Oops, is Davidl7 actually stumped?
Cedars
2011 Watchtower publisher statistics with analysis
by jwfacts 220 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Phizzy
I have to admit that just a short while ago I would have argued exactly as David did in his posts on this thread.
But since reading many old threads on here the arrogance of believing I had the "truth of the bible" has gone, and I have a much greater appreciation of how other Christians have come to believe as they do, the JW stance on the Soul is particularly silly, and their Doctrine on blood is not just muddled and undefendable, it is worse, much worse than that, it is a murderous lie.
I have come to the conclusion that as a JW you do not have the skills to read and study the Bible and come to any appreciation of what it really says, because the WT spin on each scripture is still in ones mind.
To truly look at the Bible and ones faith with an open mind is a joy, but you have to empty out the WT crap first.
You then have the freedom to see things clearly, may many more people of faith find that freedom !
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jwfacts
a JW you do not have the skills to read and study the Bible and come to any appreciation of what it really says, because the WT spin on each scripture is still in ones mind.
Great comment Phizzy, you really hit the nail on the head.
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EntirelyPossible
The wingnuts over at JW Talk are now claiming that the WT has NEVER put any emphasis on the number of partakers and that it has always been a useless number that no one ever cared about.
Talk about cognitive dissonance.
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davidl7
jwfacts wrote " That is baseless comment. Where is the substantiation for that? There are only 7 million JWs, a completely insignificant amount compared the 7 Billion people on earth with other beliefs. I assure you, you and the other 7 million are not the only ones that are as dogmatic that they alone have truth."
I don't think it is a baseless comment to say that MANY who eventually became Witnesses or associated with the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses did so after finding out some of the basic bible doctrines of the Bible on their own, including the fact that Jesus is really the Son of God, that the meek will inherit a paradise earth, God's has a name (Jehovah/Yahweh), there is no trinity...and upon coming in contact with the Jehovah's Witnesses have come to know they have we have the truth. I speak to Witneses all the time about how their study of the Bible eventually led them to recognized that the Witnesses have the truth. Notice I said MANY...and that includes that 7.3 million who now actively and at least several million more who now actually join and participate in our Bible meetings but still do not actively preach (or still do not report their preaching activity, as two couples who recently started attending my congregation and informed me they will in discussion with their relatives about the Bible and have distributed our books to about 20 relatives)...Of course, it is a relatively small number compare to to the world population...but still many. That fact is it is not a baseless comment...but a TRUE comment...millions of people are MANY people...
jwfacts wrote " It is absolutely impossible. For one thing, even the leaders of your religion don't come to the same conclusions. Russell, Rutherford, Franz and now the new GB all come to different conclusions, and hence the ongoing "new light", which is really just the new leaders coming to different Biblical conclusions than the old leaders. Secondly, no one would come up with almost any of the prophetic interpretations, ie Revelation pointing to Rutherford and some Watchtower editions. Thirdly, even with a few core Watchtower teachings (which are borrowed) like the their Arianist anti-Trinitarian and Adventist based Soul sleep, the only way to come to these conclusions is to dismiss a number of contradictory Scriptures as figurative. This arbritary dismissal of any unacceptable Scriptures is why there are over 30,000 Christian religions all teaching other things."
Yes, but they all agreed on the basic teachings of the Bible including the identity of God, that Jesus is really God's Son and not part of a Trinity, that the holy spirit is the power of God, that the earth will be converted into a paradise, man is not immortal, God's name is Jehovah, the Kingdom of God is a real government that the prophets, Jesus and the apostles preached about and the the light of the truth keeps getting brighter and that false teachings must be discarded. And early on, even Russell wrote that he would discard any teaching that was wrong...he always cited Prov. 4:18, and sometimes spoke of what was currently understood as "present truth". He made errors...he taught, for instance, that that pyramid was God's Word in stone...but in his time, the light of the truth did not shine as brightly. By Rutherford's time a more clearer understanding of the Bible led to discard the teaching that the pyramid was God's Word in stone. Revelation chapters 2 and 3 said that the congregation in the beginning will tolerate certain teaching...but they have to be discarded. That is the important thing. To discard error and just keep that which is true. One would expect that the those associated with the true Chrisitian congregation would learn more and more of the truth gradually. But even back in Russell's days, the basic doctrines of the Bible were taught.
