TrueTomHarley

You are very good at evading. Those are not likes 

I don't really see that. There have always been waves of JWs coming and going since I have heard and/or remember personally. Quite a number left during Russell's days, then in Rutherford's days, a number around the 1975 debacle and then around 1995. But also many have "survived" those times. Now with the transparency of the internet and social media era there will be others. But really, it's only weeding out those who are disappointed over selfish things, why else would they be disappointed? Those who believe God's Kingdom will come, whether in their life time or not, are not disappointed, after all, those who endure to the end will be saved.

But then so is reading the comment in the first place

That Dr. Jackson writes some flattering bios! At least Russell didn't write it himself. I am having to write my own bio and refer to myself in 3rd person, that's always awkward and weird....

Except when he said that small flies become bigger flies

Hmmm...you may be right of course, it is a difficult thing for man to stay humble when he believes he has an important mission to accomplish. I believe his motives must have been noble though, why else would a man spend his fortune on something that would not profit him financially?
 
I don't blame him to be honest for thinking that.
Cool!

Well, no. But I'll get to it.
 

Thanks for drawing my attention to that question as I forgot all about it and never even noticed an answer there from @Gone Fishing

When you get old and fat and it stretches into something unsightly.

Given what most of us have learned about not  'saying a greeting' to ones like John spoke of, I don't fault him for it. Actually, he was probably right. A 'like' is pretty much of a greeting. Some might not take it quite that literarly but it is not for me to fault those who do.
it makes it a little dicey hanging out here, where all Witnesses who hang out are avant garde. I mean, they're not the typical Witnesses. But since they stumble across the site as did I, by chance, traipsing over from Twitter - and they have no reason to think it not a fine spot for spiritual discussion. But then they find it is not necessarily so - that it CAN be, but is not reliably so - I feel I should remember that those brothers are around and not insist upon my freedoms in their presence. 
 
There! Happy?

Were it not for the flood of hateful remarks directed at theocratic authority, I would most likely agree with you. But like pus from a wound, it is everywhere. Maybe there is a place for someone from us who spills the dirt before the scoundrels do.
Online there are endless persons who spill dirt on God's organization. Often it is true dirt, or it is based upon something true. 'No human is able to exercise perfect self-control,' today's Watchtower says. Same with other qualities. Therefore there will always be dirt. Opposers misrepresent and exaggerate and always always always impute wrong motive. Eventually, John Q Publisher comes across it, and because he has been exposed to not a hint of it, he is floored - and in many cases he swallows it along with the negative spin supplied - and the spiritual consequences are dire. Therefore it may not be a bad thing if someone spills dirt in a 'loyal' context. You could almost liken it to a vaccine - exposure to a little bit of the crap by a physician better prepares one for when they encounter it in the wild. At any rate, you can do nothing about it, so you may as well adapt.
I don't think it is great, either, but there may be a practical use to it. People spill all kinds of confidential stuff here. It amazed me at first. Then they say where there is secrecy there is tyranny. The remark is not completely wet, but it is misplaced. 'Confidential' is not the same as 'secret.' Nor is it the same as 'not intended for public distribution.' John gave the reason that not everything is intended for everyone, and it reveals no ill intent whatsoever. Quite the contrary. 'I have many things to say to you, but you are not yet ready to bear them,' Jesus said. "Oh yes we are," says everyone on this forum (including me). I can picture some (if they dared) combing through all the stuff Jesus held back so that they could post it online in order to to fill our 'right to know.' Still, since the liars abound,  'loyal' ones can put a proper spin on the dirt they reveal.
Though I don't like to see confidential things displayed online, they yet serve to strengthen general confidence in the organization God uses. Shiwiii, for example, posted that confidential letter in which Bethel reminded local publishers to donate timely. He was hoping I would be outraged at the greedy Watchtower. Instead, I feigned outrage at the greedy Bible writers, for it was clear everything the organization did was based upon scripture. Even when you don't like the general direction in which godly counsel is heading, you nonetheless have to concede that it is godly - supported scripturally - and thus you can ask yourself: 'to what degree am I willing to be 'taught by Jehovah?' even as the ones publishing it ask themselves the same question. 
I will go out on a limb here and risk being presumptuous, but I'm not sure the brothers know what to do with the pure deceit that is so readily spewed online by many. I think they probably reign in some instincts on how to respond because that is what the Bible says they should do. Maybe I should too, and others here. But we get clobbered by apostates and one wants to do something about it, if at all possible. "I am stronger than you, and I thank God for it," says Miss Pross to the wicked foreign woman who would cut her throat. She fights not for herself, but for someone to whom she is loyal. It is the first century playing out all over again. There is not a NT writer who does not deal with it. The apostate issue was fueled by same thing then as it is today: a contempt for authority. (Jude 8) It's hard to know how to deal with it. 

