Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon

[Shawnster]

2 hours ago, Doug said:

The expansion of NATO from 19 to 32 has not received any attention in our publications that I can see.

Should it have?

 

Why is the growth of a military alliance worh mentioning? 

 

A military alliance is not a world power. The military alliance called NATO does not rule over people.  It's simply an alliance, a treaty.  

 

2 hours ago, Doug said:

Apparently, no one else here heard that at their assembly.

 

The recording of this assembly is available. We already have a transcript in the transcript topic. We can all go download the transcript and see if this is how it was worded at the assembly we have a recording of. 

 

Granted, this won't be your specific assembly. But it will be the same talks 

[Shawnster]

2 hours ago, Doug said:

As I already said, he could have skipped a line of his manuscript

 

You assume the talk was a manuscript. It may have been an outline. 

 

Manuscripts, as I believe you are aware, are given word for word. Outlines allow the speaker to use his own words. 

[Doug]

5 hours ago, Shawnster said:

 

You assume the talk was a manuscript. It may have been an outline. 

 

Manuscripts, as I believe you are aware, are given word for word. Outlines allow the speaker to use his own words. 

 

No.  If you'll notice, I said "his manuscript", not "the manuscript".  It was obviously not a branch manuscript or every circuit would have had the exact same information.

 

As you are aware, brothers may feel more comfortable or confident by preparing the talk outline in a manuscript format.  It may calm their nerves to have the talk right in front of them as opposed to going off the outline.  This may be doubly true in a circuit assembly talk with thousands in the audience.

 

I'm giving the brother the benefit of the doubt and just thinking of a plausible explanation for his statement.

[Doug]

5 hours ago, Shawnster said:

 

The recording of this assembly is available. We already have a transcript in the transcript topic. We can all go download the transcript and see if this is how it was worded at the assembly we have a recording of. 

 

 

I didn't find it in the Transcripts topic. But maybe I gave up too easily.  I see the CA CO, but not the CA BR.

 

Can someone put a link to the transcript here?  Talk:  Become Watchful, and Strengthen the Things Remaining

[Shawnster]

22 minutes ago, Doug said:

 

I didn't find it in the Transcripts topic. But maybe I gave up too easily.  

 

I have much difficulty searching for the transcripts. You aren't alone. 

 

Here it is 

Circuit Overseer

 

Branch Rep 

 

Edited Friday at 01:33 AM by Shawnster

[vern]

I thought were eventually to learn to get away from manuscripts?  So we can have better audience contact? 

[ucastrobr]

 

Thanks, Jesus, for everything you did for us and Jehovah.

Edited Friday at 10:54 AM by ucastrobr

[Michał]

While preparing for the Watchtower study this week, I looked at a question from readers in this issue of the Watchtower (for February), and the last paragraph caught my attention here:

 

In the meantime, what matters most is, not the timing of the future proclamation of “peace and security,” but our standing before God. We must “stay awake and keep our senses,” so that we may be fully prepared no matter how events unfold.—1 Thess. 5:6.

[Áine]

On 4/13/2026 at 3:46 PM, Shawnster said:

 

Someone sent me this in a PM on Facebook.  I replied:

 

As disgusting as this is, I need you to please not send me these. This administration makes it difficult for me to remain neutral and images like this push me past that line. I would never have thought about mocking previous presidents like this, so treating this one differently than the others is, by definition, no longer neutral. 

 

Thanks for helping a brother out

 

We had a km school back during the first time he was elected. The instructor said that the then current administration made it difficult to remain neutral. If we think anything other than that Trump is no better or worse than the others, then we might be struggling with neutrality.

 

That was then. It's only gotten worse now.

I’m afraid that no other president in history has been like Trump… and I think that it’s perfectly ok to say that you dislike the guy, he is a cringeworthy raging narcissist!!

 

Does that mean that I’m not remaining neutral? Personally I don’t think so… I don’t even know the name of the party he represents… I’m that interested in it Lol 

 

As a person I don’t like him I find myself laughing and cringing at him in equal measure 

 

I do feel that he will possibly be in power during the GT and how that will go down is interesting in itself!

