John 12.24to28

I have seen many of his charts - when it is about languages or births (kingly linear birth-lines etc.) that is easy to do - and he does it well.  I would say it is much harder to make a chart with a subject which is less literal but subjective. (So one can reject it or accept it by looking at his reasons for putting it in its slot.) 
His chart could have been done in a different way - but I liked the way he categorized the modern waves (specifically in the west) into renewed religious inspections.  He did not include new age and these kinds of religions - I guess these come later. 

"Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for indeed, the Father is looking for ones like these to worship him.  God is a Spirit, and those worshipping him must worship with spirit and truth.”  The woman said to him: “I know that Mes·siʹah is coming, who is called Christ. Whenever that one comes, he will declare all things to us openly.”  Jesus said to her: “I am he, the one speaking to you.”"
 
(John 4:23-26)
 
Jesus is coming. He will make it clear which doctrines are true and which are false. Thankfully, "love covers a multitude of sins."
 
(Isn't there somebody on here who likes to say "Hanlon's razor" quite a bit?😁)
 
Jesus' name means "Salvation of Jah" or "Jehovah is Salvation".
 
"Righteous Father, the world has, indeed, not come to know you, but I know you, and these have come to know that you sent me.  I have made your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them."
 
(John 17:25,26)
 
"...they will have to know that I am Jehovah.  I will make my holy name known among my people Israel, and I will not allow my holy name to be profaned any longer; and the nations will have to know that I am Jehovah, the Holy One in Israel."
 
(Ezekiel 39:6,7)

If I accept a deck of cards from you, I can arrange them by suit, or by number, or I can attempt to build a house of cards with them. The cards don't change, just how I organize them changes. How Matt wants to organize certain Christian groups is his prerogative. The research I referred to was researching that those groups exist or existed.  You can prefer whatever method of organizing them pleases you, mi' lord.
 
 
What "truth" are you talking about? What "accurate" are you talking about? Maybe you would be willing to 'splane it.  It's a chart with the names of some religious groups written on it. While the chart shows some basic generalized branches, the only truly accurate completely detailed chart would show each individual in each group and what religious persuasion they originated from, how their views changed over time and where they are at present. Only Jehovah knows all that. And what good would all that info be to anyone anyway? The real information we need is free anyway...
 
"Buy truth and never sell it."
 
(Proverbs 23:23)
 
"...let anyone who wishes take life’s water free..."
 
(Revelation 22:17)
 
"You received free, give free."
 
(Matthew 10:7)
 
 
 

My comment is linked to a link that someone else posted as authoritative. So, the "mistake" is with the other participant in the discussion.

Maybe it's similar to people who use puppets to communicate, or who type stuff into Chat GPT to get a scripted response...when "Gonzo" speaks, it's truth from "Gonzo's" point of view. When "Alexa" speaks, it's truth from "Alexa's" point of view. 😉
 
(I suppose only the puppet master and the programmer really know if they're "telling the truth" from their point of view or not. And Jehovah, of course, who knows All Things.☺️)
 
Matt doesn't seem like a puppet, but I don't really know, I've never met him. His words could be put to the "Window Test"...we could go to the library and read up on the topics mentioned in his chart, and do deeper research. (Or maybe we already have researched those topics before?)
 
"Does not the ear test out words
As the tongue tastes food?"
 
(Job 12:11)
 
 
"For the ear tests words
Just as the tongue tastes food."
 
(Job 34:3)
 
 
I agree with you. Some people do try too hard to make an inaccurate point. Here are a couple of examples...
 
https://escholarship.org/content/qt0jb324tq/qt0jb324tq_noSplash_2d90f6ae587973457d6cbe5e6241a24f.pdf
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aar5954

 
The anthropologists and archaeologists in the above two "studies" made up a lot of stuff that can't be verified. They use fancy words but it doesn't make it verifiable. 
 
Matt's chart is just organized based on what makes sense to him. But the groups he is talking about are real. He can organize them on a chart how he wants, it doesn't change the "truth" that those groups exist or existed.

The GB cannot understand the things of the Christ. That is why they keep lopping people off from the congregation. The GB does not understand the "sacred secret" which has been hidden from them because they are "worldly" in the sense Jesus warned about. The GB rules like the world in Satan's control, with hypocrisy, desire for prominence, competition, pride, self-glorification and desire for physical things. The GB is apostate. Jesus is coming to remove them from his "church". Hopefully they repent when they are cast out where the weeping and gnashing of their teeth will be.
 
