Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences 
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I wonder if this is a geographic phenomenon? I live in Michigan and, as a tradesman, am actively involved in the volunteer construction of Kingdom Halls. All the KHs built in our area have windows. The KH I attend is in the country and we have a beautiful view of fields and woods out our side windows. Maybe you are refering to stained glass windows such as many churches have? As to the response by ‘Jim’, he is correct in stating that our buildings are financed by volunteer donations as is the maintainence and repair, but the Elders are not solely responsible for this financially. The congregation as a whole cares for these, including repair.
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Name : Kris, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Rochester, State : MI, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma,AJB – Yours is a good and fair question. I wanted to approach the answer from a little different perspective. As others have stated, The Levitical prohibition against homosexuality expired with the founding of the Christian congregtation in the first century. However the Apostle Paul made a clear statement condemning homosexual practices at 1 Corinthians 6:9. In the spirit of helping you to appreciate another viewpoint as to this restriction in harmony with the scripture at Isaiah 48:17 where it describes God as the One ‘teaching you to benefit yourself’ you might consider this line of reasoning. Down through the centuries many, primarily the supposed religious leaders, have painted the God of the Bible as One who burdens men with restriction after restriction. To them God is a father who holds back things from his children with the explanation ‘because I said so’. Conversely, the Scriptures show him as one who tries to use his experience as Man’s Creator to protect his children. Far from being prudish on the subject of sexuality, the Bible contains admonition to husbands to let their wives ‘own breasts intoxicate you at all times. With her love may you be in ecstasy constantly’ (Prov. 5:19). God understands the great value of sex. As the Maker he also understands it’s great power, physically and emotionally, so he has defined it’s use to benefit His creation. If you look at the biblical standard of a man and woman making a lifelong commitment and then entering into a mutually exclusive sexual relationship, you would have to admit that problems such as STDs, unwanted preganancies and even the emotional pain of a breakup after deep intimacy would be eliminated. Those things would benefit people. As to why homosexuality is not included in this definition you would need to understand the Bible’s expanation of mankind’s imperfect state and the many manifestations of this imperfection (and God’s subsequent promise of support now and eventual elimination of these manifestations). You are not looked on by God as a freak of nature or especially evil as some might suggest, just another person, like all others, dealing with the effects of mankind’s temporary imperfect state. I admire someone who asks such an open-minded question. I hope this explanation is useful to you.
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Name : Kris, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Rochester, State : MI, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma,I am very hesitant to get involved in this discussion because I am afraid that I might misspeak or sound insulting. Have you been associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses for a lengthy time Kim? If there is one thing that we are well known for, it is our willingness to explain our beliefs to any who are interested. I would think you would be able to find many people, including your parents and others in the congregation, who would be happy to answer just about anything. You may not like or agree with the answers though. It’s a difficult world to live in according to the bible’s standards. That can cause some people to find holes in beliefs they might otherwise embrace. As for your concerns, a person is only a witness of Jehovah if they are involved in making his name and purposes known and if they are living their life in harmony with his standards. If you choose a different life, don’t let your parents be the last to know.
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Name : Kris, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Rochester, State : MI, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma,I’m a contractor and I had a service call in an unfamiliar city. I was lost in an urban area and so I went into a gas station to ask directions. The attendant couldn’t help me, but a young black guy overheard and told me that he knew the place that I was looking for. As to the ‘cover’ I mentioned in the subject, this young man dressed ‘street’ with baggy clothes, tatoos and cornrows. He also very politely started to give me directions and then decided it would be easier to show me. He got in his car and led me across town for 20 minutes. He turned off a mile before my destination, but not before he stopped and made sure I knew where I was going. This isn’t the first time I have been helped by a good samaritan that the media and popular culture says should be my enemy, but I try my best to return the favor when I can. Still, I would imagine that a very, very large majority of of the people who shoplift or rob stores dress more like this young man than your typical corporate executive. In theory everyone should be dealt with as an individual, but if you’re a store owner or a shopkeeper I imagine that you have to play the odds a bit even if it seems unfair. I see video of hold-ups and the like every night on the news. I have never seen someone dressed in a business suit shown as the perpetrator. I think it is terrible that a man such as the one I described above should be lumped in with criminals just because of the way he chooses to express himself, but I also don’t think it’s fair to accuse someone of racism or being a hate-monger for reacting with fear to a familiar image. Ultimately, you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, but if you grabbed 100 books off the shelf and guessed what they were about by the jacket you’d probably be right far more than you are wrong. Be discreet and sensible and treat all with respect.
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Name : Kris, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Rochester, State : MI, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma,Lynn questioned how a white person might know that he was discriminated against. Here is my experience: I am a white male. In the early 1980’s I had graduated from high school and decided to go to work for my father’s electrical business. Since his company was a union company I applied to join the union. I passed the test twice but was told that I should re-apply in the future (they would take many applicants for a few openings). I had a close friend who was about the same age and we started doing some side work together. He somehow made it into the union. When I asked him how, he smiled and pointed to his skin (as you can guess, he was African American). We all knew it was very difficult to get in and you had to use whatever advantages the system might make available to you. By the way, I certainly didn’t feel angry toward my friend or any other minorities who may have been accepted. The union has always discriminated. In the 60’s it was blacks and women as well as those who didn’t have a ‘connection’. As to other stereotypes, my friend, despite using the unfair nature of the system to get in, was an excellent electrician and fully deserved his job. The same for several women who worked for my dad over the years. So, was I discriminated against and did I know it? Sure I was. Don’t waste any tears on me. Our company is now non-union and I’m the president. Oh, and we’ll hire anyone who can get the job done. It would be stupid not to!
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Name : Kris, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Rochester, State : MI, Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma,
