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Monday, March 31, 2014

How Do Jehovah's Witnesses View April Fools' Day?

Numerous explanations have been given for the origin of April Fools' Day and it's true origin remains uncertain. But after examining numerous ancient pagan celebrations concerning the month of April and the treatment of the 'fool' on April Fools' Day, some have concluded that April Fools’ Day does have it's roots in the ancient pagan customs of this world. (See the 22 March Awake! of 1947, p. 28.)

Even though the Bible does not contain any direct command against observing the traditions of April Fools’ Day, one can examine certain Biblical principles to know that God does not approve of tricks (even if innocent and physically harmless) that are designed to embarrass or humiliate others.

When it comes to having fun or playing practical jokes at another's expense, it may prove to be beneficial for Christians to remember the principle that Jesus Christ set forth: "Just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them." (Luke 6:31) The spirit behind April Fools’ Day is exactly opposite to the Christian way of life.

Pranks played on April Fools’ Day (in the name of harmless fun) are usually set in motion through lies, often leading to misunderstanding and confusion thus violating one of God’s Ten Commandments: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:16; Deut. 5:20)

Before playing a practical joke on someone, ask yourself, “How would I like to be the object of the joke?” The Bible counsels that we should never receive pleasure at the expense of someone else’s embarrassment or hurt:

"Just like someone mad that is shooting fiery missiles, arrows and death, so is the man that has tricked his fellow man and has said: `Was I not having fun?'" (Prov. 26:18, 19)

For more, see:

Holidays (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)

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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Is Acts 5:3, 4 - Lied to the Holy Spirit...lied to God?


Ananias lied to the Apostles
Another bit of eclectic "evidence" some trinitarians resort to for the "personality" and "Godhood" of the spirit is found at Acts 5:3, 4. Here we find a baptized Christian, one who has, therefore, received holy spirit, selling his property and giving some of the money from that sale to the Apostles. Now this man was under no obligation to sell his land or give any of that money to the Apostles. That he did so would have been a fine thing. But this man, Ananias, wanted honor more than he wanted to give charity. So he gave only part of the money from his property to the Apostles. This, too, would have been a fine thing. but he lied to the Apostles, because he wanted even more recognition, and told them he had given them all the money from the sale of his property!

So Peter said,

"Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to [or 'cheat' - Mo (or 'to deceive' or 'to play false' - Thayer, #5574; cf. #5574, Strong's and Thayer, in Heb. 6:18 as rendered in RSV, NEB, CBW, and The Amplified Bible)] the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? .... How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to ['played false to' ('defrauded' - Mo)] men but to God." - RSV.

The "evidence" here is supposed to be that Peter first says that Ananias lied to the Holy Spirit. Then he turns around and says that Ananias lied to God. The supposition being, evidently, that the one lie [or deception] could only be directed to one person. Therefore the Holy Spirit "must" be God!

This type of reasoning is painfully ridiculous at best! Ananias actually lied directly to the Apostles! So this type of "reasoning" applies even more strongly to the Apostles than it does to the Holy Spirit! By using this "evidence" we could say with equal credibility that Peter is saying the Apostles are God when he says "you have not lied to men but to God"!

We can see a similar idea at Mark 9:37 -

"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me [so trinitarian-type 'evidence' proves this child is Jesus!]; and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me." - RSV.

So receiving the child is actually receiving the Son and the Father! The child, then, "must" be God Himself (by trinitarian standards of evidence)!

I'm sure the truth of this matter must be apparent to all objective persons. But, for good measure, you might examine such scriptures as Matt. 25:40 and Luke 10:16 and compare them with Acts 5:4. We can also see a similar usage in the rest of Acts 5:3, 4. In 5:3 we see that Satan filled Ananias' heart to lie. But in 5:4 we find that Ananias himself conceived this thing in his heart. So this trinitarian-type evidence "reveals" another essential "mystery": Satan is Ananias! (Also analyze 1 Thess. 4:2, 6, 8; 1 Cor. 8:12; and James 4:11.)

