₦airaland Forum

Hairyrapunzel:
If your imperfect gb members say you should be a robot and not have feelings good for you
Op is human and cares about his family members. It doesn't affect the love he has for Jesus Christ.
Stop the guilt trip it is irritating. You can't hide your happiness at seeing families break.
Stop trying to make it look like if he leaves the organization he will be the one shunning them
We know his family will be pressured into cutting off all contact with him because your imperfect gb says so

We both know that your belief says that if he leaves your organization it is equivalent with leaving Jehovah and his family still in should shun him because they love Jehovah and the organization more. This is also your imperfect gb teaching

Stop this low comprehension Sir , If your family
and friends will prevent you from following Christ .
Leave them . That's the message of Matthew
10:37 ,
" I came to put , NOT PEACE but a Sword , For I
came to cause DIVISION , with a man against his
Father, and a daughter against her mother, and a
young wife against her mother in law" Matthew 10:
34,35

CAPTIVATOR:
Stop this low comprehension Sir , If your family and friends will prevent you from following Christ . Leave them . That's the message of Matthew 10:37 ,

" I came to put , NOT PEACE but a Sword , For I came to cause DIVISION , with a man against his Father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother in law" Matthew 10: 34,35

So someone that preached love even loving your enemies came to divide families and put them against each other right?
Read the whole chapter
It is like your Jesus Christ has come to divide op family because he doesn't agree with imperfect gb about non biblical interpretation of the Bible eg discouraging higher education.
Your Jesus Christ has come to put his father, mother, siblings and friends against op because he doesn't agree with wrong Bible interpretation of 7 imperfect men in New York aka gb.

.

Hairyrapunzel:
So someone that preached love even loving your enemies came to divide families and put them against each other right?
Read the whole chapter
It is like your Jesus Christ has come to divide op family because he doesn't agree with imperfect gb about non biblical interpretation of the Bible eg discouraging higher education.
Your Jesus Christ has come to put his father, mother, siblings and friends against op because he doesn't agree with wrong Bible interpretation of 7 imperfect men in New York aka gb.

Matt 10: 34-37 cost of discipleship.

. not for cowards that are not worthy of Christ .

CAPTIVATOR:
Am not gonna take you serious until you obey Matthew 10:37 . Coward . how can fear of family prevent you from doing what you think is right?

Are you kidding me? Always cursing people because they don't agree with your imperfect gb beliefs.
You ain't giving a good witness you know, and your religion doesn't seem like a loving one
Too much evil being exhibited by its followers and covering up by saying Bible teaching. All for what? to survive Armageddon after your Jehovah finishes the mass murder of billions of non jws and enter a new system filled with billions of corpses

One day you will realize your religion is a snare and racket and it is a great scam

CAPTIVATOR:
Matt 10: 34-37 cost of discipleship.

. not for cowards that are not worthy of Christ .

Read your Bible and you will see discipleship ain't about following the doctrines coined by imperfect men
Continue cursing. Because you love cursing.
Calling someone a coward because he cares about his family shows you to be a psychopath
Maybe you lack empathy and compassion but he shows both.
He has learned to think critically
People cannot leave your cult without loosing their families what a cult
You are bullying him and it is wrong. You know that if he leaves your religion his family will stop talking to him and you throw Matt 10 like he is leaving your cult to follow Jesus so he should forget about his family because according to you Jesus requires it of him since he believes his family isn't following Jesus. SMH
What if he doesn't want to follow Jesus Christ?
I think you are the coward here

Hairyrapunzel:
Read your Bible and you will see discipleship ain't about following the doctrines coined by imperfect men
Continue cursing. Because you love cursing.
Calling someone a coward because he cares about his family shows you to be a psychopath
Maybe you lack empathy and compassion but he shows both.
He has learned to think critically
People cannot leave your cult without loosing their families what a cult
You are bullying him and it is wrong. You know that if he leaves your religion his family will stop talking to him and you throw Matt 10 like he is leaving your cult to follow Jesus so he should forget about his family because according to you Jesus requires it of him since he believes his family isn't following Jesus. SMH
What if he doesn't want to follow Jesus Christ?
I think you are the coward here