"So when I came to you, brothers, I did not come with extravagant speech or wisdom declaring the sacred secret of God to you.  For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him executed on the stake. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling; and my speech and what I preached were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might be, not in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power. Now we speak wisdom among those who are mature, but not the wisdom of this system of things nor that of the rulers of this system of things, who are to come to nothing.  But we speak God’s wisdom in a sacred secret, the hidden wisdom, which God foreordained before the systems of things for our glory.  It is this wisdom that none of the rulers of this system of things came to know, for if they had known it, they would not have executed the glorious Lord.  But just as it is written: “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, nor have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.”  For it is to us God has revealed them through his spirit, for the spirit searches into all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So, too, no one has come to know the things of God except the spirit of God.  Now we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit that is from God, so that we might know the things that have been kindly given us by God.  These things we also speak, not with words taught by human wisdom, but with those taught by the spirit, as we explain spiritual matters with spiritual words. But a physical man does not accept the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot get to know them, because they are examined spiritually.  However, the spiritual man examines all things, but he himself is not examined by any man.  For “who has come to know the mind of Jehovah, so that he may instruct him?” But we do have the mind of Christ."
 
(1 Corinthians 2)
 
The GB are among those rulers in this system of things, just like the Pharisees were rulers among God's people. The GB is physical, that's why they don't understand Jehovah's purpose the right way.

Prehistorical theories are based largely on guesses by people who weren't there telling stories about things for which there is no written record by any witnesses (except for what Jehovah as a witness inspired to be written in the Bible).
 
Historical analyses such as this video have a basis in recorded history, documents with absolute dates on them, photographs, etc. Matt analyzed the documents and organized the religious traditions in a way that makes sense to him. Whether or not a person has a degree makes no difference in their ability to tell truth. He's telling the truth as he sees it. 
 
Matt didn't seem to be preaching to anybody about his personal religious persuasion, it seemed like he was just mentioning his personal beliefs in passing. 
 
The same information could be presented in other ways and still be the truth. Instead of making branches based on time of changed doctrine, the various groups could be organized by similar beliefs (example hellfire or Trinity or congregation hierarchy or shunning etc.) or by geographical growth or by socioeconomic factors or something else.
 
The chart helps to identify some interesting parallels between the  modern-day organization of Jehovah's Witnesses and the ancient nation of Israel. The Bible says Israel was the smallest of nations when Jehovah chose to deliver them from Egypt and give them a place, making them a people for His name. Jehovah's Witnesses are tiny compared to many other religions. Additionally, the Israelites were supposed to represent Jehovah, but they ended up doing things worse than the peoples whose land they dispossessed. Today, Jehovah's Witnesses as an organization claim to represent the God of the Bible whose name is identified by the tetragrammaton, and they claim to obey the law of the Christ sent by Jehovah, yet the degree of disobedience to that law is appalling. Organization wide, traditions of men supersede adherence to the Word of God.
 
Just as Jehovah disciplined His ancient Name People when they refused to turn around from reproaching His Holy Name, so it will be the same again today. The Bible shows all religious institutions will be given attention by the nations per God's command, but specifically the one that claims to represent God using His Name will be given extra disciplinary attention for the sake of cleansing God's Name of reproach.
 
"Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him, and the one who was put in charge of much will have more than usual demanded of him."
 
(Luke 12:48)
 
 

(By the way, greetings and warm Christian affection 🥰 to you, my brother @Srecko Sostar, I think this is the first time we've had the pleasure of conversing on a thread in this forum...)

The "diseases brought on the Egyptians" refers to the plagues on Egypt during the test between Jehovah and the Egyptian pantheon. The Egyptians were plagued when Jehovah was showing those false gods were useless. Jehovah was a refuge from the plagues for anyone who chose to take shelter in Him. Jehovah rescued those people from horrid slavery conditions. Some of the Hebrews who came out of Egypt foolishly continued to worship idols even while they were in the wilderness. That's why they kept getting plagued. They had made a covenant with Jehovah to throw away those false gods, but some of them broke their covenant and continued to do false worship all those years, and even when they got to the promised land some of them disobeyed Jehovah and did child sacrifice. Jehovah hates false worship for a good reason. 
 
