John 12.24to28

"So the disciples came and said to him: “Why do you speak to them by the use of illustrations?”  In reply he said: “To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the Kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not granted.  For whoever has, more will be given him, and he will be made to abound; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.  That is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations; for looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, nor do they get the sense of it.  And the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled in their case. It says: ‘You will indeed hear but by no means get the sense of it, and you will indeed look but by no means see.  For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive, and with their ears they have heard without response, and they have shut their eyes, so that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back and I heal them."
 
When people didn't understand him, Jesus taught via illustrations. 
 
The following two videos are wonderful illustrations by "Kevin McFree" that helps to explain why disfellowshipping and other related manmade traditions are antichrist. (I do not agree with everything Kevin believes, but I do agree that his illustration is accurate and exposes the hypocrisy of shunning in the congregation.)
 
 

@EsADmf, are you related to Massimo Introvigne? You seem to have a similar writing style. This nice brother analyzed Massimo's works and I can see a resemblance in the kinds of ad hominem attacks and slander that Massimo uses and that you use. I do not agree with everything Jonas believes in, but I do agree with him on much of what he states in this video. Shunning is not loving. He is right. People who tell the truth are not "apostates" just for telling the truth. And people who call themselves "Jehovah's Witnesses" but who don't act like Jehovah's witnesses, well, they are actually the real apostates, aren't they.  
 

I. Greek influence on early apostate Christians
II. Disfellowshipping is a form of Ostracism from Greek culture
III. Jesus did not adhere to apostate Greek philosophies
 
(From "Mankind's Search for God" chap. 3 pp. 54-55 par. 25 Common Threads in Mythology)
"The Greek mythology of the soul went on to influence the Roman concept, and the Greek philosophers, such as Plato (about 427-347 B.C.E.), strongly influenced early apostate Christian thinkers who accepted the immortal soul teaching into their doctrine, even though it had no Biblical basis."
 
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1101990035#h=32
 
Just as Greek philosophy influenced religious ideas regarding the soul, so Greek philosophy also influenced congregation doctrines of the early apostate Christian thinkers.
 
"os·tra·cism
/ˈästrəˌsiz(ə)m/
noun
noun: ostracism
(1) exclusion from a society or group."the family suffered social ostracism"  
Similar: exclusion, rejection, repudiation, shunning, spurning, the cold shoulder, cold-shouldering, boycotting, blackballing, blacklisting, snubbing, avoidance, barring, banishment, exile, expulsion, disfellowship, excommunication

Opposite: acceptance, welcome

(2) (in ancient Greece) temporary banishment from a city by popular vote." (Dictionary, Oxford Languages)
 
"Ostracism was crucially different from Athenian law at the time; there was no charge and no defense could be mounted by the person expelled. The two stages of the procedure ran in the reverse order from that used under almost any trial system—it is as if a jury were first asked "Do you want to find someone guilty?", and subsequently asked "Whom do you wish to accuse?". The judicial framework is perhaps the institution's most peculiar feature: it can take place at most once a year, and only for one person. It resembles the Greek pharmakos or scapegoat—though in contrast, pharmakos generally ejected a lowly member of the community.[13]
A further distinction between these two modes (and not obvious from a modern perspective) is that ostracism was an automatic procedure that required no initiative from any individual, with the vote simply occurring on the wish of the electorate—a diffuse exercise of power. By contrast, an Athenian trial needed the initiative of a particular citizen-prosecutor. While prosecution often led to a counterattack (or was a counterattack itself), no such response was possible in the case of ostracism as responsibility lay with the polity as a whole. In contrast to a trial, ostracism generally reduced political tension rather than increased it."
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostracism
 
The Pharisaical Jews were tossing people out of the synagogue while Jesus was on earth, ostracizing them. 
 
They led the formerly blind man to the Pharisees...And again they said to the blind man: “What do you say about him, since it was your eyes that he opened?” The man said: “He is a prophet.” However, the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had gained sight, until they called the parents of the man who could now see.  And they asked them: “Is this your son who you say was born blind? How, then, does he now see?”  His parents answered: “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how it is that he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is of age. He must speak for himself.”  His parents said these things because they were in fear of the Jews, for the Jews had already come to an agreement that if anyone acknowledged him as Christ, that person should be expelled from the synagogue... The man answered them: “This is certainly amazing, that you do not know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes...If this man were not from God, he could do nothing at all.”  In answer they said to him: “You were altogether born in sin, and yet are you teaching us?” And they threw him out! Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and on finding him, he said: “Are you putting faith in the Son of man?”  The man answered: “And who is he, sir, so that I may put faith in him?”  Jesus said to him: “You have seen him, and in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
 
People feared disfellowshipping. When honest-hearted ones obeyed God, they were sometimes disfellowshipped. Jesus spoke with the man the elders disfellowshipped.
 
