by punkofnice 15 Replies latest jw friends
I enjoyed reading the Bible and my favourite was an ASV I purchased at an a$$emb£y.
However, when I wanted to bone up on a passage or verse, I'd look at the Insight or watchtowers and found the WTB$ REALLY did ruin my enjoyment when they explained what I was reading. I think it must have been the self serving spin the WTB$ put on the scriptures!
Anyone else get this and can comment why this happened?
I bought a Bible some months ago, paid like $47 on that sucker, but its been worth it. It's in chronological order which makes it a little weird going through it, as it randomly jumps from a passage in Psalms, to something in Chronicles, so I've got multiple bookmarks in the glossary, and there's a page with the timelines and verses organized for quick reference. This Bible has historical narratives from multiple experts in different fields such as archeology, theology, and historians. Reading it, has been a pleasure, and a Godsend if there is a God, because it made study interesting again. I've purchased several books related to theology, and researched things online, and I feel hungry again. To be fair to the WT, I do like the Insight Books as both can be used as quick references, but I hate the slant within both as they stretch things to fit the WT's agenda. ANother thing I hate is not just the stretch, but the fact that WT can NEVER EVER admit to simply, not knowing something, or conceding that there's other possible meanings. They've got some serious self esteem issues in the GB and the Writing Department.
@NRFG =
ANother thing I hate is not just the stretch, but the fact that WT can NEVER EVER admit to simply, not knowing something, or conceding that there's other possible meanings. They've got some serious self esteem issues in the GB and the Writing Department.
A true, a true!
the fact that WT can NEVER EVER admit to simply, not knowing something, or conceding that there's other possible meanings.
Hmmmm... is that a self-esteem issue, dear RM (peace to you!)? Or an "If we admit we're wrong they'll start questioning what else may be wrong... and find it. We can't have that; too dangerous 'cause we'd lose members!" issue?
Or maybe it's just the result of their ablepsy...
Again, peace to you!
A slave of Christ,
SA
I totally feel you on this one.... I think this is because rather than look @ the bible for what it is, a collection of texts hodgepodged together to record a history of man and myth... they think the whole thing, in all its parts, has to fit perfectly together or it's useless... in order to do this you have to make illogical leaps and create a context which just isn't there.... I feel so sorry for them... When taken @ face value, and looked @ as a work of literature full of allegory and hyperbole it really is so much more enjoyable...
@aguest -
Or maybe it's just the result of their ablepsy...
Nice word and very accurate!
@Youngman - Yeah. Well, I do enjoy a good read. Bible, Orwell, Spike Milligan. Don't the GB just try to funk it up for everyone?!?!
Someone at work said 'I bet it was complicated being a JW?!'
Me: 'No! It was real easy......they had a formula......anything worth doing, anything fun, anything enjoyable was forbidden.............THAT'S the life of a JW.
.................and we used to pretend we were happier than the reast of the 'world' that had 'no hope for the future'. BALDERDASH!!!!
We were depressed and in denial!!
When I used to get bored during the meetings, I would simply start reading a portion of the scriptures. Reading them just as they are, without any WT spin on them, was interesting, and sometimes, an eye-opener because you got the real spirit of what the writer was saying.
Raised as a JW, I never found reading the Bible to be something enjoyable, but once I started to read it as is (without the WT spin) it became interesting. I'm no longer a believer, though.
BP-
all of the heads looking down during the meetings, people reading their Bibles because the junk we were hearing didn't jive.
Can't say I ever really enjoyed reading the Bible. Always felt pressured to do it..."eat your veggies" kind of thing. Though I found Proverbs tolerable...but now realize it sounds like it was written by Dr. Phil.
Though I found Proverbs tolerable...but now realize it sounds like it was written by Dr. Phil.
LOL!!! - "how's that working out for you?"
