Monday, July 29, 2013

[article]Understanding the Bible—What Are the Keys?

source: JW.ORG

The Bible’s answer

The Bible itself provides many of the keys to understanding it. Regardless of your background, God’s message in the Bible “is not too difficult for you, nor is it far away.”—Deuteronomy 30:11.

Keys to understanding the Bible

  1. Have the right attitude. Accept the Bible as God’s Word. Be humble, since God opposes the proud. (1 Thessalonians 2:13; James 4:6) However, avoid blind faith—God wants you to use your “power of reason.”—Romans 12:1, 2.
  2. Pray for wisdom. Do not lean upon your own understanding,” the Bible says at Proverbs 3:5. Instead, “keep on asking God” for wisdom in understanding the Bible.—James 1:5.
  3. Be consistent. You will benefit much more from Bible study if you do it regularly rather than sporadically.—Joshua 1:8.
  4. Study by topic. A topical study, in which you analyze what the Bible says about a particular topic or subject, is an effective way to learn what the Scriptures teach. Start with “the beginning lessons,” as it were, and then “go forward to more mature (advanced) teaching.” (Hebrews 6:1, 2, Easy-to-Read Version) You’ll find that you can compare scripture with scripture and learn that various parts of the Bible explain each other, even the parts that are “hard to understand.”—2 Peter 3:16.
  5. Get help from others. The Bible encourages us to accept help from others who understand the Bible. (Acts 8:30, 31) Jehovah’s Witnesses offer a free Bible study program. Like the early Christians, they use Scriptural references to help others discern what the Bible really teaches.—Acts 17:2, 3.

Things you don’t need

  1. High intellect or education. Jesus’ 12 apostles understood the Scriptures and taught them to others, even though the apostles were considered by some to be “unlettered and ordinary.”—Acts 4:13.
  2. Money. You can learn what the Bible teaches without cost. Jesus told his disciples: “You received free, give free.”—Matthew 10:8.
Related Questions

LEARN MORE:http://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/

 


[article]YOUNG PEOPLE ASK: What if People Are Gossiping About Me?


source: JW.ORG




 Why it hurts


Some gossip is malicious—⁠for example, a lie that is a deliberate attempt to ruin your reputation. But even if the gossip is less serious, it can still hurt—especially when it’s spread by someone you thought was close to you!—⁠Psalm 55:12-14.
“I found out that a friend was talking about me behind my back, saying that I don’t care about other people. That really hurt! I couldn’t understand why she would say something like that.”—Ashley.
Fact: Whether the person spreading the gossip is a close friend or not, it’s no fun to learn that other people are saying bad things about you.

 The bad news—you can’t always prevent it


People may gossip for a number of reasons, including these:
Genuine interest. Humans are sociable creatures. So it’s only natural that we talk to (and about) each other. In fact, the Bible encourages us to show a degree of “personal interest” in others.—⁠Philippians 2:4.
“People are always the most interesting subject to talk about!”—Bianca.
“I have to admit, I like knowing what’s going on with people and talking about it with others. I have no clue why—it’s just fun.”—Katie.
Boredom. In Bible times, there were people who “would spend their leisure time at nothing but telling something or listening to something new.” (Acts 17:21) The same is true today!
“Sometimes when there’s no drama, people create it so they have something to talk about.”—Joanna.
Insecurity. For good reason, the Bible warns against the tendency to compare ourselves with others. (Galatians 6:4) Unfortunately, some people deal with their insecurities by spreading negative gossip.
“Negative gossip usually says something about the gossipers. It often means that deep inside they’re envious of the person they are gossiping about. They spread rumors to feel better about themselves, to convince themselves that they’re better than that person.”—⁠Phil.
Fact: Like it or not, people will talk about other people—including you.

 The good news—⁠it doesn’t have to paralyze you


You probably can’t prevent all gossip about you, but you can choose your response to it. If you learn that rumors about you are going around, you have at least two options.
OPTION 1: Ignore it. Often, the best solution is simply to let it go—especially if the rumor is frivolous. Apply the Bible’s advice: “Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended.”—⁠Ecclesiastes 7:9.
“A rumor went around that I was dating a boy—someone whom I had never even met! It was so ridiculous that I just laughed it off.”—⁠Elise.
“A good reputation is the best weapon against gossip. Even if a bad rumor about you goes around, when you have a good reputation, few people will believe it. The truth about you tends to win out.”—⁠Allison.
Tip: Write down (1) what was said about you and (2) how it made you feel. Once you have had “your say in your heart,” you may find it easier to let it go.—⁠Psalm 4:4.
OPTION 2: Confront the person who started the gossip. In some cases, you may feel that a rumor is so serious that you really need to talk to the person who started it.
“If you approach the people who are gossiping about you, they may learn that what they say eventually gets back to the victim. Plus, you can clear the air and hopefully settle the problem.”—⁠Elise.
Before approaching someone who has gossiped about you, consider the following Bible principles and ask yourself the accompanying questions.
  • “When anyone is replying to a matter before he hears it, that is foolishness.” (Proverbs 18:13) ‘Do I really have all the facts? Is it possible that the person who told me about the gossip misunderstood what he or she heard?’
  • “Be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath.” (James 1:19) ‘Is now the best time to approach the gossiper? Am I sure that I’m approaching the matter objectively? Or would it be better to allow for some time to pass and my emotions to cool down?’
  • “Treat others as you would want them to treat you.” (Matthew 7:12, NET Bible) ‘If the roles were reversed, how would I want to be approached? In what setting would I prefer to discuss the problem? What words and demeanor would be most effective?’
Tip: Before confronting the gossiper, write down what you plan to say. Then wait a week or two, reread what you wrote, and see if you want to make any changes. Also, discuss your plan with a parent or a mature friend, and ask for his or her advice.
Fact: Like many things in life, gossip is something you can’t always control. But that doesn’t mean it has to control you!

Thursday, July 25, 2013

[article] History of Jehovah’s Witnesses: A Tour Through Time


source: JW.ORG
JULY 22, 2013 | UNITED STATES

A Tour Through Time

A self-guided tour outlining the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses opened in October 2012 at our world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. * The exhibit highlights the struggles, dangers, and triumphs experienced by some who have sought to practice Christianity.
Visitors take a tour through time, beginning with the Christian era in 33 C.E. and continuing to the present. The exhibit is arranged in four sections and includes a time line that ties the sections together. Each section has a Scriptural theme and is introduced by a short video that can be listened to in English, with subtitles in six additional languages—French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Main Sections of the Exhibit

The first section, “Men Have Loved the Darkness,” draws its name from the words of Jesus at John 3:19. The Bible foretold that wicked men would “rise and speak twisted things.” (Acts 20:30) Sobering reminders of the actions of such men fill the time line.
The second section has the theme “Let the Light Shine,” an expression used at 2 Corinthians 4:6. The time line marks the period from the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s. This section begins with the story of earnest men who began a fresh study of the Scriptures and tells of their growth in knowledge and numbers before World War I.
The next part of this second section features the famous multimedia production known as the “Photo-Drama of Creation.” In 1914, the Bible Students (as Jehovah’s Witnesses were then known) began showing this unique presentation, which combined still and motion pictures with recorded sound. In the years after its release, millions flocked to see this program. The exhibit includes some of the original artwork, a short video sampling of the program’s introduction, and over 500 color slides.
The third section has the theme “The Dragon Grew Wrathful,” which is taken from Revelation 12:17. It records the persecution suffered by Christ’s followers during the early 20th century and features inspiring stories of Christians who remained neutral during times of war. One video clip shows the story of Remigio Cuminetti, a Witness who refused to wear the military uniform of Italy or fight in World War I. Another tells of Alois Moser from Austria. He refused to say “Heil Hitler!” and for that he lost his job and was eventually confined in the Dachau concentration camp.
A somber, dimly lit mock-up of a jail cell provides the setting for pictures of Jehovah’s Witnesses who were imprisoned for practicing their faith in countries such as Greece, Japan, Poland, and Serbia.
The final section has the theme “Good News for All Nations,” which is based on Matthew 24:14 and outlines the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses from 1950 to the present. A collage of pictures tells the story of the rapid growth, persistent preaching, and brotherly love that are hallmarks of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Before leaving the exhibit, a visitor can use the interactive kiosks to explore the Bible House and the Brooklyn Tabernacle, buildings used by Jehovah’s Witnesses over 100 years ago.

Why Build the Exhibit?

A year of planning and months of construction went into this exhibit. Witnesses from all over the world contributed items that they considered to be treasured heirlooms.
Why was all this work done? When asked what benefit Jehovah’s Witnesses would gain from taking the tour, one member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses repeated the well-known saying: “To know where we are going, we have to know where we have come from.”

Thursday, July 18, 2013

[article] HOW GOD CREATED THE MAN AND THE WOMAN

WRITTEN BY : Hana Nitura
(This article is intended to help husband and wife deals with their marriage.)

Genesis 2: 18 says " And Jehovah God went on to say: “It is not good for the man to continue by himself. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him."

Jehovah did not make men and women the same. It is true that in many ways they are alike. But there are obvious differences in their physical appearance and sexual makeup.Consider how the brain of a woman and man designed.

Recent studies highlight a long-held suspicion about the brains of males and females. They're not the same. So how does the brain of a female look and function differently from a male's brain, and what accounts for these differences?

