The Interview That Almost Wasn't

by PublishingCult 28 Replies latest jw friends

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  sizemik

  PC . . . I have just finished listening to your first broadcast from start to finish.

  Your guest and the discussion you had was exceptionally well developed.

  My wife and I along with one of my sons listened with great interest, looking up cited scriptures from several translations as the discussion unfolded. Especially poignant were the points raised from 1.20 onwards.

  You have taken me through a learning curve that I am still ascending and look forward to elaborating further.

  If this is an example of what you can achieve in this endeavour then all I can say is . . . do not abandon it.

  After following recent threads here on JWN . . . you have the skills and insight to benefit a great many young people. Young people with little in the way of resources to find their way, let alone the wider understanding and acceptance they desperately need.

  Sincere congratulations to you . . . don't give up!

  PS; The maturity and professionalism of your approach makes other religious broadcasters look decidedly "Tabloid"
• 

  sizemik

  Maze . . . not again

  So apostates are having another feud with their “brethren?” I'm not sure how homosexuality factors into the situation.

  Sorry to dissappoint . . . but there is no fued.

  And if you really want to see how homosexuality factors in to your fundamentalist ideals . . . check out whats happening in Uganda . . . that'll give you a real lift.

  In future, why don't you get off your lazy ass and check things out before you burden us with your idiotic posts
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  to throw everyone off the trail in order to discredit Six Screens . . .

  Yeah, like it needs some help being discredited.

  I am downloading now and will take a listen. Thanks.
• 

  PublishingCult

  PC . . . I have just finished listening to your first broadcast from start to finish. Your guest and the discussion you had was exceptionally well developed. My wife and I along with one of my sons listened with great interest, looking up cited scriptures from several translations as the discussion unfolded. Especially poignant were the points raised from 1.20 onwards. You have taken me through a learning curve that I am still ascending and look forward to elaborating further.

  The following is from the introduction or preamble of this web cast:

  ""There are certain beliefs about the Bible and Christianity we are not encouraged to question. And if you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, you don’t have the luxury of questioning WT doctrine. And these are often the beliefs upon which we are asked to make important life decisions. These are the areas where we should test, and scrutinize, and look for misinformation. And where those who presume authority to teach doctrine, that is, those taking the lead, the big names in those fields, should apply the same stringency, because often we’re making those life decisions based on the information we get from those people."

  It really makes a difference when a person follows along and reads these passages with an entirely different perspective and context. It also takes time, evaluation, and meditation to readjust your viewpoint on a deeply entrenched belief you have held your entire life. It simply does not happen in an instant for most. That was the idea behind doing this show- to plant a seed, open some eyes, hold anti-gay scriptural dogma upto the light of context and language text translation.

  Thanks for listening!
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  brizzzy

  Congrats! I'm heading to work now, but I'm gonna listen tonight :)
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  OnTheWayOut

  To me, as someone who has learned to dismiss the Bible as the words of men instead of God, there is some validity in what is said here. But it seems more like another example of Bible-followers reading different things in the same book by selective application and reasoning. "We're gay and see the anti-gay in the Bible as XYZ instead of ABC."

  Yes, today's Bible-followers ignore the "short hair" part for women. They ignore the slavery and the approved rape and genocide. So lets go further and ignore the anti-gay message. I say to discard the whole thing, but thanks for another view.
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  infpalex

  Great job, very much appreciated. I feel like words aren't enough for stuff like this. Don't stop if you can manage to keep going. You will change lives ;)
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  PublishingCult

  To me, as someone who has learned to dismiss the Bible as the words of men instead of God, there is some validity in what is said here. But it seems more like another example of Bible-followers reading different things in the same book by selective application and reasoning. "We're gay and see the anti-gay in the Bible as XYZ instead of ABC."

  I completely agree that the Bible is the word of men.

  Not sure if you noticed, but Miner explained how the Greek word that the Roman centurion uses in Matthew 19:10-12 to describe the sick man – pais – is the same word used in ancient Greek to refer to a same-gender partner. This is not exactly an opinion or a viewpoint. "Same-gender partner" is what the word "pais" actually means, but has erroneously been rendered "servant" by the translators. We are given to believe, and wrongly so, that there were no homosexuals in ancient times, and that Jesus was dealing with a master-servant, not a loving same sex couple. The erroneous language text translation forces us to read the passage from a heterosexual point of view whereas the true rendering of the word, "pais" allows us to read and accept the truth about what was really going on during this healing miracle Jesus performed.

  Again, I agree the Bible is the word of men, however, many do not. There are many homosexuals who believe in the Christian god and Jesus who need to understand they have been short-changed and alienated from their god by bigots and homophobes who have seemingly and deliberately made Christianity a club for breeders when the times the books were written about recognized these people as valuable assetts to the communities.

  Don't stop if you can manage to keep going. You will change lives ;)

  Thank you :) I'm working on it.
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  jamiebowers

  If you are able, please continue to do this type of work. This interview was entertaining, informative and professional. It will literally save lives. I'm not a Bible scholar or believer, but it's amazing how similar my ideas have been throughout the years to what your guest had to say. The relationship of Ruth and Naomi was a theme in the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" that was used to describe a relationship between the two main characters who were female. Also the description of what kind of fruit is born from beliefs about homosexuality is something I've always instinctively realized. Yet I can see how this interview may change the minds of more than a few conservative Christians. Good job!
• 

  itsacult2

  OT?

  I don't usually bother argueing about the bible.

  I thought the new testament was written by men.

  I thought you either buy the resurrection or you don't.