TrueTomHarley

Okay,
I see them. They are still saving you a seat.
We aren’t?
Come on!—is this for real?

”Amazon is no more! The Greatest Merchant on Earth. Lord Bezos was going to come and then he said No! The two witnesses—Bezos and Cook—who would decimate the Great City! Oh the profits we would have made! Too bad, too bad! Say....what town did Amazon settle on, anyway?”
You are a false prophetess! It is Bezos and Cook. Next to them, Adam is ....um....naked! Go, woman! Go far from here! Mislead not the fine folk at the World News Media Forum any longer!

You know, I’m starting to get into this.
Is not New York called the Big Apple? And if it truly was the same as Babylon the Great—the Great City, could it not be said that God’s wrath will take a substantial bite out of it?
Hmm.....Tim Cook is the anti-Christ!!!!!

Not so fast. I’m starting to come around
To Buffalo, of course!
I am ready. Teach me.
For crying out loud, Where’s the modesty? (a HUGE tell, in my book)

No. I don’t think so on account of the prophet Frank: 
“If I can’t make it, there, I can’t make it anywhere! I’m stuck with you, New York, New York!”
(New York State registered a decline of population last year and the governor famously said that it was on account of the weather. This led to loud guffaws from those who pointed out that the weather has always been the weather in New York. However, I agreed with him and tweeted that New York has some of the highest weather in the country—income weather, sales weather, and property weather.)

The old hen will rightly get mad at me for this one, but:
what in the world could be the problem with Buffalo NY? It has the largest summer garden show in the country. Call that a problem?
https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2010/08/redeeming-americas-armpit.html

Were it not for their concern my Go Kit would be a bag of pretzels.
I am not sure just how it happens—have they been goaded into it? I don’t know. But several of these characters have broken out recently into absolute either lunacy or hatred.

Wow-whee! Say, did you hear the one about the clergyman who started to sing the Beatles’ tune and got hung up on the first line?
You never give me your money
You never give me you mo-huh-huh-ney
You never give me you mo-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh-ney
Acquired at Divinity schools generally by professors who don’t believe it.
If they do, it makes them even worse qualified...see above

Were it not for their concern my Go Kit would be a bag of pretzels.
I am not sure just how it happens—have they been goaded into it? I don’t know. But several of these characters have broken out recently into absolute either lunacy or hatred.

I saw that she was about to and clapped a hand over her mouth.
They just get a kick out of messing with you.

Sometimes I point out that most have spent decades serving in areas and in ways more humble than of those whom they will later lead. How different from the typical business or political leader, most of whom were born into privilege 

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t fall. Maybe he has a point.
Did you notice how Bro Losch ran down all those end-time predictions from about the year 400? There was a avalanche of them. When he got to ‘our brothers have made some, too’, he didn’t take cover in numbers. He doubled-down and went into detail of how they missed. He didn’t even use the perfect outs that he might have used—verses like Acts 1:6 to show that they were in good company.
So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”  
No budging on 1914, though.

Everybody knows it. It’s nothing more than common sense. Regardless of what elders are called, they come closest to fitting the role lawmakers have in mind for ‘clergy.’

Everybody knows it. It’s nothing more than common sense. Regardless of what elders are called, they come closest to fitting the role lawmakers have in mind for ‘clergy.’

Everybody knows it. It’s nothing more than common sense. Regardless of what elders are called, they come closest to fitting the role lawmakers have in mind for ‘clergy.’

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t fall. Maybe he has a point.
Did you notice how Bro Losch ran down all those end-time predictions from about the year 400? There was a avalanche of them. When he got to ‘our brothers have made some, too’, he didn’t take cover in numbers. He doubled-down and went into detail of how they missed. He didn’t even use the perfect outs that he might have used—verses like Acts 1:6 to show that they were in good company.
So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”  
No budging on 1914, though.

