Posts by Phizzy

79

John 1:1 in Coptic Translation

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

apparently there has been quite a stir in jw apologetic circles recently about the translation of john 1:1 in the early sahidic version of john.

i don't know if this has been discussed here before - if someone could give a link to a previous thread they know about on the subject that would be great.

here is what i gather: .

Phizzy

To argue about what a verse says and whether a definite Article is used, or not, or where a Comma should go perhaps, as in "I tell you today", is silly. We do not know what was written in the Autograph, and what was later altered. As Bart Ehrman shows in his Book "The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture" as time went on and Christology evolved, Scribes changed the MSS to suit the "New Light" LOL.

Just an example John 1v18 : " 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known."

Now the Footnote :

John 1:18 Some manuscripts but the only Son, who..
We do not know when this was changed, and which fragment is older than the other etc.

30

Education video this midweeks meeting

by jehovaxx in

there is an item this week all about yang ones leaving school.. the two brothers go to a career advisor seminar.

one brother thinks it’s good to work hard full time while you are young and tries to encourage his friend to as well.. his friend (who is the good jw trust the gb no matter what they say)) he wants a part time job.. the video shows him dreaming about investing his money on his phone and the chart goes up, he drives a nice car and seems to be doing well financially.. then he reads the scripture in proverbs and next you see that investment chart go down in the red and he is so pleased he just got a low paid part time job.. this infuriates me.

how many of us are now struggling because we were told to get menial part time jobs and we were told the end would have been here by now.. i will never tell a young person to listen to the gb advice on this.

Phizzy

They were saying EXACTLY the same crap when I was young , 50 years ago or more !

I am SO glad I didn't listen ! I never swallowed the 1975 Bullcrap either, according to the org. this "System of things" would be all over by October '75. In August 1975 I started my Private Pension , thinking that the State Pension would be insufficient. I was more right than I knew, we now in the U.K have the lowest State Pension in Europe.

The org. is still trying to ruin the lives of the young, and leave them no choice but to be trapped in "The End is Soooo Close" Mindset. Only to find they have insufficient or no funds in Retirement.

The callous Lying Bastards !

27

LEAKED 2024 USA SERVICE REPORT

by raymond frantz in

https://youtu.be/lov1gsxj4tg?si=ze-fdc8yswirahwx.

this is a mini report on usa that includes an update on ramapo as it was delivered during the british bethel inauguration few days ago....

Phizzy

No longer does a "Report" have to be a Great Work of Fiction then ?

26

Still Confused About The FDS

by NotFormer in

this was prompted by another thread where it was revealed that the gb were referred to as "our future kings" in a wt video.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4911685446402048/fun-moment.

if i've got it right, the 144,000 are (or were until recently) the fds.

Phizzy

The whole FDS thing falls down from its very starting idea, the idea that a rather good Parable by Jesus was in any way prophetic of some group living 2,000 years later.

Jesus said himself he would return in the lifetime of those standing there listening to him, and the parable illustrates the very real situation that would have prevailed had he returned as promised, who would really be a true follower of his ? Which INDIVIDUALS would be like the Faithful Slave ? and which INDIVIDUALS would be like the Evil Slave ?

It is a PARABLE , and NOT A PROPHECY !

73

Did God know adam and eve would sin?

by gavindlt in

to all those on this forum, i would love to know what your take on this vital question is..

Phizzy

As the whole Eden Story is a rehash of the Canaanite/Sumerian "Eden" Story, we are presented with a god from a time when the concept of gods was primitive, not as the concept later evolved.

We must not read such Stories with a 21st Century or especially not a believers "eye".

The Canaanite gods were never presented as Omniscient, or Omnipotent come to that, hence we see a god who does not know even outcomes that perhaps a perceptive ordinary human could have foreseen.

As an aside, this very old story was from long before a time when the "Satan" figure had entered Israelite religious thought, and so does not figure in the Story.

Ancient Texts should be read as they are, and taking in to account what the Writer wished his readers to understand, and what they would have understood his words to mean.

To approach Scripture in any other way, results in us reading in to the Text what is simply NOT there, a JW org. approach that is both totally wrong, and an insult to both the Writer and his Text.

20

Waking Them Up When They Feel Safe

by KerryKing in

good morning all, i would love some genuine advice please.. i have an old friend who is still in the org, but has never been the very staunch type.

however, she is going through a very rough patch in life, (past deeds from youth caught up and now is in prison) and i reached out to her by old fashioned snail mail.. by her reply she sounds more pimi than ever and finding some sort of comfort in the literature.

would i be wrong to attempt to wake her up, would that actually be a cruel thing to do right now?

Phizzy

My advice K.K is always do what is the kind, empathetic thing for the person ! Why rush to wake her up ?