JWfacts " That is a loathsome comment, but typical of how arrogant, ignorant JWs become. You may try to claim that is a Bible teaching, but what you and your leaders really mean is anyone not following their current interpretation of the Bible is not accepting the Bible and hence depraved. Who are you to claim 7 billion people are depraved because they don't believe what you believe?"
"Your last three few comments keep echoing the same rhetorical fallacy. "Because some smart people believe the Watchtower, myself included, it must be true". I cannot understand how you don't see the flaw in that reasoning, as it is of the ABC's of poor reasoning."
My intention was not to say that billions are depraved for not aggreeing with what the Bible says. I will try to be more careful in what I write. They are many, as the Bible says in Romans 10:2 that have zeal for God, but not according to accurrate knowledge. And many, according to the Scriptures, will be sadly deceived and will not see the light of the truth (2 Cor. 4:3-6). When I quoted 2 Tim. 3:8-10, I should have qualified that by saying it is referring to those who knew the truth, but then opposed, and rejected the teaching of the apostle Paul, who was a member of the 1st Century faithful and discreet slave, and part of the 1st century GB. I didn't say anything about "smart people believe the Watchtower", but millions who study their Bible carefully and believe in what the Bible says, agree that the WT teaches the truth of the Bible...
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jwfacts
You really are just repeating yourself. I don't agree that there are many people that read the Bible and believe even the core concepts that you listed prior to meeting JWs.
For a start, there are only a couple of hundred thousand baptised each year, probably half of which are children. Most I know knew nothing of Bible doctrine before converting, so they had no formed opinions at all. Research into high control religions show most join at times of emotional turmoil, it has very little to do with the doctrine, other than the promise of a community and nice hope for the future.
Secondly, it is very difficult to come to those conclusions about God and the Soul without being guided to them by the Watchtower. That is why most religions do not teach them. The NWT has corrupted the New Testament by falsely adding the word Jehovah. Read as written, and as in most Bibles, most people will come to the conclusion that Jesus is God. In fact, even the Watchtower was confused about the topic, since it taught the polytheistic view that Jesus was a god to be worshipped until the 1950's.
Likewise the New Testament does not paint a picture of soul sleep, but of heavenly immortality. The WTS is very much an Old Testament religion, and bases itself on many Scriptures that are rightfully considered poetic and not doctrinal. It is very difficult to read the Bible (without Watchtower blinkers) and come to the Watchtower concept of the soul.
You keep saying about all these many people that already knew Watchtower doctrine before reading a Watchtower. I would like you to see if you can really find that many. I am yet to speak to anyone that read the Bible and thought the world would exist forever and be a paradise for man to live on eternally. Or many people that believed the concept that you are totally gone at death, and some distant time in the future God would bring back some photocopier version of you.
Russell would not agree with you applying Prov 4:18 to the Watchtower Society. He wrote:
"If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now;… But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. "New Light" never extinguishes older "light" but adds to it…" Zion's Watch Tower 1881 February pp.3,188
Watchtower history has not been one of light getting brighter, but flip flops and contradictions, often multiple times on important topics such as the resurrection.
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davidl7
cedars wrote " wow, you've actually plummeted quite a bit in my estimations I'm afraid. You're the first person I've known to read BOTH Franz books and still reach the conclusion that the Watch Tower Society is God's spirit-directed organization. That's either incredible naivety or stupidity on your part, or perhaps both. I'm sorry to be so derisory, but you've honestly shocked me there. I think you would be perfect to serve on the Governing Body some day (assuming you feel you are of the anointed, and can convince others of this). I think it's only people like you who are able to stare facts in the face and come up with alternative conclusions based on emotion and veneration for a human organization that could 'serve' in that capacity."
