Only a few days have passed since the revised New World Translation was released at the 129th Annual Meeting. But it looks like the first printing of this Bible (or “silver sword,” as some have nicknamed it) is already a limited edition.
Former Witnesses have found an error in the new Bible, ironically in the book of Numbers. The header to page 267 shows the page numbers going down from Numbers chapter 35 to Numbers chapter 33. The header should instead read “Numbers 32:37-33:22.” At the time of writing, this typo is also in the PDF version.
JWsurvey readers will remember Geoffrey Jackson’s grand unveiling of this new Bible, in which he suggested that Jehovah was responsible for the favorable weather conditions at Wallkill while it was being printed. If true, this would mean that Jehovah saw fit to manipulate the weather to speed up printing but somehow neglected to make sure Watchtower’s proofreaders were sufficiently scrupulous.
Though not a huge mistake by any stretch, the typo does highlight that Watchtower publications are not as error-free as many Witnesses are led to believe. It will also be a source of considerable embarrassment to Watchtower that they must now correct their newly-revised Bibles and begin a new print run – with thousands of the faulty Bibles already in circulation. Watchtower’s writing team will also likely want to double-check each page to see whether there are any similar errors lurking elsewhere.
And those English-speaking Witnesses fortunate enough to receive the first new Bibles now have evidence in their book bags that Watchtower’s proofreaders are not as meticulous as you would expect.
Further reading…
@jj and, the war that broke out in heaven?
It proves that even the most important and sacred job ever, wasn’t important enough to be properly checked prior to printing and distribution.
Muahahahahahahaha hehe hehe hehe hahahahaha hahaha
Love it :D I reckon it’ll be hushed up
Thank you for exposing this and every single thing about them Cedars! They need to be exposed for their lies and deceptions!!!
It does prove something….how can Jehovah’s Holy Spirit be with the printing of a new bible and then have even the smallest mistake in it. JWs are constantly told time and time again that their very lives are dependent on their relationship of Jehovah and there ACCURATE knowledge of Jehovah s word. If the bible has even the smallest misprint then it cannot be claimed to be accurate in knowledge! It is very important that the Bible is accurate no matter how slight the misprint!
So What is What I would say. Why the need for semantics now. Seems its hard to take the witness out of the witness mentality all the way when we know they are what they are. Lets not stoop to their level by being just like them. Lets write about some meat and move forward.
In response to JJ, I too find it interesting that 1914 is not mentioned in connection with Jesus’ invisible presence and kingship beginning, and that 1914 was “about” the time Satan was hurled down. Mmmmm? I don’t have a copy myself but I hear the new revision has omitted John 8:1-11. If that is correct then I suppose the old NWT is now on the “table of demons” for apostates to nibble at!!
John Baptist, I feel your rebuke, and I understand what you are saying.
I did not stop moving forward; however, I do have to confess that it brought me a good laugh. I believe that “Laughter is the best medicine”. Please indulge me and let me have my “medicine” with a clear conscience.
@JBob
The FDS doctrine flip flops from 1881 to 2013 are a case in point. However, a prophet’s foolishness does not prove his entire message wrong (Jonah).
The end is coming. But since we don’t know when, people react to that knowledge in different ways. Some people want to preach all the time. Other people want a secular career, home, and family in the meantime.
In a balanced organization, both types would be welcome. But at WT, preaching zealots dominate, and that’s a flaw they need to overcome.
@JBGoode–nope, but the failure of the prophet’s words to come to fruition would prove him / her inconsequential.
Because having physical literature is still the best way to get the bible’s message across to people. Also, the brothers are utilizing technology as well to get the truth across to people. Whatever the Jehovah’s Witnesses do they will always meet up with some criticism. You criticize them for producing literature while the next apostate criticizes them for using available technology. It’s like Jesus said at Matthew 11:17 “We played the flute for you but you did not dance.”
there is a new pdf version.download it and you will see that It has been fixed. the web version is also available..
