it actually took me a few years to finally leave the organization so i was mentally out for a while before i simply stopped all meetings altogether.. how long did it take you to finally make the break?
?.
blondie: "I left the same day and never went back. Right in the middle of the first day of a circuit assembly. No meetings, assemblies, conventions, memorials, weddings, receptions, funerals, visitation, special events, etc. I have never regretted it. That was 20 years ago."
Was there any particular issue that affected you the most right before your exit?
i think the wtb&ts publication titled "the kingdom interlinear of the christian greek scriptures" speaks for itself.. the word for word translation of the greek into english.. that publication does not even contain the name or word jehovah either in hebrew letters or greek letters anywhere in the word for word texts.. their is not one scripture in the n.t.
where christians ,followers of jesus christ are instructed to be witnesses of jehovah ,however there are something like twenty scriptures that explicitly state followers of jesus christ are to be witnesses of, for, and about jesus...
The tendency for centuries has been to read Scriptures through modern trinitarian spectacles. Why bring this up?
Well, most people see Christ being emphasized throughout the New Testament, including those Scriptures which show his followers were to be his Witnesses. There is no denying that. Jehovah's Witnesses should be made aware of this.
On the other hand, the Christian Scriptures are a continuation of the Hebrew Scriptures, not a replacement of it.
The Old Testament extolled the name of "Jehovah" over all others, and this was fitting under the Jewish concept. Nonetheless, the OT mentioned prophecies that in due time there would be a ‘Sent One’ from God to bring prosperity to all of earth's inhabitants, such as this one in Ge. 22:18. "And by means of your offspring all nations of the earth
will obtain a blessing for themselves because you have listened to my voice.’” Hundreds of such prophecies made their way into Scriptures foretelling of the time where ‘the Savior of the world’ would show up. After nearly two thousand years after God's promise to Abraham, the Messiah thus appeared. The Jewish people were monotheists, and were accustomed for centuries to the practice of worshiping the one God of the universe, YHWH.
Would it be easy for them to now incorporate Jesus the Messiah in their lives? Not really. The Jews had difficulty dropping the old customs of worship in a physical temple, circumcision, Jewish feasts, the Sabbath, and many other Jewish practices. The book of Romans, Galatians. Ephesians, Hebrews, etc. give testimony to this fact.
Hence, it was necessary to repeat time and again how important was Christ now in their lives. Salvation depended upon such acceptance. No easy task for traditional Jews. Jesus thus said: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
Since the Trinity became established in people's mind, traditional believers ignore the Father, and focus almost entirely on the Son. The many differences found in hundreds of manuscripts reveal the struggle people of that time had between the old Jewish belief of the Father as God, and the philosophical trinitarian belief (usually with Jesus at the top in relevance) of later times.
Thus, it was expected that Christ would receive the spotlight for God's followers. John 3.16 shows that belief in Christ is essential for a Christian. The thing is that the Father was never far away when Christ was to be honored. This is so because the Son was sent as God's representative. The Son was never to replace the Father altogether. The God and Jesus worship pattern was now the new norm. The Jews were already ‘Jehovah's witnesses’ in a sense (not in the WT sense), but now they needed to be ‘Jesus' witnesses’ (but not in the trinitarian sense). To reject Jesus is to reject his Father who sent him.
John chapter eight shows that Jesus was fully dependent on the Father. A Christian has to accept and honor both the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, equally within the new Christian concept. The Trinity didn't help the people at all, it made matters worse by pushing Greek concepts within the Christian's mold of thinking.
it has been mentioned before but since we have been discussing environmental issues on another thread, i thought it might be timely to discuss rev 11:18 which has recently become a popular text for those christians concerned about environmental threats of pollution and climate change.
is this passage being interpreted correctly?
did the writer somehow anticipate the modern environmental situation, or did he intend something more in keeping with the bible's general concerns of morality and sin?.
Matijevic: "About rev 11:18 διαφθείραι=aorist infinitive active, means past tense!"
Please recheck your favorite resource for this statement.
In .... infinitives... the aorist does not tell us the time at which the action happened." (Oxford Grammar of Classical Greek, p. 61. Bold letters added. )
Thus, the context must decide translation. The Greek-English Interlinear ESV New Testament gives the following gloss for διαφθείραι: "to destroy thoroughly."
new world translation - variantstentative translations below.
you native language experts can probably do better than me.
if so, help yourself.. matthew 24.3, english edition: “what will be the sign of... the conclusion of the system of things?”french, 1987: “quel sera le signe de… la conclusion du système de choses” (...the system of things)french revised: “quel sera le signe de… la période finale du monde?” (…the final period of the world)german revised: “und den abschluss des weltsystems erkennen?” (the conclusion of the world system)spanish revised: “qué señal habrá... de la conclusión del sistema?” (…conclusion of the system)matthew 24.45, "the faithful and discreet slave":italian revised: “lo schiavo fedele e saggio” = “the faithful and wise slave”portuguese revised: “o escravo fiel e prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”spanish revised, “el esclavo fiel y prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”matthew 25.46,(english edition), “cutting-off” contrasted with “everlasting life” in the same verse.
