Pilchard replies:
I never use the NWT because I want to discus doctrine rather then get bogged down in "my bible is better than your bible" sidetracks.
There is no requirement to use the NWT to debate JW beliefs. Remember JW beliefs were developed a LONG time before they produced the NWT.
fine - forgive me for pushing you for a NWT defense on John 1:18 - it's not often we get a coherent JW apologist around these parts - please feel welcome and stick around - although I still find it difficult to reconcile why you so assiduously avoid their translation masterpiece :-)
Are you a current JW or an interested 3rd party or what? I'm a disfellowshipped apostate - hope we can still be friends :-)
WRT the timeline of JW beliefs I think we are all agreed that firstly there is a clear lineage to their so called unique beliefs starting with John Aquila Brown in 1823 and secondly their claim to divine choice in 1919 is belied by the complete absence of any unique teachings from that period that they still hold to be true today. So the concept of 'JW beliefs' is compromised.
I do not find it irrelevant to JW theology on the nature of gGod to find some support for an apparent inconsistent rendering of 'theos' in John 1:18 in their own translation.