Can a J-Dub conduct a Bible study without a WTS publication?

by Latin assassin from Manhattan 10 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Latin assassin from Manhattan

  If J-Dubs claim to be the authority on Bible literacy and teaching, then why can't they conduct a Bible study or preach without a WTS publication?

  Consider this:

  If I claimed to be an authority on Shakespeare during a conversation with a friend, would I pull out a book written by someone else that explained it? How does that prove that I understand Shakespeares work?

  If I were at a job interview or at a career networking party, and claimed to be proficient with computers, would I pull out a book that explains how computer software works?

  Have you ever seen a university professor spend the entire lecture reading from a third party publication?

  Has anyone noticed how the 'Reasoning' book is always used as a parachute when someone at the door knows more about the Bible than a J-Dub? If the org claims to be doing such a great job of teaching it's followers about the Bible, why do they carry this book during field service?

  It would be interesting to find out just how many of the millions that go into field service, can conduct a Bible study, or even discuss a Bible topic without the use of a publication. My opinion is that J-Dubs are just highly trained salespeople, not Bible teachers.
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  happyout

  Tsk tsk tsk.

  Trying to apply logic where there is none?? It doesn't work dear, that's at least part of the reason why most of us left.

  Happyout (patting Latin Assassin on the head gently)
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  peacefulpete

  At pioneer school the topic was discussed of studying with someone who insisted upon using only the Bible. The direction given was to copy out the PE book by reading ahead and writing down the scriptures and questions and discuss this as if it were your research. After 3 studies pull out the book and continue by using it directly, explaining that it was the source of the wonderful info youv'e been discussing......If they still bawked it likely meant they were goats.
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  blondie

  No but they can conduct it without a Bible.

  I went on a study with a sister once who never read the cited scriptures, only the ones quoted in the paragraphs. She figured the student had done it before hand and was expected to remember what it said. Interestingly enough, the sister had carefully written the scriptures in the margins of her book, so she didn't have to remember what they said.

  I conducted several studies over the years w/o a WTS publication and not using the little pioneer technique. I always wondered what publications the early Christians used. All they had was the Old Testament, which is what Jesus used to prove his points. But I have to admit that I did get flak from the brothers. They wanted to student to look to the organization not me. I thought they were supposed to look to Christ.

  The presentations nowadays always point people to a publication to find the answers to their Bible questions

  Blondie
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  unique1

  Actually the Admonition now is to try to start studies using just the bible. You are supposed to prep well ahead of time though. I guess people are put off by the publications in some areas, so they are trying just using the bible and going over a few scriptures pertaining to one subject at a time.
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  ozziepost

  A very good question, this. What would happen? The elders would be looking askance at such a person. There would be mutterings about "apostate", and the pressure would be on!

  Ozzie
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  blondie

  unique1, so the pendulum swings back to using the Bible again. In our area about 4 years ago, that was the plan. But so few JWs prepared and this being an atheist's paradise, it did not work and publications were piling up. To get rid of place them, the scheme was to work all the unworked territories by not knocking but just putting a magazine in the door. They blitzed those areas and when the CO came they could proudly point to all the territories that had been "worked."

  I had a woman at work ask me if the JWs were have some type of campaign where they were handing out free samples like the flyers that are put on the handles of people's doors. She thought JWs had changed their technique.

  Blondie
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  mizpah

  Years ago, I remember a lot of talk in the congregation that there might come a time when Watchtower literature would no longer be available and everyone would have to use just the Bible. At the same time, it was stressed that we should attend the weekly book study as it would become a small congregation should the authorites shut down all Kingdom Halls. (Book study attendance was dropping off.) It was all part of the scare tactics of the time. Ironic, though, that we were encouraged to attend a BOOK study at the same time that we would have to use only the BIBLE in service.

  Of course, the Watchtower Society had no intentions of having the "publishers" use only the Bible. Their "raison d'etre" is the publishing and distributing of literature.
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  Euphemism

  I, too, conducted studies using just the Bible occasionally when I was a dub. Especially with some people, starting out, they had a lot of questions, and I felt that it was more productive to answer their questions first, using the Bible, before trying to get into a publications.

  Similarily, if they asked a question during the study that wasn't in the material, I would go ahead and answer it, using the Bible. I never agreed with the WTS position that you should push the question aside and say "it will get answered later in the book."
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  SadElder

  Had a few studies in the Bible only, but CO's always pushed to get into the publications as soon as possible. Never had much success.