother of 10 with no arms and legs got her kids ready for school every day and then put in 8 hours of service. [I'm probably conflating 4 or 5 experiences from that time period, but you probably remember the basic idea.]
Also, the specific counsel on higher education has become MORE practical as time has gone on. For almost 4 decades after this anti-career talk started, it was still quite possible to generally get a good return-on-investment from higher education (at least in the USA). In the last decade, it has become almost impossible. Of course, that's a bit like the 'stopped clock being right twice a day' analogy. If the real reason for the counsel is to keep an institution from attacking your superior morals, that's a very good reason, and it should be highlighted to the extent that it is considered important. Other reasons should also be highlighted to the extent they are considered important.
 
 

I had sent in a request to Interflora for a bouquet to be sent to a family member who was sick in a distant country and they selected a bouquet consisting mainly of that same flower (Bird of Paradise/Strelitzia), so it has sentimental value to me as well. They sent me a picture of the bouquet.