There is a balance, to be sure. When Paul speaks of not stumbling another, it is newer or weaker persons he is speaking of. He is not primarily speaking about those who have been around forever and who should have, by now, resolved such matters and learned not to be offended at the drop of a pin. 
In this case, I let myself corrected because I thought he had a good point. Maybe he was right entirely and I should allow myself to be reigned in. It made sense to me. If saluting the flag is a form of idolatry, surely 'liking' the comment of an apostate is a form of association.

Given what most of us have learned about not  'saying a greeting' to ones like John spoke of, I don't fault him for it. Actually, he was probably right. A 'like' is pretty much of a greeting. Some might not take it quite that literarly but it is not for me to fault those who do.
it makes it a little dicey hanging out here, where all Witnesses who hang out are avant garde. I mean, they're not the typical Witnesses. But since they stumble across the site as did I, by chance, traipsing over from Twitter - and they have no reason to think it not a fine spot for spiritual discussion. But then they find it is not necessarily so - that it CAN be, but is not reliably so - I feel I should remember that those brothers are around and not insist upon my freedoms in their presence. 
 
There! Happy?

When I liked the comment from someone who I thought fit the description of ones John says we should not greet, I found I had stumbled someone - a person who has since left this forum. I was not able to placate him by saying: 'well, even villains behave now and then.' (I am not calling you a villain here - that's not my intent)
So, considering what Paul wrote about giving up some rights so as not to stumble 'these little ones,' I resolved not to do it anymore. But if I did, I would do it now.

I didn't see this movie because it is about ...well.....fighting. But every so often I hear about it connecting with something redeeming.

I was about to explode over this but then I calmed down. I began to think it was not intended the way I, at first, took it. No matter. It lays groundwork for a good post:
After correctly assessing @Arauna's gifts, Srecko suggests she "could be very effective in a career or in volunteer work where you are handling people and serving in a humanitarian way." Oh yeah! Go for it Arauna! Why do you waste your time here? Ycu could amount to something. Your gifts could be useful. You could help fix the world! It's almost there; your talents might tip the balance. [okay, okay, so maybe Srecko was not recommending a career in the world but merely acknowledging she would be valuable anywhere, including right where she is.]
She could be one more talented person fed into the ever-open maw of a world that consumes them all without response.
Srecko is another strange bird to me - a lot of them are. It must be me. They are all normal and I am the weirdo! But he alternately says things very perceptive and very obtuse - confusing true tyranny with the traffic cop's direction to walk in the crosswalk. I can't figure it out.
If you leave God's congregation, you leave it. We all have free will. But it seems that if you do so you should take ownership of the world you have chosen. When you see mayhem on the TV - the fruitage of man's independence from God - embrace it! It's yours.  Witnesses will take ownership of Jehovah's organization, imperfect though it is. The only significant way I can picture a human organization doing much better is to banish the humans. You should take ownership of what you have chosen.
There is only one significant advantage from casting off the Christian congregation that I can picture - the delirious freedom of going where no one can tell you what to do! You can be frreeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It is intoxicating - like a drug. All other considerations - material and spiritual - go out the window!
And yet even that is not true - that you go where no one can tell you what to do. It may be true in the human sense, but that is the petty sense. By giving up on the sure resurrection hope, old age and death will surely tell you what to do. By giving up on the 'wisdom from above,' the 'schemes and trickery of men will surely tell you what to do,' for the air has authority. By giving up on the Bible's complete explanation of suffering, the 'shit happens' outlook of the world will surely tell you what to do.
By the time you pay your new master his dues, God's congregation and the GB will look positively like doddering indulgent grandparents in comparison. Witnesses sacrifice some petty freedoms for the sake of the large ones - no Witness would ever say otherwise. If you lose all faith in God's promises, however, those sacrifices seem for naught and people start complaining. It is no more complicated than that. 
 

