Christian Denominations Chart - Starting w/ the Commentary on JW's

[Pudgy]

Jesus forgave those ACTIVELY torturing him to death … those who had Not repented … because they “do not know what they are doing”.

That is why we should not be too hard on the Governing Body.

Not every soldier is John Rambo, or can be expected to be.

[John 12.24to28]

On 2/19/2023 at 6:54 PM, Guest said:

Sheep don't care about titles. 

 

Thank you for being a shepherd for Jehovah. Hope you've got your shepherd shoes ready. There is going to be a lot of work for you and others like you just ahead.

 

""Then I will gather together the remnant of my sheep from all the lands to which I have dispersed them, and I will bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and become many.  And I will raise up over them shepherds who will really shepherd them. They will no longer be afraid or be terrified, and none will be missing,” declares Jehovah."

 

(Moses got his big assignment when he was about what age?)

 

I guess we will always have plenty to do in the work of the Lord!

 

Praise Jehovah☺️

 

On 2/19/2023 at 7:06 PM, Pudgy said:

I have never aspired to any position of responsibility, and don’t now. I don’t want to “shepherd” anyone. 
Never have.

 

On 2/19/2023 at 7:25 PM, Guest said:

"I don't want to shepherd anyone. Never have." @Pudgy, that's why you qualify. Lol.

 

"However, Moses said to the true God: “Who am I that I should go to Pharʹaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"

 

"At this Saul answered: “Am I not a Benʹja·min·ite of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the most insignificant of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? So why have you spoken to me in this way?”"

 

"Gidʹe·on answered him: “Pardon me, Jehovah. How can I save Israel? Look! My clan is the least in Ma·nasʹseh, and I am the most insignificant in my father’s house.”"

 

Somebody doesn't "qualify" to be "An Older Brother". They just ARE an older brother, they act like one.

 

Somebody doesn't "qualify" to be "A Shepherd". They just ARE a shepherd, they act like one.

 

The poor brothers at Bethel try to make a book and a school so people "qualify", but the list of qualifications in the Bible isn't something a person goes to school for. They have been molded through training by Jehovah in life.

 

"But now God has arranged each of the body members just as he pleased."

 

An eye is for seeing and an ear is for hearing and an older brother shepherds. The organization at presents has "schools" and business-like definitions and titles, but that is not Jehovah's way.

 

In my little sheep experiences, I have had spoken to many so-called "shepherds" who didn't know a sheep from a rock and a better title for them would be "wolves in sheep's covering." I have also met those have been labeled "apostate" or "members of false religion" who showed more kindness and human decency and basic compassion than anyone I have communicated with at the Watchtower Headquarters. (Bill Bowen and Tim Stier are two individuals who could fill the roles of the Good Samaritan in Jesus' illustration while the fifty elders I wrote to at the Bethel facilities walked right on by.) God is love, not a business manager.

 

Jehovah is not one to be impressed by labels, and Jesus didn't try to lord it over anyone. When the organization is cleaned and the family is straightened out, Jehovah will make clear what is what and who is who. 

 

"And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, and they will feed you with knowledge and insight."

 

Jehovah Causes To Become. 

 

On 2/19/2023 at 8:19 PM, Guest said:

"Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith."

 

@Pudgy, You are already serving as a shepherd, for your wife, your most precious sheep. Jehovah will just add to your fold at the appointed time. (There is everlasting life ahead - and lots to do in the thousand year reign.)

 

The many directives in the organization that led to husbands and wives being separated for so-called "theocratic" activities have dishonored God. It always makes me wince when I read those life stories where the wife and kids were basically sacrificed on the altar to "theocratic career" so the husband could go to "School" for months or to "Serve" supposedly "in Jehovah's name" when it wasn't really for Jehovah. Jehovah doesn't promote dividing families.

 

"They have built the high places of Toʹpheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinʹnom, in order to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, something that I had not commanded and that had never even come into my heart."

 

I know Jehovah has more work for you, @Pudgy, just like I know He has more work for all who love His Name and put His Ways ahead of the doctrines of man.