@ bold, that is very clear. He doesn't want to follow any Christ . Good for him , Atheism form is still on sale

CAPTIVATOR:
@ bold, that is very clear. He doesn't want to follow any Christ . Good for him , Atheism form is still on sale

Still doesn't change the fact that your imperfect gb tells people to shun family and friends if those people disagree with the imperfect gb teaching which are non biblical.

Do you know that it is only a cult that punishes people from leaving it?
The punishment is shunning which is emotional blackmail
And do you think it's only when you don't believe in Jesus you are an atheist? Stop your black and white thinking
Well he doesn't want his family members to ostracize him.
He shouldn't be punished or shunned by his family and friends for not believing imperfect gb members teaching

Hairyrapunzel:
Still doesn't change the fact that your imperfect gb tells people to shun family and friends if those people disagree with the imperfect gb teaching which are non biblical.

Do you know that it is only a cult that punishes people from leaving it?
The punishment is shunning which is emotional blackmail
And do you think it's only when you don't believe in Jesus you are an atheist? Stop your black and white thinking
Well he doesn't want his family members to ostracize him.
He shouldn't be punished or shunned by his family and friends for not believing imperfect gb members teaching

In Jw land, anyone who disagrees is considered a wicked man. So he needs to be shunned ala disfellowshipped.
So if a teenager refused to get baptized, no matter how bad he later became - uses drugs, fornicate, steal,- as long as he hasn't been baptized, he will NOT be shunnned. If on the other hand, he got baptized even at 10 yrs of age, and he later disagrees he is quickly shunned and disfellowshipped.
That's the way it is in jw land.

Would you join a religion which says everyone who is not a member will be killed by God?

Would you join a religion which you know that statistically if you stay in it long enough, there is a high chance that it will split your family apart?

Would you join a religion which demands that you preach to your neighbours that they are soon going to die if they don’t believe your message?

Would you join a religion which actively discourages education and thinking analytically? Or one which promotes faith and obedience to a group of cult leaders who have no credentials in anything, only a very long track record in failed promises?

Does the prospect of living in a utopia controlled by these seven governors of the religion appeal to you? Men who assert that their religion is the only one chosen by God in 1919, a subject with no basis in any fact. Also with the beliefs held back then, if you believed them now, would bizarrely disqualify you from membership today!

How would you view a religion which prohibits examining scholarly information and only permit research from its own hopelessly biased publications?

mikeolu1:
In Jw land, anyone who disagrees is considered a wicked man. So he needs to be shunned ala disfellowshipped.
So if a teenager refused to get baptized, no matter how bad he later became - uses drugs, fornicate, steal,- as long as he hasn't been baptized, he will NOT be shunnned. If on the other hand, he got baptized even at 10 yrs of age, and he later disagrees he is quickly shunned and disfellowshipped.
That's the way it is in jw land.

Wow. I am Speechless

[quote author=CAPTIVATOR post=59345896][/quote]You can't change the fact that your imperfect 7 old men in New York tell you not to go to university so they will recruit you to work as a waiter or bricklayer.

So according to your beliefs going to university is lack of faith in God. Instead go to bethel and do menial jobs which is equivalent to having faith in God. SMH

Hairyrapunzel:
You can't change the fact that your imperfect 7 old men in New York tell you not to go to university so they will recruit you to work as a waiter or bricklayer.

