Leaderboard

In 2003 we had an international convention here in Madrid, and we hosted two delegates from Venezuela in our home. At the time, Hugo Chávez, Maduro’s predecessor, had only been in power for a few months and many Venezuelans were excited because it seemed someone was finally paying attention to the poor. We were stunned when these sisters told us that quite a few brothers had been swept up in the general enthusiasm and were getting involved in politics. Back then, it felt almost impossible to imagine a Christian taking sides politically. More than twenty years later we now see that trend everywhere. A few years ago, when a region in Spain attempted to declare independence, the branch had to send a very firm letter to all congregations because many were making comments that were far from neutral. Even here in the forums, we see some who passionately defend or criticize Trump or other political leaders. They think they’re being neutral, but in reality they’re being influenced by the news sources they follow. This week’s Treasures talk is a good reminder of how vital it is to remain strictly neutral. Otherwise, when the real test arrives we could be caught off guard. All world leaders are simply puppets in Satan’s hands, so it makes little difference when one puppet is replaced by another.

JWB Jan 2026 AM 2025 Part 1 transcript

Maybe it would help to have a program. here is one I made. Annual Meeting Program.docx

That announcement applied to branch committee members, not the governing body.

That's a very good point. It's interesting that next week's meeting quotes an article from 2016 which contains the following comments. Although written ten years ago, it could have been written this morning: We need to be careful with what we express and what we feel. Sometimes it's so difficult to stay neutral when we see big injustices. However, if we look at things from Jehovah's viewpoint, all political leaders are actually Satan's tools, and the only real solution for any problem is the Kingdom.

Neutrality isn’t broken by awareness. Reading the news! It’s broken by approval, preference, or emotional investment in a political outcome. 1 Timothy 2:1–2 teaches us to pray about those in authority as they currently exist, asking that their decisions allow us to live quiet, peaceable lives and continue our worship. It does not instruct us to pray for a different government to take over because it might treat our brothers better. Praying for workable conditions under existing authorities is neutral. Praying for regime change, or expressing hope that another power will rule, is not. Neutrality means we do not ask Jehovah to favor one political outcome over another. We trust Him to care for His people regardless of who is in power.

Simpson's comment was quoted on new article on our website. https://www.jw.org/en/library/series/more-topics/you-are-going-to-hear-of-wars/

We got a good earthquake this morning in Japan, we are fine so far

You can't even joke around with artificial intelligence 😅

We could expect more features coming this 2026. Especially, hopefully, with the personal study tab.

Just a couple comments, without any reference to the neutrality issue: - Jehovah’s Witnesses are not being persecuted in Venezuela. They can still hold their meetings and participate in the ministry. The shortages of food, medicine, and basic goods affect the entire population, and of course our brothers and sisters are included in that hardship. But they are not banned, nor is the government targeting them. - Nothing has really changed in Venezuela, and there’s no indication that anything will change in the near future. The U.S. army captured President Maduro and plans to try him on various charges, but his regime wasn’t overthrown. The vice president, Maduro’s second-in-command, will simply take his place, and the same system will continue with a different figurehead. Same people, same ideology, same corruption. In the end, a dictator may be judged and possibly punished for his crimes, but that’s as far as it goes. It won’t have any real impact on Venezuelans in general or on Jehovah’s Witnesses in the country.

No, that doesn't track. Someone rejoices that their beloved relative is no longer suffering, but they do not rejoice that the person had to die for the suffering to end. Someone rejoices so-and-so has grown closer to Jehovah but they do not rejoice that the individual had to experience disfellowshipping in order to be properly motivated. To rejoice or be happy at the establishing of a human government is not being neutral. It's taking delight in that government rejoice verb re·joice ri-ˈjȯis rejoiced; rejoicing Synonyms of rejoice transitive verb : to give joy to : gladden intransitive verb : to feel joy or great delight

I want Brother Lett to present it. Then again, I want to adopt Brother Lett.

