True Religion vs. False Religion and James 1:27

Something that opened my eyes as I was re-examining "the truth" was the verse at James 1:27.  In the New World Translation the greek word in this verse, threskeia, is translated worship, which is fine except that it hides a more important meaning.  This same word can be, and most often is translated religion.

For Witnesses, the matter of being the "one true religion" is all important.  You are taught that it is vital for survival to identify the true religion and attach yourself to it.  But this concept of there being an organized institution that has been selected by God is, under the Christian system, fundamentally flawed.  For we need not look externally, but internally.

We see from James' statement below (from a variety of translations) that true religion is not institutional, it's personal.  For the activities James mentions come from our own heart-felt desire to do good for others and to live according to bible principles -- scripturally, that is the "true religion".

I have, with some success, been able to share this point with others to help them see beyond the concepts that so many of us have been indoctrinated with; perhaps it will help someone you know.

JAMES 1:27...

International Standard Version (©2008)
A religion that is pure and stainless according to God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows who are suffering, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Pure, unstained religion, according to God our Father, is to take care of orphans and widows when they suffer and to remain uncorrupted by this world.

King James Bible
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

American King James Version
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

American Standard Version
Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Bible in Basic English
The religion which is holy and free from evil in the eyes of our God and Father is this: to take care of children who have no fathers and of widows who are in trouble, and to keep oneself untouched by the world.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation: and to keep one's self unspotted from this world.

Darby Bible Translation
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

English Revised Version
Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Webster's Bible Translation
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Weymouth New Testament
The religious service which is pure and stainless in the sight of our God and Father is to visit fatherless children and widowed women in their time of trouble, and to keep one's own self unspotted from the world.

World English Bible
Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Young's Literal Translation
religion pure and undefiled with the God and Father is this, to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation -- unspotted to keep himself from the world.

Nice catch.....

For better comparison here is the NWT rendering:

(James1:27)²⁷ The form of worship* that is clean(m) and undefiled(n) from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans) and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.

* "Form of worship." Gr., thre·skei´a; Lat., re·li´gi·o, "religion."

(m) (Isaiah 1:16)¹⁶ Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the badness of YOUR dealings from in front of my eyes; cease to do bad.

(n) (1 Timothy1:5)⁵ Really the objective of this mandate is love out of a clean heart and out of a good conscience and out of faith without hypocrisy.

**Or, "bereaved ones."

Your thinking makes a lot sense.

Even the NWT 1984 Reference Bible has a footnote next to "worship":

Form of worship." Gr., thre·skei´a; Lat., re·li´gi·o, "religion

Good post.

  nice find. Its shameful how the WT selects certain words and translates them differently for a self serving purpose.  I'm glad you brought that out.

Quietly Leaving:

I think the confusion here comes from the concept and word church or congregation.  To understand these we have to look at this in the First Century context because religions have hijacked these words for their own justification.

Simply put, the church or congregation are people.  In this case, the Christian believers in their various locations.

Obviously, true followers of Christ, individually and as a community would engage in the acts James mentions.  They would also gather together and pool resources where needed, this would be normal of any people who have something important in common.

My point is that true religion and true Christianity are really exercised personally, by our own actions.  It is not a hierarchical religious institution or organization with 9 men determining religious law, claiming that have been chosen by God to lead us (or anything similar).

I think two things are important here.  One is the "The Church" as the totality of all believers.  I'm a member of an independent evangelical church;  but I can regard myself, a Baptist, a Lutheran, a Methodist etc as all members of "The Church."  Where we spend Sunday morning isn't part of the criteria.

Secondly I think JW's spend too much time focused on the last part of that verse.  They make a huge deal out of not voting etc, but ignore the widwows and orhpans part. 

A quick check on line agrees that all the translations found, use the word religion here. What do we understand the words to mean?

I would say that your religion is understood as the Church to which you belong; Catholic, Baptist, Methodist etc.. Your worship is the personal thing that you have with God. Individuals in those Churches will vary considerably in the depth of their worship.

In the first century, there was only the one Christian religion, it was a given that you belonged to the one group. So what was James talking about? I think not the Church group that one may attend, but your individual worship of God, as evidenced by your actions

So perhaps the NWT is nearer the thought than others, even if they are technically correct.?

take a look at this from Strongs concordance

Imo the real issue is not with the exact meaning or translation of this particular word (both "religion" and "worship" seem basically correct to me) but the context and perspective of the epistle as a whole. The epistle "of James" is an insider's criticism of post-Pauline Christianity. It is artificially ascribed to James who was known as a foremost opponent of Paul (cf. Galatians), directly contradicts the most famous axioms of Pauline theology (cf. the passage of "faith and works" and many other antagonistic allusions to Romans), but from a quite different angle than "James the Just" could ever have possibly held. He doesn't care about circumcision or ritual law or the ceremonial separation of Jews and Gentiles. His target is the post-Pauline church as a religion of speech (confession of faith, doctrine, teaching roles) instead of alternative moral, and especially social, values and practice, which is apparent from its repeated references to "the rich" and "the poor" (including orphans and widows). Pauline churches sociologically depended on the financial and social protection of wealthy patrons in whose domus they met; the rich among them would naturally enjoy considerable respect, attention and, in (no) time, power. This is, to the author, the "worldly" perspective with which Christianity should practically break free rather than focusing on belief and doctrine (and the official position of teachers). The epistle in general is fairly consistent, and 1:27 in particular makes a lot of sense from this perspective.

I wonder how many flagrant violations of that scripture the witlesses are guilty of.  They do visit nursing homes and hospitals, but only to detract from field circus (and count that as time anyway).  But I doubt that many ever actually do what the above says to comfort them, and to help them in practical ways (and practical does not mean just making sure they get to the Kingdumb Hells and share in field circus, or get their Washtowels and tape transcripts of boasting sessions).

Unspotted by the world?  I think they do a better job of hiding their involvement in the world's dirty activities.  They were NGO members of the UN (that is common apostate knowledge) between 1991 and 2002.  They protect pedophiles that initiate force and/or fraud to molest children, and then they silence the victims (and keep quiet, vehemently denying doing such).  They are as guilty as anyone else of offenses like DWI, using drugs, thefts, and various loose conduct.  What makes it more reprehensible is that they proclaim that it doesn't go on within the religion or that they are aggressive at disfellowshipping those who do engage in those activities.  (What they are aggressive in disfellowshipping is anyone that questions the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger).

We should not apply all advice of the Scriptures to others, and we every person should apply it to ourselves.

Ultimate Reality, Thank you for teaching us a beneficial thing.

Well, I think that the Scriptures is filled with symbols and figurative expressions.
Therefore, for me, orphans and widows are figure of speech.

I interpret that those orphans and widows are within us in fact.
"the poor" told Jesus is the same meaning.
http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/mt/chapter_019.htm#bk21

possible
http://bb2.atbb.jp/possible/

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful."