Q5.0 I've heard people apply the Orwellian term `doublethink' to JWs. How does this work in practice? First of all, a definition of the term: Doublethink : "means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them. The Party intellectual knows in which direction his memories must be altered; he therefore knows that he is playing tricks with reality; but by the exercise of doublethink he also satisfies himself that reality is not violated. The process has to be conscious, or it would not be carried out with sufficient precision, but it also has to be unconscious, or it would bring with it a feeling of falsity and hence of guilt. doublethink lies at the heart of Ingsoc, since the essential act of the Party is to use conscious deception while retaining the firmness of purpose that goes with complete honesty. To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality, and all the while to take into account the reality which one denies - all this is indispensably necessary. Even in using the word doublethink it is necessary to exercise doublethink". George Orwell, _1984_, Pt II, Chap IX Any former Soviet citizen can likely provide you a quick answer as to how one manages to hold together a contradictory position - by rhetoric. In Julian Barnes` _The Porcupine_, the protagonist has his solid faith in the Communist Party undermined when his daughter asks `why is the countryside full of fruit in the shops and there's no fruit in the shops?','why are there soldiers everywhere but no war?' `Why is there fog over the city in summer?' `Why do those people live on that waste ground?' Crucially, it wasn`t the questions that shook him :- `What stirred him was the innocent child's passive satisfaction with responses he knew at best to be plausible evasions. Her blithe acceptance troubled him profoundly...Angelina's condition expanded until it became symptomatic of the whole country. Could a nation lose its capacity for skepticism, for useful doubt? What if the muscle of contradiction simply atrophied from lack of exercise?' This reaction finds its parallels in other fiction with Orwell's _1984_ and the work of Milan Kundera, especially his biography of an accidental apostate, _The Joke_. The latter describes a position of double reality, created by the real world and the overreal world created by constant propaganda and peer pressure. This is uncannily close to the universe of the JW, and in a lesser way to the slithery rhetoric of the modern Western politician - it's always safer to speak in abstractions. Also similar is the need for a constant state of war - a feature of IngSoc, Barnes' Bulgaria and Kundera's Bohemia; the JW is convinced that they have always been at war with Babylon and World Governments, and the individual JW is convinced that he his hated by the World - this keeps him in a state of war-readiness and is also easier to bear than the truer atmosphere of indifference or ignorance towards JWs. One incidence of this double reality is the large corpus of laws in varying states of unwritten-ness and application (the latter depends largely on what the `friends' glossary refers to as `liberal' and `conservative' tendencies amongst elders). Non-JWs & ex-JWs often find, when stating that JWs have damaged people's lives due to restrictions on higher education, cutting ties with family and friends, failed end-of-the-world predictions, that the JW can slither out of it by saying that there was no law about such things, nothing down in black and white. Some research into WT literature will find such statements (although much of this sort of direction goes unrecorded in the form of congregation and convention speeches) present in a fuzzy, loose sort of way - `How fine it would be', `Wise parents will', `Many have found', `certainly it brings joy to God's heart...'. "He has no freedom of choice in any direction whatever. On the other hand his actions are not regulated by law or by any clearly formulated code of behavior. In Oceania there is no law. Thoughts and actions, which when detected mean certain death, are not formally forbidden". _1984_ , Chap IV It is in the day-to-day operation of the WTS and strong peer-group pressure that turns such apparent `motherly advice' into law. These phrases read both ways - to the non-JW they are presented merely as suggestions; the JW himself runs the risk of being labeled `disloyal', 'independently thinking', `running ahead of the Society','unspiritual', 'jumping ahead of Jehovah's chariot', 'not being a true sheep', 'not bringing joy to God's heart' by ignoring them, or openly flouting them, and be compared to Uzziah, Sapphira, sundry Laodiceans etc. Again, Stalinism