| Author | Message | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 14 Registered: 4-2006  |
Hello I have watched the movie Seventh-Day Adventism - The spirit behind the church with my adventist friend and that brought up a lot of questions  she does wholeheartly belive in SDA and didn't belive the movies claims, though she will investigate them. I will post each question in its own thread. The first one comes here: She does not belive that anyone has had the Clear Word bible as their first bible. Or only uses the CWB. Does anyone of you know anybody who only has read the CWB and not another bible? And one who only uses the CWB? | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 452 Registered: 7-2004  |
From the SDA's I know (including while I was an SDA up until almost 2 years ago), several knew little or nothing about the Clear Word. In fact, it has only been in print since around 1994. In the SDA church we attended it was becoming more popular and while it was never used in the pulpit, several people would bring it to Sabbath School class, and it was viewed as a wonderful paraphrase that made the Bible easy to understand and was faithful to SDA interpretation. It is published by an SDA publishing house, although amazingly I can't find the name of the publisher anywhere on my copy (2003 printing)! In my opinion, the Clear Word is a great way to discover the differences between the SDA viewpoints (as taught by Ellen White) and reality, by comparing it to a good translation. The person who wrote the Clear Word did their best to make sure the paraphrase would match up with Ellen White's teachings. It's astonishing how much added verbiage there is, and outright changes. Comparing it with a real Bible shows the scary differences between Adventist theology and Biblical theology. Time after time, verses that establish the full deity of Jesus are changed so Jesus' deity is either not clear or denied, there are several sentences added in the 2300 day prophecy in Daniel to provide more support for the SDA Investigative Judgment doctrine, and New Testament verses about the Law have been modified so it doesn't appear that we have too much freedom. There are many differences. Does anyone know of a weblink that lists any of them? To me, it is irrelevant who uses the Clear Word. Just the fact the SDA church publishes a paraphrase that changes or adds to the Word of God is enough cause for concern. The author of the Clear Word paraphrase wrote it as a "devotional journey" putting his own understanding into the texts. Obviously his own understanding was fed directly by Ellen White's writings. One would think as he carefully re-wrote the Bible, it would have given him pause to see such major differences between what a real translation says, and what the Ellen White understanding is. However, it is typical for SDA's to let Ellen White trump the Bible. | ||
| Justdodie Registered user Username: Justdodie Post Number: 36 Registered: 2-2006  |
I bought a Clear Word Bible just to see what all the excitement was about, and have just started reading it. It is very enjoyable to read (reads just like a novel), and I found myself really getting into it, but there were several occasions that I ran into things where I thought, "I didn't know that, let's go compare." Sure enough, when I compared it to several other translations, I would see the difference. Of course, I always do this whenever I read the Bible. I will have a half dozen, maybe more spread out around me as I read and I pore over all the notes, all the scripture references, etc.--it takes me forever. But I do feel I get the most understanding that way. I am not familiar enough with Ellen White's writings (despite the fact that I was raised SDA) to immediately recognize things as being from her, but I did get out one of her books and satisfy myself that one of the verses I read in Galations was "pure Ellen." There are other modern English paraphrases out there if a person wants something easy to read--my personal favorite is the "Good News Bible: Today's English Version." It's the one I used years ago when I was digging and searching to find out once and for all if the SDAs had it right. I still smile when I flip through Galations and see all my underlinings from way back then. But here's what surprised me about the Clear Word Bible. A lot of the stuff regarding The Law reads very clearly, right there in the Clear Word Bible, that Christians are no longer under the law, etc. and I found myself thinking, "Gee, the SDAs oughta read THIS! Oh, wait--they wrote it! Well, what's up with that?!" But, as I'm finding out, there are more and more SDAs who are changing their thinking to go along with the Bible, rather than Ellen-ism. That's my two cents. I enjoy the Clear Word Bible, but I'm very aware that it's not "the real deal." Joyce | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 1267 Registered: 10-2004  |
Here is a link which reveals some of the differences between the Clear Word and God's Word. Jeremy | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 176 Registered: 12-2004 |
Joyce, Thank-you very much for sharing your impressions of the Clear Word paraphrase. I have only glanced at a copy to compare a few of my personal pivotal texts, and found it definitely "Ellenized". My feeling is that many Adventists are becoming more astute regarding this book, and are recognizing it for what it is. Again, thank-you for your comments, Randy | ||
| Riverfonz Registered user Username: Riverfonz Post Number: 1657 Registered: 3-2005 |
The most glaring contradiction in the CWB is Deuteronomy 5, where it says that this covenant was not made with our forefathers (speaking of Sinai and the Decalogue) the CWB prints just the opposite--something to the effect that this covenant was made with our fathers. Someone can come up with the exact quotes, but it is a gross misrepresentation. Also the cultic Arianism comes out in many places. The CWB is cultic Adventism at one of its worse points. Stan | ||
| Ric_b Registered user Username: Ric_b Post Number: 528 Registered: 7-2004  |
Gal 3:2 CWB Tell me one thing: Did the Holy Spirit come into your lives because you were going through certain rituals or because you listened to the Gospel and believed in what Jesus had done for you?î Gal 3:2 NASB This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Gal 2:19 CWB When the Lord first met me on the road to Damscus and I realized that I was keeping the law as a means to salvation, the legalist in me died. Gal 2:19 NASB "For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 454 Registered: 7-2004 |
