JW Broadcast - November 2023

[truce]

Might I assume from this that members of the corporation are all Bethelites in special full time service? 

[Araujo JW]

21 minutes ago, truce said:

Might I assume from this that members of the corporation are all Bethelites in special full time service? 

 

No, they are brothers and sisters with a lot of experience and years in the truth, coming from all over the country, not necessarily being in full-time service. 

 

The directors of the legal entities used by Jehovah’s Witnesses are bethelites

Edited November 13, 2023 by Araujo JW

[Pjdriver]

 

 

How do the primary ones get invited if they are not pioneers, bethelites or elders?

Isn’t Bethel service consider full-time service?

So  I could get invited just for being in the truth a long time??? How does that work? 

Edited November 13, 2023 by Pjdriver

[jwhess]

49 minutes ago, Pjdriver said:

 

 

How do the primary ones get invited if they are not pioneers, bethelites or elders?

Isn’t Bethel service consider full-time service?

So  I could get invited just for being in the truth a long time??? How does that work? 

In the past, when most attendees went to New York, it was possible to simply write to the organization to see if there were tickets left.  Each Bethel member got a few.  Sometimes they could get an extra one someone else wasn't using.

 

Now that the majority attend by electronic tele-conference (JW-Stream) you basically need to find someone who was originally invited and see if they have permission to add your name to the list of invitees (you need a special code to get access to the program).

 

The organization does not know who you are personally nor do they have a list of everyone who has served for more than 40 years.  They are not reserving tickets for 10 more publishers from Miami.  If you are not a voting member of the WTBTS, you will not get an invitation by mail to check to see if you are coming.  Only members get invited to the business meeting (the REAL legal AM).  But check with friends who are Bethelites, commuter Bethelites or other volunteers at Headquarters.

[Pjdriver]

15 minutes ago, jwhess said:

you basically need to find someone who was originally invited and see if they have permission to add your name to the list of invitees

So who are the "originally invited”? How did they qualify? Over the years the only ones I’ve known to be invited were bethelites or some pioneers.  Any other tag alongs just have to know the right person to get in on it.....but how are the  original invitees selected? 

[Pjdriver]

23 minutes ago, jwhess said:

In the past, when most attendees went to New York, it was possible to simply write to the organization to see if there were tickets left.

John, this makes it sound like "first come, first serve” is the only requirement....until they run out.

I don’t think that was ever the case or did I miss something?

[carlos]

50 minutes ago, Pjdriver said:

John, this makes it sound like "first come, first serve” is the only requirement....until they run out.

I don’t think that was ever the case or did I miss something?

 

I don't know much about this, but I can confirm a friend of mine wrote to the branch and received an invitation to attend the annual meeting. This was before the pandemic, four or five years ago.

[Pabo]

On 11/7/2023 at 10:44 AM, trottigy said:

Can you imagine the system that the scribes and pharisees could have put in place to ensure everyone paid their 10%.

 

They would have needed the IRS, laws on what counted and what didn't (maybe allow for deductions   ) And then enforcement officers!!!

 

Whew!! It is a good thing that didn't happen.

 

Actually, the scribes and Pharisees were very pedantic concerned about paying their 10th of everything, including the minute things such as their herbs (mint, dill and cumin - Matt 23:23). How does one do this exactly? I do not know. Did they base it on what they picked off the plant and weighed it, or the size or volume of the plant? There could be many ways to do this. But they were focused on what they themselves were showing to be doing, not what others were doing. They were doing it from a regulatory attitude, not with a heartfelt attitude.

 

Compared to the average Joe(seph) at that time, they would have only estimated what their crop, production or earnings may have been for the year. Their estimation would have been more from their heartful sense of joy and love for Jehovah, than an exact figure of what they had done. It may have been more than 10%, or perhaps less than 10%, but it would have been their motive that would have compelled them what they were able to give.

 

Thus too, with the counting of hours and placements being done away with for the majority of the brotherhood, we can focus on our heartfelt approach and love of our neighbour when it comes to the ministry. We have a weighty message from Jehovah that we need to get across, which is similar to what Jesus had mentioned to the scribes and Pharisees about what the Law was based on - justice, mercy and faithfulness. We need to be displaying these things in our ministry according to our abilities, not a predetermined amount that we feel that we have to do. Nobody is to be judging on what we are doing, it us only our heartfelt contribution is what matters.

