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 (now-discarded as of late 1995) 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.
1799,1874
"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]
1799,1874
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]
1874
The second coming of the Lord therefore began in 1874....
[_Creation_, 1927, p289 early editions, p310 later editions]
1874
The Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord
Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D. [_Prophecy_, 1929, p65]
1874
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]
1874
Christ came in the character of a Bridegroom in 1874.... at the
beginning of the Gospel harvest. [_Watch Tower_, Oct 1879, p. 4]
1874
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]
1874
The Millenium began in 1874, with the return of Christ.
[_The Finished Mystery_, (1917 ed.), p386]
1881
(Rapture of Bible Students & Saints) WT Jan 1881, Dec 1880, May 1881
1881
(Sealing of 144,000. Fall of "Babylon the Great") _Proclaimers_ p632.
1910
(Rapture of Bible Students & Saints Take 2) Prediction based on
length of corridor of Great Pyramid of Gizeh.
_Studies in the Scriptures_ Vol III p364 (removed in post 1910 eds)
1840,1914
"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]
1914
"In this chapter we present the Bible evidence proving that the
full end of the times of the Gentiles, i.e., the full end of their
lease of dominion, will be reached in A.D. 1914; and that that
date will be the farthest limit of the rule of imprefect men. ...
It will prove that *before that date* God's Kingdom, organized in
power, will be on earth and then smite and crush the Gentile
image (Dan 2:34) - and fully consume the power of these kings." (
_The Time is at Hand_ (1889), p 76-78 [Italics Orignal])
1914
"Can it Be Delayed Until 1914? : They are, we believe, God's dates,
not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date
for the *beginning*, but for the *end* of the time of trouble."
Zion's WatchTower, July 1894 [Italics Original]
1918
"Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale
and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape
shall come to the works of Pastor Russel to learn the meaning of
the downfall of 'Christianity'". (_The Finished Mystery_ p485)
1920
"And every island fled away. - Even the republics will disappear
in the fall of 1920." (_The Finished Mystery_ p258)
1925
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
1925
"The date 1925 is even more distinctly indicated by the Scriptures
because it is fixed by the law God gave to Israel. Viewing the
present situation in Europe, one wonders how it will be possible
to hold back the explosion much longer; and that even before 1925
the great crisis will be reached and probably passed." (w22 9/1 p262)
--- 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.
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file: /pub/resources/text/apl/jw/jwfaq.04.txt
(continued, see jwfaq.05.txt)