It would be interesting to see what type of information is available in the old Gilead library or the library of the Writing Committee. I would imagine that anything that I have read might pale in comparison to some of what may exist there.
SOP
Separation of Powers
JoinedPosts by Separation of Powers
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48
What Was Your First Experience In Exposing Yourself To "Apostasy"?
by minimus inas a young teenager, i would look at "apostate" books at the city library.
i was always intrigued as to what was sooo bad and other than a few writings of some that seemed like they hated the witnesses, i would clandestinely look at literature, especially in "christian" bookstores.. it took years for me to finally disconnect.
i will say that ray franz' books enlightened me the most!.
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14
Favorite scripture in your present journey
by Separation of Powers inso, if you haven't become an atheist yet and still hold on to some form of christian based/bible based faith.
tell us one scripture that defines where you are at right now in your spiritual journey.... .
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Separation of Powers
Sorry, I realized I didn't include my selection:
John 5:39, the words of Jesus to the Jewish rulers,
"You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me."
This is a wonderful scripture for the pharisaical among believers. As I have said before, if you ask any JW, "Where is Charles Taze Russel right now?" They will say, "Heaven."
"How could he be in heaven if he didn't believe 99% of what you believe because of all the new light?"
"Because God judged his heart condition."
SO there it is!
SOP
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14
Favorite scripture in your present journey
by Separation of Powers inso, if you haven't become an atheist yet and still hold on to some form of christian based/bible based faith.
tell us one scripture that defines where you are at right now in your spiritual journey.... .
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Separation of Powers
@ frankiespeakin- Awesome! In a sophormoric adolescent kind of way. Kinda like when my buddy gave the Your Youth talk "Growing into womanhood" Funny!
@SFPW I am surprised by your selections, I would have thought that with your experience in the organization that you could have provided something much more profound than the scriptures that the young ones memorize.
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Favorite scripture in your present journey
by Separation of Powers inso, if you haven't become an atheist yet and still hold on to some form of christian based/bible based faith.
tell us one scripture that defines where you are at right now in your spiritual journey.... .
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Separation of Powers
So, if you haven't become an atheist yet and still hold on to some form of Christian based/Bible based faith. Tell us one scripture that defines where you are at right now in your spiritual journey...
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Latest WT lesson typical example of why meetings are such downers
by JimmyPage inhere's what i gathered from the most recent wt study: 1. all your problems are your own fault, or 2. the ones that aren't your fault are satan's fault.
3. don't blame jehovah for anything, and 4. more importantly, never criticize the ones who claim to represent jehovah.. this is a typical meeting nowadays.
there are all kinds of possibilities to emphasize positive qualities and experiences.
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Separation of Powers
I have stated this before...when you concentrate on all your woes and the woes of others, the PROMISE of paradise is SOOO much more enticing. It doesn't matter that your family is healthy, that you have a good career, that you cultivate meaningful friendships, that you expand your view of your fellowman, all that matters is HOW CRAPPY LIFE IS AT THIS MOMENT! And "Oh, we need the new system SOOO bad." It is a copout of the worst order. It allows people to live fruitless lives and blame their difficulties and everything, particularly Satan, and not take responsibility for the only life that God has given them.
It gets so bad sometimes that you are made to feel bad because life can be so good!
SOP
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The motives behind Genesis (and the rest of the Bible)
by DeWandelaar ini was in thinking mode this morning and since i am writing a roman based on a part of the genesis account i suddenly came to a weird sort of motive of the writer of genesis.
going beyond a blogpost of adamah about the true meaning of the tree of knowledge i come to the following conclusion:.
the writer of genesis wants to promote obedience at cost of knowledge.
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Separation of Powers
I really appreciate the whole manipulation aspect of your theory. Belief systems have long been an amazing way to control people.
My take on the whole thing: The Bible was written in an attempt to solidfy the Jewish nation. Every nation, when it becomes a nation, needs their history. They need their legends. I think about Guy Fawkes in the UK or Paul Revere in the US. Stories? Yeah, a little credibility, but ultimately, these stories serve to distinguish a people, to define their past and thus....their future.
Genesis, the account of Adam and Eve, purpose: The Jews were blessed from the beginning, they had everything in that little garden. They were separate, distinct, they had a one-on-one relationship with the Creator. But, they blew it. Thus, the fall and man, the Jews, needed to return to their Creator, reestablish their kinship with God. (They were not alone in the world, afterall, where did Cain get his wife? Why was he SOOO worried about the stigma of having killed his brother and the thought that someone would strike him down? )
The stories of Abraham and the patriarchs, the Founding Fathers of the Jewish state. This is where legends are born. God is in contact with each of them, they contend with God, they are blessed and chosen....Manifest Destiny if you will.
