TrueTomHarley

For the same reason I don't just waltz right in there. Had Moses been directed to put up a chain link fence instead of a curtain, I would feel differently
 
Moses made so many missteps that if you trace his footsteps in the Sinai over 40 years, it looks like he was drunk.
Step away from whatever 'privileges' you have in the theocratic organization. Seriously. They are not a privilege to you. They are a burden. If you represent the organization in some capacity, say as an elder, than you do have to reign in some personal freedoms. You don't have to do it as a regular rank and file (and yes, for this post only I will allow the hierarchy model) publisher. You can just rediscover the joys of doing the basic ministry and serving God. Discover the joy of following rather than taking the lead. Help whoever you want to help, not just those you have to. Many theocratic activities are not 'instead of' -  they are 'in addition to.' Back off so that you can do the 'instead ofs.' You will be serving Jehovah from a different vantage point. So long as you do not act outrageously, setting up a literature cart with your own pamphlets at the Kingdom Hall, for example,  you will find that no one interferes. Grow a beard if you like - it will make less waves than if you try it as an elder. Both you and they will be happier.
You are chaffing over organizational things. Step back for a time. Sometimes servants who should do not want to because they have gotten too used to the idea that their own gifts and input is essential. I know what I speak of in this. Presumably, you love the basics - ministry, association, Bible study, prayer. Focus on them. In time you may work out whatever issues you have - for they are not ridiculous or groundless, just overemphasized in your head I think - and you can make yourself available again
Are they 'controlling?' Yeah, I know where you are coming from, but I would not view it that way. It is relative. From the world's point of view (anything goes) they are absolutely tyrannical. But if you weigh their conduct against the freedom of speech and independent thought commented upon in the scriptures, they are  within the ballpark. Some things are arguable - they could be tweaked this way or that. I'm not crazy about everything I see. But it may be that being 'taught by Jehovah' will entail things that are not the way I would do it. It is not as though everything I have done in my life has turned out brilliantly.
It is what it is. At any rate, I do not see any alternative other than that outfit Witness runs. Or be like JTR. Raise your loved ones as Jehovah's Witnesses and tell them 85% of it is crap. Good luck juggling that one.
Exactly. Step away from that one. He will drive you nuts. Maybe he will be retrained someday, for they are trying to get him to not be such a yoyo. Maybe he himself will flame out or even be removed.  But he's gotten under your skin too much. Step away and you will recover in time. When you return you will have the tools to either put up with him or knock him out of the theocratic park,

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If it were all hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has arranged each of the body members just as he pleased.  If they were all the same member, where would the body be? - 1 Corinthians 12:17-19
It is enough that Witnesses can entertain whatever notions they want on these periphery teachings - you are far too hung up on asserting they cannot. What they cannot to is grab hold of the wheel of the bus. Many verses speak to promoting sects and stirring up divisions.
This is not difficult and I cannot understand your harping on this. If you can't accept something, don't accept it. Nobody says you have to shout these things from the rooftops. It is increasingly hard not to take these complaints of yours as the complaints of Korah: 'that is enough of you because all of Jehovah's people are holy.'
People here are searching for the divine/human interface. It is perfectly okay to do if you assume there IS no divine/human interface - that it is all a matter of human politics. Just be honest about it. But if you concede there is one - I am uncomfortable trying to peek between the curtains of the tabernacle into the Holy compartment - which is why I don't go there. And it is not getting caught by the attendants of the priest or even the priest himself that worries me.
 

If you ignore it, lady - a plain and clearcut brilliant truth - it's not really my problem, is it? 
Let us toy with the number 2022 a bit and see what profound truths are revealed: 22 take away 20 is what? Two!! And what numeral is featured most often in the year 2022? Two again!!
How many times is it featured? Three! Here we see that this  flash of light even has the added advantage of separating the sheep from the goats. Those who accept it for the right reasons - three times for emphasis - enter the gates as a slam-dunk. Those who accept it for the wrong reason - it proves the trinity - are toast. 
I mean, no offense, @Anna, but  - Duh!