So according to your beliefs going to university is lack of faith in God. Instead go to bethel and do menial jobs which is equivalent to having faith in God. SMH

The gb have been encouraging people to change their jobs to become window cleaner and street vendors so as to be able to do more for them.
Just last month, w 2017/6 says ...
"If we are not careful, however, secular work could interfere with our worship. For example, a brother in Thailand related: “My secular work of repairing computers was very interesting, but it involved working long hours. As a result, it left me almost no time for spiritual matters...What did this brother do? 8 “After planning for about a year,” he explained, “I decided to become a street vendor and sell ice cream. In the beginning, I struggled ..."

The GB live in absolute comfort in NY, they encourage people who live in the 3rd world to look for menial repair work or street vending.
That's what you get in jw land. Very callous people

Hairyrapunzel:
Still doesn't change the fact that your imperfect gb tells people to shun family and friends if those people disagree with the imperfect gb teaching which are non biblical.

Do you know that it is only a cult that punishes people from leaving it?
The punishment is shunning which is emotional blackmail
And do you think it's only when you don't believe in Jesus you are an atheist? Stop your black and white thinking
Well he doesn't want his family members to ostracize him.
He shouldn't be punished or shunned by his family and friends for not believing imperfect gb members teaching

You have told the truth that most jw will hate you for. It takes many of us a long time before we realize we've been in a cult.

Here is a discussion on how the gb has meander through the matter of higher education over the years


Jehovah’s Witnesses and Education – A Brief History
“It is only the ignorant who despise education.” —Publilius Syrus, Moral Sayings, first century B.C.E.
– As quoted in Awake! of March 8, 1998

Once again, parents among Jehovah’s Witnesses have some tough decisions to make with respect to the education of their children. In its October 1, 2005 issue of The Watchtower, the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society (hereafter WTS) has published an article entitled Parents-What Future Do You Want for Your Children? With this article, the WTS has evidently decided to attempt to reverse, at least to some extent, a landmark change that was presented in the November 1, 1992 issue of that same magazine.

The goal of this essay is to acquaint the reader with approximately 40 years’ worth of history on this topic. It is written from the perspective of the
1966 In the publication Life Everlasting—In Freedom of the Sons of God, the year 1975 is held forth as the end of 6,000 years of human history. For Jehovah’s Witnesses accustomed to believing that the Thousand-Year reign of Christ (the “Millennium”) would follow shortly after the conclusion of this 6,000-year period, this date engenders a sense of extreme excitement and urgency. It also leads to a “date-oriented” view towards many other matters of life, including housing, planning ahead for the later years of life and, yes, education.

w69 3/15 p. 171 What Influences Decisions in Your Life? The influence and spirit of this world is to get ahead, to make a name for oneself. Many schools now have student counselors who encourage one to pursue higher education after high school, to pursue a career with a future in this system of things. Do not be influenced by them. Do not let them “brainwash” you with the Devil’s propaganda to get ahead, to make something of yourself in this world. This world has very little time left! Any “future” this world offers is no future! Wisely, then, let God’s Word influence you in selecting a course that will result in your protection and blessing. Make pioneer service, the full-time ministry, with the possibility of or missionary service your goal. This is a life that offers an everlasting future!
1970 – 1975 The 1975 expectations build to a “fever pitch.” The phrase “stay alive till seventy-five” is coined.

Some Witnesses adopt extreme viewpoints and engage in unwise behavior, such as taking on debt they never intended to repay or foregoing helpful, even necessary, medical treatment. While the WTS did not necessarily advocate these extreme views or actions, they certainly do nothing to dampen the “urgency” of 1975 in other areas, including decisions with long-term consequences related to housing, finances, employment, and education. Long-time Witnesses may remember this comment from Our Kingdom Ministry:

km 5/74 p. 3 How Are You Using Your Life?
Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end. (Bold mine)
The view of education in the midst of that environment continues to be about what one might expect:

w71 9/15 p. 563 Set Apart from the World

Approximately 2001 - 2004 Some start to notice evidence of a ‘negative’ view of higher education reappearing in certain program parts on Special Assembly Days, Circuit Assemblies, and District Conventions. Comments seeming to disparage higher education appear with greater regularity. Whereas, in the 1990’s, youths who were pursuing higher education, while still exemplary in serving Jehovah, were featured on such assembly and convention programs, this seems to decrease. The idea of moving very quickly into “full-time service” right out of high school, or shortly thereafter, seems to make a comeback.
Still, nothing overtly negative appears in the pages of The Watchtower, the official doctrinal journal of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Alert publishers in the ‘field’ start to wonder whether a ‘tug of war’ of sorts is going on at Bethel with respect to this issue.
2005
At the ‘Godly Obedience’ District Conventions, a drama about the life of Timothy is presented. Some take the contrast presented in this drama between Timothy and a fictional contemporary who pursues higher education in the Roman system as further evidence that the organization’s view of “higher” education is once again turning negative. Still, without further commentary in The Watchtower, the matter seems left to some level of interpretation.

That changes with the arrival at Kingdom Halls of the October 1, 2005 issue of The Watchtower, and the article Parents-What Future Do You Want for Your Children?
Meanwhile . . . The eighteen-year-old who graduated high school in the year 1969 turns fifty-four. He has children that are older than he was that spring day in 1969, when he was told “this world has very little time left.”

The book, "Life how did it get here, by evolution or creation" published by Jehovah's witnesses has the most misquotes of all books.

https://corior..co.uk/2006/02/misquotations-in-creation-book.html

This is the most ridiculous and dishonesty made by an organization a religion that claim to represent god on earth. How could anyone who can read believe anything this jw writers ever write or say.
Put aside your beliefs for a moment- weather you believe Evolution or not is never the issue here, the issue is that many writers quoted by watchtowers publications have written the jw to not use their quotes because in many cases, the watchtower and awake magazines have impugned the opposite of what the quoted author intended.
It's no wonder that the "evolution" book as jw refer to it, has been removed from their favorite books. They don't refer to it any longer and it will soon become one of their load of craps.
Shameful

See 1 example of dishonest misquote below and judge for yourself.


The Quote Life -- How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? (1985), p. 143:
Zoologist Richard Lewontin said that organisms "appear to have been carefully and artfully designed." He views them as "the chief evidence of a Supreme Designer." It will be useful to consider some of this evidence.



The Source Richard C. Lewontin, "Adaptation", Scientific American, vol. 239, September 1978, p. 213:
"The manifest fit between organisms and their environment is a major outcome of evolution.... Life forms are more than simply multiple and diverse, however. Organisms fit remarkably well into the external world in which they live. They have morphologies, physiologies and behaviors that appear to have been carefully and artfully designed to enable each organism to appropriate the world around it for its own life. It was the marvelous fit of organisms to the environment, much more than the great diversity of forms, that was the chief evidence of a Supreme Designer. Darwin realized that if a naturalistic theory of evolution was to be successful, it would have to explain the apparent perfection of organisms and not simply their variation."

Hairyrapunzel:
It still didn't say disfellowship or shunning. It says do not associate. Your religion assumes not associating means disfellowshiping and shunning. Disfellowship and shunning aren't written anywhere in the Bible. Don't give excuse for the toxic stuff being propagated by your imperfect GB.

Emotionally blackmailing people and keeping someone's family and friends hostage is cruelty and violation of Fundamental human right ie freedom of religion and freedom of association.

if churches or other religions used to shun and disfellowship former members I don't think jws will even have members.
If you question your imperfect gb about theirdiscouraging higher education not being biblical you get disfellowshipped and subsequently shunned

mikeolu1:
Thanks for your advice. I will get out when I safely can.
There are thousands in my situation; bethelites, COs, hundred of elders- I am one.
All letters to BOE are online even before elders get them. Those are coming from leaking in bethel.
Convention talk outlines are on the internet. That's coming from some COs
So, many of us are mentally out but physically in just to protect whatever we seem as important.
This is not the truth and you will sooner or later realize that fact.