Jehovah is the source of life. That's how we're designed - to live we have to stay connected to Him. To disconnect from Him leads to decay, physically and spiritually. Jehovah can undo the decay, but we have to connect to Him through Jesus. It's not complicated.
 
 
I like how he explained it...the Bible is a cohesive unit. Sometimes people misunderstand one verse or one situation in the Bible, but rather than turn everything upside down, just think about Jehovah's personality and realize either there is more information needed on a verse or somebody took it out of context. "Keep on asking, and you will receive." God is Love, and that simple truth helps us wait for more information when there is a verse that seems difficult to understand at first.
 
 
"They would each bring a gift—articles of silver, articles of gold, garments, armor, balsam oil, horses, and mules—"
 
(2 Chronicles 9:24)
 
Mules were highly valued in Bible times.
 
"The Bible mentions mules many times. Even kings rode on them and people gave them as gifts to Solomon. They are about the size of an average horse, but have larger heads, much longer ears, tufted tails and smaller hooves. They are more surefooted and work more slowly than horses. In fact, they are very stubborn and can't be hurried.
Mules are common throughout the world, especially in Asia and parts of Europe, starting with light work when they are three years old and handling heavier burdens two years later. They make excellent pack animals over mountain trails. Thousands were used by the United States Army before modern machinery was developed." (from https://bibletruthpublishers.com/is-it-a-mule-or-ass-or-a-donkey/sidney-r-gill/wonders-of-gods-creation-volume-3/s-r-gill/print-friendly/lxpf-la-90578)
 
Mules and donkeys are not the same. Both have their place for the appointed time. When it comes to bearing heavy loads, climbing treacherous terrain, and stubbornly clinging to the right way, a lowly mule might just be the beast of burden of choice for the job.
 

And of course, “You can drive a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”
Unlike people looking into the barrel of a shotgun.
…. and of course, there are others.
1. "You can give a man a fishing rod, but you can't make him bait a hook with a jelly donut."
2. "You can put a cat in a tuxedo, but you can't make it do the Charleston."
3. "You can give a teenager a book, but you can't make them turn off TikTok and read it."
4. "You can teach a parrot to swear, but you can't make it say 'I love you' to your mother-in-law."
5. "You can give a squirrel a piano, but you can't make it play anything other than 'Chopsticks'."

Elephant tusk
 

 
Elephant skin
 

 
Elephant hair
 

 
Elephant mama
 
(It's just the perspective.)
 
 
Amen! ☺️ What seems to be unusual and unpredictable may actually be something familiar and constant, when viewed in context with the right diopter.
 
Jehovah was dealing with a stubborn, physical-minded people. They lived around people who sacrificed children and had multiple immoral relations and slaves. Jehovah permitted them to have animal sacrifices for awhile, but that changed when Jesus came. Jehovah permitted them to have slaves with regulations, but that began to change when Jesus came. Jehovah permitted them to have multiple wives, but that changed when Jesus came.
 
The people were warlike. (Think of what Simeon and Levi did in Shechem.) They lived among nations who were bloodthirsty. Jehovah regulated their warfare so it wouldn't be worse, but that changed when Jesus came. 
 
Jehovah hasn't changed. Jehovah is reasonable, and He knows how stubborn people are. He doesn't expect more than they can give. He is patient. He has been so patient.
 
The Bible record of the Old Testament records many things that people did. Just because Jehovah had it recorded doesn't mean He approved of some of the things the people did. Just because He regulated it doesn't mean it was the ideal way He wanted things to be. 
 
Some things that appear "harsh" at first glance are better understood with more details. 🙂
 
Jesus said if we don't understand at first, to keep asking for details, and we will get them.
 
 
I have heard people say that too. Why do you think some people say "that Jewish God is unusual and unpredictable"? What specific situations in the Old Testament do you think most people misunderstand, @Srecko Sostar ?

Not all blind ones have come close to "the elephant in the room", but some of them have. Sometimes it's just a slightly different perspective of the same thing.
 
At the end of the day, when the blindfolds are removed, they'll all see "the elephant in the room" for what it really is.
 

 
"Who is blind except my servant, 
So deaf as the messenger I send?  
Who is so blind as the one rewarded, 
So blind as the servant of Jehovah?"
 