provides a perfect parallel - Milan Kundera relates, in _The Art of the Novel_, of a Czech man who fell foul of some Communist directive and was unable to obtain a work permit - the Party stated that there was nothing against him on file and no reason not to have a permit - but the informal system prevailed, eventually he - unable to find work and a `marked' man amongst friends - fell foul of a real, open law - laziness, and thus imprisoned (cf Kafka). It should be noted that even when a rule is removed, it still lingers on in the behavior of JWs:e.g. some are still unable to play chess with a clean conscience. "Whoever hath an absolute authority to interpret any written or spoken laws it is he who is the lawgiver to all intents and purposes and not the person who first wrote or spoke them." - Bishop Hoadly Another simple way is by changing the meaning of the words. By using a variety of terms, it becomes very difficult to pin down any argument - when discussing one aspect of doctrine the word means this, when discussing another it means something else. Quine's principle suggests that any theory can be proved with any data, and that theory systems may only be disproved en masse - taken bit at a time they simply mutate to preserve credibility. And watch those slippery synonyms! An especially pernicious example is the exchange of the words `doctrine' or `belief' in daily speech with the word `truth' - this has the subliminal effect of making any test of veracity of the `truths' seem unnecessary. JWs used to deny absolutely that they were a 'religion'; this has changed and now they admit to being a religion, but steadfastly deny being a 'church', except of course when filling out the tax forms. There's a similar effect with the substitution of `learning by rote' with the grander name of `study', and `chore' by `privilege'. Dozens of such %JWisms% litter the speech of the socialized JW - e.g. what Joe Soap may call a "good book" the JW might call a "beneficial publication", filled with "good points" and "teaching illustrations", which "behoove" the "happified" JW to "place" them with "householders", whether "oldster" or "youth". This special argot permits JWs to identify each other, and a false JW may be spotted by using out-of-date expressions. Another is controlling the flow of information. Hey, there's no need to bring up a topic at all if you have total editorial control, and not just over one information source, but for some the *only* source, and for all the only *trusted* source. Compare Chomsky's analysis of how newspapers can, without any dishonesty, manipulate their readers view of the world - one tiny paragraph on East Timor on page 8 twice a year against full page stories of other atrocities in states *not* friendly to the paper's government. In WT & Awake terms this means constant pictures of old people climbing out of graves and practically no mention of the doctrinal morass beneath them [See the Q on afterlife] - when coupled with the instinctive fear of extinction by death which drives most people to religion, and the strong disapprobation of independent thinking (what other type of thinking is there?) this is unbeatable. Remember that the WTS has no theology, but rather an ideology. Thus, in discussions pay close attention to the language used - remember the advice an elderly poet gave to a younger one: `beware of all abstractions; they don't exist; that's why they're called abstractions'. More precisely in this case, it's essential to have one's inner alarum set to trigger whenever any doctrine or argument slips into metaphor - this is a sure sign that there's something up! An example from Q4: the term `brought back from the dead' was used to describe the resurrection - two bells there - `brought back' is an analogy of physical action, and `the dead' is an abstract figure of speech. Two questions must spring to mind: what do they mean by such glib terms? and why are they slipping into metaphor in the first place? what is being papered over? how can anyone be `brought back' from a metaphor? what exactly is 'the dead'? A similar example (Q7.1) is the exchange of `inspired' and 'spirit-directed' The only caveat is that after even a brief read of any WT literature you'll be suffering from a form of critical tinctitus! [See also file awaken10.txt in the Organization archive.] "He did not need to know that these gods were called Baal, Osiris, Moloch, Ashtaroth, and the like: probably the less he knew about them the better for his orthodoxy. He knew Jehovah and the commandments of Jehovah: he knew, therefore, that all gods with other names or attributes were false gods." 