Deut 5:2,3 CWB Remember how the Lord spoke to us at Mount Sinai and made a covenant with us? It wasn't only with our ancestors that He made a covenant, but with us and with all who are alive today. Deut 5:2,3 NASB The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. The Lord did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here today. | ||
| Dd Registered user Username: Dd Post Number: 682 Registered: 7-2004 |
Joyce and Randy, I agree with you, Randy. All the SDAs I know seem somewhat regretful that the Clear Word was ever published. The story my mother tells me is that the writer of the "book" wrote it as a "gift" to his grown children and it just took on a life of its own from there... And Joyce...I second Randy's thoughts...I am glad you are bravely sticking around here...God has a purpose in all of us "meeting" on FAF! Your friend, Denise | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 18 Registered: 4-2006 |
Here is a realy good document on the CWB, the best that I have seen in my investigation of SDA: http://www.ratzlaf.com/4-17-01%20Deliberate%20Distortions%20in%20SDA.pdf | ||
| Freeindeed Registered user Username: Freeindeed Post Number: 25 Registered: 3-2006 |
I know some who will only use the CWB. They use it in the pulpit and for their "serious" Bible study. In the discussions I have had with them they don't seem to have a problem that it has been "White-washed". They say she was as inspired as the Bible writers so to canonize her makes the Adventist "truth" all that more clear. There is a wide spectrum of opinions on the CWB. But, I agree that there are many SDA's who a least have a problem with using it as a study Bible. | ||
| Cw Registered user Username: Cw Post Number: 62 Registered: 4-2006  |
Raven, I checked my Clear Word and it's published by Review and Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown, MD. Is that an SDA publishing house? CW | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 457 Registered: 7-2004 |
Yes, it is. The main SDA publishing houses I know of are Review and Herald Publishing Association and Southern Publishing Association. | ||
| Jeremy Registered user Username: Jeremy Post Number: 1273 Registered: 10-2004 |
Review and Herald Publishing Association is owned by the SDA Church. Therefore, their claim that it is not a "denominational Bible" is disingenuous. Also, the SDA church-owned Adventist Book Centers sell the CWB. Jeremy | ||
| Cw Registered user Username: Cw Post Number: 63 Registered: 4-2006 |
Cool. And when I mentioned to my daughter that CWB is a corrupt bible her answer, which she obtained through her SDA boyfriend and his parents, is that "that's just an extremist commentary, it's not like they preach out of it or anything". Like Raven pointed out a few weeks ago-yes it's extremist, but it's an accurate writing of their beliefs. CW | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3962 Registered: 12-2003  |
One other SDA publishing house: Pacific Press, located in Nampa, Idaho (formerly in northern California). Southern Publishing, I believe, closed a few years ago, but books published by them still remain here and there. Your understanding of the CWB, Cw, is accurate. While it may not be universally used within the church as a preaching or study Bible, it accurately reflects Adventist beliefs. Colleen | ||
| Pegg Registered user Username: Pegg Post Number: 5 Registered: 2-2006 |
When my son was in 7th grade they got all new CWBs for the school. From then on, that's what was used. He's long graduated and we've been long gone. I'd have a hard time believing that they threw all those bibles out, though. He did bring one home. I loved it! It's so comfortable to read. Just fits what "I know". No hard questions to wonder about. Cozy. Snuggle up and enjoy. Be very afraid!! | ||
| Raven Registered user Username: Raven Post Number: 458 Registered: 7-2004 |
Pegg, I know exactly what you mean about how easy it is for SDA's to feel cozy with the Clear Word. Our first exposure to the Clear Word was about four years ago, also about a year or two before we realized we had to leave. We observed people at our SDA church falling in love with the easy read that kept them from having to struggle with any of the verses. While we never owned a CWB until after leaving the SDA church, we would hear the verses read outloud during Sabbath School class (not by the leader), and it had the opposite affect on us. We recognized while it sounded just like EGW, it was a direct contradiction to what we read in our regular Bible, and it made the dissonance far more disturbing. It was one of the many factors that came together at about the same time to spur us on out of the SDA church. | ||
| Insearchof Registered user Username: Insearchof Post Number: 65 Registered: 8-2005 |
One of the SS teachers at church uses the Clear Word as his primary bible, even when he teaches. He does say 'I am reading from the Clear Word Bible', however. If you want a readable paraphrase, the CWB would not be my choice, I don't even own one (I do, however, own a Bible with EGW study helps). My wife read 'The Message' paraphrase and really enjoyed it. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 3970 Registered: 12-2003 |
A bit over a year ago (it might be close to two years now) I was driving home from Monday night Bible study and heard Lonnie Melashanko and The Voice of Prophecy on a local Christian radio station (one that has never had affiliation with Adventism). Besides my ongoing distress over the Voice being on Christian radio with no discalimer, Lonnie read a quote out the CWB (he identified it as The Clear Wordñhe might have said it was a biblical paraphrase) to illustrate a point he was makingócan't remember what it was. I was just further horrified that the unsuspecting public was being exposed to Adventism through such a subtle but "attractive" means. Although a great many Adventists say the CWB isn't official and tend to downplay it, a great many others use it, and as Lonnie Melashanko demonstrated, even "official" Adventist "voices" use it when it suits their purposes. Colleen |