Why must I be stupid and naive for disagreeing with what Raymond Franz and others wrote against the WT? I don't follow any human beings...I will listen to what the Bible says, and sadly, Franz appears to have rejected some of the fundamental teachings. And his 2nd book even convinced more that he was not interested in teaching the truth about the Witnesses, especially after advising Gary Botting that he must be honest about what we believe. His comments on what the WT has said or not about the divine name is especially revealing and proved to me the Ray Franz is not telling the truth. I don't serve any human organization. I will serve and worship Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ. As one elder, a former Rabbi, who studied NT Greek, told me once - "If the WT was not teaching what the Bible teaches, I would walked out of the congregation...but they really teach the truth of the Bible." I agree with him. Maybe you should have a cup of coffee or tea to calm your nerves....I am way too young to be a member of the GB, and have an earthly hope, not a heavenly one. I know at least 14 people that have read Franz's anti-Witness books, and about 20 that read James Penton's books (including an historian that read his 2nd book). And guess what...they are still associated as active Witnesses of Jehovah. Well, let me correct, about half of them read them prior to becoming Witnesses, but are now active Witnesses. So there are people that have read books by Ex-Witnesses but have still concluded that the Witnesses teach the truth of the Bible....sorry to shock again.
cedars wrote " YOU BEING ON THIS SITE - The July 15th 2011 Watchtower study article said (on page 16, paragraph 7) "What is involved in avoiding false teachers? We do not receive them into our homes or greet them. We also refuse to read their literature, watch TV programs that feature them, examine their Web sites, or add our comments to their blogs. " Since you are so zealous in venerating the Governing Body, why have you chosen to disobey this direct counsel? Are there any other elements of counsel found in the publications that you feel equally inclined to disobey? And if so, why?"
True the WT advises that we should avoid false teachers based the Bible texts found in 1 John and 2 John. I was attracted to this site based on the fact that it claims to be a JW Site...but it appears to be more of anti-JW site. And there appears to be some geniune JW's on the site. If the site would have been open and blunt and called itself "Anti-JW Site", I would have avoided it.
cedar wrote " THE GOVERNING BODY - According to Witness doctrine, Jesus selected the bible students in 1919 to be his "Faithful and Discreet Slave". It is the Slave Class who are therefore responsible for feeding the "domestics". The Governing Body did not exist in 1919, and can only trace their roots as far back as 1944. Also, they claim to be "representatives" of the Slave Class - even though they do not communicate with them, or even know how many anointed there are on the Earth. The term "representative" implies that the Governing Body were chosen to serve in their role, but if so, who chose them - and where is the evidence? From where does the Governing Body receive its scriptural mandate to administer affairs on behalf of the Slave Class? Where in the bible does it say that the Slave Class will require a Governing Body to represent it? Do you have ONE scripture that supports the authority of the Governing Body in the role that they have chosen for themselves? This may prove challenging for you, since the term "Governing Body" does not appear once in the bible, as I'm sure you're aware."
All Christians (or at least most of them) were part of the faithful and discreet servant in the first century. Since the time of Russell it was understood that the faithful and discreet servant composed all those who were anointed Christians. But did this mean that there was no group who administered the communication of the truth? Acts 15 clearly shows that there were a group of men, the apostles, who were involved in making important doctrinal teaching, under the guidance of the holy spirit, and informing the congregations of the decision made. It is clear from the book of Acts chatper 15, that when a dispute concerning whether or not circumsion should be a required practice in the congregation, that a small group of men were called upon to make a decision, based on biblical principles and the guidance of the holy spirit, and that then, the congregations abided by their decision. That group was a body of men, a governing body, if you will, that was used by God to help the anointed congregation in the 1st century. Not everyone in the first century wrote the books of the Bible, did they? And not everyone, anointed or not, made decisions. Today, the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, follow the same pattern as the 1st Century Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses (compare Acts 15; Acts 1:8, Acts 5:30; Acts 2:32; Acts 10:37-39; Acts 5:42; Acts 20:20, 21; Ephe 4:11-13; Acts 15:14; 1 Cor. 15:13-15).
