BLACK | BLUE | RED | GREEN | OTHER |
my words | SCRIPTURE, or Scriptural perspective | WT view / quotes / info | PERSONALITY concept | EMPHASIS |
WT phrase "Active Force" |
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Regarding the WT's
coined phrase "Active Force", do you agree that the following statements are true, fair, & right ? |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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Yes |
Gen.1:2 - "And . . . active force
(spirit)." Heb., weru'ach. Besides being
translated "spirit," ru'ach is also
translated "wind" & by other words that
denote an invisible active force. See 3:8 ftn,
"Breezy part"; 8:1 ftn. |
Yes |
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Yes |
Insight, Bible, p.30 - By 'breathing' on faithful men,
God caused his spirit, or active force, to become
operative upon them.... |
Yes |
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Yes |
Saying the phrase "active
force" again &
again & again, only makes it "true"
for willing followers. This is incredible evidence of mind-conditioning!!! NO OTHER GROUP DOES THIS to THE SPIRIT THE HOLY ONE !!! |
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Further info about the WT's (coined) phrase "Active Force" | |
Who or What Is the Holy Spirit? (9/15/55 Watchtower, p.551) | My Comments |
What has helped to obscure this truth is that translators have twisted their versions according to their religious prejudices, as in their unwarranted rendering of pneuma as "ghost" | I agree that pneuma
should always be translated as "spirit" Do you? Why does "ghost" = a "twisted" version? |
and as in their capitalizing holy spirit. | No translator is exempt from subjective capitalizing of H.S. |
To make holy spirit seem to be a person they have also added the definite article "the" in 105 instances before the words "spirit" or "holy spirit," where the original does not have it. | I agree the Hebrew
& Greek, should be followed closely. So why doesn't the NWT show the 2 definite articles, when the original Greek has "The Spirit The Holy (One)" ??? |
Either the original writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures were extremely negligent or disrespectful of the "Holy Spirit" in leaving out the definite article | The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture. He chose to inspire the writers to leave out the definite article to emphasize His Power rather His Person. (It's not complicated.) |
or else those who attribute personality to the holy spirit are sadly mistaken. (p.550) | 3rd option = Person AND Force !!! |
To hold that the holy spirit is not a person is not belittling, disparaging or slighting it, but giving it its just due, for | But the opposite is
true, since The Spirit The Holy (One) is a Person! |
look where we will in the
Scriptures, we do not find it treated as a person. |
Excuse me??? Please
read the following!!! "It is true that Jesus spoke of the holy
spirit as a "helper" and spoke of such helper
as 'teaching,' 'bearing witness,' 'giving evidence,'
'guiding,' 'speaking,' 'hearing,' and 'receiving.' In so
doing, the original Greek shows Jesus at times applying
the personal pronoun "he" to that
"helper" (paraclete)." |
Repeatedly Jehovah's servants had visions of heaven, such as Daniel, Stephen and the apostle John; each time they saw representations of Jehovah God and of his Son, the Son of man, the Lamb of God, but did they ever see a representation of the holy spirit as a person? | Descriptions of
heavenly visions never record the whole scene. |
The very fact that it appeared as a dove and as many tongues of fire indicates that it is not a person. | Then using pillars of cloud & fire to represent His presence (Numb 14:14) should take away Jehovah's Personhood! |
Yes, all the Scriptural testimony explicitly shows that either the holy spirit is not a person or it is of such nature that it can be harmonized with impersonality. It is Jehovah's active force, invisible and powerful, sent forth to accomplish his purpose. | The truth is that there
are many examples explicitly showing The Spirit The Holy (One) is a Person! (See the evidence for the "PERSON" concept, in the last chart on this "page".) |
Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.--Rom. 3:4, NW. | I agree. |
I agree
that: "The
correct identification of the holy spirit must fit all
