Anna

The other way to look at it is that everyone writes about what they know best. I do. You, presumably, would be with your book. It seems silly that only JW writers should not be able to write about their topic of expertise. 
I can and do write of other things but it typically comes down to the same conclusion: 'such-and-such is a mess because we need God's kingdom to straighten things out." 
Write in such a way that you are not in competition - either offer personal accounts, anecdotes, current news items and how they relate - research that they would not likely do.
You said: "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 wrestled with this, too. But I am not Bethel and I have to pay the light bill. it's either write or Mickey D for me. Believe me, book proceeds do not make a significant dent, unless you hit mainstream, which is unlikely. It's just a hobby. A university professor  who has written a tome about Witnesses, as well as other books, tells me he is glad he did not quit the university - they don't exactly fly off the shelf.  Nonetheless, conscience of the moneymaking concern, I am working on a book "Dear Mr. Putin - Jehovah's Witnesses write Russia." It will be free for some months. 
(I tried to put this in a thread b/c I think what's-her-name would want me to do, but I can't figure out where to do it. It seemed obvious at one time)

Very interesting so far JWInsider. Enjoying reading your analysis.
I got into a discussion once with a "Bible Student" and he wanted to know the difference between Christ's coming (to execute final judgement) and his parousia (the invisible extended period of time prior to that). He said it was one and the same thing. It does get kind of confusing when Jesus apparently "came" in 1918...
I'm sure you are aware of the July 2013 WT, where the writers attempted to explain the new understanding.  (I realise this is bringing another element into the equation, namely the faithful and discreet slave)
16 Regarding the faithful and discreet slave, Jesus says: “Happy is that slave if his master on arriving [“having come,” ftn.] finds him doing so.” In the parable of the virgins, Jesus states: “While they were going off to buy, the bridegroom arrived [“came,” Kingdom Interlinear].” In the parable of the talents, Jesus relates: “After a long time the master of those slaves came.” In the same parable, the master says: “On my arrival [“having come,” Int] I would be receiving what is mine.” (Matt. 24:46; 25:10, 19, 27) To what time do these four instances of Jesus’ coming refer?
17 In the past, we have stated in our publications that these last four references apply to Jesus’ arriving, or coming, in 1918. As an example, take Jesus’ statement about “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Read Matthew 24:45-47.) We understood that the “arriving” mentioned in verse 46 was linked to the time when Jesus came to inspect the spiritual condition of the anointed in 1918 and that the appointment of the slave over all the Master’s belongings occurred in 1919. (Mal. 3:1) However, a further consideration of Jesus’ prophecy indicates that an adjustment in our understanding of the timing of certain aspects of Jesus’ prophecy is needed. Why so?
 18 In the verses that lead up to Matthew 24:46, the word “coming” refers consistently to the time when Jesus comes to pronounce and execute judgment during the great tribulation. (Matt. 24:30, 42, 44) Also, as we considered in  paragraph 12, Jesus’ ‘arriving’ mentioned at Matthew 25:31 refers to that same future time of judgment. So it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus’ arrival to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings, mentioned at Matthew 24:46, 47, also applies to his future coming, during the great tribulation. * Indeed, a consideration of Jesus’ prophecy in its entirety makes it clear that each of these eight references to his coming applies to the future time of judgment during the great tribulation.
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130715/jesus-prophecy-last-days/
I am looking forward to what your final conclusion is, summarized in just a few paragraphs I hope!

I know this is you pet subject @JW Insider . Maybe you should send this to the writing department at HQ .
I look forward to reading more when time allows,  and perhaps contributing my tuppence worth 

You're nuts Tom! Lol

You're nuts Tom! Lol

She's nuts. IBID is the radicalized version of ISIS. I don't like them.

Ibid. is like the word ditto.
It means the same source as the one right above it.
It's an abbreviation of the Latin word ibidem, which means "in the same place."
You may also run across op. cit.
Op. cit. is used to direct your reader to a previously noted full citation located somewhere else (not immediately before it) in your work, like "F. Franz, op. cit., p. 221."