Disparities Start Early in Life

Scientists now know that sex hormones begin to exert their influence during development of the fetus. A recent study by Israeli researchers that examined male and female brains found distinct differences in the developing fetus at just 26 weeks of pregnancy. The disparities could be seen when using an ultrasound scanner. The corpus callosum -- the bridge of nerve tissue that connects the right and left sides of the brain -- had a thicker measurement in female fetuses than in male fetuses.
Observations of adult brains show that this area may remain stronger in females. "Females seem to have language functioning in both sides of the brain," says Martha Bridge Denckla, PhD, a research scientist at Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Consider these recent findings. Researchers, using brain imaging technology that captures blood flow to "working" parts of the brain, analyzed how men and women process language. All subjects listened to a novel. When males listened, only the left hemisphere of their brains was activated. The brains of female subjects, however, showed activity on both the left and right hemispheres.
This activity across both hemispheres of the brain may result in the strong language skills typically displayed by females. "If there's more area dedicated to a set of skills, it follows that the skills will be more refined," says David Geary, PhD, professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri.
As a whole, girls outperform boys in the use of language and fine motor skills until puberty, notes Denckla. Boys also fall prey to learning disabilities more frequently than girls. "Clinics see a preponderance of boys with dyslexia," Denckla tells WebMD. ADHD also strikes more boys than girls. The symptoms displayed by girls and boys with ADHD differ, too. Girls with ADHD usually exhibit inattention, while affected boys are prone to lack of impulse control. But not all differences favor girls.
Boys generally demonstrate superiority over female peers in areas of the brain involved in math and geometry. These areas of the brain mature about four years earlier in boys than in girls, according to a recent study that measured brain development in more than 500 children. Researchers concluded that when it comes to math, the brain of a 12-year-old girl resembles that of an 8-year-old boy. Conversely, the same researchers found that areas of the brain involved in language and fine motor skills (such as handwriting) mature about six years earlier in girls than in boys.-credits: http://www.webmd.com


Dr. Louann Brizendine, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco states in ``The Female Brain" that ``A woman uses about 20,000 words per day while a man uses about 7,000."

 According to the book ``Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps"by Allan & Barbara Pease:

Men and women's brains have evolved with different
strengths, talents and abilities. Men, being responsible
for hunting game, needed areas in the brain for longdistance
navigation, to develop tactics for organising
the kill and to hone skills for hitting a target. They
didn't need to be good conversationalists or sensitive
to anyone's emotional needs, so they never developed
strong brain areas for interpersonal skills.
Women, by contrast, needed an aptitude for good
short-range navigation, wider peripheral vision to
monitor their surroundings, the ability to perform
several activities simultaneously, and effective communication
skills. As a consequence of these needs, men
and women's brains developed specific areas to handle
each skill.


So why do woman talks more than a man
....men's brains are specialised.
Compartmentalised. A male brain is configured
to concentrate on one specific, dedicated task at
once and most men will tell you they can only do 'one
thing at a time'. When a man stops his car to read a
street directory, what's the first thing he does with his
radio? He turns it down! Most women can't understand
why this happens. She can read while listening
and talking so why can't he? Why does he insist on
turning down the TV when the telephone rings? 'When
he's reading the newspaper or watching TV, why can't
he hear what I've just told him?' is a lament that has
been made by every woman in the world at some time.
The answer is that a man's brain is configured for one
thing at a time because of fewer connecting fibres
between the left and right hemispheres, and a more
compartmentalised brain. Take a brain scan of his head
when he's reading, and you'll find he is virtually deaf.
A woman's brain is configured for multi-tasking performance.
She can do several unrelated things at the
same time, and her brain is never disengaged, it's
always active. She can talk on a telephone, at the same
time as cooking a new recipe and watching television.
Or she can drive a car, put on make-up and listen to the
radio while talking on a hands-free telephone. But if a
man is cooking a recipe and you talk to him, he is likely
to become angry because he can't follow the written
instructions and listen at the same time. If a man is
shaving and you talk to him he'll cut himself. Most
women will have had the experience of being accused
by a man of making him miss a turn-off on the highway
because she was chatting to him at the time. One
woman told us that if she is angry with her husband,
she talks to him while he is hammering a nail!
Because women use both sides of their brains, many
find it more difficult to tell their left hand from their
right. Around 50% of women cannot instantly
recognise which is which, without looking for a ring or
a freckle first. Men, on the other hand, operating in
either the left or right brain, find it much easier to
identify left from right. As a result, women all over the
world everywhere are criticised by men for telling them
to turn right - when they really meant left.

So why do woman likes to talk more than a man?

Women generally like to talk about their feelings, people, and relationships. They appreciate warm, intimate communication, for it reassures them that they are loved. On the other hand, many men are less inclined to discuss their feelings. Again,Male brains are highly compartmentalized and have the ability to separate and store information. At the end of a day full of problems, a man's mono-tracking brain can file them all away. The female brain does not store information in this way - the problems just keep going around and around in her head.Men can mentally index their problems and put them on hold. Women churn.The only way a woman gets rid of her problems from her mind is by talking about them to acknowledge them. Therefore, when a woman talks at the end of the day, her objective is to discharge the problems, not to find conclusions or solutions.

An insightful husband takes note of his wife’s feelings and tries to adapt his approach accordingly. At the same time, he reassures her that her thoughts and feelings are important to him. (1 Pet. 3:7) In turn, she tries to understand his viewpoint. When a husband and wife understand, appreciate, and fulfill their Scriptural roles, their union is a thing of beauty. Moreover, they are able to work together in making and carrying out wise and balanced decisions.credits: http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013364#h=0-1&selpar=0

After God created the man, God said: “It is not good for the man to continue by himself. I am going to make a helper for him, as a complement of him.”—Genesis 2:18



A complement is something that matches or goes well with some other thing, making it complete. God made woman as a satisfying match for man to assist him in carrying out the God-given instructions to populate and care for the earth. So after creating the woman from a part of the man, God performed the first marriage there in the garden of Eden by ‘bringing her to the man.’ (Genesis 2:22; 1 Corinthians 11:8, 9) Marriage can be a happy arrangement because the man and the woman were each made with a need that the other has the ability to fulfill. Their different qualities balance one another. When a husband and a wife understand and appreciate each other and cooperate in accord with their assigned roles, they each contribute their part in building a happy home.


