Rolf seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. He is not active on b-Hebrew or other message boards anymore. I wrote to him with a query, and has not heard a thing. I read somewhere that he has retired, or was he sanctioned after the Awatu-incident on b-Hebrew? I respect Rolf as a person and as a scholar (one of the few JW scholars). I do not agree with him on his interpretation of the Hebrew tenses, but that's not important. If anyone can shed light on this, I would appreciate it.
What happened to Rolf Furuli?
by Vidqun 54 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Larsinger58
Maybe the WTS asked him to take a low profile for a while. They quote from him, I believe. His research was aggressive but he shed light on some new things.
Interesting.
LS
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Augustin
Hi!
Rolf J. Furuli is about 68-69 years old; he currently lives in a litte town in the eastern part of Norway. I'm not sure if he has retired. He used to work at the University Library in Oslo, but I couldn't find his name listed at the library's web page. I think he is working on a book on the Book of Daniel (defending the current Watchtower understanding, of course) and his main project: Defending the Watchtower Chronology of Bible history against the scholarly world! The second edition of his The Role of Theology and Bias in Bible Translation was published earlier this year, by "his" publishing company Awatu Publishers. By the way, according to the following site: http://instphi.org/Front%20page.html he's senior fellow at the Norwegian Institute of Paleography and Historical Philology. The institute seems serious enough!
Hopefully, Furuli is safe and sound.
Hope this helps!
A.
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Vidqun
Thanks Lars and Augustin. I get the impression he's keeping a low profile. If only there were more Witnesses like him, things would not have stagnated as they did. I often reminded the Society, one cannot keep the Westcot & Hort text (1881) as a basis for the CGS. A lot of things have happened since then, especially the discovery of the papyri. And the same goes for the HAS. Many Biblical MSS have cropped up amongst the DSS, shedding light on the Proto-Masoretic text. Bibles, like NET and ESV, incorporate these new findings in their text or footnotes. The NWT underwent a revision in 1984. A lot has happened since then. But seeing that they don't encourage secular studies, it's not surprising. The few bright flames there were, were either quashed or suppressed. No scholars, no research, only deterioration and stagnation....
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Londo111
I am guessing the Governing Body commissioned the Writing Committee to do these articles on 607 (as in, 'Write us an article as to why 607 IS correct'), but I wonder if any on Governing Body understand what is in them, any more than Joe Publisher. After reading CoC, it shows that most of them even in Ray Franz's day really didn't have the capacity for anything deep, much less scholarly. And there is probably no one in the current 7 who can do such 'heavy lifting'.
If as has been suggested the Writing Committee wrote this in conjunction with Rolf Furuli, or based on his material, I am wondering if there is any feedback coming back to the Writing Committee...or the Governing Body. And if they've said anything to him.
I would love to be a fly on the wall!
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Vidqun
Londo, that's also the direction I'm thinking. If that is the case, it would open interesting possibilities. Interesting scripture at 1 Kings 17:2-4:
The word of Jehovah now came to him, saying: “Go away from here and you must turn your way eastward and conceal yourself at the torrent valley of Cherith that is east of the Jordan. And it must occur that from the torrent valley you should drink, and the ravens I shall certainly command to supply you food there.”
According to the type anti-type analogies found in the earlier literature (ascribed to Fred Franz?), this one makes for interesting reading. Here we have the raven, an unclean bird according to the Law, bringing food to the prophet Elijah, i.e., the Elijah-class. Now that's the other way round. But one will have to be humble to be able to take food from the raven. Perhaps this is the year of the raven?
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Aussie Oz
If he is a JW and a scholar, a uni guy and a writer the WT will use him as long as he writes pro them.
I have no real idea who he is, but...
If he dares cross the line and disagrees then i am sure they'll kick him to the curb...
oz
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Londo111
Vidqun,
Under the Law, a raven would be unclean to _eat_ or _sacrifice_, being that it is not on the kosher menu, but for "general use", it was okay. For instance, seals were 'unclean' but thier skins were used for the Tabernacle covering. Of course--this is all my WTS upbringing, I might be wrong about all this. It could well be, if the Documentary hypothesis has credibility, that writers of the Elijah story came from Jawhist folklore, and the Law for the Priestly source. That might explain why, in Judges, Samson eats honey from the carcas of a dead lion.
But alas, even so, I didn't follow the illustration. If you could clarify I would most appreciate it! :)
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Vidqun
Londo, just a thought. A JW is taught that spiritual food comes from "the faithful and discreet slave". In this case Elijah (or, the Elijah-class, referring to the anointed) is fed by unclean birds, ravens. Perhaps we, as "ravens" (in their eyes apostates or "unclean people"), can teach them a thing or two.
Here I think specifically of them being an NGO of the UN for ten years. According to their standards and teaching, they have joined "the disgusting thing causing desolation", and become part of "the beast ascending from the abyss". If you sell your birthright for a pot of lentil stew (a library card), you should expect God's displeasure.
Interestingly, they did not ask forgiveness, repent or turn around from their bad course, something you and I would have to do to be reinstated after wrongdoing and/or disfellowshipping. So their sin remains, until they repent. Perhaps a long shot, but nevertheless an interesting thought.
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Londo111
Ah, ex-JWs being ravens was the missing piece I didn't get! One would hope for a JW reformation movement, but based on what Jesus said about new wine in old wineskins, I wonder if it is possible.
Teachers, as James said, will bear Greater Responsibility. And from the time of Russel, who claimed to be God's mouthpiece, to those who followed, claiming to be God's channel of communication, they have sent themselves in the Seat of the Greater Moses. In essense, they believe themselves to be a collective Vicar of Christ. In claiming to speak for God and Christ, they the ultimate responsibility.
Of course, one of the first steps for being accountable for one's actions is asking for forgiveness, admitting fault, and not shifting it. In regards 1925 and 1975, the first thing they did was try to be quiet about it until the masses would forget. Then they shifted the blame on the flock. At least with 1975, the Governing Body did have Ray Franz write something a bit more of a slight admission--five years later. Even so the admission was not an apology.
Has the WTS ever apologized for wrong teaching (in print)? Perhaps they have on some matter and I'm not aware of it. If so, it would be a rarity. It would be refreshing to read these words, "We are sorry. We were wrong." Even Daniel apologized and asked forgiveness on behalf of his wayward nation--even though he personally had not been guilty. If Daniel can do it...why not the WTS?