This is a very funny statement because a fly starts as an egg, that hatches into a maggot which grows bigger and then becomes a pupa. The fly hatches out of the pupa and stays the same size until it dies. Perhaps it's a typo and he meant fry as in fish 

That's just it. I personally do not think that 1914 really is that important with regard to being spiritually ready or not. Not only that, but who of us uses 1914 as part of the preaching message to be honest? Who of us has recently "explained" it to someone at the door, or even to a study? In view of that, I do not think that putting forward "alternate" views regarding 1914 on this forum necessarily garbles our message, because our message is not about 1914, but about being ready because we do not know when the end will come. Refinements to our scriptural understanding are being made usually after we discern that our past application has become obsolete due to the passage of time. But notice our core beliefs have never had to be adjusted since about 1935. We still believe the same about the soul, what happens when we die, who go to heaven, what is hell, the identity of God, the identity of Jesus, God's kingdom, the good news, moral standards etc.etc. So all the other stuff is interesting, but irrelevant to our salvation in the grand scheme of things. I doubt Jehovah is going to judge someone as not worthy of life just because they have reservations about 1914 or some other chronological aspect.

That's just it. I personally do not think that 1914 really is that important with regard to being spiritually ready or not. Not only that, but who of us uses 1914 as part of the preaching message to be honest? Who of us has recently "explained" it to someone at the door, or even to a study? In view of that, I do not think that putting forward "alternate" views regarding 1914 on this forum necessarily garbles our message, because our message is not about 1914, but about being ready because we do not know when the end will come. Refinements to our scriptural understanding are being made usually after we discern that our past application has become obsolete due to the passage of time. But notice our core beliefs have never had to be adjusted since about 1935. We still believe the same about the soul, what happens when we die, who go to heaven, what is hell, the identity of God, the identity of Jesus, God's kingdom, the good news, moral standards etc.etc. So all the other stuff is interesting, but irrelevant to our salvation in the grand scheme of things. I doubt Jehovah is going to judge someone as not worthy of life just because they have reservations about 1914 or some other chronological aspect.

You are apparently asking for a secular date: a date that requires the input of scholars who have studied the archaeology, astronomy, language and therefore, the chronology of the Neo-Babylonian period of history. The only way that we could attach a secular date to this event is if we accept the expert scholars' opinions about the chronology. Those experts tell us that it's part of a timeline that includes and is interwoven with all the lengths of the reigns of the kings of the period. The lengths of these reigns include kings well before Nebuchadnezzar back into the late Assyrian period through the kings well after Cyrus and on into the period of Greek kings. The lengths of all these kings tend to double-check each other and the synchronization with prior and later timelines is useful as a way to make sure the entire period is understood correctly. Otherwise, who is to say there were not several kings named Nebuchadnezzar, and several named Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes, etc. All the data must be placed into a schema and then that schema can be double-checked through several different independent lines of evidence to see if it is being understood correctly.
So, to make a long story short, the Watchtower has admitted that it is estimating the year for the Judeans to return to Jerusalem as 537 BCE. This is based on the idea that we can confidently say that Cyrus first partial year over Babylon was 539 and therefore his first full regnal year was 538, which was therefore, the most likely time when the Jews returned. Biblically, it appears that the call went out in the first regnal year of the king called Cyrus. Putting the secular date of 539 or 538 on this year is only possible because the neo-Babylonian chronology schema allows us to know when Nabopolassar ruled, when Nebuchadnezzar II ruled, when Nabonidus ruled, when Cyrus ruled, and which astronomical sightings and other events help us to confirm each of these king's reigns and how they fit between and among the reigns of the other kings in the period. In other words, we can know that it was Nebuchadnezzar's 18th and 19th years when he destroyed the temple. But if we are to put a secular date on them it's only because we can put a date on any other king's reign during this period.
If we say that Cyrus' first full year was 538, it's because we can say that Nebuchadnezzar's 18th and 19th year was 587 and 586. All the dates are part of a whole. If we say that the Temple must have been destroyed in 607, for example, that's the same as saying that Cyrus' first full year started in 558. That would mean that the Watchtower would have to say that the Jews must have returned to Jerusalem in 558 or 557, instead of 537.
Fortunately, we now have several independent lines of evidence that all show us that Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year was 586, and therefore we can be sure that Cyrus 1st regnal year was 538. If we trust the astronomical diaries, we now have literally dozens of additional pieces of evidence to pinpoint secular dates at many points in the entire chronology. We also have the dated contract documents, thousands of them, that all confirm that these secular-astronomical dates are correct. These thousands of contracts show us that there are 48 years accounted for from Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year to Cyrus 1st. This is a perfect match to the other independent lines of evidence. 
Of course, all this is irrelevant, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, Thessalonians, 2 Peter and Revelation. There is no relationship between the time that the Jews returned to Jerusalem and the beginning of the Parousia.