[Dustparticle]

49 minutes ago, Áine said:

I do feel that he will possibly be in power during the GT and how that will go down is interesting in itself!

I heard this when Bush Jr and Obama were  in power sis. Do not be in shock if Trump is not. We need to remind ourselves that Jesus is in power. Revelation 11:15

[LeolaRootStew]

1 hour ago, Áine said:

I’m afraid that no other president in history has been like Trump… and I think that it’s perfectly ok to say that you dislike the guy, he is a cringeworthy raging narcissist!!

 

Does that mean that I’m not remaining neutral? Personally I don’t think so… I don’t even know the name of the party he represents… I’m that interested in it Lol 

 

As a person I don’t like him I find myself laughing and cringing at him in equal measure 

 

I do feel that he will possibly be in power during the GT and how that will go down is interesting in itself!

 

Some things to consider: We are not just called to be neutral, we are called to show respect and honor. If the comments you make in real life or online were told to the President, would it hinder your ability to preach to him? Would it cast a bad light on Witnesses? Would they say we only pretend to be neutral?

[Tortuga]

37 minutes ago, LeolaRootStew said:

 

Some things to consider: We are not just called to be neutral, we are called to show respect and honor. If the comments you make in real life or online were told to the President, would it hinder your ability to preach to him? Would it cast a bad light on Witnesses? Would they say we only pretend to be neutral?

I feel the same way Aine does, I dislike Mr Trump as a person, but I would control those feelings if I was able to witness to him. I would love to see him come into the truth, it would be a modern day miracle....

[Áine]

54 minutes ago, LeolaRootStew said:

 

Some things to consider: We are not just called to be neutral, we are called to show respect and honor. If the comments you make in real life or online were told to the President, would it hinder your ability to preach to him? Would it cast a bad light on Witnesses? Would they say we only pretend to be neutral?

Seriously!!

 I’m saying I don’t like the man I didn’t once say that I don’t respect him, I don’t need to show this man honour.. I honour Jehovah.

i am also not American, I live in Ireland… maybe we just have a very different outlook here and I suspect that’s the case

 and as Tortuga said I would love him to come into the truth, do I think he will? As Richard said it would be a modern day miracle.

 

 Sorry if I offended you. 

[LeolaRootStew]

11 minutes ago, Áine said:

Seriously!!

 I’m saying I don’t like the man I didn’t once say that I don’t respect him, I don’t need to show this man honour.. I honour Jehovah.

i am also not American, I live in Ireland… maybe we just have a very different outlook here and I suspect that’s the case

 and as Tortuga said I would love him to come into the truth, do I think he will? As Richard said it would be a modern day miracle.

 

 Sorry if I offended you. 

 

I wasn't calling you out - they were just rhetorical questions for reflection. The topic of neutrality gets brought up frequently and we should remind ourselves of the edges.

 

“Render to all their dues… to him who calls for honor, such honor.”

Edited 17 hours ago by LeolaRootStew

[JennyM]

15 hours ago, Michał said:

While preparing for the Watchtower study this week, I looked at a question from readers in this issue of the Watchtower (for February), and the last paragraph caught my attention here:

 

In the meantime, what matters most is, not the timing of the future proclamation of “peace and security,” but our standing before God. We must “stay awake and keep our senses,” so that we may be fully prepared no matter how events unfold.—1 Thess. 5:6.

And  its getting closer.. with the fuel crisis and its impact .

In our midweek meeting last week, we were told to store water, fuel and food..

 

I can feel that things are getting worse.

[Regular]

1 hour ago, JennyM said:

And  its getting closer.. with the fuel crisis and its impact .

In our midweek meeting last week, we were told to store water, fuel and food..

 

I can feel that things are getting worse.

Did they give a specific reason?

[JennyM]

33 minutes ago, Regular said:

Did they give a specific reason?

Impact of an ongoing war.

[GeordieGirl]

49 minutes ago, Regular said:

Did they give a specific reason?

Different countries have different issues to deal with. I suspect that where Jenny lives, the Philippines I believe, things are very different to the so called developed countries. 