Should I make one? JK. I can't promise anything till I release it. 😂😂😂

The JW website is always up-to-date.

Many JW's were keeping track of world events. Seeing changes in what each of the governments were doing and how an imminent confrontation could be at hand. As they analyzed the political and societal changes, they could see clearly what needed to be done. Conclusions were arrived at and adjustments in their daily lives began to take shape. It was all so clear ... change could not be stopped and only by paying constant attention to the political and military events around them could they actually come to understand how Bible prophesy was being fulfilled. This allowed them to predict exactly what would happen next. Some put more effort into tracking these world changing events than they did to the preaching work - after all, they had to be ready. The year was 1975 - and we all know how that worked out! Many were so wrapped up in analyzing world events that, when things didn't happen as they had predicted they left the Truth. Bear in mind - many have read about this time and, in retrospect, can see the folly in what many read into the "sings" that seemed so obvious. How they over analyzed world events and came to the wrong conclusion. We need to be careful we don't lose our prospective with recent world events and we need to follow the FDS and their direction - now what we think is going to happen next because we analyzed world events. We don't want to have the same downfall as so many did at that time. BTW - I am not speaking from what I have read about that time - I lived during that period and saw firsthand as many brothers and sisters I knew well and worked shoulder-to-shoulder in the ministry with get sidetracked, and allowed their own analysis of world events slow them down to the point they became burdened down and sidetracked with how they viewed world events. Many of them never did return to Jehovah.

It helps to slow things down and keep our footing on what’s actually confirmed. There’s a difference between sharing verified facts and filling in gaps with assumptions about motives or outcomes. Neutrality means we don’t hand out praise or blame, and we don’t try to predict where events are heading. And really, we only have one assignment. Watching, analyzing, or commenting on the actions of nations isn’t part of it. Jehovah never asked His people to track political moves or guess outcomes — He asked them to trust Him. The assignment hasn’t changed: “Stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah.” That calls for restraint, patience, and faith, not commentary.

We need to make sure that, when it comes to being neutral, we are actually in neutral, not just sitting with our foot on the clutch - it is just too easy to let our foot slip off the metaphorical clutch and compromise out neutrality in man's affairs

Interesting one rural congregation during covid did "zoom car witnessing"...they took google street view map and "drove" along country road and then wrote letters to each house on the route

No. If you told someone you are so glad a government was toppled - you are not neutral. If you told someone you are glad the brothers are not being persecuted, that is neutral. Your joy is in your brother's well-being, not politics.

That is really KotS vs KotN because Venezuela is part of KotN (Russia and its ALLIES). Nice push here

You’re still young Bro. @jwhess And as far as these Governing Body members, they are “still sharp as a pencil” ✏️ They process a wealth of knowledge, wisdom and experiences. And they have set a fine example of endurance. I’m still amazed at Bro. Lett coming out to speak at the annual meeting in-spite of his wife just passing in death. That has taught me a important lesson that even if I’m hurting emotionally inside, I still can praise Jehovah by preaching about the Kingdom, keeping my Faith intact, and making the Hope in a New World assured!

the US attacked Venezuela... what a start for 2026

My expectations about 2026 Governing Body Update is permit we live in tropical hot areas use shorts.😀

We usually start a new topic for the new JW Broadcasting, which will appear tomorrow. But we already know what this month's JW Broadcasting will be: (99.9% likely) the Annual Meeting! However there is already a topic for the Annual Meeting: https://jwtalk.net/topic/59094-2025-annual-meeting-parts-1/ It's already 45 pages long! So just scroll to the end, and we can continue our discussion of it over there. So I'm not sure what we'll use this topic for. You can decide.

Fluctuations in the number of videos released are normal and expected. A lot of it depends on different factors. These days, we tend to produce videos only when they truly serve a clear purpose for our meetings, ministry, or personal study. We can’t realistically keep producing videos that most of us will only watch once. Our video library has grown so large that many videos are no longer watched or used regularly. On top of that, videos take weeks or even months to produce, and they require significant resources. Hosting and displaying videos on the website also comes with ongoing operational costs. The same idea applies to articles as well. We now focus on producing articles only when they serve a clear purpose and reflect what readers are actually interested in. It doesn’t make sense to keep using our time and resources on content that people are not consistently engaging with. Many of the articles we already have continue to serve their purpose effectively, so there isn’t always a need to keep adding more.