Sometimes I point out that most have spent decades serving in areas and in ways more humble than of those whom they will later lead. How different from the typical business or political leader, most of whom were born into privilege 

Sometimes I point out that most have spent decades serving in areas and in ways more humble than of those whom they will later lead. How different from the typical business or political leader, most of whom were born into privilege 

I have called them “malcontents” because I don’t want to get @admin going again. Remember how he yelled at us all, saying that the rest of the world has moved on and nobody cares if people in the JW world are crying ‘apostate’ at each other and they think we’re all nuts? Who wants to risk that tirade again?
He has a point. It does have to ring a little crazy to anyone else. Will he accept my explanation that the early Christians had apostates as virulent—so virulent that two entire chapters of the Bible are devoted to them (2 Peter 2, Jude 1) and there is no NT writer that does not come to grips with them? I wouldn’t hold my breath.
From the meta-data of ‘TrueTom vs the Apostates!’—
No New Testament writer fails to deal with then-rampant apostasy—a movement which finds its counterpart today. Two Bible chapters are entirely dedicated to it. Apostates of that time would “despise authority.” How could that become a problem unless there was authority? They loved “lawlessness.” How could that become a problem unless there was law? They favored acts of “brazen conduct,” had “eyes full of adultery,” and were “unable to desist from sin.” How could that become a problem unless there was someone to tell them that they could not carry on in that way? Not only is the nature of apostates revealed in the above Bible verses, but also the nature of the Christian organization. 
Any faith too bland to have quality apostates—I am almost proud of ours—is too bland to be given the time of day. They validate us. The more “respectable” churches where anything goes—what would people apostatize from?
But the general audience may weary of the term “apostate.” So I say “malcontent,” “detractor,” “grumbler.” It’s just to throw Admin off the track. Because you know and I know the song these “malcontents” sing at their secret gatherings—the Queen song: 
“We’re the apostates, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end
We’re the apostates
We’re the apostates
No way we’re losers
'Cause we’re the apostates of the world.”

There is no way you can "suit yourself" in a secular  court of law - you fight to win....... to expect otherwise is unjust.  If you lose while innocent and obeying God (like brothers in Russia) one serves the penalty and then try to appeal within the secular law system they have created.
4jah2me, if your sense of justice is still outraged :  I understand..but do not forget, even if a guilty person gets away with something like murder, rape, etc. Jehovah sees everything and he will compensate in future when His system arrives - in the end there will be true justice for all.
Do you believe that God really exists and there is a future where he will compensate?   .... The 1000 years is called a day of judgment is it not?  This world is not all there is....
The GB will be judged as individuals and how they executed their responsibilities given to them. If you really believe God exists - then rest assured no-one will get away with something serious...  The elders too.  God is not partial. 
I have seen elders handle their responsibilities in good way.... and bad.  If their brand of justice is flawed, I have seen elders fall out or be removed...  but jehovah is a God of mercy...... he always gives people time to change or improve..........or repent....... no matter what their sin was.
In a secular court - we accept judgment - even if a mistake was made. We accept that human judgment is not perfect and then try to fight the verdict through legal channels. Many people on death row have been innocent.
In the congregation people's spiritual lives are at stake.... I can speak from experience..... I come across here as hard ... but I have been in truth since I was 21 - the first in my family.  The knocks I got from imperfect brothers and sisters in this time  did affect me....especially when I was young, stupid and fragile. .. but in the end it strengthened me and gave me "endurance". 
I stuck to jehovah (made Him my joy) and cultivated humility. I always tried to understand imperfection and only trust jehovah and stick to him..... this helped me to endure and grow in understanding.
This it is the crux of the matter...... trust that jehovah is the great compensator.  He is the only and absolute provider of true justice. He is righteous.
I read a lot of news .... when I read of the growing injustices against Christian's in north Africa...... the murders, rapes etc.  I just want to literally cry...... in this world run by satan behind the scenes, there is no true justice. 
JUSTICE really depends what kind of government is in power ..... and how corrupt it is or not.    We all will learn this soon when governments turn on religion.... we will see how just governments really are.  The bible does not say for nothing that those who accept Jesus' randsom will be persecuted before Armageddon. 
The law is usually the instrument by which they persecute people when the society is reasonably civil.  When society is in chaos, you are just executed or kangaroo court prevails.
Be glad you are living in a first world country - although things are deteriorating fast.  I cry for the young children being raped in Africa ...... all the time.... it is endemic....  law and order is only for those in power..... not the victims.
Jehovah loves the lowly, the victims..... and they do get a measure of comfort from Him in this world....... the full healing for them will only come in the new system.. ...but they must draw close to jehovah now to get this comfort.  Some do not appreciate this offer from jehovah..... and throw the opportunities away.
 

Not all lawyers.
I know some who do it all the time.
They only “play dirty” in your eyes because they beat your side.
Exactly. Look, if someone offered me $20 million (or bought enough of my books to total that amount—hint, hint) I would take it in a heartbeat if there were no strings attached. But the “strings attached” in this instance is kicking the organization in the teeth which is likely more proactive than anyone in actually preventing child sexual abuse.

