In another thread I said this:
Actually I started going back to school while I was in, and it was a class on Expository Composition and constructing a logical argument that got the ball rolling on my exit ... I remember one section in the textbook (I loved that book) that had a list of logical fallacies to avoid when constructing a convincing argument. It read like a generic outline for damn near everything I’ve ever read from the “F&DS”. Blew my mind.
Well that gave me the idea to post that list of fallacies with examples from Watchtower publications. Some might come from common thoughts and ideas in the JW community, but others I'll pull from literature. Unfortunately, my WT CD Rom was confiscated along with almost all of my other literature, and I only have a very small supply of literature I haven't already "placed" with "Mr. Burns" who lives on "Fireplace Ln." (Nice man, VERY "receptive" to the literature, if you catch my drift.) So when I started this write-up I had very limited resources, but fortunately, I’ve recently acquired a copy of the 2008 WT Library!!! This made my search much easier obviously.
The book I'm referring to is called Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments.
It should be noted that many of these examples can fall under more than one fallacy.
Without further a due… Behold the staggering intellect of the Faithful & Discreet Slave…
FALLACY #1 - Bandwagon Appeals
Book Example: “It doesn’t matter that I cheat on a test because everyone else does.”
Explanation: This argument suggests that everyone is doing it, so why shouldn't you? Close examination may reveal that in fact everyone really isn't doing it - and in any case, it may not be the right thing to do.
Watchtower Example: "You can be among those to whom the words of Malachi chapter 3 will apply: "'They will certainly become mine,’ Jehovah of armies has said, ... 'And I will show compassion upon his son who is serving him'" (Malachi 3:17) Clearly, your faithfulness, which puts you in line to be saved, will then open to you "a blessing until there is no more want." What a marvelous prospect!" [Live With Jehovah's Day In Mind - pg. 191]
My Comments: This was a tough one to find because the WT prides itself on being the "narrow path to salvation” that only a select few have found. But the key lies in the last sentence. It indicates that all those who are truly "faithful" gain salvation. You want to be considered "faithful" don’t you? So EVERYONE who's "faithful" becomes a JW. Naturally. When the Bandwagon Appeal is looked at in this perspective, we see that it too is often used in Watchtower literature.
FALLACY #2 - Begging the Question
Book Example: “People should be able to use land any way they want to because using land is an individual right.”
Explanation: The fallacy of begging the question occurs when the claim is restated and passed off as evidence.
Watchtower Example:“Because apostates “originate with the world” and have its wicked spirit, “they speak what proceeds from the world and the world listens to them.”” - w86 7/15 p. 20 par. 22
My Comments: This is a truly childish mistake. It’s actually hard to make this one. So if the WT is going to make this mistake it would have to be in relation to apostates, their most desperate battlefront. In this case… what is the world? Naturally that is everything that the WT says it is. Therefore apostates are determined to be of “the world” based on the WTs definition of “what proceeds from the world.”
FALLACY #3 – Either /Or.
Book Example: “Either we build a new freeway crossing downtown or else there will be perpetual gridlock.”
Explanation: The either-or fallacy suggests that there are only two choices in a complex situation. This is rarely, if ever, the case.
Watchtower Example: “Every human on earth must choose between rulership by God and rulership by man.” - w86 2/1 p. 7
My Comments: Ahhhh a true WT classic. You are either with us or against us. You are either on God’s side or the Devils. Also known as the “false dichotomy”. Where is the middle ground? Where are the other perspectives? You either choose God or the Devil, choose life or death, choose the truth or lies, etc… In this case, choosing “rulership by God” means becoming a JW. Anything short of that means siding with the Devil. Billions of Christians on earth might dispute that point. Which is a reality that the WT will never acknowledge, hence making this a false dichotomy.
FALLACY #4 – False Analogies
Book Example: “The Serbian seizure of Bosnian territory was like Hitler’s takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1938, and having learned the hard way what happens when they give in to dictators, Western nations stood up to Serbian aggression.”
Explanation: Analogies always depend on the degree of resemblance of one situation to another. In this case the analogy fails to recognize that Serbia in 1993 was hardly like Nazi Germany in 1938.
