NY Times Article on Our Suspending Ministry.

[Thomas Walker]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/us/politics/coronavirus-jehovahs-witnesses.html

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Nice read.

Old (Downunder) Tone

[AH173]

Very nicely written article. 

 

The only thing since the branch wrote to all congregations, no public witnessing. 

Quote

Masked and gloved, Ms. Francis hands out pamphlets and cards with her phone number on them to fellow shoppers at the grocery store.

I appreciate her zeal. 

[Sheep]

That is the title of an article that appeared in the New York Times, dated yesterday, April 19, 2020.

 

If you can't read it (because of a notice to sign up for a subscription), try a different browser. If that fails, send me a PM, and I'll send you the text of the article.

[Sheep]

 There are so many COVID-19-related topics on the forums, I knew I would miss something! Thanks to a moderator for moving the above post here.

[zoebarry]

I think it was a mistake by the sister to publish this news article.

 

The article is now on the Yahoo website, and there are so many disparaging comments below the article that I can’t even finish reading them.

 

The intended positive message has backlashed. And I disagree with the sister that people would be receptive right now. I don’t think people would be very receptive right now, rather they would be very angry with us.

Edited April 20, 2020 by zoebarry

[Brother_Bliss]

1 hour ago, zoebarry said:

I think it was a mistake by the sister to publish this news article.

 

The article is now on the Yahoo website, and there are so many disparaging comments below the article that I can’t even finish reading them.

Well remember that the sister did not publish the article. The article was written by a politics reported named Dionne Searcey who works for the New York Times. The sister was simply interviewed as part of Dionne's research. The New York Times doesn't allow comments at the bottom of the article.

 

Yahoo must have a deal with the New York TImes or otherwise has permission to reprint the story, and it's Yahoo that allows comments. Jehovah's organization has warned us about the dangers of reading comments from apostates at the end of news journalism and has especially discouraged us from engaging in any kind of debate with such ones. So it's good that you can't even finish reading them, since it would be better to not read them at all.

 

1 hour ago, zoebarry said:

The intended positive message has backlashed.

Hardly. It was a nice balanced article, and shows how as an organization, we have stopped the public ministry out of concern for our neighbors and for the benefit of everyone's health.

 

1 hour ago, zoebarry said:

And I disagree with the sister that people would be receptive right now. I don’t think people would be very receptive right now, rather they would be very angry with us.

People ARE receptive right now. Telephone and letter writing witnessing is booming with great results. Large-scale pestilences are part of the sign of the last days, and when people learn of that connection as well as other things that our lord Jesus said coming true, then they are more open to studying. 

 

We should be seizing this opportunity to witness, using the methods that the faithful slave is encouraging us to pursue.

[sunshine]

The headline (which is all most people ever read) is misleading as it gives the impression that we have stopped preaching (which is far from true).  They quote our brother from the Branch that says "It was a hard decision" , while I'm sure he said that I am almost certain he pointed out that door to door is not our only avenue of service.  The article isnt outright hostile, and it mentions our hope but I'm not giving it any brownie points.

 

[SoCal4me2]

FWIW, I’m on an iPad and I selected the NYT link posted, held my finger down and the NYT site popped up in a separate window and I was able to open the whole article. They do not appear to be keeping the virus articles behind the paywall right now.

[AH173]

On 4/20/2020 at 8:26 AM, AH173 said:

Very nicely written article. 

 

The only thing since the branch wrote to all congregations, no public witnessing. 

I appreciate her zeal. 

As a reminder in the special announcement slated for weekend meeings today, there is no public witnessing as directed by Governing body for USA branch areas. Letter dated March 20, 2020. Until further notice it is what has been decided.

[Vinnie]

I thought this article gave an excellent witness.  To me, it seems our latest efforts are to reach those who never open their door, or are shut in for one reason or another.    In my opinion be careful with anything on  Yahoo. It's  like an anything goes search engine with very little restrictions on content.  

 

2 Pet 3: 3,4 For YOU know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4 and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep [in death], all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning

 

Jude 18,19  how they used to say to YOU: “In the last time there will be ridiculers, proceeding according to their own desires for ungodly things.”19 These are the ones that make separations, animalistic [men], not having spirituality.

 

Should we be surprised of the negativity that we will encounter?  No, but we should prepare our hearts and minds to not be affected  by it. 

 

2 Tim 3:1-5. But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ..........and from these turn away

 

Hang in there friends , there is still lots of turbulence ahead of us that we need to weather.