There was another in Bethel with same first and last name. I know him. He married at Bethel. We later sent him an anniversary card and the GB Barr answered! He wrote a few chatty paragraphs saying where he had been lately. 'Boy he sure gets around for being just a year at Bethel,' I said to my wife. The wives names didn't match, but I figured maybe the name I knew was a nickname. It took a few minutes to figure it out.
Imagine - a GB member writing a few chatty paragraphs to someone he does not know but doesn't want to ignore. These are not proud brothers.

Were it not for the flood of hateful remarks directed at theocratic authority, I would most likely agree with you. But like pus from a wound, it is everywhere. Maybe there is a place for someone from us who spills the dirt before the scoundrels do.
Online there are endless persons who spill dirt on God's organization. Often it is true dirt, or it is based upon something true. 'No human is able to exercise perfect self-control,' today's Watchtower says. Same with other qualities. Therefore there will always be dirt. Opposers misrepresent and exaggerate and always always always impute wrong motive. Eventually, John Q Publisher comes across it, and because he has been exposed to not a hint of it, he is floored - and in many cases he swallows it along with the negative spin supplied - and the spiritual consequences are dire. Therefore it may not be a bad thing if someone spills dirt in a 'loyal' context. You could almost liken it to a vaccine - exposure to a little bit of the crap by a physician better prepares one for when they encounter it in the wild. At any rate, you can do nothing about it, so you may as well adapt.
I don't think it is great, either, but there may be a practical use to it. People spill all kinds of confidential stuff here. It amazed me at first. Then they say where there is secrecy there is tyranny. The remark is not completely wet, but it is misplaced. 'Confidential' is not the same as 'secret.' Nor is it the same as 'not intended for public distribution.' John gave the reason that not everything is intended for everyone, and it reveals no ill intent whatsoever. Quite the contrary. 'I have many things to say to you, but you are not yet ready to bear them,' Jesus said. "Oh yes we are," says everyone on this forum (including me). I can picture some (if they dared) combing through all the stuff Jesus held back so that they could post it online in order to to fill our 'right to know.' Still, since the liars abound,  'loyal' ones can put a proper spin on the dirt they reveal.
Though I don't like to see confidential things displayed online, they yet serve to strengthen general confidence in the organization God uses. Shiwiii, for example, posted that confidential letter in which Bethel reminded local publishers to donate timely. He was hoping I would be outraged at the greedy Watchtower. Instead, I feigned outrage at the greedy Bible writers, for it was clear everything the organization did was based upon scripture. Even when you don't like the general direction in which godly counsel is heading, you nonetheless have to concede that it is godly - supported scripturally - and thus you can ask yourself: 'to what degree am I willing to be 'taught by Jehovah?' even as the ones publishing it ask themselves the same question. 
I will go out on a limb here and risk being presumptuous, but I'm not sure the brothers know what to do with the pure deceit that is so readily spewed online by many. I think they probably reign in some instincts on how to respond because that is what the Bible says they should do. Maybe I should too, and others here. But we get clobbered by apostates and one wants to do something about it, if at all possible. "I am stronger than you, and I thank God for it," says Miss Pross to the wicked foreign woman who would cut her throat. She fights not for herself, but for someone to whom she is loyal. It is the first century playing out all over again. There is not a NT writer who does not deal with it. The apostate issue was fueled by same thing then as it is today: a contempt for authority. (Jude 8) It's hard to know how to deal with it. 