(Isaiah 42:19)
 
"And he took the blind man by the hand...he laid his hands on him and asked him: “Do you see anything?”  The man looked up and said: “I see people, but they look like trees walking about.”  Again he laid his hands on the man’s eyes, and the man saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he could see everything distinctly."
 
(Mark 8:23-25)
 
"Jehovah will go out like a mighty man. 
He will awaken his zeal like a warrior. 
He will shout, yes, he will let out a war cry; 
He will show himself mightier than his enemies.  
“I have kept quiet for a long time. 
I remained silent and restrained myself. 
Like a woman giving birth, I will groan, pant, and gasp all at once.  
I will devastate mountains and hills 
And dry up all their vegetation.  
I will turn rivers into islands 
And dry up reedy pools of water.  
I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know 
And cause them to tread on unfamiliar paths.  
I will turn the darkness before them into light 
And turn the rugged terrain into level land.  
This is what I will do for them, and I will not abandon them.”"
 
(Isaiah 32:13-16)
 

What was she reinstated as?
Did you stop viewing her as your sister for awhile and then you changed your mind?
Why did you abandon her when she needed you most, if she was potentially spiritually weak or sick?
Didn't Jesus tell an illustration about taking care of a beat up unconscious person?
If you considered her to be spiritually unconscious, how could you just abandon her and leave her for dead?
What do you mean by "status"?
Did Jehovah have the spirit come down in bodily form like a dove so that you could be aware of His approval of her or the lack thereof?
How do you measure genuine repentance if you can't read the heart?
Where does it say anywhere in the Bible the process utilized by the congregation at present for these "reinstatement" rituals?
If you can't literally see "the Devil take her over" as you say, why would you conclude such a thing?
And if that did happen, how could you leave her with him and expect counseling to help?
How did you measure that one, that she "left Jehovah's hands"?
How do you know she ever "left Jehovah's hands" if you can't see Jehovah?
If she had been visiting with you for a period of time, as you make it sound, why didn't you forgive her the very first day she came to you, since Jesus said "if you brother comes to you even 77 times a day and repents you must forgive him..."?
Why would you make her suffer by treating her as an outcast in God's house just because of some dumb rules from headquarters that are opposed to Jehovah's holy spirit and Christ's commands?
 
(Just wondering.🥹 From my point of view, that whole "reinstatement ritual" seems pretty "worldly"/satanic. Not really what Christ would do at all. I know you're just following orders from the GB. Please, @boyle, I do hope you will reconsider that someday. I just know Jesus has so much more good work for you to do in the future, and even now, to comfort people like the Christ did, if only that GB rhetoric wasn't getting in the way of showing love.)💖

Hi, @boyle. Was this is the Watchtower article you were talking about? It's from April 2016, "Maintain Your Neutrality in a Divided World" - it's reviewed again in the midweek meeting this week.
 
Here's the thing, the scriptures cited in the article don't support the points that are made in the article. Below are some of the scriptures cited in the paragraphs that are about "neutrality". I also will attach screenshots from the article, but I can't see how these specific scriptures are supporting the statements of the writer of that article...(by the way, this Watchtower is the one also that said Jehovah's Witnesses don't vote...)
 
Matthew 22:21 "They said: “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them: “Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.”"
 
Jesus was talking about paying taxes. He wasn't talking about neutrality. In fact, paying taxes isn't really neutral if you think about it, because it funds the military and abortion clinics in some places and political leaders. Paying taxes is one of the least neutral things you can do. And yet Jesus said to do it.
 
Isaiah 2:4 "He will render judgment among the nations And set matters straight respecting many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, Nor will they learn war anymore."
 
This verse is about not taking part in war. It doesn't talk about politics or social issues or voting.
 
John 6:15 "Then Jesus, knowing that they were about to come and seize him to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain all alone."
 
This verse doesn't say that Jesus wasn't interested in social issues. Jesus obviously was very interested in social issues. He fed the hungry. He comforted the depressed. He ministered to the sick and downtrodden. He raised money for the poor. He taught about fair treatment for women and those people who others were prejudiced against.
 
When Jesus left the scene in that verse, it wasn't because he didn't care about social issues. It just wasn't his Father's time for Jesus to be king yet. It wasn't about neutrality. It was about timing.
 
John 17:16 "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world."
 
