Let me share an outstanding and comprehensive resource on
English Bible Translations:
http://www.geocities.com/bible_translation/english.htm
Max
Maximus
JoinedPosts by Maximus
-
41
Read God's Word the Holy Bible Daily
by Nicodemus infor decades now, those words have appeared atop one of the watchtower societys buildings in new york city.. that exhortation may never have been more needed by jehovahs people themselves than it is today.
recent posts have asked good questions regarding what can or will sustain individual jehovahs witnesses who do truly love god, but who may be disheartened by various things they have seen in the organization.. it is clear to me that many witnesses spend far more time reading the societys publications than gods word itself.
one reason sometimes given is that the preparation and research has already been done for you, thus making it easier.
-
-
Maximus
-
55
GB Split Over Bible vs. Policy
by Maximus inplease read the following brief paragraph carefully: .
"once again, the ruling ecclesiastical class suppressed efforts to make gods word available to their flock.
they violently silenced a voice that pointed to some of the errors of their non-biblical beliefs.
-
-
Maximus
Skimmer, if you have access to the New Jerome Handbook, there is a section on the Church and some very pointed quotations from recent encyclicals regarding freedom of scholarship. I've cited them in the past. There are misunderstandings on the part of many sincere persons who have believed everything the Society has said about the Church, and maybe a quotation would be helpful here. Otherwise I'll cite them in a future post.
The New Jerusalem Bible is a very fine translation, with excellent references. Here's an outstanding and comprehensive resource for English Bible Translations:
http://www.geocities.com/bible_translation/english.htmMax
-
68
WTS lied about Joseph Priestley and Blood
by hawkaw insome of you may have already made a post about this but i have decided to post the following anyway.. the booklet - how can blood save your life?
(copyright 2000).
part 2 - bloodvital for life.
-
-
Maximus
We'll save the details for now, eh Big Raptor?
And that will be no mere amusing act of $$ one million litigation.
Max
-
41
Read God's Word the Holy Bible Daily
by Nicodemus infor decades now, those words have appeared atop one of the watchtower societys buildings in new york city.. that exhortation may never have been more needed by jehovahs people themselves than it is today.
recent posts have asked good questions regarding what can or will sustain individual jehovahs witnesses who do truly love god, but who may be disheartened by various things they have seen in the organization.. it is clear to me that many witnesses spend far more time reading the societys publications than gods word itself.
one reason sometimes given is that the preparation and research has already been done for you, thus making it easier.
-
-
Maximus
Reflecting, I hope my climbing on the soapbox and doing my rant of the day has not derailed the point of your thread, which I clearly see and appreciate.
Hope my Lucaris post is penance.
Warmly,
Max -
55
GB Split Over Bible vs. Policy
by Maximus inplease read the following brief paragraph carefully: .
"once again, the ruling ecclesiastical class suppressed efforts to make gods word available to their flock.
they violently silenced a voice that pointed to some of the errors of their non-biblical beliefs.
-
-
Maximus
Please read the following brief paragraph carefully:
"Once again, the ruling ecclesiastical class suppressed efforts to make God’s Word available to their flock. They violently silenced a voice that pointed to some of the errors of their non-Biblical beliefs. They proved to be among the worst enemies of religious freedom and truth. Sadly, this is a stance that in various ways survives even to our day."
Know where it’s from? The Watchtower, February 15, 2000, pp. 26-29. It’s the conclusion to the article on Cyril Lucaris, "A Man Who Valued the Bible." Lucaris was the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, the head of the Orthodox Church in the 17th century, who was deeply concerned about deplorable spiritual conditions. He was ultimately strangled for his attempts "to enlighten and uplift the educational level of his clergy and flock."
The second article of his "Confession" declares that the Scriptures are inspired by God and that their authority exceeds that of the church. In other articles he maintained Christ is the sole Mediator and Head of the congregation.
After his death a synod declared his thoughts heresy, declaring that the Scriptures "should be read, not by just anyone, but only by the ones peering into the deep things of the spirit after having done appropriate research"!
Reflect on the quality of thought which authored that powerful paragraph quoted above. Is there a take-home message?
Among Jehovah’s Witnesses, who is the ecclesiastical class today? Who are the final authority in telling you what the Scriptures actually mean? Who would almost literally strangle someone who disagrees with their infallibility?
Acccording to the Watchtower, "Lucaris made commendable efforts to have the Bible be the authority on church doctrine and to educate people about its teachings." They note his dream was not realized of seeing the Church return to "evangelical simplicity."
Theologian Raymond Brown could have written a book about the word, but chose another’s simple definition: ‘Evangelism? That’s one beggar telling another where the food is.’
Ironic that those who need to learn the lesson of Lucaris will heed it least.
Should you care to revisit the article, think of the battered men whom you know outside—and still inside—who want the Word to be the final authority.
Is anyone else struck by the clarity of this article and its powerful message?
Maximus
For CQ and others who have fought the good fight
.
-
41
Read God's Word the Holy Bible Daily
by Nicodemus infor decades now, those words have appeared atop one of the watchtower societys buildings in new york city.. that exhortation may never have been more needed by jehovahs people themselves than it is today.
recent posts have asked good questions regarding what can or will sustain individual jehovahs witnesses who do truly love god, but who may be disheartened by various things they have seen in the organization.. it is clear to me that many witnesses spend far more time reading the societys publications than gods word itself.
one reason sometimes given is that the preparation and research has already been done for you, thus making it easier.