I tried logging in with the same email and pass word I use on here, but it doesn't work....

What about the effects of the website on those lands where people are poor and neither have computers nor the Internet, including JWs?  I remember an Article in the Watchtower recently wherein the Gov Body was asked if whose Witnesses who don't have access to the Website are well fed and they said Yes.  
 
Here is the quote:
*** w14 8/15 p. 5 Are You Receiving “Food at the Proper Time”? ***
3. If you do not have access in your language to all the publications that are produced, will you become spiritually undernourished?
The answer is no. And it should not surprise us that some of Jehovah’s servants might, at times, have access to more spiritual food than others do. Why not? Consider the apostles. They received more instruction than many other disciples in the first century did. (Mark 4:10; 9:35-37) Even so, the other disciples were not spiritually undernourished; they received what they needed.—Eph. 4:20-24; 1 Pet. 1:8.
It is also worth noting that much of what Jesus said and did while on earth is not recorded in the Gospel accounts. The apostle John wrote: “There are also, in fact, many other things that Jesus did, which if ever they were written in full detail, I suppose the world itself could not contain the scrolls written.” (John 21:25) Even though Jesus’ first-century followers had more information about the perfect man Jesus than we do, we are not deprived. Jehovah has made sure that we know enough about Jesus for us to be his footstep followers.—1 Pet. 2:21.
Think, too, of the letters sent by the apostles to the first-century congregations. At least one letter written by Paul was not preserved in the Bible. (Col. 4:16) Is our spiritual food inadequate because we do not have access to that letter? No. Jehovah knows what we need and has given us enough to keep us spiritually strong.—Matt. 6:8.
Today, some groups of Jehovah’s servants have more spiritual food available to them than others have. Do you speak a language in which only a few publications are available? If so, know that Jehovah cares for you. Study the material you have, and if possible, attend the meetings in a language that you understand. And be assured that Jehovah will keep you spiritually strong.—Ps. 1:2; Heb. 10:24, 25.
4. If you do not have access to material that is published on jw.org, will you become spiritually weak?
On our Web site, we publish copies of our magazines and other Bible-study publications. The Web site also provides material that helps couples, teenagers, and those with young children. Families benefit by considering this material in their Family Worship sessions. In addition, our Web site reports on special programs, such as Gilead graduations and the annual meeting, and it keeps our global brotherhood informed about natural disasters and legal developments that affect Jehovah’s people. (1 Pet. 5:8, 9) The Web site is also a powerful preaching tool, making the good news available even in lands where our work is restricted or banned.
However, you can remain spiritually strong whether you have access to our Web site or not. The slave has worked hard to provide enough printed material to keep each domestic spiritually well-fed. Therefore, you should not feel obligated to buy a device just to access jw.org. Some may make private arrangements to print a limited amount of material published on our Web site and give it personally to those who do not have Internet access, but congregations are not required to do this.
We are grateful to Jesus for keeping his promise to care for our spiritual needs. As these difficult last days rapidly draw to a close, we can be confident that Jehovah will continue to provide spiritual “food at the proper time.”
 