The entire chapter of John 17 is about life and truth and joy and being united in love with Jehovah. There is nothing there about politics or neutrality. It's all about love. "No part of the world" means not acting like Satan, the ruler of the world. It means not being attached to his way of doing things, which is the way of hate and pride and competition and selfishness. It doesn't mean "don't support a soup kitchen" or "don't donate to save the whales" or "don't vote for a local representative for city hall." 
 
1 Peter 2:17 "Honor men of all sorts, have love for the whole association of brothers, be in fear of God, honor the king."
 
This verse doesn't talk about neutrality either, but it is cited right after a sentence in the article that talks about it again.
 
Ephesians 2:2 "in which you at one time walked according to the system of things of this world, according to the ruler of the authority of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience."
 
The verse here is used in the article to condemn protesters. When Jehovah's Witnesses did information marches like "Religion is a Snare and a Racket", were those like a form of protest against false religion? When Jehovah's Witnesses wrote letters to Putin, wasn't that a form of activist campaigning? Being active in protesting a situation does not necessitate that that expression is a "disobedient" one from God's point of view. When we protest that our brothers are arrested in Russia for keeping their integrity and manifest that protest by means of an appeal to the government authorities, that is not "the spirit of disobedience" yet it is a form of protest. So is the organization also not being neutral when they preach or appeal for the arrested brothers? 
 
John 16:33 "I have said these things to you so that by means of me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world.”
 
Conquering the world means conquering hatred. It is not about "neutrality" in social issues.
 
(There are other issues mixed in with "neutrality" in the article the way it is written. Idol worship is bad, yes. Pledging allegiance to a flag is a form of idol worship, yes. Murder is bad, truly. Jesus told us not to pick up the sword. We have specific commands that tell us not to kill and not to do false worship. But what does that have to do with the neutrality issue as applied in the article, which does not have any scriptural grounds as the article is written? Personally, I have no desire to either vote or to get involved in political issues, but I don't like it when the scriptures are misapplied and twisted to make it look like they're saying something that they're not really saying.
The video that goes along with the article is even more ridiculous. After reading the Watchtower article, the poor lady feels guilty for watching the news. Another one feels bad because she cares about people. And the young guy feels bad for liking soccer games. The real thing they should feel bad about is worshipping the governing body and obeying men ahead of obeying God, since that's false worship of idols and disobedience to Jehovah.)

Not all blind ones have come close to "the elephant in the room", but some of them have. Sometimes it's just a slightly different perspective of the same thing.
 
At the end of the day, when the blindfolds are removed, they'll all see "the elephant in the room" for what it really is.
 

 
"Who is blind except my servant, 
So deaf as the messenger I send?  
Who is so blind as the one rewarded, 
So blind as the servant of Jehovah?"
 
(Isaiah 42:19)
 
"And he took the blind man by the hand...he laid his hands on him and asked him: “Do you see anything?”  The man looked up and said: “I see people, but they look like trees walking about.”  Again he laid his hands on the man’s eyes, and the man saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he could see everything distinctly."
 
(Mark 8:23-25)
 
"Jehovah will go out like a mighty man. 
He will awaken his zeal like a warrior. 
He will shout, yes, he will let out a war cry; 
He will show himself mightier than his enemies.  
“I have kept quiet for a long time. 
I remained silent and restrained myself. 
Like a woman giving birth, I will groan, pant, and gasp all at once.  
I will devastate mountains and hills 
And dry up all their vegetation.  
I will turn rivers into islands 
And dry up reedy pools of water.  
I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know 
And cause them to tread on unfamiliar paths.  
I will turn the darkness before them into light 
And turn the rugged terrain into level land.  
This is what I will do for them, and I will not abandon them.”"
 
(Isaiah 32:13-16)
 

Jesus has his work cut out for him when he gets here! 🙂 There are a lot of "false truths" and more "roots of false religion" all over the place in the organization! Just like there are truths to be found outside the organization. Lots of cleaning and gathering for Jesus to do. Thank God he's qualified.☺️

We won't need a Rainbow Bridge, because He'll just bring them back here.🙂 It says so in the scriptures.
 
"...truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard grain, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."
 
(Matthew 17:20)
 
"...the poor man had nothing but one small female lamb, which he had bought. He cared for it, and it grew up together with him and his sons. It would eat from the little food he had and drink from his cup and sleep in his arms. It became as a daughter to him."
 