 

On 11/7/2023 at 1:02 PM, Rodejong said:

 

As an Autistic brother, I feel the same way. I am not so good in starting casual talk from door to door, as I am unable to read body language, and deaf to tone nuances. I understand an angry face and shouting. I'll leave. 

When that door opens, I need to start talking... that scares me. 

 

In a street or in a train or at a square etc.. I have time to observe people and guess my way to what person they are and can ask the brother what I could use. So to me it is difficult as well.

 

On 11/7/2023 at 1:42 PM, TheKid23 said:

I’m autistic too and all this change is A LOT to deal with. 

 

On 11/7/2023 at 5:22 PM, Fiona said:

Ditto for me too. I have always felt inadequate and thought the brothers put alot of effort into the presentations, I could not improve on it. So have just done what they do every month. Obviously if need be I go off topic but 99% of the time it helps me to know what to say.
Now I'm a very nervous pioneer again.

 

So for those who been so used to using pre-determined outlines of what we are to say at the doors, or how we present our parts on the meetings, it is going to be a huge change for a lot of brothers.

 

On 11/7/2023 at 10:20 PM, cme said:

For as long as I have been a witness I hated to practice or parrot words that were not mine.  I always felt that if one professed to be a christian than, the topic was always about talking about Jehovah,  to friends, neighbors, families, etc.  I always found a way to turn it into a spiritual conversation.

 

And for some of us who are more flexible to changes, or that we are perhaps already been doing that already, just because of our make up, it probably wont make a difference to how we do things.

 

On 11/8/2023 at 12:20 AM, carlos said:

The good news here is that this change is gradual. We don't need to do anything different right now. We can keep using the same introduction we have used until yesterday. Our midweek meeting will gradually teach us how to start different conversations and we all will learn at our own pace.

 

But there is one thing that can help us no matter how we are physically, emotionally or mentally made up:

 

Whatever you are doing, just have FUN!

 

And what makes serving Jehovah FUN?

 

First - Matthew 6:33 - Seek FIRST his Kingdom, everything else will be taken care off.

Unitedly - Phillipians 2:2: Acts 2:46 - Have joy being of the same mind and love, completely UNITED in one thought and purpose in serving Jehovah

Never - Matthew 6:31, 34; Psalms 55:22; Hebrews 13:5 - NEVER be anxious, nor NEVER will Jehovah leave us.

 

Jehovah is a Happy God, so he is allowing us to have FUN doing when are doing our assignments or how we do door to door. What he has been giving us is tips on how we can be better, as he had done in the past, and is allowing us to use whatever gifts we have or can share and develop them further, and have more FUN!

 

So whether we choose to just jump right into the deep end of the pool, or by starting at the shallow end and slowly grow in our confidence making our way to the deep end, it is up to us on how we do it. However, we can help,assist and encourage each other in having FUN, no matter what our circumstances are.  It is rarely that you have FUN when you are alone, but if you include others, you always have a lot more FUN.

 

Edited November 13, 2023 by Pabo

[jwhess]

2 hours ago, Pjdriver said:

So who are the "originally invited”? How did they qualify? Over the years the only ones I’ve known to be invited were bethelites or some pioneers.  Any other tag alongs just have to know the right person to get in on it.....but how are the  original invitees selected? 

"Originally" which is 140 years ago, only those that had business to do with the Society were invited.  In those old days, you got the right to vote for donating money to the WTBTS.  Most votes were determined by proxy ballots.  Br. Russell had enough votes to control the elections due to his donating the 21st century equivalent of 7-8 million dollars (more or less).

 

Later when the voting was limited to 500 and it did not matter about donations, the AM were restricted to a few hundred people.  There was no spiritual convention afterward.  It was purely a business requirement.

 

Once in a while the gathering was used to invite the public to a convention.

 

In modern times (say since 1950) it was rare to have any extra people involved.  But on special occasions like the 100th anniversary in Pittsburg, a large convention was arranged.  In that case the contacted the congregations in states nearby to offer tickets to those who were Pioneering or who had been publishing for 20+ years.  But each congregation only had "x-amount" of tickets, so sometimes the service years were upped to 30 or 40 years.

 

Occasionally, there might be the option of tying an Assembly Hall into the AM and the Circuit Overseer might have a say n who could come to listen.

 

In 2013 we got invited by congregation.  The AM was broadcast in video in the morning, then recorded video was used on Saturday afternoon, and finally 2 more recorded sessions were held on Sunday morn and afternoon.  We got the new Bible!!

