8

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=90 BGCOLOR="#CC9900" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="043005a0dwnjzk.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="EDWARD WATSONS WEBWORLD"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B> | </B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>EDWARD WATS</B><B>ON'S WEBWORLD</B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id83.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION"><U><B>SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 1: DOES JESUS HAVE A PREEXISTENCE?"><U><B>PART 1: DOES JESUS HAVE A PRE-EXISTENCE?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id86.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1"><U><B>1</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id87.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 2: IS JESUS GOD?"><U><B>PART 2: IS JESUS "GOD"?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id88.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1"><U><B>1</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id89.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2"><U><B>2</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id90.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3"><U><B>3</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id91.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="4"><U><B>4</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id92.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="5"><U><B>5</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="6"><U><B>6</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id94.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7"><U><B>7</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id95.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="8"><U><B>8</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id96.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 2: CONCLUSION"><U><B>PART 2: CONCLUSION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 3: ARE JESUS AND JEHOVAH THE SAME?"><U><B>PART 3: ARE JESUS AND JEHOVAH THE SAME?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="1"><U><B>1</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id100.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2"><U><B>2</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id101.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="3"><U><B>3</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="4"><U><B>4</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id103.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="5"><U><B>5</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id104.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="6"><U><B>6</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id105.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="7"><U><B>7</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>8</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id107.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PART 3: CONCLUSION"><U><B>PART 3: CONCLUSION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SECTION 2: APPENDIX"><U><B>SECTION 2: APPENDIX</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id109.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SECTION 2: CONCLUSION"><U><B>SECTION 2: CONCLUSION</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id137.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ABBREVIATIONS"><U><B>ABBREVIATIONS</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>[MORMONISM. The Faith of the Twenty-first Century. Volume 1. Edward K. Watson. (Liahona Publications. Copyright © 1998 Edward K. Watson.) pp. 347-350. MORMONISM: Section 2, Part 3, Chapter 8. All rights reserved.]</B></div> <bR> <div> <U>CHAPTER 8</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>Deliberate Deception</B></div> <bR> <div>      There are various passages in the NT that refer to Jesus as being God, being in equality with Heavenly Father and being Jehovah that have been modified in the Bible of the Jehovah's Witnesses (which is called the New World Translation [NWT]). I usually don't denounce other faiths but I can't keep silent on this action of the NWT because of the enormity of their offense since many righteous Jehovah's Witnesses are being misled into denying the reality of Jesus being “God” and of his equality to the Father.</div> <div>      This  deliberate mistranslation of passages which point to Jesus Christ being God, his equality with the Father and being the OT Jehovah has caused it to be the pariah of all biblical translations. It is recognized by all genuine biblical scholars and students to be the worst biblical translation in circulation today. This makes it all the more tragic to hear  Jehovah's Witnesses claim this Bible is the most accurate in the world, which only shows their unawareness with the biblical autographs (they're all out of step instead of Johnny). Their modification is actually very serious since many sincere and righteous  Jehovah's Witnesses are being deceived by their church into rejecting Jesus as God, equal to the Father and of him being the pre-mortal YHWH. If we reject Jesus as  Jehovah (I AM - “Ego Eimi”); we will die in our sins (John  8:24).</div> <div>      Other serious textual changes can be identified to show the problematic nature of the NWT but the only passages referenced here will be concerning the nature of Jesus since such is the subject of this study. They will be sufficient to prove the point that serious modifications of the Bible are present within the New World Translation.<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >1</FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="614" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="198"><div> <B>PASSAGE</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> <B>WHAT IT MEANS</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> <B>JW BIBLE</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 115 WIDTH="198"><div> 1. John  1:1   </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “What God was; the Word was” (The Word [Jesus] was whatever God was. i.e., if God is “God” Jesus is exactly like him making Jesus “God”).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> “The Word was a god.”</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 172 WIDTH="198"><div> 2. John  8:58</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> Jesus said, “Before Abraham [existed] I AM” (“I AM” is the Sacred name of Jehovah - Deut  32:39; Isa   41:4; 43:10; etc.) i.e., Jesus claimed he was Jehovah. If we don't believe he is “I AM” [Jehovah] we will die in our sins (John  8:24).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “Before Abraham came into existence I have been.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="198"><div> 3. Acts  20:28</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “God bought the church with his own blood” (it was Jesus' blood which makes Jesus “God”)</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “which he purchased with the blood of his own [Son].”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 383 WIDTH="198"><div> 4. Phil  2:6         </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “Despite having the same nature of God, he [Jesus] didn't think his equality with God was to be forcefully clung to but emptied himself and took upon himself the nature of a slave and became like mortal man.” (Just like all humans have the same “human” nature, Jesus and God the Father have the same “God” nature. i.e. Jesus didn't think he needed to cling to his equality with God [by virtue of having the same nature] but gave it up to become human). Jesus gave up his equality with God the Father to become human.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “although he was existing in God's form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 115 WIDTH="198"><div> 5. Phil  2:9</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “given him a name that is above every name.” (There is no name that is greater than the name God the Father gave Jesus. No exceptions).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “gave him a name that is above every [other] name.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 268 WIDTH="198"><div> 6. Col  1:16-20</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “All things in heaven and on earth, both the visible and invisible, were created by [Jesus]. He made all things for himself. He is before all things and sustains all things ... He reconciled all things in heaven and on earth to himself.” (No exceptions).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth ...All [other] things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist ... and through him to reconcile again to himself all [other] things by making peace through the blood [he shed] on the torture stake.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 134 WIDTH="198"><div> 7. Col  2:9</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “All the fulness of God dwells bodily in Jesus.” (All that makes God the Father “God” is present within Jesus while he had a physical body. If the Father is “God” likewise is Jesus). </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “it is in him that all the fulness of the divine quality dwells bodily.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="198"><div> 8. Tit  2:10</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “God our Saviour.” (“God” is called our “Saviour.” “God” and “Saviour” refer to the same being).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “the teaching of our Savior, God, in all things.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="198"><div> 9. Tit  2:13</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (“God” and “Saviour” are used in reference to Jesus).       </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div>  “of the great God and of [the] Savior of us, Christ Jesus.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 38 WIDTH="198"><div> 10. Tit  3:4</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “God our Saviour” (Same being).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “on the part of our Savior, God, was manifested.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="198"><div> 11. Heb  1:8</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “Unto the Son he said, `Thy throne O God is forever and ever.'” (God the Father addressed Jesus as God”).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “But with reference to the Son: `God is your throne forever and ever.'”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 57 WIDTH="198"><div> 12. 2 Pet  1:1</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “Our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (Jesus is called “our God and Saviour”).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “our God and [the] Savior Jesus Christ.”</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 115 WIDTH="198"><div> 13. 1 Jn  5:20</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “we are in him that is true, namely, his Son Jesus Christ who is the true God and eternal life.” (Jesus is identified as the “true God and eternal life”).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="198"><div> “we are in union with the true one, by means of his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and life everlasting.”</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div>      It is actually scary that a religion would deliberately modify the biblical texts themselves just to suit their theology. <B>It's puzzling how a religion could claim to be the true church of Jesus Christ but deliberately distort the biblical text (2 Pet</B> <B> 3:16) simply because what it really says goes against their theology.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>[ENDNOTES]:</B></div> <bR> <div> 1.<I>New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures</I>. Revised 1984. New World Bible Translation Committee. (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Brooklyn, New York). © 1961, 1981, 1984 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania and International Bible Students Association.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:ewatson@shaw.ca"><U>e-mail me!</U></A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>