Posts by Wonderment

27

Quality of jw.org translation?

by Wonderment in

someone asked the following question to an artificial intelligence (ai) website:.

how does the most translated website ensure accuracy of translations?.

answer: .

Wonderment

Someone asked the following question to an Artificial Intelligence (AI) website:

How does the most translated website ensure accuracy of translations?

Answer:

Based on the search results, there are a few key ways the most translated website, jw.org, ensures accuracy of its translations:
Dedicated translation program: The Jehovah's Witnesses have a focused effort and program dedicated to translating their website and publications into as many languages as possible, including obscure and endangered languages. This dedicated translation program allows them to maintain quality and consistency.
Network of volunteer translators: jw.org utilizes a large network of volunteer translators in over 350 remote offices around the world to handle the translation work. This distributed model with local language experts helps ensure high-quality localization.
Prioritizing comprehensiveness over speed: Unlike commercial websites that focus on translating to their largest markets, jw.org aims for comprehensive global coverage, even if it means translating into smaller languages at a slower pace. This focus on completeness rather than speed likely contributes to the accuracy of their translations.
Rigorous quality control: The search results indicate the Jehovah's Witnesses organization likely has robust quality control processes in place to review and validate translations before publishing them on jw.org. This helps maintain accuracy across the vast number of language versions.
Translating religious content: As a religious organization, the Jehovah's Witnesses have a strong incentive to ensure the accuracy and fidelity of their translated religious content, which may contribute to the high quality of their translations.
In summary, the combination of a dedicated translation program, a global network of volunteer translators, a focus on comprehensiveness over speed, and rigorous quality control processes all likely contribute to the high accuracy of translations on the jw.org website.

Whatś your take on this? Do you think the AI website borrowed the content from a WT publication, or, is there is more to it than that? (On the NWT, the website was not as kind in its review, parroting language commonly found in evangelical publications.)

32

Will recent dress-code changes affect the WTS negatively?

by Wonderment in

in a span of a few months time, we have had many unexpected changes announced by the jw organization.

some here have expressed the belief that a great number of witnesses will leave the religion.

in fact, there is a great probability the opposite will be true.. yeah, ancient hardliners will have a hard time assimilating these changes, but the younger generation will likely welcome these changes.

Wonderment

In a span of a few months time, we have had many unexpected changes announced by the JW organization. Some here have expressed the belief that a great number of Witnesses will leave the religion. I am not so sure about that. In fact, there is a great probability the opposite will be true.

Yeah, ancient hardliners will have a hard time assimilating these changes, but the younger generation will likely welcome these changes. Letś take one issue at hand: Relaxed dress codes.

Dress Codes:

This alone will be a major incentive for some to reconsider going back to the meetings. Most men don´t like to wear ties. I don´t. Women in particular dread the restrictions imposed by the traditionalists. Women like the freedom to choose what to wear, and from what I have seen in the past, they give a lot of thought to it when going to weekly meetings, and in particular, to yearly Conventions.

The addition of slacks to their attire is a big plus. Northern countries are known to be brutally cold, and women wearing pants will keep them more comfortable. Also, many women prefer pants over dresses or skirts any time, so much in fact, that outside of the JW world, some women don´t have dresses or skirts to wear at all.

Another thing, we are talking about the female gender here. Many women like to attract members of the opposite sex, be that openly or quietly. The warning to use office slacks will work with some, maybe with most sisters, but not all. Other younger, bolder ladies will challenge the status quo some, and then some.

I recall an incident some decades ago, where I spoke with a recently married couple at a large Convention, and we went talking about the Convention material that evening. To my surprise, both were candid enough to tell me that they could not focus on the biblical discourse because they had a beautiful woman right before them with thin white pants showing her assets. It seems they both enjoyed the show (She even said so, I was stunned), for they stayed put in the same place for the whole day.

So this allowance of office slacks in meetings will turn to some exciting situations. I have heard from some men that they liked going to the meetings to see beautiful women. And women know that.