I should not say it. It is too crass. I am not in her league. She is too refined. I am too much like the idiot who hollers: "Hi Yo Silver!!" when he hears the William Tell Overture.
Ah, well.
It's not over till the fat lady sings.
 
 I know that feeling.

It's not mine, though I wish it were. It certainly fits. It is that of author Harlan Coben, his tweet. I must read one of his books someday in payment. I trust there will be nothing untoward in it - I've no reason to think so, granted that it will not be a church hymnal.
"Grow up, TTH, would you?" says....pretty much anyone.
Yes. That is why she is where she is - with Jehovah's organization.
harlan.jpg_large
PS: Isn't this pic one of ours? I could swear I have seen it. It is pretty chaste to come from anywhere other than JWs. Isn't it in the Live Forever book? Nope.
But I am still not convinced it is not ours. Maybe it is common stock which both he and they used.  Once I accused @Ann O'Maly for using our photo to promote her very opposite cause. To her satisfaction, and my chagrin, she pointed out that it was not 'ours.' It was common stock that we had purchased, but anyone else could, too.

Were it not for the flood of hateful remarks directed at theocratic authority, I would most likely agree with you. But like pus from a wound, it is everywhere. Maybe there is a place for someone from us who spills the dirt before the scoundrels do.
Online there are endless persons who spill dirt on God's organization. Often it is true dirt, or it is based upon something true. 'No human is able to exercise perfect self-control,' today's Watchtower says. Same with other qualities. Therefore there will always be dirt. Opposers misrepresent and exaggerate and always always always impute wrong motive. Eventually, John Q Publisher comes across it, and because he has been exposed to not a hint of it, he is floored - and in many cases he swallows it along with the negative spin supplied - and the spiritual consequences are dire. Therefore it may not be a bad thing if someone spills dirt in a 'loyal' context. You could almost liken it to a vaccine - exposure to a little bit of the crap by a physician better prepares one for when they encounter it in the wild. At any rate, you can do nothing about it, so you may as well adapt.
I don't think it is great, either, but there may be a practical use to it. People spill all kinds of confidential stuff here. It amazed me at first. Then they say where there is secrecy there is tyranny. The remark is not completely wet, but it is misplaced. 'Confidential' is not the same as 'secret.' Nor is it the same as 'not intended for public distribution.' John gave the reason that not everything is intended for everyone, and it reveals no ill intent whatsoever. Quite the contrary. 'I have many things to say to you, but you are not yet ready to bear them,' Jesus said. "Oh yes we are," says everyone on this forum (including me). I can picture some (if they dared) combing through all the stuff Jesus held back so that they could post it online in order to to fill our 'right to know.' Still, since the liars abound,  'loyal' ones can put a proper spin on the dirt they reveal.
Though I don't like to see confidential things displayed online, they yet serve to strengthen general confidence in the organization God uses. Shiwiii, for example, posted that confidential letter in which Bethel reminded local publishers to donate timely. He was hoping I would be outraged at the greedy Watchtower. Instead, I feigned outrage at the greedy Bible writers, for it was clear everything the organization did was based upon scripture. Even when you don't like the general direction in which godly counsel is heading, you nonetheless have to concede that it is godly - supported scripturally - and thus you can ask yourself: 'to what degree am I willing to be 'taught by Jehovah?' even as the ones publishing it ask themselves the same question. 
I will go out on a limb here and risk being presumptuous, but I'm not sure the brothers know what to do with the pure deceit that is so readily spewed online by many. I think they probably reign in some instincts on how to respond because that is what the Bible says they should do. Maybe I should too, and others here. But we get clobbered by apostates and one wants to do something about it, if at all possible. "I am stronger than you, and I thank God for it," says Miss Pross to the wicked foreign woman who would cut her throat. She fights not for herself, but for someone to whom she is loyal. It is the first century playing out all over again. There is not a NT writer who does not deal with it. The apostate issue was fueled by same thing then as it is today: a contempt for authority. (Jude 8) It's hard to know how to deal with it. 

