trottigy

I heard that everyone feels peaceful and secure now based on what they're reading in the news. Or maybe I misread that....

No, it doesn't make sense that God's people would be subject to God's wrath. But remember, he's using humans to perform this attack. Humans often go above and beyond when it comes to harming other humans. As has happened in the past, there's likely to be righteous people who are hurt by the humans Jehovah is using to execute his judgments. I believe it is possible that at least some of Jehovah's people might get caught up in that attack. This is just one more of those - be prepared for the worst and be happy when it doesn't happen.

Hmm, didn't Jesus make a connection between the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the last days? Isn't that the whole point of Matthew chapter 24? How the two ends are similar, but he used terms to help us appreciate he was not just talking about the destruction of Jerusalem - but also about the end of the last days we're living in.

Yes, as I imagine it being quite chaotic once religion is destroyed. It'll take at least a year to "normalize" to even get to a point where JWs will be able to be seen - let alone seem as if we "are at peace". If it is only months after false religion is destroyed, it would not appear to be an attack that was cut short, but rather an attack temporarily paused. The attack has to actually end/ be cut short. And there has to be enough time for JWs to get to a point of "living in peace." Also, there has to be enough time for things to normalize all around the world - that must take some time. And then time for ones to see us still doing our thing, get angry, meet and talk about a response, agree on a plan and actually implement it. Governments move at glacial speeds. But this is just my take. I'll tell you this - I'd rather assume it will take 5 or more years and it takes only 3.5, then assume it will take only a few months and it last years. If I were in the second group and it all appeared to drag on, I could easily get disappointed. Plan for the worst, hope for the best. I'm doing the same thing now - planning my finances and such as if this isn't coming to end, but living my spiritual life as if it is ending tomorrow.

Which describes well how I understand the GT. It has 3 phase, an opening one where religions are attacked by the UN's new power and destroyed on a global scale, but Jehovah cuts that attack short to prevent even His people from being destroyed (similar to how He caused Rome to pull back allowing His people to escape). Then there is a pause as phase two. This could take years as the world comes to grips with no more religion and life starts to restore to a new "normal" ( similar to that time after Rome pulled back for a few years and regrouped). We are still preaching and that has to be noticed. This gets that same coalition that took out all the other religions to attack us. This third phase (like that final attack on Jerusalem - also called Armageddon) will be very short.

You'll want to do a little research and the meaning of those verses. This is paragraph 6 of that same 2015 article: The "cutting short" is in reference to the initial phase not the entire thing. This explains how the UN attacks ALL religions, but we are preserved from being completely destroyed along with the rest ... As the attack on all religion is cut short from destroying all "the chosen ones" / God's people.

As far back as I can remember... The slave compared what happened to Jerusalem starting at 66 until 70 as a parallel to what will happen at the GT. In fact, much of Jesus account at Matt 24 applies to both. Here is a more recent article that did just that ... https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015523#h=8:0-10:397 Due to the Slave's regularly comparing the 2, I also believe the GT will be years ... Maybe that same 3.5 ...

As with every human government promise, eh ... Come on Kingdom!!! With real promises.

Have gas prices gone down? Well, this was posted in February that the price in December was 3.00 a gallon on average. Today it is $3.10 - I don't have great math skills but that looks like it's higher, but at least not that much. Drill baby drill .... https://gasprices.aaa.com/

I'm not confident that when the mandate comes from the United Nations to attack all religions that there will be an exception that states "except Jehovah's Witnesses." But who knows. I'm looking forward to being surprised.

Looks like someone forgot to pay the power bill.

I was thinking the same thing

It starts July 2026

No, 1929 was a market crash not a complete collapse of the US financial system. It obviously created financial hardship, bank failures, and unemployment, BUT the financial system continued to function, albeit in a severely damaged state. Note: we had a more recent one at the very beginning of the pandemic in 2020, but again it was not a complete collapse of the US financial system.

The next few months? Can you put a number to that - 3,4,6, 50 months? I wouldn't mind having advanced notice of the total financial collapse of the last world power. Of course, the Bible says it's still alive and well all the way through the GT to Armageddon - so I'm not sure how it can have a financial collapse and still be alive and well all the way through the Great Tribulation. I wouldn't mind an explanation on that too if possible?

Robin Hood, "In times of tyranny and injustice, when the law oppresses the people, the outlaw takes his place in history." Thank goodness we have the Kingdom hope!

Twenty-six officers have been injured while policing a protest organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, which saw up to 150,000 people march through central London. Tensions flared at the Unite the Kingdom rally, with some protesters throwing bottles and other projectiles at police, the Metropolitan Police said – leaving four seriously hurt. Tech billionaire Elon Musk spoke to protesters on Whitehall via videolink; while 5,000 people joined a nearby counter-protest organised by Stand Up To Racism. The Met said 25 people had been arrested for a range of offences in what it described as "wholly unacceptable" violence.

We need God's kingdom and the elimination of all the amendments including the second - as none of them will be necessary.

Joel and the locusts .... Remember this article? https://www.jw.org/finder?srcid=jwlshare&wtlocale=E&prefer=lang&docid=2020364 I knew of someone who was stumbled by this previous explanation. If only he would have waited for this clarification.... He would still be serving with us. It's a good lesson to wait on clarifications rather than running ahead. This locus plague is not connected to the one at Revelation chapter 9! Then there would be restoration... Paul was inspired to make that connection.

You too. I m glad you are ok. This is just a good reminder to me of what happens when I slack off on my chocolate eating! Seriously, I'm glad you're okay bro!

I loved this from the education thread - I'll plagiarize it here: As the situation of the governments of the world deteriorates with increasing power grabs, how grateful are we for the divine wisdom to grant more freedom and trust to Jehovah's servants worldwide to serve Jehovah with their "power of reason" (Rom 12:1). This is bringing us closer and closer to that position where each one can truly "carry his own load" (Gal 6:5). May you all carry your load well and keep Jehovah's principles clearly in mind Under His yoke, the load is light, but without it ... It may be too heavy to carry.

Nothing in my post discussed faith or a lack of it. Are you bringing up faith because you're noticing there's a connection between a person's faith and their appearance? It seems you regularly connect these two things together. Do you feel there's a deep connection between these two? The guy described with the body armor, with the guns and the grenades, he may have a deep and abiding faith and a deep love for his God as well. Who am I to judge. But if I'm the attendant - I'm not letting him in the door!

You know what we need is a magazine that clearly discusses an end to war & violence .... And then we should have a global campaign to distribute it .....

Well it is true the elders don't need to tell you how to dress. It is also true that it's up to the body of elders to decide whether you're exemplary and qualify to auxiliary pioneer, pioneer, be in any type of appointed position, etc. So, work closely with those tasked to help you make it through the greatest tests mankind has EVER been through. We will need our elders. It's good to learn how to cooperate with them now as you won't be able to learn later.

And of course your local body of elders.... (See Heb 13:17)