Study the Bible with JW - Any advice? (page 2)

whathappened

Rest assured that this verse by verse bible study will not last long. They will be doing all the interpretation and if you do not quickly accept what they say, they will dismiss you as being un teachable, not having the right heart condition, not being humble, hungry for the truth and honest hearted.

whathappened

It is a cult, you know!

InterestedOne

FingersCrossed wrote:

is there any advantage?

What's your goal?

The JW's most likely goal is to recruit you into the JW religion, or to move on to someone else if you don't lean in that direction. Then again, maybe he/she just wants to count you as a "study" and report the time spent. Or, maybe there's a remote chance he/she actually wants to study the Bible for real, but I doubt it. He/she probably has Watchtower ideas programmed in his/her mind, so he/she will interpret whatever you read in the Bible according to the Watchtower paradigm. He/she might start jumping around the Bible in attempt to prove some Watchtower idea. Maybe try not to do a "topical" study where the JW artificially controls the "topic." Try just reading the stories as they are, if you can stomach it - personally I don't enjoy the Bible.

When I did a JW study, I found, at the end of the day, that even if I showed the JW how a scripture could be understood differently from the Watchtower way, he would say, "well this is how -we- see it." Being a JW includes loyalty to the group understanding.

wannabefree

Don't do it.

As a rule, the JW will agree to a Bible only study but will prepare using Watchtower publications, with the goal of transitioning you into a publication. If you try to teach them, the study will be discontinued.

Lozhasleft

Just DON'T? Safer that way

Loz x

Chariklo

Absolutely DO NOT DO IT!

it will not be a Bible Study. Believe me, you will almost certainly start out in a spirit either of honest enquiry or from a basis of already having a good knowledge of the Bible. In either case, the JW can and probably will make mincemeat of you.

I knew my Bible very well. But the JW...all of them...have a wealth of texts up their sleeve and in reference literature you won't see telling them how to present and interpret every tiny bit of the Bible to make it mean what the Watchtower says it does. You won't be able to reason against it, no matter how well you know your Bible.

Also, they are plugged into a system of collective thought which is nothing more than brainwashing mind control. They are regularly trained, rehearsed and practised to deal with, counter and reason against any objection with which you come up.

And worse than all of that, they will use their training to plant seeds in your mind that may, just may, end up in you becoming confused and warming towards them.

Trust me. I know. It happened to me, and I was very immersed in my own church. I am the very last person anyone ever thought such a thing could happen to.

Your individual JW is undoubtedly very charming and seemingly mild and polite. Individually, they are people who have been thoroughly brainwashed. The believe all they tell you. Collectively, centrally, they are psychologically and spiritually very dangerous.

They deal in doublespeak, and can make black seem white as they indulge over and over again in false reasoning.

Stay away! Keep clear! Danger zone!

trillaz

It is a bait and switch for sure.

Their understanding of the Bible is based on the Societys views.

If you want proof, download the 2011 CD Rom, bring up a tough subject, one that will cause them to say "I will research that and get back to you"

Then tell them you have the 2011 CD Rom if they want to do research right there. They will be uneasy likely, and ask you where you got it from, but then you ask them if their research was going to include the CD Rom. If the subject was a tough one, and they are honest, they will say yes.

Then ask, what do you need them for if you can look up things on the CD.

problemaddict

Hey FC. So what exactly are you studying? The bible? That is a large subject. Its like saying I'm studying "history". Well is it 17th century history, history of modern warefare, history of the industrial revolution....

Pick a subject. Study it. Then discuss. When I was a solid JW, I never had a problem using the bible only. I used several versions too. When the elders found out i was studying with someone using only the bible, they told me to get them in a book. So that probably will be the routine eventually.

What is your purpose in this study?

Ding

If you don't know your Bible well, then don't do this at all.

If you do know your Bible well and decide to go ahead, as soon as they pull out WT literature, tell them your agreement was to use the Bible only, that if they aren't willing to honor their commitment, the study is over.

And don't let them hopscotch you through the Bible with isolated proof-texts.

Make them go all the way through an NT book like Romans or Galatians.

Odds are they won't, but then you can tell them that it seems the critics of the WT were right, that JWs really don't stick to the Bible in context.

admirmitch

I personally like to use a few different versions when they are with me. If you have a mobile device, a good tool is the Logos Bible software so you can compare and see what the differences are. A good example is John 17.3 and "knowledge" vs "knowing." Are you aware of the majority of the changed verses they have? Another good website is www.biblegateway.com which will allow you to bring up multiple versions. The Dubs that sat with me (four hours in one sitting) were more than willing to look at different versions and the full-time pioneer used the NIV in her personal studies.

If they wish to get you into "What Does the Bible Really Teach" book you need find a copy of "Response to What Does the Bible Really Teach" by Wilbur Lingle here: http://archive.org/details/ResponseToWhatDoesTheBibleReallyTeach. I used portions of it and their heads were spinning.

If studying a topic in the Bible, one that might be worthwhile is creation. Pick a few that have some obvious contradictions:

Isaiah 44.24-Jehovah alone

Job 33.4-Spirit created Job

John 1.3-Jesus self created and then creates

Colossians 1.16, 17-Jesus creates all [other] things.

Hebrews 1.10-12 and Pslam 102.25-27-Same exact wording Hebrews is Jesus and Psalm is Jehovah. Simply ask-who is the ONE that laid the foundation?

Just a few references off the top of my head.

Shoot a PM if you want some more ideas.

Study the Bible with JW - Any advice?

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