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

[Arauna]

4 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

showing why the GB should not be worshipped...

what do you call worship?

 

[Arauna]

4 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

Partaking of the emblems has nothing to do with closing the contract.

the first time you partake you are accepting the anointing....  as part of the body of christ.  One remembers this contract every time you partake.

[Arauna]

3 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

The treatment of the GB as if they are higher or like "angels" with some kind of superpowers is not what Jesus had in mind for the congregation.

The GB do not "request" any form of this - to say so is false. 

[Arauna]

3 hours ago, Pudgy said:

(How much does your room and board and insurance and medical care cost you? How much does it cost them?)

Ah, I have never feel angered if others have something I do not have.  The GB and wives often give up their right to have children and grand children, they give up careers, they give up many things to serve.  They often serve for years in broken down third world countries under very difficult circumstances before being invited back to Bethel...... to serve there......when they are older or needed....  So I detect envy.

Romans: 2 "if you judge; for when you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things."  however, for those who are contentious and who disobey the truth but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and anger.j

You just look at the things you do not have.  The master is master over his workers. He is one who gives good things to his servants when they have proven faithful.

I am not saying that one of these cannot develop a bad heart.  Recently a GB member was removed.  He is still an elder - so we cannot speculate was is the reason.....it could even be ill health...   but we can be sure that Jehovah's spirit is everywhere and the cleaning of Jehovah's house is near!....... and this includes all of us! 

[Pudgy]

That’s why I never wanted to be an Elder or anything.

If you screw up as GB, as an example, with being a “Guardian of The Doctrine”, you can destroy tens of thousands of lives if you get it wrong ….. in one 18 paragraph Watchtower article.

Of all the times that being wrong has resulted in “New Light”, never once have the writers apologized for ruining peoples lives with “Old Light”.

Please correct me if you can prove I am wrong.

[Arauna]

1 hour ago, Pudgy said:

can destroy tens of thousands of lives if you get it wrong …

The GB are careful but not perfect.   I have seen so many people on here who have grudges.  They themselves, in what they write, seem very imperfect and often absolutely unreasonable, picky and often short sighted.  It is a classic case of wanting others to be detailed and perfect when they themselves are more than imperfect because they start to beat fellow slaves.  This "unforgiving" and unrepentant way of life can cost them their own everlasting lives.  

"Righteous and upright is he.g ⁵  They are the ones who have acted corruptly.hThey are not his children, the defect is their own. They are a crooked and twisted generation!j"

[John 12.24to28]

9 hours ago, MankeptforRacialsecretratters said:

9 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

Here is confirmation from the scripture in Hebrews 13:17 showing why the GB should not be worshipped...

I'm sorry to say that this evidence is not enough to refute the argument. 

9 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

Do the members of the governing body know you by name? Do the people at the branch? In the service department?

Should they? What does this have to do with their service to God?

9 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

Not just a name on a piece of paper or a computer screen, but by name as in they know you, they keep awake to guard your soul and consider you part of their assignment, interacting with you personally on a regular basis? Not likely. It is not possible for an imperfect man who is living that far away from a congregation to take care of the sheep in that way. It's the local brothers if they shepherd properly, not the GB, who are to be obeyed in the sense of this verse.

Do you believe the President of the United States knows your name and function in life? This is far reaching.

 

I am not saying it's unscriptural to have a governing body with some administrative or judicial functions. I am saying just talking about that verse in Hebrews 13:17 about what  "leaders" means in context, since that verse gets misused by the GB so that they can wield more authority than is proper, to the point where they get people thrown out of the congregations and mislead the flock to imbibe false teachings.

 

The apostle Paul was a "leader" in the sense mentioned in Hebrews 13:17. He personally came to the congregations and stayed for extended periods of time. When he wrote letters, he knew the members of the flock by name because he had worked side by side with them, ate with them, talked with them personally.

 

An "administrator" is different than the word "leader" as described at Hebrews 13:17. 

 

What the GB does and what Bethel does is more like being administrators. Hebrews 13:17 does not apply to that role the way it was written.

 

The group of men in Jerusalem in the first century who were like a type of governing body, they did not dictate the day to day affairs of the congregation.  They were there for assistance when a matter came up regarding whether a tradition leftover from the Mosaic Law was scripturally necessary. They did not act as a centralized government publishing law for the congregations. The congregation shepherds already had a law: the Law of the Christ. The congregation shepherds had the scriptures. The congregation shepherds had Bible-trained consciences. 