the scriptures that refer to that spirit." (Reasoning, Spirit, p.381) That is why the 3rd option ( Person AND Force ) is the ONLY option that fits all the Scriptures!!! |
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Meanings /
Senses / Interpretation Opinions for RUACH / PNEUMA (spirit) |
1950 10/15 WT |
1957 7/15 WT |
1965 Make Sure |
1971 Aid 1988 Insight |
1985 Reasoning from the Scriptures |
1995 6/15 WT |
1961 New World Translation (NWT) |
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#s in the centre columns reflect the WT's (ever-changing order & categorizing of) LISTED meanings. (Some of these references are quoted, right after this chart.) |
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1 | Ghost | {Lk.24:37 -- Could have but didn't.} | ||||||
2 | Active Force {bogus rendering} | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | {Only ONCE, see} Gen.1:2 | |
3 | Holy Spirit | (7) | (5) | (5) | (6) | (1) | Lk.11:13; Acts 2:4; 5:9; etc. | |
4 | The Holy Spirit | Mt.28:19; Lk.12:10,12; Acts 9:31; 16:6; 2Cor.13:14 | ||||||
5 | The Spirit The Holy (One) | {Acts 1:16; 5:3,32; 7:51; 13:2; 20:23,28; 21:11; Heb.3:7; 9:8.} | ||||||
6 | The Father | (2) | 1 | (1) | 2 | "Pneuma" is translated as "spirit" or "spirits" everywhere else, except in the verses below. |
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7 | The Son | 2 | 3 | |||||
8 | Unseen Heavenly Person | 2 | ||||||
9 | Spirit Persons (i.e. God, Angels, Demons, Satan) | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
10 | Active Life Force | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | ||
11 | Mental Attitude / Inclination | 3 | ||||||
12 | Mental Disposition | 5 | 3 | |||||
13 | Dominant Feeling or Activating Force (Aid) | 8 | ||||||
14 | Impelling Mental Inclination (Insight, v.2) | (8) | ||||||
15 | Impelling Force | 3 | 3 | |||||
16 | Moving or Inspiring Force | 4 | ||||||
17 | Unseen Force | 1 | 1 | |||||
18 | Impersonal Spirit | (1) | ||||||
19 | Wind | (1) | 1 | Jn.3:8 | ||||
20 | Force | Eph.4:23 | ||||||
21 | Breath | 6 | Rev.13:15 | |||||
22 | Inspired Expression(s) | 4 | 2Thess.2:2; 1Jn.4:1 (2x), 4:2 (2x), 4:3 (2x), 4:6 (2x); Rev.16:13,14; 22:6 {?} | |||||
23 | Inspired Utterance(s) | 5 | 6 | (4) | 4 | 1Cor.12:10; 1Tim.4:1 (2x) {???} | ||
24 | Inspiration | Mt.22:43; Rev.1:10 {?} | ||||||
25 | Inspires | Rev.19:10 {??} | ||||||
26 | Exhalation | Rev.18:2 {??} | ||||||
27 | Spiritual | Mt.5:3; Col.1:8; Heb.12:9,23 | ||||||
28 | Spirituality | Jude 1:19 | ||||||
1961 -- New World Translation of the Holy
Scriptures -- Foreword It was with such a sense of solemn responsibility that over the course of many years this committee of dedicated men have produced the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. (p.5) {{ I agree that humans have produced the NWT, & various commentaries on Scripture. }} |
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1969 -- The Kingdom Interlinear
Translation of the Greek Scriptures -- Foreword Our endeavor all through has been to give as literal a translation as possible, where the modern English idiom allows and where a literal rendition does not for any clumsiness hide the thought. That way we can best meet the desire of those who are scrupulous for getting, as nearly as possible, word for word, the exact statement of the original. We realize that sometimes the use of so small a thing as the definite or indefinite article or the omission of such may alter the correct sense of the original passage.... To each major word we have assigned ONE meaning and have held to that meaning as far as the context permitted. (p.10) {{ Not according to the evidence found in the chart !!! }} |
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I agree
with the statement (from Reasoning, Spirit, p.381) that "The correct identification of the holy spirit must fit all the scriptures that refer to that spirit." BUT we need to stay true to the Scriptures that refer to THE SPIRIT THE HOLY (ONE) ! |
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(10/15/50 Watchtower) - Riches of the Full Assurance