I think the GB bum-rushed the editors into getting it out on time.
Cedars, you are going too fast for me I just can’t keep up with you. So before reading your article and the posts. I want to make a comment about my experience of the error on page 267. Which I cannot erase from my brain now. It has happened.
As the error is both on jw.org and in hard copies I have had some fun with this. I told my elder friend, who is in the uk and has a hard copy. Now that is raising doubts with him. I told him it made me feel sick and how could Jehovah allow this. So that has planted a seed for now.
I also talked to my df’d friend who is still in, I have already given her a Flock book, kindly passed to me by Angus who sometimes posts here.
She was shocked, so more seeds planted there. They will both tell others, and so on. This small error could cause many to search for bigger issues. Added to the fact that only the elite are allowed a new bible, this will be a blow for the egotistical 8.
Sorry Cedars, for just commenting without reading, but I will see what you have to say later when I get a chance.
Thanks
love
70wks….
Everyone makes mistakes, even the folks who print Bibles. Over the years, these people have made some mind-twisting typographical errors!
Here are a few errors that have turned up in various editions of the Bible:
A Bible printed in 1562 contains the following mistake in Mark 5:9 – “Blessed are the placemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” The correct word, of course, is “peace-makers.”
A Bible printed in 1653 reads: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall inherit the Kingdom of God?” The passage, Corinthians 6:9, should read “shall not inherit.”
A Bible printed in 1862 botched a passage in Revelation, recording the number of the Beast, or Antichrist, as “999″ instead of “666“
A Bible printed in 1914 listed “Thou shalt kill” as one of the 10 commandments. The correct commandment, of course, is “Thou shalt not kill.”
Oddly enough, a Bible printed in 1631 blew another commandment, which led to the most famous typo of all: “Thou shalt commit adultery.”
Coined “The Wicked Bible”, it was meant to be a reprint of the King James Bible. The blunder was so severe, the publishers were punished with a £300 fine and their printer’s license revoked. King Charles I was incensed, and George Abbot, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said:
“I knew the tyme when great care was had about printing, the Bibles especially, good compositors and the best correctors were gotten being grave and learned men, the paper and the letter rare, and faire every way of the beste, but now the paper is nought, the composers boyes, and the correctors unlearned.”
Almost all the Wicked Bible’s copies were burned, but eleven survived. One copy is in the collection of the New York Public Library and another in the Bible Museum in Branson, Missouri.
If you’re really interested, a copy is currently on sale online for $89,500!
Yes, thank you Mike for sharing this information. I knew of the wicked bible from doing research on it in the past. It seems that the New World Translation’s blunder is extremely insignificant compared to all of the rest of the mistakes made with the actual biblical text. That is what is really important. I’m sure that the text in the NWT was not overlooked as it was giving special care and it’s much easier to locate mistakes when words are involved than a numeric header. Also,I never use the numeric headers like most people, so I doubt the vast majority of JW’s would ever spot it.
Actually, the explanation is simpler than anyone has mentioned here. If you’ve ever read a real Hebrew manuscript–written and bound with original Biblical Hebrew, the books are ordered in reverse from standard NWT or KJV bible, the chapters are also ordered in reverse of left to right thinking–reading left to right, paging right to left. You read right to left, you page left to right. Thus, in a Hebrew manuscript, Numbers 35 would indeed precede Numbers 32.
If you’ve been pouring over manuscript pages day after day, I imagine your brain would slip, but that’s why multiple eyes are needed to catch some obvious gaffs.
Yes, that is a possibility and the brothers who originally published the New World Translation took extremely diligent notes on the exact time that each passage was worked on, so the brother who made this mistake knows he made a blunder. Also a 2 and a 5 could’ve simply been mixed up in the typing process. This is the biggest publishing mistake I’ve seen them ever make. I’ve only found one other grammar mistake in a 1991 Yearbook on page 104.