First, I want to thank Doug Mason for providing photocopies of the NWT Danish and Swedish editions where they read "for Babylon" at Jeremiah 29.10.
Secondly, I want to also thank Earnest for his research on differences between the WH and NA28 Greek Text editions, particularly in Matthew. I noticed most of these changes are not of doctrinal import.
Hence, it would be interesting to determine the actual differences between the WH, NA28 and the Received Text, which I suspect we will find more doctrinally related differences, or discrepancies between the use of Jesus, God, Lord, Christ, etc., throughout the New Testament.
new world translation - variantstentative translations below.
you native language experts can probably do better than me.
if so, help yourself.. matthew 24.3, english edition: “what will be the sign of... the conclusion of the system of things?”french, 1987: “quel sera le signe de… la conclusion du système de choses” (...the system of things)french revised: “quel sera le signe de… la période finale du monde?” (…the final period of the world)german revised: “und den abschluss des weltsystems erkennen?” (the conclusion of the world system)spanish revised: “qué señal habrá... de la conclusión del sistema?” (…conclusion of the system)matthew 24.45, "the faithful and discreet slave":italian revised: “lo schiavo fedele e saggio” = “the faithful and wise slave”portuguese revised: “o escravo fiel e prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”spanish revised, “el esclavo fiel y prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”matthew 25.46,(english edition), “cutting-off” contrasted with “everlasting life” in the same verse.
BluesBrother:
I recall hearing an audio from one of Ray Franz's associates , a Chris Sanches who had been involved in the original translation of The NWT into Spanish. He maintained that the [Foreword] contained "a lie", when it said this Bible has been translated from the original languages. In fact it was taken from the English NWT of the time.
new world translation - variantstentative translations below.
you native language experts can probably do better than me.
if so, help yourself.. matthew 24.3, english edition: “what will be the sign of... the conclusion of the system of things?”french, 1987: “quel sera le signe de… la conclusion du système de choses” (...the system of things)french revised: “quel sera le signe de… la période finale du monde?” (…the final period of the world)german revised: “und den abschluss des weltsystems erkennen?” (the conclusion of the world system)spanish revised: “qué señal habrá... de la conclusión del sistema?” (…conclusion of the system)matthew 24.45, "the faithful and discreet slave":italian revised: “lo schiavo fedele e saggio” = “the faithful and wise slave”portuguese revised: “o escravo fiel e prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”spanish revised, “el esclavo fiel y prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”matthew 25.46,(english edition), “cutting-off” contrasted with “everlasting life” in the same verse.
slimboyfat: I wonder if the other languages have followed (or preceded) English in getting rid of “impaled” and restoring “elders” instead of “older men”. Have they eliminated “mentally diseased” as well?
Mark 15.13, 1951 Edition, “Impale him!” > (Footnote: “Or, Fasten(ed) on a stake or pole.”)
2013 Edition: “To the stake with him!”
Modern Greek, 1993 & 2018: “Κρέμασέ τον στο ξύλο!” = “Hang him on the wood”
French, 1987: “Attache-le sur un poteau!” = “Fix [attach] him to a post”
French, 2018: “Au poteau!” = “To the pole [post]!”
German, 1986 & 2018: “An den Pfahl mit ihm!” = “To the stake with him!”
Italian, 1987 & 2017: “Al palo!” = “To the pole!”
Portuguese, 1986 & 2015: “Para a estaca com ele!” = “To the stake with him!”
Spanish, 1963 & 2019: “¡Al madero con él!” = “To the stake with him!”
1 Timothy 6.4, NWT 1951: “mentally diseased.” 2013 Edition: “obsessed.”
French, 2018: “passion maladive” = “unhealthy passion”
German, 1986: “geistig krank” = “mentally ill [deseased]”
German 2018: “besessen” = “obsessed”
Modern Greek, 1997: “ασθενεί διανοητικά” = “mentally ill [deseased]”
Modern Greek 2017: “εμμονή” = “obsessed”
Italian, 1987: “mentalmente malato” = “mentally ill”
Italian, 2017: “ossessionato” = “obsessed”
Portuguese, 1986: “mania” = “mania [craze, habit]”
Portuguese 2015: “obcecado” = “obsessed”
Spanish, 1963: “mentalmente enfermo” = “mentally diseased”
Spanish, 2019: “obsesionado” = “obsessed”
Acts 15.4, NWT 1951: “the older men [Greek, presbytéron].” 2013 Edition: “the elders.”
French, 1987 & 2018: “et les anciens” = “and the elders”
German, 1986: “und den älteren Männern” = “an the older men”
German, 2018: “und den Ältesten” = “and the elders”
Greek, 1997 & 2017: “και οι πρεσβύτεροι” = “and the elders”
Italian, 1987 & 2017: “gli anziani” = “the elders”
Portuguese, 1986 & 2015: “anciãos” = “the elders”
Spanish, 1963: “los hombres de mayor edad” = “the older men”
Spanish, 2019: “los ancianos” = “the elders”
the fact that there are pomi ex-jws who have been disfellowshiped or inactive for years who still live in constant fear of armageddon indicates that watchtower will manage to exist in one way or another for years, if not decades, to come.
watchtower, like all other religious cults, operate on the premise that "you can fool some of the people all of the time...and that's enough!