of Our Understanding DISTINGUISHING OF WORD MEANINGS 6 The word pneu'ma has the basic meaning of invisible, active force, and the new translation brings it out in FIVE ways. First, as an unseen force in action, whether the wind or an impersonal spirit: We read: "The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone that has been born from the spirit." (John 3:8, NW) Second, as an unseen, heavenly person: "God is a Spirit." (John 4:24, NW) Third, as a mental attitude or inclination: Whereas the King James says, "The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit," the new version says: "The Lord be with the spirit you show." (2 Tim. 4:22, NW; also Phil. 4:23, NW) Fourth, as a moving or inspiring force: Instead of using the uncertain expression "in the spirit", John is made to say: "By inspiration I came to be in the Lord's day." (Rev. 1:10, NW) This shows John came under the spirit's power. Fifth, as an utterance inspired by an unseen source: "Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world. . . . this is the antichrist's inspired expression which you have heard was coming." (1 John 4:1-3, NW).... (p.386) [Study Questions] 6. How does it bring out the sense of "pneuma" in FIVE ways? (p.389) |
(7/15/57 Watchtower,
p.428+) - The
Holy Spirit--Third Person of Trinity or God's Active
Force? 7 The term "spirit" is used in SEVEN different ways in the Bible, and is applied both to persons and to impersonal things. Obviously, a failure to distinguish between these seven senses of "spirit" would result in confusion on the subject. To ascertain the truth we must therefore heed Paul's admonition: "Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright."--2 Tim. 2:15, NW. 8 Why did Bible writers use the words ru'ahh and pneu'ma in SEVEN different senses and apply them both to persons and to that which is without personality? Because all these senses have in common the two basic characteristics of wind, namely, invisibility and force. [Study Questions]
(p.435) |
Reasoning,
Spirit [1985] (p.380)
Definition: The Hebrew word ru'ach and the Greek pneu'ma, which are often translated "spirit," have a number of meanings. All of them refer to that which is invisible to human sight and which gives evidence of force in motion. The Hebrew and Greek words
are used with reference to |
(6/15/95 WT, p.31) -- Questions From Readers According to Galatians 6:8, "he who is sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but he who is sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit." What "spirit" is meant, & how can we thus reap life?
The Hebrew & Greek terms
that are rendered "spirit" have a variety of
meanings, such as: |
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Occurrences of IT ~ ITS ~ ITSELF (that I could find) | ||
Applied To | KJV | NWT |
Children | Rev.12:4 the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as IT was born. | |
Demons (unclean/wicked spirits) |
Mk.9:22 & ofttimes
IT hath cast him
into the fire.... Lk.8:29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes IT had caught him: & he was kept bound with chains & in fetters....Lk.9:39 & , lo, a spirit taketh him, & he suddenly crieth out; & IT teareth him that he foameth againLk.11:14 & he was casting out a devil, & IT was dumb.1Jn.4:3 this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that IT should come; & even now already is IT in the world. |
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The Holy Spirit |
Jn.1:32 & John bare record, saying,
I saw the Spirit
descending from heaven like a dove, & IT abode
upon him. Rom.8:16 The Spirit ITSELF beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:Rom.8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit ITSELF maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.1Pet.1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when IT testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ.... |
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Conclusion
With
only a hint of over-simplifying things, "ruach" & "pneuma"
should always be translated as "spirit" - - - - - - - - - - Back to the WT's
translating, it is incredible that such a major doctrine as
this, JWs are then conditioned to believe & accept this human opinion, by the:
- - - - - - - - - - Clear statements of the Personhood
of "The Spirit The Holy (One)"
are brushed aside, |
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If I were you, I would carefully study the following Scriptural evidence.
RESEARCH about: " THE > SPIRIT -- THE > HOLY (ONE) " | |||||
Is "The Holy Spirit" a
FORCE, or a
Sentient BEING
-- or BOTH ?