You know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. God’s holy spirit doesn’t work in the way that you think it should work, but works in the way that benefits His purpose. So God could’ve allowed the bible to be printed and published quickly so as to reach the masses and it could still have a human error in it, because humans are doing the actual work of publishing it. But the brothers caught the mistake and I believe that only the witnesses themselves will have this “limited edition” bible because there was a letter read last night at the meeting stating that they are still mass producing these bibles to be available to the public.
@Iron Stylus – yes, Cedars, I’m psychic…
hahahaha!!!! Sorry still haven’t read the article, but just checked jw.org pg 267 is correct now.
Must be the holy spirit???? Wonder if it has changed the hard copies too
Anyone???
The header should instead read “Numbers 32:37-33:22.” This typo is repeated in the PDF version.
Just checked it now Cedars
Not anymore, holy spirit must have changed the PDF today hahaha! Will holy spirit change the hard copies too??
70wks….
Thanks 70wks, I am aware of Watchtower fixing the PDF. I have edited the article to reflect that when I was writing it the error was still present. Thanks!
No that is solid. I’m creating a bible chronology and so far you can’t really make mistakes with pivotal dates. Anybody who takes the time to research the dates will place 607 as the date Jerusalem fell. All of their dates with the kings reigns are absolutely correct as well.
Holy Spirit mishap?
The good thing though, is that there is no one to point a finger at. Added advantage of anonymity.
Furthermore, nobody can check the credentials and expertise of the translators… also convenient.
Cedars Did you miss the point of the Lev.5:1 post? The RNWT exposes that the informing on your brother as taught through all these years of Lev.5:1 has been a deception and a Nazi tatic of control. Reread the post on Lev.5:1 very,very careful you are going to find the WTBS has their pants around their ankles! Lev.5:1 true meaning is the Jewish Court is in session, the “public place” is the City Gate, Market Place where the City Elders hold court in the “public place” the “cursing man” is the victim of a injustice, the “witness” is someone with knowledge of the claim being made by the “cursing man”. GO LOOK AT THE RNWT CHANGE!!!! READ THE FOOTNOTE!!! Go back and reread my post!
This is a MAJOR REVELATION you got the WTBS caught in a major deception!!!!!
Anyone who is going to be the first one to comprehend REAL NEW LIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If nothing else foward my post about Lev.5:1 to JWN [somehow I can’t get a pass word]. Cedars you let this slip by you and you will be kicking yourself for a long time.
Bill, this is really nothing new but the twist is that the Watchtower always interpreted this to mean that anyone having eye-witness should squeal on the perpetrator (I’m unaware that the “cursing man” was ever interpreted as the wrongdoer) not rendered as coming to the assistance of the victim but viewed as “keeping the organization clean (and pure)” by tattling (the totalitarian regime control, again) on “wrong doers”. Helping out a “victim” would be considered a side benefit.
However, this still doesn’t assist molested, raped and abused victims because with a strict interpretatoin there generally is not an additional eye witness beyond the victim.
Since elders do not possess DNA tests, or interview/confession techniques, which law enforcement is able to wield within the confines of constitutional / parliamentary constraints, the proposed solution is abandoning the sanction that victims and parents not pull in “higher powers”. Again a contradiction since literature urges submission to God, but obedience to governments.
Notice in the new revised that Hosea12:14 has been changed, from “grand masters will repay to him” to…
His Lord will reapy him.
interesting grand master (freemason term) to the Lord.
Cedars, this is just one mistake the whole bible which contains 1797 pages. Everything you say about the Witnesses and its GB is negative. To be fair, you also need to comment on their many good sides.
Genesis,
Have you found anything on this site to be untrue? If so, what is it?
Which “good sides” are your referring to regarding the Governing Body? Would it be the different elders that I told on three different occasions that myself and my sister had been molested as children by a brother; and, NOTHING was ever done to that pedophile? This was under the direction of the Governing Body.
Would it be the use by the Governing Body of the 1975 date that stopped me from buying a home of my own or getting a college education because Armageddon was soooooooooo close there wasn’t time to do those things?