Watchtower Example: “The account lists 10 major stages in this order: (1) a beginning; (2) a primitive earth in darkness and enshrouded in heavy gases and water; (3) light; (4) an expanse or atmosphere; (5) large areas of dry land; (6) land plants; (7) sun, moon and stars discernible in the expanse, and seasons beginning; (8) sea monsters and flying creatures; (9) wild and tame beasts, mammals; (10) man. Science agrees that these stages occurred in this general order. What are the chances that the writer of Genesis just guessed this order? The same as if you picked at random the numbers 1 to 10 from a box, and drew them in consecutive order. The chances of doing this on your first try are 1 in 3,628,800! So, to say the writer just happened to list the foregoing events in the right order without getting the facts from somewhere is not realistic.” - ce chap. 3 p. 37 par. 34
My Comments: Another WT classic. They seem to enjoy churning out analogies that make no real world sense. Here they assume the order could not be achieved through using mere observation. Therefore the comparison of the “order of creation” to “picking numbers at random” is at least stupid, and at best dishonest. For example, obviously a beginning is first. You cannot have land plants without having land first. Animals need to eat plants (and each other) to survive; therefore animals should arrive after plants. Of course man would be last as the pinnacle of God’s creation. So we see based on simple (primitive/observational) logic, the order chosen was anything but random.
Also, this analogy fails and is dishonest because science does NOT, in no way shape or form, agree with the “general order” presented here. Animals (particularly sea creatures) MOST CERTAINLY came before land plants.
Also the genesis account does not say that the sun, moon, and stars became “discernable” at that stage. It says they were “MADE” and placed into the expanse (firmament).
FALLACY #5 – Hasty Generalization
Book Example: “We had three days this summer when the temperature reached an all time high; that’s a sure sign of global warming.”
Explanation: A hasty generalization is a broad claim made on the basis of a few occurrences. The debate over global warming takes into climate data for centuries. Individual climate events such as record hot days do not confirm trends.
Watchtower Example: “The clergy’s reaction to exposure was similar to that of Jezebel upon learning that Elijah had killed the prophets of Baal. She sent Jehovah’s faithful prophet a message, vowing to have him killed.”- w97 9/15 p. 14 par. 17
My Comments: Another tried-and-true WT tactic. Certainly A FEW clergymen have been angered by the JW message as we see in Russia right now. But, seriously, how many… or rather, what percentage of the clergy even know or care what the Witnesses believe? And what percentage of THAT percentage are angry about it? And what percentage of THAT percentage are angry enough to have the Witnesses killed???? PUh-leeeeeze.
FALLACY #6 – Name Calling
Book Example: [Hm. There was none for some reason… I guess it kinda speaks for itself though.]
Explanation: Name calling is as frequent in political argument as on the playground. Candidates are “accused” of being tax-and-spend-liberals, ultraconservatives, radical feminists, and so on. Rarely are these terms defined; hence they are meaningless.
Watchtower Examples:
“Apostates who hate former associates in Jehovah’s service no longer have such fellowship with God and Christ.” - w86 7/15 p. 10 par. 4
“We must also be on guard against extended association with worldly people. Perhaps it is a neighbor, a school friend, a workmate, or a business associate.” - w94 2/15 p. 24
“False religious doctrines such as “self-naughting” or character development to the extent where one becomes self-effacing by deadening all desire as taught by Buddhism and some false Christian sects are things advocating error.” - w56 7/15 p. 433 par. 10
“Satan now sustains this opposition to God with counterfeit teachings spread by deceitful religious ministers who “keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness.”” - w91 12/15 p. 26
“Some false teachers may formerly have been true Christians, but at one point they turned from truth to error.” - w00 10/15 p. 9
“Jesus spoke of the “evil slave,” a class that complains, “my master is delaying,” and starts to beat its fellow slaves. (Matthew 24:48, 49) Often, these individuals and their followers have no clear teachings of their own; they are interested only in destroying the faith of others.” - w00 10/15 p. 9
“This is so strikingly different from the self-righteous and sanctimonious stance of Christendom’s prominent ones.” - w84 5/15 p. 21 par. 9
“By 1919 it was apparent that Jehovah had passed judgment on Christendom—and indeed on all falsereligion.” - w89 4/15 p. 7 par. 10
“Antichrists have become particularly active during “the last days,” the time in which we now live. (2 Timothy 3:1) A key objective of these modern-day deceivers is to mislead people in regard to Jesus’ role as King of God’s Kingdom.” - w06 12/1 p. 6
“The flock of God worldwide is united in a “oneness in the faith” that stands in clear contrast to the divisions in worldly Babylonish religions, particularly those of Christendom.” - w76 7/1 p. 401 par. 4
“She also practices spiritual harlotry by lending her support to earth’s “kings,” or political rulers, receiving favors in return. This symbolic woman is none other than the false religions of the world.” - w06 12/1 p. 6
“Well, who has taken the lead in reviling and persecuting the 20th-century spiritual Israel? Has it not been apostate Christendom, through its proud clergy class?” - w83 11/15 p. 28
“Some of the Protestant clergy, a faction of Babylon the Great’s representatives in Canada, took these quotes to their political cronies in the Canadian government and denounced the Bible Students as seditious.” - w89 5/1 p. 4
My Comments: APOSTATE! APOSTATE! APOSTATE! Need I say more…? This list could go on and on and on. Feel free to point out any in this category that I might have left out.