I see our brother from Eitrea will giving testimony at forthcoming USA Commission https://www.uscirf.gov/events/hearing-forb-violations-against-christians-abroad

We had three Sunday meetings in a row (in December) where the whole congregation was on Zoom due to snow and wind (record attendance over 100 each meeting. We average about 60+ in person and 30 on line each meeting. A few more attend in person on Sunday morning because some older ones can only drive in daylight hours. We are and 'older' (aging?) congregation. About 50% are over 50 years of age and about 40% are over 65. We have only one elder under 50. So we keep an eye on those with heath & vision problems. Many have chronic problems with bones, joints, arthritis and other plagues. We have several with various stages of dementia (including some of the Pioneers). We pray for strength until the New World comes.

It would be interesting if they managed to include what effect the changes in Venezuela have had on our friends there

You are right, I didn't know that Venezuela was allied with Russia

"Russia condemns the aggression"? That's rich ....

Definitely praying for our friends in South America!

Please, let's not start rumors about GB adjustments when none have been announced ...

The Governing Body decided that starting January 1, 2026, brothers 80 years of age or older will no longer serve as members of a Branch Committee. However, these dear brothers will serve as consultants to the Branch Committee.

This was 10 yrs ago.. 1/7 or 1/8 of human life.. i hope kingdom comes this year 2026.

Bad weather in Holland at the moment. But it's really worse in Rotterdam.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/05/trump-must-give-up-fantasies-about-annexation-says-greenland-pm 1 Corinthians 7:31: ... "for the scene of this world is changing." WT 2015 8/15 "Keep in Expectation" para 17: "Events on the world scene clearly indicate that Bible prophecy is now being fulfilled and that the end of this wicked system of things is imminent. Therefore, we should not assume that much time is needed for the state of this world to develop to the point where "the ten horns" and "the wild beast" of Revelation 17:16 turn on Babylon the Great....... The end of this entire system of things is not far off."

That is not our instructions, my brother: https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&docid=2013533&srcid=share I’d frame it this way: it isn’t our responsibility to determine how world events fulfill Bible prophecy. That responsibility belongs to the faithful and discreet slave, whom Jesus said is appointed “to give them their food at the proper time” — not ahead of it (Matthew 24:45). Our role is to pay attention to the direction they provide and respond accordingly, not to assign prophetic meaning to unfolding events on our own. When we start interpreting developments as fulfillments before the slave has spoken, we quietly take on a responsibility that isn’t ours. The Scriptures caution us “not to go beyond the things that are written” (1 Corinthians 4:6), and they remind us that “it does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction” (Acts 1:7). Jehovah has already defined our assignment. “Fear the true God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole obligation of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). And when events unfold beyond our understanding, we are told not to decode them, but to “stand firm, and see the salvation of Jehovah” (Exodus 14:13). Staying within that arrangement protects our unity, our neutrality, and our focus on the work Jehovah has already given us to do. “Keeping on the watch” was never meant to turn us into analysts of world events. It is a call to action, not speculation. What we see around us is meant to move us to stay spiritually alert and busy in the assignment Jehovah has already given us — preaching, endurance, and faith — while we watch, not the nations, but Jehovah’s salvation.