Cedars wrote " INCREASING LIGHT - Please can you show me ONE scripture that shows how God's Holy Spirit has (or would) deliberately feed false information to his servants as a "makeweight" until truthful information is revealed at a later stage?"
You appear to misunderstand the notion of increasing light. God's holy spirit would NEVER feed false information to his servants. But as Russell wrote, today's Christians are NOT infallible and their writings are not without error. Christian in past may have had incorrect understanding of certain Bible doctrines. The apostles who studied the Hebrew Scriptures, did not at first understand that the Messiah had to die and then be resurrected. They even thought, according to Acts chapter 1:2-6, that Jesus was going to establish God's kingdom immediately (compare Luke 19:11). Even after receiving the holy spirit, some thought the end of the age would come immediately, so the apostle Paul had to write to 1st century Christians that it was not until the "man of lawlessness" was revealed that the end would end. So even the apostles had some wrong misunderstanding that were clarified through the guidance of the holy spirit. So it is not God's spirit that is in error, but Christians may have some misunderstanding of certain Bible teachings that may become clearer as we study the Bible more and the truth of the light gets brighter. (Prov. 4:18)
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jwfacts
God's holy spirit would NEVER feed false information to his servants.
Well that is exactly what God's holy spirit is doing if you believe the Watchtower. The Watchtower constantly states that holy spirit directs your religions leaders and their teachings and bible interpretation. See http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/directed-by-holy-spirit.php for quotes. Many of these teachings are wrong, are flip flops, and regularly even lies in the form of misquotes and re-writing their history. For example, Rutherfords teaching of the superior authorities. How much of the history of your religion do you really know?
Witnesses like to have it both ways - claim to be part of some ongoing organisation (a word not in the Bible) of God spanning from the first century, demand the same respect as the first century Governing Body (aterm not in the Bible) but not inspired like the first century organsation. That is just a cop out necessitated by the humiliating history of the Watchtower.
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sizemik
If the site would have been open and blunt and called itself "Anti-JW Site", I would have avoided it.
Bullshit . . . the fact you're still here over a month later writing your 38th post belies that totally. Careful now . . . your JWness is showing.
I agree however . . . I think you're too young for a GB member . . . way too young for a lot of things actually.
You appear to misunderstand the notion of increasing light. God's holy spirit would NEVER feed false information to his servants. But as Russell wrote, today's Christians are NOT infallible and their writings are not without error.
This is delightful stuff . . .
So which is it . . . are they God's channel of communication or not? Are they guided by his holy spirit or not? . . . Yes or no.
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davidl7
punkofnice wrote" “Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals , regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization in mind.”— The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, p. 587
“They say that it is sufficient to read the bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,’ they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom’s clergy were teaching 100 years ago…”—The Watchtower, August 15, 1981, pp. 28-29
The Watchtower does strongly recommend to read the Bible on a daily basis. And many who have read on their have come to the conclusion that the WT teaches the truth of the Bible. The first quote states in the beginning that the Bible books were written to the CONGREGATION or to an INDIVIDUAL on behalf of the CONGREGATION. The book was written to the CONGREGATION as a whole. Tne 2nd quote is actually questioning those who claim they read the Bible exclusively and yet actually went back to the COMMENTARIES OF CHRISTENDOM...teaching falsehoods that are NOT in the Bible.
