Posts by Bobcat

16

An Elder said: 'They're in prison for a reason'

by NAVYTOWN in

jw
friends

several years ago, i was studying the bible (jw literature) with an ms from the local congregation.

i happened to mention that i had several pen pals who were incarcerated in various prisons.

no matter what crimes they committed, i said i saw them as fellow human being who deserved to have a friend to write to.

Bobcat

Before I went into prison, I called a Brother on the phone who had recently been paroled after 2 years as a conscientious objector.

I asked for any advice he might help me with.

He was quiet for second or two, and then he said, "No, just do your time and do as you're told."

Terry:

Now that you've had the experience that this other brother had, what advice would you give to someone heading to prison (someone who is one of the 'unlucky ones,' not a criminal)?

And thanks very much for your post.

Bobcat

23

NWT departure from greek meaning

by aintenoughwiskey in

the new jw library app includes the kingdom interlinear.

just by looking up the scriptures at the meeting when i went, revealed the following "departures" from the other translations:.

rev 5:10 "over the earth" vs "upon the earth".

Bobcat

In connection with Rev 20:4 ("the word of God" vs. "speaking about God"), there is an interesting thematic thread running through Revelation that might explain what is meant by "the word of God":

Rev 1:2 . . . [John] bore witness to the word God gave and to the witness Jesus Christ gave . . .

Rev 1:9 . . . because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus . . .

Rev 6:9 . . . because of the word of God and because of the witness work that they used to have . . .

Rev 12:17 . . . who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.

Rev 14:12 Here is where it means endurance for the holy ones, those who observe the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 19:10 . . . you and of your brothers who have the work of witnessing to Jesus. Worship God; for the bearing witness to Jesus is what inspires prophesying

Rev 20:4 . . . those executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God [lit. the word of God].

Comparing these verses which use a similar formula for describing Christians, I would venture that "the word of God" is equivalent to Rev 12:17, "observe the commandments of God." The rendering, "speaking about God," would seem to take it in a different direction. (Although, to be fair, at least one other translation, the NLT, has something similar to the NWT - see here)

23

NWT departure from greek meaning

by aintenoughwiskey in

the new jw library app includes the kingdom interlinear.

just by looking up the scriptures at the meeting when i went, revealed the following "departures" from the other translations:.

rev 5:10 "over the earth" vs "upon the earth".

Bobcat

In regard to Rev 5:9, the preposition epi can have a spatial meaning (e.g. "on") or a relational meaning (e.g. "over"). The verse can be saying 'where' they are ruling, or it can be referring to their position as rulers, 'over.' In the latter case, they can rule "over" others regardless of where they are ruling from (either heaven or earth).

I would suspect that one's theology would be the determining factor.

Bobcat

49

Terminology the Society Hates?

by toweragent in

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?".

Bobcat

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

9

The Tree of The Knowledge of Good and BadHave JWs got it correctly?

by Kalos in

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!.

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

24

To Transfuse or Not To Transfuse

by Chris Tann in

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.

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?

15

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

by Zoos in

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

10

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

by smiddy in

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

.

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.

21

Reflections - Updating MD card - did you stop updating?

by berrygerry in

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?.

.

Bobcat

Lee Elder:

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

Bobcat

60

Accuracy of the Revised NWT

by dabster in

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.

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)