 

Obviously, there were a lot of problems in the congregations, but it was the local shepherds who were referred to in that verse (13:17) and also a few verses earlier in Hebrews 13:7:

 

"Remember those who are taking the lead among you, who have spoken the word of God to you, and as you contemplate how their conduct turns out, imitate their faith."

 

It says "among you". The governing body wasn't "among" the local congregations. There was no first century "JW Broadcasting". The verse says about those taking the lead among them to "contemplate how their conduct turns out" and to "imitate their faith". In order to contemplate their conduct, the people would have to see those "leaders" on a regular basis. In order to imitate their faith, they'd have to be around them to see that faith in action.

 

It wasn't just Paul the verse was talking about as regards "leaders". It was the everyday shepherds among the sheep. "Those taking the lead" isn't about following the GB/FDS. It's about trusting good men in the local congregation.

 

After the apostles died off, the congregations began to apostatize. The governing body today takes its pattern from the apostate Pharisaical authoritarianism of that era of apostasy.  

[John 12.24to28]

5 minutes ago, MankeptforRacialsecretratters said:

1 hour ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

The apostle Paul was a "leader" in the sense mentioned in Hebrews 13:17. He personally came to the congregations and stayed for extended periods of time. When he wrote letters, he knew the members of the flock by name because he had worked side by side with them, ate with them, talked with them personally.

How do you know? Can you prove Paul or any other apostles including Jesus knew everyone by name?

Romans 16:1-15

 

"I am introducing to you Phoeʹbe, our sister, who is a minister of the congregation that is in Cenʹchre·ae,  so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the holy ones and give her whatever help she may need, for she herself also proved to be a defender of many, including me. Give my greetings to Prisʹca and Aqʹui·la, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,  who have risked their own necks for me and to whom not only I but also all the congregations of the nations give thanks.  Also greet the congregation that is in their house. Greet my beloved E·paeʹne·tus, who is a firstfruits of Asia for Christ.  Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.  Greet An·dronʹi·cus and Juʹni·as, my relatives and fellow prisoners, who are men well-known to the apostles and who have been in union with Christ longer than I have. Give my greetings to Am·pli·aʹtus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Ur·baʹnus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Staʹchys.  Greet A·pelʹles, the approved one in Christ. Greet those from the household of A·ris·tobʹu·lus.  Greet He·roʹdi·on, my relative. Greet those from the household of Nar·cisʹsus who are in the Lord.  Greet Try·phaeʹna and Try·phoʹsa, women who are working hard in the Lord. Greet Perʹsis, our beloved one, for she has worked hard in the Lord.  Greet Ruʹfus, the chosen one in the Lord, and his mother and mine.  Greet A·synʹcri·tus, Phleʹgon, Herʹmes, Patʹro·bas, Herʹmas, and the brothers with them.  Greet Phi·lolʹo·gus and Julia, Neʹreus and his sister, and O·lymʹpas, and all the holy ones with them."

 

Colossians 4:14-17

 

"Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and so does Deʹmas.  Give my greetings to the brothers in La·o·di·ceʹa and to Nymʹpha and to the congregation at her house.  And when this letter has been read among you, arrange for it also to be read in the congregation of the La·o·di·ceʹans and for you also to read the one from La·o·di·ceʹa.  Also, tell Ar·chipʹpus: “Pay attention to the ministry that you accepted in the Lord, in order to fulfill it.”

 

2 Timothy 4:19-21

 

"Give my greetings to Prisʹca and Aqʹui·la and the household of On·e·siphʹo·rus. E·rasʹtus stayed in Corinth, but I left Trophʹi·mus sick at Mi·leʹtus.  Do your utmost to arrive before winter. Eu·buʹlus sends you his greetings, and so do Puʹdens and Liʹnus and Clauʹdi·a and all the brothers."

[John 12.24to28]

6 hours ago, Arauna said:

11 hours ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

showing why the GB should not be worshipped...

what do you call worship?

 

 

"Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recognition of a God or gods." Wikipedia

 

The manner of "worship" of the governing body is similar to what happens in Shinto religion...

 

From "Mankind's Search for God" chapter 8

 

"10. What is of vital importance to Shintoists?