Would it be about the Governing Body breaking up families, my own family included, and friendships because of imperfect man’s judgement of another person? When you hide behind the Governing Body, you aren’t responsible for what you do…you don’t have to answer for ignoring your own grieving family, like my own brother and 3 sisters did to me at our mother’s funeral.
I could go on and on about the damage the Governing Body does; not only to me, but to every one of Jehovah’s Witnesses by their lies and deceit, which to me is indisputable and inexcusable.
I don’t think anyone on this site has denied that there are good people among Jehovah’s Witnesses. I remember some very loving, kind, thoughtful, generous people that felt like family.
I know how hard it must be to hear the truth about the Governing Body brought to your attention. But remember, the truth will set you free. Free from the Governing Body’s grip on your mind and your thinking process.
After I read Raymond Frantz’s book “Crisis of Conscience”, it took several months to process that information. Now I look back and wonder how I could have been mislead for so long.
One of the hardest things I ever had to do was admit that most of my life was based on lies. There was so much wasted time. I gave up so much, it felt like a part of me died. Even though it shook my foundation, I chose to hold onto the good that came out of.
Now I have a life where I am free to live by my own conscience and to live by the values from my parents. I also have a much closer relationship to my Creator than I knew was possible…now that I don’t have to go through the Governing Body.
This whole article, this whole web site, is not about one mistake. It’s about a pattern of deceit going back decades. It’s about a Governing Body whose attitude is “Do as I say do, not as I do”. It’s about abuse of the trust of innocent people. It’s about a cult environment. It’s about a cover-up of monumental proportion. It’s about the accountability of the Governing Body. It’s about shining a light into a rotten, cancerous darkness.
It’s also about support from other people who have learned the truth about “the truth”. We have moved on in many different directions, yet we are all bound together by this truth.
@imacountrygirl & @genesis
I related so much to the first “Matrix” films, and that was because as an active Witness I was always having this feeling that I was not getting the full scoop. And, then, I had my epiphany, it wasn’t about doctrinal correctness, it was about control and influence. Why was my life spiraling into despair, I was doing all the things that lead to a relationship with God and the elusive butterfly of “happiness” yet I didn’t feel whole inside. When I opened my NWT, it seemed like a weird word Jumble with awkward phrases that only fit into the Watchtower’s literature puzzle pieces called thought-stopping sentences and mantras.
My breakthrough was a “red pill” that arrived in discussion of the “control” and destructive power of authoritarian governments, and my research on the failed prophesies of the Adventists in 1844 and how they rationalized this into a new belief system. I wasn’t aware how closely linked Russell was to that belief system (and they still are) because Watchtower history glossed over and hid this connection.
I had to understand how I fell under this direct and unquestioning will to obey/control of the Watchtower.
It clicked when I began to recognize a pattern in the Watchtower itself. Any changes, or assertion of authority, were preceded by months of iteration of ‘we predicted 1914 as the last days’ and ‘1914 was a pivotal year’. Over and over, then 2-3 months later, an administrative change, a teaching change, a doctrinal shift, a request to modify behavior, or a request for funds [usually a building fund–that’s how they got the Brooklyn buildings that recently sold for Billions]. At the time, I was not aware of the full history that led to this 1914 prediction, but I gathered steam in doing research. I learned that 1914 was predicted by Russell because 1884 and 1874 were failed projections by his mentors and advisors in Adventism, and now I know why 1879 was a starting of the Watchtower not 1874. And, 1914 was primarily supported by pyramidology and a miscalculation that included a zero year putting the destruction of Jerusalem in 606 BC, not 607 BC, thus was it 1914 or 1915 [“about 1914”]? Rolling back, anyhoo, we see that 1914 was derived from a failure in 1874, which came from a failure in 1853, and that from a failure in 1844, and that from a failure of 1799.
With 1914 out of the way, and 1975 glaring failure, there was little reason to leave the “Governing Body” in control.
