News about Jehovah's Witnesses page 5
-USA : Governing Body discontinues the role of district overseer and orders changes in terminology and assembly arrangements. Posted March 21, 2014.
-USA : the Watchtower releases a new version of it's bible, New World Translation 2013, with many changes. Posted October 8, 2013.
-Italy : demonstration against the ostracism imposed by Jehovah's Witnesses. December 1, 2012.
-John E. Barr of governing body died. Dec 4, 2010.
-New “Elders Only” Watchtower book, “Shepherd the Flock of God—1 Peter 5:2” 2010. Oct 22, 2010.
-France : Miviludes (interministerial mission for monitoring and combatting cultic deviances) releases a new guide called : "La protection des mineurs contre les dérives sectaires"(The protection of minors against cultic deviances). Oct 14, 2010.
-Confirmation that Brother Splane has been named as Barr’s successor in Writing.
-Confirmation of all 6 Central American countries merging under the Mexican Branch. The Bethel family staff has been reduced from 300 to 75.
-Russia : The Russian Government is appealing the ECHR June 10, 2010 ruling to the Grand Chamber.
-Year trial starting mid-2011 of a ‘Simplified English’ language WT edition for countries where English is a 2nd language; if successful, benefits are extended to the translation departments as well as to parents of young children.
-Year trial (USA) shepherding program for DO (and wives), global afterwards.
-4 Theocratic Schools. Starting Sept 1, 2011 each year Patterson will host 2 Branch Committee classes and 2 Traveling Overseer classes. These will be the second courses for the Brothers.
-MTS name change to “Bible School for Single Brothers” (BSSB).
-New school: “Bible School for Christian Couples”.
-Teasing : an adult child who lives outside of the household is DFd? While the term ‘Necessary family business’ is a term familiar with those in this circumstance; the GB wants to stress there is no need to push this to the extreme! ….Basically to shorten the example and to get to the heart of the matter….. there must be incentive for the DFd person to want to return. Parents are encouraged to give a little but to leave the DFd child desiring for more while promoting their actions as motivate by their love for Jah. The end result is hope that the DFd child in wanting full access to the abundant love of his parents willl also begin to see his losses in not having a relationship with Jehovah and seek reinstatement. Oct. 8, 2010.
-Theodore Jaracz of the Governing Body died june 9 2010.
-Raymond Franz died from a severe brain hemorrhage caused by a head trauma, June 2nd 2010.
-GB closing down and selling Central American Branches to be serviced out of Mexican Branch. May 26th, 2010.
-Ron’s Rapists Strike Again. May 21th, 2010.
-“THIS GENERATION” Teaching Changes for 6th Time in April 15, 2010 Watchtower.
-Georges Fenech, president of the Miviludes creates an anti-cult police in France. Nov 26, 2009.
-After Wallkill, the Watchtower is moving to Warwick. Nov 16, 2009.
-Barbara Anderson did a European Tour from June to July 2009 to expose Secrets of Pedophilia in the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
-All donations are sent to one account in the USA.(2008)
-Since the May 1st 2007 Watchtower p.31, the period from year 33 to 1935 is no longer valid to select saints. A 10-year-old Jehovah’s Witness could presumably become a saint.
-According to rumors the position of the overseers will be abolished. It will be the responsibility of the elders to visit the congregations.
-The magazine Awake is reduced to one publication per month since January 2008.
-The Watchtower: one publication distributed for the general public and one reserved to Jehovah’s Witnesses since January 2008.
-The reduction of meeting time goes from 2 hours to 1:45 on the weekends. Starting January 2009, the book study meeting will no longer happen but will be incorporated in the service meeting (traditionally Tuesday evenings) all while respecting the allotted time of 105 minutes.