by defd 100 Replies latest jw friends
After reading the Bible in it's entirety 4 times, what's the point in re-reading it again and again?
I find it more useful to read a new textbook about the discoveries of genetics or what's happening in technology.
My mother on the other hand does read it almost every day, she's still as bitter, as depressed, as unhappy as she always has been while she waits on Armeggedon to fix everything in her life.
think a better question is: Can a JW read the Bible through without the WT publications?
No, from the beginning to present day the WT position has always been if you read the Bible by itself you will fall away from their teaching. In other word by itself it is a very dangerous book. Russell said if you read the Bible without his books, Studies in the Scriptures you would fall into darkness. This was reitterated in they early 80s when they said something like: witness have been reported reading the Bible by itself without the aid of WT publications. Strangely they are going back to the doctrines of Christendom. You won't come up with their teachings by reading the Bible.
Now that I am fading.. i haven't had nightmares that were so scary anymore. Does that mean god isn't with me since the demons aren't scaring me anymore?? Ya know.. cause they only torment you to get you away from god and all....(so the meetings tell you)
They are part of the package deal you get when you accept the WT teachings. When you stop believing the Watchtower is the truth the creatures they manufactured leave with all the other crap they made up to keep you in line. To put it bluntly I think the WT was driving you crazy. Who knows where you would have wound up if you continued to put your faith in them.
I read my bible everyday. I started as soon as I had doubts about some of my beliefs. I thought it would help me stay strong in the faith.
I eventually realized that reading the bible, without giving most of it a predetermined meaning, was very damaging to my faith in the FDS and very upbuilding to my faith in Jesus and Jehovah.
read the bible daily? Honestly do you? Or is it collecting dust on a table or shelf somewhere?
no. i burned my new world and king james versions. kerosene and strike-anywhere matches. (poof) the ignorance of ages burn black. TS
I watched a show recently about a woman who knew she was dying. She wrote a diary and also made yearly videos for her young child to remember her by. She would write things about what the child did at what age, how she reacted, their relationship... But she also put in many lifes lessons, being a mom who loved her child dearly and wanted to do her best to try and raise her child, even when she was gone, with proper aspect of life and its lessons.
One thing the JW's did for me is to be able to apply analagies. Yep, here is one now. Compare that diary and the videos to the Bible. Does that child have to read the diary and view the tapes every day? IMO, that child does not have to. That child has been taught by the mom, led by her words. That child has mom with him/her everyday in their thoughts. Just because that child does not pull out the diary and the tapes every day does not mean that they have left their love for their mom. That child will occasionally pull them out and read and watch these again and again in their lives.
As this child grows and comes across things in their life they will remember things written in mom's diary and remember what mom said in her tapes. When the child is faced with decisions things, things that mom said would come back to them and help guide them. When something humorous happens they may chuckle because they remember something mom wrote or taped. When they have children of their own they can look back and remember by mom's words what to expect.
I could go on forever. My point is, just because someone does not read the Bible anymore/often, or does not go to the Hall anymore, is not the same as leaving love for God. Not all still believe in God, some don't know, and some feel even closer to God since leaving. We are all different. If you remember, the Bible does say "as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart is." (1 Sam. 16:7)
I will close this with quotes from Luke 6:37,38:
(37) "Moreover, stop judging, and you will by no means be judged:..."
(38) "...For the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you in return."
"You cannot be partaking of the 'table of Jehovah' and the table of demons." (1 Corinthians 10:21)
Perfect quote. Remember Defd, God is watching all of your actions and knows what sites you are visiting on the internet.
I do read the bible. Not daily. I use my gr-grandmother's NWT 1984 edition, cuz that's the one I have out right now. Mostly to look up scriptures to refute the WTBTS doctrine.
However, I am giving serious thought to reading the gospels again.
I used to read the bible alot as a JW kid and teen. It's what I could get away with reading during a boring meeting. I even set out to read it cover to cover, including title pages and indexes, and DID.
I don't believe that I've moved away from "god" at all. I'm far more "spiritual" than I ever was as an active, practicing JW. And yes, I'm agnostic.
I have a couple of different bibles in my house, and occasionally, I'll get one out....mostly whenever there's a discussion here...but other than that, i know what's in the bible.....I left the organization, not God. He knows my heart, not anyone else.....what I find humorous, is the JW's that come to sites like this, and "blast" us.....like they have the right to.... They know they aren't supposed to be here. I wonder if they pray for God's forgiveness after posting.....hmmmmmm.
Defd, Honestly, do you read the publications more than the bible? Do you read more watchtowers and awakes than the bible? I know you do because i know thats ALL I read when I was an active witness. The only bible reading most witnesses do is whatever scriptures are quoted in the publications they are currently studying.
The society uses about 20 scriptures or less over and over and over again to prove there points and most are taken out of context. Please DEFD just set down and read Galations without the Watchtowers help and see what it says to you.