[Shawnster]

3 hours ago, Áine said:

I don’t need to show this man honour.

 

(1 Peter 2:17) 17 Honor men of all sorts, have love for the whole association of brothers, be in fear of God, honor the king.

https://www.jw.org/finder?wtlocale=E&pub=nwtsty&srctype=wol&bible=60002017&srcid=share

 

Honor men of all sorts. Including the icky ones. 

 

Honor the king. Including the bad ones. 

 

Where does the Bible say we can pick and choose? Please show me. 

 

 

Edited 14 hours ago by Shawnster

[JennyM]

2 hours ago, GeordieGirl said:

Different countries have different issues to deal with. I suspect that where Jenny lives, the Philippines I believe, things are very different to the so called developed countries. 

Its super corrupt.. billions of corruption of the govt.. the have and the have nots has wider gap. 

[Shawnster]

6 hours ago, JennyM said:

Its super corrupt.. billions of corruption of the govt.. the have and the have nots has wider gap. 

 

This is sad to hear. It's also enlightening.  Oh, I know all countries are corrupt. Some moreso in appearance than others.  

 

Still, sad. 

[franceml]

13 hours ago, Áine said:

¡¡En serio!!

 Estoy diciendo que no me gusta el hombre, nunca dije que no lo respetara, no necesito mostrarle honor a este hombre... Yo honro a Jehová.

Yo tampoco soy estadounidense, vivo en Irlanda... tal vez simplemente tenemos una perspectiva muy diferente aquí y sospecho que ese es el caso.

 Y como dijo Tortuga, me encantaría que descubriera la verdad. ¿Creo que lo hará? Como dijo Richard, sería un milagro de nuestros tiempos.

 

 Disculpa si te ofendí. 

Jesucristo taught a crucial distinction that every true Christian must guard in both heart and speech:
rejecting what is wrong is not the same as despising the person.
The biblical principles make this very clear:
* In Matthew 5:22, Jesus warns that contempt expressed through words (“You worthless…”) is not something minor, but an attitude of the heart that God takes seriously.
* In Colossians 4:6, we are taught that our words should always be gracious and respectful, even when we disagree.
* In 1 Peter 3:9, we are reminded not to repay evil with insult, even when others act wrongly.
* And in Matthew 5:44, we are commanded to love even our enemies, which leaves no room for mockery, contempt, or a closed heart toward others.
Therefore, the issue is not having a negative opinion or recognizing wrongdoing.
The real danger lies in this subtle shift:
From “I don’t like what he does”
to “this person is repugnant”
Once that line is crossed, the focus is no longer on judging actions, but on despising the person.
And that kind of contempt—though common in the world—does not reflect the spirit of Christ.
A true follower of Christ can be firm about what is wrong,
but will always strive to speak and feel without losing the respect, dignity, and love that God expects.

[Sofia]

15 hours ago, JennyM said:

And  its getting closer.. with the fuel crisis and its impact .

In our midweek meeting last week, we were told to store water, fuel and food..

 

I can feel that things are getting worse.

We were told the same here in Portugal 

[Doug]

2 hours ago, franceml said:

The real danger lies in this subtle shift:
From “I don’t like what he does”
to “this person is repugnant”
Once that line is crossed, And that kind of contempt—though common in the world—does not reflect the spirit of Christ.  A true follower of Christ can be firm about what is wrong,
but will always strive to speak and feel without losing the respect, dignity, and love that God expects.

 

Nice comment Sister!

I have wondered how the slave can be neutral and at the same time publish articles like "No More Corrupt Politicians!"

 

You just explained it very well.  We point out the failure of imperfect, evil, greedy human leaders. But we don't judge individuals.

[Tortuga]

9 minutes ago, Doug said:

 

Nice comment Sister!

I have wondered how the slave can be neutral and at the same time publish articles like "No More Corrupt Politicians!"

 

You just explained it very well.  We point out the failure of imperfect, evil, greedy human leaders. But we don't judge individuals.

But I still wouldn't invite Trump to my house for dinner...