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Open mindWhy JWs should soft-pedal the "Divine Name"


This is prompted by Reniaa who claims that one of the things that JWs have right is the name Jehovah.

You know how if you're trying to convert someone to be a JW, you put your best foot forward and try to keep the controversial stuff that might "stumble" them on the back burner?  (Like say, Mother's Day or when I was a kid, Pinatas?)  Well, that's how I categorize the whole topic of the Divine Name.  Only I'm not talking about just the JWs, I'm talking about the Bible and the God of the Bible. 

The whole topic of the Divine Name, when you research it, is something that Bible believers should soft-pedal and not call attention to, IMHO.  Here's why in a nut shell.

The JWs have done a great job at teaching you and me dozens of  scriptures that emphasize how SUPER IMPORTANT it is that God's NAME be used, honored, sanctified, etc.  We know those verses are in there. 

Now back up a second and put on your neutral, 3rd party, alien-visiting-from-another-planet glasses.

OK, first there's a God who made everything and since he made everything, it's REALLY IMPORTANT that people know and use his name.  (Sounds a little psycho from a human perspective, but let's run with it.  Especially since the carrot of eternal life is involved.)  He even puts statements to that effect throughout the Bible. 

Then He fumbles the ball, BIG TIME! 

If His actual name is so important to Him, would He do the following?:

First verbal contact with humans:  Adam, circa 4000 BC.

First time he bothers to have a human start writing stuff down:  2500 years later, Moses.

OK, no biggie.  God knew what His name was all along and He'll make sure Moses gets it right.  Right?

Not so fast.

The Divine Being who was able to snap his fingers at Babel and create multiple languages on the spot does what?  He gives four CONSONANTS to a people who have no written vowels and hopes for the best!  Does he step in now and then throughout the centuries and correct things?  No.  So the actual pronunciation gets long lost and a Spanish monk (Raymundo Martini) in the 14 century comes up with a Spanish version of Jehovah. 

Conclusion:

Either 1.  God is a bumbler, (the awesome universe, if it was created, says that can't be so) or

2.  the Bible isn't all it's cracked up to be or

3.  there's another way of looking at it.  (See p.s. below)

Quick re-cap:

1.  God's name is super important to Him.

2.  He gave Moses a short-hand version of it.

3.  He did nothing to preserve the vowels over time.

4.  Even his "Chosen People" the JWs, admit that it's not really Jehovah when you back them into a corner.

So, if you're trying to convince people of how great the Bible is, I'd keep the whole Divine Name thing sort of hush hush for now. 

OM

p.s. For the Bible believers, to undo the entire argument above all you have to do is substitute the word "reputation" for "name" and it's all good again. IMO. 

IP: QlFdPmTWOMRyZHuQ

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