1984, Appendix: The Principles of Newspeak Q5.1 Are there any other Orwellian links? blackwhite the ability to see black and say white, and vice versa as required by Society discipline; to accept the current version of the past, and forget that one has ever held any contrary Society doctrine before. [q.v. Q7.2] "If the Society told me that this book is black instead of green, I would say, `Y'know, I could have sworn that it was green, but if the Society says it's black, then it's black!' - Bart Thomson, WTS District Overseer crimestop the internal mental policing which is able to stamp out deviant beliefs, `a blindspot whenever a dangerous thought' occurred. The classing of all WTS critical literature as `spiritual pornography' is part of this. newspeak the language which changes the meaning of words, introduces neologisms and expels old words, a.k.a. `the pure language' and e.g. the purging of the word `church' and the replacement of `doctrine' by `truth' - this works with %crimestop% to create _thought terminating clich‚s_ memory hole where all the old truths go when replaced by new ones ownlife `independent thinking', `selfish pursuits' bellyfeel `I just knew within me it was the truth' goodsex "The male and female sex organs were provided by God to be used in fulfilling the noble assignment to be "fruitful and become many." We need not describe how these organs cooperate to that end. Their design is quite apparent. Married persons recognize the obvious way in which the husband's organ fits into his wife's birth canal to serve the serious purpose of reproduction." WT 69, 12/15, p765 sexcrime anything other than goodsex, as above. Elders have the right to examine the intimate lives of married couples, and for many years, oral sex and other practices within marriage has been an excommunicable offense; w83 3/15, p31, see also Franz, _Crisis of Conscience_ inner party spirit-anointed class, Faithful & Discreet Slave class outer party great crowd, Jonadabs, those with earthly hope proles worldlings, children of Satan's world Goldstein & Ray Franz and _Crisis of Conscience_ (see q10.1) `the Book' facecrime `let's put on our Kingdom Smiles brothers' duckspeak to a JW, loyally clinging to present truth; to everyone else babbling the party line. goodthinker spiritually-minded person, Society man goodthinkful `happifying',`upbuilding' prolefeed `Awake!' joycamp `Bethel' crimethink apostasy, independent thinking, running ahead of God's Chariot, disloyalty to the organization. "Yet there are some who point out that the organization has had to make adjustments before, and so they argue: `This shows that we have to make up our own mind on what to believe.' This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous? Such thinking is an evidence of pride." WT83, 1/15, p27 The Brotherhood "The Evil Slave", Jesus-Witnesses, Ray Franz & cronies Room 101 the room at the back of a Kingdom Hall (Study Hall in Mexico) where judicial hearings and `counsel' occur. Eurasia fuzzy evil enemy which keeps society on a war footing and justifies the actions of the `thought police', and to a JW is simply the `world', its demonic `invisible rulers' and `Babylon the Great, the World Empire of False Religion' IngSoc The Society, Mother, New World Society, God's People Big Brother a fictional character who rubber-stamps politburo decisions and who, citizens are told, can see everything they do all the time, compare with the WT society's use of `Jehovah', the claimed `Editor' of the WT Jones curiously these are the names of three prominent members Aaronson of the WTS in Orwell's time, [q.v. Botting] Rutherford Ministries also have their contemporary avatars, linked by of Truth subterranean tunnels, and with computer-controlled light Love, Peace switches and sensors in every room [q.v. file JW#59.txt] and Plenty and are the source of 'bounteous spiritual food'. For further reading, Botting's `The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses' is highly recommended, either for Orwell scholars who'll learn from the WTS or those with an interest in the WT from Orwell. "WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH" Q6.0 Are JWs a cult? They do, of course deny this, but they would do, wouldn't they; no group ever owns up to being a cult. Also, the terms `cult' and `sect' have so many usages (and often used simply as synonyms) that they lose much meaning. While the term `cult' is used to sell films and products, in the religious sense it's nearly always used in the pejorative, i.e. a cult is `a religion I don't approve of''. A cult (and this statement refers, not to a religion, but to a politico-philosophical