If I'm not mistaken, both Rutherford and Knorr were considered the FDS, after all, this was after 1918, when the supposed appointment was made, as you yourself mention. But I think this appointment was seen in retrospect. (years later). JWInsider will probably know more about this. I believe all of the anointed were thought to be the FDS and then the WT of July 2013 clarified that it only applied to the anointed in the GB, the article was: "feeding many at the hands of a few"
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130715/jesus-feeds-many/
P.S I think Br. Russell is viewed as one who "prepared the way" and as the "rattling of the bones" as per Ezekiel 37:1-14

Brother Russell died in 1916

Funny you mention that ... Years ago I was at my Father's house in Richmond, Virginia, and  I had an Elder call me up and tell me was going to destroy me ... and I said "You are welcome to try ... you know where I am ... I will meet you in the street out in front of the house, and we will shoot it out."  That was the last time I ever heard from him.
I realize you are only funnin', so let's take it to the area we are supposed to go to.
( checks his supply of graphic Memes and cartoons...)

Okay, @The Librarian, I have worked through today's backlog.
FROM NOW ON I WILL CONFORM - MORE OR LESS - TO YOUR NEW IMPROVED SYSTEM. You can even blow this comment to smithereens if you want.
DO YOU HEAR THAT, BIG BOY? @James Thomas Rook Jr.LET'S TAKE IT OUT ON THE STREET! YOU AND ME, BIG FELLA! NO MORE PUBLIC FIGHTING! Let the poor librarian repair her busted furniture, tape up spines on the damaged books, put the 33 rpm records away that you have hurled at me as frisbees, and start afresh!

Can we see the first 30% of her for free? It'd be like 'proof of life.'

Very interesting so far JWInsider. Enjoying reading your analysis.
I got into a discussion once with a "Bible Student" and he wanted to know the difference between Christ's coming (to execute final judgement) and his parousia (the invisible extended period of time prior to that). He said it was one and the same thing. It does get kind of confusing when Jesus apparently "came" in 1918...
I'm sure you are aware of the July 2013 WT, where the writers attempted to explain the new understanding.  (I realise this is bringing another element into the equation, namely the faithful and discreet slave)
16 Regarding the faithful and discreet slave, Jesus says: “Happy is that slave if his master on arriving [“having come,” ftn.] finds him doing so.” In the parable of the virgins, Jesus states: “While they were going off to buy, the bridegroom arrived [“came,” Kingdom Interlinear].” In the parable of the talents, Jesus relates: “After a long time the master of those slaves came.” In the same parable, the master says: “On my arrival [“having come,” Int] I would be receiving what is mine.” (Matt. 24:46; 25:10, 19, 27) To what time do these four instances of Jesus’ coming refer?
17 In the past, we have stated in our publications that these last four references apply to Jesus’ arriving, or coming, in 1918. As an example, take Jesus’ statement about “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Read Matthew 24:45-47.) We understood that the “arriving” mentioned in verse 46 was linked to the time when Jesus came to inspect the spiritual condition of the anointed in 1918 and that the appointment of the slave over all the Master’s belongings occurred in 1919. (Mal. 3:1) However, a further consideration of Jesus’ prophecy indicates that an adjustment in our understanding of the timing of certain aspects of Jesus’ prophecy is needed. Why so?
 18 In the verses that lead up to Matthew 24:46, the word “coming” refers consistently to the time when Jesus comes to pronounce and execute judgment during the great tribulation. (Matt. 24:30, 42, 44) Also, as we considered in  paragraph 12, Jesus’ ‘arriving’ mentioned at Matthew 25:31 refers to that same future time of judgment. So it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus’ arrival to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings, mentioned at Matthew 24:46, 47, also applies to his future coming, during the great tribulation. * Indeed, a consideration of Jesus’ prophecy in its entirety makes it clear that each of these eight references to his coming applies to the future time of judgment during the great tribulation.
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20130715/jesus-prophecy-last-days/
I am looking forward to what your final conclusion is, summarized in just a few paragraphs I hope!