If you ignore it, lady - a plain and clearcut brilliant truth - it's not really my problem, is it? 
Let us toy with the number 2022 a bit and see what profound truths are revealed: 22 take away 20 is what? Two!! And what numeral is featured most often in the year 2022? Two again!!
How many times is it featured? Three! Here we see that this  flash of light even has the added advantage of separating the sheep from the goats. Those who accept it for the right reasons - three times for emphasis - enter the gates as a slam-dunk. Those who accept it for the wrong reason - it proves the trinity - are toast. 
I mean, no offense, @Anna, but  - Duh!

He wants to discuss the Trinity again. But he is the one who is raising it.
Met someone yesterday who quoted the Ten Commandments,"You Must Not covet"  but then said "God coveted Mary" because He  told her she would become pregnant with His Son.  Never heard the likes of it before.  I told him God is a Spirit and he had no fleshly interest in her.  He just wanted to transfer his Son's life from a heavenly one to an earthly one. I also mentioned that Mary was not yet married and  that when the angel related to Mary what was going to happen to her,  she agreed by  saying, "Look! Jehovah's slave girl!" May it take place with me according to your declaration".  Jehovah would have known Mary's life course, her spirituality and that she would deem this very great privilege to bear his Son. Jehovah would have known the spirituality of Joseph, her  future husband as well, as Joseph would have to an active part in raising God's son as a human.  Of course I quoted Deut 32:4, and  Daniel 4:35 which  says " . .. and he is doing according to his own will among the army of the heavens and the inhabitants of the earth. And there exists no one that can check his hand or that can say to him, ‘What have you been doing?’"
It was shocking but we were still able to break down some prejudice and the brother who told me he wastes our time, came and joined us and exchange some pleasantries about school days and shook hands.  It was the first time for me speaking to him, but this brother had spoken to him several times.  I told him not to be afraid of people like that, and gave him incidences where even people who opposed Jehovah like spirit mediums became Jehovah's servants in Africa and other places.

I am going to go out on a limb slightly.
2022!!!
Be Ready
only 1457 shopping days left for someone to buy your home.

I am going to go out on a limb slightly.
2022!!!
Be Ready
only 1457 shopping days left for someone to buy your home.

This reveals a basic characteristic of those who "observe" JWs from the sidelines. The presumption of a sort of heirarchy along the lines of typical human organisation.
Actually, all JW's are rank and file. Any other "heirarchical perception" exists only in the minds of those men who hold it I'm afraid, whoever they are.. So in reality, 1975 enthusiasm, (other than enthusiasm for just another "last days" year nearer the end than 1974), was generated by some rank & file JWs. And there were some other rank & file JWs who did not share that enthusiasm.

I think they just don't want to find themselves saying something crucial and the sons-in-law of Lot think they are joking.
 
I find it hard to quarrel about that (and am not saying that you do).
 
I don't think they know themselves, going back to the verse that says they are but brothers and just one is the leader.
I think they look at the likelihood of ISIS walking the same beat with grenades that Officer O'Malihan once walked with his nightstick, and people donning genders as they once donned clothes, and they think the time of decision may soon arrive - best to be prepared.

I think they just don't want to find themselves saying something crucial and the sons-in-law of Lot think they are joking.
 
I find it hard to quarrel about that (and am not saying that you do).
 
I don't think they know themselves, going back to the verse that says they are but brothers and just one is the leader.
I think they look at the likelihood of ISIS walking the same beat with grenades that Officer O'Malihan once walked with his nightstick, and people donning genders as they once donned clothes, and they think the time of decision may soon arrive - best to be prepared.

