How Many Here Actually "Studied" The Publications?

When I was a teenager I extensively studied nearly every publication. I especially enjoyed looking up the root words meanings in the Hebrew and Greek of the Bible language. It gave me the flavor of a word and its origins.  I would jot in my Bible all sorts of fine points and use them in research or if I commented.

I would say though that in the last 10 years of my attending, I only "studied" on the surface. I didn't do as deep a research on most things. However, I did become very knowledgable in elder requirements, especially judicial information.

When you were active, were you a good Watchtower student?

I studied extensively for the first 2-3 years. The first books I stopped reading were the yearbooks and any "experiences" because they had no resemblence to the reality in the congregation. That's when I first began to recognize the prefabricated propaganda for what it was.

W

I only really "studied" the rev. book as the 'meatier' stuff like the daniel and isaiah books etc. were done when I was younger and didn't use my own brain - that led to my realising it was all made up and leaving! thank god the FADS wanted to re-study that book!!

I hated the Yearbook too.

*raises hand*

Skimming and underlining doesn't constitute 'study' so no, I never really studied the publications.  That's probably why it took me so long to leave.

When I started to actively doubt and research outside of the WT approved sources, that's when I really started studying the publications.  And that's when I realized it was all BS.

Just reading and underlining whatever it was we were studying. Often times I didn't even read the scriptures that were listed in the paragraph.

I think the only times I would really delve into a subject was if I had a talk, or I had just had a fight with my husband or a problem with raising my children. Then I'd throw myself into it, try to get spiritually encouraged, and "do the right thing" so that I wasn't the problem (in the fight) and so I could feel better than everyone else. Man, what I tool I was at times.

PS I never DID feel better, just better about myself because I did the thing I was supposed to do, but I didn't take away any real knowledge.

Just read quick and underlined. Never went to deep into the subject. Once, my husband and I went to study the watchtower with someone and his bible study, and It took like 2 hours! The guy would take like 15 minutes to go over one paragraph. We didn't comment much, and later that week he called my husband and said he was a bad example for his bible study because he didn't say much about the paragraphs. That was the last time we ever did anything with him. .the worst part was the next day was sunday so we had to sit through the watchtower again for an hour. zzzzz.

d'oh!

like my kids' life depended on it

d'oh!

Began rereading the old Studies in the Scriptures (my grandparents copies) about 20 years ago because things just didn't add up with this claim for seemless continuity. Along with the aid and friendship of a masters program theology student all the loose ends quickly fell into place as to the various corners of the theological spectrum the Society used to piece their framewok together.

I underlined, and got the answers to the questions; does that qualify?

To study the publications is to realize that they are poorly written, with many logical fallacies.

Rereading older WT and Awake volumes is what started my fade; the changes stuck out like a sore thumb.

After reading authentic papers and books on Israelite history, textual criticism and archaeology, I can no longer read the WT without cursing out loud, or laughing, or both.

I think it is not possible to actually study them; they are shallow, are written for a 5th grade level and do not stand up to any examination.

P

I have to admit...Never....ever......EVER cracked open a yearbook my entire life! I honestly don't find that kind of stuff encouraging (no offense) because I could never relate to any of the stories! Always felt like they were 'extra' in my opinion.

As for the Watchtower and Awake mags, well, I'm a natural born salesperson!!! So I could look at the covers, flip through, find a 1/2 interesting article that I figured would appeal to others, and then literally 'sell' (in a figurative sense) the mags into peoples homes!!!   I remember the Watchtower was the ONLY magazine I would study thoroughly...underline, read the scrips, write them at all angles around my mag to reference if I commented. HAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Such a dork.  all the other pubs, if we didn't study them during the mtg, I didn't read em.

See...most of us were not studiers. No wonder we didn't stay in the "Truth".

Just reading and underlining whatever it was we were studying. Often times I didn't even read the scriptures that were listed in the paragraph.

This was me also,

There were a few times I would go in-depth, but still with the JW mindset, so it all made sense if I looked at it with their teachings in view.

Cas

I did it as much as I could, but goodness did it ever take hours to study for one stupid meeting! And I noticed that it was mostly about performing to show others what good JW's we were. It wasn't feel good studying at all.

Only until I realized the inconsistencies made it a bunch of junk, which was at 13 or 14.

After that, it seemed pretty pointless.

The interlinear translation was a death knell.

At first I was rabid about it.  My watchtower study article pages were underlined and crammed on the sides with scriptures and notes....rediculous.  I really prided myself in "adding insight" to my comments on Sunday.  Which I found out later was making them call on me less and less because I wasnt sticking to the paragraph.  Ugh...and I did study the book study book until they did the Revelation book for like the 19th time.  And NEVER read the Awake at all.  And hardly ever read any part of the yearbook but the statistics page.  And Day Texts?  ha....not.

I was a pathetic witness. I was doomed to die for being luke warm LOL

Do these comments mean that the majority of you never cross-checked their biblical "interpretations" against the Kingdom Interlinear?  (This is a legitimate question--did most of you have and use the Kingdom Interlinear?)

As one person noted, it shines a glaring light on the inconsistencies of the WTS teachings.  It is one WTS book that I would encourage all JWs to obtain and use on a regular basis--it just might incite a mass exodus... :)

I studied alot. My books were a mess. It led to my eventual downfall.