Posts by Doug Mason

4

1st Cent.Crucifixions to Order and for Sport

by BluesBrother in

i found this video interesting, from the smithsonian channel.

it explains how commonplace crucifixions were with specific mention of the patebelum crosspiece.

https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/videos/crucifixion-became-a-very-popular-roman-spectator-sport/69754?an=history.

Doug Mason

In Appendices of its translations of the Greek Scriptures (“New Testament”) the WTS provides a picture of a man attached to a single pole. This, they claim, is the manner of Christ’s execution. This picture, they explain, comes from the book De Cruce Liber Primus: “This is the manner in which Jesus was impaled” (Kingdom Interlinear, page 1155).

This is not impalement, in which the instrument of death is forced up through the victim’s body.

Most important is the fact that the WTS totally misrepresents what Justus Lipsius wrote.

He actually provided a number of illustrations, showing several such methods of execution. Lipsius concluded his research by saying that the conventional cross, in which a crosspiece is attached to a pole, was the implement used in Christ’s death.

It does not matter if Lipsius was right or wrong. What matters is that the WTS deliberately misreported Lipsius and that it hides factual evidence from its followers. Why should a stake be worshipped?

If it does this with an non-essential matter, how does it behave with critically important matters?

I obtained the pictures in the following PDF from an original book by Justus Lipsius, held in the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne.

https://jwstudies.com/Pictures_from_Lipsius_de_Cruce_Liber_Primus.pdf

Doug

4

Draft: Transmission of the text

by Doug Mason in

i am in the process of preparing a study that will include the impact of second temple judaism.

it will take me a few more months to complete.. early draft material on part of my study, dealing with aspects of the transmission of the text, is available at:.

https://jwstudies.com/transmission_of_the_text.pdf.

Doug Mason

Half Banana,

I went back to my source and after more careful reading of it, I have decided to drop that para. Thank you.

The author, David Trobisch, starts out with the position that the "New Testament" was a carefully edited publication from the outset, writing that it "must have been published before 180 CE" (Kloppenberg, page 162). That assumed position colours the balance of his chapter and it represents an unwarranted and unnecessary diversion. (See the entry on David Trobisch in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Trobisch )

So I thank you for your help.

Doug

4

Draft: Transmission of the text

by Doug Mason in

i am in the process of preparing a study that will include the impact of second temple judaism.

it will take me a few more months to complete.. early draft material on part of my study, dealing with aspects of the transmission of the text, is available at:.

https://jwstudies.com/transmission_of_the_text.pdf.

Doug Mason

Thank you Half Banana,

I will address this. Greatly appreciated.

I do not think the Roman Church was dominant in the 4th century. Up to that time, the centre would have been in North Africa (Alexandria, Carthage). My understanding is that Christianity moved northwards following Islamic invasions, thus converting Christianity into a European religion.

Doug

4

Draft: Transmission of the text

by Doug Mason in

i am in the process of preparing a study that will include the impact of second temple judaism.

it will take me a few more months to complete.. early draft material on part of my study, dealing with aspects of the transmission of the text, is available at:.

https://jwstudies.com/transmission_of_the_text.pdf.

Doug Mason

I am in the process of preparing a Study that will include the impact of Second Temple Judaism. It will take me a few more months to complete.

Early Draft material on part of my Study, dealing with aspects of the transmission of the text, is available at:

https://jwstudies.com/Transmission_of_the_text.pdf

Criticisms and advice are absolutely most welcome.

Doug

39

Is it possible to nullify a baptism?

by idk123 in

hope you are all well,.

i was wondering within the organisation if there are any guidelines or grounds for nullifying a baptism.

see i grew up a jehovah's witness and was baptised at age 13, i didn't get baptised for the right reasons, i felt pressured to because my friends were getting baptised at the same time.

Doug Mason

Where does the Bible say that baptism is required for membership of an organisation?

Doug

14

What Makes JWs Unique?

by neat blue dog in

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Doug Mason

I would have thought that the WTS's "Worldwide Order of Special Full-Time Servants of Jehovah's Witnesses'" would constitute a religious clergy (a Religious "Order"). I understood that the members had to sign a pledge of Obedience and Poverty. From memory, the WTS used this as a defence before the courts.

I wrote the following 12 years ago, so I suspect changes have been made since then. If so, I will appreciate corrections:

https://jwstudies.com/org_chart.pdf

Doug

1

Even if you do not purchase this book ...

by Doug Mason in

even if you do not purchase this book, at least read the preview pages freely available online:.

https://www.amazon.com/discovering-second-temple-literature-scriptures/dp/0827612656.

doug.

Doug Mason

Even if you do not purchase this book, at least read the preview pages freely available online:

https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Second-Temple-Literature-Scriptures/dp/0827612656

Doug

20

Jesus is Yahweh......Titles applied to YHWH and Jesus in Old and N.T.......credit to Bill Cetnar

by krismalone in

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Doug Mason

Hi Smiddy3.

Good references include: "The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel", Mark Smith;

"Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan", John Day.

(Search online for PDF files -- or email me).

"Asherah and the cult of Yahweh in Israel", Saul Olyan.

"When God was a woman", Merlin Stone. etc., etc.

In Genesis 1, the name of God is given as EL. He was the main God of Canaan (from the north). He and his wife Asherah had 70 children, all gods, one of whom was the warrior god Baal. The group was known as the Elohim ("let US make ..."). YHWH was not one of the Elohim.

A group of Jews came up from the south, where Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, was priest to the God Yahweh. So this small group brought Yahweh, also a warrior god, up with them.

The people who wrote Genesis 2 display the merging of YHWH with EL, hence we get YHWH EL => LORD God.

The Israelites were quite tolerant (Monolatrists) and they worshipped several gods. A small minority faction were monotheists, worshipping YHWH. It is their propaganda that we now read, although traces of the opposing views still filter through. We read of the Yahwists' anger at the opposition. At one stage the people moved Asherah from EL and have her to YHWH. We read that they even put Asherah poles in the sanctuary.

Both YHWH and Baal were warrior gods, hence the frenzied opposition we read about in the Yahwists' writings (Hebrew Scriptures)

The Yahwists, who were centred in Jerusalem, used the opportunity given to them by the neo-Babylonian period. Read, for example, their manifesto at Isaiah 40. Or what they wrote at Deuteronomy 6:4.

The nation that left Babylon was very different to the nation that went into captivity. From that time, the monotheists, the Yahwists, exerted increasing power. That was not the sole metamorphosis experienced by the Hebrews. Slowly they became known as Jews through living in Judah. Later, following the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, the rising Rabbinic Judaism slowly transformed the peoples into the versions we witness today.

Any help?

Doug

20

Thanks,

Doug