 

What, then, is of vital importance to Shintoists? “Originally,” says a book on Japanese culture, “Shinto considered acts that promoted the harmony and livelihood of a small community as ‘good’ and those that hindered such as ‘bad.’” Harmony with gods, nature, and the community was considered to be of superlative value. Anything that disrupted the peaceful harmony of the community was bad regardless of its moral value.

 

11. What role do festivals play in Shinto worship and daily life?

 

Since Shinto has no formal doctrine or teaching, its way of promoting the harmony of the community is through rituals and festivals. “What is most important in Shintoism,” explains the encyclopedia Nihon Shukyo Jiten, “is whether we celebrate festivals or not.” (See box, page 193.) Feasting together at festivals around ancestral gods contributed to a cooperative spirit among people in the rice-growing community. Major festivals were and still are related to rice cultivation. In the spring, village people call upon the “god of the paddies” to come down to their village, and they pray for a good crop. In the fall, they thank their gods for the harvest. During festivals, they carry their gods around on a mikoshi, or portable shrine, and have communion of rice wine (sake) and food with the gods.

 

12. What kind of purification rites are performed in Shinto, and for what purpose?

 

To be in union with the gods, however, Shintoists believe that they must be cleansed and purified from all their moral impurity and sin. This is where rituals come in. There are two ways to purify a person or an object. One is oharai and the other is misogi. In oharai, a Shinto priest swings a branch of the evergreen sakaki tree with paper or flax tied to its tip to purify an item or a person, whereas in misogi, water is used. These purification rituals are so vital to the Shinto religion that one Japanese authority states: “It may safely be said that without these rituals, Shinto cannot stand [as a religion].”

 

The organization claims that Russell and Rutherford and other past "leaders" are now immortal spirits in heaven, likely assisting the organization on earth.

 

(In contrast, the Bible shows that at present the only person who has been resurrected to heaven is Jesus.)

 

There is a form of reverence for those "departed ancestors" which is manifested in the publications produced by the org.

 

Anyone who is not in harmony with the traditions of the org is considered "bad". The traditions of meetings/ministry/service/Bethel/convention/Memorial/elders are considered more important than substance of following Christ every day.

 

If you listen to the prayers at a meeting/convention, the comments during a meeting or the teaching from a talk, you will hear many phrases of adulation and praise for "the Faithful and Discreet Slave" or "the Governing Body" or something similar, rather than praise for Jehovah. You will hear reference to "the Watchtower says" and "the Insight book says" and "Brother so-and-so says" instead of "It is written in God's Word" or "Jehovah says".

 

Even the words of the songbook have phrases praising the elders and "the Faithful Steward". It's sickening how the flock has been imbibing these poisoned waters.

 

Jesus warned that such idolatrous teachings would creep into the congregation and still be in existence when he arrives...

 

“‘Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there those adhering to the teaching of Baʹlaam, who taught Baʹlak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.  In the same way, you also have those adhering to the teaching of the sect of Nic·o·laʹus.  So repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war against them with the long sword of my mouth."

 

"‘Nevertheless, I do hold this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezʹe·bel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and misleads my slaves to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.  And I gave her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality.  Look! I am about to throw her into a sickbed, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.  And I will kill her children with deadly plague, so that all the congregations will know that I am the one who searches the innermost thoughts and hearts, and I will give to you individually according to your deeds."

 

(Revelation 2:14-16, 20-23)

 

The GB/Bethel/elderworship teachings are a form of idolatry. When the GB/Bethel/elders cut out people who adhere to the Bible the GB/Bethel/elders are acting like Jezebel, who used her authority to cut off God's faithful servants. When the GB/Bethel/elders use their authority to lord it over the flock and gain prominence or worship for themself or free room and board they are acting like Balaam, who served for profit. (Paul ordered the people to not pay for ministers, to not have those who take advantage of the flock in that way. Paul said they should work for what they eat. The Bethel arrangement is an abomination to God.) 

 

Jesus is coming to remove all false teachings and those who will not repent of practicing them. Jesus did not start ruling in 1914. When gets in power in the kingdom, everyone will know, because he'll throw Satan out of heaven, the UN will attack religion, the UN will be the world power for 3 1/2 years (it's the toe part of the Daniel dream image. That part hasn't happened yet. We're not in "the last of the last of the last days"...) There are still over 3 1/2 years to go in this system.

[Pudgy]

I find it important that in 8 hours and thousands of words later, no one here with WDS has refuted my post of 8 hours ago.

[Pudgy]

“ The Sounds Of Silence”

[Pudgy]

……..