Shooting in Paris

[Qapla]

Perhaps, if ones want to show disdain for what ISIS did in Paris, or anywhere else, it would be better to use something like this:

 

 

Instead of a flag from ANY country.

[Trina]

I disagree.  Plenty of brothers and sisters live in heavily urban areas.  There may not be a single person in their entire circuit or region who could hunt. 

 

If things get that bad during the Great Tribulation and God's people are in that dire need of food, I'm confident Jehovah will provide.  He has done so in the past.

 

We've not been encouraged to hoard food or make our "go bags" into "Great Tribulation bags."  Nor have we been encouraged to learn to hunt.

I understand your thinking, but Jehovah may be asking us to be ready to leave city areas for all we know. And Jehovah may use those with hunting skills to provide for the city people without the skills also. All I know is that even though you don't think that is how things will be now, my family will gladly help if that happens. Who knows we may be in camps. We really don't know what will happen so don't be sure about it yet. Those Go Bags are for any needed use, we even use them for unassigned territory. Look at the picture in the WT magazine where it shows us in the basement. It shows bags and it shows some stored up foods.

[Patinage]

On Saturday morning, I decided I had to go preaching especially after that terrific night to help people understand there is a solution, true and real, from Jehovah. So I went to the service meeting, we were 8: 4 brothers including 2 elders, 3 sisters, and a student who came for the second time in the week.

 

The brother in charge read a letter to us from the CO encouraging us to use the following 2 verses:

1/ Jeremiah 29:11   "For I well know the thoughts that I am thinking toward you, declares Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of calamity, to give you a future and a hope"

and

2/ Isaiah 32;17,18   "The result of true righteousness will be peace, And the fruitage of true righteousness will be lasting tranquillity and security. My people will dwell in a peaceful abiding place, In secure dwellings and in tranquil resting places"

and to listen to people, let them express their feelings, and not talk too much ourselves, and not use the magazine about Religion in order not to hurt their feelings about what happened based supposedly on religion.

 

I went again in the afternoon with the cart thinking that everybody would run to us for explanation and comfort,....  but we did not have any success ; people are very indifferent to the Kingdom message, unfortunately.

[Adelin]

Thanks Andrej .... this is the letter explaining our viewpoint on displaying flags.

 

It is a conscience matter as long as there is no act of devotion and worship ... and expression of homage.

Could the act of displaying the flag on FB profile pic be related to the point about expression of homage?

Edited November 17, 2015 by Adelin

[Old]

Perhaps, if ones want to show disdain for what ISIS did in Paris, or anywhere else, it would be better to use something like this:

 

Image1.jpg

 

Instead of a flag from ANY country.

Though this might agree with our sentiments,  it would not demonstrate a position of neutrality.

A way to show disdain for Isis would be to advertise, advertise, advertise the King and His Kingdom.

[Tortuga]

Could the act of displaying the flag on FB profile pic be related to the point about expression of homage?

 

Is it optional or a requirement from an authority that they display the flag?

Obviously it is optional, so they are making a personal expression by choosing to display it. 

Edited November 17, 2015 by Tortuga

[AH173]

Hi everyone, Paris calling!

 

 

Text messages flying between the friends, it's late here and basically the message is to stay Inside (naturally).  Won't really know what's going on or how bad things are until the morning.  Looks pretty bad though from the news reports. 

 

Please pray for the brothers and sisters in the effected areas. 

 

Agapé

Rosie

  

Hello everyone, Paris here!

 

 

Just thought you'd like to know what's going on here - no news whether any brothers and sisters were hurt of killed in the attacks although a sisters in my congregation told me her son in law (not a brothers) was in the Stadium (I live in the North not far from there).  All meetings cancelled (including assemblies)  in response to the Government declaring a state of emergeny.

 

Everything is very quiet where I live - most people are staying at home.  Usual saturday markets closed, shopping centers practically empty.  Brothers and sisters in my congregation are fine.  We're either doing the Watchtower in family groups or Service groups today or tomorrow.  There are many thousands of brothers that live in Paris (I live just outside) and things will be very difficullt for them for a few days.  The elders are in contact with the Branch and told up to keep close to our phones and computers and they'll keep us all up to date with what the Branch wants us to do. 

