The Watchtower/Wal-Mart Connection!

After church a few Sundays ago, I decided to stop at the local Wal-Mart. As I pulled up, I could see that someone had set up a small blue canopy. Under the canopy was a magazine rack  that I recognized was filled with WT magazines and booklets. Two JW's were sitting and waiting to engage anyone in conversation. I often pray for an open door to sow the seeds of Bible truths, so I knew that this meeting was no accident or coincidence. I stopped at their magazine rack and one young woman stood up and proclaimed, "All publications are free." I was actually interested in any WT material that I could use in a blog. Unfortunately, the copies in English I already possessed. I started the conversation. JW speak is in blue:

ME: "Where you raised as a JW? "
JW: "Yes."

ME: "Did you check out the doctrines of the WT and criticisms of the WT or did you just accept their doctrines because your parents were JW's?"

JW: "I thoroughly checked them out."

ME: "Good, the Bible tells us that we need to be diligent in our search for God."  I asked her to look up Hebrews 11:6 which tells us, "that God is the re-warder of those that diligently seek him." I also said, "I looked up the use of the words "diligently seek" in both the Old and New Testament and diligently means thoroughly, meticulously and this search is done by oneself for oneself. This work is not to be left to someone else." The JW agreed with me and added "that is the kind of research I did."

(As an aside, the WT discourages the diligent seeking for oneself Bible study. Consider, "Often the very best and most beneficial studying you do is that done when you read a new Watchtower or Awake! or a new book with the joy of getting the new truths and a fresh view." The Watchtower, June 1, 1967, p. 338.)

(Also, “An individual must have The Watchtower to understand the Bible.” 1983 Yearbook, p. 21)

ME: "Did you see any criticisms alleging the WT changed their Bible to fit their doctrine instead of changing their doctrine to fit with the Bible?"
JW: "No! Not at all." The JW had a very skeptical look on her face.

ME: "Can I show you one and get your reaction."

JW: "Sure."

ME: Have you heard of the WT book, "The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures?" 

"JW: Yes."

ME: Do you happen to have a copy?

JW: "No."

It is a rare book but you can download a PDF copy off the Internet here. As I approached, I could see she was on a Smart Phone. 
ME: "Does you Smart Phone have Internet access?" She said it did and I asked her to download a copy of the KIT, which she did. I asked her to scroll to page 5. I wanted her to read two paragraphs and then answer two questions, Question #1, "For what purpose was the KIT written?" AND  Question #2, "How was the KIT going to fulfill the stated purpose?"

The paragraphs from Page 5 in the KIT: 

Next, I had the JW read how the KIT is laid out, also from page 5--see above. Here I emphasized that the left-side (Greek side) is the God breathed side, the Sacred Scripture side, the side where it is impossible for God to lie. The right-side is how a group of men translated the Greek into readable English. This is the side where men can lie, where the men can be swayed by sectarian, denominational, religious coloration as stated by the WT on page 5 above.

On to the verse of the day--but first I asked the JW what they believe about praying to Jesus. She stated that, "You cannot pray to Jesus, he is a created being, you can only pray to Jehovah God. You can pray "in the name of Jesus" but never to Jesus." Next, she agreed that John 14 is talking about prayer. I had her read John 14:14 from the KIT (shown below) the NWT side (right-side) which states that you can ask (pray) in the name of Jesus.

I then had her read, from the Left Side of the KIT, (the original Greek side, the God breathed side) John 14:14. I asked her to read it slowly. I asked her to read it a second time and stop at the first "ME" in the verse. I asked who is that "ME" referring to--the "ME" we are to ask or pray to. 
Silence
I then pointed out that that "ME" had been dropped by the translators on the NWT side (right-side). Why? The WT on page 9 of the KIT states, "Where we have varied from the reading of the Westcott and Hort text, our footnotes show the basis for the preferred reading." See below. There is NO FOOTNOTE for John 14:14 to explain why the WT dropped the first ME and came up with their varied, preferred reading.

JW: "I have never seen that before. If I could have your name and phone number and a good day and time to get back to you, I will look into this."
I then offered a reason: "If you can pray to Jesus, as this verse states, then the WT has the wrong Jesus. So to maintain the integrity of their doctrine they drop the first "ME" when they translated the verse into English." BTW, I did give her my call back information but never got a call back.

I have read WT material on this verse and the WT suggests quoting John 16:23 and say, "that Jesus taught us to pray to the one who is both his Father and our Father. We translated John 14:14 to harmonize with John 16:23." I emphasized again, that Jesus is teaching us in John 14:14 that we can also pray to Him. John 16:23 should not be used to alter Sacred Scripture.What should be altered is the WT doctrine on Jesus.