(2 Samuel 12:3)
 
"Find exquisite delight in Jehovah, And he will grant you the desires of your heart."
 
(Psalm 37:4)
 
"Jehovah then said to Moses: “Is the hand of Jehovah too short?""
 
(Numbers 11:23)
 
Of course Jehovah will bring back peoples' favorite pets!
 
(What kind of a dad wouldn't?)
 
Jehovah is the Best Dad💖. Of course He'll bring them back. He didn't have everything written down in the Bible because it's already a big enough book. There is enough information there about His personality to let us know that of course He will bring back favorite pets for His children. (Jesus said we would understand it if we read it with the heart of a kid.)
 
If scientists can clone critters, how much more so Jehovah can bring back the originals. If Jehovah can resurrect Jesus into a spirit creature, how much more so He can resurrect your little kitty cat or doggy. Don't you think Jesus would? Of course he would. Can you imagine Jesus saying "no"? He'll be there in the Paradise. He's not going to say "no". He's going to give every good desire of your heart. You know Jehovah. He is the One who does "more than superabundantly beyond all you can ask or conceive."
 
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, And your ways are not my ways,” declares Jehovah.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So my ways are higher than your ways And my thoughts than your thoughts."
 
(Isaiah 55:8,9)
 
It's a total no-brainer. God is Love. If the little kid in your heart wants your puppy back, it's already as good as done. Jehovah will do it. He Causes To Become. Praise Jehovah.💖

💖

Written Hebrew looks so lovely, doesn't it, almost like musical notes on a page! The essence of the message is even more lovely.🥰
 
 
Didn't Paul say "learn from watching me" or was that Gideon? Yeah, I think what Paul said was more "become imitators of me." 
 
(I've seen the comic strips...Somebody's been in the dungeon spreading joy and laughter and singing a lot longer than I have...)
 
 
🙂🌷

Jesus has his work cut out for him when he gets here! 🙂 There are a lot of "false truths" and more "roots of false religion" all over the place in the organization! Just like there are truths to be found outside the organization. Lots of cleaning and gathering for Jesus to do. Thank God he's qualified.☺️

This Youtuber has Phd in Theological Studies and offers his personal opinions throughout.
I thought it interesting to see how others view us....

Dilbert rises from his on set director’s chair and hands scripts to both boyle, and Audrey with a scowl. If they can pull this off they will BOTH get Acadamy Awards ….
Paul: (Sighs) Well, SpongeBob, here we are, chained to this wall in a Roman dungeon. I never thought my missionary journeys would lead to this.
SpongeBob: (Cheerfully) Oh, don't worry, Paul! We'll find a way out of this, I'm sure of it! Plus, being chained to a wall isn't so bad. It's like a really extreme game of "Musical Chairs"!
Paul: (Chuckles) I suppose you have a point, SpongeBob. You always see the bright side of things, even in the darkest situations. But how did you end up here, anyway?
SpongeBob: (Pauses) Well, you know how I love jellyfishing, right? I accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up in the Roman Colosseum. I thought it was a new jellyfish convention! Next thing I knew, I was captured and brought here.
Paul: (Laughs) Oh, SpongeBob, you never cease to amaze me. Your enthusiasm is truly infectious, even in the face of danger. So, tell me, what brings you to Rome?
SpongeBob: (Excitedly) Oh, I was on a mission to spread joy and laughter! I heard there were some gloomy Romans who needed a pick-me-up, and who better to bring smiles than SpongeBob SquarePants?
Paul: (Smiling) Well, SpongeBob, I believe you've certainly achieved your goal. I'm surrounded by darkness, but your positive energy radiates through it all. It's like having a little piece of Bikini Bottom, your underwater home, here in this dungeon.
Paul: (Thoughtful) Absolutely, SpongeBob! Laughter and forgiveness are universal languages that can break down walls, both figuratively and literally. Together, we can show them a different way, even from this dimly lit cell.
SpongeBob: (Nods) We'll be a dynamic duo, Paul! The Apostle of Joy and the Porous Proclaimer!
 

There were apostates from true Christianity in the first century and there are apostates from true Christianity today. Such ones have become "part of the world" by means of attempting to mix false teachings with the truth.
 
@redHarmonioussparrow...as regards the article you linked...
 
Those Christians of old were among the apostates John warned about because they were teaching false doctrines.
 
