I'm sure everyone's seen this, but I've often started my day w/this video

[xero]

 

[JW Insider]

I was happy to see this video, because it indicated a change that went far up the chain of command at Bethel. If we had tried anything like this in the 1970's and 1980's at Bethel, a lot of unhappy heads would have rolled. LOL.

The video had to be approved by several overseers of several departments which means it had to have higher approvals than just those overseers.

Witnesses weren't the only religious group to try this, however.

Mormons did the same as a way to hopefully connect with their youth.

https://thirdhour.org/blog/buzz/entertainment/idaho-stake-presidency-happy-music-video/

The Meridian Idaho North Stake presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints decided to reach out to local teens by producing a lip-dub version of Pharrell Williams’ hit song “Happy” for their upcoming youth conference.

“We are a new stake presidency and thought this would be a fun way to connect with our youth,” J. Thomas Ahlquist wrote in an email to the Deseret News.

“Youth conference was Saturday, and it was a success! They loved it.”

Read Sarah Peterson’s full article on DeseretNews.com.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir even covered the song.

There are also several examples from churches all over the country. The following is N. Houston's Fallbrook Church:

http://myhoustongospel.com/2014/04/video-fallbrook-church-covers-pharrells-happy/

 

[Witness]

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

² And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.

Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

⁵ So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” ⁶ Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.  Exod 32:1-6

Contributed on another forum:

9-15-95 WT- ‘The Golden Calf’ And the people said: “All that Jehovah has spoken we are willing to do and be obedient.”—Exodus 24:7. Nevertheless, the Israelites soon sinned against God. They were still encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses had been on the mountain many days, receiving further instruction from God, and the people pressured Moses’ brother, Aaron, to make a god for them. Aaron complied and made a calf out of gold that the people provided. It was claimed that this idol represented Jehovah. (Psalm 106:20) The next day they offered sacrifices and kept “bowing down to it.” Then they had “a good time.”—Exodus 32:1, 4, 6, 8, 17-19.`

Insight Vol 1 IDOL, IDOLATRY- An idol is an image, a representation of anything, or a symbol that is an object of passionate devotion, whether material or imagined. Generally speaking, idolatry is the veneration, love, worship, or adoration of an idol. It is usually practiced toward a real or supposed higher power, whether such power is believed to have animate existence (as a human, an animal, or an organization) or is inanimate (as a force or lifeless object of nature).

 

ws14 5/15 p. 26 – “We move ahead with Jehovah’s organization when we follow direction, support arrangements for worship, and humbly accept adjustments in the way we understand Bible truth”

“Come, make us gods that shall go before us…”

 

[xero]

I don't much care about the others. Mormon theology is wrong and the rest are into the trinity.

[Evacuated]

4 hours ago, JW Insider said:

Mormons did the same as a way to hopefully connect with their youth.

 

4 hours ago, JW Insider said:

There are also several examples from churches all over the country. The following is N. Houston's Fallbrook Church:

Not a patch on the JW version, which easily comes a second only to the original.

Wow!! I bet this flabbergasted some of those crusty old 1970's and 1980's Bethelites who probably thought they were a pretty groovy lot at the time! And this is just what got public..............

[JW Insider]

27 minutes ago, Outta Here said:

Not a patch on the JW version, which easily comes a second only to the original.

Video-wise, the JW version is much more fun to watch than the original which is diminished for me by a shot of Pharrell inside a Baptist church. I noticed that (at least) one church version changed the lyrics to "God's Word is the truth" instead of "happiness is the truth." The former is a true statement, of course, but the latter works better for us.

27 minutes ago, Outta Here said:

Wow!! I bet this flabbergasted some of those crusty old 1970's and 1980's Bethelites who probably thought they were a pretty groovy lot at the time!

I admit to being flabbergasted, flummoxed and even dumfounded, but, speaking for myself, can't remember ever thinking we were a groovy lot in those years. I certainly had a lot of fun in the 70's and 80's. Even seeing the "Watchtower 25" address featured in the video reminds me that this is where the WTS finally built us a small gym even with a basketball hoop and two bowling lanes. I tried out the bowling lanes but was too lazy to reset the pins manually after each throw. Truth be told, I never got back down there again, except for that one time. But we were always surrounded by lots of friends, so didn't need a gym. I literally came from a place where the only dancing I had ever done was square-dancing. (And I think square was the opposite of groovy in the contemporary lingo.)

When I watch the video, I mostly wonder how everyone got so young.

[TrueTomHarley]

5 hours ago, xero said:

 

No wonder I can’t get them to answer the phone.

[Matthew9969]

If something like this happened in the 70's, 80's and 90's, there would have been mass disfellowshipping's and disassociations.

[Witness]

1 hour ago, Matthew9969 said:

If something like this happened in the 70's, 80's and 90's, there would have been mass disfellowshipping's and disassociations.

With no rectifying, no apology for their designated spiritual status as "dead"...to this day.

[Arauna]

19 hours ago, JW Insider said:

his in the 1970's and 1980's at Bethel, a lot of unhappy heads would have rolled

This is why I always look at the historical context.  The truth was very different then. The entire human society was also much more strict and more authoritarian than the present day. This is why it is not good to look back... look only at the present time.  My husband and I often discuss our parents.... so strict..... post world war 2 discipline.  Women also more submissive to husbands.  The  mindset was different then.

Our books also went into the historical aspects much more. A good example is Babylon the great has Fallen... also the blue truth book - not as simplified as today. 

The problem now is that there is no discipline in the world and almost any form of morality is acceptable...

[TrueTomHarley]

People gyrate, sway, and pivot like this whether their heading for the gallows or at Home Depot buying parts for the toilet.

I can’t put my finger on it but its a sure sign of the last days.

[xero]

5 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

People gyrate, sway, and pivot like this whether their heading for the gallows or at Home Depot buying parts for the toilet.

I can’t put my finger on it but its a sure sign of the last days.

I'm sweet on the sister on the right with the blonde hair at .38 sec