movement) "... happens when the truth becomes more important than the search for truth, when final results of inquiry become more important than the process of inquiry, and especially when reason leads to an absolute certainty about one's beliefs such that those who are not for the group are against it." A prime characteristic of cults, especially fundamentalist ones ( religious or political) is the phenomenon of _totalism_, defined by psychiatrist Robert Lifton as the tendency to view the world in terms of `all or nothing' alignments. In his book, "Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism" he details eight `psychological themes' that can be found in totalist groups, and to varying degrees amongst JWs:- * A `sacred science' -- an ideology that is held to be true for all people at all times. This ideology generally claims to be inspired and scientific at the same time. * `Milieu control,' the control of human communication, not only over our communications with others, but also with ourselves. * `Mystical manipulation' -- including deception and `planned spontaneity' which seeks limit self-expression and independent action. * The demand for purity, the notion that absolute purity exists, and that anything done in the name of this purity is ultimately moral. * `The cult of confession' -- "There is the demand that one confess to crimes one has not committed, to sinfulness that artificially induced, in the name of a cure that arbitrarily imposed." * `Loading the language' -- redefinition of language, with an emphasis on moral polarization, and thought terminating clich‚s. * `Doctrine over person' -- the subordination of personal experiences to the doctrines of the sacred science. * `Dispensing of existence' -- the doctrine that the group can decide who has the right to exist, and who does not. [Fur a fuller consideration, see files totalism.txt and culthurt.txt in the Organization archive.] One useful sociological, and non-judgmental usage of the term, relates to the composition of the members. A church composed largely of converts is termed a cult, and will tend to be active, zealous and possibly fanatical. However, once the children and grandchildren of converts begin to dominate, the group takes on the more conservative and sedate nature of a religion. By this means you'd probably define JWs in Mexico as a cult and in Sweden as a religion, and you'd be at least partially right. Where congregations and families are long established, they tend to be calmer and looser about their religion - both in the sense that the children may well be going night-clubbing (or as happened in England, organizing `blood-card raves') after meetings, but also that they take things less seriously, joke about boring talks, bald elders, and take the more extreme WT proclamations with a pinch of salt. This isn't to suggest that they're any less faithful, in some ways they can behave as such because their faith is very firmly woven into their being, and they've never known any society but The Society. A similar phenomenon to the `cultural Mormons' is found amongst these. Some aspects of the JW church are classically cultic - the tight control of power and information, the fear of exclusion, fostering of guilt, internal and peer-group thought-control, strong rhetoric; these can be found, with uncannily alike testimonies of escapees, in many religious and pseudo-religious groups - from the Moonies to Eastern-bloc Communist states. It's also fair to say that some aspects of JW life have more of the characteristics of mainstream religion; and, with regard to the WatchTower corporation itself, perhaps a greater likeness simply to any other multinational corporation; in some ways WatchTower is more like Coca-Cola Inc than a church, obeying the internal logic of any large organization - religious, commercial or political - to expand, entrench, franchise out, foster brand differentiation and loyalty, destroy the competition, and retain central control of its operations, and occasionally, the desire to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. Q6.1 Are JWs paranoid? Invisible friends? tick Invisible enemies? tick Whole world against them? tick On a mission from God? tick World events revolve around them? tick Part of struggle between Good & Evil tick Can point out who 666 is? tick 'You have a beard, you must be a worldling' tick Post to UseNet? tick Q7.0 Is the WatchTower Society a false prophet? [See also the files in the prophecy archive.] To the casual observer, any body which repeatedly makes predictions about the end-of-the-world or return-of-Christ and fails to deliver the goods seems clearly a false prophet - there's a simple test in the Mosaic Law (Deut 18:21-22), a scripture which is remarkably poorly referenced and cross-indexed in WT literature, which makes the test quite simple: if he says it and it happens, he's from God, if not - get the stones ready. While most JWs know of the 1914+generation prophecy (with the patented elastic generation) and some have hazy memories of 1975, most aren't aware of the sheer number of dates which have failed - the time of the end once started with Napoleon in 1799, the end of 1260 days of Papal rule from 539 AD to the beginning of Millerism in 1829, the Lord's coming in various years around 1874 (it wasn't until 1943 that 1874 was rejected as the date of Christ's coming in Kingdom power, see _God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached_, WTS 1973, p209), the end of the world in about every year between 1908 and 1919, the destruction of other religions in 1918, the setting up of God's Kingdom on *earth* (to be precise, Jerusalem) in 1925, Armageddon hinted as a continuation of World War II, hailed again in 1975, hints dropped (accompanied by loud cheers when it was announced at JW conventions around the world) for 1986 (UN Year of Peace) and now quiet talk of 2000, nor the fundamental changes in the meaning of 1914. Add to that the changing nature of the characters - Britain is King of the North, then King of the South along with the USA, Germany is King of the North, then the USSR is; now it may be Beavis & Butthead for all anyone knows. Christ came in the character of a Bridegroom in 1874.... at the beginning of the Gospel harvest. [_Watch Tower_, Oct 1879, p. 4] We need not here repeat the evidences that the "seventh trump" began its sounding A.D., 1840, and will continue until the end of the time of trouble, and the end of "The times of the Gentiles," A.D., 1914, and that it is the trouble of this "Great day," which is here symbolically called the voice of the Archangel when he begins the deliverance of fleshly Israel. "At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince [Archangel] which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation." Dan. xii. 1. Nor will we here, again present the conclusive Bible proof that our Lord came for his Bride in 1874, and has an unseen work as Reaper of the first-fruits of this Gospel Age. [_Zion's Watch Tower_ November, 1880 p. 1] Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, A.D....and the formal inauguration of his kingly office dates from April 1878, A.D. [_Studies in the Scriptures, Vol.4, p.621] The Millenium began in 1874, with the return of Christ. [_The Finished Mystery_, (1917 ed.), pg.386] "The time of the end" embraces a period from 1799 A.D., as above indicated, to the time of the complete overthrow of Satan's empire and the establishment of the kingdom of the Messiah. The time of the Lord's second presence dates from 1874, as above stated. The latter period is within the first named, of course, and in the latter part of the period known as "the time of the end." [_The Harp of God_, (1921) p. 236] The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the "time of the end" began in 1799; that the Lord's second presence began in 1874. [_The Watch Tower_, March 1, 1922] The second coming of the Lord therefore began in 1874.... [_Creation_, 1927, p289 early editions, p310 later editions] The Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D. [_Prophecy_, 1929, p65] Surely there is not the slightest room for doubt in the mind of a truly consecrated child of God that the Lord Jesus is present and has been since 1874. [_Watch Tower_, Jan 1, 1924, p5] We have no doubt whatever in regard to the chronology relating to the dates of 1874, 1914, 1918, and 1925. It was on this line of reckoning that the dates 1874, 1914, and 1918 were located; and the Lord has placed the stamp of his seal upon 1914 and 1918 beyond any possibility of erasure. What further evidence do we need? Using this same measuring line.... it is an easy matter to locate 1925, probably in the fall, for the beginning of the antitypical jubilee. There can be no more question about 1925 than there was about 1914. _Watchtower_, May 15, 1922 It is on the basis of such and so many correspondencies -- in accordance with the soundest laws known to science -- that we affirm that, Scripturally, scientifically, and historically, present-truth chronology is correct beyond a doubt. Its reliability has been abundantly confirmed by the dates and events of 1874, 1914, and 1918. Present-truth chronology is a secure basis on which the consecrated child of God may endeavor to search out things to come. _Watchtower_, June 15 