Here are some quotes from the article you linked regarding these men...
 
Regarding Ignatius: "Ignatius himself was still claiming revelation, insisting that the Spirit was whispering to him concerning the problems within the Church." (from the above article)
 
God's Word said such "revelations" would cease. The "voices" Ignatius was hearing were not holy. 
 
"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light. It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works."
 
(2 Corinthians 11:13,14)
 
"I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from the One who called you with Christ’s undeserved kindness to another sort of good news. Not that there is another good news; but there are certain ones who are causing you trouble and wanting to distort the good news about the Christ. However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, I now say again, Whoever is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted, let him be accursed."
 
(Galatians 1:6-9)
 
Regarding Polycarp: "...perhaps even ordained Polycarp, who led the church in Smyrna for over forty years and was considered an important link in the early apostolic tradition." (from the above article)
 
The faithful apostles followed Jesus' example of organizing the preaching work and helping the disciples gather together. The faithful apostles also had gifts of the spirit and were able to do some miraculous works. The Bible shows such gifts would end with the apostles.
 
"Love never fails. But if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with."
 
(1 Corinthians 13:8)
 
The word "ordained" was not part of the way Jesus or the faithful apostles did things. The words "ordained" and "apostolic tradition" are throwbacks to the Pharisaical way of doing things that Jesus came to do away with. "Pharisaical tradition" would be a more accurate way of describing what Polycarp encouraged.
 
The apostles had learned from Jesus how to act like older brothers, showing love for others in the congregation. Asking certain mature brothers to take the lead in teaching in the congregation is not the same as making a clergy class that is exalted over others with special titles. The words "overseer" and "minister" that are sometimes translated "deacon" and "bishop" and other such things were not originally "titles", just like the word "elder" wasn't a title, it was a role like in the family.
 
Regarding Clement: "...ordained by the Apostles to a position of authority in the Roman church..." (from the above article)
 
Again, the business of "ordaining" and "position of authority" is opposed to what the Christ said...
 
"But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your Teacher, and all of you are brothers. Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One.  Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ."
 
(Matthew 23:8-10)
 
"But he said to them: “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those having authority over them are called Benefactors.  You, though, are not to be that way. But let the one who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the one taking the lead as the one ministering."
 
(Luke 22:25-26)
 
Regarding The Shepherd of Hermas: "One final writing that will be noted here is the Shepherd of Hermas. This was an important text to the Christian community in Rome in the late first or early second century. Authorship is still debated, but there is an interesting possibility that it was written by the Hermas of the Roman church mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:4.[18] It is perhaps one of the greatest witnesses to the state of the church during this period. It attests to the continuation of visions, prophecy, and direct revelation in the early church and also adds to the current discussion of internal crises." (from the above article)
 
The Shepherd of Hermas" is a clearly apostate book that gives evidence certain Christians of the day were embracing the teachings of demons and teaching such things in the Christian congregation.
 
It is the same today. Many who claim to be among God's name people embrace apostate teachings and traditions. The misapplication of Daniel chapter 4 to get to "1914" is based on numerology. The exaltation of the "Faithful and Discreet slave" and "appointed elders" is based on Pharisaical traditions and worship of men ahead of God. To embrace such teachings is to embrace apostasy from God's Word and is being part of the world.

Here is an example from the "Examining Scriptures Daily" publication of misapplication of scripture woven in with a few truths as regards the word "neutral"...
 
"Sunday, May 21  Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them . . . , teaching them.—Matt. 28:19, 20.   
 
Many today are stumbled because of our neutral stand with regard to politics. They expect us to vote in elections. However, we realize that from Jehovah’s standpoint, if we choose a human leader to rule over us, we are rejecting Him. (1 Sam. 8:4-7) People may also feel that we should build schools and hospitals as well as perform other charitable works. They are stumbled because we focus our efforts on the preaching work, not on solving the world’s immediate problems. How can we avoid being stumbled? (Matt. 7:21-23) Our main focus should be on doing the work that Jesus commanded us to do. Never should we become distracted by the political and social issues of this world. We love people and care about their problems, but we know that the best way to assist our neighbors is by teaching them about God’s Kingdom and by helping them to develop a friendship with Jehovah. w21.05 7 ¶19-20." (Examining the Scriptures Daily)
 
It is true that Jesus said to preach. (Matthew 28:19,20)
 
However, the verses at 1 Samuel 8:4-7 were about the nation of Israel, who had Jehovah as their king. Today, we live under the authority of human governments, and Jesus told us to obey those authorities to the degree they don't ask us to do something against Jehovah. The Kingdom is not in place yet, so we do live under human rulers at present. Even Jesus acknowledged the authority of human kings when he was on earth. Did that mean Jesus was rejecting Jehovah's rulership? Never may that happen!
 