If I can just charm in here: Luke 6:27-30 admonish us to “love our enemies, and to pray for those persecuting us.” This ties in with our WT discussion today to pray for our brothers/sisters in prison., that their captors will: Be kinder, Allow our brothers/sisters to be themselves to worship Jehovah, and set a fine example for onlookers, and for our brothers and sisters to eventually be set free. I don’t think Bro @Ishaya was saying he favors any Government in Venezuela. But the current one was so bad that it was not safe for our brothers to preach. It was dangerous for the sisters who could be captured and rapped and killed. Maduro was very corrupt, the people lack even basic needs and his wife wasn’t innocent neither. So maybe the next government will allow our brothers and sisters to preach. The field is white for harvesting, and I see a more increase of ones coming to know Jehovah. But I don’t think he was favoring any worldly government. 🌎👑

I can remember at a time we had a donation done here in the forum to assist our brothers in Venezuela because of the hardships people are experiencing there.i even watched it on the news how things were extremely difficult in the country under Maduro's regime. Maduro's faceoff with the US government and his alliance with Iran has resulted in stiff economic sanctions from the US which has made life very difficult for the Venezuelans. I think I am quite familiar with what's going on there.

Of course it depends on circumstances. If you really cannot attend in person, then Zoom is better than nothing. But definitely you need to attend meetings in person if you want to be able to encourage others and receive encouragement, work for the congregation and feel part of it. Zoom is like the IV fluids they put you on at hospital when you cannot eat. It feeds you and keeps you alive, but it can't compare with eating real food. in most cases, as soon as the meeting ends most Zoom participants disappear, so they receive the spiritual food but none of the association. Often when many in a congregation are constantly on Zoom, that means the congregation has a problem. On the other hand, if most of those on Zoom are very sick or house-bound or have other compelling reasons that prevent them from attending in person, then they are probably doing all they can.

But we still wouldn't rejoice about the regime change, we would rejoice that our brothers are faring well.

But he did not say rejoice over regime change.

Maybe? Maybe not …. But turmoil is here for sure. Things can quickly escalate or settle down …. In the meantime Jehovah can act suddenly and make things very different overnight.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday. Interesting observation by the Associated Press: The 15-member council has been surprisingly inactive on the issue of Venezuela for the last several months, even as US posturing and boat strikes in the Caribbean increased.

King of the South is showing his teeth ...telling the king of the North : This is my territory ...I decide ... Dan. 11:40 "In the time of the end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing"

Zadok lived at a time when choosing sides was not easy. David had been chosen by Jehovah, but not everyone accepted that yet. Zadok showed courage by supporting Jehovah’s choice before everything was settled. He did not wait to see who would win. He trusted Jehovah enough to take his stand early, even as a young man, even while surrounded by thousands of others. That tells us something important about loyalty. Loyalty is not proven after the outcome is clear. It is shown when a person decides, “I will stick with Jehovah,” even when there is pressure, uncertainty, or risk. Zadok did not need to be famous or loud. Jehovah noticed him because his heart was already decided. That same kind of loyalty is shown today in quiet, everyday ways. A student may already be sitting when others stand for a flag salute or national anthem. Staying seated may not draw attention, but it still takes courage. That choice quietly says, “Jehovah comes first,” even when it feels uncomfortable. Loyalty is also shown in regular spiritual routines. Showing up for field service, following up on not-at-homes, or writing letters may feel ordinary. But those efforts show respect for the precious truths Jehovah has trusted us with. They show that we care whether others benefit from what Jehovah has given us to share. Sometimes loyalty simply means staying steady—going to meetings when tired, keeping spiritual habits when no one is watching, and not drifting when it would be easier to blend in. Like Zadok, we show Jehovah our loyalty before outcomes are known. And just like then, Jehovah sees it.

Putin have about 20 residences and palaces in a different places of Russia. Ukraine has attacked in Novgorod region war target that been attacked before that is far from a residence, by 18 drones according to first internal reports of Russians. The next (political and external) report was 92. Putin never visited most of residences from the beggining of war (and have destroyed palace in Sochi as been avaliable for attacks) One residence in Valday where sometimes he visiting and (near this place, that is interesting) two sons are live. This place is most resisted anti-aircraft place in Russia after Moscow His non-official name is a "bunker-daddy" because he always hiding in highly protected bunkers

I love vegans because they leave more meat for the rest of us.