That red pill was really kicking into high gear, and I could begin to see the frailties of various doctrinal arguments based on a single scripture without measuring the contra-verses or the context. Many times a verse had a match to some sentence in literature, but the context didn’t relate to the subject/matter under discussion. Later, I learned that Watchtower research (as visitor from LSU highlights) was flawed as it lacked solid numerical, statistical and referential integrity. Often quotes were from outdated literature–literature that Adventism and Christadelphians formed in the middle 1800’s, or earlier periods–and literature that had long-ago been refuted with new discoveries of archaeology or linguistics. The subterfuge (or ruse) that authors and references were not cited to prevent human idolatry actually covered the tracks of misquoting, twisting phrases and inventing quotes to support statements that lacked solid evidence or theology.
The October 2013 printing of the Bible had the error corrected. There is also an updated PDF file on the JW.org website, as of October 16.
what congregation do you go to Cedars, you once said you are as active as your health will allow. Everything you are doing is in opposition to the organization, so why don’t you separate yourself completely from the organization? Also if you are 100% correct in everything you say about the organization why do you hide yourself behind a cartoon like picture? Show who you are especially since you are always posting pictures of the G.B. however you like. It’s funny you disagree with so much of the organization, you do so much research pointing out all the flaws of this organization and making accusations as well. Why haven’t you disassociated your self from this organization. Like I said earlier you wrote to me you were as active as your health would allow!
@Bill – typical thinking. If not black, it’s white. Persons may harbor strong disagreement with the BOrg and yet not disassociate because of two factors. The BOrg’s strong hold over family ties, or they lack a ‘safety net’ once abandoning the organization/business. As I posted earlier, the d/f-ing and disassociating which was inherited from the Adventists and other 1800’s religious groups which used it as a “with us or die” tool of controlling behavior has limited impact on survival mode. However, the BOrg use it effectively to control its members AND those in the immediate impact zone around its members–whether inside & affiliated with the corporation or not. Thus, while Cedars should be free to leave the cause of such pain in his life, it would be leaving his relatives in the clutches of an organization that is proven to show no concern for the welfare of its individual members and only a general glimmer of concern for the collective, and then, only those who assimilate to its beliefs and total control.
Attacking someone because they choose to hide their identity to protect their family is very vindictive behavior but reflects the style of attack most “loyal JW’s” deploy in defending their belief system’s parent enterprise.
JW’s today seem docile, but the mounting abuse cases shows its a totalitarian environment which does not have the general welfare of women and children (or the fatherless child) as a top priority. Given its lineage and descent from Adventism which has a history of schisms and splinters which become dangerous sects–Waco, Texas, the Branch Davidians, a schism from the Davidian Adventist schism from 7DA, as example, Cedars is JUSTIFIED in harboring concerns and sheltering his true identity.
Quite well said, JBob.
Bill, there are many of us that would love to write a disassociation letter and be free to help our JW friends and family learn to think again and study the WT organziation and see how we were lied to over the years. However, since we care about our families we choose not to at this time.
To pressure youngsters into making a lifelong decision about baptism without making clear the implications about the shunning that will occur, should you ever investigate the religion of your youth, is simply deceitful and controlling of the WT.
I’m so relieved my teenager was smart enough to see through it all, which in turned helped me start studying the organization from its roots. Now we both know it’s not “the truth”, and based on cherry-picking scriptures the WT uses guilt tactics to keep you in the organization so you’re not free to walk away without major consequences in your family life.
Also, why does the public jw.org site say they don’t shun, when they so clearly do?
(sorry Cedars, for going off topic)
why does he need to protect his family? Why would it even go there ? Violence from whom?
Words ? Are they being protected from being talked about? You guys are repititious about shunning a disfellowshipped one . Read the guidelines in the bible about keeping the congregation clean. If we regularly associate with those who are disfellowshipped we are going against Jehovah himself , so who is oour loyalty suppost to be to Jehovah God or our family members?