References:
  • The Watchtower May 15,2013 Study edition  pp. 14-18
"Strengthen Your Marriage Through Good Communication"

  • "You can live Forever on Paradise Earth" published by the Watchtower and Bible Tract Society of Pensylvania
  •  Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps"by Allan & Barbara Pease

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

[article] The Religious Affiliation of Famous British Lottery Winner


 

 Vivian Nicholson became publicly known overnight within Great Britain in 1961 when she received £152,319 in a football pools win, and announced to the press that she was going to "spend, spend, spend"

source: http://www.adherents.com/people/pn/Viv_Nicholson.html


Viv Nicholson

Source: "You Ask the Questions: Questions and Answers with Viv Nicholson," London Independent, October 20, 1999, page 8
URL: http://witnesses.about.com/religion/witnesses/library/news/excerpts/bl_99-10-20_you-ask-the-questions.htm
Viv Nicholson became the biggest Pools winner in history in 1961, collecting pounds 152,319 - the equivalent of pounds 5m today. She promised the nation she was going to "spend, spend, spend". A factory worker and mother of four, Viv lived in her home town of Castleford, Yorkshire, at the time. She bought a large bungalow with her second husband, Keith Nicholson, they sent their children to boarding school, and turned to a life of constant drinking, partying and shopping.
Over the next 15 years, her husband died in a car crash, she remarried three times, dyed her hair to match her cars, and travelled the world spending all her money. Eventually, she was reduced to stripping in a club, and consoled herself with alcohol.
Since then, Viv's life has changed dramatically. She has returned to Castleford, lives with her granddaughter, Brooke, and is now a devout Jehovah's Witness. At 62, she lives on a state pension, and has a job as a perfume sales assistant. She still loves to shop. A musical about her life, Spend, Spend, Spend, is at the Piccadilly Theatre in London, starring Barbara Dickson.
Do you buy lottery tickets now? And what's your favourite scratchcard?
No I don't buy lottery tickets or scratchcards. I am a Jehovah's Witness now and have been for 21 years. Gambling is not allowed.
What do you think of those lottery winners who say the money won't change their lives?
You read about them every other week and they say that their lives will not change. Then you read about them later and their lives have changed. It makes some people lonely. One winner went to live in Spain and had to come back because he was drinking too much. Some people's wives leave them. I think it's silly to say that the money won't change your life.
Did people treat you differently when you had lots of money?
This was strange. When we won the money, we were sent to Coventry by the people in Garforth, where we lived. They didn't want me on the same housing estate. No one spoke to us and it was hard for me to speak to anyone. Had someone moved next door I would have made myself known to them and been friendly. It was very lonely. After about four years, people started being OK, but it was too late by then. Even my old friends left me. They said they didn't want people thinking that they were going about with me because I had money. It's sad, because they were lovely people.
Were you worried about having a musical made of your life?
I was. When I gave my consent, I never really thought anything would happen with it. I just left it with Justin and Steve [Justin Greene and Steve Brown, who wrote the lyrics and music for Spend, Spend, Spend]. Then, two years later, they'd done it and announced that they were going to the Leeds Playhouse. I was saying to myself, "Oh no, what have I done?" I was living a quiet life as a Jehovah's Witness and was happy. I was worried that it would rake up my past again.
Do people recognise you when you knock on people's doors as a Jehovah's Witness?
Yes they do. Some look at me and say: "I know who you are." Then they close the door on me. Others are happy to see me. They say: "Hey, you're Viv Nicholson, aren't you?" But I never think of who I am at all when I knock on people's doors. I go as myself, rather than as a famous person.
Are you at all bitter and twisted, or quite happy with your lot?
I'm quite happy with my lot. I'm a happy chappy. I can make any situation happy. You don't have to have money to be happy....

[PEOPLE] Pope Benedict The XVI-have relatives who are Jehovah's Witnesses

Source:
http://worldtidbits.blogspot.hk/2013/02/not-ordinary-story_4220.html

Steffie hasn't seen her cousin in 50 years so she thought someone was playing a prank on her when he called. "I am Ratzinger Pepi," the man at the other end of the line announced. For 78 year old Steffie, the name came clear as a bell. How could she forget the nickname of a childhood playmate whom she shared so much fun and mischief that she wondered why they were both still alive today?

"How are you?" he asked. After exchanging pleasantries, Steffie eventually mentioned some issues she has with her family. Remembering that they were both raised Catholic, Steffie confided; "I belong to a different religion now, and somehow the family is frustrated with me and my activities." To her delight, Ratzinger encouraged Steffie to remain steadfast in her faith and to continue in her resolve. "You are doing the work that we should do," he said. "You have halls that are small but are full. We have cathedrals, churches, chapels and they are empty."

This is an ordinary story with an interesting twist because Steffie Brzakovic is a Jehovah's Witness while Ratzinger Pepi is Pope Benedict XVI.


