Jeremy C, I appreciate your post! You make an excellent point about sacred service, which the Watchtower decided to later pervert fom it's obvious original meaning. The early 1980's view was correct but it didn't fit in with their hamster on the wheel JW lifestyle goals.
Why Can't JWs See That THEY Are Violating The Scriptures By Their Behavior?
by minimus 19 Replies latest jw friends
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belbab
Jeremy C
You say:
When Ed Dunlap wrote his commentary on the book of James, he saw paragraphs and paragraphs deleted and discarded from the final print.
Are these deleted paragraphs available anywhere? Where did you get this information?
Can you share it?
belbab
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minimus
Didn't Ray Franz say something like that in his books?
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The Lone Ranger
There is a scripture to support anything you want to teach, as long as you ignore the scriptures that contradict it.
Using this system, any religion can support their way of thinking, and mind control.
What can be a normal Christian thing to do, can be presented as something wrong to do by carefully using selected scriptures or misapplying examples in the bible.
Its only when someone starts to think for themselves and seeing the whole picture can a clear way of Christian thinking be achieved, of course the WTS cannot allow this, they must think the WTS way.
So even if their conscience is telling them something is wrong, the WTS teaches them that their conscience is wrong, and the WTS is right.
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Jeremy C
When Ed Dunlap wrote his commentary on the book of James, he saw paragraphs and paragraphs deleted and discarded from the final print.
Are these deleted paragraphs available anywhere? Where did you get this information?
This information can be found in Ray Franz's book In Search of Christian Freedom. I cannot remember the chapter, but if you look at the index under "Dunlap, Ed", or "James, commentary on"; you will locate the pages quite easily.
The answer to your second question is yes - to an extent. Franz does present portions of the original manuscript that were later deleted. He reprinted the portions that were most objectionable to certain Governing Body members; particularly the sentences that stated that righteous works should not be coerced out of Christians, and that Christians do not have the right to judge or govern over the faith and works of an another.
Such concepts would sound heretical to modern day JWs, because they have never been articulated by anyone in the organization. JWs have been conditioned like Pavlovs's dogs to accept the guilt-inducing coercion that comes from Watchtower leadership. One's spirituality is critiqued in large measure by the numbers that they turn in on a monthly report slip. Dunlap's statements contradicted this organizational mindset to a certain degree. But the statements that Dunlap put forth were completely Scripturally sound and well-founded.
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minimus
Lone Ranger, you make an excellent point. Basically, all the Watchtower does is take a scripture out of context and PRESTO! it's the way JWs are supposed to accept a thought. But of course, whatever "Mother" says must be right!
Jeremy, you are correct that the Witnesses critique one's spirituality by means of a time slip. Stupid, isn't it??
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LongHairGal
Jeremy C,
You are right about the Book of James. They do not live up to it and it is an embarrassment to them. I guess this is why you don't see that litle book anymore. Funny, but this was one of the few publications of theirs I liked.
Minimus,
You are right that their ministry is more about being 'seen' than saving people. It is like 'punching a time clock'.
LHG
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jaguarbass
I dont think they think independently.
If they read the bible they read it from the JW perspective.
People see what they want to see or what others want them to see.
I think thats how magic works.
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minimus
I suppose it's not all the fault of the cultist.They can't help it, I guess.
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burningbridges
I honestly feel sorry many of the witnesses. This is with the exception of the members of the governing body, or even the elders. Those who are in charge can see the manipulative arm that controls and twists and they assist in that and say nothing. The rest of the blind sheep are feed this bull and are lied to and twisted and intimidated everyday to stay. I know a lot of witnesses that would leave the organization because of their doubts regarding their beliefs but they are too intimidated by the constant warnings of "demons" and the "end of the world" and the "worldy people" and "spiritual death" if they do. Not only that but the vicious quiet talk and rumors that they allegedy "don't" do about each other is enough to ruin a person when they express doubts. They are so scared to "lose their relationship with God" they wont dare to even leave. It is so so sad.