-
-
Maximus
Dratted Dredger isn't doing his work.
M
-
41
Read God's Word the Holy Bible Daily
by Nicodemus infor decades now, those words have appeared atop one of the watchtower societys buildings in new york city.. that exhortation may never have been more needed by jehovahs people themselves than it is today.
recent posts have asked good questions regarding what can or will sustain individual jehovahs witnesses who do truly love god, but who may be disheartened by various things they have seen in the organization.. it is clear to me that many witnesses spend far more time reading the societys publications than gods word itself.
one reason sometimes given is that the preparation and research has already been done for you, thus making it easier.
-
-
Maximus
What happens when one reads God's Word daily and comes to the conclusion that the blood policy today is clearly about legalisms rather than the sanctity of life?
A previous thread notes that you can consume orange juice but cannot eat the orange slice, although it is essentially "packaged" orange juice; i.e., it is acceptable to take hemoglobin fractionated from cow's blood but not to take packed red cells, which are 97% hemoglobin! I need not pursue this further, other threads are doing so.
The publications repeatedly speak of a misapplied reference that blood should be poured out on the ground. Yet it is acceptable to use blood that has obviously NOT been poured out on the ground for an increasing number of fractions such as hemoglobin from cow's blood!
The Watchtower commends George Storrs for leaving his church because no one could refute what he had learned from reading the Bible. Ironically, no one shunned him, the brutal fate for those who read, hear the voice of God, and it is not the legalisms of the Governing Body's pronouncements.
After praising George Storrs, "who by word and pen gave us much assistance," Pastor Russell wrote: "We ever sought not to be followers of men, however good and wise, but 'Followers of God as dear children." The Watchtower winds up by noting it was still "vital to examine God's Word, the Bible, as the real source of the truth. John 17:17." w 10/15/00
Ironically, the very next article is the purposefully obfuscatory Question from Readers about blood! They proceed to distort both the Soncino Chumash and a quotation from Professor Frank Gorman. The latter is coming back to haunt them in huge manner.
You are a keen observer of the internal struggle: Will the organization shed itself of its Judaic Rutherfordian roots? Go toward mainstream Christianity, get closer to the Word as Russell advised?
"The Society" understands the real meaning of "preach the word," nothing to do with "field service." They correctly applied Acts 20:20 as not having reference to the door-to-door work, but trotted it out again when it suited them. Reading the Bible convinces me that Jesus did not have in mind an enforcing system that demands field service reports to produce numbers, numbers, numbers, which indicate "blessing."
About progressive trends: Generally one finds an article or even a phrase or two that sustains for awhile, but the ugly legalism finally breaks through despite attempts within to change it. That battle has been going on internally for years. Meanwhile, if you telephone the Society to pour your heart out, you will get the advice: Read your Bible. Assume the waiting attitude of Micah. Beyond that it's up for grabs, accept for "policy."
The GB needs to read the Bible. And act accordingly. At the recent DC they acknowledge imperfection but please note, dear reader: they continue to act as infallible, with the brutal tool of enforced shunning ready to club you into submission.
I savor your insightful posts.
Maximus
-
5
Making the Word of His Servant Come True
by RationalWitness inisaiah 44:26 quotes jehovah as saying: "i am .
the one making the word of his servant come true, and the one that carries out completely the counsel of his own messengers.".
the 5/1/97 watchtower says of this: jehovah god is the grand identifier of his true messengers.
-
-
Maximus
:: JEHOVAH GOD is the Grand Identifier of his true messengers. He identifies them by making the messages he delivers through them come true. Jehovah is also the Great Exposer of false messengers. How does he expose them? He frustrates their signs and predictions. In this way he shows that they are self-appointed prognosticators, whose messages really spring from their own false reasoning--yes, their foolish, fleshly thinking!
As I've said, there is a God and She has a sense of humor. Very pissed off over the 1975 prognostication, She certainly got even with prognosticator Frederick W. Franz in a very large way, not taking kindly to his personal prediliction for stimulating the friends by setting dates just like JFRutherford and the Pastor and all the good Adventists from whose loins they sprang.
Ah, but the rudderless organization proclaims its horrible lack of growth and vitality is due to "lack of zeal" in the field!
I wonder what major Biblical prophecy was fulfilled in the glowing Awake! article on the UN?
Maximus
Who prognosticates tougher times ahead for Watchtower. -
11
What happened to "Jehovah's Christian Witn...
by blondie ini have noticed in using the wt-cd that the use of the terms "jehovah's christian witnesses" and "christian witnesses of jehovah" dropped dramatically after 1980. is there a reason for that?
-
-
Maximus
: i'm just a pimple on the bottom of humankind
Not in my eyes, you aren't. That's just how we've been made to feel; I've been there too.
I'd enjoy hanging around with you any day.
Max
-
7
'Your Right To Believe' 1.8.01 WT !!!
by ISP inplease find below scanned in excerpts of the cover article of the 1/8/01 wt.
its another one of those articles which makes you say to yourself how can they print this!?..
under the heading your right to believe it has the following paragraph.
-
-
Maximus
Them pesky lib'rals in Writing drop a few in now and then,
do they not?Ah, mainstreaming. Right under our noses ...
And it really looks good when JW reps show those magazines to governments that are not too sure how "charitable" the organization really is, thinking about taxes and mundane stuff like that, or others who are concerned about Human Rights.
Maximus