One of Christendom's favorite trinitarians (and one of the humblest men found in history), St. Francis of Assisi, made an interesting statement that should be compared with Peter's statement at Acts 5:3, 4. St. Francis said after receiving some clothing from a friend:

"Nothing could be better for me than these. I take them thankfully as your alms. You have given them to God." - p. 66, Richest of the Poor - The Life of St. Francis of Assisi, Theodore Maynard, 1949.

Isn't it obvious that, by willfully rebelling against the holy spirit (the motivating force sent by God) by lying to the Apostles, Ananias was also lying to God?

(Another similar statement of this concept is admitted even in the footnote for Acts 5:3 in a highly trinitarian publication of the RSV, the ecumenical study Bible, The New Oxford Annotated Bible, 1977, Oxford University Press: "The apostles, or perhaps the church, represent the Holy Spirit."

Obviously, the Apostles receive their authority to represent God on earth through the power of the holy spirit ("in the name of the holy spirit"), so they "represent" not only that authorizing power but also God Himself.

Therefore, the attempted deception of the Apostles by Ananias also equals an attempted deception of the Holy Spirit and an attempted deception of God.)

So, since the holy spirit (this impersonal power/force/direction) comes directly (and perfectly) from God himself, then, no matter what one does against that holy spirit, it is always equivalent to doing that very thing against God himself. For example, if I spit in disgust on the letter (the impersonal thing providing direction to me) from the king, it will always be understood as equivalent to my spitting on the king himself. If, on the other hand, I spit on a messenger from the king, it might not be considered such a serious offense if I were merely expressing a dislike for the person of the messenger himself, not his message from the king. (Originally posted on 6/22/11.)

Also see:

Acts 5:3 "play false" (In Defense of the NWT)


The Bible’s Viewpoint - Is the Holy Spirit a Person? (g 7/06 pp. 14-15; Watchtower Online Library)

The Holy Spirit - Not a Person or God, But an Impersonal Force From God (HS - Holy Spirit; Original File With Notes) (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

Holy Spirit - Links To Information (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)

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Saturday, March 29, 2014

The Truth About ‘NOAH'


WRIGHT WAY:  The truth about ‘NOAH’








by WILLIAM WRIGHT
04.02.14

Interest in Noah reached new heights recently as a new film bearing the prophet’s name burst into theaters with a $77.6 million opening worldwide.

According to the New York Times, the director, Darren Aronofsky, a self-described atheist, described the movie as “the least biblical film ever made.”

Now, engulfed in its own flood of criticism from religious groups about its loose interpretation of a familiar Bible account that is respected by Jews, Christians and Muslims, Paramount pictures took the unusual step of issuing an explanatory message that the film is “inspired by the story of Noah” and “artistic license has been taken.”

Supporters of the film point out that the cinematic version of Noah is not a sermon, nor was it produced to encourage religious conversion or to disrespect a prophet. Instead, at a cost of $125 million, it is intended to entertain, inspire and make a profit. Critics of the film point to its lack of integrity to its source, the Bible, with new interpretations, additions and surprising embellishments.

For example, the decision to portray the Creator’s communication as being exclusively with Noah and in strange visions is contrary to Genesis 9:1: “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” — New King James Version.

God’s communication continues in verses 2-17, where He gives Noah’s family new instructions about their relationship with animals, what humans could eat, the consequences of shedding blood and a new covenant that reassured them all life on earth would never be destroyed again (see Genesis 8:21).

Boston Globe film critic Ty Purr commented on the film’s decision to depict fallen angels as materialized rock creatures who “assist Noah in his Ark-building as if they were sentient construction cranes.” This portrayal contradicts the Bible’s view at 1Peter 3:19-20, that, contrary to acting as friendly coworkers, wicked spirits were “disobedient” in the days of Noah and contributed to the violence.

Taking its “artistic license” from Genesis 9:20-22 about Noah’s drunkenness, the film presents an exhausted survivor who feels tremendous guilt over being saved. But instead of agonizing over why he and his family were spared destruction as depicted in the film, Genesis 7:1 tell us God explained to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me.” — New King James Version.