Thank you for posting such wonderful pictures.  I needed that after such serious conversation on other topics.  We are part of a WW Brotherhood, doing the same work.  We may have different personalities but we are united in love for Jehovah.

And yet out of all those JW.ORG is the most translated of all 1.2 Billion and the #1 of all religious websites on earth. Since Jesus said the True faith would be the ones preaching in ALL the inhabited earth obviously we see that as being true since a few years after 2012 when the website first launched.
Of course I still use Love as the predominant factor in identifying true religion but it is because of this love that the brothers did all this work in order to reach as many people as they can with the message. So it is connected to Jn. 13:35. We are the only one actually doing the WORK of Kingdom preaching. Why even the Roman Catholic Churches website [with over a billion members] is only translated in 10 languages whereas ours is 904 and climbing. And that is with all volunteer labor.
You see before 2012 we could say we have the truth and give evidence to back it up from Scripture like the worldwide preaching work which many would need faith to see but these facts on the internet are secular quantitative facts that are supportive and undeniable as to where JW.org stands in relation to all the rest. And EVERYONE can now see it with their own eyes. The small one becoming a thousand and a mighty nation Jehovah would speed it up in His time. Could that time be now, just a few years before the beginning of the Great Tribulation?

There are Scriptures that show how the work would progress and speed up before the end. I am sure with you background you can find them since there are to many to post. Â  {Also read all the posting I posted many there}. Obviously when the Watchtower was first printed at only 6,000 copies that did not mean it was the true religion just because of the quantity. Obviously many factors involved in identifying the true religion. But near the end of this system [but only if one believe we are at the end] would this make more sense to some
What accounts for the incredible growth in Websites and computer technology and in JW.ORG rising above all the "Mountains and hills". Some say aliens must be involved since that is the best they can come up with. lol. Of course you could say aliens are involved if one means invisible spirit entities such as Jesus and the angels or even Satan takes his part to try and destroy as many as he can since he knows his time is short. But isn't it fascinating how Jehovah can use things from the world to HIS advantage. Remember who is really in charge and HIS purpose will have unfailing succes no matter what any of us actually do. The internet is now the primary way humans communicate. Why everyone now has a "smartphone" on their person 24/7. And it has become global to such an extent a major world power has actually BANNED JW.ORG in 2015 the first to do so ever on earth. And yet we are still at the top tells me all I need to know. Isa Chapter 2
To me it seems very odd the incredible growth in computer and internet technology in such as very short amount of time.
History and Growth of the Internet from 1995 till Today

Today the Internet continues to grow day by day making
McLuhan's Global Village a reality. The following table
shows the incredibly fast evolution of the Internet from
1995 till the present time:
 
