Bobcat

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Posts by Bobcat

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  49

  Terminology the Society Hates?

  by toweragent in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in my most recent talk, i got counseled for using some terms that were not prefered.

  for example i said "new testament" rather than "the christian greek scriptures".

  i also used the term "gospel", but even worse, i made reference to the "synoptic gospels" and the "gnostic gospel".. i guess i never thought of it before, but when i looked at the societies information on the matter they always say things like, "the so-called new testament..." or "the so-called synoptic gospels..." why with all the "so-called?".

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  Bobcat

  Here is a list of Orwell's 1984 terminology. It is interesting to compare it with the WT world.
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  9

  “The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Bad”—Have JWs got it correctly?

  by Kalos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.

  (genesis 2:17).

  jws interpret this tree as the symbol knowledge of good and bad, right of god to set standards for us; hence eating of it means snatching gods right to rule over usthus self-rule means ruination and death, and conversely gods rule means blessings and eternal life.. this interpretation has some intrinsic problems!.

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  Bobcat

  Kalos:

  The word for "knowledge" at Genesis 2:17 ( had·da·‘aṯ; Strong's 1847) can refer to knowledge as in "information," or it can also refer to "knowing by experience, relationship, or encounter" (AMG's Word Study Dictionary of the OT). Adam & Eve could understand what was "good and evil" without 'knowing' good and evil in the sense of setting up their own standard of it.

  Bobcat
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  24

  To Transfuse or Not To Transfuse

  by Chris Tann in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  when my son became baptized as a witness at age nine, it worried me that he could now get a no blood card.

  i wanted to make sure if blood transfusions were really as disgusting to "jehovah" as i was taught.

  i already found out some things about my beliefs that were not true, so it wasn't hard for me to be questionable about this.. i first looked in the reasoning book under blood as to why we don't accept transfusions.

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  Bobcat

  Chris Tann, you made some very good comments and deductions.

  Just to add to the reasoning, Jesus' statement at John 15:13 IMO also impacts the medical use of blood:

  • "No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends"

  How could it be 'the greatest love' to 'surrender your life' (symbolized by blood) to save someone else, but evil to give a small part of your life to save them?
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  15

  Christians: Question about, "Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you..."

  by Zoos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs
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  Bobcat

  A better comparison to get the flavor of what Hebrews 13:17 is saying is to compare it with:

  • (3 John 9, 10 NWT) . . .I wrote something to the congregation, but Di·ot′re·phes, who likes to have the first place among them, does not receive anything from us with respect. 10 That is why, if I come, I will call to remembrance his works which he goes on doing, chattering about us with wicked words. Also, not being content with these things, neither does he himself receive the brothers with respect, and those who are wanting to receive them he tries to hinder and to throw out of the congregation.

    and . . .

  • (2 Corinthians 11:3-5) . . .But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent seduced Eve by its cunning, YOUR minds might be corrupted away from the sincerity and the chastity that are due the Christ. 4 For, as it is, if someone comes and preaches a Jesus other than the one we preached, or YOU receive a spirit other than what YOU received, or good news other than what YOU accepted, YOU easily put up [with him]. 5 For I consider that I have not in a single thing proved inferior to YOUR superfine apostles.

  In 3 John 9, 10, Diotrephes is described as someone who had the power to throw others out of the congregation, indicating someone 'taking the lead among them.' In the surrounding context, John does not condemn those who tried to do what was right, despite Diotrephes.

  In the 2 Corinthians passage, Paul indicates that these "superfine apostles" were teaching things contrary to how Paul understood Christianity. Paul chastises the Corinthians for so easily going along with them.

  In contrast to these passages, the Hebrews passage would seem to be dealing with a more general attitude of not wanting to be under any authority at all (at least in the congregation).

  With regard to Ps 146:3 ("Do not put your trust in nobles, Nor in the son of earthling man . . .), this is a merism that generally carries the idea of any and all humans, or from the top of society ("nobles") to the bottom ("earthling man" or the common man). Interestingly, the writer (of this Psalm (David) would be speaking of people with whom Israelites would be coming into contact with. For most, that would be fellow Israelites.