I see we have a few feminists here.  If you investigate where feminism comes from you will not be so eager to promote this way of thinking! 
Any case I am female and I am very happy in the congregation.  Sisters have a wonderful opportunity to spread LOVE, look after the sick, preach, look after their husbands and children in a godly way and use their wisdom to advise the young sisters and accomplish much good in the congregation! 
One can support the young ministerial servants and just be a force for good and teaching the younger ones to care for others...... No, our job is much nicer than that of the older men who sometimes have to take sad cases of those who are disruptive etc. ..... We can help the disruptive ones before they can become a problem!  And if you do it in the right way..... you will never be a threat to anyone! 
And we have time to study and bring great honor to Jehovah in much preaching work and just teach the younger ones to be more grateful (not greatful!) for the things Jehovah has done for them.  Good women can be a powerhouse in a congregation !!- and don't underestimate the power of the bright side! ...... keep those lamps shining!
Single sisters have a hard time to stay single - and many never have the hope of a husband. Give them some attention because they can feel lonely and depressed!  How nice a kind hearing ear is.  They are eternally grateful and when they have a problem they know where to go!  Also the sisters who have an unloving husband.  They need to trust someone who will not say anything about it to someone else.  How nice when a mature sister can use her talents and knowledge gained from the scriptures in an upbuilding, positive way! ... or just give a hug! Difficult marriage can be very hard on people! One can give tips on what helped for you - but not in preachy way - in friendship way.  Reveal the problems you had and how it was overcome - it builds trust ...... but NEVER talk bad of anyone!
Older sisters have the maturity to spread themselves out and also see when younger ones are ailing or going in wrong direction.... give attention.... this is how we should look after each other.
I am NOT feminist!  I used to ask my husband if I wanted to send money to family members or anyone because he knows I will never do anything he is not aware of. (And I earned a pretty good salary at the time!)  I do it because I WANT to; because I think it is right; and I think it builds trust!  Trust is very important in life and yet many people underestimate its power.  He respects me for respecting him!... and he trusts me!
I tone down my talking (I love to talk) when I am around brothers who are still unsure of themselves or immature.  You get those who feel that they are supposed to know it all because they are  men - especially in spiritual way.  They still need time to help them grow.  I am quick to pick up when people are threatened -  it is a way of being kind to them and also to keep yourself out of trouble. 
There are many smart women out there - but if you have to show it off all the time - shame on you!   I think emotional smartness is better.  Learn to watch people and learn from their reactions.  
I have often said (my husband says it too!) :  If you meet a person - even if it is a worldly person - and they have not learnt to be compassionate and kind........ their life - the time they spent on earth has been in vain - they never learnt anything!
 

There are some things I have not quite gotten my head around - even given that names could be assigned retroactively, like Peter and the rock, but .... during his lifetime? To his face? Did he introduce himself: "Pleased to meet you. My name is Worthless"?
It is almost like God being Hosea's matchmaker. Could I be so big? It's easy enough to get stuck with a 'wife of fornication' all on one's own without requiring divine help. Okay, okay, some of them had concubines back then, but still.
And don't get me started on Ezekiel staring at a brick. "Honey, I'm hooommee!" he hollers. "Tell me about your day, dear," his wife responds.
It's why those depictions don't entirely fly when these guys are portrayed as Ozzie and Harriet types, ever concerned about their dress and grooming. But we recognize the good intentions, and so we play along. After all, who can say what things were really like back in the day?