"Now one of the Pharisees kept asking him to dine with him. So he entered the house of the Pharisee and reclined at the table. And look! a woman who was known in the city to be a sinner learned that he was dining in the house of the Pharisee, and she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil...Seeing this, the Pharisee who had invited him said to himself: “If this man were really a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman it is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”...With that he turned to the woman and said to Simon: “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet. But this woman wet my feet with her tears and wiped them off with her hair.  You gave me no kiss, but this woman, from the hour that I came in, did not stop tenderly kissing my feet.  You did not pour oil on my head, but this woman poured perfumed oil on my feet.  Because of this, I tell you, her sins, many though they are, are forgiven, because she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”  Then he said to her: “Your sins are forgiven.”  Those reclining at the table with him started to say among themselves: “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”  But he said to the woman: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
 
The elders had written the woman off as one to be spurned, given the cold shoulder, shunned. Jesus talked to her. Compassionately. Now she's in the Bible as an example for us to imitate. "She loves much." The one who is forgiven much loves much. (We are all forgiven much.)
 
As far as eating with sinners goes..."Now a man named Zac·chaeʹus was there; he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich...Now when Jesus got to the place, he looked up and said to him: “Zac·chaeʹus, hurry and get down, for today I must stay in your house.”  With that he hurried down and joyfully welcomed him as a guest.  When they saw this, they were all muttering: “He went as a guest to the house of a man who is a sinner.”  But Zac·chaeʹus stood up and said to the Lord: “Look! The half of my belongings, Lord, I am giving to the poor, and whatever I extorted from anyone, I am restoring four times over.”  At this Jesus said to him: “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
 
Zacchaeus was an extortioner. Jesus knew it. Jesus didn't wait for Zacchaeus to repent before eating with him. Jesus didn't wait for Zacchaeus to make amends before eating with him. Jesus initiated the request to eat with a known sinner, who was guilty of serious sin, extortion, before the man stopped the bad behavior.
 
"For the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost."
 
Jesus said: "My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."
 
"...let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ."💖

Esther worked with a "worldly" government.
Mordecai worked with a "worldly" government.
Daniel worked with a "worldly" government.
Nehemiah worked with a "worldly" government.
Joseph worked with a "worldly" government.
 
They had positions of authority in those governments.
 
Is it wrong for witnesses to work with the governments when it is in accord with Jehovah's will?
 
The Bible is clear.
 
Being "no part of the world" is not what they think it means at Bethel.

The government stopped Jesus from worshipping Jehovah for a few days once.

May you have peace, @boyle!🥰

Here's the reason the Watchtower is going to lose all these cases...
 
"...the religious practice [of disfellowshipping]...which is carried out in accordance with the texts of the Bible..."
 
That is a lie. Their statement of the GB/Watchtower, that "disfellowshipping" is carried out according to Jehovah's Word is a Lie. 
 
Jesus hates that disfellowshipping doctrine. Jehovah hates the disfellowshipping doctrine.
 
Jehovah won't back them as long as they keep lying. They're running right into a wall. Jehovah is the God of Justice. These guys are going to keep losing because they're fighting against Jehovah.
 
They're blaspheming Jehovah with their false doctrines. It's not going to go well for them.
 
"Whom have you taunted and blasphemed?
Against whom have you raised your voice
And lifted your arrogant eyes?  
It is against the Holy One of Israel."
 
(Isaiah 37:23)

Five Public Talks:
How Well Do You Know God
Are You Conscious of Your Spiritual Need
Keep Growing in Your Relationship With God
Live With Soundness of Mind in a Depraved World
How to Make Decisions that Lead to Success
Weekend Meeting 2023-02-04 (Q720) How Well Do You Know God?.mp4 Weekend Meeting 2023-02-11 (Q720) Are You Conscious of Your Spiritual Need?.mp4 Weekend Meeting 2023-02-18 (Q720) Keep Growing in Your Relationship with God.mp4 Weekend Meeting 2023-02-25 (Q720) Live With Soundness of Mind in a Depraved World.mp4 Weekend Meeting 2023-03-04 (Q720)How to Make Decisions that Lead to Success.mp4

If the Librarian did that, years of interactive conversations would make no sense at all.
You can delete yourself at any time by clicking the “Leave Club” box.