It’s actually curious you bring up the scriptures to defend d/f-ing. The one verse mainly used is in reference to an incestuous affair (perhaps pedophiles) where the Organization clearly does not wish to separate from those accused or proven to be pedophiles, molesters and rapists.
But, getting down to “brass tacks” let’s talk where the tool of shunning is derived and its long lineage with Adventism sects. It was used primarily as a tool to rebuke those individuals who disagreed with a founding “visionary” (or prophet/prophetess). “Said-person is hereby to be considered disfellowshipped from the body of , for their .” Rarely, was d/f used to dismiss for morality clauses unless it was extreme and bizarre conduct.
But, let’s talk about d/f-ing in the Watchtower, it’s an arbitrary concept that yields inconsistent justice as it derives on a local level and is not centralized as so-called “appointments”. Thus, the seat of elders has an oligarchy in matters affecting any person who wanders into their people trap. If they caution a person against wearing a certain style of shirt, and that person objects with solid reasons whether disability issues or allergic reasons, the elders can dismiss them on grounds they refused to listen and abide by their edicts.
And, d/f is just one form of total control of your body, emotional state and spiritual state. We can talk about private rebukes, or social rebukes where no formal discipline is issued, but the congregation basically follows the gossip one or more elders’ wives put forward to “avoid this person.” And, yes, elders often start this gossip. And, often the point of a convention is spreading the smear on a person’s character and widening the span of social ostracizing. It doesn’t need any sort of factual basis–it is arbitrary and has no basis in scripture.
Who is the only one that can judge?
Bill, I’m not disfellowshipped. I simply researched the religion with an open mind last year and discovered misquotes in the literature, a policy that protects a pedofile over an innocent child, flip-flops on blood, birth control and articles mentioning rape and laying the blame on the VICTIM. After my best friend, also a JW, was raped, she was made to feel guilty by the brothers!
The point most people are making when they comment about being stuck in the religion is that they have done nothing to be disfellowshipped for, yet there is no diginified way to leave the religion and keep your friends and family intact. Of the 40-50 former JW’s I’ve reconnected with this year, not a one is living an immoral lifestyle. They ALL left after they examined the religion and saw it was manmade.
Protection doesn’t automatically include violence…surely, you can see that. The thought stopping techniques utilized by the WT cause sincere, loving JW’s to become black and white thinkers, which only causes judgemental behavior, something Jesus never displayed and as a faded JW, something I do want to protect my family from.
I didn’t know there were Adventist in the 1st century when Jesus was on earth. the disfellowshipped thing did not originate only in the last couple hundred years it is way before a lot of people time that’s why spoken of in the scriptures. Pedophiles, rapists are everywhere.what people like that do is very disgusting we know Jehovah God Hates it. there is no way you Or JohnCedars knows everything first hand about all the alleged Molestation s or sexual assaults.everything you put here on your site you expect people to believe it is 100 percent correct and that you are the expert on Biblical research and translationanyone that is currently attending meetingsand has a difference of opinion should have the courage to either speak out or leave and not use the excuse that they have loved one still trapped in the organization if you are completely convinced this organization is falseand all the information given is to empower the “governing body”then why doesn’t anybody who opposes the authority these men supposedly have over our lives .if you free ones that have seen the light are absolutely free off the chain that used to bind you to the organization why not leave it at that if you’re truths are true everyone will see the light.I’ve never heard anybody mention the fact that Satan the devil the invisible ruler of this world contribute to a lot of the bad that goes on wherever if not all of the bad nobody blamed him for anything but we sure are picking on the governing body alleging all kinds of things regarding them and the way they run the organizationI think john ,should really think about what is the end game of his website he will continue to post until when and if the governing body should not be leading us ,then who should?
so then what religion is made by God do you have the answer to that?40 or 50 Former witnesses without a dignified way to leave.your way out is to write a letter and disassociate yourself. If jw religion is false and man made what’s the problem?
