Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon

[Tortuga]

54 minutes ago, Doug said:

 

Excellent post.  Elders have a heavy responsibility to treat the flock with kindness, patience and forgiveness.

 

But when they look  at a brother as to using him, their decision will be subjective.  How can I say that?  Well, if a brother isn't being used where he is, the brother could go somewhere else and be used.  The local BoE will make their own decision on these kind of things.

True, but a humble brother would look at what changes he could make before deciding the entire elder body is wrong. Jehovah loves humility.

[BLEmom]

1 hour ago, Jwanon said:

 

These are subjective though

Some may be and some may not be. 
 

If you are having doubts on brothers who are considered exemplary, perhaps review qualifications for ministerial servants. That gives a good idea scripturally of what is looked for.

Those with greater privileges also have greater responsibility. 
 

[Ahuvah]

16 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

True, but a humble brother would look at what changes he could make before deciding the entire elder body is wrong. Jehovah loves humility.

 

Further to my colleagues somewhat excellent post.

 

We must treat ALL of Jehovah’s sheep gently and kindly, they belong to him.

HOWEVER ... as individuals we must strive to stay in Jehovah’s rest.

How? As that excellent assembly brought out ... by being obedient ... Jehovah wants this even more than sacrifice.

 

So, if someone has not taken any of the recent announcements seriously and continually find loopholes, whether it be over casual, unkempt beard, or excess association with a removed one ... they could be setting themselves on a path that becomes a pattern.

 

When the GT hits its going to be a lot easier to obey instrUctions, even unusual ones, if we are in the pattern of obeying the smaller ones now. At least, this is how I see things, maybe I'm being too simplistic?

[Jwanon]

15 minutes ago, BLEmom said:

Some may be and some may not be. 
 

If you are having doubts on brothers who are considered exemplary, perhaps review qualifications for ministerial servants. That gives a good idea scripturally of what is looked for.

Those with greater privileges also have greater responsibility. 

 

I personnally never ecountered a problem like this IRL, I was basing my post off some posts I read on the forum

[Sofia]

3 hours ago, Korotkiy said:

 

Just now all the congregations in Ukraine have got emergency annoncement from Bethel.

Till the end of week in-person meetings and all public, house-to-house meetings are banned. Only zoom on all the territory of Ukraine. Also reminders about  emergency suitcase etc...

 

We are praying hard for your safety

[New World Explorer]

4 hours ago, Sofia said:

Praying for all our brothers and sisters in Ukraine 

A large missile shower is expected in a few hours 

 

I think that was Russia's propaganda, as the massive attack never came. 

Instilling fear is a tool as well. (Psychological warfare) 

[Shawnster]

3 hours ago, Jwanon said:

Respectfully, I think that describing some things as "not exemplary" is subjective (as opposed to based on Scripture)

To a certain extent, yes. Beards and sacks or sisters is a good example. We're they scripturally wrong? No, not in themselves. Were they a cultural taboo/cause fir stumbling in the congregation? Yes. Therefore someone who knew such styles of dress and grooming were frowned upon in their region/culture/congregation and still pursued such a course of conduct displayed that they would rather insist on their rights as opposed to looking out for the interests of others. This presented a "me first" attitude. My rights are what is most important. 

 

This extends to all aspects of life. Cultures vary and what is acceptable and appropriate in one place is inappropriate in another. Bathing suits are acceptable attire on the beach or at a pool but are inappropriate for the public ministry or attending Christian meetings. Likewise, a modest bathing suit in Brazil might be considered inappropriate in a more conservative region. 

 

Times change, styles change, cultures change. A mature Christian will change with the times while still taking into consideration what is modest, appropriate, and acceptable in the culture they are in. A mature Christian conducts themselves as a lesser one, viewing others as superior, and submitting themselves to those taking the lead even in areas of dress and grooming. 

 

I have an interest in the US Civil War. When I was younger a elder in my congregation bought me a Civil War battle cap like what the soldiers wore at the time. I wore it once to clean the Kingdom Hall. That same elder asked me to remove the cap and not wear it at the Hall even just for cleaning because it offended others. This illustrates there is a time and place for everything and what is appropriate in one setting is inappropriate in another. Had I insisted on wearing it, that would have made me not exemplary. I would not have been an example for others to follow. 

[Doug]

48 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

True, but a humble brother would look at what changes he could make before deciding the entire elder body is wrong. Jehovah loves humility.