Did you say when you are mentally ready. Hmmmmmmm, then start propagating your bias post when you are completely mentally out, because one foot in can mean the other foot can be dragged either way, if you are dragged back in please come back on this thread to refute your claims.

achorladey:
Did you say when you are mentally ready. Hmmmmmmm, then start propagating your bias post when you are completely mentally out, because one foot in can mean the other foot can be dragged either way, if you are dragged back in please come back on this thread to refute your claims.

Some have to stay in to help others wake up. Many are waking up.
Close to 15,000 on https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/ and people are joining that forum at the rate of 1.5 witnesses per hour!
A former CO joined last month. Many serving elders, Pioneers and MS are there. At least few serving bethelites in Warwick, NY.
WT can fool many people sometime, but not all the people all the time

Money money money.
They don't print so much anymore, why do they need these monies?
Don't go to university, but we need engineers, nurses, doctors etc in bethel. We also "suggested" the following contributions. Wow.

...That is so whether the activity or interest diverting our attention is the pursuit of wealth, get-rich-quick schemes, ambitious plans for advanced education to have a desirable career in this system, or programs for personal fulfillment...Such things may not be sins in themselves. However, do you not see that from the standpoint of everlasting life, those really are “dead works”? (Hebrews 9:14) In what sense? They are spiritually dead, vain, and fruitless. If one persists in them, such works could lead to spiritual death.

University education is "dead work" according to watchtower April 15, 2006
In case you missed that.

August 15, 2009 TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS AND TRAVELING OVERSEERS
Re: Reviewing qualifications of those pursuing higher education

Imagine this letter to people in a struggling country, where people need some descent education to feed their family.
All in the name of god!


TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS AND TRAVELING OVERSEERS

Re: Reviewing qualifications of those pursuing higher education

Dear Brothers:
Recently the worldwide brotherhood has received timely warnings from “the faithful and discreet slave” regarding the dangers of pursuing higher education. Satan’s world associates advanced secular education with success. However, Jehovah’s people measure success in terms of spirituality and displaying aspects of the fruitage of the spirit. As individuals and as an organization, we are “no part of the world,” and thus we have different goals, values, and aspirations from those around us.―Matt. 24:45; John 17:14.
These warnings from the “slave” are wise and necessary. Those pursuing years of extra education in worldly environments expose themselves to so many dangers! There are the dangers of exposure to worldly philosophies and the world’s materialistic spirit, which is what drives many to seek higher education at any cost. (Col. 2:8; 1 Tim. 6:20, 21) It is common knowledge that institutions of higher learning are dangerous hotbeds of immorality, false religious teachings and bad associations. (Prov. 7:4-27; 1 Cor. 15:33) Then there is the element of time. Twice the Scriptures urge us to ‘buy out the time,’ emphasizing that the “days are wicked.” (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5) God’s servants are urged to have plenty to do in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain. (1 Cor. 15:58) However, in pursuit of secular qualifications in schools of higher education young Witnesses may sacrifice years of their youthful vigor which could, and should, have been devoted to serving their Grand Creator more fully. Sadly at times, the sacrifices that are made for higher education result in our youths struggling to maintain their spirituality and to keep following Jesus’ direction to “seek first the kingdom.”—1 Tim. 4:15, 16; 1 Cor. 2:12; Eph. 2:1, 2; Eccl. 12:1; Matt. 6:33.

Not long ago, when circuit overseers met with elders during their visits to the congregations, the following question was raised: “Would an appointed brother continue to qualify for privileges in the congregation if he, his wife, or his children pursue higher education?” By asking this question the ‘faithful slave’ was indicating that this matter should be taken seriously. In this regard, any who are presently serving as appointed men in the congregation must honestly examine themselves to ensure that they are irreprehensible, “holding the sacred secret of the faith with a clear conscience.” (1 Tim. 3:9) Also, when considering those who are pursuing higher education for additional privileges of service, elders would want to exercise caution. It could be damaging to the spirit of the congregation if they were to ‘lay hands hastily’ on someone who might be seen by the brothers as one who is ignoring the advice of the “faithful and discreet slave.”―1 Tim. 5:22.

