hi, i became inactive fifteen years ago.
there is a lot that i just don't believe.
that is why i left.
Yes, I do.
My own personal feeling is that you either "have" it or you dont. You cant "learn" it nor can you fully "understand" it. If you place "rationality" above "revelation" then you will never "have" it, no matter what is said. If you accept "revelation" in all its aspects, you will "have" it no matter what is said.
We will never "know" this side of eternity, what the reality is, we are called upon only to "believe"
Take it or leave it.
The choice is yours and have a nice day.
Cheers
this is my first post here ever.
i was hoping some may be able to tell me the author(s) of any of the watchtower books - especially those from the last couple of decades.
if you can back it up with anything, that'd be great, too.. thanks..
Hi, Shepherd Book and welcome to JWD.
As has been mentioned above, all WTS publications are now being published anonymously. Evidently the reason for this is a need for the WTS to display "modesty" and the lack of wanting to gain the spotlight. This seems rich, seeing that it is coming from a bunch of self-serving arrogant lunatics obsessed with the notion of exclusive divine sanction. The more plausible reason appears to be to make research into WT "scholarship" impossible, thus avoiding accontability and public scrutiny.
Up to 1942, all WT books were published with an author's name, usually the head honcho of the time, either Russell, or Rutherford. Since 1942, with the publication of the book "The New World" - which purported to be a commentary on the book of Job - the policy changed and it was published anonymously, this policy has remained ever since. It is evident, however, that since he was considered, by the WTS at least, to be God's "oracle" on earth, most of the books published between 1942 - 1969 were written by Fred Franz, the 4th WT president.
Ray Franz, his nephew, and one intimately connected with the inner workings of the WTS since he was a former member of the inner sanctum called the Governing Body, informs us, in his book "Crisis of Conscience" pg 61, that his uncle authored the book "Life Everlasting in the Freedom of the Sons of God" published in 1966. Other defectors from behind the WTS "iron curtain" have revealed that Franz also wrote the excreable "Babylon the Great has Fallen" published in 1963.
Several web sites reveal the names of the New World Translation "committee". This WTS slanted Bible "translation" was essentially the work of Freddy Franz who was "largely self-taught" in Bible languages. He was assisted by a committee comprising: Milton Henschel, Nathan Knorr, Hayden Covington, George Gangas, Albert Schroeder, and Grant Suiter. As to how these looney toon characters could be of any "assistance" to Franz is a mystery more obtuse than the Trinity, since none of them could tell a Greek Alpha from a leg of pork. Far from being Greek scholars, they could be best described as geek scholars!
Since 1970, WTS books have been written by groups of writers rather than a single author. A twenty man [''person'' actually, since we know of at least one woman, Barbara Anderson in this group] "writing department" under the oversight of Karl Adams now produces all the WTS literature.
In his book mentioned earlier, on pg 22, Ray Franz reveals the authors of the "Aid" book, published in a complete edition in 1971 [there was an earlier, incomplete edition released in 1970] These were: Ray Franz, Ed Dunlap, Lyman Swingle, Rheinhardt Lengtat, and John Wischuk.
Dunlap later wrote the "Commentary on James" released in 1979.
Ray Franz also tells us that he, along with Karl Adams and Ed Dunlap also wrote the manual "Organisation for Kingdom-Preaching and Disciple-Making" a sort of church instruction brochure oulining the various tiresome WTS procedures for doing just about anything.
Interestingly, Franz also points out that this "Writing Department" no longer has any of the "anointed" counted among its ranks. Which therefore means that the idea of the "anointed" providing the "food at the proper time" is nothing more than a polite fiction. All the writers who pen the WTS publications are mostly young turks who profess to be of the "Other Sheep" and appear to be more familiar with the nuances of the legal profession, rather than the Bible. Many of the "anointed" have often professed total surprise at any "new truth" devised by these new writers, rather than supposedly being the originators of this "food". A question of the "tail" wagging the dog, perchance. To the WTS, perception is more important than reality, and as long as the perception is maintained that all the "Food at the proper time" is coming from the "anointed" no explanations to the rank-and-file seems necessary. [ See Ray Franz's book" In Search of Christian Freedom" pgs 154 -164]
There is a web site maintained by a former Bethel supervisor, Randy Watters, called "Free Minds". Scrolling through there will provide you with the names of the current Writing Department members.