 

Encouraged to preach informally to bring COMFORT to people and adapt our method with comforting scriptures.  No public witnessing  (display carts) for the time being.

  

State of emergency has been extended to last the next three months. Wonder what that means for our brothers and sisters......

  

My mom in France got a letter from France Bethel read at her meeting : 

 

No more preaching carts

No more meetings for service outside in the streets

  

On Saturday morning, I decided I had to go preaching especially after that terrific night to help people understand there is a solution, true and real, from Jehovah. So I went to the service meeting, we were 8: 4 brothers including 2 elders, 3 sisters, and a student who came for the second time in the week.

 

The brother in charge read a letter to us from the CO encouraging us to use the following 2 verses:

1/ Jeremiah 29:11   "For I well know the thoughts that I am thinking toward you, declares Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of calamity, to give you a future and a hope"

and

2/ Isaiah 32;17,18   "The result of true righteousness will be peace, And the fruitage of true righteousness will be lasting tranquillity and security. My people will dwell in a peaceful abiding place, In secure dwellings and in tranquil resting places"

and to listen to people, let them express their feelings, and not talk too much ourselves, and not use the magazine about Religion in order not to hurt their feelings about what happened based supposedly on religion.

 

I went again in the afternoon with the cart thinking that everybody would run to us for explanation and comfort,....  but we did not have any success ; people are very indifferent to the Kingdom message, unfortunately.

Thanks for your post Sister Patricia. Are you far from the Paris region where the post by a brotherly said that format field services and meetings are cancelled due to the state of emergency? And that informal witnessing was encouraged? I would like to understand both statements from you and the brother David. Thanks.

[Old]

Is it optional or a requirement from an authority that they display the flag?

Obviously it is optional, so they are making a personal expression by choosing to display it. 

It Chile it is the law for one day a year. You can find a number of photos showing the Chilean flag at Kingdom Halls, use Google.

Displaying a flag is not the same as worshiping a flag, read salute here.

There are a number of situations where a citizen must display a flag.

If you own a freighter you have to display a national flag when entering s foreign port as an example.

[Tortuga]

Though this might agree with our sentiments,  it would not demonstrate a position of neutrality.

A way to show disdain for Isis would be to advertise, advertise, advertise the King and His Kingdom.

 

I like this one...

 

[Tortuga]

It Chile it is the law for one day a year. You can find a number of photos showing the Chilean flag at Kingdom Halls, use Google.

Displaying a flag is not the same as worshiping a flag, read salute here.

There are a number of situations where a citizen must display a flag.

If you own a freighter you have to display a national flag when entering s foreign port as an example.

 

Sorry, I edited my post. I was referring to just the FB posters. Since they are not required to display the flag, it is their choice and the information that you refer to doesn't apply to them.

[ChocoBro]

Perhaps, if ones want to show disdain for what ISIS did in Paris, or anywhere else, it would be better to use something like this:

 

Instead of a flag from ANY country.

 

Hmm.. not politically neutral either, really is it?

 

How about this:

[ChocoBro]

I understand your thinking, but Jehovah may be asking us to be ready to leave city areas for all we know. And Jehovah may use those with hunting skills to provide for the city people without the skills also. All I know is that even though you don't think that is how things will be now, my family will gladly help if that happens. Who knows we may be in camps. We really don't know what will happen so don't be sure about it yet. Those Go Bags are for any needed use, we even use them for unassigned territory. Look at the picture in the WT magazine where it shows us in the basement. It shows bags and it shows some stored up foods.

 

I'm pretty much along your line of thinking. I doubt each and every one of us will be lone-wolfing his way through the Great Tribulation.

 

I think we will work well as an autonomous nation with everybody doing what he or she can to pitch in to help.

 

And though the "go-bags" are not "great tribulation bag" they might indeed help us get settled by providing for the first days until we have a new system in place to deal with the new situation we are in collectively as a group (you can tell I still don't think it'll be raining manna from heaven for us...at least not all the time)

[Patinage]

Yes Ashley I understand what you mean, both statements seem inconsistent, but you will understand.