DATE
NUMBER OF USERS
% WORLD
POPULATION
INFORMATION
SOURCE
        December, 1995
16 millions 0.4 % IDC
December, 1996
36 millions 0.9 % IDC
December, 1997
70 millions 1.7 % IDC
December, 1998
147 millions 3.6 % C.I. Almanac
December, 1999
248 millions 4.1 % Nua Ltd.
March, 2000
304 millions 5.0 % Nua Ltd.
July, 2000
359 millions 5.9 % Nua Ltd.
December, 2000
361 millions 5.8 % Internet World Stats
March, 2001
458 millions 7.6 % Nua Ltd.
June, 2001
479 millions 7.9 % Nua Ltd.
August, 2001
513 millions 8.6 % Nua Ltd.
April, 2002
558 millions 8.6 % Internet World Stats
July, 2002
569 millions 9.1 % Internet World Stats
September, 2002
587 millions 9.4 % Internet World Stats
March, 2003
608 millions 9.7 % Internet World Stats
September, 2003
677 millions 10.6 % Internet World Stats
October, 2003
682 millions 10.7 % Internet World Stats
December, 2003
719 millions 11.1 % Internet World Stats
February, 2004
745 millions 11.5 % Internet World Stats
May, 2004
757 millions 11.7 % Internet World Stats
October, 2004
812 millions 12.7 % Internet World Stats
December, 2004
817 millions 12.7 % Internet World Stats
March, 2005
888 millions 13.9 % Internet World Stats
June, 2005
938 millions 14.6 % Internet World Stats
September, 2005
957 millions 14.9 % Internet World Stats
November, 2005
972 millions 15.2 % Internet World Stats
December, 2005
1,018 millions 15.7 % Internet World Stats
March, 2006
1,023 millions 15.7 % Internet World Stats
June, 2006
1,043 millions 16.0 % Internet World Stats
Sept, 2006
1,086 millions 16.7 % Internet World Stats
Dec, 2006
1,093 millions 16.7 % Internet World Stats
Mar, 2007
1,129 millions 17.2 % Internet World Stats
June, 2007
1,173 millions 17.8 % Internet World Stats
Sept, 2007
1,245 millions 18.9 % Internet World Stats
Dec, 2007
1,319 millions 20.0 % Internet World Stats
Mar, 2008
1,407 millions 21.1 % Internet World Stats
June, 2008
1,463 millions 21.9 % Internet World Stats
Sept, 2008
1,504 millions 22.5 % Internet World Stats
Dec, 2008
1,574 millions 23.5 % Internet World Stats
Mar, 2009
1,596 millions 23.8 % Internet World Stats
June, 2009
1,669 millions 24.7 % Internet World Stats
Sept, 2009
1,734 millions 25.6 % Internet World Stats
Dec, 2009
1,802 millions 26.6 % Internet World Stats
June, 2010
1,966 millions 28.7 % Internet World Stats
Sept, 2010
1,971 millions 28.8 % Internet World Stats
Mar, 2011
2,095 millions 30.2 % Internet World Stats
Jun, 2011
2,110 millions 30.4 % Internet World Stats
Sept, 2011
2,180 millions 31.5 % Internet World Stats
Dec, 2011
2,267 millions 32.7 % Internet World Stats
Mar, 2012
2,336 millions 33.3 % Internet World Stats
June, 2012
2,405 millions 34.3 % Internet World Stats
Sept, 2012
2,439 millions 34.8 % Internet World Stats
Dec, 2012
2,497 millions 35.7 % I.T.U.
Dec, 2013
2,802 millions 39.0 % Internet World Stats
June, 2014
3,035 millions 42.3 % Internet World Stats
Dec, 2014
3,079 millions 42.4 % Internet World Stats
June, 2015
3,270 millions 45.0 % Internet World Stats
Dec, 2015
3,366 millions 46.4 % Internet World Stats
Jun. 2016
3,631 millions 49.5 % Internet World Stats
Dec. 2016
3,696 millions 49.5 % Internet World Stats
Mar. 2017
3,739 millions 49.6 % Internet World Stats