According to the Encyclopedia of the Nations, "Jehovah's Witnesses form the 2nd largest denomination among native-born Italian citizens."http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Europe/Italy-RELIGIONS.html#b

Source 1: http://aquilatj.free.fr/TJ_info/benoit_xvi.htm
Source 2: http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=73222
 -
 

[PEOPLE] FAMOUS ARTIST WHO BECAME JEHOVAH'S WITHNESSES


CREDITS:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Graham

Larry Graham
Larry Graham.jpg
Background information
Birth name Larry Graham, Jr.
Born August 14, 1946 (age 66)
Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
Genres Funk, soul, R&B
Occupations Musician, songwriter, producer
Instruments Vocals, bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, organ, harmonica
Years active 1961–present
Labels Epic, Warner Bros., NPG, RhinoSphinx
Associated acts Sly and the Family Stone, Prince, Graham Central Station, Drake
Website www.larrygraham.com
Notable instruments
Fender Jazz Bass


In 1975, Graham became one of Jehovah's Witnesses.[2] Eventually, he was credited with introducing Prince to the faith. In the early 1980s, Graham recorded five solo albums and had several solo hits on the R&B charts. His biggest hit was "One in a Million You", a crossover hit, which reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1980.
He reformed Graham Central Station in the early 1990s and performed with the band for several years during which they released 2 live albums. One was recorded in Japan in 1992, and the other, recorded in London in 1996, had only 1000 copies printed and was exclusively sold at concerts.
In 1999, he recorded a solo album under the name Graham Central Station, GCS 2000. It was a collaboration between Larry Graham and Prince. While Graham wrote all the songs, except one co-written by Prince, the album was co-arranged and co-produced by Prince, and most of the instruments and vocals were recorded by both Graham and Prince. Graham also played bass on tours with Prince in 1997–2000. He appeared in Prince's 1998 VHS Beautiful Strange and 1999 DVD Rave Un2 the Year 2000.
He has appeared with Prince since then at various international venues.
Larry Graham and Graham Central Station performed internationally with a world tour in 2010 and the "Funk Around The World" international tour in 2011. He appeared as a special guest at Jim James' "Rock N' Soul Dance Party Superjam" at Bonnaroo 2013.
Graham is the father of singer/songwriter and producer Darric Graham and is the uncle of Canadian rapper and actor Aubrey Graham (Drake).





Prince
Singer-songwriter
Prince Rogers Nelson, known by his mononym Prince, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor. He has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Wikipedia

Prince became a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses in 2001 following a two-year-long debate with friend and fellow Jehovah's Witness, musician Larry Graham. Prince said he didn't consider it a conversion, but a "realization"; "It's like Morpheus and Neo in The Matrix", he explained. He attends meetings at a local Kingdom Hall and occasionally knocks on people's doors to discuss his faith.


Prince: How the rock legend turned his life around


credits: http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/prince-how-rock-legend-turned-233415


One of the world’s raunchiest rock stars, Prince is in his stacked heels and flamboyant suit strutting from house to house around an ordinary suburban estate.

ne of the world’s raunchiest rock stars, Prince is in his stacked heels and flamboyant suit strutting from house to house around an ordinary suburban estate.
Flanked by minders, he goes up a garden path, knocks on a door and politely asks the householder: “Would you like to talk about God?”

It’s an extraordinary image. You can only imagine the shock of a ­homeowner finding the superstar on their doorstep clutching a bible and delivering a message about the divine.

Can this really be the same man who shot to fame with outrageously explicit songs such as Sexy MF?

Prince admits his door-to-door missions as a Jehovah’s Witness raises eyebrows. “Sometimes people act surprised but mostly they’re really cool about it.

Sometimes he tries to escape his fame by going in disguise. He says: “My hair is capable of doing a lot of different things. I don’t always look like this.”

You only have to meet Prince for a few minutes to realise the extent to which God – rather than the colour purple – now influences how he lives.

Much of what he says, as well as his songwriting, revolves around his beliefs these days. Even the mysterious numbers he slots into his material are thought to be coded biblical references.

I join Prince at his Paisley Park base near his home city of Minneapolis in the US Midwest.
It is days before his eagerly anticipated new album 20TEN is released free inside this Saturday’s Daily Mirror in the biggest music giveaway of the year.

In my view it’s his best record since his brilliant Sign o’ the Times and, with ­references from “fat bankers” to melting ice caps, it’s his most socially aware.

The songs – and even his ­decision to give them away free to Mirror readers – have been
influenced by his faith.

He says: “It’s great to give away my music through your ­newspaper. God is a generous and loving being. It is written that we should act like God. There are enough opportunities.”

On my guided tour of Paisley Park it’s clear that for Prince the most important part of the 70,000 sq ft complex isn’t the recording studio where he’s created hit after ­worldwide hit but a peaceful ­sanctuary on the first floor which he calls The ­Knowledge Room.

Lined with shelves of religious ­literature, it’s where he contemplates the meaning of life, prays and studies the Bible for up to six hours a day, sometimes long into the night.

The teetotal vegan, a youthful-looking 52, is certain his faith has changed his life.

He says: “There’s an incredible peace in my life now and I’m trying to share it with people.”

He talks with a real missionary zeal though some of his comments are puzzling. At one point he says: “You know there are bad angels as well as good angels.”