 
I have found a person does better if he (or she) expects nothing from anybody … that’s why people have dogs.
 

"...if a friend of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if there is not, it will return to you."
 
(I tried. I can talk to a puppet, even an abusive one, but I don't like talking to that kind of puppet. Maybe I'll be back again someday. Ciao for now.🙂)
 
 
I don't see any iron, @Pudgy, only soap and masks. I can see through them, Jehovah lets me see. The ransom is enough for anyone who wants it, but I can't stay if you don't even want to try. I truly wish you well.💝 Thank you for tolerating my awkwardness.😌
 
 
 
 
 

I’m sad in a way, but happy for Audrey that she is not wasting her time here.
There is a REAL life to live out there, and it is painfully short. 
 
Via Con Dios!

 

"...if a friend of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if there is not, it will return to you."
 
(I tried. I can talk to a puppet, even an abusive one, but I don't like talking to that kind of puppet. Maybe I'll be back again someday. Ciao for now.🙂)
 
 
I don't see any iron, @Pudgy, only soap and masks. I can see through them, Jehovah lets me see. The ransom is enough for anyone who wants it, but I can't stay if you don't even want to try. I truly wish you well.💝 Thank you for tolerating my awkwardness.😌
 
 
 
 
 

?? 😆
 https://www.thomascook.in/places-to-visit/unusual-customs-in-new-zealand-17702
 
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/zealand-sheep-protest-chants-video-sheep-respond-calls-20012015

@Fausto Hoover et al, it seems you need a friend more than I do, lol! Jehovah will always be your friend, if you call out to Him. I'm willing to be a friend too, but it's hard to see you with all those masks on.
 
 
"Search for Jehovah while he may be found.
Call to him while he is near.
Let the wicked man leave his way
And the evil man his thoughts;
Let him return to Jehovah, who will have mercy on him,
To our God, for he will forgive in a large way."
 
(Isaiah 55:6,7)
 
"...to you, O Jehovah, I turn.  
For you, O Jehovah, are good and ready to forgive;
You abound in loyal love for all those who call on you."
 
(Psalm 86:4,5)
 
("Fausto", what are you waiting for? 🙂)
 
💖💞🌷✨🥰🤗💝🌱🌿

I personally don't know what Prince and Michael Jackson believed but...
 
 
Maybe the GB views it as the same difference between being "eccentric" and being "an apostate"?
 
 
Who really is apostate anyways, lol? 
 
JWorg believes 1914 Jesus began ruling, FDS/GB idolatry, etc other apostate teachings...crazy!
 
 
Good thing the ransom is big and Jesus is patient with all of us.☺️ And that the apostate teachings have an expiration date: when Jesus gets here he'll remove them...

I don't know, James, sometimes accordians are cool...
 
😁
 
 

It was very obvious how much apostasy is a flexible thing with the examples of Michael Jackson and Prince, and Prince reportedly contributed $30,000 a month to his local Kingdom Hall.
They are both dead now, so they are either playing harps, or those damned accordions.

??
 
Ero host or Era Host or Elo hist?
 
https://typeset.io/pdf/the-ero-host-galaxy-of-grb-020127-implications-for-the-e32fb9bi48.pdf
 
https://era.host/en/
 
https://gist.github.com/Ewpratten/04d2e1b371a722b2ed33b77f57215e2b
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elohist
 
(I'm thinking you meant "Elohist" right? Must have been a typo? Or...)
 
 

?? 😆
 https://www.thomascook.in/places-to-visit/unusual-customs-in-new-zealand-17702
 
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/zealand-sheep-protest-chants-video-sheep-respond-calls-20012015

"...people will lay their hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name.  It will result in your giving a witness.  Therefore, resolve in your hearts not to rehearse beforehand how to make your defense,  for I will give you words and wisdom that all your opposers together will not be able to resist or dispute."
 
(Luke 21:12-15)
 
"...the Lord stood near me and infused power into me..."
 
(2 Timothy 4:17)
 
Jehovah and Jesus stand near to those who want to keep their integrity and give them the words to speak at the right time, whether it is one of our brothers keeping integrity before the judge in a Russian court or one of our brothers keeping integrity before the elders in an unfair "judicial" hearing.
 
Jehovah and Jesus will continue to be with integrity keepers in the days ahead. What is happening in Russia is just the beginning, as we know from the scriptures. When all the religious institutions are dissolved by the UN, true worshippers will still stick to Jehovah. Many people from all religions, as well as atheists and agnostics who have a change of heart, will be gathered together by Jesus and Jehovah during the great tribulation to become one flock, worshipping Jehovah God in spirit and truth.
 