Imagine a system where all one must do to enjoy the status of 'teacher' is to partake! Instantly, they are recognized as an authority! Genuine annointed Christians will follow this route, of course. But any Tom, Dick or Harry can do it, too. Afterwards, by talking a good game, they will convince many of their special credentials. It won't affect the running of things, because elder/servant bodies are formed on other considerations - but some of the local friends will be wowed.
I've known six locally. Only one was generally accepted. Witnesses don't judge such things, but one can become aware of a grapevine consensus. The one 'unchallenged' was a tireless pioneer who had been around forever and was always in harmony with theocratic organization - in no way did she 'compete.' (and even her acknowledgment was not universal)
Others were all unusual in one way or another, and one of them got to be so critical of things that another ceased association with her. Still another began partaking only after (not immediately after) being appointed an elder. The circuit overseer approving his appointment, said that he qualified - because he did - he met the scriptural qualifications to an acceptable degree. But he added as an aside: 'He's not the most humble person in the world.' He and the hyper-critical one became best of friends; he got to be critical himself, and they eventually departed together. He is still alive and is generally thought to be an 'off the wall' apostate. I think he has authored a book or two. For whatever it's worth, his family, before becoming Witnesses, included some who claimed psychic status and did water witching. 
I can't imagine a better arrangement than that of the current 'slave.' They must be of the annointed AND they must have been refined, with decades of full-time humble service. No harm done, then, if someone partakes through unbalance or self-deception. The path they take is only between themselves and God, which is how a truly annointed one would want it anyway.
 
 
 

Imagine a system where all one must do to enjoy the status of 'teacher' is to partake! Instantly, they are recognized as an authority! Genuine annointed Christians will follow this route, of course. But any Tom, Dick or Harry can do it, too. Afterwards, by talking a good game, they will convince many of their special credentials. It won't affect the running of things, because elder/servant bodies are formed on other considerations - but some of the local friends will be wowed.
I've known six locally. Only one was generally accepted. Witnesses don't judge such things, but one can become aware of a grapevine consensus. The one 'unchallenged' was a tireless pioneer who had been around forever and was always in harmony with theocratic organization - in no way did she 'compete.' (and even her acknowledgment was not universal)
Others were all unusual in one way or another, and one of them got to be so critical of things that another ceased association with her. Still another began partaking only after (not immediately after) being appointed an elder. The circuit overseer approving his appointment, said that he qualified - because he did - he met the scriptural qualifications to an acceptable degree. But he added as an aside: 'He's not the most humble person in the world.' He and the hyper-critical one became best of friends; he got to be critical himself, and they eventually departed together. He is still alive and is generally thought to be an 'off the wall' apostate. I think he has authored a book or two. For whatever it's worth, his family, before becoming Witnesses, included some who claimed psychic status and did water witching. 
I can't imagine a better arrangement than that of the current 'slave.' They must be of the annointed AND they must have been refined, with decades of full-time humble service. No harm done, then, if someone partakes through unbalance or self-deception. The path they take is only between themselves and God, which is how a truly annointed one would want it anyway.
 
 
 

Imagine a system where all one must do to enjoy the status of 'teacher' is to partake! Instantly, they are recognized as an authority! Genuine annointed Christians will follow this route, of course. But any Tom, Dick or Harry can do it, too. Afterwards, by talking a good game, they will convince many of their special credentials. It won't affect the running of things, because elder/servant bodies are formed on other considerations - but some of the local friends will be wowed.
I've known six locally. Only one was generally accepted. Witnesses don't judge such things, but one can become aware of a grapevine consensus. The one 'unchallenged' was a tireless pioneer who had been around forever and was always in harmony with theocratic organization - in no way did she 'compete.' (and even her acknowledgment was not universal)
Others were all unusual in one way or another, and one of them got to be so critical of things that another ceased association with her. Still another began partaking only after (not immediately after) being appointed an elder. The circuit overseer approving his appointment, said that he qualified - because he did - he met the scriptural qualifications to an acceptable degree. But he added as an aside: 'He's not the most humble person in the world.' He and the hyper-critical one became best of friends; he got to be critical himself, and they eventually departed together. He is still alive and is generally thought to be an 'off the wall' apostate. I think he has authored a book or two. For whatever it's worth, his family, before becoming Witnesses, included some who claimed psychic status and did water witching. 
I can't imagine a better arrangement than that of the current 'slave.' They must be of the annointed AND they must have been refined, with decades of full-time humble service. No harm done, then, if someone partakes through unbalance or self-deception. The path they take is only between themselves and God, which is how a truly annointed one would want it anyway.