 

In all of these cases, it was just nearby publishers (time zones) and those were English speaking.  Basically it was the US Branch and Canada.  Now with teleconference, we can reach out a little more.  Some of the Bethel servants stay in their rooms.  My son-in-law was working (LDC) and got to see one in an unfinished building at Warwick by video.

 

So really, this idea that a lot of people would watch at the same time is relatively new.  There never was a need to invite someone to fly from New Zealand to attend.  Now, many of the overseas locations would be in the early hours of the morning.

 

If you are not a voting member, it is a chance thing that you will find an invitation or way to attend.  This is why they spend a great deal of time and money to record and translate and produce a copy for everybody to see at home in January these last few years.

Edited November 14, 2023 by jwhess

[Hope]

12 hours ago, truce said:

Wow! So I just need to know someone who knows someone then. 

Yep!  I was invited by friends at Bethel for a couple of different AMs - 2022 was one time.    I couldn't get a link this year, unfortunately. 

 

Like nearly everything in life, it's not what you know, it's who you know.  I try to share my viewing days with friends if they can come by, though.  

[truce]

58 minutes ago, Hope said:

Yep!  I was invited by friends at Bethel for a couple of different AMs - 2022 was one time.    I couldn't get a link this year, unfortunately. 

 

Like nearly everything in life, it's not what you know, it's who you know.  I try to share my viewing days with friends if they can come by, though.  

Oh, wow! It is a privilege. I think aside the memorial, the annual meeting of the WTBTS is the most significant. 

[Cushi]

2 hours ago, truce said:

Oh, wow! It is a privilege. I think aside the memorial, the annual meeting of the WTBTS is the most significant. 

I look forward to the annual meeting more than any other provision, even more than the memorial. The memorial is the most special… but I know what to expect. I can’t say the same for the annual meeting. It’s very exciting 😊

[Cushi]

10 hours ago, jwhess said:

The GB spiritual talks are a separate feature of relatively modern times.

Would you or anyone else happen to know when spiritual talks were included in the annual meeting?

[truce]

3 hours ago, *Jack* said:

I look forward to the annual meeting more than any other provision, even more than the memorial. The memorial is the most special… but I know what to expect. I can’t say the same for the annual meeting. It’s very exciting 😊

In terms of new light and updates and exciting information, way to go!!!!

[truce]

1 hour ago, truce said:

In terms of new light and updates and exciting information, way to go!!!!

And now @*Jack* I can't wait for 2024 AM. Maybe I should create a thread. What are we to expect?

[Dages]

1 hour ago, truce said:

In terms of new light 

brighter light, not "new light"  

[Sofia]

8 minutes ago, Dages said:

brighter light, not "new light"  

Dear Daniel I think brother Winder referred to “ new light “ instead, on his first talk at AM which we will see in January.

this is interesting. Isn’t it?

 

[truce]

2 hours ago, Dages said:

brighter light, not "new light"  

The GB still uses the term "new light". It was used during the AM. Maybe it was a slip of tongue though. Who knows?

[jwhess]

9 hours ago, *Jack* said:

Would you or anyone else happen to know when spiritual talks were included in the annual meeting?

They were included at various times throughout our theocratic history.

 

*** jv chap. 7 p. 72 Advertise the King and the Kingdom! (1919-1941) ***

“I Know Something About the Law of the Loyal”

A convention was scheduled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 2-5, 1919, during the time that Brother Rutherford and his associates were in prison. But this was no ordinary convention—it was combined with the annual meeting of the Watch Tower Society, on Saturday, January 4, 1919.

 

*** w83 2/15 p. 10 A Notable Annual Meeting ***

On Saturday, October 2, 1982, for the first time in its 98-year history, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania held its annual corporate meeting outside the United States of America. On that milestone date 119 members of the corporation (the legal agency used by Jehovah’s Witnesses) and more than 2,000 other people met at the Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses near Toronto, Canada.

 

*** w84 2/1 p. 10 Loyal Ministers Share a Unique Privilege! ***

Now at this meeting in 1983 he was present as a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, in company with corporation members from 28 countries! A total of 3,671 filled both the hall and an adjoining marquee, with an additional 1,504 tied in at the West Midlands Assembly Hall at Dudley. All were thrilled to hear Brother Schroeder recall those days of 42 years ago when there were only 11,000 Witnesses in the British Isles.

