Posts by NeonMadman

28

100% pure unadulterated speculation - what changes would a "New New World Tranlsation" contain?

by sir82 in

on this thread:.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/257481/1/i-cant-find-any-bibles-seems-to-be-a-shortage.

some (well, me, mostly) are speculating that the wts is planning to distribute a "new new world translation" some time soon.. if that is true, what changes do you think they would include?.

NeonMadman

As speculated in the other thread, I could see them making a less literal,
“thought for thought”, “easy to read” version, in the guise of encouraging Bible reading. Sort of like the NIV or even the Living Bible. They would not need to know any other language but English to make this version…they could use the present NWT as their source document, like they do for non-English versions of the NWT. All the pesky verses that cause questions in the rank and file could be paraphrased away.

The same thought had occurred to me, though I can also see where that might come back and bite them on the butt. They have advertised the NWT as being easier to read than the King James because it uses modern language. But that's really not the case. It doesn't use all the "thees" and "thous," it's true, but the language is very stilted and many of the terms used are at least somewhat archaic. And the wording in many verses sounds downright weird, very Fred Franz-like. To actually read the NWT is quite difficult, probably even harder than the KJV. As a result, JWs use the Bible for proof-texting, not reading of long sections or whole books. If they came out with an easy-to-read Bible version, the JWs might actually start reading the Bible rather than the Watchtower publications, and then they might well discover how bogus the WTS' doctrines are. How many JWs, for example, have read the entire book of Romans rather than just turning to proof texts? And of those who did, how many can say they understood it? If someone really understood Paul's message in Romans, I don't see how they could remain a JW.

18

What's Da Word On Weed, Mon?

by metatron in

jw
friends

i come to this site as my one-stop-shopping guide to scandals and controversy within watchtowerland ( much of which is about as real as world of warcraft).

i'm surprized i haven't read anything about marijuana and 'the truth".. weed is getting legalized all over the place and california, in particular, is loaded with whacked-out witnesses.

since it can be prescribed as a medical treatment (here and there), i imagine the wts might have to do some doctrinal gymnastics to df folks for using it.

NeonMadman

Tobacco is legal in most places and they DF people for that, why should weed be any different? It's "mind altering," therefore it's pharmakia and using it will invite the demons to eat your brain.

17

Talking to a JW extremist

by Kool Jo in

jw
friends

so i had a conversation with a jw whom i communicate with via skype...the conversation went like this:.

kool jo: hey there, how have you been keeping?.

they're imperfect, but we need to obey them regardless.. kool jo: ok, i see.

NeonMadman

He doesn't seem so extreme to me; sounds like a typical JW. Follow the organization no matter what.

Though I think when he said regarding the WTS predicting the end in 2014, " They'll never do that...remember Kool Jo, nobody knows when that would occur!" I would have been unable to restrain myself from saying something like "Then why did they do it so many times in the past?" Of course, then he probably would never have talked to me again...

22

Can Anointed Members Be Disfellowshiped?

by Cold Steel in

since the anointed class used to be the faithful and discreet slave, i wondered if and how they can be disciplined through being disfellowshiped?

aren't they given a little more latitude in how they interpret scriptures and in what they say?

do people in kingdom halls who have anointed members defer to them in any way?

NeonMadman

I don't know how people announce these things to the elders, nor what happens if the elders don't agree.

There's no announcement. One simply partakes of the bread and wine at the Memorial. If the elders don't agree, tough for them, it's not for them to decide. According to JW theology, it is a personal matter that God reveals to the individual. That doesn't mean the elders might not make life difficult for the person if they disagree, but it would have to be in other ways, not because of the person's profession of anointing.

Which is more prestigious? Being an elder or being a member of the heavenly class?

Probably being an elder. It certainly carries more power and influence, especially since the "new light" about the F&DS

Are there cases where someone declares and then is badmouthed by members in the congregation?

Probably, since JWs will bad-mouth anybody in the congregation who's different. But I'm not personally familiar with any instances,

I understand declaring when you're not really a member of that class is a serious sin. If you do everything else right, but are wrong about that, would Jehovah forgive you? Or would you forfeit your resurrection?

According to their theology, one who partakes unworthily eats and drinks his own destruction. They understand "partaking unworthily" to mean partaking if one is not truly anointed. Obviously, if one does this deliberately, there would be little hope unless he or she repented before Armageddon.

Finally, after becoming a Jehovah's Witness, how long does it take before you're informed that you are of that class? Are we talking days, months or years?