Hope this helps
Cheers
does anyone have a list of the differences between the 1968 and 1981 editions of the book "the truth that leads to eternal life"?
my recollection is that the changes in the 1981 edition were in relation to statements that could have been associated with 1975...as, for example, citations from the book "famine--1975.
does anyone have an exact list?.
Sorry.... I dont have a scanner....I'm a computer moron anyway and would probably start WW 3 by pressing a wrong damn button or something [or even transfer my non-existant bank account to some deposit in the Bahamas].
But I know just the [super]man for the job: Altlantis !!
Maybe if we holler LOUD enough he'll hear us and oblige. What that guy has on scan is simply unbelievable.
Cheers
does anyone have a list of the differences between the 1968 and 1981 editions of the book "the truth that leads to eternal life"?
my recollection is that the changes in the 1981 edition were in relation to statements that could have been associated with 1975...as, for example, citations from the book "famine--1975.
does anyone have an exact list?.
I am not sure if this helps, but the only other revision I can think of in the two editions of the "Truth" book is this quote from former US Secretary of State, Dean Acherson:
"Back in 1960, a former United States Secretary of State, Dean Acherson declared that our time is "a period of unequaled instability,unequaled violence" And he warned: "I know enough of what is going on to assure you that, in fifteen years from today this world is going to be too dangerous to live in" "
[This is a quote from the original 1968 edition, pg 9. It does'nt take an Einstein to work out that 15 years from 1960 falls smack into 1975 - The BIG YEAR for the WTS "profits"]
The revised edition published in 1981, edited this obviously embarrasing quote to read as follows:
"As reported back in 1960, a former United States Secretary of State, Dean Acherson declared that our time is '' a period of unequaled instability, unequaled violence'' Based on what he knew was then going on in the world it was his conclusion that soon '' this world is going to be too dangerous to live in '' Pg 9
Cheers
when i was "in" an acquaintance said to me - you lot want it all ways , when the bible says the sign of the end is "wars and reports of wars "you grab that.when the bible says a cry of "peace and security" is a sign if the end you grab that.. contrasting signs but both a pointer to the end times.. did he have a point ?.
Yes I believe your friend did have a point. Like the Delphic Oracles in ancient Greece, the WT garnishes its "prophetic utterances" with liberal doses of pungent ambiguities. I remember in the mid 70s when the Middle East was a potboiler with the Arab Israel war, the WTS went almost beserk with dire warnings of a soon-to-come universal conflict.
In the mid 80s when the UN designated a certain year [84, I think] as the year of "Peace and Security" the WTS went almost hysterical with an anticipated realization of the soon-to-come universal conflict.
The WT publishes magazines with covers that coyly suggest: War- Is the end near? and: Peace- Is the end near? Having thus covered both bases how the hell can you lose?
In all this, I believe that the WTS has missed a basic biblical theme. The Bible never once exhorts its readers to anticipate the end-of-the-world as we know it. Or to calculate it. Or to be obsessed with it.
It exhorts them to await, with confidence, the Lord Jesus Christ, who promised He would come again. This is the event true Christians anticipate.
When will this be? Dunno.
Cheers
i know this has been discussed until you are all probably sick of it, but i have been trying to find a watchtower quote on exactly how michael became jesus.
i have googled it and checked my books throughly without any success.
thanks in advance
If you are looking for a WTS apologia on how they derive a Michael/Jesus relationsip, their latest publication "What does the Bible Really Teach" - [Subtitled: No, honest, this time we really, really got it right, promise - at least till the next edition] has an extensive section at the back in the appendix. Theres nothing new in there but it is comprehensive as you will get. If you don't have the book someone may be able to scan the relative pages for you. I believe it is also available for download at Reorganize.com.