The Mosaic Law: Now that you have a defined past and associated legends, you must CONTROL the people. This is where we both agree significantly. The Law, however, is not simply control. It is also an attempt at defining your difference, nation building, if you will. A man will fight to protect himself and his family, but of what good would it be to fight for a country unless he believes so firmly that his country is more than just some land, it is the REASON for his existence. The Mosaic Law does this by defining its prophet as THE prophet, such a prophet that good and evil, God and Satan, contend for the location of his final resting place!
The Prophets: Revisionism at its finest, propaganda if you will. A Messianic theme that will ultimately end with the Jewish state in paradisaic conditions, i.e. where this all began in Eden.
When the Old Testament is read with such a viewpoint, it takes on a completely different and yet understandable theme. It is a political gem, replete with nation building, genocide in the name of patriotism, manifest destiny....and, as you say, CONTROL.
Just some thoughts,
SOP
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The epitome of narcissism
by Separation of Powers inthere are several disturbing things that were said in the latest annual meeting.
one of the most disturbing was a comment made by david splane.
he made reference to how the clergy "howled" when the first new world bible translation committee produced the first nwt.
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Separation of Powers
@Phizzy,
Good point. That court case was very eye opening due to the public record of sworn testimony.
SOP
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FOLLOW THE MONEY to the Revised NWT
by Terry inlawsuits with big $$$ awards attached lead to schemes for raising instant revenue to offset losses.. what is the best bet?.
read the nytimes and make a guess.. .
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html....
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Separation of Powers
Terry,
It is my opinion that you are spot on!
SOP
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19
Jehovah in the New Testament (New NWT bible )
by jhine ini have just seen in the flesh , or paper , the new nwt .
my witness friends were delighted with it showing me all the new features like the glossary of terms and explanations of the hows and whys .
i did ask about actual content , acting daft not letting on that i knew anything about it .
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Separation of Powers
Absolutely no basis for it from any angle at any time. As for previous praise of the NWT, I believe it was based on the Hebrew text translation and commendation for using the Westcott & Hort as the principal for the Greek text. The NWT has always been criticized for some peculiar translations that uphold peculiar JW theology.
@Comatose,
Right on Brother! I have always had a problem with Colossians 1:16, "all [other] things...." With the brackets, it was at least transparent. It was visible that they added the word, a literary license if you will. By removing the brackets, they have chosen to make their literary license an ownership of the text. They have knowingly and willingly adulterated the text. Now, the student MUST believe that this is the true text. Just wait until this hits the doorstep of somebody who knows the difference. I would like to be at that doorstep when that happens just to see the face of the JW reading the text.
SOP
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13
The epitome of narcissism
by Separation of Powers inthere are several disturbing things that were said in the latest annual meeting.
one of the most disturbing was a comment made by david splane.
he made reference to how the clergy "howled" when the first new world bible translation committee produced the first nwt.
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Separation of Powers
There are several disturbing things that were said in the latest Annual Meeting. One of the most disturbing was a comment made by David Splane. He made reference to how the clergy "howled" when the first New World Bible Translation Committee produced the first NWT. "Where are your scholars?" was their cry. He then went on to mention that the King James Version, otherwise known as the Authorized Version, had 47 translators and commented that no one knows "if there was even one GENUINE anointed one among" that group. The following comment is where the narcissism kicks in, "whereas ALL of the original New World Bible Translation Committee were of the ANOINTED."
The comment seems innocent enough, but it is filled with arrogance and self-importance. It is self-serving. It tears down the efforts of those men over the course of centuries that had given THEIR lives to the promotion that EVERY MAN should have God's word. It furthers the distinction that THESE men in THIS century are the ONLY ones whose efforts are truly blessed. It discounts the efforts of the "seventy" of Jerome, of Tyndale, of Wycliffe, and countless others who literally gave their lives in the hope that EVERY MAN could read these words of salvation. It is a furtherance of the ideas promoted in the latest articles regarding the faithful slave and a rejection of the concept that since the inception of Christianity, Jehovah has "always" had faithful anointed who served the interests of his Son's church. It is the epitome of narcissism.
(Now, please don't misunderstand me. I am not saying that the Authorized Version (KJV) is THE version. It is replete with ideas and "positions" that were popular in its day. It did NOT use ancient manuscripts as a baseline, but rather existing texts, i.e Latin Vulgate, Geneva Bible, Bishops Bible, and the LXX. In its second preface, entitled The Translators to the Reader, the translators state that they "never thought from the beginning that they should make a new translation....but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones, one principal good one..." That was their objective and ultimately it was achieved, a CONTINUATION of the ideas and positions that had existed for scores of years, possibly hundreds.
In reviewing the RNWT, it is apparent that the same idea exists. To make a "good one better." The baseline remains essentially the same. If you considered the NWT to be a "good" translation, then you should be satisfied. If you expect it to be unbiased, then you need to review the history of Bible translation and the idea that only THIS group of men have the ability to understand and INTERPRET the most holy word of God. )
SOP