The verse at Matthew 7:21-23 is not talking about "being stumbled", it's actually talking about hypocritical worship.
 
Here are some real life examples of hypocritical worship from the congregation...A sister who was a victim of domestic abuse by her mate asked for help from her friends in the congregation. They said, "I have to be neutral," and told her they didn't want to hear about it. In a different situation a sister tried to ask an elder for help with an abuse situation and he said something to the effect, "I have to be neutral. There are two elders already assigned to handle it. They are by the book theocratic. I don't want to know about your situation." In both cases, the abusers were not dealt with judicially in any way for their actions. The victim was shunned instead.
 
(I guess the congregation members were applying the manmade human doctrines in this text: "Never should we be distracted by the social issues of this world..." ???)
 
Helping your mother/sister/brother/father/neighbor must be a social issue according to the GB??? (Jesus said to help the beat up person on the road.)
 
Here is something else Jesus said:
 
"“Isaiah aptly prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from me.  It is in vain that they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines.’  You let go of the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men.” Further, he said to them: “You skillfully disregard the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.  For example, Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Let the one who speaks abusively of his father or mother be put to death.’  But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother: “Whatever I have that could benefit you is corban (that is, a gift dedicated to God),”’  you no longer let him do a single thing for his father or his mother.  Thus you make the word of God invalid by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like this.”"
 
(Mark 7:6-13)
 
(Maybe the GB thinks being "Neutral" = "Corban" ? I don't really understand how to calculate Pharisee math...probably because it doesn't add up...)
 
What the GB teaches in the congregations is how to be part of the world. Their doctrines and policies disregard the command of the Christ, which is to Love. When the flock follows those false teachings, idolizing the GB and putting their words ahead of Jehovah's words, they are grieving Jehovah's holy spirit.
 
"Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

Regarding "apostasy" and Jehovah's witnesses...
 
The organization bearing Jehovah's Name currently teaches that Jesus began his rule invisibly in 1914, and that some anointed ones were resurrected to heaven around that time and since then. Here is what the Bible says about that teaching:
 
"However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you  not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here. Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction."
 
How can we identify the "man of lawlessness"?
 
"He stands in opposition and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god."
 
Putting doctrines of men ahead of doctrines of God is "publicly showing to be a god."
 
"Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is acting as a restraint, so that he will be revealed in his own due time. True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who is right now acting as a restraint is out of the way. Then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence."
 
The angels have been holding back the winds of destruction, the nations, from attacking all of false religion, including those in God's Name People who are worshipping hypocritically. The angels will soon stop holding back those figurative "winds of destruction" (which are described in Revelation like the four angels tied at the river Euphrates. Just as the Euphrates protected ancient Babylon but was dried up, so the nations protecting religious freedoms will no longer protect religion.)
 
"But the lawless one’s presence is by the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders  and every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth in order that they might be saved."
 
The appearance of false prophecy coming true, like 1914 having a war happen and numbers being published to "prove God's direction", have led to unrighteous deception for those among Jehovah's witnesses who are still adhering to remnants of false worship (such as idolization of men or clinging to antichrist teaching such as the disfellowshipping doctrine as currently practiced.)
 
"That is why God lets a deceptive influence mislead them so that they may come to believe the lie,  in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness. However, we are obligated always to thank God for you, brothers loved by Jehovah, because from the beginning God selected you for salvation by sanctifying you with his spirit and by your faith in the truth.  He called you to this through the good news we declare, so that you may acquire the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  So, then, brothers, stand firm and maintain your hold on the traditions that you were taught, whether it was by a spoken message or by a letter from us.  Moreover, may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave everlasting comfort and good hope by means of undeserved kindness,  comfort your hearts and make you firm in every good deed and word."
 
There are true worshippers on earth, some in the organization bearing God's name, and some outside of it. At the appointed time, Christ will gather them all together. Praise Jehovah.
 
(2 Thessalonians 2)