It reminded me that he once revealed he had epileptic seizures when he was young – until “my mother told me one day I had said to her, ‘Mom I’m not going to be sick any more because an angel told me so.’”

I ask him about the story. He thinks for a moment and then says: “I never talk about the past.”
Subject closed.

He avoids performing his most X-rated sexual material from the 80s and early 90s – those massive selling songs such as Gett Off – and cautions against swearing because “you call up all the anger”.

He is also known to donate huge chunks of his £100million fortune to good causes around the
world. And, perhaps most surprising of all, the man who was romantically linked to beauties including Sheena Easton, Kim Basinger and Carmen Electra – and sang about “23 positions in a one night stand” – is a fan of monogamy.

He’s been dating ­stunning singer Bria Valente, who is almost half his age, for at least three years.

For Prince that’s no small feat!

It is believed that, like his second wife Manuela Testolini, who he divorced in 2006, Bria has become a Jehovah’s Witness, has been baptised in a pool and attends regular Bible studies at their local Kingdom Hall meeting place.

The background to why he ­abandoned a world of hedonistic excess can be traced to a series of tragedies in the mid to late 90s.

It was a time when his glittering career seemed to be faltering and contractual frustrations with
his then record company Warners were boiling over.

He replaced his name with an unpronounceable symbol, became the Artist Formerly Known As Prince and scrawled SLAVE on his cheek.

But all that paled beside the anguish of the death of his baby son Gregory in 1996.

Prince had set his heart on starting a family with his first wife, dancer Mayte Garcia.

Seven days after their child was born the child died from a genetic disorder of the skull called
Pfieffer syndrome.

More heartbreak and soul-searching followed with the death of both the star’s parents.
Dad John L Nelson was a pianist and bandleader.

Prince’s mother, the jazz singer Mattie Shaw, died six months later. Her final wish was said to be that her son should become a Jehovah’s Witness as she had been for most of her life. Prince grappled with depression and something approaching a midlife crisis.

To the outside world he was a gleaming example of the American Dream.

Prince Rogers Nelson, an African-American boy from a broken home on the wrong side of the tracks who had faced down the bullies at school and every other obstacle to conquer the world with truly ­innovative music.

A rock legend who had amassed a fortune from global tours and sales of more than 100 million albums, including classics such as Purple Rain, 1999 and Diamonds and Pearls.
And when he wasn’t making music, he was picking up beautiful women or awards including Grammys and even an Oscar.

But for Prince all the dizzying success meant little. As he searched for purpose to his life he became friends with one of his heroes – former Sly and the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham, now 63.

The soul veteran made a huge ­impression on Prince, telling him how he had recovered from a life of drugs and violence by being born again as a Jehovah’s Witness. Larry convinced him to convert.

Prince says: “Larry goes door to door to tell people the truth about God. “That’s why I told myself I need to know a man like him. He’s a friend who calls me his baby brother.”

Larry says: “Prince is a spiritual man. Sometimes we study for hours – six, seven, eight hours a day. We sit down and get into the scriptures.”

Prince’s place of worship is the Chanhassen Congregation, a few miles from Paisley Park.

One of the elders there says: “We have watched Prince since he started studying the Bible and noticed a dramatic change. We go on Bible studies together and work in field service, the door-to-door ministry that Jehovah’s Witnesses are known for.

“When people being called on get past the initial shock of actually meeting Prince, he is very persuasive. He uses the ­scriptures very well.”

Critics claim it has led to him adopting surprisingly hardline conservative views on issues such as gay marriage and ­abortion.

In one interview two years ago, he was quoted as saying: “God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out.

“He was like, ‘Enough.’”

Prince denied taking such a stance and is now careful not be drawn on his beliefs.

“I can give you books to read and you would understand,” he says, “But I ain’t going into details with you.”

I ask does he regret the wild image which helped catapult him to fame all those years ago? The dirty lyrics, ­endorsements of casual sex, the nude figure on the cover of Lovesexy?

He thinks, smiles and in typically Prince style says: “I live in the here and now. You should try it too.”