I think it is an attempt to put the issue to bed by people who are dumbfounded that their was of framing it is not as clear to everyone as it is to them.
Many comments from those disgruntles assume an us versus them mentality - the boss class dictating to the worker class. I honestly do not think they look at it that way. I honestly do not think it is that way. I think it is the way of Matthew 23:8-10:
But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your Teacher, and all of you are brothers. ...Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ.  
They do not view themselves as leaders, but as fellow brothers who are taking the lead. There is a difference. The leader is Christ.
When they say "some brothers thought such-and-such" they mean themselves as much as any in the ranks. They do not draw a distinction between themselves and the rest of the brotherhood. Having floated the idea, which was valid due to the 6000 years, they did not push it unduly. If they had pushed it, all district overseers would have pushed it, not just Sunitko and a few like-minded zealots. There is plenty of 'blame' to go around. It is enough to say: "some brothers thought..."
The way they view it, and the way we do well to view it, is the spiritual way of Matthew 23. The way some here view it seems to me the fleshly way: the bossman class dictating to the worker class.

There is a lot of that going around. There ought to be a vaccine for it.

You should have stayed where you were. The end did come in 1975 but only in Zaire.

You should have stayed where you were. The end did come in 1975 but only in Zaire.

I think it is an attempt to put the issue to bed by people who are dumbfounded that their was of framing it is not as clear to everyone as it is to them.
Many comments from those disgruntles assume an us versus them mentality - the boss class dictating to the worker class. I honestly do not think they look at it that way. I honestly do not think it is that way. I think it is the way of Matthew 23:8-10:
But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your Teacher, and all of you are brothers. ...Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ.  
They do not view themselves as leaders, but as fellow brothers who are taking the lead. There is a difference. The leader is Christ.
When they say "some brothers thought such-and-such" they mean themselves as much as any in the ranks. They do not draw a distinction between themselves and the rest of the brotherhood. Having floated the idea, which was valid due to the 6000 years, they did not push it unduly. If they had pushed it, all district overseers would have pushed it, not just Sunitko and a few like-minded zealots. There is plenty of 'blame' to go around. It is enough to say: "some brothers thought..."
The way they view it, and the way we do well to view it, is the spiritual way of Matthew 23. The way some here view it seems to me the fleshly way: the bossman class dictating to the worker class.

There is a lot of that going around. There ought to be a vaccine for it.

I find it hard to disagree with this. It is common for apologies to be demanded of public figures or business people today. When they are proffered, are the persons ever forgiven? Or is it the pattern that they have thereby admitted to disqualifying conduct and should step aside.
Friends do not require apologies. Enemies will not be satisfied with them. It is primarily a matter of the heart. It sounds to me that R.L struck just the right balance.
 
This makes no sense to me. If he was dismissed for his renegade writing, why was he retained as a writer?

There is a lot of that going around. There ought to be a vaccine for it.

I find it hard to disagree with this. It is common for apologies to be demanded of public figures or business people today. When they are proffered, are the persons ever forgiven? Or is it the pattern that they have thereby admitted to disqualifying conduct and should step aside.
Friends do not require apologies. Enemies will not be satisfied with them. It is primarily a matter of the heart. It sounds to me that R.L struck just the right balance.
 
This makes no sense to me. If he was dismissed for his renegade writing, why was he retained as a writer?

It would accomplish two irresistible aims of certain religionists. (Thank God they are not us)
It would validate those Middle Ages portrayals of the Savior with golden flowing hair.
It would affirm the U.S.A. as God's chosen vehicle.

The strategy to blow opposers off with a quick answer is the same one Jesus used many times, both to opponents and to those who just wanted a quick fix. Later, with his faithful disciples he (sometimes) explained matters in more detail. 

Yeah, that way when she sits down she sits where the camera is pointed so the video does not consist of an empty chair. They are not the first filmmakers ever to have done that.

It's a trap, @Noble Berean!! Don't fall for it!

Yeah, that way when she sits down she sits where the camera is pointed so the video does not consist of an empty chair. They are not the first filmmakers ever to have done that.

It's a trap, @Noble Berean!! Don't fall for it!