 

*** w01 1/15 p. 29 How the Governing Body Differs From a Legal Corporation ***

Another Unforgettable Annual Meeting

In 1971 the same speaker explained that the members of the Watch Tower Society could not vote in the members of the anointed Governing Body. Why? “Because,” he said, “the governing body of the ‘slave’ class is not appointed by any man. It is appointed by . . . Jesus Christ, the Head of the true Christian congregation and the Lord and Master of the ‘faithful and discreet slave’ class.” Clearly, then, the members of the Governing Body cannot be voted into office by the membership of any legal corporation.

 

*** w02 4/1 Stay Awake, Move Ahead Courageously! ***

[Footnotes]  2001 AM w/ supplementary meeting

The annual meeting program was tied in electronically to a number of locations, bringing the total attendance to 13,757.

The supplementary meetings were held in Long Beach, California; Pontiac, Michigan; Uniondale, New York; and Hamilton, Ontario. The combined attendance, including those tied in electronically at other locations, was 117,885.

 

[jayrtom]

5 hours ago, Dages said:

brighter light, not "new light"  

 

2 hours ago, truce said:

The GB still uses the term "new light". It was used during the AM. Maybe it was a slip of tongue though. Who knows?

 

4 hours ago, Sofia said:

Dear Daniel I think brother Winder referred to “ new light “ instead, on his first talk at AM which we will see in January.

this is interesting. Isn’t it?

 

When you think of it any light is new light. The light that touches your eyes now, will never return to touch it again

 

So, I think it's just nitpicking, that discussion about new light vs brighter light

 

 

 

 

[Richie]

5 hours ago, Dages said:

brighter light, not "new light"  

Brighter light not a new light.. Actually, AM focused on Love and not for anything else. OD book tells us why the reporting hours were reported. This is to understand the fulfillment ot Matthew 24:14. w09 02/15 tells us why we need to change our way of ministry into heavy verbal preaching. From these, we can comprehend why we should change the way we preach. 

[jwhess]

5 hours ago, Richie said:

Brighter light not a new light.. Actually, AM focused on Love and not for anything else. OD book tells us why the reporting hours were reported. This is to understand the fulfillment ot Matthew 24:14. w09 02/15 tells us why we need to change our way of ministry into heavy verbal preaching. From these, we can comprehend why we should change the way we preach. 

Remember: most publishers have not seen the first half (or 2/3s) of the Annual Meeting.  This is where the clarifications were.  The first 3 talks were introduced as "new light" in a symposium with Br. Winder, Br. Splane and Br. Jackson.  That was followed by videos and updates by Br. Lett.

 

The part shown on this months broadcast was the last 4 talks in symposium, which we did see.  It did indeed focus on love and disciple making.  But we are waiting for January to get the WHOLE Annual Meeting. The beginning of which talks about how the GB gets the "new" understanding by spirit.  And Br. Splane takes us back into Biblical history and adjustments we are making (clarifications) to scriptural understanding of the resurrection process and Br. Jackson moves us unto the modern day to show us a "new" understanding of the Great Tribulation and the Judgement message.

 

We await the revealing of this first half of the meeting with anticipation.

[New World Explorer]

I am comfortable with following expressions:

 

1. New Light

2. Brighter Light

3. Better or New Understanding

4. Adjustment in Understand

5. Deeper Understanding ...etc...etc.

 

For me they are just grammatical formations in a process of presenting better understanding of Bible truths.  

Whatever option is chosen it does not matter to me at all. 

The content of better understanding is important, not how we title things. ☺️

[truce]

10 minutes ago, New World Explorer said:

I am comfortable with following expressions:

 

1. New Light

2. Brighter Light

3. Better or New Understanding

4. Adjustment in Understand

5. Deeper Understanding ...etc...etc.

 

For me they are just grammatical formations in a process of presenting better understanding of Bible truths.  

Whatever option is chosen it does not matter to me at all. 

The content of better understanding is important, not how we title things. ☺️

In the spirit of titling things, I would very much like to refer to one of the elders in my congregation as my Pastor. He has proved to be a true and personal  shepherd to me, always reaching out, even noticing when i am not on zoom, always hoping, never judging. Also, sometimes I refer to the kingdom hall and the congregation as my "church" when talking with non-witnesses.

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by truce

[Tortuga]

13 minutes ago, truce said:

In the spirit of titling things, I would very much like to refer to one of the elders in my congregation as my Pastor. He has proved to be a true and personal  shepherd to me, always reaching out, even noticing when i am not on zoom, always hoping, never judging. Also, sometimes I refer to the kingdom hall and the congregation as my "church" when talking with non-witnesses.

 

Well...that can be confusing