The only one who informs you, according to their understanding is Jehovah through the holy spirit. He can inform you at any time and in any way that he wants. It might be immediately upon baptism, or after many years of faithful service.

Understand that I do not agree with their theology; I'm merely trying to answer your questions as a JW might.

45

Unbelievable Experience in Yearbook

by gingerbread in

jw
friends

a number of years back i heard a story of a young girl in a congregation ( i have some good friends in this hall ) who had an amazing field service experience.

it was so amazing that it was retold in the 2007 yearbook!.

it is retold in the highlight of the past year section.

NeonMadman

NeonMadman - i hope you are kidding. There is much that they have changed or left out of the library both online and on the dvd's. There are simply too many for all to be fixed or deleted.

No, I'm not kidding. I'm not saying that I approve of what they do, or that I don't think they embellish convention experiences and experiences reported in the publications. I have no doubt that they do, and I think it's reprehensible. However, I was talking about the question of reproducing the text of print publications into digital form via the WT Library whether online or on disc. In that case, I think that the appropriate thing for them to do is to reproduce the text exactly as it appeared in the print publication, without regard to whether the information was later proven to be false, as in the case stated by the OP. If the print publication said such and such, then that's what should be in the WT Library, whether or not it is true. As far as I know, they have done this pretty consistently, with only one exception that I am aware of, namely the notorious 1989 WT magazine that said the preaching work would end in "our 20th century," which was changed to "our day" in the printed bound volume. The bound volume text was then faithfully reproduced in the digital WT Library. You say that there is much that they have changed or left out, but that is the only case I'm aware of, and even in that case, the material appears in digital form exactly as it appeared in the bound volume (though not in the original magazine). The change was made between the two print versions of the same article, not in producing the WT Library. If there have been other cases that I don't know about, I'd have to ask you to provide specifics.

Really, this almost becomes a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation for the WTS. Condsider the case in the OP: an experience is published in the print Yearbook that is later shown to be false. Do they publish the same text accurately in the digital Library even though the story is untrue, or do they alter it to expunge the false information? If they do the former, you criticize that they are perpetuating the falsehood. But if they do the latter, they will undoubtedly be criticized for altering the text of the publication to make themselves look better. Which should they do? Given the stated purpose of the WT Library, to serve as a archive of the print publications for reference, I believe that they should maintain the text exactly as it was published, regardless of later developments with regard to the source of the information.

45

Unbelievable Experience in Yearbook

by gingerbread in

jw
friends

a number of years back i heard a story of a young girl in a congregation ( i have some good friends in this hall ) who had an amazing field service experience.

it was so amazing that it was retold in the 2007 yearbook!.

it is retold in the highlight of the past year section.

NeonMadman

Why does it currently exist online? You would think that it would not appear on the WT library. Especially by an organization that prides itself in preaching the 'Truth'.

Much as it pains me to take the side of the WTS in anything, I think they are right to leave it in the WT Library, and would be even if this were a unique example of an experience being embellished (which I'd be shocked to find that it is - I have no doubt that they enhance these stories all the time). The point of the Library is to reproduce the publications as they appeared in print, and the book did actually contain the experience in the print edition. If they were to delete it in the WT Library, they would undoubtedly come under fire from many of us for altering the digital iteration of the publication to avoid making themselves look bad.

40

Who on here, are close to 60

by Quarterback in

jw
friends

wow, where does the time go?

i'm scared of reaching this number, and yet i'm so close.. what is your health secrets?

what do you do for stress releif?

NeonMadman

I'm 61. And, yes, there is sex after 60.

8

Looking for Joel Stanley

by Carol in

desperately seeking joel.

knew him at the jersey shore!

atlantic city/ventnor/somer point areas back in the late 60's early 70's.

NeonMadman

I'd be interested in knowing where Joel is too, I knew him when he was with the West Springfield, MA congregation.

19

Elders and former elders: Judicial cases how often?

by A question in

jw
friends

how many judicial cases did you serve on, in how many years as an elder?

feel free to talk about the cases too..

NeonMadman

I'm very surprised to hear that masturbation was a reason for forming a JC. I always understood that it could result in loss of privileges, but not disfellowshipping (and therefore, by extension, not reproof either). You have to wonder why ALL the teenagers didn't get df'ed.

19

Elders and former elders: Judicial cases how often?

by A question in

jw
friends

how many judicial cases did you serve on, in how many years as an elder?

feel free to talk about the cases too..

NeonMadman

We had 3 committees for people looking at porn. Two were for masturbators who felt guilty. Foul Language, drinking and marijuana. Smoking the list goes on.

They form JCs for people who masturbate?