He was having an off day. You would know if you did your research. They had just raised the price of all his newspaper and magazine subscriptions and he was fed up.

I wish people knew what a dictator is.  When they live under one they will not use the word so freely. People call jehovah a dictator as well because he dares to tell them what is right and wrong!

Not all lawyers.
I know some who do it all the time.
They only “play dirty” in your eyes because they beat your side.
Exactly. Look, if someone offered me $20 million (or bought enough of my books to total that amount—hint, hint) I would take it in a heartbeat if there were no strings attached. But the “strings attached” in this instance is kicking the organization in the teeth which is likely more proactive than anyone in actually preventing child sexual abuse.

In fact, I did.
What criticisms? As stated:
Read how the ones in charge couldn’t speak the native languages and often skipped community meetings on that account. Read how some disrespected the local workers. Read how Washington headquarters micromanaged everything, how shifting senior management slowed progress to a crawl, how leaders with “absolutely no expertise” wielded authority. Read about hand-washing campaigns launched with huge fanfare to people who had no access to soap or water. Read about the 130,000 claimed to have been housed, but who actually just attended a seminar on how to fix their own homes, received temporary rental assistance or provisional shelters that started to disintegrate after three to five years. And be fair to the Red Cross: Read their response. Read it all. Were it not so tragic, it would be laughable. It was all so preventable. All that was needed was Bible education. Jehovah’s Witnesses have it. They value it. They didn’t suffer from the Red Cross’s problems.
Now let us place ourselves on their day on the hot seat:
Reporter: “These are ridiculous screwups! You must take responsibility and be held accountable! How could these things have happened?!”
A: “Look, it’s not our fault if they can’t speak English! What’s wrong with them. And there were a lot of internal promotions going on at the time. It regrettably caused some confusion. People want to move up in their careers, after all. You certainly can’t blame them for that! And what kind of a crazy place doesn’t have soap or water? That’s not our fault! And we got a bad bunch of rotting plywood from ‘Big Bob’s Builders’ just before they went under. They gave us a great deal which would have saved ‘those people’ money. We can’t be held responsible for housing that fell apart! Picky, picky, picky!”
Reporter: “Sounds reasonable.”
Yes, I have heard that. Since that is the very purpose of insurance, I was astounded that anyone would be small enough to object to this. Remember, they commence rebuilding without knowing or caring whether there is insurance in a given case. People are always free to turn the WT down and wait several weeks for the overworked commercial builders to get around to it.
I wrote about this accusation at some length: 
https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2019/01/are-we-looking-at-encouragement-to-commit-insurance-fraud-part-1.html
Aren’t you sort of a piece of work—first asserting that the disaster relief work is a lying sign from Satan who is master at seeming an angel of light, and then saying that that the relief work is no big deal, since everybody does it?

I have called them “malcontents” because I don’t want to get @admin going again. Remember how he yelled at us all, saying that the rest of the world has moved on and nobody cares if people in the JW world are crying ‘apostate’ at each other and they think we’re all nuts? Who wants to risk that tirade again?
He has a point. It does have to ring a little crazy to anyone else. Will he accept my explanation that the early Christians had apostates as virulent—so virulent that two entire chapters of the Bible are devoted to them (2 Peter 2, Jude 1) and there is no NT writer that does not come to grips with them? I wouldn’t hold my breath.
From the meta-data of ‘TrueTom vs the Apostates!’—
No New Testament writer fails to deal with then-rampant apostasy—a movement which finds its counterpart today. Two Bible chapters are entirely dedicated to it. Apostates of that time would “despise authority.” How could that become a problem unless there was authority? They loved “lawlessness.” How could that become a problem unless there was law? They favored acts of “brazen conduct,” had “eyes full of adultery,” and were “unable to desist from sin.” How could that become a problem unless there was someone to tell them that they could not carry on in that way? Not only is the nature of apostates revealed in the above Bible verses, but also the nature of the Christian organization. 
Any faith too bland to have quality apostates—I am almost proud of ours—is too bland to be given the time of day. They validate us. The more “respectable” churches where anything goes—what would people apostatize from?
But the general audience may weary of the term “apostate.” So I say “malcontent,” “detractor,” “grumbler.” It’s just to throw Admin off the track. Because you know and I know the song these “malcontents” sing at their secret gatherings—the Queen song: 
“We’re the apostates, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end
We’re the apostates
We’re the apostates
No way we’re losers
'Cause we’re the apostates of the world.”