Killed it stone dead.
The bible IMO is myths, legends and fables.
Did leaving the WT build greater appreciation for or kill your reading of the Bible?
by lepermessiah 64 Replies latest jw friends
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LongHairGal
I hate to say it, but in my case it just about killed my reading of the Bible. I wasn't all that great reading the Bible when I was an active JW. When I found out that the JWs translation was slanted in favor of their teachings, that really turned me off. I wonder if any translation is really that accurate.
After I started my 'fade', I went out and purchased a modern translation in a book store. I confess I don't read it that much but want it around because I feel that a Bible is a necessary book in my collection.
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tenyearsafter
I think it renewed my interest in it...I realized how I never "read" the entire Bible, but rather read snippets strung together to make a WTS point. I only felt it right that I try and read the entire book to get a sense of it. I am still doing that, using a modern translation, and it is amazing how different it seems as compared to my JW days. It certainly is an interesting read when you do it without the bias of an agenda...
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snowbird
It certainly is an interesting read when you do it without the bias of an agenda...
Amen.
Sylvia
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Think About It
I went from having a personal bible where practically every page had some commentary notes and other scripture references that I put in (many pages completely full), to not even cracking open a bible in 15 yrs. Doubt I could even find one in the house now.
Think About It
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tjlibre
leperM,
I gained more appreciation for it. I got the KJ, the NIV translation and a Matthew Henry commentary. I fund that my reading became more enjoyable when I stop trying to replace the WT thinking with new ones. I decided to start reading the NT with an open mind as if I’ve never read the Bible before…having another translation helped in letting the scriptures speak to me in another tone.
Another book that helped me in appreciating the reliability of the NT was “Reinventing Jesus”. I highly recommended. Here is a comment from a book reviewer:
"Reinventing Jesus cuts through the rhetoric of extreme doubt to reveal the profound credibility of historic Christianity. Meticulously researched yet eminently readable, this book invites a wide audience to take a firsthand look at the primary evidence for Christianity's origins.Reinventing Jesus shows believers that it's okay to think hard about Christianity, and shows hard thinkers that it's okay to believe . While there are other books being written to defend the historical Jesus of the New Testament, and the authenticity and trustworthiness of the New Testament writings, Reinventing Jesus is one of the better ones read by this reviewer. The authors cover such a breath of material that it is hard to find one of similar value in terms of thoroughness and argumentation. I highly recommend this work." (Ray Hammond ChristianBookPreviews.com 20060619)
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mindmelda
I still enjoy examining religion, the Bible, and all sorts of related things. I always did. It was one of the things that made me realize that the Witnesses don't know half of what they think they do about the Bible.
The more I read, the more questions I had that they couldn't answer, and so I went elsewhere for answers. Best thing I ever did.
I finally had to realize that there are no definite answers to some spiritual questions because it seems to be the essential nature of spirituality to keep questioning.
Anyone who tells you they have all the answers is trying to sell you something, in other words. It's the same with religion or spirituality as try8ing to sell you soap, a car or a pig in a poke. LOL
There's a saying in Buddhism, "One cannot fill a cup that is already full."
The Witnesses believe their cup is full, so they're incapable of learning anything else. That is contrary to the essential nature of learning, spirituality and it's why they tend to be so depressed, narrow minded and stagnant. One could say the same of anyone who believes they already know everything, already know God, or anything. Aren't those kind of people just annoying as hell?
The Buddhists say "Learn every way, then find your own way." That is actually what the word "gung fu" means. It's not about martial arts, it's about finding your own way to do everything by learning all ways to the best of your ability.
It doesn't matter what it is, building a house, making a pie...it can all be "gung fu". "Gung" or "Kung" means skill or merit, fu means "man".
It means the ongoing process of becoming a person of skill, regardless. Gung fu at spirituality is always a good thing, but the Witnesses...they're doing it wrong.
First, empty the cup, fill it up, then...and keep doing that. That way, your cup will always be ready to fill.
How's your gung fu? *G*
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Outaservice
Much greater appreciation, and a lot better understanding, without 'Watchtower', rose colored glasses on.
Outaservice
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shopaholic
Killed it stone dead. The bible IMO is myths, legends and fables.
With a few good principles mixed in.
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I quit!
Once I left and was able to read the Bible with out Watcthower input I could see that the NT was all about Jesus. I also saw that much of what was written in the Bible was myth such as the story of Adam and Eve and the snake. I have a copy of it on my smart phone and still read parts of it once in a while but the way I understand it is different now. It was written at a time when there was no understanding of what the earth, stars and planets were. They had no understanding of what their bodies were made of or how they operated. An eight year old has more understanding of these things nowadays that the writers of the Bible did.