So if God praised Noah for being “righteous” — how likely would Noah have felt unworthy of survival, seeing that he “walked with God” and condemned that violent world as “a preacher of righteousness,” according to Genesis 6:9 and 2Peter 2:5.

While most people still believe only two of each animal entered the ark, the Bible gives us a surprising distinction between certain kinds of animals at Genesis 7:2. Here God said, “You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female.” — New King James Version. Did you know that clean animals went into the ark in groups of seven?

The story of a worldwide flood in which human and animal life were saved from extinction by a man who built a vessel has been documented all around the world — in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria, Greece, Europe, India, Australia, Central America, North America, South America and beyond.

Some experts estimate more than 500 Flood legends have been told in different civilizations around the world, adding weight to the belief that such a catastrophic event must have happened. The oldest written account, the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, is calculated to have been written between 1900–1700 B.C.

While Noah, as an eyewitness, may have recorded his original account before the Epic of Gilgamesh, it was some 850 years after the flood that Moses put the global deluge into writing. Unlike most flood legends, however, the Bible’s account of the Deluge is rich with the kind of details that would matter to a historian, not a fantasy writer.

For the record, there is no indication in the Bible that fallen angels helped Noah build the ark, that Noah was morally confused or felt any guilt for surviving the flood, that Noah was the only one to hear the Voice of God or that Noah engaged in violent confrontations with his contemporaries.

At Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus Christ used the flood of Noah’s day to warn Christians that the vast majority would again be caught off guard when the Son of Man arrives to bring lasting peace on earth. Should this concern you?

Is it possible that by diluting the real impact of the global flood in a sweeping film production, people will question the importance of obedience to God as a key to survival? If so, be very careful. Someone is rocking your boat — hoping you’ll go under.

© clevelandbanner.com 2014

http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/24846695/article-WRIGHT-WAY--The-truth-about---NOAH-?instance=main_article
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For more about this subject, see:

Noah - Links to Information (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

Flood - Links to Information (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

Sons of God - Links to Information (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)


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Thursday, March 27, 2014

Wedding Rings - Are They Pagan? Is it Proper For a Christian to Wear a Wedding Ring?


Wedding Rings - Pagan Origin?
Some have made the objection that wedding rings have a pagan origin. Yet, not only is there no historical evidence that provides any definite conclusion on whether pagans originally used wedding rings as part of false religious practices or whether they even would still retain such religious significance, but there is no precise evidence that pagans first used wedding rings at all.

Yes, some rings are associated with some customs, but not all customs are disapproved by God.

The Bible shows that some of God's servants in the past wore rings, even ones that had special meaning attached to them. Wearing a signet ring could indicate that one had received authority to act in behalf of the ruler who owned it. (Gen. 41:42; Num. 31:50; Esther 8:2, 8; Job 42:11, 12; Luke 15:22) So while the Bible does not mention wedding rings, these true worshipers clearly did not have a problem using rings for more than mere adornment.

Besides, it is the USE of pagan things associated with pagan WORSHIP that is at the heart of the issue. It would be wrong to incorporate anything used for pagan worship, into our worship or related activities. Holidays, for example, are "Holy Days" and are a part of "worship", by their very name. The use of wedding rings and the mere reference to a day or month on a calendar are not.

Note the following 'Questions From Readers' excerpt from the 1-15-72 Watchtower:

• Is it proper for a Christian to wear a wedding ring?

Actually there are conflicting ideas as to the origin of the wedding ring. Let us give a few examples: “Originally . . . the ring was a fetter, used to bind the captive bride.” (For Richer, for Poorer) “The ring is a relatively modern substitute for the gold coin or other article of value with which a man literally purchased his wife from her father.” (The Jewish Wedding Book) “The wedding ring is supposed to be of Roman origin, and to have sprung from the ancient custom of using rings in making agreements.” (American Cyclopædia) “Various explanations have been given of the connection of the ring with marriage. It would appear that wedding-rings were worn by the Jews prior to Christian times.”—The International Cyclopaedia.

