They are surely responding to ex-JWs who initially announced to the British press complaining at the outrage of calling a group of people “mentally diseased”. Presumably the original NWT wording came from the pen their non-scholar translator Frederick Franz.  The Watchtower attitude was, “It is God’s unimpeachable divine word; so we can shove it (the phrase mentally diseased) down the throats of the apostates!”

The bad publicity must have alerted them to their insensitivity on the matter of mental illness and so they have changed it. (In turn questioning the validity of all Fred Franz's contribution to its history).

By the way, which religion is it which stands out in your mind that is most "obsessed with arguments and debates over words?"


Last Edited By: half banana Jan 8 14 4:36 AM. Edited 1 times.