FAKE NEWS -  I did not even read the other comments because something is seriously wrong with this item!!
Here are a few things to think about:
There is no name given to this woman. There are no important news sources from reputable news companies. (They would be onto this like a flash)    I looked at the original source of this 'soundbite' and it looks suspicious - any person with malicious intent can record this...."secret" conversation. 
The over-the top - reporting; utmost secrecy of it; and the spreading of it on social media - popular malicious media - is  suspicious.   I do not say it is untrue but this seems to be fake news BECAUSE IT IS ILLOGIC FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
Why was only ONE expelled when an entire "underground network" was going on.  This would surely hit the news because true apostates are nasty, malicious people when they leave the organization (They try to hit back in any possible way they can and in my experience often play the victim- it would make a wonderfully nasty 'victim' story in mainstream media). The group would band together and cause a media stir for sure. Why was a young woman singled out as the leader? .... at such a young age?  Was there other, older people, maybe an elder who was the leader and could have been misleading her?  Then he should have been expelled before she was! There are many more questions which could be asked about this.
Naaa...... fake news.   I do not doubt that maybe a young person was sent home for inappropriate behavior; or she could not fit in with the rigid life style (not everyone can adapt to it) - maybe she really had brazen conduct?  Who knows....
The whole "VICTIM" tone of this story - is like many others I have seen.....  old ploy of Satan.
What I have noticed is the following and I am going to shout it out:  APOSTATES ARE GAINGING GROUND AGAINST JEHOVAH ON THE INTERNET BECAUSE THE ENTIRE INTERNET HAS NOW BECOME  A LURKING PLACE OF DEMONS AND ALL KINDS OF DECEITFUL QUALITIES.  DECEIT AND SLYNESS ARE RULING (AND THEY NOW  HAVE A FREE PLATFORM!) ON WHICH THEY SPREAD THEIR FALSE INFORMATION.  SO IT IS BECOMING HARDER TO DISTINGUISH TRUTH FROM FALSEHOOD IN ALL ARENAS OF THE INTERNET.   NO DOUBT THIS GALVANIZING OF ENEMIES AGAINST JWs WILL EVENTUALLY WIN THE DAY....... WE EXPECT IT IN THE TIME OF THE END!  
If Jehovah does not step in no flesh will be saved - most will lose their faith because of what will be going on.  Satan wants to rule the entire earth and he is slowly getting there by means of oppressive governments,  domineering religions and the vilification of anyone who advocates the truth. The internet is the perfect place for it.  It has become like the Wild West where villains are ruling and "shooting down" all who do not agree.  The public opinion will sway towards all the lies against Jehovah and his people.  (True, we are just a bunch of people with bad qualities like everyone else on earth - but it is Jehovah's spirit which keeps us in the truth and there is NOTHING about ourselves which is wonderful- unless we like to bluff ourselves). Outside in the world you can puff up yourself as wonderful but inside the truth we are too painfully aware of our flaws and yes, sometimes we are treated unfairly by others but we do not turn against Jehovah because of this.
Revelation 16: 14-16 - the propaganda of Satan is getting people ready for the great day of God almighty....  And many false prophets will stand up.  This week I read in Matt 24 that they will kill you and think that they are doing God a favor!  If anyone has doubts about how bad it is going to be - we will be thoroughly tested - especially the anointed!  They will be vilified and all those associated with them.
 

Not sure that not being dogmatic about 1914 qualifies as a "flip flop." (In fact I am sure it doesn't - despite how you try to spin it.) Note truthfully that I am not against that date either - as you dishonestly try to make it appear. Here is my take on it and why I have very little interests in dates anyway - any of them. I didn't dedicate my life to a date. Not 1975; not 1922 or several others that haven't panned out; not even 1914. If some tie their faith to that it's up to them. But if Armageddon doesn't come when I expect it; or I don't live to see the fulfillment of earthly promises...that's fine. I'm in good company with many other faithful men who loved and worshipped Jehovah even though they didn't get to see the fulfillment of the reward. I know Jehovah's promises are sure to be fulfilled, and while I believe that time is soon, if it should delay, I'll just patiently wait. That's all. It's not about my salvation anyway. It's about living a life that honours Jehovah and proves Satan a liar - that when things get tough and I experience Job-like tests of faith I'll face those tests with dignity faith and integrity (although some stuff was VERY difficult, so I don't want to sound like more than I am). Job was a better man then me. So was David, Jeremiah, Joseph, Jesus, Isaiah and others whose examples were models for me to follow in dark times.
 

Yes, instruction is fine, but with this instruction comes honesty. For years we have bashed the Catholic church for shutting their eyes to child sexual molestation. Although our situation is different to that of the Catholic church,  we are not immune to those in authority using their position to get away with such things as child molestation, wife beating etc. Although not prolific like opposers would make out, still, in the words of our own organization "one molested child is one too many". The facts are; there have been elders and ministerial servants who have sexually molested children, and who have got away with it for a long time because no one would believe something like this could ever happen in our organization, after all we ARE Jehovah's organization! I do not believe the GB should hold our hands, just admitting this problem does exist in Jehovah's organization would suffice. Sooner or later this admission will be made, but the longer it's evaded, the worse the results will be as there will be a lot of publishers who will wonder why this information has been withheld for so long.....