1922 This chronology is not of man, but of God. Being of divine origin and divinely corroborated, present-truth chronology stands in a class by itself, absolutely and unqualifiedly correct.... _Watchtower_, July 15, 1922 --- 1923 --- 1924 --- 1925 --- not much happens --- 1926 --- Some anticipated that the work would end in 1925, but the Lord did not state so. The difficulty was that the friends inflated their imaginations beyond reason; and that when their imaginations burst assunder, they were inclined to throw away everything. _Watchtower_ 1926, p232 The year 1925 came and went. Jesus' anointed followers were still on earth as a class. The faithful men of old times -- Abraham, David and others -- had not been resurrected to become princes in the earth. (Ps. 45:16) So, as Anna MacDonald recalls: "1925 was a sad year for many brothers. Some of them were stumbled; their hopes were dashed. They had hoped to see some of the `ancient worthies' resurrected. Instead of its being considered a `probability,' they read into it that it was a `certainty,' and some prepared for their own loved ones with expectancy of their resurrection." yb 1975, p146 Paradoxically, more non-JWs than JWs are aware of such things as the 1925 suggestion to add an extra room to one's house, hire an undertaker to decorate (they'd be unemployed due to the End Of Death) and then in 1926 phone up Abraham at his office in Jerusalem to arrange the beaming back of one's parents to the new extension (The Way to Paradise, pages 228, 229). The WT led by example by building a mansion in San Diego for the rest of the Bible characters mentioned in Hebrews Chapter 11 - when they failed to turn up the President moved in (a different tale is told today by JWs, but the original WT materials and title deeds are available [see jw#66.txt in prophecy archive]), his followers prevented from putting his body in a crypt there by the city authorities. (Salvation, p. 311; Millions Now Living Will Never Die,1920, pp.88-90; W 7/17/1922, p. 217; W 9/1/1922, p262; W 4/1/1923, p106) Likewise, you'd be very unlikely to meet a JW who was aware of the bold assertion that space-flight was scripturally impossible for man (The Truth Shall Make you Free, p. 285, 1943 edition), the scriptural evidence for "Great Britain and America becoming Fascist under the dominating control of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy" (_Enemies_, 1937, p291) nor the dire consequences of world vaccination projects (WT May 1, 1929, p 502), nor the early foundation of their chronology in the occult practice of Pyramidology, with its forebear of the elastic last generation - the elastic great corridor of the Great Pyramid of Giza (Studies in the Scriptures, 1897, 1909, 1916 & 1923 eds). The _Proclaimers_ book (jv, p200) seeks in a passing reference to pin this practice onto Russell, whereas it was still alive well into Rutherford's tenure (WT 1922, 6/5, p187). (N.B. that according to later WT statements, Pyramidology was a demonic practice, but the WTS has never been too precise on the resulting status of the best-known exponent, one CT Russell, who requested to be buried (in a toga) under a pyramid, stamped his books with the occult winged-sun sign and also made use of astrology when it suited). [See awaken3.txt, jw#60.txt in prophecy archive and Q13] Q7.1 Is it a *prophet*? "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his prophetic vision, He will not put on a prophet's garment of hair in order to deceive. He will say, 'I am not a prophet. I am a farmer..." Zechariah 13:4,5, NIV The stock answer, which to the lay observer appears stunningly bold, is simply to say that the WT society is not a prophet. Quite apart from the fact that their sophistical arguments fall flat on the crystally clear touchstone of Deuteronomy, and were foreseen in the Bible itself (Zech 13:4,5; Jer 14:14; Ezek 13:1-9) and it is contradicted plainly by the WT itself, and by the following under-oath testimony regarding the claimed editorship of the WT magazine: Fred W. Franz (vice-president of the Watchtower Society from 1949 to 1977, president from 1977 to his death in 1992), under oath in the Olin Moyle case (New York Supreme Court, Kings County Clerk's Index No. 15845, 1940, pp. 795), gave his testimony in May, 1943, which is here reproduced: Q. Who subsequently became the Editor of the magazine, the main editor of the "Watch Tower" magazine? A. In 1931, October 15th, as I recall, the "Watch Tower" discontinued publishing the names of any editorial committee on the second page. The Court. He asked you who became the editor. The Witness. And it said -- The Court. Who became the