others:
credits: Famous Adherents
 
- Evelyn Mandela - first wife of South African president Nelson Mandela (convert to JWs)
- Lieby Piliso - Nelson Mandela's younger sister
- Lou Whitaker - professional baseball player (Detroit Tigers)
- Chet Lemon - professional baseball player (Detroit Tigers)
- Shont'e Peoples - professional football player (Saskatchewan Roughriders); convert to JWs
- Kid Gavilan - welterweight champion boxer; elected to boxing Hall of Fame in 1990 (convert to JWs)
- Dave Pear - NFL professional football player for Colts, Buccaneers, and Raiders (convert)
- Mark McCumber - professional golfer
- Dave Meyers - professional basketball player (Los Angeles Lakers in 1970s)
- Danny Granger - professional basketball player (Indiana Pacers)
- Travis Scott - NFL football player for Rams (raised JW)
- Willie Wise - NBA professional basketball player for Seattle Super Sonics and Denver Nuggets
  David Thomas - songwriter/vocalist for Pere Ubu (convert to JWs)
- Herman Pizzanelli - leading Uruguayan concert guitarist in the 1960s (convert to JWs)
- Dave Hill - musician, Lead Guitarist and back vocals for Slade (convert)
 - Patti Smith - punk rock star
- Geri Halliwell - singer (Spice Girls)
- Jill Scott - R&B/neo-soul singer-poet
- Roy Harper - songwriter, musician (raised)
- La Lupe - Cuban salsa singer (convert)
- Terrence Howard - actor; Ray, Hustle & Flow, etc.
- Teresa Graves - actress, star of TV movie and TV series "Get Christie Love!" (convert to JWs)
- Lark Voorhies - TV/movie actress
 - Mickey Spillane - best-selling crime novelist (convert to JWs)
- Gloria Naylor - novelist, author of The Women of Brewster Place (1982, American Book Award)
 - Margaret Keane - artist famous for her "Big Eye" paintings (convert)
- Carol M. Swain - political scientist; professor at Vanderbilt University; author of Black Faces, Black Interests and The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration; left the Witnesses at the age of 20, in 1975
- Viv Nicholson - famous London lottery winner in 1961. She then became a devout JW. The musical Spend, Spend, Spend was based on her story.
- Hayden Covington - leading attorney for the Jehovah's Witnesses, Watchtower Society; won multiple U.S. Supreme Court cases; represented Muhammad Ali in court
- Firpo Carr - historian, author of Germany's Black Holocaust: 1890-1945; Wicked Words: Poisoned Minds - Racism in the Dictionary; founder: Scholar Technological Institute of Research, Inc. (STIR)
- Angelo Palego - leader of team searching for Noah's Ark






Prince talk about Jehovah Witness Religion

Good News for Jehovah's Witnesses. Religion with the highest percentage ...

Jehovah's Witnesses: Brutal persecution 17-04-2011 commemoration in Bulg...

Kingdom Songs 4 , 15 , 13 and 171 ( with movie and drama since 1981 )

[VIDEO] 2013 Conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses

CREDITS: WWW.JW.ORG

GLOBAL NEWS

J. R. Brown, international spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, comments on the 2013 “God’s Word Is Truth!” Conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses and why these events are newsworthy.

[MEDIA-NEWS] Germany Awards Order of Merit to One of Jehovah’s Witnesses

CREDITS:WWW.JW.ORG


MAY 1, 2013 | GERMANY
 
SELTERS, Germany—Mathilde Hartl, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, was presented the Order of Merit on February 22, 2013, by the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Horst Seehofer. The Order of Merit is the highest tribute the Federal Republic of Germany awards to individuals for services to the nation.
Ms. Hartl, who lives in Bavaria, was honored for the long-term personal care she has provided for her disabled son Martin, now 26 years old. As a child, he was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. As a result, Ms. Hartl gets up throughout the night to attend to his needs, which includes regularly monitoring his breathing and clearing his airway of bronchial secretions to avoid infection or pneumonia. Her other son, Max, also had DMD along with a mental disability. Ms. Hartl lovingly cared for both Martin and Max for many years. Sadly, Max died in 2008, at 19 years of age.
Asked where she gets the strength to provide such comprehensive care, Ms. Hartl answered: “From my religious beliefs. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I highly respect life. As long as I can, I want to contribute to my son’s joy in life despite his disability.”
Prime Minister Seehofer praised Ms. Hartl and her fellow honorees when he stated: “Every single one of you has made the world a little bit better.”
Media Contacts:
International: J. R. Brown, Office of Public Information, tel. +1 718 560 5000
Germany: Wolfram Slupina, tel. +49 6483 41 3110

[article] How Can I Deal With Stress?

credits:www.jw.org

APPEARED IN

AWAKE! NOVEMBER 2012

 Young People Ask
How much stress are you under?
  • Stress? I don’t even know what that is
  • I can handle it
  • I’m at my limit
  • I’m drowning in stress
HANDLING stress is like pulling a heavy shipping container. A large truck can haul it across the country with ease. But a car cannot. Pulling such a load even a short distance could ruin a car’s engine. The same could be true of your “engine” if you’re overwhelmed with stress.
Is the situation hopeless? Not at all! To keep from burning out, you’ll need either to lighten your load or to get a more powerful “engine.” Actually, you can do both. Let’s see how.

Lighten Your Load

THE CHALLENGE: Overscheduling.

“Someone will ask me to help out with something or to socialize when I really have things that I need to do. I just don’t want to let anyone down.”—Karina. *

THE REMEDY: Learn to say no.

“Wisdom is with the modest ones,” says the Bible. (Proverbs 11:2) Modesty, or accepting your limitations, empowers you to say no when the load will be too heavy for you to carry.
Of course, saying no isn’t always an option—for example, when your parents remind you about your chores! But if you let everyone add to your load, you’ll eventually give out. Even the biggest trucks have a load limit.
Tip: If it’s hard for you to turn down someone outright, try saying, “Let me get back to you.” Then, before giving a definite reply, ask yourself, ‘Can I really afford to invest the time and energy needed for this activity?’

 THE CHALLENGE: Procrastination.

“If a task seems difficult, I’ll put it off. But then I’ll worry about the fact that I still have to do it. When I finally start on it, I have to rush, which stresses me out.”—Serena.

THE REMEDY: Get started—even if you don’t finish now.