 

Courage is a requirement to be part of Jehovah's Family.

 

"Be·naiʹah the son of Je·hoiʹa·da was a courageous man who performed many exploits in Kabʹze·el. He struck down the two sons of Arʹi·el of Moʹab, and he descended into a waterpit on a snowy day and killed a lion.  He also struck down an Egyptian man of extraordinary size. Though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, he went against him with a rod and snatched the spear away from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.  These things Be·naiʹah the son of Je·hoiʹa·da did, and he had a reputation like that of the three mighty warriors.  Although he was distinguished even more than the thirty, he did not attain to the rank of the three. However, David appointed him over his own bodyguard."

 

Not everybody would purposely join in on a discussion with a known bully while that bully is verbally abusing another person, knowing that if they joined in they'd also get verbally abused. But some people would join in and distract the bully.

 

"The one showing favor to the lowly is lending to Jehovah, 

And He will repay him for what he does."

 

"With someone loyal you act in loyalty."

 

I don't have "visions" or "special knowledge". But I can read God's Word.

 

"Have you seen a man skillful at his work? 

He will stand before kings; 

He will not stand before common men."

 

Jehovah's Word Always Comes True. Praise Jah.

 

[Pudgy]

One day I was sitting at the dining room table, with rifles, pistols, revolvers and other weapons all taken apart and I was cleaning them.

A clean gun is a happy gun.

My ex-wife, who was always afraid of guns, looked over my shoulder and muttered, “What would you do if everybody else in the world didn’t have any guns?”

I turned and looked at her, and said “rule wisely”.

 

[Pudgy]

For some strange reason, being a heavily armed nearsighted hunchback with a pronounced twitch and a propensity for drooling used to bother my ex-wife.

[Pudgy]

….. sometimes my jokes are just for me …..

[John 12.24to28]

On 4/24/2023 at 12:28 AM, Pudgy said:

My question is:

Who is your target audience for all the above?

There is only about six people reading this blog, and they all know this stuff.

On 4/24/2023 at 12:54 AM, AudreyAnnaNana said:

 

Does @boyle count as five of the six?

45 minutes ago, Pudgy said:

….. sometimes my jokes are just for me …..

😆

 

[Srecko Sostar]

5 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

I owe you an apology, because I supported that doctrine too, and I would have shunned you just as much as the rest of the org does. I am sorry.

Thank you for your truly great compassion. Please don't feel like that anymore, because, well, we survived and it's "as if nothing happened". I have three siblings and a mother. Two brothers and mother decided not to contact. The oldest brother makes a phone call from time to time. Wife is JW.

Stay well!

[John 12.24to28]

28 minutes ago, Srecko Sostar said:

Thank you for your truly great compassion. Please don't feel like that anymore, because, well, we survived and it's "as if nothing happened". I have three siblings and a mother. Two brothers and mother decided not to contact. The oldest brother makes a phone call from time to time. Wife is JW.

Stay well!

 

Thank you, @Srecko Sostar, my brother! Jehovah has a way of turning what others might think of as a "curse" into a blessing for us. 🙂 Someday the others will wake up too (the ones like your mother and two brothers...and the others that shun us). Thank you for your courage and endurance!💖 I have been encouraged by your comments and your example. Thank you!🌈🥰

[John 12.24to28]

2 hours ago, Fausto Hoover said:

This is why it's not wise to engage with those that can't see scripture for what it is.

• All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, English Revised Version Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness.

It's a waste of time.

CSB Psalm 56:5 They twist my words all day long; all their thoughts against me are evil. (Ps. 56:5 CSB)

CSB 2 Peter 3:16 He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. (2 Pet. 3:16 CSB)

CSB Acts 13:10 and said, "You son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all fraud, enemy of all righteousness! Won't you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord? (Acts 13:10 CSB)
 

 

"Love hopes all things."

