I guess my basic goal here is to express to others and hopefully get more support in my efforts to tear down the two worst and most inaccurate books the society has published. Those being: Life: how did it get here? and The Bible - God's Word or Man's?
I guess I have turn atheistic since leaving, but its a great feeling, no more fear, no more superstition! I hope I can help others achieve this same state, not just former JW's but anyone stuck in a fundamentalist religion or cult.
“The Bible is unique in its popularity. It is an all-time best seller, available to 98 percent of the world's population in over 1800 languages. No other book comes close to its circulation figures.” Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1989. The Bible - God's Word or Man's?
Popularity does not indicate reliability. Indeed, the opposite is more likely. Other best-sellers, such as Spock's Baby and Child Care, Von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods, The Atkins Diet, and Linda Goodman's Sun Signs, range from seriously flawed to downright bogus. Longevity is a better indicator of quality. The Bible rates well in that category, but it is surpassed by several other works, such as the Iliad and Odyssey and the Hindu Vedas and Epics. And even then, the quality that matters is mostly in how the ideas are expressed, not in scientific accuracy.
To a significant degree, the Bible achieved its large circulation by conquest, not merit. Native cultures were subjugated or murdered by Christian missionaries, and their works were destroyed. Even today, many so-called Christians try to force the Bible on others through political dominance; for example, by trying to get it taught in science classes of public schools. They act as though the Bible cannot succeed on its own. This is a reason to reject the Bible, not approve of it.
“The Bible is unique in that it is the most influential book of all time.” - Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1989. The Bible - God's Word or Man's? , p. 8.
The Bible is not unique in being influential. Historian Michael H. Hart ranks Muhammad and Isaac Newton as being more influential than Jesus Christ, suggesting that the Qur'an and 's Principia are at least comparable in influence. Influence does not necessarily imply good qualities. Christianity achieved much of its influence by force of arms, including several cases of genocide. Part of the Bible's influence that made Christianity powerful was the fact that it allowed slavery and usury.
“The Bible is unique in the amount of persecution it has faced. No other book has been the target of such opposition and hatred, and survived because of the devotion it inspired.” - Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1989. The Bible - God's Word or Man's? , pp. 8-9.
Persecution is not a good sign. When people persecute something, they usually have a reason. When lots of people persecute something, they usually have a damn good reason. (And note that this claim contradicts the claim that the Bible is special because it is popular.) Surviving persecution is of no great significance, either, unless you are trying to signify force of arms. (Devotion in the face of persecution is common to all religions.) A greater indication that an idea is favored by God would be if that idea arose again spontaneously whenever it has been suppressed. By this standard, humanism is superior to any other religion. The Bible has inspired probably more persecution than it has received. Christianity has a bloody history of trying to spread its Word forcibly. Much of the persecution it has received is due to the conflict that it itself has engendered. The Qur'an has faced a great deal of persecution, too. Given time, it may well overtake the Bible in this regard.
“The Bible is unique in its intellectually honesty. Its characters have real personalities. It portrays flaws of its writers and details failures along with successes.” - Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1989. The Bible - God's Word or Man's? , pp. 65-66.
The Bible is far from unique in this regard. The Iliad and Odyssey depict the heroes as human, and even the gods have personalities and failures. The Mahabharata depicts failures of its heroes. In the African Mwindo Epic, a major part of the story is Mwindo's punishment after he achieved, and then overreached, his power (Biebuyck and Mateene 1971). Thor's weaknesses are the focus of part of The Prose Edda. Examples can be multiplied from all parts of the world. People prefer stories about real people, and real people are fallible, so that is what people write about. - Enjoy! Anyone else know of anyother arguments to refute the bible being inspired??