For a rebuttal, there are several web sites available, such as MacGregor Ministries and others
Cheers
the watchtower is noted for its extreme stand on many issues, including life and death issues.. i'm thinking of things such as blood, of course, christmas, birthdays, holidays, private marriage issues etc.. the recent watchtower on the 'antichrist' had me thinking of their criticism of gnostic beliefs and how they worded it is as follows~.
'ideas of a purely symbolic resurrection were later developed by a group called gnostics.
believeing that knowledge could be derived in a mystical way, gnostics combined apostate christianity with greek philosophy and oriental mysticism.
The relationship between the WTS and Gnostic thought is at once both complex and prolix. Insofar as the Gnostics were a summation of several belief systems that proposed salvation through the incremental acceptance of a specialized "gnosis" - knowledge, then yes, we can see a relavance in this relationship. To paraphrase the WT dictum based on John 17:3, the Gnostic idea would be something like: "This means everlasting life, taking in knowledge of us, the only true mystics, and the mysticism we gradually unfold"
However it simply is not possible to explore every ramification of expression that summed up Gnosticism, since it was not a homogeneous system of either religion or philosophy, but embraced many diversified sects holding opinions from a great variety of original sources.There were indeed several theosophies that claimed a Gnostic heritage, many of these predating Christianity. It was, in the formative years of Christianity, as it is today, an amalgam into which a number of different elements have been infused.
For instance, out of the basic Gnostic idea that matter, including the human body, was evil, it soon settled on the notion that the only realm worth exploring was that of the spirit, uncontaminated by base matter and which was good. As a consequence of this, many Gnostics came to believe that since the body was evil, the only course of life to live was that of asceticsm, while others came to exactly the opposite conclusion, that since the body was evil, it made no difference what one did, hence they tended to live what we today would define as loose, immoral lives.
At once a speculative, suble, and elaborate series of theosophic ideas, it endeavoured to introduce into the historic Church, in its infancy, when its theological muscle was still undeveloped, a so-called "higher knowledge" which attempted to displace the centrality of Christ with mystical idealism. Indeed various aspects of Gnostic thought appealed to many of the early church apologists, while at the same time others repelled them.
Probably another aspect of Gnosticism that resembles WT theology was the early Gnostic penchant for allegorizing or extensively spiritualizing the OT and its historicity. A reading of several Wt magazines in which wildly speculative fantasies are spun out - Noah's ark = the Org, for example, captures at least to a provident level, this Gnostic principle. This kind of inferential theology was stretched to levels of total absurdity under the reign of JFR, his book "Enemies" being a prime example.
Recent new finds and the fuller examination of older pieces of literature will, I am certain, along with the possibilty of further finds, expand our understanding of Gnosticism and its influence, not always benign in early Christianity
Cheers
if meeting together is to be taken to mean, five meetings a week that we must never miss, what about the command at rom 16:16, that says to greet one another with a kiss, or mt 6:9, you must pray this way???
jw's don't greet one another with a kiss, nor do they pray the lords prayer.. peep.
Very good point, Little Bo Peep. Remember, too, that the exhotation at Heb 10:24, 25 applies, at least to the author of Hebrews, only to the "anointed" since he talks of "us" not forsaking the gathering of ourselves. Who is this "us"? Well.... Vs 19 talks of "we" who can enter the "holy place"- which the WTS understands to be heaven, and vs 23 talks of "us" having "our hope". The argument of the author is that on the basis of this heavenly hope, we have this obligation to encourage one enother. After all, this heavenly hope is beyond the experience of human creatures, so "we" need all the encouragement we can get.
Evidently, through the strange alchemy of WT theology, the "Us" in vss 19 - 23 applies only to the 144k, but in vs 24, it transmutes into everyone in the WTS, and then re-settles back to the "anointed" in vs26 and following. Yeah, right.
Go figure.
