Eyes Open:
Hello reniaa,
This reminds me of another discussion in which I recommended a book to you that discusses genres of literature in the bible. If I remember correctly you declined to consider this important avenue of scholarship. Perhaps you would consider reading it as it is relevant to the issues in this thread and you will not learn about this important topic in your bible "study" with Jehovah's Witnesses, whose teachings require that they selectively literally apply certain scriptures whilst ignoring wider context and purpose.
Since then I have seen that it is available online for free:
How to Read the Bible: History, Prophecy, Literature - Why Modern Readers Need to Know the Difference, and What it Means for Faith Today , Steven L. McKenzie
Let us know what you think, particularly about chapter five.
reniaa:
The bible is my main thing that I judge all things by (inc Wts) and i like that i judge it from my own viewpoint if a statement is made using a scripture to back it up then i can judge for myself if the statement is valid or not by reading the scripture and judging for myself, pretty much as billy bethelite does with his notes on wts articles, they are what his opinion are on the wts studies and he has the right to do that! but you are asking me to read some jobloggs opinion based 'How to' book on bible reading I maybe snobbish in this but i'm happy with the way I do it now lol.
A few things:
Firstly, if you only ever read the bible and Watchtower literature, you will struggle to get a balanced view. The religion itself claims that its interpretations of the bible are required to understand the collection of literature - this is hardly harmonious with the notion that the bible is the basis for judging teachings. It's just one example of circular reasoning. I suggest that by taking on board factual information and considering different interpretations we are much more able to get to the bottom of things and build a faith.
If you are really in search of truth as opposed to something labelled as "the truth" it can only be a good thing to open yourself up to information without judging it beforehand in order to give yourself the chance to evaluate and research its validity and subsequently form opinions.
Second, "some jobloggs" is Professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. A cursory read through his entry in the faculty and staff section will show that his "opinion" is an informed one. I realise the JW mindset is trained to dismiss academics and their findings (at least when they don't happen to coincide with the party line), but I still think you would agree that it would be foolish to automatically discount what they have to share without first availing yourself of the relevant material. An author such as this one, who engages with scholarlism in all its forms and who has made the old testament his lifes work, is not someone to shrug off at one's whim with the mistaken idea that one is being independent by instead sticking to the source material as we have it now (the works in the bible) and one publishing house's religious literature.
Third, do you really think you are beyond learning? I find it strange that you would dismiss such a book so flippantly, unless your knowledge in the field is more advanced than the level at which the work is aimed. What's the problem with continuing to learn by reading respected authors?
Fourth, I am not "asking" you to read, or do, anything. I am merely recommending one book which I found very enlightening and that will give you some additional information and input.