Elsie:
Thanks for the vacation!, but as I get older, more and more risk averse about travelling.
There is nothing wrong with recognizing the lens through which one reads the scriptures, to not do so one risks the scriptures being read, as you said, through an individuals one experience and perspective. To me, that is very dangerous.
Churches that have Creeds and Confessions have parameters that have been set based on 1,900 years plus of theological Tradition. So when I confess the Nicene Creed, I know I am confessing what was confessed 1,700 years ago and will be confessed thousands of years in the future.
Thus, interpreting scripture is to be done in light of the faith defined and passed down through the centuries. If you think about it, you being a Wesleyan actually provides you with somewhat of a similar framework that say Catholics and Eastern Orthodox have, vs. those groups that rely on the “so called inspiration” of some individual.
Both Mormonism and JW came out movements based on individualism of scripture interpretation. I think you would actually agree with that.
Actually, sharing a common aspect does not invalidate all you share the same, as it can also be argued that both began under the premise that the founders alone possessed papal-like ensured veracity, excluding themselves from being in error. The question is, what is Scriptural? Can "laity" be correct in discerning what is of God, based on Scriptural substantiation, even if in dissent from the historical instruments and stewards of Divine revelation, or does being the latter, and inheritor of promises of God presence and preservation, require or infer that such office possesses ensured (conditional) infallibility?
And based on Scriptural substantiation, Jesus is the Divine Son of God, light from light, true God from True God...
And EVERYTHING in those 'creeds' are found in the Scriptures.
No 'traditions' need apply.
Only partly: the JWs.
Mormonism is different.
Not content to merely misinterpret and re-invent Scripture; it added it's own.
But since the JW group wasn't getting a good enough grip on it's deceived folks; it had to CHANGE the actual wording of Scripture as well; with the NWT edition; to make it easier to fool those who are 'cautioned' against studying on their own.