Of course, it is not only men, but some women like to meet interesting men at these meetings as well. They will want to look attractive to them. So how long can you keep office slacks as a standard of dressing? Have you looked lately at any social platform to see how far people are willing to go to show their bodies? Not only pants will get bolder, but even skirts and dresses will keep getting shorter. This may help Kingdom Hall attendance indirectly. Who knows for sure?

But, taking sexual attraction motives out of the equation, the fact is that relaxing dress codes may turn out for many to be an incentive to try the meetings again.

What do you think?

49

What the Trinitarian perspective on John 8.28?

by slimboyfat in

this is not a verse that i’ve seen feature heavily in trinitarian debates but it seems to me it presents a problem for the trinity.

if there are any around i’d be interested to know your perspective, or anything you can find on the meaning and how it doesn’t contradict the trinity.

the verse says:.

Wonderment

Vanderhoven7: If any of you are aspiring to be a Catholic priest you must be able to speak on the subject of the Holy Trinity for 5 minutes without making more than 17 heresies.

Interesting! Where did you get this?

49

What the Trinitarian perspective on John 8.28?

by slimboyfat in

this is not a verse that i’ve seen feature heavily in trinitarian debates but it seems to me it presents a problem for the trinity.

if there are any around i’d be interested to know your perspective, or anything you can find on the meaning and how it doesn’t contradict the trinity.

the verse says:.

Wonderment

acqwsed: There are quite a few things in the world that cannot be explained in two paragraphs; incidentally, this is what the Nicene Creed is for.

I believe that one can successfully, in two paragraphs, explain the relationship of the submissive Son to the Father as the One Supreme Being of the universe (Slim has done this) without resorting to ancient mangled statements common of post-Christ humans who deviated from the simple biblical statements found in the NT.

Your posts indicate that you have a hard time convincing yourself and others that the Trinity has biblical roots. Otherwise, why go repeatedly back to the Nicene and other ancient creeds which only prove that humans at that time were greatly confused about the identity of God?

The Nicene Creed is not biblical.

49

What the Trinitarian perspective on John 8.28?

by slimboyfat in

this is not a verse that i’ve seen feature heavily in trinitarian debates but it seems to me it presents a problem for the trinity.

if there are any around i’d be interested to know your perspective, or anything you can find on the meaning and how it doesn’t contradict the trinity.

the verse says:.

Wonderment

Slim: I am not here arguing that God is superior because he “sent” Jesus. I’m arguing that God is superior because he “taught” Jesus before he sent him. In order to teach somebody something you have to tell them something they don’t already know. Therefore God is superior to his Son in knowledge. This contradicts Trinitarian dogma that divine persons are equal in age, power, and knowledge.

How true! Even the Father sending the Son to earth is indicative that the Father is greater than the Son in power and knowledge. (Jn 13.16) The same with the Son being taught by the Father is evidence that the Son is lesser than the Father all-around. Even Jesus said so: The Father is greater than I am. (Jn 14.28)

Trinitarians want to have their cake and eat it too. They tell us that the Son is One and the same as the Father = all-mighty - even while on earth, but in his subordination state on earth he was not... a contradiction. The use of all authority given to the Son (Mt 28.18) is used as proof that Jesus is God. Again, whoever uses this argument has not apparently used a Bible concordance to grasp the fact that the original words for all in Scripture rarely means everything under the Sun. It has exceptions, such as in 1 Cor 15.27,28.

There were things Christ did not know about at the time he walked on earth (Mt 24.36; Acts 1.7), and once elevated to the right hand of God, he still had to receive a revelation from his God. (Rev 1.1; 3.12)

The Trinity dogma is irrational, and cannot be explained in a paragraph or two (acqwsed has tried, but failed). The Arian position on the other hand can be briefly explained.

16

Accepting blood transfusions. By which instrument it ceased to be a disfellowshipping offense to become cause for disassociation?

by EdenOne in

ok, i know the story of how it went, with the deal they reached with the bulgarian government, etc.

i know.. what i need to know is if there is an internal document that redefines willingly taking blood as a disfellowshipping offense into a cause for disassociation.

a letter from the branch?