editor? Q. Who became the editor when this was discontinued? A. Jehovah God. Nathan Homer Knorr (then President) on the witness stand, at the same Olin Moyle trial, sections 4420 & 4421 : "Q. But you don't make any mention in the fore part of your Watch Tower that "We are not infallible and subject to correction and may make mistakes" ? A. We have never claimed infallibility. Q. But you don't make any such statement, that you are subject to correction, in your Watch Tower papers do you ? A. Not that I recall. Q. In fact, it is set forth directly as God's Word, isn't it ? A. Yes, as His Word. Q. Without any qualification whatsoever ? A. That is right." The following appeared on the WatchTower masthead until the late 1980s: "A WATCHTOWER enables a person to look far into the distance and announce to others what is seen. Likewise, this magazine, published by Jehovah's Witnesses, aids the reader to see what the future holds" "Thus, God gives his humble servants special knowledge that others do not have...Having advance knowledge from Jehovah, his servants are equipped- indeed, commissioned by God- to herald throughout the world the warning of this system's approaching end, along with the comforting message of the new order." WT Oct 15 1980 p17, para 2 Further references (WT Apr 1, 1972 p197 and WT Sept 1 1979, p29) again confirm this, in the latter the WTS being referred to as a latter-day "Jeremiah class", "sent by Jehovah" and having "faithfully spoken forth Jehovah's word". Compare with the disclaimer published in small print in a footnote of the March 22, 1993 Awake! magazine. This simple trick of being a Prophet when useful and not being one when it's handy, works because the human brain can only read one article at a time, and if that brain is not trained or permitted to think critically, and moreover wishes it to be true and fears the consequences of it not being so, it's quite capable of agreeing with something in one article and its opposite in another. [See jw-006.txt and jw#55.txt in prophecy archive] In this case of doublethink (q.v.), JWs will say that their governing body is not `inspired' but is `spirit-directed' - the synonyms flow glibly, but try and ask what the difference between these two terms is and how the spirit does the directing, and whether wrong dates are the fault of the spirit or whether the governing body were not being directed that month, or if partially right whether they were being only partially directed, and how we can spot which bits are spirit-directed so we can trust them and which bits aren't. Sometimes, the special pleading occurs with a split in the nature of prophecy between 'fore- telling' and 'forth-telling', and the JW will say they are prophets only in the second narrower sense. This might be a valid argument if it were not for the quantity of unwishawayable foretellings in their history. Again, because consequences of statements are not thought through, and allowed to work at the rhetorical rather than logical level, such equivocation and word-games work, even for college-educated (and sometimes better, since there is an intellectual challenge - as in law - in defending the indefensible) & senior JWs. --------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/apl/jw/jwfaq.04.txt (continued, see jwfaq.05.txt) *************** to be continued **************** I am pleased to share this the fourth part of a multi-part Internet FAQ file on the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society Of Pennsylvania. For those not aware, FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. It is my belief that an informed consumer can make decisions which are IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CONSUMER. Better and more rational decisions can be made. A Used Car Saleman will likely not to tell you the background of the used car he is trying to sell, either by willfully withholding or twisting information, or by the very fact that the owner of Used Car Dealership has hidden relavent information from said Sales Person. You aren't told that the shiny used car was once involved in a major accident and became an insurance write off. This file and others, including issues of AWAKEN, can be found on the Internet at: FTP://ICLNET93.ICLNET.ORG/PUB/RESOURCES/TEXT/APL/JW Please share the info found here and in the issues of AWAKEN with other members of Faith which you belong. Consider using this info within publications issued to members of your Faith. People need to become informed about the Watch Tower. Why ? The followers of the Watch Tower Bible And Tract Society of Pennsylvania who call themselves Jehovahs Witnessess, go door to door trying