Question for elders/former elders - or anyone else who knows

tec

This has been brought up here, so I want to see if I understand right. As elders, did you read and study the bible thoroughly, or just the stuff that corresponds with the WT books and magazines?

Just curious.

thanks,

Tammy

james_woods

I only knew a handful of elders who actually knew anything about the bible itself.

All of them eventually left the witnesses.

"GOOD" elders do not have time for any authentic bible study.

Thats a good question. Being a born-in, all I ever studied and used for research were WT publications. It wasn't until the past couple years when my instincts started going haywire that something was very wrong in this organization, that I stepped outside of WT related material. I love reading, and learning, so I've always shopped at Barnes N Noble and more recently Borders. I always avoided the Religious aisles like you could get HIV from touching any of that material. Since waking up, the past couple of years I've purchased several books dealing on Christian history, early beliefs, philosophy, and even purchased God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens, which is an awesome book by the way. I haven't finished it yet due to time, but what I have read so far is amazing. I started exploring philosophy before waking up. I bought Nietzsche's complete works, and Epictetus, and most recently Marcus Aurelius. I really like Epictetus' thoughts, and have been trying to incorporate it in my life. It really helps too.

Reflecting on some things, I don't think I can say that I ever studied the Bible thoroughly, other than JW doctrines, or what was on the School/Service meeting schedule. I thought for a long time I was studying the Bible thoroughly, but really I was only studying JW doctrines thoroughly. Thats my situation, but I've known brothers and sisters throughout the years who read different Bibles and publications not JW related, although its not common. My COBOE is well learned. He uses different Bibles not JW related from the platform. The guy is like a walking, living , breathing WT CD Rom. Fascinating whats in his brain.

tec

Thanks James and Misery. I just find it unbelievable that an elder would not know the bible in entirety that they teach from - especially since during my study, the two women who conducted it were proud of their bible knowledge in comparison to the rest of "Christendom". I just took that to mean that they had studied it also.

So who IS reading and studying that bible that the magazine info comes from?

Tammy

darth frosty

I was an MS and I knew more about the bible than most elders. Where elderhood shines is in knowing how to toe the line between WT$ rules and their interpretations of the scriptures.

Just my .02.

CandleLight

Tammy,

Good question.

I have only observations here. My Father has been an elder for 30+years. His knowlege of the Bible was zero until he started studying with the JW in the early 70's. Basicly the WT and publications gave him any knowledge he has. There was not any other 'outside' information on our bookshelf. With the following exceptions. A king James version of the Bible. This was allowed only because it was occasionally referenced by the WT Society.

Also, yes the JW's can turn to any book of the Bible and quote alot of scriptures, backwards and forwards.. kinda a byproduct of three meetings a week for years and years... but would have a hard time telling you the meaning on a parable without looking up a WT article on it first.. kinda telling.

Peace to you

CL

Broken Promises

When Bethelites first enter Bethel they are supposed to read the entire Bible from cover to cover. So if they were an elder who had served in Bethel they may have read the Bible completely.

But it's interesting to think that it's not a requirement for the elders, eh?

ramtrucker

"Reading" the Bible and studying it are not necessarily one and the same.

OnTheWayOut

I did not spend time researching the Bible until I started questioning WTS.

I just kept up with the Theocratic Ministry School assigned reading and read WT materials on the weekly readings.

I know plenty of elders that think they did research the Bible by digging even deeper into WT materials.

Ding

In CoC, Ray Franz said when he joined the GB he expected the meetings would be centered on Bible study and prayer.

He found almost none of that.

Instead, the meetings centered on settling policy issues by searching previosly published Watchtower literature.s