 

(1 Corinthians 13:7)

 

"For a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, showing restraint when wronged,  instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed. Perhaps God may give them repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth,  and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the Devil, seeing that they have been caught alive by him to do his will."

 

(2 Timothy 2:24-26)

 

"With the ropes of men I kept drawing them, with the cords of love; And I was to them like one lifting a yoke from their jaws, And I gently brought food to each one."

 

(Hosea 11:4)

 

"He replied to him: “Yes, Lord, you know I have affection for you.” He said to him: “Feed my lambs.”"

 

"Again he said to him a second time: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He replied: “Yes, Lord, you know I have affection for you.” He said to him: “Shepherd my little sheep.”"

 

"“Do you have affection for me?” So he said to him: “Lord, you are aware of all things; you know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him: “Feed my little sheep.""

 

(John 21:15-17)

 

The spiritual food Jesus fed them wasn't publications. It was himself. He poured himself out for others, to minister to them, to encourage them, to upbuild and direct them, to help them, to hang out with them, to protect them. He shared God's Word with them, which is love. He taught them about love.

 

Shepherds don't need to be "assigned" in order to do their job. They do it because it's in their blood.

 

"Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”  So Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will resurrect him on the last day;  for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.  Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I in union with him."

 

(John 6:52-55)

 

"Remain in union with me, and I will remain in union with you."

 

(John 15:4)

 

"As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, you will also remain in union with the Son and in union with the Father."

 

(1 John 2:24)

 

"God is love."

 

(1 John 4:8)

 

On 5/30/2023 at 12:56 AM, Pudgy said:

Well…. For every soldier that gets the U.S. Medal of Honor, there is probably another thousand that also deserve one.

A lot gets missed.

 

(Most of the real shepherds don't get "honored" or "recognized" in the way of the world. Just like infants don't give a medal of honor to their mother who is breastfeeding them, so little lambs and little sheep don't "honor" the shepherd in the way the world shows honor. How does a sheep or little lamb show honor for a shepherd? The same way an infant does for their mother. They know where to run to when the storm comes.)

 

"The hired man, who is not a shepherd and to whom the sheep do not belong, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them—  because he is a hired man and does not care for the sheep."

 

(John 10:12,13)

 

When the storm just ahead of us arrives, there will be many currently unrecognized as "honored shepherds" who step up to protect and minister to others, because they follow the Christ, as they have been following him for a long time.

 

"I am the fine shepherd; the fine shepherd surrenders his life in behalf of the sheep."

 

(John 10:11)

[John 12.24to28]

25 minutes ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

When the storm just ahead of us arrives, there will be many currently unrecognized as "honored shepherds" who step up to protect and minister to others, because they follow the Christ, as they have been following him for a long time.

 

3 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

On 4/19/2023 at 2:15 PM, Pudgy said:

.….. and you know who you are.

 

…. and you do know who you are …….

 

 

🙂🌷🫶🌿🥰

 

[Srecko Sostar]

2 hours ago, redHarmonioussparrow said:

God has provided guidance in the form of a conscience and, in addition, His own wise counsel and instructions.

If conscience is implanted in man directly by God, then it is the best guide for man. You mention that as an "addition" he gave his wise advice and instructions. I assume that this means written sacred things, mainly what can be found in the Bible, at least as far as the Christian world is concerned.

If the conscience can be corrupted and become dull, and as most people believe, it is placed in a man by God himself, then it is a terrible misfortune for mankind. If God's wise counsels and instructions, aka the Bible, can be corrupted through human intervention through theological explanations and interpretations, then it is nothing strange, because conscience as the first line of defense has already fallen much earlier. Because the conscience should be able to distinguish between human interpretations and recognize deceptions. But a misconception prevails. When JW members are able to recognize this, that deception is also in their house, then they will be on the road to restoration. Renewal is an ongoing process. And, in my opinion, it is not an institutional matter, but a personal one.

[John 12.24to28]

1 hour ago, Srecko Sostar said:

conscience

 

Original design: man with a perfect conscience and everyday face-to-face communication with Jehovah...that was the intention.