It is thus seen that the precise origin of the wedding ring is uncertain. Even if it were a fact that pagans first used wedding rings, would that rule such out for Christians? Not necessarily. Many of today’s articles of clothing and aspects of life originated in pagan lands. The present time divisions of hours, minutes and seconds are based on an early Babylonian system. Yet, there is no objection to a Christian’s using these time divisions, for one’s doing so does not involve carrying on false religious practices.

Of course, our concern is greater as regards the use of wedding rings, since this relates, not to minor secular matters, but to the marriage relationship, which the Christian rightly views as sacred before God. Really, the question is not so much whether wedding rings were first used by pagans but whether they were originally used as part of false religious practices and still retain such religious significance. As has been shown, the historical evidence does not allow for any definite conclusion on this.

For more, see:

Weddings / Wedding Rings - Links to Information (Defend Jehovah's Witnesses)

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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)

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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The “New World Translation”—Scholarly and Honest

Back in the 16th century, opposers said that Martin Luther’s translation of the Bible was "FULL of falsifications!” They believed they could prove that Luther’s Bible contained “1,400 heretical errors and lies.” Today, Luther’s Bible is viewed as a landmark translation. The book Translating the Bible even calls it “a work of genius”!

In this 20th century, the New World Translation has also been charged with falsification. Why? Because it departs from the traditional rendering of many verses and stresses the use of God’s name, Jehovah. Hence, it is unconventional. But does this make it false? No. It was produced with much care and attention to detail, and what may appear unfamiliar represents a sincere effort to represent carefully the nuances of the original languages. Theologian C. Houtman explains the reason for the unorthodoxy of the New World Translation: “Various traditional translations of important terms from the original text have been discarded, apparently in order to arrive at the best possible understanding.” Let us consider some examples of this.

Other Scholars Agree



Other Translations Support the NWT
Certain unfamiliar terms supposedly invented by Jehovah’s Witnesses are supported by other Bible translations or reference works. At Luke 23:43, the New World Translation records Jesus’ words to the criminal executed with him: “Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise.” In the original Greek, there were no punctuation marks such as commas; but usually some kind of punctuation is inserted by translators to help with the reading. Most, however, make Luke 23:43 read as though Jesus and the criminal were bound for Paradise that very day. The New English Bible reads: “I tell you this: today you shall be with me in Paradise.” Not all convey this thought, however. Professor Wilhelm Michaelis renders the verse: “Truly, already today I give you the assurance: (one day) you will be together with me in paradise.” This rendering is much more logical than that of The New English Bible. The dying criminal could not have gone with Jesus to Paradise that same day. Jesus was not resurrected until the third day after his death. In the meantime he was in Hades, mankind’s common grave.—Acts 2:27, 31; 10:39, 40.

According to Matthew 26:26 in the New World Translation, Jesus, when instituting the celebration of the Lord’s Evening Meal, says of the bread that he passes to his disciples: “This means my body.” Most other translations render this verse: “This is my body,” and this is used to support the doctrine that during the celebration of the Lord’s Evening Meal, the bread literally becomes Christ’s flesh. The word translated in the New World Translation as “means” (es·tin´, a form of ei·mi´) comes from the Greek word meaning “to be,” but it can also signify “to mean.” Thus, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament says that this verb “is often i.q. [equivalent to] to denote, signify, import.” Indeed, “means” is a logical translation here. When Jesus instituted the Last Supper, his flesh was still on his bones, so how could the bread have been his literal flesh?


John 1:1c - NWT is Not Alone
At John 1:1 the New World Translation reads: “The Word was a god.” In many translations this expression simply reads: “The Word was God” and is used to support the Trinity doctrine. Not surprisingly, Trinitarians dislike the rendering in the New World Translation. But John 1:1 was not falsified in order to prove that Jesus is not Almighty God. Jehovah’s Witnesses, among many others, had challenged the capitalizing of “god” long before the appearance of the New World Translation, which endeavors accurately to render the original language. Five German Bible translators likewise use the term “a god” in that verse. At least 13 others have used expressions such as “of divine kind” or “godlike kind.” These renderings agree with other parts of the Bible to show that, yes, Jesus in heaven is a god in the sense of being divine. But Jehovah and Jesus are not the same being, the same God.—John 14:28; 20:17.


