I quoted the same material from the Watchtower but in context. I already explained that there's nothing in that quotation or its context that states or implies that the Jehovah's Witnesses don't get any of their beliefs from the Bible. Heck, they have their own Bible version which you can read in its entirety off their official website. True, they may have some beliefs that don't originate in the Bible, but everybody has such beliefs including yourself.
And since you like quotations from the Jehovah's Witnesses so much, here's one from their article
Have Jehovah’s Witnesses Changed the Bible to Fit Their Beliefs? that's quite clear:
I do hope I don't need to explain that one to you.
I'm not imagining anything. I've studied the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses and we on occasion we used both the New World Translation as well as other versions. They cited Bible passages that they use as the basis for their beliefs. I agreed with their interpretations sometimes and disagreed with their interpretations other times, but every time I saw that they get their beliefs from the Bible.
I think that the underlying issue here is the Bible itself. It's a huge and strange set of books whose ambiguity has set so many people at odds with each other all claiming to be right regarding what it "really says." The Jehovah's Witnesses are just one more Christian sect who happen to have an unpopular interpretation of the Bible. But rather than admit the obvious reason for all this confusion, "Bible idolaters" blame anybody who comes up with an interpretation they cannot stomach, call that group a "cult," and then deny that that group's beliefs come from "the Bible."
Whose Bible?
What you quoted doesn't change at all the meaning of the section I quoted. You may believe it does if you wish.
Regarding the article - Considering the fact that the JW "leaders" have stated that whatever they write is to be received, believed, and followed as coming from God, then the fact that they have had to
change their beliefs as often as they have had to do shows and proves that this is simply not true.
Consider what another poster wrote about this:
What if you have been told all of your life that doctrine A is true, and that it is supported by scripture. Assume that you have read those scriptures and that you agree that those scriptures do indeed support doctrine A.
Now suppose that tomorrow you are told that there is “new light”, and that doctrine A is no longer true, but that doctrine B has taken its place. The scriptures you once thought supported doctrine A are no longer relevant or true. Instead, a whole new set of scripture references are given that supposedly support doctrine B. Would you be disfellowshipped if you stick to doctrine A?
And to make things worse, what if sometime in the future you are told that because of even more “new light” that doctrine B is no longer true, but that doctrine A was true after all? Is “old light” sometimes better than “new light”?
Here is an example of JWs having to change their beliefs: JWs are very much noted for their multiple predictions of Armageddon and the end of things. Here is just one of those:
From
Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15 (over 50 years ago): "If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years... Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!"
Notice how this was very confidently presented as FACTS:
You WILL NEVER GROW OLD in this present system of things.
You WILL NEVER FULFILL ANY CAREER in this present system.
Why not? Because, according to this, ALL the evidence in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy indicates that this corrupt system would end in just a few years. No sense going to college or seeking a career, because by 1973 or 1975 or 1977 this system "will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!"
So – How old were you when this false prediction was made?
The people who were "young persons" at the time - say 14-15 - are now in their late 60s.
Many of them have grandchildren now.
Some have great-grandchildren.
That prediction was made by people who believed and still believe and teach (this is a required belief for JWs) that they are the only, ONLY organization that was appointed by God and that has His approval and is used by Him; the only, ONLY organization that serves as God's prophets, and that what they write comes directly from God.
"You WILL NEVER GROW OLD in this present system of things."
"You WILL NEVER FULFILL ANY CAREER in this present system."
This was all presented very confidently as FACTS coming directly from God.
And that prediction was totally and completely 100% FALSEHOOD.
And here's the thing about that: If the JW "leaders" come out with
another prediction about Armageddon in their next publication, it will be swallowed hook, line, and sinker by the JW masses with no questioning or challenging - Because it is required for them to do so. It doesn't really matter what the JW "leaders" say - Whatever it is, is to be received, believed and obeyed as coming from God - because the JW "leaders" have stated this is so. I
very much recommend that you literally spend some serious time thinking about that position and the implications of it in terms of the length and breadth and depth of power and control this gives the JW "leaders" over the JW masses.
As for the NWT, it is not regarded as being legitimate by any recognized translation scholar. It is rightly regarded as being a perversion created by the JWs to support their false beliefs. It is historical fact that JW beliefs came first, and then a "bible" was created to support them. I submit that you need to do some honest research yourself on the history and accuracy of the NWT.
As for your section on the Bible itself - All you've done there is make imagined and unsubstantiated assertions. You may wish to believe them, but that's all they are. No, the JWs are not "a Christian sect" with "an unpopular interpretation" (how very minimizing) as you write. They have a false, unbiblical Christ and a false unbiblical way of salvation and multiple other falsehoods. Anytime an honest person does a comparison study between what JWs believe and what the Bible says and shows will very, very easily see this. For instance - When it comes to the Person of Christ, JWs believe He is really the archangel Michael. Nope - That is simply not true and here's how and why: For one thing, Michael would never make the self-declarations that Christ makes in places such as John 12:45 and 14:7-9. For another - Michael would never receive for Himself the declaration of Thomas in John 29:28. JW belief also goes directly against what John wrote about Christ in his Prologue (1:1-18). It also goes directly against what the Apostle Paul wrote in multiple places. It also goes directly against what the writer of Hebrews says in chapter 1.
Here is just one example of what I mean: Look up Romans 10:13. Paul is citing Joel 2:32, a passage about Jehovah, and attributes it to someone in Romans 10:13 (ie. he is calling someone Jehovah). So who is the referent, who is Paul calling Jehovah in Romans 10:13?
Allow me to answer my own question: The context of Romans 10 is that of Christ - He is the subject. In verse 13, Paul takes the verse in Joel and directly applies it to Christ - thus calling Christ GOD. Anyone can look this up on their own very easily. Honest readers understand that that is
precisely what Paul is declaring there. In verses 9, 12, and 13, "Lord" is a translation of the Greek word kyrios, and verse 9 clearly associates "Lord" with Jesus. The same association continues in verses 12 and 13. But verse 13 is a quote of Joel
2:32, where the Hebrew text clearly shows Yahweh. This means that Jesus is the "Lord" in verse 12 who is called upon, and in verse 13 Paul connects this "Lord" (Jesus) with Joel
2:32's Yahweh. This indicates that Jesus is truly the God of the Old Testament (Yahweh). JWs have no answer for this fact.