".
ScenicViewer:
The name of the book by Robert H. Countess: The
Jehovah's Witnesses' New Testament: A Critical Analysis of the New
World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures (2nd. ed. 1987, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co.). This book is critical of the NWT. The discussion of the divine name is a chapter of the book or so.
new world translation - variantstentative translations below.
you native language experts can probably do better than me.
if so, help yourself.. matthew 24.3, english edition: “what will be the sign of... the conclusion of the system of things?”french, 1987: “quel sera le signe de… la conclusion du système de choses” (...the system of things)french revised: “quel sera le signe de… la période finale du monde?” (…the final period of the world)german revised: “und den abschluss des weltsystems erkennen?” (the conclusion of the world system)spanish revised: “qué señal habrá... de la conclusión del sistema?” (…conclusion of the system)matthew 24.45, "the faithful and discreet slave":italian revised: “lo schiavo fedele e saggio” = “the faithful and wise slave”portuguese revised: “o escravo fiel e prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”spanish revised, “el esclavo fiel y prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”matthew 25.46,(english edition), “cutting-off” contrasted with “everlasting life” in the same verse.
New World Translation - Variants
Tentative translations below. You native language experts can probably do better than me. If so, help yourself.
Matthew 24.3,
English Edition: “what will be the sign of... the conclusion of the system of things?”
French, 1987: “quel sera le signe de… la conclusion du système de choses” (...the system of things)
French Revised: “quel sera le signe de… la période finale du monde?” (…the final period of the world)
German Revised: “und den Abschluss des Weltsystems erkennen?” (the conclusion of the world system)
Spanish Revised: “qué señal habrá... de la conclusión del sistema?” (…conclusion of the system)
Matthew 24.45, "the faithful and discreet slave":
Italian Revised: “lo schiavo fedele e saggio” = “the faithful and wise slave”
Portuguese Revised: “o escravo fiel e prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”
Spanish Revised, “el esclavo fiel y prudente” = “the faithful and prudent slave”
Matthew 25.46,
(English Edition), “cutting-off” contrasted with “everlasting life” in the same verse.
(French Revised): “la mort éternelle” = “eternal death”
(Spanish Revised): “destrucción eterna” = “eternal destruction”
John 1.1,
French, 1987: “et la Parole était dieu” = “and the Word was god”
French, Revised: “et la Parole était un dieu” = “and the Word was a god”
Portuguese, 1986: “e a Palavra era [um] deus” = “and the Word was a god” (Brackets theirs.)
Portuguese Revised: “e a Palavra era um deus” = “and the Word was a god”
John 8.58, (I am: KJV; NIV, etc. NWT: "I have been")
French, 1987: “Avant qu'Abraham soit venu à l'existence, j´étais” (...I was)
French Revised: “avant qu’Abraham vienne à l’existence, j’ai été” (... I was, or … I,ve been, I have been)
Italian, 1967: “io sono stato” = “I have been”
Italian, 1987: “Prima che Abraamo venisse all'esistenza, io ero” (… I was, I have been)
Italian, 2017: “prima che Abraamo nascesse, io c’ero” = “I was, I was there”
Portuguese Revised: “Antes de Abraão vir à existência, eu já existia” (… I already existed)
Spanish Revised: “antes de que Abrahán naciera, yo ya existía” (… I already existed)
Revelation 3.14,
English Edition: “the beginning of the creation by God”
French Revised: “le commencement de la création de Dieu” = “the beginning of the creation of God”
German Revised: “der Anfang der Schöpfung Gottes” = “the beginning of the creation of God”
Italian Revised: “il principio della creazione di Dio” = “the beginning of the creation of God”
Portuguese Revised: “o princípio da criação de Deus” = “the beginning of the creation of God”
Spanish Revised: “el principio de la creación de Dios” = “the beginning of the creation of God”
the fact that there are pomi ex-jws who have been disfellowshiped or inactive for years who still live in constant fear of armageddon indicates that watchtower will manage to exist in one way or another for years, if not decades, to come.
watchtower, like all other religious cults, operate on the premise that "you can fool some of the people all of the time...and that's enough!
".
Could it be that the WT has secretly diverted some of its finances to survive as plan B or C? I mean, were not a couple of WT missionaries caught trying to enter Italy a couple of years violating some laws? What about the rumor that the WT was heavily involved in Argentina investing in real estate business?
slimboyfat, Where can I send you the photo-copies of Robert Countess' book on the divine name?
what if we could exchange one president from another country to yours?...
say trump for trudeau, trudeau for trump, trump in exchange for your respective european country, etc -- for a few years?
would you consider it a win or a loss for your country?.
What if we could exchange one president from another country to yours?... say Trump for Trudeau, Trudeau for Trump, Trump in exchange for your respective European country, etc -- for a few years? Would you consider it a win or a loss for your country?