The
Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society's
view on "The Holy Spirit" "
The Scriptures
themselves unite to show that WOW !!! ~ IF The Holy Spirit is just a force,
then I (& any truth-seeker) |
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I don't view my work as a THEOLOGICAL
DEBATE. There's no prize for the winner. This research is to help JWs think about their eternal destiny -- it's about you & God, not about me. If WT teaching is wrong, you are picking a fight with the most AWESOME BEING in the universe! The Holy Spirit has emotion (intellect & will) & can be INSULTED & OUTRAGED !!! Heb.10:26-31 warns: For if we practice sin willfully {or stubbornly, or mindlessly, or blindly, or foolishly} after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, 27 but [there is] a certain fearful expectation of judgment & [there is] a fiery jealousy that is going to consume those in opposition. 28 Any man that has disregarded the law of Moses dies without compassion, upon the testimony of two or three. 29 Of how much more severe a punishment, do YOU think, will the man be counted worthy who has trampled upon the Son of God & who has esteemed as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, & who has OUTRAGED THE SPIRIT of undeserved kindness with contempt? 30 For we know him that said: "Vengeance is mine; I will recompense"; & again: "Jehovah will judge his people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of [the] living God. |
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According to WT
opinion: |
According to Scripture: (Greek allos = another of the same kind -- not different-kind-heteros). |
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Therefore:
In other words, The Trinity is
alive & well. |
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Because of deliberate, consistent, repeated,
systematic emphasis, programming & reinforcement (a.k.a. re-education, conditioning, mind control, thought reform, brain washing), JWs automatically equate & substitute the Bible expression "The Holy Spirit" with the WT's phrase "Active Force", even though the "Active Force" phrase is a MISTRANSLATION & found only ONCE in their own Bible!!! See the NWT at Gen.1:2.
Click here
for more detail, & the
WT's 28 Meanings /
Senses / Interpretation-opinions for "ruach"
& "pneuma" ( spirit
). The Awesome PERSON &
the awesome POWER of The Holy Spirit
(throughout Scripture) The GIVER & the
GIFT -- in Acts 2:4 for example: |
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WT Basis for "FORCE" Concept |
My Response |
Scripture Basis for "PERSON" Concept |
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A | Absent Greek Definite Article 'the' | Fact, BUT... | A1 | Comparison Chart: - DEMON pneuma (spirit) | |
A2 | Demon-Pneuma-Spirits are Sentient Beings | ||||
A3 | ABSENT Greek 'the' = Awesome POWER | ||||
A4 | PRESENT Greek 'the' = Awesome PERSON | ||||
B | Pneuma = Neuter Gender noun | Fact, BUT... | B1 | Greek Nouns & Pronouns prove Awesome Person | |
C | holy spirit Associated with Impersonal Things | Fact, BUT... | C1 | EMOTION = Personality | |
C2 | INTELLECT = Personality | ||||
C3 | WILL = Personality | ||||
D | The Holy Spirit has NO Personal Voice | F A L S E | D1 | SPEAKS DIRECTLY & via Humans & Scripture | |
E | The Holy Spirit has NO Personal Name |
Unknown, but so what? |
E1 | Names / Titles of The Holy Spirit | |
E2 | Testimony of Jesus (GOD-THE-WORD) | ||||
F | A 'Person' only because of Personification |
WT's FAULTY conclusion CONTRADICTS a host of "inconvenient" Scriptures |
F1 | Testimony of the Whole NT | |
F2 | Comparison Chart: - PARACLETE (Advocate) | ||||
F3 | Awesome Scriptural Warnings | ||||
F4 | Greek Facts / Scholarship | ||||
F5 | Does the WT Misquote Scholars ? | ||||
F6 | Convincing Evidence (& "Michael") | ||||
Click here for
Kingdom Interlinear
~ Definite Article chart to see
the various spellings of the neuter gender "the".
Click here to
Search a
Greek Interlinear NT
Click here to
Search a Greek NT. ~ Enter "pneuma"
beside "Search" & click "GO" (top right). |
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Chart
of interesting LINKS & other RESEARCH © 1999 - 2009 ~ All rights reserved. But non-commercial use is OK with me ~ etalk99@hotmail.com Email me if you feel I've made
any errors, or misrepresented Watchtower theology in any way. |