Names have been changed. Why?

easyreader1970

The only time that the Watchtower publication uses the real name of a person mentioned is when it's some biographical experience that is the entire article. Anytime a Witness is quoted in an article or other publication, they always include a footnote.

For example:

"I studied medicine because I wanted to use my life to help people. I also felt that the prestige and financial rewards of being a doctor would make me happy," recalls Seung Jin, who grew up in Korea*. "As I came to realize how little a doctor can really do to help, I became disillusioned.

* Name has been changed.

In almost every case, these people that are "interviewed" either already are Jehovah's Witnesses or they eventually join up. So why do they not use their real names? In my opinion, the quotes would have more credibility if they told us that it was Jack Johnson in Arkansas as opposed to some generic name like Mary or David or possibly even Seung Jin (I really don't know if that is a common Korean name).

Furthermore, where do these quotes even come from? Do they interview Bethelites for the articles? Or do they just make the quotes up to go with the material. After all, we have no way to check the sources and validate anything.

er

civicsi00

I've always wondered about that too. What do they have to hide?'

Nowaways I just think those quotes are all somehow made up. They may sound like what someone once wrote, but knowing the WT, they tend to modify things to suit them better.

Gopher

I always thought they used anonymity so they wouldn't give too much attention/notoriety to an individual. (It's kind of the same reason they won't celebrate birthdays.)

The "individual" is much less important than the "organization", you know.

Edited to add: The loyal Watchtower reader believes everything the Society prints in there. They don't care about the credibility of the experiences in the magazines any more than they do the credibility of assembly "experiences". They only care about getting excited that something good is happening due to the "organization".

daniel-p

"I started going to college because I wanted to make something of myself," says Greg, who grew up in poverty*. "Little did I know that my professors would try to make me think for myself and use worldly logic to reason." *Name has been changed.

LovesDubs

Because you might be inclined to go ASK that guy in Arkansas if he was really STUPID enough to say what they QUOTED him as saying and then he would say oh HELL no I never said that!! So...that protects them LOL

Have you ever looked up the PROOF TEXTS and QUOTES they use in their literature? They dont give references so you dont go look it up and make em look bad because they totally take things out of context and they totally misquote their "experts" and some of the shit they say comes out of the mouths of CHILDREN at times just frickin astounds me:

"Danny who is four replied regarding his video game, "Oh yes Father, I agree this video game has content not suitable for children! I best go spend my time studying for next Sundays Watchtower Study. Would you mind, Father, gathering the family together so we can study Jehovahs bountiful feast together?"

gag puke hurl LOL

Cindi_67

I have to defend the Society on this one. There are a lot of people that will probably over praise this person if they actually know who they are; will see them as a celebrity sort of speak. I guess that is why they don't put the real name.

However, I will leave my two cents on this quote:

"I studied medicine because I wanted to use my life to help people. I also felt that the prestige and financial rewards of being a doctor would make me happy," recalls Seung Jin, who grew up in Korea*. "As I came to realize how little a doctor can really do to help, I became disillusioned.

This is where I see how they turn things around to play with the r&f minds into not pursuing a College degree. They make it sound like everybody that studies a good paying career, does it with the purpose of gaining prestige and pursuing materialistic goals. NOT TRUE.

The second part highlighted in red, is not true either. Sure, doctors are not gods, but the rewards of saving at least one life, is worth it. Why would they put down this career, when there are many JW's that are doctors, in fact, those helping others with the blood issue? If it weren't for them, those who believe in blood transfusions being a sin, will be crazy looking for somebody that knows how to deal with these situations on blood.

In this case they use this experience to their advantage, to excuse their teachings on College, but when it comes to doctors that have become experts on bloodless surgeries, they praise them.

seek2find

If memory serves me correctly, they got burned once on a story they did on Mickey Spilane where they used his name and then at a later time he fell away and was disfellowhipped and went on to write some material they weren't proud of. Latter he was re-instated and still professed to be a witness just not as strong as before. So after that for a long time they Just labeled personal experience articles as contributed, and then eventually they went back to using names sometimes and other times as you mentioned they used made up names. Another saga in the ever shifting world of JWs. seek2find

tan

Funny you brought this topic up. I remember one time when I first started fading looking in the Watchtower at the so called "quote" names to see if it was legit. Could not find anything anywhere. That was one of my confirmation that they lied.

easyreader1970

they got burned once on a story they did on Mickey Spilane where they used his name and then at a later time he fell away and was disfellowhipped and went on to write some material they weren't proud of.

This makes good sense, seek2find.

There is a pretty good chance that the person that made the encouraging remarks may get disfellowshipped or disassociated. He or she might possibly even turn to what they like to call apostasy. It is logical that the only names that are "real" are those of either the very elderly or already deceased. They are much less likely to turn traitor on them and make them look bad.

er

Free

Same reason the GB used (questions from readers) to address things they thought were of concern, When there was nobody asking the question to begin with.

They just love blowing smoke up peoples asses.

Names have been changed. Why?

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