The same book written to the 1st century Christian Congregation clearly shows in Acts chapter 8 that God and Jesus may use an apostle or teacher to teach some who may not understand a passage of the Bible, like the Eunuch who could not understand the book of Isaiah. The book of Ephesians says that God has appointed some as TEACHERS in the congregation as well as APOSTLES to teach the first century congregation. Matt. chapte 25 says a faithful and discreet servant would be used to feed the congregation spiritual food. But one, like the Bereans, of the 1st century congregation, must study the Scriptures daily to make sure what is being taught is the Truth...and that is strongly encouraged by the WT (emphasis added):
" As the canon of books of God’s Word was expanded and the Christian Greek Scriptures were added to complete the Bible, each book was written directly to the Christian congregation or to a member of the Christian congregation in its behalf. Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization in mind." (WT 10/1/1967 p. 587)
*** w56 3/1 p. 149 pars. 18-19 Keeping Up with the Truth ***
A few practical suggestions are now presented for such a personal Bible-reading program. Why not read each morning from the Bible the entire chapter surrounding the day’s text in the Yearbook or in the non-English issues of The Watchtower? This will supply you immediately with rich supporting material for a stimulating study of the morning’s text and comments. Reading a chapter each day would mean that one would get to read 365 chapters a year or about a third of the entire Bible. Try to epitomize each chapter as you finish reading it. See whether you can find the central theme of the chapter.
19 A second suggestion would be to set aside half an hour a day for straight Bible reading. Either a half hour before breakfast when one’s mind is fresh or in the evening before going to bed. In doing such consecutive Bible reading the primary object should be not just to cover a given budget of pages. Rather try to absorb something of lasting value from what is read. Seek to retain one or more basic principles or points of divine counsel each day. Memorize those points and repeat them the next day.
*** w57 2/1 p. 88 Getting God’s Law on Your Heart ***
TASTE AND SEE”
10 Psalm 34:8 (AS) invites: “Oh taste and see that Jehovah is good.” Do you have a Bible? Do you read it? Do you feed your mind on the spiritual food it contains? Do you taste Jehovah’s Word to see how good it is? Do not confuse this with listening to an orthodox sermon or following religious tradition or believing some set creed. Such things often conflict with the Bible, as Jesus said to religious leaders: “You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition.” (Matt. 15:6, NW) Read the Bible for yourself, without preconceived ideas or prejudices, and see how good it is. Many openly admit that they do not believe the Bible, not because they have read it, but because they believe evolution, or have been soured on the Bible by what some say it contains, or by the way some act who are supposed to be Christians. They have not tasted for themselves. They are like persons who say they do not like a certain food before they ever taste it, and who steadfastly refuse to try it. (emphasis added)
*** w59 5/1 p. 274 par. 26 Attain Completeness in the New World Society ***
With the habit of the noon-hour break combine the habit of some theocratic reading. With the habit of going to bed each night combine the habit of further meditation on God’s Word. Read the Bible daily. Good study habits will help in ‘making over the mind’ for a joyful, zealous share in New World activity as the complete minister of God. How wonderfully worth while, in attaining to Christian maturity!—Josh. 1:6-8.
*** w60 9/1 pp. 533-534 pars. 16-17 Choosing the Right Form of Worship ***
In addition to our private and congregation study of the Watch Tower Society’s publications, we should regularly take time to read the Bible itself.Every Christian minister should make it a point to read through the entire Bible,and to do so often, if possible. But, having read the Bible through, it would be unwise to continue simply to read over material that one does not fully understand without pausing to ponder its meaning. That requires interest on our part, a constant awareness of the fact that what we are reading is, in fact, the Word of God. (1 Thess. 2:13) God is no waster. He did not have recorded in the Bible material that is dispensable. What is there has been provided for our instruction, to guide us in the decisions with which we are confronted in life so that we pursue a course that is in harmony with the form of worship approved by God, and to equip us for effective work as his ministers. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) If it is thus to benefit us, we must seek more than a knowledge of what it says. We need an understanding of its meaning and an appreciation of how to use it. “Acquire wisdom,” says the inspired proverb, “and with all that you acquire, acquire understanding.”—Prov. 4:7.
17 Think actively when you read the Bible. If it is prophetic material, give careful attention to its fulfillment, both in a miniature and a final way. Take note of fundamental Bible truths that are touched on in the account and guiding principles that are embodied there. Whether the information is prophetic or otherwise, when you read it keep before your mind questions such as these: How does this affect my life? Does it call on me to make any adjustments to bring my attitude or my actions into harmony with this expression of the divine will? What relation does it have to the other Bible teachings I have learned? How do they support it, or how does this corroborate them? How can I use it in my ministry? If you do not understand a certain scripture, do not lightly pass over it. Put forth the effort to find out what it means.
