GB Update #4

[Paulo]

On 5/23/2021 at 8:32 PM, jayrtom said:

It is still a personal decision, but he talked positively on one way of the question. There is no doubt about that. If he wanted to stay absolutely neutral he would close the remark on "this is a personal decision". If he wanted to focus on not taking the vaccine he would say "many have chosen not to take the vaccine"

I believe the choice of words was deliberate.

But it's not the case that the GB is saying "take the vaccine", it's more like "don't follow the anti-vax propaganda"

 

My dear brother, your words come up wrong and I am sure that is not what you mean.
The idea you shared is that somehow the FDS gave clear written instructions about the decision to be made and then used update #4 and a game of words to help only those who can solve the riddle to decide what to do.

A few texts helps us not to search what is not there to find.

 

Revelation 14:5 "no deceit was found in their mouths"

Proverbs 8:8 All the sayings of my mouth are righteous. None of them are twisted or crooked.

 

Words are tricky, and extrapolating your thought, you could also argue that "many" is not "most" and is not certainly is not "all". Then if it not "most" it is also not "the majority" and thus it must be "the minority"
And this would also not be a resonable thinking, right?

 

We must keep things simple, not over complicate ourselfs.
The FDS words were "What is our view on vaccination? Jehovah’s Witnesses are not
against vaccination"

It was said "vaccination", not "the vaccination" or "this vaccination".
But Jehovah’s Witnesses are not against vaccination, vaccination in general, all vaccination. But this we all already knew, didn't we?

 

This is a very hot topic, making hotted discussions and causing divisions among brothers that can be harmful to everyone.

We all must do our share to be peacekeepers and be cautious in our words and actions.

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by Paulo

[Sofia]

Dear Brothers

have you received a last minute update from GB to local needs to pass this video instead on this MWM?

🧐🧐🧐🧐

It says “pay careful attention “

Edited June 8, 2021 by Sofia

[jayrtom]

57 minutes ago, Sofia said:

Dear Brothers

have you received a last minute update from GB to local needs to pass this video instead on this MWM?

🧐🧐🧐🧐

It says “pay careful attention “

It's part of an announcement only to elders that came last saturday, no last minute...

Nothing unusual there, we have watched previous updates also. Today we'll have the update 3

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, Sofia said:

Dear Brothers

have you received a last minute update from GB to local needs to pass this video instead on this MWM?

🧐🧐🧐🧐

It says “pay careful attention “

It wasn't a last minute update, the brothers were notified almost 2 months ago to use the Local Needs part to show the video.

 

I'm really glad you will "pay careful attention" but the video doesn't say that and the letter from the Branch does not say that.

Edited June 8, 2021 by Tortuga

[jayrtom]

1 hour ago, Tortuga said:

It wasn't a last minute update, the brothers were notified almost 2 months ago to use the Local Needs part to show the video.

 

I'm really glad you will "pay careful attention" but the video doesn't say that and the letter from the Branch does not say that.

Technically that refers to the update n. 3 (at least in Portugal). The announcement for the update n. 4 came this saturday (unless in the US the instructions were different)

But it's not a last minute change nor it has any indication for paying special attention

 

 

Speaking of the announcement, the part that is for the congregations had this additional information on the update #4

Quote

As mentioned in the video 2021 Governing Body Update #4, Jehovah’s Witnesses are
not against vaccination. We view it as a personal decision for each Christian to make. In
cooperation with recommendations from public health officials, many in our Bethel families
have already chosen to be vaccinated. Medical studies have shown that those who are fully
vaccinated have added protection against the virus. A person becomes “fully vaccinated”
two weeks after receiving all required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Medical studies have
also shown that those who choose not to be vaccinated should remain more cautious, since
they are far more susceptible to the virus. All of you are to be warmly commended as you
continue to show good judgment and act in a way that demonstrates your respect for life.
 

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by jayrtom

[Tortuga]

Just now, jayrtom said:

The announcement for the update n. 4 came this saturday (unless in the US the instructions were different)

The letter from the US Branch is dated 4-15-21

[jayrtom]

3 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

The letter from the US Branch is dated 4-15-21

Are you sure that's not the letter that mentions the update #3? We're talking about the #4

[Tortuga]

22 minutes ago, jayrtom said:

Are you sure that's not the letter that mentions the update #3? We're talking about the #4

Oops. You are correct. When Sofia mentioned the change for Local Needs I thought she was talking about the Local Needs for this week. I forgot which thread I was in. My bad...🤣

Edited June 8, 2021 by Tortuga

[jwhess]

I have wondered if the use of the midweek meeting to review the GB updates # 3 and #4 this month is caused by a matter of urgency, a matter of simple review or a concern that some in the congregation are not viewing them at home?

[Sofia]

32 minutes ago, jayrtom said:

it has any indication for paying special attention

In a congregation it was said so .... to pay special attention to it 😉

[Sofia]

3 minutes ago, jwhess said:

I have wondered if the use of the midweek meeting to review the GB updates # 3 and #4 this month is caused by a matter of urgency, a matter of simple review or a concern that some in the congregation are not viewing them at home?

