Encouraged to read only the Old Testament?

by snbdye2000 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  snbdye2000

  Hello all,

  Some of you may recognize my name and my story - my husband has been studying with a jw for about a year now, off and on. Currently he claims that he is not going to read their books anymore and just read the Bible on his own (Yea!)

  My question is in regards to his reading habits. He seems to me to be completely consumed with only reading the Old Testament. He occasionally reads out of the New Testament, but very rarely. Only to pick up some little scripture or something. I have asked him over and over to read the New Testament. The other day he said he started with Matthew. Tonight he told me he only read the first couple of chapters and then started reading Kings or something. He says he has read the Old Testament completely through at least once..maybe twice now over the past few years. But has only skimmed the New Testament. I am wondering if this is encouraged by the jw's? It would make sense to me - because I believe if he reads the New Testament, he will come to a completely different viewpoint on who Jesus is and what his coming truly was. (Please dont blast me on this if you're not of the same beliefs I am....this is MY belief, and I think it fits )

  I'm just curious if this is just some strange aversion he has to the NT, or if it is actually encouraged?

  Thanks!

  snbdye
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  under74

  Well, in my experience the New Testament was a big thing. The book of Revelation was something harped on in my JW experience. And I remember as a kid being told that the Jews were Gods people but since they didn't accept the New Testament that changed things...
  
  
  I'm not sure what the WT's stance is but the JW Bible has both Old and New. Somebody might have another view.
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  snbdye2000

  I'm glad you mentioned Revelations. I had forgotten that it is the ONLY book in the NT he has read through! Seems to me that he only enjoys reading about Jehovah (OT) and end time prophesy (Rev.). This may very well just be something in him personally, I have no clue. I just thought it actually makes a little sense to have him consumed with "what Jehovah wants him to do", rather than read about Jesus. Also, reading only Revelations somewhat re-inforces the jw fascination with death/destruction/armageddon and all dont you think? Because truthfully, my husband seems to only want to talk about "Jehovah" and all the laws and such. If he were to read the NT, it very well may open his eyes to another way of thinking...that there are good christian people out in this world, that LOVE is number one....rather than the constant doom and gloom he is always spouting. Whenever he goes off on that stuff, I just shake my head and suggest he read the NT, that maybe he'll see something good in it and not all the "do what jehovah says or you will be destroyed!" crud. I have no idea. Like I said, I have no concept of the jw mindset and maybe I'm grasping at straws here. Just struck me this way though when I found out he went back to the OT and stopped reading the NT. Guess I'll just have to ask him myself, huh!

  snbdye
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  AK - Jeff

  snybdye -

  Whilst I never heard the organization 'promote' the OT as more needed than the NT, I would say this.

  The organization, IMHO, has clearly attempted to revert to the thinking and attitudes that were obvious in the nation of Isreal. And they are cetainly more harmonized with the idea of hard core organizational examples to prove that Jehovah's spirit is with them now. I think that might be typical in a high control group to emulate the ideas of other high control groups - such as Israel. This gives concrete foundations to the idea that all actions can be dictated by laws set in stone.

  So while I don't see that the org had directed it precisely, it is prob more comfortable for witnesses to read the OT - it resembles life in the WT more that the NT does which is emphasizing something that the "New World Society" never does - love, freedom, and personal conscience.

  To former witnesses; How many times do you remember the organization using NT examples in 'Bible dramas' presented at the conventions - weren't they always old testament ones?

  Jeff
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  Narkissos

  First I'd like to say that when I was a JW (I was df'd over 18 years ago) there was no explicit encouragement to read the OT rather than the NT.

  The most obvious feature of JW Bible reading is that any cursive reading is subsequent to an atomised knowledge of individual "verses" which are used as bricks in the doctrinal building. Those texts, whether OT or NT, are first understood out of context before being (sometimes) read in context. That's the main problem IMO.

  This being said, the JW reader is used to read much the Bible situating him/herself out of the target audience. In the OT because the Law is supposed to be abolished, in the NT because the texts are supposed to address the "anointed". Whereas Western modern religious readers will find little interest, or desire, for OT issues such as circumcision or animal sacrifices, they will naturally be much more attracted to the specifically religious Christian texts, e.g. John and Paul. But what is more appealing is just what is "forbidden" to the average JW: it's not for him. So I can understand many JWs finally find themselves on safer ground in the OT.
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  M.J.

  The most obvious feature of JW Bible reading is that any cursive reading is subsequent to an atomised knowledge of individual "verses" which are used as bricks in the doctrinal building. Those texts, whether OT or NT, are first understood out of context before being (sometimes) read in context.

  Thanks, Nark. That's the best summarization I've read regarding the way they study. I've intuitively sensed this in watching their studies this but the way you articulated it is right on. The way I've tried to explain it before was using a string of well-known scriptural "sound bites" scattered throughout the Bible around which they construct a message.
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  Balsam

  I have been talking by email to a man who was studying with JW in India. He has since stopped studying with them mainly because of the blood policy which feels is wrong. He and I have had extensive discussions concerning blood.

  Anyway we have continued discussing the bible. He is very focused on the OT and Revelations and end times coming. I feel that the book of Revelation was written for Christians for the day not our day. The History Channel on cable has had some very valueable shows on this called "Mysteries of the Bible". Christians seem intent in trying apply Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel to end times. This is common down over the last 1000 years from all I've read. But now bible scholars have come to realize that Revelation was directed at Christians not losing hope as Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome.

  If this History Channel is available in your area, check our the guild to see if you can record them. There on Sat or Sunday.

  Balsam