Surely, you see the problem is that JW’s are instructed to emotionally blackmail/shun/not even email their disfellowshipped family. Disassociation is now treated the same. As I now stepped outside my bubble and see how many friends that are out have parents shunning them and not having any kind of relationship with their own minor grandchildren, I had to start having empathy. Since I have a teen and her grandparents want to be a part of her life and mine, we are in effect, in a situation where free speech is inhibited, due to familial love.
Where did Jesus ever encourage unkindness?
Have you ever compared facts about man made religions? Google is your friend.
I had three bible studies last year, even attending the hall. They were smart people that sincerely wanted to serve the true God. Just like you wouldn’t buy a car without reading all those if reviews, surely you wouldn’t expect people to change their belief system without serious research. I did.
However, no elder could answer their fair questions about Johannes Greber’s role in the NWT, why WT misquoted scientists etc.
Be fair. Be logical. Read up on cognitive dissonance, logical fallacies and cherry picking of scriptures. Then, let us know what you think.
I need an honest answer here particularly from so-called cedars. Which religion is the best in the whole world?
Bill and genesis, I shall attempt to answer your questions.
Bill, I am appalled at your lack of empathy, I always thought that Christians were supposed to be loving and supportive? Good job! Here’s a thought. Why don’t you pretend to be disfellowshipped/disassociated for a month and see how you cope with being shunned? Walk in our shoes and then you can blithely suggest we all write letters to the congregation.
Go on, try it! Try having no contact with your family or friends, try having no support in a world you are ill equiped to survive in.
Also, as you are such a nice Christian, show me in the bible where your saviour ever shunned anyone? Jesus spoke to everybody. He shunned no one. Is your governing body above the example of Jesus?
genesis, the best religion in the whole wide world is…….none of them!
SoJesus regularly associated with those who actively stopped serving Jehovah. You show ME the scriptures where Jesus ok’d speaking to ones expelled from the congegation.Please show me. Correct me if I am wrong either you serve Jehovah or you don’t.No other religion preaches about Jehovah’s Kingdom being the solution to mankind’s problems . Narrow is the road, remember?By the way you said walk in our shoes so which is it are you disfellowshipped or did you disassociate yourself?
May I place the shoe on the other foot Bill, and ask you to show me where Jesus stopped associating with expelled ones, for that matter show me where during Jesus ministry, there were any expelled ones.
Genesis, my honest opinion is that no religion is without issues of some kind. I have come to the conclusion that it is not necessary to belong to any religion in order to have a close and personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. I live my life by Jesus’ instructions to do unto others as I would have them do unto me. It has brought me peace and I find it very rewarding to actually make a difference in someone’s life.
It sounds as though you are conflicted and are searching for answers. I too looked for answers and thought someone else could tell me what to do. I have learned that all of my answers were inside of me the whole time, I just had to be still and listen to what my heart was trying to tell me.
I sincerely hope that you can figure this out for yourself. The only answer that is right…is the one that feels right to you. Ultimately, we are all individually responsible for what we do and say.
in the bible the road leading off into life narrow and cramped and few are finding it. How is it the one that feels right?
Bill, I am comforted by the account in John 8:1 – 11 (KJV) where the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery and they wanted to stone her, as per the Law Commandment of Moses. Jesus eventually said to them “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her”. When they heard this, they were convicted by their own conscience and all of them walked away, leaving Jesus alone with the adulterer. Jesus asked her “where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more”.
Jesus did not disfellowship her, nor shun her. If Jesus could not condemn an adulteress caught in the act, who are we to judge anyone else?
Imacountrygirl, interesting that the very verses you cite are the very ones left out of the RNWT.
Bill, there is a big difference between serving Jehovah….and serving the Governing Body. They are not the same. Either you serve Jehovah or you serve someone/something else, like the Governing Body. I’m not sure of the exact moment it happened, even though I was there the whole time, but the Governing Body put themselves between Jehovah’s Witnesses and Jehovah.
Interesting!
It seems the GB are not sure of 1914 themselves.