Tell us about the last days - where YOU live.

[Stormswift]

One of the updated comments from Maladee has sparked this thread. One of the most unique features of this forum is getting the perspectives of our brothers and sisters from all around the world.

 

How has the last days - the prophecies and fulfilments of - affected YOU where you live. I think we will be quite surprised to find two things: How sheltered some of our brothers and sisters and how exposed others are.

 

A brother mentioned yesterday that currently there are 160 brothers and sisters sitting in prison. We were asked to remember these brothers and sisters in our prayers. Brothers have also mentioned how in some countries brothers and sisters dodge bullets to get to the meetings. Here in New Zealand it's hard to fathom this. 

Because we live in such a remote country it shelters us from a lot (not all) of turmoil that is happening globally - now does that affect our attitude towards the truth? I don't think so - we love Jehovah with our hearts here in New Zealand but could it affect our attitude towards the stream of time we  live in? Perhaps our preaching is not as 'urgent' as it is in other countries? Are the witnesses lulled into a false sense of security in countries like ours? Possibly I guess that is something that each one of us can ask ourselves.

 

Here in New Zealand we have been subject to natural disasters - volcanic eruptions, earthquakes being on the top of our list and because of the Christchurch earthquakes - it has put the financial squeeze primarily on our brothers and sisters in the chch area, but also all over NZ - with insurances easily doubling in their premiums. I think the chch earthquakes was NZ's equivalent to 911 - things aren't the same here anymore. But our earthquakes were nothing compared with those of Japan and Haiti etc etc.

 

So my dear brothers and sisters, can you tell us please how do conditions in your country show a. how deep into the time of the end we are living and b. How does it affect your attitude towards the preaching work.
 

Let's pretend we are writing a type of Diary of the Last Days that we can show to resurrected ones who ask us: What was it like in the Last Days for you? (Whether they ask that question or not is another topic up for discussion - for the purpose of this thread let's presume they will ask).

Edited January 17, 2015 by Stormswift

[Stormswift]

Change to number - sorry not 160 brothers and sisters in prison currently - 610 currently - almost as many that were present at our assembly. My Apologies.

[normadenardo]

I like this idea for a topic. I will put some thought into it before I pen my words.

[Qapla]

Where I live you can freely attend meetings without the fear of violence or other problems like this .... you may encounter traffic jams, that is about all. However, though we can attend and preach freely, we are barraged with the "gay issue". It is everywhere. They just legalized gay marriages here.

 

The problem is, even though this country has "free speech", if you say anything negative about being gay, you may have to face consequences. If it comes up at work it is best to keep quiet or you may find yourself having to take some sort of "sensitivity" classes.

 

Something new in our area - in some of the territory we have you cannot mention the "donation" at the door and, if the law shows up and asks us to leave a certain territory, we are now instructed to leave.

[Nobody]

No problems with meetings.

 

Field service is not intimidating for the most part, but we have had some minor assaults.

 

We have had householders with guns in there waistbands.

 

We have had householders doing the filming thing. 

 

We have had threats of violence.

 

Probably pretty typical stuff.

[Stormswift]

Wow Brother John. We can still get away with asking for a donation but I suspect that isn't going to last long either as people are now PRINTING stickers to put on windows/doors so we won't knock. We have a lot of freedom too in New Zealand - freedom to preach to worship, but the legislation that had us banned during WWII is still officially in effect even though it's not enforced, so a ban could realistically happen anytime.

 

That being said a Ban might actually counteract the apathy we have in general in NZ - it's so easy to go into a store and buy a gadget and not even pay for years down the track then WHAMMO! You're hit with high interest etc etc. We too have just legalised Gay Marriages and there are vocal groups on both sides of the issues. That's where I love how we've been taught by Jehovah in not loving what is wrong not WHO is wrong.

 

New Zealand back when I was a child was a huge farming country so it was normal to have a roast every week - usually the Sunday Roast. Now NZ is more diversified but not always good - we don't have as many farmers so our best meat is shipped offshore - so for us now to be able to afford meat is becoming rare. The govt. says the inflation rates are low, but I don't see that each week it is harder and harder to make ends meet -esp in the supermarket. A cunning trick of big business is leave the price as is but reduce the amount of product in each unit. Their tactics are deplorable and it makes it difficult for the average person to get by.

 

The bullying attitudes in the schools is really bad now, our young people find it really hard to get a good schooling - the students who are A students and become shining examples in the sports arena etc do really well, but if you don't have a visible disability and have learning disabilities you fall through the cracks. Most schools have a 'no bullying policy' but they never implement it, in fact the bullies get counsellors and lots of help (which they probably need) but the victims are told to understand that these bullies have 'problems' they are almost excused. I think that the parenting skills in NZ could be better (this could be world-wide though). Our young ones really need a lot of help and encouragement when they are at school - I think this is probably their most severe form of persecution at the moment in NZ.