God’s Personal Name

At Luke 4:18, according to the New World Translation, Jesus applied to himself a prophecy in Isaiah, saying: “Jehovah’s spirit is upon me.” (Isaiah 61:1) Many object to the use of the name Jehovah here. It is, however, just one of the more than 200 places where that name appears in the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, the so-called New Testament. True, no early surviving Greek manuscript of the “New Testament” contains the personal name of God. But the name was included in the New World Translation for sound reasons, not merely on a whim. And others have followed a similar course. In the German language alone, at least 11 versions use “Jehovah” (or the transliteration of the Hebrew, “Yahweh”) in the text of the “New Testament,” while four translators add the name in parentheses after “Lord.” More than 70 German translations use it in footnotes or commentaries.

In Israel, God’s name was pronounced without inhibition for more than a thousand years. It is the name that appears most frequently in the Hebrew Scriptures (“Old Testament”), and there is no convincing proof that it was unknown to the general public or that its pronunciation had been forgotten in the first century of our Common Era, when Jewish Christians were inspired to write the books of the “New Testament.”—Ruth 2:4.

Wolfgang Feneberg comments in the Jesuit magazine Entschluss/Offen (April 1985): “He [Jesus] did not withhold his father’s name YHWH from us, but he entrusted us with it. It is otherwise inexplicable why the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer should read: ‘May your name be sanctified!’” Feneberg further notes that “in pre-Christian manuscripts for Greek-speaking Jews, God’s name was not paraphrased with kýrios [Lord], but was written in the tetragram form [YHWH] in Hebrew or archaic Hebrew characters. . . . We find recollections of the name in the writings of the Church Fathers; but they are not interested in it. By translating this name kýrios (Lord), the Church Fathers were more interested in attributing the grandeur of the kýrios to Jesus Christ.” The New World Translation restores the name to the text of the Bible wherever there is sound, scholarly reason to do so.—See Appendix 1D in the Reference Bible.

Some criticize the form “Jehovah” by which the New World Translation renders God’s name. In Hebrew manuscripts, the name appears just as four consonants, YHWH, and many insist that the proper pronunciation is “Yahweh,” not “Jehovah.” Hence, they feel that using “Jehovah” is a mistake. But, in truth, scholars are by no means in agreement that the form “Yahweh” represents the original pronunciation. The fact is that while God preserved the spelling of his name “YHWH” over 6,000 times in the Bible, he did not preserve the pronunciation of it that Moses heard on Mount Sinai. (Exodus 20:2) Therefore, the pronunciation is not of the utmost importance at this time.

In Europe the form “Jehovah” has been widely recognized for centuries and is used in many Bibles, including Jewish translations. It appears countless times on buildings, on coins and other objects, and in printed works, as well as in many church hymns. So rather than trying to represent the original Hebrew pronunciation, the New World Translation in all its different languages uses the form of God’s name that is popularly accepted. This is exactly what other Bible versions do with all the other names in the Bible.

Why the Harsh Criticism?

Luther’s Bible was criticized because it was produced by a man who exposed the shortcomings of the traditional religion of his day. His translation opened the way for ordinary people to see the truth of much of what he said. Similarly, the New World Translation is criticized because it is published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, who outspokenly declare that many of Christendom’s doctrines are not found in the Bible. The New World Translation—indeed, any Bible—makes this evident.