Actually, I was told later on during the day on Saturday not to use the cart but in the morning, it was ok. Then when the brothers explained not to do it, I complied obviously.

As to the meetings, yes, on Sunday we had our meetings held on private homes and it was delightful to be in small groups studying the WT ; it seems to us that we were already at the time of the GT. For us, those events meant that we are advancing very rapidly towards the end, to our relief.

As to the other meetings, we don't know yet, we were told we will know on due time (we have our weekly meeting on Thursdays).

I live far away from Paris, in Southern France, close to the border with Spain (Eastern Pyrenees), so it was rather quiet on Saturday. On Sunday, people were numbed, it was so quiet, so calm. It was a tremendous shock for everyone.

[ChocoBro]

Oh man. Football match in Hannover was cancelled, people evacuated from stadium, police have not yet commented why.

 

I know the hooligans in Hannover from back in the day, they are going to be stark raving mad. They've been tired of their muslim population for quite some time. A handful of innocent muslim passersby are prone to get knocked out tonight..... leading to more hate.

 

http://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/laenderspiel-deutschland-gegen-niederlande-abgesagt-a-1063306.html

Edited November 17, 2015 by ChocoBro

[AH173]

Thank you very much Sister Patricia for the explanation.

How's that border closing affecting your area? Is it a little 'normal' there, or more time to get back what you all are used to?

[Patinage]

Well I used to work in Spain, my job place was at 6mn drive from the border, so I had to cross the border in the morning and in the afternoon (1hr half total drive).

However, my job has changed so I don't need to cross the border any longer. What a relief! Especially during the present times when there are a few kms blocked with the traffic jam since there is a police control at the border when coming to FR.

Other than that, it is rather quiet here. People are a bit nervous though, and you see the town police officers wearing the bulletproof vest now. 

But I think it's business as usual, it's my impression.

People want to go back to their normal lives asap, so they are planning evening outs, to concerts, etc...

"Old habits die hard", as the saying goes, I guess.

[Trina]

Trump recommends that mosques be shut down despite the first amendment.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/11/16/trump-keeps-on-saying-we-should-shut-down-mosques.html

[New World Explorer]

Trump recommends that mosques be shut down despite the first amendment.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/11/16/trump-keeps-on-saying-we-should-shut-down-mosques.html

Well... they getting ideas !

Now Jehovah can put the thought in the minds to actually do it

The soil is ready .

[ChocoBro]

This terror threat in Germany this evening is weird. First they said police had found a bomb within a fake ambulance. Seems that wasn't true. The minister of the interior said some weird stuff in the press conference just now. Like "If we revealed specifics, our German citizens would be unsettled".

 

Anyway, I hope nothing happens tonight. There's a football game going on in Wembley that could also be a target.........

[Tbs77]

I saw that. Be safe! Prayers for whole association of brothers. There are threats swirling about for Washington DC due to latest ISIL/ISIS/Daesch video.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Tbs77

[ChocoBro]

I saw that. Be safe! Prayers for whole association of brothers. There are threats swirling about for Washington DC.

 

Ah really? These guys are a feisty lil' bunch, aren't they..

 

Good night

[Miss Bea]

Ah really? These guys are a feisty lil' bunch, aren't they..

 

Good night

Me, hiding face, ever so grateful I have NO part in the nonsense!

[Trina]

Jen Bush wants to only help Christian refugees they stated this would entail a long questionnaire on their religious beliefs...religion is really an issue right now with political figures.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/11/15/jeb-bush-u-s-assistance-for-refugees-should-focus-on-christians/

[Trina]

Sorry that was Jeb Bush.

[Dustparticle]

Jen Bush wants to only help Christian refugees they stated this would entail a long questionnaire on their religious beliefs...religion is really an issue right now with political figures.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/11/15/jeb-bush-u-s-assistance-for-refugees-should-focus-on-christians/

 

 Well, if he want to know my figure is, it is Jesus my King.