 

Adam took his conscience and figuratively whacked it with a sledgehammer. He never apologized for what he did, he wasn't sorry, he didn't want to have anybody tell him what to do, so we were born outside the garden. Stupid Adam. (Just shows even "smart" people can be stupid.)

 

Anyway, our conscience cannot be relied on to guide us accurately. We inherited the smashed and dented model. Whether we belong to a religious institution or not, the conscience isn't reliable on its own. And we can't hear God's voice right now. So we have to read His recorded Word to get His instruction. The more we read God's Word, the better calibrated our conscience will be.

 

True, the current versions of the Bible we have are not the originals. They've been tampered with. But just like an old treasure map with lines and wrinkles and stains on it, you can still get the overview and do your best to find the treasures. 

 

We know what Jesus was like. We can see his personality from what we read in the Bible. That's our best guide to knowing the right way to walk in any situation. 

 

The religious institutions have so many Pharisaical components. Jesus told us that would happen. His words to the congregations as recorded in Revelation chapter 2-3 help us to see what a mess Christianity was to become. He promised he would come and fix it.

 

Jesus doesn't lie. Religious leaders might lie sometimes, but Jesus doesn't. He said all of the things God promised will come true. I believe him. He's helped me every day of my life, even when I didn't know he was there. He didn't give up on me even when I gave up on him. (I'm not going to do that again.)

 

Jesus told us to pray for holy spirit, for understanding. Holy spirit is not corruptible. It doesn't decay or get mistranslated.  When we beg Jehovah for holy spirit and answers and don't give up in asking, we do receive the answers. Sometimes we have to wait awhile, but we do get them. We just have to keep asking.

 

"bold persistence... So I say to you, keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking, it will be opened."

 

(Luke 11:8-10)

 

"Then he went on to tell them an illustration about the need for them always to pray and not to give up,  saying: “In a certain city there was a judge who had no fear of God and no respect for man.  There was also a widow in that city who kept going to him and saying, ‘See that I get justice from my legal opponent.’  Well, for a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Although I do not fear God or respect any man,  because this widow keeps making me trouble, I will see that she gets justice so that she will not keep coming and wearing me out with her demand.’”  Then the Lord said: “Hear what the judge, although unrighteous, said!  Certainly, then, will not God cause justice to be done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, while he is patient toward them? I tell you, he will cause justice to be done to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man arrives, will he really find this faith on the earth?"

 

(Luke 18:1-8)

 

Abraham had to wait. He died and still didn't get to see the fulfillment of certain things, but he will be back. 

 

"So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due time we will reap if we do not tire out."

 

(Galatians 6:9)

 

You have endured so long, so many things, only Jehovah knows. He knows all the tears, all the pain, all the frustrations, the disappointments, the anguish, the darkness, the anxiety, the fatigue, the apathy, the exhaustion...he knows when we feel abandoned, hopeless, confused...

 

"Rescue me from oppressive men, 

And I will keep your orders.  

Make your face shine upon your servant, 

And teach me your regulations.  

Tears stream down from my eyes 

Because people do not keep your law."

 

(Psalm 139:134-136)

 

Ezekiel chapters 8 and 9 describes all the horrible things God's name people were doing in the place that was supposed to be a house of true worship. It is the same today - the religious denominations claim to be serving God but it's a big mess.

 

Jehovah knows who is "sighing and groaning" over all these detestable things going on in religion. Sometimes we know who is "sighing and groaning" over them too...(we can read here on this forum, for example, the words of many who are "sighing and groaning" over the detestable things, and there are many others the world over...)

 

Jesus promised to come back and fix it. He will. It's just a little while longer we have to wait, but he is coming. It'll be worth the wait.

 

Then our consciences will be fixed eventually, and communication will be restored with God the way it was intended to be. At that time there will be books necessary to hear God's voice. 🙂

 

"Later they heard the voice of Jehovah God as he was walking in the garden about the breezy part of the day..."💖

 

(Genesis 3:8)