Dr. Bergman

by Jerry Bergman 109 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  bchamber

  Dear Detective,

  Why did you not give your name? I think that might be more interesting to know than your question.

  However, it was just a coindence that I stumbled onto this list about Dr. Bergman. Being involved English translations of the Bible, I am always on the lookout for anything on the Web of importance. I am involved in serveral discussion groups on Bible translations and have been for a long time. I was informed recently about a "Bible Research" discussion list on this site and signed up this morning so as to be involved with it. If you will look for the topis "Jehovah", you will find a response from me.

  It was then that I noticed, in going down the drop-down list, mental health & JWs, a subject I have been interested for a long time now mainly because of Dr. Bergman's writings. So I went to it and seen Dr. Bergman listed. I just had to see what it was about. After reading all of the email about him, I decided to write also.

  As you can see I am not trying to hid anything. Are you? What is your name?

  Edited by - bchamber on 20 August 2002 14:55:30
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  bchamber

  Mike,

  I am not sure this is the proper list to respond to your statement, "you can therefore attest that the New World Translation Bible...is the most scholarly Bible in circulation. It is certainly a refreshing translation that brings the Creators message into our living language". So I will be brief.

  Yes, it is easy to read and understand, mainly, because it was written in the English we use today.

  However, there is NO perfect translation of the Bible. There is always something lost when translating from one language into another. Also, ALL Bible translators are bias mainly because of their own religious beliefs.

  This is also true of the NWT.

  Knowing that, you can then understand my next statement. All translations are the Word of God. It doesnt matter how well the translation is or how bad it is, they are all the Word of God. Do translators make mistakes as well. You bet they do. Does that make them something less than the Word of God?

  The NWT does have a lot of good points that speaks for the translators. Were they bias in their work? Yes, they were as can be seen in many scriptures. This is NOT the place to get into that.

  In answer to your unasked question, yes I do use the NWT just as I do my other 1,435 different English translations that I have. I do have a copy of every Bible the WTB&TS published. This includes the two different copies of the Emphatic Diaglott by B. Wilson that they published. Did you know there were two different ones?

  One last item, would I recommend the NWT to people? Yes I would. However, I would want them to know the above facts first.
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  simwitness

  bchamber,

  This includes the two different copies of the Emphatic Diaglott by B. Wilson that they published. Did you know there were two different ones?

  Would you be so kind as to describe the primary differences between them? Is it just a printing date, or is there other "changes" within it that might be interesting?

  Thanks!
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  MikeMusto

  thanks for the reply bc.--you are honest

  I was actually trying to make "a funny"-as the NWT is the subject of much critique.
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  GermanXJW

  It is still damaging to the WB&TS and that would explain why we have German JW's criticizing Dr. Bergman.

  Please don't get mislead by my pseudo which I chose some years ago as an apologet and which still fits my hotmail-adress. I am not an active JW anymore but trying to do my own thinking. I don't want to stumble from one black/white-world into another. So I am not giving applause to anyone just because he is anti-WTS.

  My first impression of Bergman was odd. I saw him in the Witnesses of Jehovah-video giving his experience with the 1975 date and what he had to say was that the Witnesses made him sell his stamp collection. Poor guy, I thought.

  Well, of course I don't like the impression given that a large part of JW if not all are mentally ill - I used to be one of them. I also don't like the strong language in Bergman's book.

  It stroke me that scholars like Singelenberg and Besier were not so fond of Bergman. Singelenberg seems to be quite rational, he gave a fine review of Ray Franz book in the Netherlands. I also own Bergman's Comprehensive Bibliography and share Singelenberg's view. At one time I even thought about sending all the spelling errors in German titles to Bergman but never did.

  How many of you have actually read the court transcript stated above from Ohio? If you have, did you check out the accuracy of it?

  I have not. This is why I quoted Besiers information on this board. The first time I posted that I asked if anybody on the board could check the actual content. After Bergman posted in here I reposted the information because I saw the chance to get his response to Besier.

  Please see:
  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=31682&page=2&site=3

  Edited by - GermanJW on 20 August 2002 15:40:26
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  larc

  bchamber, I would be interested in your thoughts regarding Bergman's book on JW's and Mental Illness. This was discussed at length on the tread that GermanJW, just referenced. I would also be interested in your opionion of my comments.
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  Jerry Bergman

  So called Scholars like Singelenberg and Besier are not objective. I have known Richard for over a decade now and he has become an apologists for the WT .I think they pay him to defend them. He has also of late disfellowshipped me and will no longer respond to my letters even though I have 50 or so letters from him in the past. His work on the WT is appalling and I cannot understand how a Witnesses could find him credible. I will do a brief review of some of his work soon and post it. Also, I admit that my German, Dutch, French, Italian, Swedish and a few other languages is very rusty and I included many spelling errors, but I could not get anyone to review this. Although my son is fluent in Spanish (he lives in Europe now) and French, so these sections were better. How many of you are fluent in 10 languages??
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  Jerry Bergman

  You are correct. I was picked on constantly because I was a strict active JW and spent much time Witnessing (and turning off people to them as most Witnesses do). I was called Bible Bergman. I thought the end was going to be in 1975 so let people know they better get in Gods organization or die at Armageddon. I started to question 1975 in about 1970 or so.I got in trouble with the brothers due to this and from then on it was downhill.
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  larc

  Jerry, I am glad to see you here. I think you can offer some real valueable information and insight. While you and I have some differences of opinion, I hope others here allow us to discuss these objectively, without a mob metality breaking out among the other participants.
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  MikeMusto

  Bergman,

  I may not speak 10 languages- But i read the Awake! magazine. And according to a High School

  teacher in some African Country--It is better than a college education.