The questions below are provided to assist elders and traveling overseers to evaluate the qualifications of ministerial servants and elders, as well as regular pioneers, who may be pursuing higher education or whose children may be doing so. As circumstances differ, it is not possible to make blanket rules to cover all situations. Rather, what is needed is discernment. (Prov. 2:10, 11; 20:5) Elders would rightly be concerned about the impact on the individual’s spirituality and how the person’s course may affect others. (Matt. 18:6) Heavenly wisdom should guide the elders in properly and impartially evaluating these questions that could affect an appointed brother’s privileges of service. (Jas. 3:17) When this is done, all will be united in consistently applying the fine counsel of the “faithful and discreet slave” and our brothers will have reason to have confidence in those who are viewed as “exemplary” in the congregation.―1 Pet. 5:2, 3.

“Would an appointed brother continue to qualify for privileges in the congregation if he, his wife, or his children pursue higher education?”
• Prayerfully consider the following:
o Does his life pattern show that he puts Kingdom interests first in his life?––Matt. 6:33.

o If he has a family, does he teach his family members to put Kingdom interests first?

o Does he respect what has been published by the faithful slave on the dangers of higher education?––3 John 9.

o Do his speech and conduct reveal that he is a spiritual person?––Ps 1:2, 3; 1 Cor. 2:13-16.
 For example: What of the environment in which he chooses to live? Is he at home or in a campus or hostel accommodation? Does this needlessly expose him to immoral, false religious or otherwise spiritually damaging activities and beliefs even though he claims to keep himself separate? Is this a potential stumbling block to himself or others? (Prov. 5:8; 6:27-28; 1 Cor. 15:33; Rev. 18:4.) (Note: These questions may also be applied to any appointed men or pioneers who are sponsoring or supporting their children who attend university away from home. They should also be considered when assessing the qualifications of others, who are not necessarily pursuing “higher education,” but, who, just for the sake of education, are subjecting themselves to the degraded living environment in some polytechnics and training colleges.) We do not recommend for privileges of service those whose spirituality and soundness of mind may be questioned because of the unwise situation they put themselves or their children in. Neither do we appoint those who, because of these decisions, may be setting a poor example for others.―1 Pet. 4:7; Titus 2:6, 7; 1 Tim. 3:2.

o Why is he or his family pursuing higher learning? Do they have theocratic goals? ––Phil. 3:8.

o Does the pursuit of higher learning interfere with regular meeting attendance, meaningful participation in field service or other theocratic activities of the congregation with which he is a publisher?
 Note: Some may feel that if a person is pursuing higher education then he has an excuse for missing meetings, or attending meetings with different congregations to allow for his lecture or study schedule. Doing so amounts to an attempt to fit our worship of the Most High around arrangements for higher learning. What would that indicate about what a person considers more important? (Phil 1:10, 11) Where one chooses to go for meetings may be a private matter, but we would not recommend for privileges of service any who are not fully supporting their own congregation and its schedule of activities, thus keeping secular matters in their proper place. Also, a congregation should not make special arrangements and adjustments in its theocratic activities to suit those who are pursuing higher secular education.

THOSE ALREADY APPOINTED
There may be brothers who are pursuing higher education who are already serving as appointed men in the congregation. Or perhaps their children are doing so. Their qualifications should be prayerfully reviewed in the light of the above questions to see if they still qualify to serve. Also elders would consider two other very important Scriptural qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3:13 and Titus 1:9. There we read that those who serve as appointed men must have “freeness of speech” and be “holding firmly to the faithful word as respects his art of teaching.” It is vital that elders and servants live up to these two qualifications in order to maintain Jehovah’s high standards and to ensure that the entire body of appointed men are serving as a good example. Anyone in this situation should prayerfully ask himself: “With all that has been said and written about the dangers of pursuing higher education, do I have ‘freeness of speech’ in the congregation? Can the brothers look at me as one who is ‘holding firmly to the faithful word’?”