 

I wasn't saying the BoE is wrong.  A subjective decision is neither right or wrong. 

What I have seen and learned in my 50 years is if the local elders leave you on the bench for ambiguous (subjective) reasons, you can (1) - Ask why.  If the brother you ask doesn't help, ask a different elder.  (2) - If no one has a scriptural reason, then you can try to make changes to appease the locals, if you can figure out what changes would be meaningful or (3) - Ask Jehovah to direct you to where you can be of help and go with nothing but love for the former congregation.

 

When a plant isn't thriving, try moving it to a different location.  The old location may be suitable for most plants, but not for every plant.  No harm no foul.

[Shawnster]

2 hours ago, BLEmom said:

Do we remove from the congregation those whose dress and grooming isn’t modest?

 No. The scriptures do not say to do this. However, such individuals are not exemplary and would not qualify for special privileges. It's possible they may not even qualify to engage in the ministry with the rest of the congregation. It depends on where and when they are dressed inappropriately. 

[SheyZ]

32 minutes ago, Sofia said:

We are praying hard for your safety

All Praise to Jehovah who has given us Zoom.❤️❤️❤️

[Korotkiy]

18 minutes ago, New World Explorer said:

I think that was Russia's propaganda, as the massive attack never came. 

Instilling fear is a tool as well. (Psychological warfare) 

We also hope so    However experience shows that Russia always takes several days to prepare for serious attacks.

Anyway we never faced with so serious annoncement. Note that I think about 60% territory of Ukraine (especcially western regions) are not touched directly with war, in general there is common life, nobody take care about air raid alarms etc...

[Osprey]

6 minutes ago, Korotkiy said:

nobody take care about air raid alarms etc...

 

Do I understand correctly, that when such "safe" regions have air raid alarms, nobody cares (or reacts in any way)?

Edited 12 hours ago by Osprey

[cme]

5 hours ago, Sofia said:

Praying for all our brothers and sisters in Ukraine 

A large missile shower is expected in a few hours 

 

Oh Sofia,

 

I too am praying and worried but, Jehovah will see them through this.  I'm tired of the world chaos.  It is draining.  I'm praying fervently for Jehovah's Kingdom to come.  

 

But, who knows?  It will come when it does.  Sad to see the friends suffering.

[Sofia]

1 hour ago, New World Explorer said:

I think that was Russia's propaganda, as the massive attack never came. 

Instilling fear is a tool as well. (Psychological warfare) 

The news is telling that

i saw a video on X from a Duma representative saying that the attack was due

[Percy]

22 hours ago, Shawnster said:

Threads

Ouch! We started to watch 'Threads' and when England (Sheffield) was nuked the movie got too graphic for my tastes. Others talking about it are more to my liking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP7uIHMZwyw

 

[BLEmom]

2 hours ago, Shawnster said:

 No. The scriptures do not say to do this. However, such individuals are not exemplary and would not qualify for special privileges. It's possible they may not even qualify to engage in the ministry with the rest of the congregation. It depends on where and when they are dressed inappropriately. 

Yes, I answered those questions I posed in my post. 

[Korotkiy]

3 hours ago, Osprey said:

Do I understand correctly, that when such "safe" regions have air raid alarms, nobody cares (or reacts in any way)?

 

Yes, almost people have no react. We had used to this during an almost 3 last years. Anyway no places to be safe

 

For example, 2 mounth ago my wife had saw rocket X-101 when she hunged the laundry out to dry in about a 100-200 m from our balcony - we just noticed that the rocket went to the power delivery station, no panic at all. However we all had moved to corridor (2 walls) just in case.

 
Hovewer another situation in a closer territories - many apartment buildings are destroyed regularly.

Edited 8 hours ago by Korotkiy

[New World Explorer]

Interesting departure from usual "destroy all" rhetoric from Iran (scared of change in white House?)

 

Iran has offered to keep its stock of uranium enriched up to 60% – below the purity levels required to make a nuclear bomb – the head of the UN nuclear inspectorate, Rafael Grossi, has confirmed amid the threat of restored European sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear activities.

“I think this is … a concrete step in the right direction. We have a fact which has been verified by us. It is the first time Iran has agreed to take a different path,” Grossi said in Vienna on Tuesday.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/20/iran-has-offered-to-keep-uranium-below-purity-levels-for-a-bomb-iaea-confirms