to sell whatever the Watch Tower has produced for consumption at the time. The are trained WEEKLY, to respond to any and all objections to their door to door proselytizing. They are told by the Watch Tower that the Watch Tower is the only Channel Of Communication Used by G-D, and that the Watch Tower is the only RIGHT/TRUE religion. The followers will privately claim that they are in the TRUTH. The following Biblical quotes might be worth discussing with the Jehovah's Witness, who comes knocking at your door: Compare Matthew 1:16 with Luke 3:23. The following quotes are from the Watch Tower's New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. MATT 1:16: "JACOB was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, who was the mother of Jesus, who is called "Christ"". Luke 3:23: "Furthermore, Jesus himself, when he commenced his work, was about thirty years old, being the son, as the opinion was, of Joseph, the son of HELI" QUESTION: Who was Jesus's Grandfather ? Lets now discuss Matthew 27:5 and Acts 1:18. MATT 27:5: "So he threw the silver pieces into the temple and withdrew, and went off and hanged himself." ACTS 1:18: "This very man, therefore, caused a field to be purchased with the reward for unrighteousness, and pitching head foremost he noisily burst in the midst and all his intestines were poured out." QUESTIONS: What did Judas do with the silver pieces ? How did Judas die ? Now lets look at Matthew 27:6. MATT 27:6: "But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said: "It is not lawful to drop them into the sacred treasury, because they are the price of blood." After consulting together, they bought with them the potter's field to bury strangers." QUESTION: Who purchased the field ? Now since JWs believe that the whole Bible is inspired. You might ask them why they do not follow Jesus' words in Mark 16:17: "Furthermore, these signs will accompany those believing: By the use of my name they will exspel demons, they will speak with tongues, and with their hands they will pick up serpents, and IF THEY DRINK ANYTHING DEADLY IT WILL NOT HURT THEM AT ALL." QUESTION: Who spoke the above words ? What signs WILL accompany those believing in Jesus ? Was Jesus a Liar ? Have any members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses ever displayed any of the above signs ? Jesus did say that "these signs will accompany those believing" !!! You might ask the visiting JWs to follow Jesus's words and to take the TEST. Auto supply stores will sell you pure Automobile Battery Acid. Pour out a 12 ounce glass of said Battery Acid for the JWs to drink heartily. If Jesus was not telling a LIE, then they will not be harmed if they drink the Battery Acid. If they do become harmed, then they CLEARLY were not believers and what they were preaching MUST have been against JESUS. If the Bible is inspired, then either all parts are inspired. You cannot say this part is inspired and this part is not. MARK 16:17 is included in the Watch Tower's translation and therefore must be inspired. Time to ask if the JW follows the BIBLE. If yes, then why has the JW not followed Jesus's words. All JWs should be happy to be tested in such a manner. Jesus knew that there would be false preachers. He gave a listing of the signs which "will accompany" ALL TRUE BELIEVERS. JWs are told by the Watch Tower, that all other Belief Systems teach False Teachings, because all other Belief Systems are agents of SATAN. They are told that all Governments and Governmental Agencies are also agents of SATAN. Does SATAN fear the truth ?? JWs have no qualms attacking any and all aspects of your Belief System, when they come on their un-asked for visits. They are trained, weekly, to SELL you on the Watch Tower's products. By becoming informed about the Jehovahs Witnesses, one will be better prepared to decide whether one should get invloved with this group. "ONE simple act of RANDOM KINDNESS towards a stranger will do more to BETTER the world in which we live, than countless hours of door to door Proselytizing." "ONE simple act of RANDOM KINDNESS towards a stranger will bring you closer to the LIGHT, than countless hours of Book Study." Copyright (c) 1995 by Vince Banial, Toronto Ontario Canada. This material MAY NOT be incorporated into any book without the empress and written permission of Vince Banial. This material may be freely uploaded to any BBS or posted on the Internet, as long as it remains unchanged. Look for new AWAKEN issues in 1996 about Near Death Experience. People who were clinically DEAD, are resuscitated and discuss the Near Death Experience they had on the other side of Death's veil. Thanks in advance.