 

I've noticed lately too that Satan is really stirring things up in the congregation - trying to target young ones, families and weaker publishers, he is stopping at nothing. Our weather is really hot in NZ - not temperature wise as in Australia, but the heat is different it's a burning searing heat - you just have to be in the sun for 10-20 mins and you are red any longer and you are blistering. Our brothers and sisters in nearby (relatively speaking) islands are being evacuated because their islands are sinking or perhaps the oceans are rising-  salt water is killing their crops.  We have even had the odd iceberg float by the South Island - showing how the South Pole is breaking up due to climate change.

 

We have been subject too to natural disasters in parts of NZ the crust is very thin - in Rotorua it is not uncommon for a geyser to just spring up in someone's driveway. 

 

Every day I wake up - I think bring on the New System - creation is groaning even here in beautiful NZ - the Govt is putting the screws on financially with the prompting of big business and religion is fleecing the poor.

[Old]

Change to number - sorry not 160 brothers and sisters in prison currently - 610 currently - almost as many that were present at our assembly. My Apologies.

Trying to understand.

610 brothers in prison? In NZ?

 

*** w13 5/15 p. 11 par. 14 Are You “Zealous for Fine Works”? *** Mentions almost 800 and is not meant to be inclusive.

700 or so in Korea alone.

[Stormswift]

Worldwide - we have none in Prison here in NZ currently that I know of. 610 was the approximate figure given at our assembly the other day - I might be out a few but the brother said there were almost as many as present at our assembly - which was 765 I think from memory.

 

So maybe some have been released since the printing of the mag I don't know - I only quoted what was announced.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Stormswift

[Nobody]

Couple other things, now that I think about it. No trespassing signs are starting to pop up in residential neighborhoods. Definitely odd. 

 

Another thing that happened recently was in the company newspaper. I work for INEOS, a world wide company based in Europe. In the company newspaper it had a very simple simple article titled "Science vs Religion" In the title cloud it had a "Stamp" type comment saying Debate.

 

It went on to quote several prominent scientific individuals from Hawking to Einstein, several others and their opposing views regarding the "debate". I can confidently say I have never worked for a company that would encourage this debate. 

[cricket246]

Here in Ky we have met several who tell us they are not interested, and a few brothers/sisters were ran off with brooms....A few were met at the doors with guns, thankfully no one has been shot here in our congregation...

 

We do not mention the donation arrangement here unless someone asks us how much our literature is, then we explain it's free but if they would like to make a donation we would accept a small amount - it's not an obligation.

 

Many here are Baptists or Catholic, and don't care for us "Jehovahs" as they refer to us, because they feel we don't believe in Christ as we don't celebrate Holidays.

 

For the most part it's okay, the interest seems to dwindle in certain Bible belt areas. Thankfully there are still many who are curious about our beliefs.

[Old]

Worldwide - we have none in Prison here in NZ currently that I know of. 610 was the approximate figure given at our assembly the other day - I might be out a few but the brother said there were almost as many as present at our assembly - which was 765 I think from memory.

 

So maybe some have been released since the printing of the mag I don't know - I only quoted what was announced.

Thank you, makes sense now.

[ava]

 

The problem is, even though this country has "free speech", if you say anything negative about being gay, you may have to face consequences. If it comes up at work it is best to keep quiet or you may find yourself having to take some sort of "sensitivity" classes.

 

 

 

I can relate to this!

 

The company my husband works for is considered one of the best companies for Homosexual's to work for.  They have won awards for their equal treatment of Homosexual's.  So my husband has to be very careful about what he says, as his company will fire employees for speaking negatively about homosexuals.

[ava]

We do not have issues going door to door or doing public witnessing.  Yes we sometimes get yelled at or someone threatens with their gun, as everyone has guns in TX, but overall nothing serious.

 

Sadly, I live in an area with lots and lots of money.  People with that much money and in their opinion, have no problems in life, tend to be not interested in the bible.  They are busy living in their big houses and going out on their boats and taking their vacations.  They really don't seem to think the world has problems as they are living in their ivory tower and just don't care about what else is going on in the world. So when we ask them about how bad things are getting in the world they just kind of look at us like we are weird because in their own reality, life is pretty awesome.  Matthew 24:37-39.

 

We do occasionally have a good response, sadly there is just alot of apathy though.

 

My daughter though is a pioneer and has been working with the Cambodian group, and they have alot more success then with the English group.  

[friend]

Over here there are outbursts of Xenophobia, people chasing foreigners out of their shops. Shows how dangerous national pride can be.