*** w61 12/15 pp. 739-740 Why Read the Bible? ***
Why Read the Bible?
THE question, Why read the Bible? is well put. Many are the reasons why various persons read the Bible. Why, for example, do you read the Bible?
Do you, as do many, read it because of the delight you get from its literary excellence? Its beauty of language is well known to all. Then perhaps you have been pained by the way some of the modern versions read, for they appear to have sacrificed literary beauty for the sake of Biblical scholarship. That is the way a certain professor in an eastern United States university felt about it. He criticized the way Psalm 23 read in the Revised Standard Version because it had lost the stately rhythm it had in the King James Version.
In a similar vein a literary authority, writing in the New York Times, criticized the way the New English Bible read as compared with the King James Version. After noting various opinions on the subject he concluded his own objections by saying: “I have a suspicion that their labors, whatever scholarly correctness they may have established, will not dislodge the K.J.V. from its vantage point. If we read the Bible for delights of language, we will not forsake its noblest version.”
But, it may well be asked, did God inspire some forty men, over a period of sixteen centuries to write his Word so that we might have “delights of language”? Is that the reason why many of its writers suffered persecution and even martyrdom, and why many who copied, translated, published and distributed the Bible had similar treatment accorded to them—merely so that we may have the delight of perusing a literary masterpiece? Hardly!—Ezek. 33:32.
Or do you, like others, read the Bible solely as a religious duty, covering so many pages a day or devoting so many minutes daily to reading the Bible? In certain Catholic Bibles readers are encouraged by being told that they will receive so many days of indulgence for reading the Bible fifteen minutes daily. But what profit can there be in all this if little or no thought is given as to the real meaning of what is read?—Acts 8:30.
Or do you occasionally read in the Bible out of curiosity? It is well to know something of its contents, true, but after having satisfied your curiosity with a mere smattering of knowledge, then what? How much profit would you derive from such an approach to any scientific subject? The Bible contains the very highest science, the ultimate truth. It deserves your regular and careful consideration.—John 17:17.
Then there are those who read the Bible merely so that they can say that they have read it through. Or they may read it over again and again so as to be able to boast about the number of times they have read the Bible. Reading the Bible through is commendable, and everyone should read it through at least once; but if our motive in reading it is that of having a name for having done so, then we have read it in vain as far as any real lasting benefit is concerned. We are in the class of those who pray or give gifts in public to be seen of men.—Matt. 6:1-5.
Many others read the Bible to find proof for their religious beliefs instead of basing their beliefs on what they read. They call to mind the words of the poet:
“Some read to prove a pre-adopted creed,
Thus understand but little what they read;
And every passage in the Book they bend
To make it suit that all-important end.”
Typical are the trinitarians, who, finding no mention or explanation of their favorite teaching, cite texts that mention the Father, the Son and the holy spirit to prove that these three are coequal in power, glory, substance and eternity, when such texts prove no such thing. (See Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14.) This also is futile Bible reading, for how can one learn from the Bible when he has preconceived notions and merely uses it to prove his own ideas. Such people read “to teach the Book instead of to be taught.”
Among other Bible readers that might be mentioned are the foes of the Bible, those who approach it with a critical eye, as often do the agnostic, the skeptic, the infidel, the atheist and the deist, to mention a few. While purporting to have an objective attitude toward the Bible, more often than not they read for the purpose of finding fault with it, scanning its pages with eagle eye to find instances in which the Bible appears to contradict itself, science or secular history. Thus these hope to discredit the Bible in the eyes of others. The extremes to which these go prove that they are anything but what they make their boast to be—objective. However, Bible scholarship, science and archaeology more and more bring forth evidence refuting all such attacks. Obviously, all such Bible reading is futile.