Cheers
the watchtower society claims that every word of their literature is carefully scrutinized before it is fed to their flock.
this would indicate that the use of "medicine water", to drive away evil spirits from a person or place, or lying to house-holders to gain converts is not only condoned, but honored enough for this experience to be included in their most cherished feeding tool, the watchtower.
please note these points: 1. the jw in this experience wants her sister to become a servant of "the theocracy"and mentions nothing about being a servant of god.
Thanks for this informative and very interesting post, Big A, as you said, the WTS has a weakness for exploiting the more folklorish attitudes of its future converts than is absolutely necessary. In fact it is clear to us who have been in a long time, that this exploitation is indeed endemic to their recruiting technique.
There is a realization among many of us who were former "inmates" of this loony-toon world, that the WTS is the sum of of several competing ironies that are simultaneously contradictory as they are base. For instance, they profess to uphold a system of belief which hinges on a total belief in the true God of the Bible, maintaining this charade with copious references to "pagan influences" that others have supposedly adopted, yet they themselves indulge in practices that would have seen them stoned for demonic activity in OT times.
That article you quoted from was an item which appeared in the 50s, when Freddy Flintstone Franz was at his peak. This was the time when he was quoting with great frequency, and obvious relish, his little mate, Johannes Greber, knowing full well at that time he was an occult enthusiast. If Freddy could have approved of a demonist like Greber, it is only a short step to being one himself. I'm always suspicious when the WTS claims to have "new light flashing UP" because it clearly outlines to me the direction from which that "light" originated - from the depths of the unclean.
Unfortunately I do not have the particular WT with me, but my notes tell me that this quaint expression occurs in the Feb 15 WT of 1984, page 11, para 6.
In the 50s, incidently, I was privileged to live in India, and I personally knew of many Gilead missionaries who encouraged their newer converts, when under a perceived demonic attack, to wave the WT magazine aloft, particularly with the cover which had the ju-ju word "jehover" on it, to ensure the warding off of such attacks. At various meetings, many claimed sucess while recounting "experiences" of this, and were hansomely applauded.That this was a contradiction of Lu 9:49, did'nt seem to bother them
Cheers
leolaia,.
being the resident scholar around here can you answer me a question.
first off i did read your extended piece on the cross.
It is true that ancient Greek went through different historical periods. What is referred to as the "Pre-Homeric period" lasted upto the 10th cent BC. The classical period came into effect, when georaphy and politics [ex the city-states which were independant entities] caused Greek to fracture into several dialects, four of which became predominant: Aeolic, Doric, Ionic, and by far the most influencial, Attic. Attic was in fact a direct offspring of Ionic. It owed its prominence to the fact that it was the dialect of ancient Athens. Since Athens was the political and literary centre of Greece during its "golden age"of literature, its form of language slowly gained assendancy. Usually, Attic and Classical Greek are regarded as synonymous terms.
With Greece going international with the conquests of Alexander, Greek again went through a revolutionary change, this time transmuting into the language we now know as "Koine" Greek. This was about 330 BC - 330AD
Like all languages, ancient Greek was a living organism and took on linguistic characteristics and modifications that were potent for its time. This went as far as vocabulary.When Greece came into contact with other cultural influences like that of Persia, it absorbed the nuances of that culture which was reflected in a broading of the dictionary meanings of words.
This was the case in point for a word like "stauros" It is true that in Attic Greek times, ie the time of Homer [ca 600BC], the word simply meant a "Stake" [nothing connoting "torture" was attached to the word] But that is not the point. The NT was written in Koine times, when Greek came in contact with the cultural influences of Rome. Rome had a word for their instrument of execution for criminals, and that was the "crux", a word for which there was no equivalent in Greek, so the word "stauros" was used to describe this instrument. Thus by NT times stauros was = to the Latin crux. Yes the "[Human] Reasoning" book is dishonest in that it insists on using an anachronistic meaning of "stauros" for its own purposes.
It's like using the word "suffer" as used in KJV English, as in "Suffer the little children" to imply that Jesus was referring to the inflicting of pain on little children.In KJV English times the word "suffer" simply meant to "permit"
Cheers