In fact, the New World Translation is a scholarly work. In 1989, Professor Benjamin Kedar of Israel said: “In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translations, I often refer to the English edition of what is known as the New World Translation. In so doing, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible. Giving evidence of a broad command of the original language, it renders the original words into a second language understandably without deviating unnecessarily from the specific structure of the Hebrew. . . . Every statement of language allows for a certain latitude in interpreting or translating. So the linguistic solution in any given case may be open to debate. But I have never discovered in the New World Translation any biased intent to read something into the text that it does not contain.” —March 1, 1991 Watchtower, page 26-30. WTBTS

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For more concerning the New World Translation from JW.ORG, see:

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES - Links to Information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

A “Remarkably Good” Translation (w04 12/1 p. 30; Watchtower Online Library)

Comments by Greek Scholars (g 11/07 pp. 12-14; Watchtower Online Library)

Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Have Their Own Bible? (JW.ORG)

Have Jehovah’s Witnesses Changed the Bible to Fit Their Beliefs? (JW.ORG)

Why Have We Produced the New World Translation? (JW.ORG)
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For more concerning the New World Translation from this site, see:

Index of Links and Pages that Defend the New World Translation

How Accurate is The New World Translation?

Why was the New World Translation Bible Printed, and How Accurate is it?

Why Did The Translators of the New World Translation Bible Choose to Remain Anonymous?

Why are some verses missing in the New World Translation Bible?

Addressing The Claim That The New World Translation is "Biased"

Did Jehovah's Witnesses Really "Change the Original Meaning of the Bible to Suit their Beliefs" as Opposers Claim?

Was Johannes Greber a "source" for the New World Translation?

Does the Name 'Jehovah' Belong in the New Testament?

"Jehovah" in The New Testament

The New World Translation and the Restoration of God's Name 237 Times in the New Testament

Why Does the New World Translation Use the Word “Impaled” where Most Bible Translations Say Christ Was “Crucified”?

Why Does the New World Translation Use the Expression "magic-practicing priests" in Genesis, Exodus and Daniel? (hhartumim')

Why Does the New World Translation Bible Say, "God's Active Force" at Genesis 1:2?

Translation and revision of Lev 23:21 proves that the NWT Bible translators DID know Hebrew

New World Translation - Parousia ("Presence") (Mt. 24:3)

Matt. 25:46 and the New World Translation - Does Kolasis Here Mean "Cutting Off" or "Punishment"?

“This Means” or “This Is”? - "Estin" at Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, and Luke 22:19

Luke 23:43, Punctuation and the New World Translation - Links to Information

Luke 23:43 - Punctuation and the New World Translation; "Truly I tell you today,..."

Is the New World Translation the only Bible to phrase John 1:1c as "the Word was *a* God"?

"Exercise Faith" / "Believe" John 3:16 and the New World Translation

John 14:14 and the New World Translation

The New World Translation and the use of "Other" at Col. 1:16

Why does the NWT at Col. 2:9 state that in Jesus "all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily," when other translations say, "dwells the fullness of Deity/Godhead?'"

Col. 2:9 and the NWT - "divine quality," "Deity / Godhead"?

Rev. 5:10 - Rule Upon (or 'over'?) the Earth

Why does the NWT 'add' the words, within square brackets, "the angel of" at Zechariah 3:2?
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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)

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Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Research Guide - Watchtower Online Library


Have you seen the new Research Guide section at The Watchtower Online Library? If not, you might want to check it out.

Its main sections include: the IntroductionTable of ContentsSubjects, Songs and the Index.

Introduction

To get a real grasp at how it can be fully utilized, I highly recommend starting with the Introduction. The following is an excerpt from the Introduction page:

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PUBLICATION

Jehovah God urges his people to “keep searching” for understanding and discernment as though they were looking for “hidden treasures.” (Prov. 2:1-5) This means that we need to exert ourselves in searching for answers to our Bible questions and in finding help for our personal concerns in life. This Research Guide for Jehovah’s Witnesses is designed to assist you in your search.

This is not a comprehensive index that lists every subject that has been discussed in each of our publications. However, for each topic that is listed, there are references to current and relevant information in publications that have been produced in English, primarily from the year 2000 onward.

(To continue on with the article, "HOW TO START YOUR SEARCH", click here.)