Then why should we read the Bible? To become familiar with the one true God Jehovah, whose revelation it is. In it he makes known to us himself as well as his purposes and will for us. As noted by that peer of Christian Bible scholars, the apostle Paul: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”—2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
To thus benefit from the Bible we must approach it with the right heart attitude and right frame of mind. We want to be open-minded, without preconceived notions, yet with the will to believe, with a consciousness of our spiritual need. That also means we must approach it humbly, recognizing how little we know and how much we have to learn. And we must approach it honestly, willing to pay the price for the truth, for truth does exact its price.—Prov. 23:23; Matt. 5:3.
So take time to read the Bible, but do so from the right motives.
*** w64 4/15 p. 227 Why You Should Read the Bible ***
Is it not apparent, therefore, that to handle the Bible effectively you must read it regularly? Truths quickly slip from mind unless they are reviewed. Even regular attendance at religious services does not replace this need to read the Bible. The Christian apostle Paul showed this when writing concerning the Beroeans. “Now the [inhabitants of Beroea] were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica,” Paul wrote, “for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.”—Acts 17:11.
Notice that the Beroeans ‘carefully examined the Scriptures daily,’ even in addition to attending religious services. This is the course recommended by the Bible.
*** w70 12/1 p. 729 Is It Hard for You to Find Scriptures? ***
READ THE BIBLE FOR OVERALL PICTURE
One of the first things you can do, if you have not done so, is to read the Bible from cover to cover to get an overall picture of its contents. This takes time, but if you work at it steadily you will gradually become familiar with what the Bible contains.
When you read the Bible for the first time, you will find that you do not understand all of it, but you are establishing the framework for remembering or finding scriptures.
As you read the Bible, you will come across certain scriptures that you will no doubt want to remember. Try to do so. Of course, memory powers vary greatly. Just as some persons have healthier bodies than others, so some have better memories. But this does not mean that a person cannot improve his memory. He can if he tries.
*** g01 8/22 p. 24 How Can I Make Bible Reading More Enjoyable? ***
Some Christian youths schedule 10 to 15 minutes daily to read the Bible. By doing so, they have been able to finish the entire Bible in a year or two! Even if that seems beyond your reach, make it your goal to read a portion of the Bible every day. By resolutely sticking to your appointed time for Bible reading, your love for God’s Word will grow.—Psalm 119:97; 1 Peter 2:2.
*** w63 9/1 p. 528 Improving Personal Study ***
BIBLE READING
6 There is no better way to study the Bible than by subject, but that does not mean there is no value in straight reading of the Bible. There is! It gives vital background information and an overall view of God’s Word. It helps you to locate in the stream of time notable events and the periods when people with whom God had dealings lived. It familiarizes you with those people and the things they did. This is all essential information for one who is to be an effective witness to Jehovah’s truth.
7 What part does Bible reading play in your personal study program? Do you urge other people to read the Bible regularly but fail to do it yourself? When you call on a person for the purpose of bearing witness to the truth, what do you say when he asks if you have read the Bible through? Are you able to give an emphatic Yes? Or do you squirm a bit and say that you have read almost all of it? Do you not think his confidence in you as a proclaimer of Scriptural truth is weakened when you are unable to give him an affirmative answer?
8 The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society has for many years urged Bible reading as well as Bible study by subjects. On its publishing plant in Brooklyn, New York, there is a large painted sign that says: “Read God’s Word the Holy Bible Daily.” To the thousands of people who drive past that sign every day on their way to and from work, it expresses the Society’s position on Bible reading. It shows that the Society believes that everyone should read God’s Word regularly. Certainly Jehovah’s witnesses should be the foremost Bible readers in the world. This is recognized in the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, where every student is required to read the Bible through before he completes his course of study. This emphasis on Bible reading is proper. Our whole life is centered around God’s Word. Its truths are what we preach; its promises are what we trust; its principles are what we live. Every day we, of all people, should read it.
Ok..ok...I could quote a hundred more articles...in addition to books written by the WTS...but I think this suffice...