Wonderment

SB,

Good observation!

15

Are JWs forgetting Jesus altogether?

by KerryKing in

a relative sent me yesterday's wt study article 46, how jehovah guarantees his promise of paradise.. it's been a long time since i read one of those articles but what really struck me about this one is that, considering it's discussing a fundamental jw belief, it only mentions jesus twice as an aside, and not at all as the central figure like the bible does.

it actually mentions satan far more in the same article!.

i don't remember this discrepancy from my time in the org 15 years ago.

Wonderment

TTWSYF: I always thought it quite odd that JWs promote themselves as [the only true] Christians but without Christ. Only a passing mention. Like HE'S not worthy of the attention and respect. Maybe I've got it wrong.

Your observation is proper. Although I don't believe in the Trinity doctrine per se, it is quite obvious that the WTS does not give Jesus the rightful place he deserves, as "Mediator" between God and men. (1 Tim 2.5)

Jesus, in effect, has taken a back seat within the WT organization, and replaced by the feeble, self-centric, and sinful Governing Body. This is one big reason I left the JW organization. Jesus deserves way more attention and respect than what he is getting there. (Heb 1.6) After all, it was the Father's will when he sent him to earth for all men to 'listen to him' in the main, not to have human followers supplant him by fanciful claims. (Mt 17.5; Lu 21.8)

176

No more REPORTING field service!!!!!!!!!

by BoogerMan in

this is going to break the hearts of a lot of uber-jw's!

reddit has now removed the video link of samuel herd telling jw's they will no longer have to report time or placements - just tick a box which says "active.".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akdshyx79rm&t=13s.

Wonderment

The short time of implementation (of just 3 weeks) from this announcement to go into effect is indicative of an "urgent" matter. (Legal pressures at bay?)

Normally it takes the WBS months to implement monumental changes.

The short timeframe of application is reminiscent of what happened early in 1990 with the donation arrangement... weeks instead of many months.

In all, this is good news. No more judging people's spirituality based on hours reporting, a practice Jesus would surely condemn.

25

What is Self-deception?

by Kosonen in

jw
friends

i googles about self-deception and found many articles about it.

it is a thing reseachers in psychology have studied.. here is a quote from an article that describes it.

and it is interesting because of so many ideas about how to understand the bible.

Wonderment

AugustHest: But if we are talking about "self-deception," why are you folks quoting texts from the New World Translation of all places? [...] Why are you using that? Is this not an exJW site or did I miss something?

Because most of us are familiar with it, and some of us actually like this version, even though we may have left the org years ago.

AugustHest: "I went to Hebrew school since--not to mention learned Greek in college--and it's horrific."

Can you mention any specific examples either in the OT or NT where the NWT is "horrific" from the linguistic standpoint?

AugustHest: "But I am showing that at least I can provide answers and show I know what I am talking about." [...] "Anyone who shares their views and their Bible translation [NWT] are pathetic, filthy worms." [...] "I am not here to promote religion, but to tear down the Watchtower and its teachings."

These statements clearly show us where you are coming from, and where you are going with this. Why not try something more edifying?

AugustHest: "But the fact is that in many instances I can use the NWT to prove that the WT organization is wrong, with their own translation."

This reminds me how the Witnesses in the past used a similar method with the KJV to prove Christendom's failures.

28

Do we blame the Governing Body too much?

by no-zombie in

i'd like to start this post with a part from the movie 'v for vendetta'.

here in a dystopian state, the main character named v, explains why things have gone so bad ....

those who do not want us to speak.

Wonderment

SBF: I wonder whose idea it was on the Governing Body to change the “faithful slave” doctrine to include only GB members rather than the anointed as a whole. It’s a pretty bold step considering they all served in the organisation and rose through the ranks on the basis that all anointed make up the “faithful slave” [...] Since they claim sole ownership of the title “faithful slave” now, it seems only right that they bear sole responsibility when they make mistakes.

It seems like a self-appointed increase of power over the rank-and-file. On your last statement, I couldn't agree more.