I know we do not wish to see a person back "in" and maybe become embedded, but your friend will show you signs of when she is ready to wake up, nothing is accomplished before that time arrives.

Until then, she needs you as a good, kind, empathetic, loving and supportive, and unconditional friend. She will then value, and trust you so much, that when ready, you can gently guide her to the first Steps on The Road to Freedom.

Do now what is best for HER, she has enough to deal with at present, and no need for anything that may make life harder for her in any way.

11

UK Blood Scandal inquiry findings

by ukpimo in

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-69025640.

how do you feel about this latest inquiry?

although we expect jehovah's witnesses to use this opportunity to say "we were right all this time", it's nonetheless a historic blow to the nhs.

Phizzy

I was wondering if any that have suffered because of that may consider a Court case for Compensation , or may be a Class Action.

It would be a difficult one to fight, too difficult perhaps, as proving you would not have taken it but for the Org's faulty advice, may be impossible to satisfy what a Court needs to give a "win" to the plaintiff.

15

NEW YORK TIMES 10TH MAY: HOW THE JWS COPY THE MORMONS

by raymond frantz in

https://youtu.be/jctod7viuq0?si=bcffiejweq8k-rwn.

skip to main content.

jw updates.

Phizzy

Thanks for Posting rf, what an eye opener !

The J.W org. have done this in many ways before, following the lead of the LDS Church, but it did not occur to me that the change in dress & grooming advice was another example of this !

I concur with your conclusions as to the difficulty with getting J.W's to adapt to Social Media, the very young could do this, but most are "in" because it is their Social Club, not for the reason of having a deep belief, or much of a faith at all I would guess. They would be embarrassed to "Witness" on-line.

The other problem they have is the very low education level of the average J.W, and their very sheeplike way of having to be directed, incapable of writing a sincere Letter themselves, they have to follow a J.W Template, that is parochial in language to me, nobody here in the U.K would start with "Dear neighbour", or claim to be a neighbour, and yet put a K.H Address, their Letters come over as a Scam. So would similar pathetic efforts on Social Media.

We have been aware for years that the JW org. was moribund, and struggling, but this is now even more stark, I may yet live long enough to see the org. go down the plughole, and simply be a footnote in History, like the other 18th Century sects that are no more.

Meanwhile the LDS Church will continue in Business.

21

Lithuania Set to Mirror Norway's Approach on Jehovah's Witnesses

by raymond frantz in

it is proposed to the seimas not to grant state recognition to the religious community of jehovah's witnesses.

lithuania05/05/2024 09:30. jehovah's witnesses; baptism associative / e. ovcharenko / bns photo.. it is proposed to the seimas to refuse to grant state recognition to the lithuanian jehovah's witnesses religious community.. community representatives told bns that they hope that parliamentarians, taking into account the practice of the european court of human rights, will make a different decision.. the draft resolution registered by the chairman of the human rights committee of the seimas, tomas vytautas raskevičius, states that this community does not meet the requirements of the constitution and the law, that its education and rites do not conflict with laws and decency.. "the ministry of justice has determined that the religious teaching of this community is possibly not compatible with the constitution of our country in two aspects.

the first is that jehovah's witnesses oppose blood transfusions due to certain aspects related to health care (...).

Phizzy

The thing that amuses me immensely, is that as the J.W Org. is likely to lose its recognition as a religion in various Countries, The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is gaining recognition ! Winning its legal battles !

It is now a recognised Religion in Poland and the Netherlands, and though not of that Status in New Zealand, you can there be Legally married by an FSM Church Celebrant !

The FSM is Blessing his Church ! May you all be touched by his Noodly Appendage ! Ramen !

15

Did you consider Paul as false prophet?

by PeterNobody in

dear brothers!

you as a bible researchers, refused the catholicism, but still use the books which catholic church defined as the source of truth.

did you consider paul as a false prophet?

Phizzy

Thanks K.O.W for the warning, and for your excellent Post above, and your Posts on other Threads, your Post about Marcion filled in details for me I was not aware of, thanks.

As for the Thread Title, Paul was a failed prophet, he predicted the resurrection etc, would come in the lifetimes of his readers, it didn't, so later Works, like 2nd Thessalonians, were written to excuse this error, and to somewhat obliquely discredit Paul.

My view is that Paul's Theology/Christology is very much his own, and the voice in his head persuaded him to believe that the claims of some 1st Century BCE "Christians", those who thought they had found a Messiah (Christ), and that their chosen individual had been resurrected, were true.

The other Christian Groups of the late 1st Century BCE and those of the !st Century C.E may well have had a Christ different to Pau's, hence maybe why he was not impressed by any Teaching he found in Jerusalem, he just didn't want trouble from them as he took his Gospel and his Christ to the Gentiles.

The later Mythos that we find in the Gospels is a very different Christ to Paul's.