I was thinking the same brother John.... 

[jayrtom]

46 minutes ago, jwhess said:

I have wondered if the use of the midweek meeting to review the GB updates # 3 and #4 this month is caused by a matter of urgency, a matter of simple review or a concern that some in the congregation are not viewing them at home?

Indeed it's strange. We had the visualization of the update #9/2020, then we hadn't the #1 and #2/2021 and now we'll have the #3 and #4/2021...

 

I remember the 9th came in a time where the pandemic was increasing and it seemed that many weren't taken the due care

Maybe they choose to show the updates when they want to emphasyze something to everybody

I don't think they know if the majority is watching or no. On the last visit we had from the CO there was no inquiry about it...

 

42 minutes ago, Sofia said:

In a congregation it was said so .... to pay special attention to it 😉

That's strange as there was no special announcement scheduled about the special needs part... May be the chairman just said that based on his opinion...

 

 

[Mykyl]

Is it GB update 3 or 4 that was supposed to be played?

[molnarj]

GB update 3. Update 4 will be in the week of 21 june.

[Sofia]

4 hours ago, molnarj said:

GB update 3. Update 4 will be in the week of 21 june.

Thank you for correcting me

[Tortuga]

On 5/21/2021 at 3:47 PM, Qapla said:

 

I was told a few weeks back by someone in Bethel that more than 80% had already been vaccinated ... for what it is worth

Has anyone heard any updates about how many at the Branch are vaccinated?

[Old]

I have been told that 95% are accepting the vaccine, but have not heard where they are on reaching the 95%. 

[zoebarry]

1 hour ago, Tortuga said:

Has anyone heard any updates about how many at the Branch are vaccinated?

Anything you “hear” is hearsay......the rumor first started at 50%, then to 80%, then I heard 90%, and now someone is saying they heard 95%.... in my opinion it’s just a game of telephone, until the GB puts the actual percentage in a written letter or say it on a video.

 

Besides, what does it matter how WHAT the percentage is anyway?

 

 

[Qapla]

It is true that just hearing something does not make it "official" - but then, neither does it make it "false"

 

While I may not be a credible source for what I "heard" - to me, the person I heard it from is very credible ... especially since he is a sub-CO, remote Bethelite and his son is serving in Warwick

 

We will all take what we "heard" the way we want to hear it. Some will take the numbers as "fact" while others will take the numbers with skepticism ... that is fine since they are, essentially, "hearsay"

 

But, one may consider, after listening to the GB Updates - which seems more likely ... the majority at Bethel decided in favor of vaccinations or against vaccinations?

 

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, Old said:

I have been told that 95% are accepting the vaccine, but have not heard where they are on reaching the 95%. 

I recently heard that 98% at the US Branch are vaccinated and I was wondering if anyone could confirm that. 

[zoebarry]

6 minutes ago, Qapla said:

......

 

But, one may consider, after listening to the GB Updates - which seems more likely ... the majority at Bethel decided in favor of vaccinations or against vaccinations?

 

Why does that matter? Even if it turns out 100% decided in favor, what does it matter?

[Tortuga]

7 minutes ago, zoebarry said:

Why does that matter? Even if it turns out 100% decided in favor, what does it matter?

It would mean that 100% are vaccinated and the Branch activity may resume to normal operations and the magazines may be completed and literature may be shipped and meetings may resume and theocratic projects may resume and ....

Edited June 23, 2021 by Tortuga

[zoebarry]

1 minute ago, Tortuga said:

It means that 100% are vaccinated and the Branch activity can resume to normal operations and the magazines will be completed and literature will be shipped and meetings may resume and .....

No necessarily.  Wait and see.

[Old]

19 minutes ago, zoebarry said:

Anything you “hear” is hearsay......the rumor first started at 50%, then to 80%, then I heard 90%, and now someone is saying they heard 95%.... in my opinion it’s just a game of telephone, until the GB puts the actual percentage in a written letter or say it on a video.

 

Besides, what does it matter how WHAT the percentage is anyway?

 

 

Off course it is hearsay. The question was "Has anyone heard any updates about how many at the Branch are vaccinated?" I heard, I replied.

Since my figure was based on acceptance and not the actual innoculations, and was several weeks old I would expect the number would be closer to Richards last post.

 

As to why it matters? Bethelites give us something of a pattern to judge by, nothing more.

 

You will not be attending meetings in your KH until Corona-19 dissapears and/or a large majority in your congregation have some immunity.

 

 

All in favor stick your head out the window and shout "IT MATTERS!" 

 

[Tortuga]

8 minutes ago, zoebarry said:

No necessarily.  Wait and see.

The brothers have already been very clear that they feel that fully vaccinated ones have more protection against the virus, so its logical that at some point the brothers will feel that enough people at the Branch are able to resume normal activities without being in danger. If 98% of the Branch is actually fully vaccinated then we are logically very close to hearing that Branch is resuming normal activity.