  Bobcat
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  10

  World powers come and go .Will China replace America as a first world power in the next decade ?

  by smiddy in

  1. social
  2. current

  what are your thoughts about this topic , pros and cons.. smiddy.

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  Bobcat

  IMO China could help dethrone the USA but is not in a position to replace it (by just itself). Given that the US has maritime access to the two major oceans, I doubt that any other single nation could ever become as powerful economically as the US has been, at least not anytime soon.

  I also agree from above that China does not seem to want the sort of global hegenemy that the US has had.
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  21

  Reflections - Updating MD card - did you stop updating?

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  i finally removed my md card from my wallet yesterday.. although we were encouraged to create a new card annually, i had an internal hesitation, and a lack of enthusiam for it, as well as the meaningless cards for my kids.. the card that was pulled from my wallet was dated 1994. i obviously had some unconscious, if not conscious, problems with the borg, maybe with the 1995 generations bs.. did others stop updating their cards long before exiting?.

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  Bobcat

  Lee Elder:

  That was a well written article! Thanks for the link.

  Bobcat
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  60

  Accuracy of the Revised NWT

  by dabster in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was speaking with a jw yesterday.

  i'd previously mentioned the removal of the brackets around 'other' in colossians 1 making the mistranslation complete.

  during our chat he said that the previous edition of the nwt was the more correct one, that the revised version was simply more readable and that it shouldn't be considered the best translation.

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  Bobcat

  Jehovah gives the command; The women proclaiming the good news are a large army.

  Here is how other translations render it. The MT uses a feminine plural participle (ham-ḇaś-śə-rō-wṯ,; "those who published"). This is why numerous renderings include "women." (Compare Ps 68:25; Exod 15:20-21; Jdg 5; 11:34; 1Sa 18:6, 7)
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  9

  Dedication of Buildings (e.g. Kingdom Halls, Branch Offices etc)

  by IMHO in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just did i quick search it doesn't seem like this has been discussed.. why it's such a big deal, especially with branches where they are usually "dedicated" by a member of the governing body?.

  is there a spiritual, biblical, theocratic significance.. does it "change" the building?.

  should it be "un-dedicated" if it is sold.. i await your insight and responses.. .

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  Bobcat

  The thing that gets me about 'dedicating' a Kingdom Hall to God is - How can you then turn around and sell it? It belongs to God, doesn't it? I can see fixing it or remodeling it. But selling it? - It has been dedicated to God. How can you sell it or even give it to someone else?

  For example, when a person 'dedicated' something to the temple, they felt it could not then even be used to help their needy parents, let alone sell it to others (Mt 15:5, 6) "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." (Mt 15:8)

  Bobcat
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  118

  School for Congregation Elders

  by C.O.B.E.Beef in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i attended the school late last year, and it was an emotional and mental rollercoaster for me.

  i was already divided in my heart to say the least.

  one of the instructors stayed in my home for the week, and my family genuinely enjoyed his company.

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  Bobcat

  Listener:

  That is a great list. Thanks.

  Bobcat
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  60

  Accuracy of the Revised NWT

  by dabster in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was speaking with a jw yesterday.

  i'd previously mentioned the removal of the brackets around 'other' in colossians 1 making the mistranslation complete.

  during our chat he said that the previous edition of the nwt was the more correct one, that the revised version was simply more readable and that it shouldn't be considered the best translation.

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  Bobcat

  I agree that the older NWT was usually more literal than the rNWT, sometimes to a fault (controversial verses aside).

  On the other hand, the rNWT has broken away from devotion to the W&H master text and has made use of newer texts such as the UBS & Nestle tetxts (See e.g. here & here).

  Here and here and here are also some comments on various renderings of the rNWT. I view the NWT (both old and new) as neither the best nor the worst. IMO it has a useful place in a good Bible library.

  Here was an interesting comment on "other" in Col 1:15.