The Watchtower's Unbalanced View of the Internet

by VM44 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  atypical

  Well, hey, I'll get my credit cards ready. Could you also provide me with info on how to leave my entire estate to you when I die?
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  R6Laser

  Sure thing! All I need to do now is find me some more people with the same mentality and start my own cult!
  I'll be rich, rich I tell you.
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  seattleniceguy

  R6,

  I think this article is masterfully written as a propaganda piece. After two brief paragraphs describing the potential usefulness of the Internet. They quickly revert to an extremely cautionary position, with

  Generally, the more powerful a tool is, the more dangerous it can be.

  And indeed, the article never again returns to any positive points. The structure of the article is:

  The internet can sometimes be a useful tool. Some people use it to do X and Y. However, there are serious risks involved, which are A and B and C and D and E (elaborated extensively). As a result, some have chosen not to use the Internet at all.

  Now, as a loyal Witness is trying to determine what the Society feels about the Internet, it should be clear that they are strongly against it. Since Witnesses are trained to read between the lines, the hard-liners will see this as a confirmation that the Internet should be avoided. But what about the next statement?

  However, it must be acknowledged that only a small percentage of sites on the Internet pose a danger and that most users have not experienced serious problems.

  This sentence is there to appease the people who work with the Internet every day and who would see the hardline position as unreasonable. Keep in mind that this one concilliatory sentence follows a dozen paragraphs of negative information. It's purpose is to provide a little bit of wiggle-room, but the article definitely serves to create or strengthen an "Internet-discouraging" culture.

  Think about it this way. If such articles did not have such an effect, we should expect Witness rates of Internet use to be about the same as the general population. Of course, it is difficult to obtain demographic data on the Witnesses (since elders have been instructed to refuse to reply to such research requests), but I think most of us here would agree that Internet usage among the Witnesses is very restricted, certainly not approaching the "55% of American households" figure published in the 2003 census.

  Obviously, caution should be used when using the Internet. And as you point out, there are dozens of articles published by different organizations that describe how to avoid the dangers. But it is possible to write such articles in a way that clearly embraces the Internet. This article was written in a way that clearly discourages its use, while grudgingly admitting that there are some practical applications. Witnesses get the point. The paragraphs on the dangers of the Internet do not read as helpful tips, but as a list of reasons not to use it at all.

  Propaganda pieces are always written in such a way that they can be taken in different ways. The most effective ones are written such that insiders and outsiders walk away with completely different understandings of the thrust of the article. Judging by the culture effected by this and other similar articles, I think it is safe to say that Witnesses are reading these articles as "do not touch unless absolutely necessary" directives.

  SNG
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  Cygnus

  Except, SNG, there must be a ton of Witnesses online. Look at the roofing blog and all the JWs posting on it. Many even have emailed opposers. I received one such email today. Nah, just like all the JWs who watch rated R movies at home on HBO or listen to hiphop/rap, they're using the internet.
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  R6Laser

  SNG,

  While I agree with some of your points on others I don't. First, why would the article state all the benefits of the internet when the articles title is "The Internet: How to Avoid the Dangers". If you thought you were going to read an article which would only point to the benefits of the internet than you got the wrong article.

  You mention the article is meant to be read between the lines and that JW are trained to read between the lines. Well I must've missed that day of training when I was an active JW because I never read between the lines. Then you quote sentences from the article and put your own spin on it.

  Another point I don't agree is on the percentage of witnesses using the internet. There are huge numbers of JWs using the internet, I know my brothers, cousins who are all still part of the JW's use it constantly. Their friends are always online chatting, they even have their own myspace accounts, and send each other e-mail all the time. They must've also missed the section on the article were it says that the internet is not to be used.
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  Nellie

  R6 - The other thing that cannot be overlooked are the comments that are made at the meeting discussions of these magazines. I remember about 2 1/2 years ago at a WT study discussing the internet someone commenting that "even off" viruses and demons could enter your computer. Needless to say, I rolled my eyes at the comment - but NO ONE corrected this person's viewpoint and I'm sure there are those who left the meeting believing this hogwash!
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  R6Laser

  
  R6 - The other thing that cannot be overlooked are the comments that are made at the meeting discussions of these magazines. I remember about 2 1/2 years ago at a WT study discussing the internet someone commenting that "even off" viruses and demons could enter your computer. Needless to say, I rolled my eyes at the comment - but NO ONE corrected this person's viewpoint and I'm sure there are those who left the meeting believing this hogwash!

  
  

  
  If that comment would've been made in my KH when I was attending I would personally get up and slap that person back to reality.

  Even so my point still stands, just because someone who has no knowledge on the internet raises his hand in the meetings and comments making ridiculous statements it doesn't make it true. You see most people in the KH giving their comments are only giving their own views on the subject which most of the time they have no knowledge. I remember little kids and teenagers and old people commenting and their comments were the most furthest thing from the truth. I'm not going to beleive someone sitting in the audience who's giving a comment and take it as gospel. That's ridiculous.
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  Sunspot

  Like wicked men in Bible times, pornographers frequently employ deception.

  Like the WTS doesn't?