Shawnster

I don't believe anyone said it was. The Blaze was started (and is ran) by radio personality Glenn Beck, a right-wing conservative talking head political commentator in the same league as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. Beck is a me bet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon).

Does that verse describe only 1 fulfillment or does it describe a pattern of ongoing fulfillment?

Perhaps the best choice is to tread cautiously instead of continuing a discussion about Trump. Again, my purpose in starting this topic was to discuss shameful media content and not to discuss Trump. Apparently it's impossible to separate the two.

Yep. Pretty big start, too. The articles I read focused on the fact the BBC is taxpayer funded. That's an interesting difference between the UK and the US where television is advertising funded. The next step, which we really are already seeing, is the integration of Ai and deep fake. Currently the biggest limitation to this type of falsehood is that it must be presented as something that happened in the past. It takes time to make such edits. The edited footage in this instance was from 2024. We'll see if the technology is ever implemented "live".

This highlights an important point people seem to be overlooking when they compare the destruction of Jerusalem with the great tribulation. The Bible does not say thar every aspect of the destruction of Jerusalem has an equivalent to the great tribulation. Years ago when discussing our new understanding on types and anti-types our thinking was adjusted on trying to fit each and every detail from a past event to a future event. Unless the scriptures specifically state there is a connection to a past event to a future event, we should not try to make prophetic connections. When the scriptures do present a past event as a warning or type/anti-type to what is in store for us, we limit our connections to what the Bible says. Where the Bible is silent, we are silent. This raises the question in what way does the Bible connect the destruction of Jerusalem to the great tribulation?

Except none of us are prophets, nor should any of us claim otherwise. *** w02 10/1 p. 17 par. 22 Jehovah Blesses and Protects Those Who Are Obedient *** 22... Today, Jehovah does not inspire prophets as in the past; instead, he has commissioned a faithful slave class to provide timely spiritual food to his household. (Matthew 24:45-47) How important, therefore, that we have an obedient attitude toward that “slave”! As the following article will show, such obedience also reflects our attitude toward Jesus, the ‘slave’s’ master. He is the One to whom ‘the obedience of the peoples belongs.’—Genesis 49:10. https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2002724&srctype=wol&srcid=share&par=30

Our current understanding is we will continue to preach up to the very end. There is no cut off time when people can no longer turn to Jehovah and his organization. Therefore, there is no cut off time where we stop preaching. (Romans 10:13-15) For “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”+ 14 However, how will they call on him if they have not put faith in him? How, in turn, will they put faith in him about whom they have not heard? How, in turn, will they hear without someone to preach? 15 How, in turn, will they preach unless they have been sent out? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!” https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&pub=nwtsty&srctype=wol&bible=45010015&srcid=shar e

Costco $2.69. Of course, Costco uses fuel as a loss leader.

Donuts don't agree with me like they used to. And that makes me sad.

I actually disagree. Here is why. This is what the Watchtower actually said: The Watchtower is simply proposing two possibilities without leaning more toward one than the other. It seems to me that this second possibility is a new understanding and that, in the past, the Slave was only considering one possibility. Not that it matters. We will have to wait and see. The destruction of false religion will definitely be either before or after the cry of peace and security.

I agree. I don't think anyone was suggesting otherwise.

Bethelites can go home and the organization could run out of individual homes. There are plenty of app makers today that create apps at home. With the internet the Governing Body could meet through Zoom and communicate with the entire organization. A clandestine Bethel could still operate in the virtual world. Watchtowers could still be prepared and distributed virtually. I'm not saying this is definitely going to happen. I'm just saying it's quite possible for Jehovah’s Witnesses to continue to function almost exactly as we do now even if all Kingdom Halls and Bethel facilities are confiscated. Unlike Christendom or all of false religion. Oh, do not get me wrong. I am in agreement with you on being prepared to lose the app. Not everyone in the organization has access to the internet now, let alone during the great tribulation when outages are that much more likely.

Good question. I'm intrigued, too. In the US the only holidays that are related to religion are Christmas and Easter, and since Easter is on Sunday it's not one of the 11 government holidays since most people are off work on Sunday anyway. Perhaps the political holidays will become more focused. Memorial Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day. The 11 US government recognized holidays are 1. New Year's Day 2. President's Day 3. Martin Luther King Jr. Day 4. Memorial Day 5. Juneteenth 6. Independence Day 7. Labor Day 8. Columbus Day 9. Veteran's Day 10. Thanksgiving (US) 11. Christmas Only 1 in that list is religions. Of course, other countries observe more religious holidays

This is why I think the attack will be along the lines of making it illegal for religions to meet together or own property. Without brick and mortar churches and temples and religious schools, most all religions will cease. Of course, this would affect us. No more Bethel, no more print facilities, no more Kingdom Halls. However, unlike Christendom, we don't need any physical locations like that. The pandemic showed us we can meet om Zoom and continue to function as normal. We can still have our app, still be fed by the Slave, still hold meetings and still preach (even if that preaching is completely informal or under ban.) After the destruction of false religion and the pause that follows, the nations will see we are still preaching and teaching and worshipping. This will enrage the nations to turn on us specifically.

Most of the so-called Christian nations are secular with little regard to religion. It's quite common, at least here in the US, to hear and read about people already in favor of destroying religion. Of course, they may claim it isn't being destroyed, but outgrown. They don't need to start with a full ban. Just start with passing a law that religious institutions and organizations cannot own property. Look at how Christendom in the US floundered during Covid when their parishioners could not come in person and tithe. Or start taxing those tithes and remove religious tax exemptions. This alone will choke a lot of religions. No need for police or military involvement at this stage. Save that for later as the people become accustomed to the loss of religion. History as well as current events has proven that the majority of the military and civilian law enforcement will follow orders regardless of morality or optics. Common soldiers and police have and continue to round up their neighbors. Give people cash or convince them their lives will be better once these undesirable others are gone. It might be as simple as a truly united UN realizing that they can only work together effectively if they ban religion. Muslims hate Jews and vice-versa. There already was a recent war wrapped in those religions. Each side would be eager to destroy the other. The start of the destruction may not be simultaneous. Perhaps the attack could begin with only assaulting one religion, say Christendom, and that could cause a snowball effect as others jump on the bandwagon and destroying religion becomes trendy. Some religious are staunchly opposed to the LGBT community. A unified UN might be pressured to enforce human rights that are violated in the persecution of the LGBT advocates. In the name of morality these religions are branded as extremists and their teachings hate speech.