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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)

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Monday, March 24, 2014

Jehovah's Witnesses in Ukraine

(Washington Post 3-24-14)

UPDATE
Ukraine Asserts Russian Invasion and Reinstitutes Draft
(New York Times 8-28-14)


Witnessing to university students in Lviv
UKRAINE

Population
45,561,000

Publishers
150,887
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1,737 congregations and 373 groups in 15 languages
(SOURCE)
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JW.ORG News Report Concerning Jehovah's Witnesses in Ukraine and Crimea

LVIV, Ukraine—The branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ukraine reports that on June 17, 2014, one Witness in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk was killed when a bomb exploded next to his car. No other Witnesses have been killed or seriously injured as a result of the civil unrest in the country that started a few months ago. However, hundreds of Witnesses have been evacuated from the affected areas of eastern Ukraine. Those displaced are taking refuge with fellow worshippers.

Despite ongoing violence, the Witnesses in Ukraine continue sharing the Bible’s comforting message with their neighbors. During the first half of June 2014, the Witnesses hosted several large, peaceful gatherings in eastern Ukraine, which included Bible-based talks and demonstrations of how to apply the Bible’s advice in everyday situations. Over 5,200 were in attendance. The Witnesses will host some 40 regional conventions in Ukraine and Crimea, which will highlight Biblical statements about a peaceful future under God’s Kingdom. More than 165,000 are expected to attend these events, including 7,500 in Crimea.
http://www.jw.org/en/news/releases/by-region/ukraine/jehovahs-witnesses-ukraine-crimea-report
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The 2002 Yearbook Report Concerning Ukraine:
"Jesus spoke an illustration about seed planted in fine soil, describing those who develop deep appreciation for the Word of God. They “bear fruit with endurance” by faithfully continuing to proclaim God’s message despite hardship and suffering. (Luke 8:11, 13, 15) In few places on earth has this been more evident than in Ukraine, where despite more than 50 years of ban and harsh persecution, Jehovah’s Witnesses have survived and flourished..."
(Read entire article)
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Also related to Jehovah's Witnesses in Ukraine is the OCTOBER 4, 2012 article, "Justice Prevails in Ukraine" where it relates that "on September 26, 2012, the Ukraine Supreme Court quashed an illegal attempt to seize a large part of the property on which the Ukraine branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses is located."
http://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/ukraine/justice-prevails-ukraine/

For much more about Ukraine, see:

Ukraine - Links to information (INDEX; Watchtower Online Library)

Mailing addresses and phone numbers for the Religious Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ukraine (JW.ORG)

Invitation to tour Jehovah's Witnesses' offices and printing facilities. Find locations and tour times. (JW.ORG)
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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)

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Sunday, March 23, 2014

VIDEO INVITE - Memorial 14 April 2014 (JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES)



On the night before he died, Jesus instructed his disciples to commemorate the sacrifice that he was about to make. He told them: "Keep doing this in remembrance of me."—Luke 22:19.

In 2014, the anniversary of Jesus' death falls on Monday, April 14, after sundown. Jehovah's Witnesses invite you, your family, and your friends to come on that date to listen to a brief talk explaining why Jesus' death is so important.

This free event will take place at a location near you.

LEARN MORE
http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/memorial/

Find a Location Near You

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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)

SEARCH THIS SITE:

Defend Jehovah's Witnesses


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JW.ORG

Recent Download Updates at WWW.JW.ORG

Have you noticed these download updates at www.jw.org?

We can now download PDF, EPUB, MOBI, RTF and BRL (Blind) apart from MP3 and AAC:



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(To those who are not Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs), please remember that if you are looking for the authoritative information about the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's (WTBTS) Bible-based beliefs and practices, you should look to our OFFICIAL WEBSITE at http://www.jw.org/en. Numerous publications as well as the New World Translation Bible (NWT) and the very useful Watchtower Online Library can be found there.)

SEARCH THIS SITE:

Defend Jehovah's Witnesses


SEARCH JW.ORG:

JW.ORG