English vs. Hebrew

[admin]

Why do Jehovah's Witnesses (those that speak English as their first language) seem to hate the language so much? I've been in the Truth for over 50-years, and every time language comes up during a meeting, somebody makes a comment about how much better ancient Hebrew was than the English we speak today, even though the article just said, "Jehovah doesn't care". He can use any language. Does that occur in languages other than English? - George, USA

[admin]

I do not personally feel the way you outlined above, however II have heard such statements before.  They are most  likely based on the belief that mankind is degenerating from bad to worse as every century passes since the first perfect human pair. The belief is that language is also.

Agape!

The Librarian

[Evacuated]

Hatred of English? I haven't come across that one yet amongst Jehovah's Witnesses currently, although I know there have been cranky views held in the past.

I'm pretty glad to be speaking English actually. It's a bit like speaking koine Greek in the 1stC, or Hebrew earlier on. We get a privileged access to spiritual food, speaking the base language of the time.

I have heard comments to the effect that Hebrew is the perfect language because it was the original language, but I keep an open mind on that, not just because I don't speak Hebrew. It was Jehovah who produced the proliferation of language wasn't it?

[AnonymousBrother]

I have heard many be thankful we *don't* speak Hebrew.

But it might be easier on the "lefties"

I'm basically fluent in three. They all have their good and bad points. My only complaint about English is, it really isn't "a" language, but a largely varied hodge-podge.

[housedoctor]

I've never heard anyone say that about English when it is their first language. The only time I've ever heard anything like that is when it is a persons SECOND language. Then they must think is is hard to learn or just prefer their own language. I can understand that because some things are hard to translate and it takes more words to explain what they mean To them their original language is just easier to understand.

[Evacuated]

Do you have access to the New World Translation 2013? Appendices A4 and A5, page 1731 to 1743.

[The Librarian]

4 hours ago, Eoin Joyce said:

Do you have access to the New World Translation 2013? Appendices A4 and A5, page 1731 to 1743.

I moved his question to it's own topic since he was asking another question.