Posts by Phizzy

86

Prediction: no more changes for a long while

by slimboyfat in

i’ve noticed a pattern where things don’t go the way i expect them to go and/or whenever i realise there is a trend and, i mentally adjust for the idea that the trend will continue, the trend stops in its tracks.

so on that basis, and given many people, including myself, and active jws, have been asking ‘what changes will the governing body make next?’ perhaps the (disappointing) answer is: ‘nothing much for a while to come’.

maybe they’ve made the changes they want for now, and will wait a while and see how it’s received.

Phizzy

I have been out for so long that I don't know such details as contribution levels, but I would guess the young don't contribute that much as a group. But they are thought of by the org. as the future contributors, as the old ones die off, and no doubt the org. will be guilting the young earners to contribute more.

When I was young, and also a Reg. Pio. for a while, my thinking was the same as yours, plus I only had enough to live off by Part Time working, to run a car, run a girlfriend, she was always skint, and to have a bit of Beer Money.

I shall be fascinated to see how all of this goes for the Org. To a degree they are being unusually reactive, looking to the near future at least, but I wonder if any of the measures they take will stem the loss of members due to the less obvious stuff, like the spreading availability of easy Internet access around the world, improved Education, and how Society in many Nations is increasingly seeing no need for organised religion in their lives, also the relaxing of things so much will make it much easier to "fade", either deliberately or unconsciously.

86

Prediction: no more changes for a long while

by slimboyfat in

i’ve noticed a pattern where things don’t go the way i expect them to go and/or whenever i realise there is a trend and, i mentally adjust for the idea that the trend will continue, the trend stops in its tracks.

so on that basis, and given many people, including myself, and active jws, have been asking ‘what changes will the governing body make next?’ perhaps the (disappointing) answer is: ‘nothing much for a while to come’.

maybe they’ve made the changes they want for now, and will wait a while and see how it’s received.

Phizzy

" If they were in serious trouble...... " I agree LV101, but we have been told, perhaps not based on actual facts, that they have a Ten Year Plan.

So, being aware of the demographics of their adherents, they know that a Cash Flow problem, though not critical for a number of years probably, is a fact, and can only get worse if they don't retain the younger ones. Hence "baby steps" makes sense in introducing the changes, appease the young first with the minor stuff, allow some "fun" back in to the Org. and strengthen its function as a Social Club.

The more delicate matters of major changes both in Doctrine and Practice can be fed in slowly over a number of years, but they will do this over the next 7 or 8 years maybe, and then assess the success of the Ten Year Plan at the end. Success being enough $$$ flowing in again.

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: .

Phizzy

Thank you Anony Mous !

excellent points, and what you say is the reason that the NWT is not taken seriously as a Version for reference by the Academics in the Field of Biblical Studies, although some have rightly praised certain verses for the way they are rendered, so Ol' Freddie did do quite well indeed, for an Armchair Scholar........... in places.

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: .

Phizzy

Sea Breeze, I found this on an old Thread, confirming what you say.

" However, according to Mr. Franz’s college transcript, his major language studies were in classical Greek (21 semester hours), not Koine Greek in which the New Testament was written. The Greek Franz studied has different grammar and syntax from that of biblical Greek.

At that time, there was only one course in biblical Greek even offered at the University of Cincinnati.

According to the 1911 university catalog, page 119, that course was titled: “The New Testament – A course in grammar and translation.” Although Franz did take this class, this was not a full 3-hour college credit course. This was simply a survey course of New Testament Greek. Therefore it could legitimately be said that Franz never completed not even one typical college course in New Testament Greek. The one short course he did take was in a sense, well….anti-typical; if I may use a favorite phrase of his."

Just as one example of where Franz was probably lacking, the N.T use of the word "Logos" is very different in the Christian use of it , to that in Classical Greek. Many other Greek words in the N.T have new or more nuanced meanings, of which fact Franz may well not have been aware.

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: .

Phizzy

Yes FF was obviously competent on some level, but what that level was can only be guessed at ?

86

Prediction: no more changes for a long while

by slimboyfat in

i’ve noticed a pattern where things don’t go the way i expect them to go and/or whenever i realise there is a trend and, i mentally adjust for the idea that the trend will continue, the trend stops in its tracks.

so on that basis, and given many people, including myself, and active jws, have been asking ‘what changes will the governing body make next?’ perhaps the (disappointing) answer is: ‘nothing much for a while to come’.

maybe they’ve made the changes they want for now, and will wait a while and see how it’s received.

Phizzy

It may be more about retaining existing Contributors of $$$ than a way of of gaining more $$$.

But getting more in $$$ flowing in remains something they will obviously have to address, and soon !

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: .

Phizzy

They have subtly already done something similar Marky, not using the word "Organisation" obviously, but twisting Scripture to infer that is what the Bible Writers were referring to !

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: .

Phizzy

Even FF had no formal training in Hebrew or Greek, he said so in Court.

The NWT has always been a "Version", never a Translation as it claims to be, they simply have never had any properly trained or properly accredited Scholar/s involved at any point.

Having said that, F.Franz had a fearsome Intelligence, and the Autistic person's ability to concentrate fully on his work, and he did very well, with simply using other already published Versions, and Bible Dictionaries etc. but of course, his weird beliefs coloured the final NWT, as such beliefs do to this day, in each iteration that comes out.

6

'Socky' - April 2024 broadcast

by joey jojo in

watched a revision of this broadcast on youtube.

im not sure ive ever seen a more cringe-worthy exchange than between david splane and his good buddy 'socky'.. socky told us the story that he read the book 'what has religion done for mankind?

' (1951) when he was 10 and he 'knew' it was the truth.

Phizzy

You are correct 3rdgen, that is why the expression "The Society" was used for the org. so much, and probably still is by Old Socky !

It is of great sadness to me that at the same age , not year , as Socky a ten year old me read the old late 1950's "Daniel" Book, but I began to question how they could suddenly change the meanings they had taught for years, and even at that age could not accept the fanciful stuff that no doubt came mainly from the pen of that strange man , Fred Franz.

I never stopped rejecting the fanciful stuff, but my sadness comes from the fact I should have taken my questioning further, and woken up and left as a young man, instead of a middle aged one !

All of those Interviews sound so false , contrived, and the stuff said by the interviewee so Syrupy and made up, hence insincere.

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: .

Phizzy

Probably fairly accurate as to the quality of their normal Literature when translated.

One problem with this is that though a literal translation of a W.T Article may be an accurate one, what was written in English was often a strange way of expressing things to the speaker of another tongue, so their Translation work is not as good as that done by Professional Translators, well versed in the language being translated in to.

Of course it is a different matter when you look at their NWT Bible. This is a poor Bible Version in many respects, but is outright dishonest in many of its renderings, which they "bend" to support their Doctrines and Teachings, and to subtly exert "Mind Control" in some instances.

An analysis of these problems with their NWT Version can be found, and the verses in contention, on many Threads on here.