Praise Jehovah, who makes us stand.💖
 
"Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Jehovah can make him stand."
 
(Romans 14:4)

(translated from Russian to English with Apple Translate)
 
https://jw-russia.org/docs/886.html?utm_content=sidebar
 
"Transcript of the appeal hearing of 23.05.2019 in case No. 1-37/1 charged with Christensen D. O. in committing a crime under Part 1 of Art. 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation
 
[At the beginning of his address, Dennis Christensen touched upon several legal issues.]
 
[...] Now, in the end, I want to express my special gratitude to those who have helped and supported me over the past 2 years of this criminal case.
 
First of all, I want to thank my wife Irina, who from the very beginning did everything in her power to help and support me. She took care of me, gave me clothes, groceries, medicines and other things I needed in the pre-trial detention center. She supported me emotionally and spiritually with her visits and letters that I received from her every day.
 
My dear wife, your strong faith, your great patience, your peace of mind and love for me and the truth, including your optimism, all this was a great example for me. You should know that I love you very much and that I am very proud of you!
 
I also want to thank my family in Denmark, especially my elderly father and my sister. You should know that I miss you very much. I love you and appreciate everything you've done for me. During my stay in the pre-trial detention center, you supported me with your numerous letters and phone conversations. I am sure that you will never give up and will not lose hope that one day we will be able to get together again as a family.
 
I also want to thank all my many friends from all over the world. You supported me with your letters, encouraging thoughts, beautiful drawings and various gifts. All this helped me understand that I'm not alone and that I have a big worldwide family.
 
Dear friends, you should know that every letter, big or small, encouraged and strengthened me. Please don't lose heart if I don't have time to reply to your letter. I'll find you, thank you and hug you in the future, I promise it!
 
I also want to thank the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Moscow and all its employees. You attended many court hearings and repeatedly visited me in jail. Your useful advice, guidance and encouragement mean a lot to me, and I really appreciate your support and the great help you have provided to me.
 
I would also like to thank the Court of Appeal for being personally able to attend this court session. When I participated in other appeal cases via videoconferencing from the pre-trial detention center, it was difficult for me to hear everything that was said. I had to guess half of what was going on there. This is an unworthy way to protect. In addition, when using a conference call in a pre-trial detention center, you have to sit behind bars as if you were an animal in a zoo. I consider this unworthy, inhuman treatment today, in the 21st century.
 
To date, I have already served in jail for almost two years, and this trial has been going on for 15 months. In order to withstand all this, not to give up and lose heart, it is imperative to have a certain inner strength. The Bible says - in the Epistle to the Philippians, chapter 4, verse 12 - that (I) "I can do everything in everything that strengthens me." In the book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 12, in verse 2 it is written: "Behold, God is my salvation: I trust in Him and I am not afraid; for the Lord is my strength, and my singing is the Lord; and He was for salvation for me."
 
Throughout this period, I felt that my God Jehovah was next to me and gave me the strength to withstand all this. The power not to give up, not to lose heart, to be joyful and happy and to continue to smile. I am sincerely grateful to Him for this, and I am proud to serve Him as one of his witnesses, Jehovah's Witnesses.
 
Many people asked me how this criminal case affected me. Of course, it is not easy to be in jail for such a long period of time, to be cut off from your wife and from close contact with your family and friends. I've been living a very closed life for the last two years. You could say I existed. I spent 23 hours a day in my prison cell 3 by 6 meters, and for an hour every day I went for a walk in a walking yard, also 3 by 6 meters, albeit in the open air. During this time, I met different people with whom I had a lot of interesting conversations. And I noticed that many of them are trying to achieve a decent, honest investigation and trial. Most people feel that the system does not hear them, and I have also experienced this feeling for the past two years. I tried to support and encourage them as much as I could, because I am sure that Jesus Christ would do the same.
 
I made a lot of new friends, some of them attended part of the court sessions, and some wrote me letters. I personally know some of them, and others don't exist yet. Some have the same faith as me, others do not, but they still support me, as they cannot tolerate the injustice that is now happening here in Russia, as someone here is trying to make Jehovah's Witnesses, civilians who love their neighbor as themselves, criminals and call them extremists. It's completely illogical and funny. Many are shocked that such things happen here in Russia, in the 21st century.
 
