Posts by AverageJoe1

2

Truth versus Holiness

by Half banana in

truth, that is verifiable facts as opposed to belief, is a vital part of the cultural narrative and operation of modern humanity.

truth does not require a lot of defending because it can stand happily on its own two feet.

it takes little effort or money to be spent in affirming it.

AverageJoe1

The Greek word ἅγιος (hagios, that we also use for "holy") just means "to set apart", "different".

The fundamental (core) meaning of 40 (hágios) is "different" – thus a temple in the 1st century was hagios ("holy") because different from other buildings (Wm. Barclay). In the NT, 40 /hágios ("holy") has the "technical" meaning "different from the world" because "like the Lord."

[40 (hágios) implies something "set apart" and therefore "different (distinguished/distinct)" – i.e. "other," because special to the Lord.]

Source: http://biblehub.com/greek/40.htm

Loses most of the magic when you strip away the WTS interpretation, doesn't it?!

5

Jesus he knows me: jw.org

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

today i read some postings about the changes in jw land, moving to a evangelical organization, and i have to say that jw.org is more and more recognizable in the genisis video clip jesus he knows me.. back then way overdone, now much like jw.org.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=35k6vqrt67g.

g..

AverageJoe1

That's so true. Love this song!

81

Gerrit Losch Claims JW's Attending College Are Spiritually Weak

by pale.emperor in

https://www.facebook.com/jw.0027/videos/799049613609936/.

the video was posted directly to a pro-jw facebook page.

i cant believe what i'm hearing... actually, nothing surprises be about this cult anymore.. didn't they say to the judge in the arc that they dont discourage college?.

AverageJoe1

That's rich coming from Mr "Watchtower doesn't own me" Lösch!

7

June 27, 2017 TO ALL CONGREGATIONS Re: Donations to Regional Conventions Using jw.org

by wifibandit in

june 27, 2017 to all congregations in britain and northern ireland re: donations to regional conventions using jw.org.

june 27, 2017 to all congregations in ireland re: donations to regional conventions using jw.org.

.

AverageJoe1

I've just noticed that the UK letterhead has changed; no mention of The Watchtower at all! Is this due to the current UK Charity Commission investigation? Have they changed the name of their financial side of the organisation again?

How come there is a different letterhead for Ireland? That branch doesn't even exist anymore as far as I'm aware!

17

NWT - revised 1984 vs revised 2013 versions

by Tallon in

in the latest 2013 revision the footnote of john chapter 8 states; a number of ancient and authoritative manuscripts omit vs 53 (of chapter 7) to chapter 8, vs. 11.. yet the 1984 revision quotes a similar footnote, however the passage of scripture is included in the text, albeit separately at the bottom.

this passage of scripture is about the scribes and the pharisees who brought a woman that was accused of adultery before jesus to test him on the punishment to be meted out.

then came his famous reply; let the one of you that is sinless be the first to throw a stone at her.. i just found it interesting that the wtbts would leave this out in the latest revision.

AverageJoe1

Actually this is one thing of the few things they actually got right. See this article:

https://bible.org/article/my-favorite-passage-thats-not-bible

It is an important point to note that although the story of the woman caught in adultery is found in most of our printed Bibles today, the evidence suggests that the majority of Bibles during the first eight centuries of the Christian faith did not contain the story. Externally, most scholars would say that the evidence for it not being an authentic part of John’s Gospel is rock solid.
How, then, has this passage made it into modern translations? In a word, there has been a longstanding tradition of timidity among translators. One twentieth-century Bible relegated the passage to the footnotes, but when the sales were rather lackluster, it again found its place in John’s Gospel. Even the NET Bible (available at www.bible.org), for which I am the senior New Testament editor, has put the text in its traditional place. But the NET Bible also has a lengthy footnote, explaining the textual complications and doubts about its authenticity. And the font size is smaller than normal so that it will be harder to read from the pulpit! But we nevertheless made the same concession that other translators have about this text by leaving it in situ.
I believe it’s time for us to own up to our tradition of timidity and recognize that this has not helped the Church in the long haul. It’s time to close the gap. I am calling for translators to remove this text from the Gospel of John and relegate it to the footnotes. Although this will be painful and will cause initial confusion, it is far better that laypeople hear the truth about scripture from their friends than from their enemies. They need to know that Christ-honoring, Bible-believing scholars also do not think that this text is authentic, and that such a stance has not shaken their faith one iota. No cardinal truth is lost if these verses go bye-bye; no essential doctrine is disturbed if they are cut from the pages of the Word of God.

