LW - I never heard of two things you said, but thanks for giving me food for thought:
"Did you know that Eastern European congregations still are allowed to celebrate christmas? yes!"
And
"I know when I left in 1980 or so that it was still preached that blacks were hams decendants and blackness was a curse."
Cold Red - No one ever told me that. I just used that explaination (poor one) when ever someone ask me about the BORG's policy on Blacks regarding the GB. At the time, I was as loyal as they come, and I tried to make all kinds of excuses for the BORG, and that one made sense to me - what else could I say? That they were racist? I was asked that question often. It just showed the height of my ignornance at the time when I would, at all cost, try to justify the BORG's stance on anything.
Nilfun - True, The NWT Translation Committee do not qualify to translate any Bible.
I now know that the BORG was applying the thoughts and procedures of the general public. Were they racist? Sure, but who wasn't - Most of the institutions in the U.S. during the late 1800's and early 1900's were. It was ingrained in their minds since infancy.
In our modern times, try and start a worldwide organization w/ millions of members with no diversity at the executive level, and claim that they are the only true religion - It ain't gonna happen.
Peace - LL