Someone asks me how this criminal case affected my faith. Thanks to this criminal case, my faith has only become stronger, and I experienced what is written in the Bible, in the Epistle of James, chapter one, in verses 2 to 4: "Take with great joy, my brethren, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the test of your faith produces patience; patience must have a perfect effect
 
I'm still far from perfect, but I've learned to be persistent and remain joyful in trials. And the most important thing I want to emphasize is that I have come even closer to my God Jehovah and received an even more ardent desire to tell others about him and his intentions, an ardent desire to continue to preach the good news about the Kingdom of God, which is the only solution to the problems of mankind. An fervent desire to share with others the good news from the Bible about peace and eternal life here in paradise on earth to help them get closer to the Creator and help develop strong faith in him and his promises.
 
This speech is officially called "The Last Word in Your Defense," and maybe it will be the last words you will hear from me today. Maybe this is the last court hearing in this criminal case, and it will become a point in the two-year period of my life. But I want to assure you that these are not my last words in this case about the injustice that is happening here in Russia against peaceful and completely innocent people. I've just started, and I still have a lot of things I want to tell you publicly. I'm not going to be silent, as if I'm guilty and I have something to hide. I have a clear conscience, I didn't do anything wrong, I didn't break any law of Russia and I have nothing to be ashamed of.
 
What is being committed against me and other Witnesses here in Russia is false accusations of extremism, interrogations, detention, searches, confiscation, detection, threats, and now (and) torture. It should be a shame for that. This is, of course, a shame. The truth always becomes clear, and justice will sooner or later prevail. The Bible, in the Epistle to Galatians, chapter 6, 7, says: "Do not be deceived: God is not scolded. What a person sow will reap."
 
The court of first instance appointed me 6 years in prison, but for what? No way. There is no evidence that I did something wrong. On the contrary, there is a lot of evidence that I enjoyed the rights granted to me under Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. I observe the law of the Russian state and I am an honest person. I am a Christian, a believer, a Jehovah's Witness, and I love the Russian people. What am I punished for? Why should I stay in prison for 6 years? No way. It's unfair.
 
I sincerely hope that the Court of Appeal today will defend the law and make sure that justice prevails. That it is he who will stop the persecution of faith that is happening now in Russia. I really hope that this Court of Appeal will send a signal to the whole world that there is freedom of religion for all people here in Russia.
 
In the near future, the following words will be fulfilled: "And he, God, will judge many nations, and they will forge their swords on ploughshares and their spears into sickles; the people will not lift up the sword against the people, nor will they no longer learn to fight. But everyone will sit under his own vine and under his fig tree, and no one will frighten them." Words of Micah, chapter 4, verse 3 and 4.
 
God always judges fairly, and under his rule there will be no more disagreements, violence and wars. On the contrary, there will be peace, and there will be no worries. In other words, there will be true happiness for all mankind.
 
Your honor, by your decision today you can take a big step in this direction, towards justice and peace. A big step towards a world without anxiety, sadness and injustice. And I hope you do that. Thank you in advance!"

Here's some proof Christ didn't take the throne in 1914: he didn't get rid of the false teachings in the congregations yet. If he was king, he'd throw out those nasty "Jezebel" guy liars who keep making up stuff at headquarters and trying to pass it off as "truth".
 
😳🤢🤮
 
(I just scanned through the broadcast for the month. The GB worship makes me so sick... Instead of telling the flock to follow Jesus and Jehovah, the GB is continuing to encourage apostasy and idolatry by means of their horrid "Faithful Discreet Slave" label. They mix it in and say worshipping the GB is how to worship Jehovah. They are such liars. Here are some screenshots... I can't wait until Jesus removes the "weeds" and the "leaven"...)
 
https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/pub-jwb-104_1_VIDEO
 
from the June 2023 Broadcast, 153rd Gilead Graduation

Wow!

Well, I didn't have the patience to listen to it, so I am thankful you were willing to summarize for us!
 
The fact that he would make up all those stories when the scriptures clearly say "no one knows the day or the hour" the Kingdom would begin...I don't understand why they keep saying it was 1914 or 1975 or that they know since Jesus said they wouldn't know.
 
The scriptures do have a ton to say about the time the UN rules as a dominant world power and how long the great tribulation lasts. It's amazing the GB don't have anything to say about that. They are asleep.
 
Jehovah has made clear that we are not yet in the time of Jesus' rule. We also are not at the feet of the dream image yet. The UN isn't the dominant world power yet. Satan hasn't been cast down yet. Religion hasn't been attacked and destroyed yet. God's Word shows that we are not at the end of the end of the "toes" yet. The great tribulation hasn't started yet, and once it does start the Bible says it will last 3 1/2 years.