37

Watchtower teaches that Jesus dying on the stake is no longer certain

by Listener in

the watchtower has held for many years that jesus died on a stake and held strongly to this teaching.

w 1951 3/15 the above agrees with the new world translation of the christian greek scriptures in its appendix, page 769, in saying that the instrument upon which jesus was nailed was a stake without a crossbeam, and not the religiously represented “cross”; and that the greek word used for that instrument in ancient time meant a “stake” and not the conventional religious cross.

they are no longer certain on this point.

AverageJoe1

I wonder if there are any half worldly couples who agreed to name their kid Stavros in honor of all the arguments they have about Jesus.

Or in honour of the creator of the Daleks!

37

Watchtower teaches that Jesus dying on the stake is no longer certain

by Listener in

the watchtower has held for many years that jesus died on a stake and held strongly to this teaching.

w 1951 3/15 the above agrees with the new world translation of the christian greek scriptures in its appendix, page 769, in saying that the instrument upon which jesus was nailed was a stake without a crossbeam, and not the religiously represented “cross”; and that the greek word used for that instrument in ancient time meant a “stake” and not the conventional religious cross.

they are no longer certain on this point.

AverageJoe1

Actually that paragraph on their website:

https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/did-jesus-die-on-cross/

A contradiction in the same paragraph!

However, the Bible does not describe the instrument of Jesus’ death, so no one can know its shape with absolute certainty. Still, the Bible provides evidence that Jesus died, not on a cross, but on an upright stake.

37

Watchtower teaches that Jesus dying on the stake is no longer certain

by Listener in

the watchtower has held for many years that jesus died on a stake and held strongly to this teaching.

w 1951 3/15 the above agrees with the new world translation of the christian greek scriptures in its appendix, page 769, in saying that the instrument upon which jesus was nailed was a stake without a crossbeam, and not the religiously represented “cross”; and that the greek word used for that instrument in ancient time meant a “stake” and not the conventional religious cross.

they are no longer certain on this point.

AverageJoe1

Half banana

Since when have the JW organisation started to use logical reasoning?
If they really go in that direction they might all wake up.

We can live in hope!

9

Should Youths Get Baptized?

by NikL in

found this little gem of an article in the june 15, 2011 wt.... should youths get baptized?“i am so happy that my daughter is now a servant of jehovah, and i know that she is happy too,” said carlos, a christian father in the philippines.

a father from greece wrote: “my wife and i are delighted that our three children were baptized as jehovah’s witnesses during their adolescence.

they are making spiritual progress and are happy about serving jehovah.”christian parents have reason to be overjoyed when their children get baptized, but sometimes the joy is accompanied by uneasiness.

AverageJoe1

No! Jesus was 30 when he got baptized and the WTS say they do everything based on the Bible so nobody should be baptized until they are at least 30!

39

(Not so) Subliminal Shave Your Beard Message

by Funchback in

i'm in the middle of dissecting the june 2017 jw broadcasting video.. in the first minute, they summarize a story about a guy who apparently was a one-time bad ass (showed a picture of him with a beard while posing on a chopper).

then, they show him shaving at the exact same moment the narrator is saying how he regained "a clean conscience".. this no-beard obsession by the jws is beyond nuts.. .

AverageJoe1

Yes John, but then your employer wouldn't have the gall to say "but we don't make rules, especially as God doesn't make arbitrary lists of rules like the Pharisees did" whilst at the same time expecting you to follow the list rules you were just given!