Hello Could someone please help me with the actual letter that Rama Singh wrote asking WT to retract and apologise for misquoting him in the January 2015 Awake? I am giving it to the elders in my former congregation as part of my farewell letter.
Please help with Rama Singh's letter
by I am a Bible Student 8 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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OneEyedJoe
It doesn't appear to be up on the original link anymore, but maybe this will help:
http://taze.co/2015/01/17/rama-singh-awake/
http://www.inquisitr.com/1766536/biology-professor-creationist-magazine/
Also, here's an article he wrote about it. I don't think this is exactly the same as what he wrote in the open letter, but it makes many of the same points:
http://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/5474687-religion-science-driven-by-reason/
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steve2
There was a very good thread on this forum about it some months ago. It is a shame it hasn't come up in the "Related Topics" section.
I seem to recall that the editor of Awake wrote an acknowledgement letter to Rama Singh's and advised him that reference to him, including his quote, would be removed forthwith from online copies of Awake magazine.
I cannot remember whether that acknowledgement included an apology.
Certainly, the magazine itself would never acknowledged any "error".
Is my recollection correct?
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OneEyedJoe
Related threads, in order of my estimation of their usefulness to the OP are below. Looks like you're right, Steve - they told Dr. Singh that they'd pulled the quote but certainly did not print a retraction and probably did not apologize. At least there's no mention of an apology.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/286780/awake-january-2015-how-did-life-begin-more-misquotes
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stuckinarut2
Email / PM jwfacts.
Paul has the original magazine and the letter from DrSingh
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talesin
article quoted on jwfacts found at this link:
http://www.inquisitr.com/1766536/biology-professor-creationist-magazine/
partial quote from article:
In a letter to the editor of the magazine, the biology professor said that, in the paper from which the quote was taken, he went on to explain the nonreligious reasons which lead people to doubt evolution. Professor Singh’s reasons can be summed up simply, though: people doubt evolution because they do not understand it. That’s a far cry from indicating that there are good, science-based reasons to doubt the current understanding of evolution of man. Condemning the magazine for the misuse of his words, Singh says that his quote was deliberately twisted to perpetuate lies, and he’s calling for an apology.
“I have received inquiries from many evolutionists, atheists and former members of your organization (ex-JW) who brought the above misquotation to my attention. I agree with them that your misquotation of my work is deliberate and meant to convince your followers in the truth of creationism by perpetuating false support from scientists.”
“So I am asking you first to remove the misquotation from your article immediately and second print an unconditional apology for what I consider is a deliberate damaging action on your part to my reputation.”jwfacts link - scroll down to find the Awake! article in question
http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/misquotes-deception-lies.php
quote from this page at jwfacts
Another 2015 Awake! used a famous scientist to garner misleading support for creation, quoting Rama Singh as saying "The opposition to evolution goes beyond religious fundamentalism and includes a great many people from educated sections of the population." (Awake! 2015 Jan p.3) This poorly referenced quote is from Darwin’s legacy: why biology is not physics, or why evolution has not become a common sense, (as of 2 Jan 2016). Whilst the quote is accurate, it misrepresents Singh's intention. Singh continues in the same paragraph, "There are several reasons why facts of evolution are not easily comprehensible by the general masses." He continues by explaining why educated people lack comprehension of evolution. Prompted by Singh officially complaining about Awake! using “intellectual dishonesty” when taking him out of context, see inquisitr.com, Watchtower retracted the statement, reloading an edited version of the Awake! issue to their site without the reference to Singh.
Awake! 2015 Jan p.3 before and after revision -
stuckinarut2
Yet they did NOT print an unconditional apology in a future issue of Awake, nor on the website....
So "quote mining" and misrepresentation is alive and well, as is intellectual dishonesty....
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I am a Bible Student
Thanks for all your help. We are in Africa so I am blocked from some of the sites. I will contact Paul. -
