What's with my Mom and the NWT?

by Ingenuous 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Ingenuous

  Once in a while, I would go through my Reasoning book and feel a little weird knowing there was an entire section devoted to the NWT. It looks so strange now to see the answers it gives JWs to present to questions from householders about this version. They duck the "Who are the translators?" question with an answer that boils down to "None of your business." When they "address" the issue of differing wording of certain verses, they point the reader to the footnotes in the Reference edition of the NWT for answers!

  The only times I heard other translations read at the meetings was when a translation seemed to drive home the speaker's point - never to compare the wording and context in an effort to get at the meaning independent of publications or an outlined talk.

  I suppose it should have set off alarm bells that JWs not only aren't allowed to read theological info from outside sources, but they are discouraged from reading any other translation of the Bible as well.

  And how is it that the F&DS is so "spiritually strong" that they can read absolutely any publications they want (they have to if they're going to be able to comment on them in the mags), but the r&f can't even touch a tract handed to them by a householder out in door-to-door?
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  Sam the Man

  I was still under the impression that the NWT was the best Bible to use even after coming to the conclusion that the WT is not the Faithful Slave. I wouldn't touch anything else. Im ok now though...I see every Bible is being full of shit.
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  kool aid man

  While we were still attending meetings, we would often bring different versions of the Bible and read from them, especially when a reference was made in the Watchtower or study book from other versions. We would often raise our hands to answer and preface a comment with "may I read from the--NIV-KJV-NASB-etc.". Although we were allowed to read from other Bibles, we could here the gasps and sighs as we read other than from the NWT. As the 'borganization' often also quotes from the book of Maccabees, I once made a comment at the book study that it's interesting that it is only found in certain translations, perticularly the Catholic Bibles. Needless to say, My comment did not go over well with the book study conductor. Tell your Mom to also read the footnotes in the 1884 (interesting year) reference NWT. There are a lot of clues in them.
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  Forscher

  I had and consulted other translations and versions of the Bible while I was a JW. Where I got questioned was when I started studying Greek and Hebrew. What I heard more than once was that since we had the most accurate translation out there, how could I possibly want to study the languages? My reason? EVERYbody slants their translations to their point of view. So I want it from the horse's mouth. The only way to do that is to learn the languages and read it from the original as far as is possible. I got looks like I had three heads at that one!
  
  Forscher
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  Hellrider

  Ingenious:

  Once in a while, I would go through my Reasoning book and feel a little weird knowing there was an entire section devoted to the NWT. It looks so strange now to see the answers it gives JWs to present to questions from householders about this version. They duck the "Who are the translators?" question with an answer that boils down to "None of your business

  Ha ha, no wonder. The details of the NWT - comittee has leaked out on the internet, but the reason why they won`t answer that question, is because it`s an embarassement. Of the 6 members on the NWT - comittee (all GB - members), only two had any knowledge (at all) about greek and hebrew. George Gangas spoke (modern) greek, but knew nothing about classical greek, koine - greek or hebrew. Fred Franz claimed to be selftaught in both hebrew and greek. He had attended some greek studies while in college, but had in all only around 20 hours of class attendance in the greek - class, over two semesters (or was it one, can`t remember). He never took any exam. He claimed to have since then studied the languages thoroughly, but in a court of law, in connection with a court case he had to testify in, he was asked to translate a verse from the OT into hebrew. He was unable to do so. It was an embarassing deja-vu from when Charles T- Russel was asked to do the same thing (with greek), also in a court of law, and was unable to do so. If I were the WTS, I would just dig a hole in the ground and hide there, it`s so embarassing. But hey, they are gods chosen ones, why should they have to know greek or hebrew. Or even tell the truth, ha ha. It`s called "theocratic warfare"...
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  garybuss

  Back in the 90's I read a copy of the NIV and I liked it, so I bought a Leather bound copy for my wife's father and had his name embossed on the cover in gold leaf. When I gave it to him he got pissed off at me. He said "they" took Jehovah's name out of the Bible.
  Last year I made him a cedar Adirondack deck chair. That went over a little better than the Bible.
  I've found a person who has contempt for me rather hard to shop for.
  
  
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  Momofmany

  What is up with my Mom? I gather it has to do with JWs being sold on the idea that the NWT is the most accurate, God-honoring translation on the face of the earth, but why the big upset over using other versions for study?

  Because only they have the true version of the bible. Every other version is wrong. If you use another bible, you may see things that you should not. (ok, you should, but they feel as if you should not)
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  Virgogirl

  They assume the rank and file are rather simple minded. The NWT is condescendingly presented as "in plain English and easy to understand." That's also the selling point to new studies.Why try to wade through all those other Bibles, with archaic English, like the King James version, when the faithful and Discreet Slave has lovingly provided us a simplified version in today's modern English? Seems like almost everybody finds this a reasonable argument and looks no further. Allegations about adding to, removing, or slanting the meaning are written off as lies, all lies!
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  SWALKER

  Where is Blondie when we need her? I'm sure she would have lots of info to post here. The borg is ALWAYS quoting and referencing from other translations as long as it better explains their positions! I'm sure most of the other translations can be found in the Bethel library as they are constantly being used comparison. If my memory serves me correctly at one time we were even encouraged to look at other translations, but were warned to stay away from the para-phrased ones. My mother always carried her KJV in the field ministry along with her NWT, for years!!! I tried not to carry a heavy load so I couldn't see doing that!!!

  Swalker
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  Terry

  
  Think of it this way....

  Without opinions between people which end up as differences (leading to arguments) there would be no need to CONSULT a written document that purports to "settle" an issue of opinion.

  ALL, that's right, ALL religious writings stem from different opinions, arguments and efforts to PROVE oneself right by pointing to a final source authority.

  Even a Dictionary is a snapshot in time, a freezframe, if you will of the prevalent OPINION as to proper use of words in a given language.

  The Bible is quite a case study.

  Look at the Bible from the point of view of the Jewish religion. Any Rabbi will tell you: "All translations are lies." This means, to them, when you leave the language the scripture was written in you leave the "actual" text and depart into opinion and human judgement.

  The Jews stopped speaking Hebrew and Aramaic generally just before the time of Jesus. There was panic in the priesthood! A great effort was made to bring back the source authority so that the overlords of religion (Priesthood) could continue to wield the orthodoxy and the power to persuade and PROVE their authority.

  The SEPTUIGENT was a transition from the Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek. It was a scholarly OPINION, you might say.

  The followers of Jesus probably didn't actually write anything down at all!

  Word of mouth, storytelling, exaggerations, popular mythos, imagination and finally arguments and differences of opinion CAUSED the need for these stories about Jesus and his ministry to be written down. A source authority was needed to settle differences of opinion.

  When the CHURCH (Catholic and Roman) needed to bring factions of Christians together to empower themselves for orthodoxy it was impossible because too many competing ideas, opinions and theories were floating around!

  That is when the OFFICIAL bible canon was undertaken. Even that was OPINION.

  From that point in time that official and authorized texts have changed over and over and over again AS NEEDED.

  The Watchtower Society is not the first and not the last religious group who wants things THEIR OWN WAY. It is much easier to have things your own way when every word and every phrase and sentence conform to your point of view.

  THE NEW WORLD TRANSLATION is just another of man's opinions about something nobody will ever really know (and cannot know) about things which are fanciful in the first place.

  As a practical matter, no man's opinion about your life is as important as your own. Even if that opinion is represented to be from a deity it is just an opinion that it is from a deity.

  T.