Posts by Separation of Powers

19

Jehovah in the New Testament (New NWT bible )

by jhine in

jw
friends

i 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 .

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

13

The epitome of narcissism

by Separation of Powers in

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.

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

23

WTS vs Faders????

by El_Guapo in

jw
friends

so an elder just dropped by my job, completely out of the blue.

recepitionist called me over and there he was.

he told about annual meerting and grey bible....etc.

Separation of Powers

Been saying that since the 60's at least, and probably before. The meetings are like a box of chocolates....

11

Designated elder to shadow talks at the meeting

by wannaexit in

jw
friends

i heard that there is an elder in each congregation that follows very closely what is being said from stage to make sure everything is being said correctly.

in all my years as a jw , i don't ever remember this at the local level.

is this something new?

Separation of Powers

COBE, TMS and Chairman for Sunday is expected to ensure that the speaker is "holding fast to what is fine." This has always been the case.

SOP

24

Do jws complain more than normal people?

by Julia Orwell in

jw
friends

i'm a jw, and i have several bills to pay.

me: "oh my goodness, i have so many bills, it's ridiculous!

i have car rego, phone bill, electricity bill, rent...it's terrible!

Separation of Powers

It is nice to remind yourself how much your life sucks. It makes the expectation of paradise and continued sacrifice much more desirable.

SOP

8

Jehovah made the deal fail so I could go where they needed me more

by NVR2L8 in

jw
friends

a few weeks back i ran into an elder at a business meeting out of town.

i had seen him there before when i was a ms. this time i had a chance to tell him that my standing in the congregation had changed and that i was inactive.

he said that sometimes we need to take some time to reevaluate where we stand in the "truth".

Separation of Powers

Nvr2l8:

Couldn't agree with you more! Why is it that people attribute their blessings to Jehovah when SOOO many people are left unblessed. It seems rather narcissistic to me. What about that single mother that is working at that menial job and trying to get by with food stamps? Jehovah's blessing?

Quick story:

Years ago there was a talk outline, I don't know if it still part of the canon of talks, but it once was. It was about "self-sacrifice." The brother who came and gave the talk at our hall was a really good speaker, used extensively in the circuit and district, very animated, really strong voice, engaging, everything you hope for on a Sunday morning running on a cup of coffee. He starts by talking about Jesus NOT having a place to lay his head. That Jesus sacrificed all he could ever have hoped to be for the sake of the good news....yadda, yadda, yadda. Anyway, while he's talking I notice that he has cufflinks and they sparkle really brightly. This causes me to examine his suit and tie a little more closely....tailored. I look over at his wife, facelift with designer dress and shoes. Her wedding ring? Can anybody say HOPE diamond?

All the while, he's talking about sacrifice and pioneering and what is stopping YOU? After it was over, I follow him outside (he left at halftime) and tell him that I appreciated him coming to our hall and all that. I ask him how long he'd been pioneering...he said he wasn't, but he really wanted to. We said our goodbyes and then he and his wife drove away in their Mercedes 500 class. B. E. A. Utiful car!

I guess Jehovah was really blessing him while that poor sister who had pioneered for years was just trying to get some help from the government so she didnt get evicted from her apartment.

There is simply NO reason to believe that God looks with favor on one person and not on the other.

It seems only those with more than they need would say that.

Just a thought,

SOP

25

I suspect the WTS mut be feeling pretty good about their own internal security...

by sir82 in

jw
friends

...since it evidently was not confirmed in advance that the agm was going to be exclusively about releasing the rnwt.. i mean, we all kinda sorta expected it, but no one had a "smoking gun", as it were, officially confirming it.. in contrast, there was the leak, posted on this forum, of the july 15 2013 watchtower, a week or 2 before its official posting on jw.org.. .

i'm sure the rnwt was a well-guarded secret - on the other hand, there has been a rnwt translation committee in existence for 5+ years.

absolutely no one in the "apostate community" even hinted at this committee's existence.

Separation of Powers

Translation Committee....who were they exactly? Credentials?

SOP

69

"The excitement is PALPABLE"

by Separation of Powers in

got caught at the supermarket (in between the martini olives and snack crackers ) with several bottles of hard liquor in my basket along with some red licorice by a sister that has known me for years.

still respects me, not knowing that i am in full fade mode, or at least not recognizably knowing.

anyway, when she sees me, her eyes get all big and she heads in my direction, nearly ramming my liquor laden cart with her vegan oriented basket.. "hey sop, how are you doing?

Separation of Powers

@Stand for pure worship-

Please don't hijack a thread to stand up for YOUR ideals of Pure Worship. If you actually knew what your name implies, you would not be here. Unless, of course, you are simply a troll looking to incite a reaction. In any event, start your own thread and let the people speak to the point of the thread.

Oh, one other point, if debating non or exwitnesses on a website that you deem "apostate." is your notion of "pure" worship, then how can you say you are standing when in fact your conviction is crippled by your actions.

Just a thought,

SOP

69

"The excitement is PALPABLE"

by Separation of Powers in

got caught at the supermarket (in between the martini olives and snack crackers ) with several bottles of hard liquor in my basket along with some red licorice by a sister that has known me for years.

still respects me, not knowing that i am in full fade mode, or at least not recognizably knowing.

anyway, when she sees me, her eyes get all big and she heads in my direction, nearly ramming my liquor laden cart with her vegan oriented basket.. "hey sop, how are you doing?

Separation of Powers

Got caught at the supermarket (in between the martini olives and snack crackers ) with several bottles of hard liquor in my basket along with some red licorice by a sister that has known me for years. Still respects me, not knowing that I am in full fade mode, or at least not recognizably knowing. Anyway, when she sees me, her eyes get all big and she heads in my direction, nearly ramming my liquor laden cart with her vegan oriented basket.

"Hey SOP, how are you doing? It's SOOO good to see you!"

I exchange the pleasantry.

"What time are you going to the Annual Meeting event?"

"I didn't know it was an event, but anyway, I'm not gonna be able to make it."

"Oh, no," she replies. "That's a shame. I hope everything's OK. I mean, the EXCITEMENT IS PALPABLE! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself! It's like when Franz came back in the '70's. You can just feel that something is gonna happen!"

"Wow," I say, " kinda like when your left arm starts hurting right before a cardiac episode?" (sarcasm has always been strong with my family)

(That didn't go over well. )

"Well, I hope you can make it. It's gonna be great. I just know it is."

Any of you getting this kind of feedback?

SOP

29

Is it VITAL that we recognize the faithful slave?

by Trevor Scott in

jw gonebad made this comment in another post:.

get a load of this audacious and brassy statement by the self-appointed fds in par 2 of todays lesson:.

it is vital that we recognize the faithful slave.

Separation of Powers

If the slave is ONLY the current GB and our life is dependent on working with that slave and recognizing that slave,

then I guess salvation for everyone who worked with the previous slave is up the creek cause they didn't know who that slave was.

Jesus said to the woman at the well, "We worship what we know..."

How does that equate to what the Watchtower has taught for decades?

SOP