“Do not loiter at your business,” advises the Bible. (Romans 12:11) Confronting a hard task is bad enough, so why add to the load by procrastinating? That just keeps it before you longer!
To create incentive, make a to-do list. Break down big tasks into manageable sizes. “I love lists,” says a young woman named Carol. “Usually I put the things I dislike the most first, and then as I check them off, it gets easier. Before you know it, you can move on to the things in your life that are more fun!”
 Tip: If you struggle to get started on a task, set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and begin working on it right away. When the alarm goes off, you’ll have 10 or 15 minutes of the job completed. Now that you’ve started, you might be surprised at how much easier it is to do more on the task.
Cut out the clutter! When you have to rifle through chaos to find your homework or clean clothes to wear, you raise your stress level. For a less hectic morning, set aside five minutes to tidy up before going to bed

Get a More Powerful “Engine”

Make sure your “engine” can handle your load

Take care of your body.

Experts agree that a healthful diet, regular exercise, and proper sleep will help you to get more done. * Don’t worry—taking care of your body isn’t all that complicated. A few simple steps will get you started. Take sleep, for example. Try the following.
  1. Get enough sleep. Set regular times to go to bed and to get up, at least on school days and workdays.
  2. Allow yourself enough time to unwind. Don’t exercise within three hours before going to bed, and avoid heavy snacks and caffeine as bedtime nears.
  3. When it’s time to go to bed, try to make your bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortable.

Connect with others.

Don’t hesitate to turn to your parents and friends for assistance. Will that really help? Yes, for studies show that emotional support reduces the damage that increased stress can cause to your heart, blood vessels, and immune system.
Those findings agree with the Bible, which says: “Anxious care in the heart of a man is what will cause it to bow down, but the good word is what makes it rejoice.” (Proverbs 12:25) When “anxious care” weighs you down, true friends can offer you a “good word” of encouragement, which may be just what you need to make it through.
Do you still need help in coping with stress? See the following chapters in the book Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Volumes 1 and 2, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
VOLUME 1
  • Chapter 18: How Can I Cope With Stress at School?
  • Chapter 21: How Can I Manage My Time?
VOLUME 2
  • Chapter 26: How Can I Control My Emotions?
  • Chapter 27: Why Do I Feel That I Have to Be Perfect?

WHY NOT ASK YOUR PARENTS?

What kind of stress do you face in your life? What methods of coping with stress have you found to be the most effective?

[Article] What If I’m Lonely?

credits: www.jw.org
A lonely young woman looking out a window

What you can do

1. Focus on your strengths. (2 Corinthians 11:6) While it’s good to be aware of your flaws, you also have much to offer. Recognizing your assets will give you the confidence you need to break free from a negative self-image and overcome loneliness. Ask yourself, ‘What are my strengths?’ Think of some talents or positive qualities that you possess.
2. Take a genuine interest in others. Start by showing interest in just a few people. “Simply asking others how they are doing or asking them about their work helps you to get to know them better,” says a youth named Jorge.
A teenage boy building a bridge
You can bridge the chasm that separates you from your peers
Tip: Don’t limit yourself to people of your own age. Some of the warmest friendships recorded in the Bible were between people with considerable age differences, such as Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan, and Timothy and Paul. (Ruth 1:16, 17; 1 Samuel 18:1; 1 Corinthians 4:17) Remember, too, that conversation is an interchange, not a monologue. People appreciate good listeners. So if you tend to be shy, remember—you don’t have to carry the whole conversation!
3. Cultivate “fellow feeling.(1 Peter 3:8) Even if you don’t agree with another’s view, patiently allow that one to talk. Dwell on points that you agree on. If you feel you must express disagreement on some issue, do so in a mild and tactful way.
Tip: Speak to others the way you would want to be spoken to. Needless bickering or teasing, insulting, or self-righteously condemning others simply alienates them. They will like you a lot more if you “let your utterance be always with graciousness.”—Colossians 4:6.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

[video] Helping Prisoners

JULY 15, 2013 | UNITED STATES

credits:  http://www.jw.org/en/news/by-region/americas/united-states/video-clip-bible-truth-helping-prisoners/

[Article] What Is the Will of God for My Life?


credits: www.jw.org

The Bible’s answer


God’s will is that you come to know him as a Person, draw close to him, and then love and serve him with your whole heart. (Matthew 22:37, 38; James 4:8) You can learn how to do God’s will from the life and teachings of Jesus. (John 7:16, 17) Jesus didn’t just talk about the will of God—he lived it. In fact, Jesus said that his purpose in life was “to do, not my will, but the will of him that sent me.”—John 6:38.

Do I need a special sign, vision, or calling to know what the will of God is for me?

No, because the Bible contains God’s message to mankind. It has what you need to be “completely equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) God wants you to use the Bible along with your “power of reason” to learn his will for you.—Romans 12:1, 2; Ephesians 5:17.

Can I really do God’s will?

Yes, you can, for the Bible says: “God’s commands are not too hard for us.” (1 John 5:3, Easy-to-Read Version) That’s not to say that obeying God’s commands is always easy. But the benefits you will gain far outweigh the effort you must put forth. Jesus himself said: “How happy are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”—Luke 11:28, Good News Translation.