REGULAR PIONEERS
It is always encouraging to see our brothers seeking to increase their service by enrolling as regular pioneers. However, regular pioneer service should not be used as a cover to legitimize the pursuit of higher education. If an applicant is presently in a course of higher education, elders should indicate this when they send the application form to the office. In a brief letter they should also assure the office that the above questions have been considered in the case of the applicant and provide their reasons for recommending the person for this privilege of service.
If a regular pioneer who is pursuing higher education is not meeting the hour requirements, the elders should provide loving counsel and assistance, just as they do with any pioneer who is not making their time. It may be necessary to help the pioneers to make appropriate adjustments in their schedule so as to meet the hour requirements and to have a productive ministry—not just putting in time. If such ones consistently fail to make their monthly hour requirement, the elders should review their qualifications and recommend their removal from the pioneer list. We do not make special concessions in the hour requirement for regular pioneers who are pursuing courses of higher learning.―See also letter To All Bodies of Elders dated November 1, 2001.

CONCLUSIONS
From now on, this letter is to be used as a reference point as you consider whether any who are pursuing higher education should be “tested as to fitness first” or later recommended for privileges in the congregation. (1 Tim. 3:10) We are asking the circuit overseers to review this information with each body of elders during their next round of visits. When questions arise over the qualifications of a brother who is already serving, please respectfully consider the counsel of the circuit overseer. If a situation appears complicated or there is a need for clarification, this may be referred to the branch office for further direction. All concerned would then need to cooperate with the decision made.―Heb. 13:17.
In the past, some may have reasoned that a young witness will be more useful at a branch office or Bethel home if they pursue a college course or acquire university education. The organization does not encourage young people to learn any profession or skill so that they can serve at Bethel. This is made very clear in the outline that is considered at Bethel meetings at district conventions. The physician Luke did not encourage Christians to follow his example in becoming a doctor. Evidently, Luke became a physician before he learned about Christ. The apostle Paul had been educated at the feet of Gamaliel, but he never encouraged Christians to follow him in that course. Rather, he wrote: “Become imitators of me, even as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1) Paul looked upon his former pursuits as “a lot of refuse.” (Phil. 3: Hence, the Bible places the greatest importance, not on pursuing advanced secular education, but on acquiring knowledge of God and of Christ. Spirituality is the greatest qualification for any young man or woman who wishes to expand their service at Bethel, or in other forms of service. We do well to adopt this superior point of view.—John 17:3; Col. 2:2-4.
As shepherds and teachers of the flock, elders have a responsibility to help the brothers to understand and apply the counsel received from the ‘faithful slave.’ These are the “last days” and emphasis must be placed ever more clearly on separateness from the world, and “seeking first the Kingdom and his righteousness.” Elders, ministerial servants, and pioneers are rightly expected to be ‘examples to the flock’ and all should understand that with these privileges come added responsibility and accountability. (Luke 12:48b) It is a privilege to work together with you in supporting the watchman class as they sound clear warnings about the spiritually dangerous times in which we live. (1 Cor. 14: As we all share in sounding a clear “trumpet call” within the congregations, we can be confident that Jehovah and Jesus know what is best for us; that they have put their trust in the “slave” and that the “slave” has always proven itself to be “faithful and discreet.” ―w97 8/15 p.15 par. 14; w09 2/15 pp. 24-27.
Please be assured of our warm Christian love and best wishes.
Your brothers,

The gb will be asking for more money in the weeks to come.
Where are the rank and file Jehovah's witnesses supposed to find this money, when already poor people are asked not to go to school and are asked to further simplify their lives and go preach?