FALLACY #7 – Non Sequitur
Book Example: “A university that can afford to build a new football stadium should not have to raise tuition.”
Explanation: A non sequitur (a Latin term meaning “it does not follow”) ties together two unrelated ideas. In this case, the argument fails to recognize that the money for new stadiums is often donated for that purpose and is not part of a university’s general revenue.
Watchtower Example: “That Jehovah’s Witnesses are stronger and more active now than ever before—and this in the face of worldwide opposition—is proof that Jehovah finds pleasure in what they are doing.” - w01 6/1 p. 17 par. 19
My Comments: Here we have an error because the claimed “proof” can be applied to any number of religions and organizations. For example, the Mormon faith also sees rapid growth and is also comparably active. Do they also have Jehovah’s approval? So called ‘Radical Islam’ has also seen a rise in numbers and they too are more active now than ever before. Do they also have Jehovah’s approval? Toyota Motor Corp. saw a rapid rise in production and sales during the 1980’s and 90’s. Is this proof that they too have Jehovah’s backing? Google is also stronger and more active than before. Are you getting the picture? All of these entities have achieved a measure of success despite battling their own version of “persecution” or “opposition”. Therefore strength and growth are NOT in themselves indicators of God’s backing.
FALLACY #8 – Oversimplification
Book Example: “No one would run stop signs if we had a mandatory death penalty for doing it.”
Explanation: This claim may be true, but the argument would be unacceptable to most citizens. More complex, if less definitive, solutions are called for.
Watchtower Example: “He knew from experience what many of Jehovah’s Witnesses today have found: Some sincere defenders of false religion eventually come to be among the strongest defenders of true religion.” - w07 9/1 p. 14
My Comments: The claim may be true, but it fails to take into account that many more defenders of so called “false religion” will NEVER become a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith. It also fails to recognize that many who do become JWs eventually leave and make the case that they were deceived, and that the JWs are themselves a “false religion”. Because these other factors are glossed over, the claim is worthless, except as deceitful propaganda.
FALLACY #9 - Polarization
Book Example: “Feminists are all man haters”
Explanation: Polarization, like name calling exaggerates positions and groups by representing them as extreme and divisive.
Watchtower Examples: “You do not have to be like worldly people whose main interest in life is pleasing self, pursuing a prestigious career or material wealth, with no thought of God.” - w86 1/1 p. 12 par. 9
“As far back as 1917 in Canada and the United States, the clergy instigated accusations of subversion against the Bible Students.” - w98 6/15 p. 18 par. 4
“Yes, the Catholic Church seems to be trying to shrug off the burden of past sins in order to regain its credibility in the court of public opinion.” - w98 3/1 p. 6
My Comments: Another Watchtower favorite, and closely related to the hasty generalization, and name calling, and the either/or fallacy. This is because it usually requires the lumping together of large groups into ONE undesirable category. The WT needs to present all other groups and organizations as inferior to itself so that those who don’t know any better will think that the Witnesses are the only ones with God’s backing.
FALLACY #10 – Post Hoc
Book Example:“I ate a hamburger last night and got deathly sick – must have been food poisoning.”
Explanation: The post hoc fallacy (from the Latin post hoc ergo hoc, “after this, therefore this”) assumes that things that follow in time have a causal relationship. In the above example, you may have simply started coming down with the flu – as would be obvious two days later.
Watchtower Example: “World events since 1914 clearly show that both Christ’s presence and “the conclusion of the system of things” began in that year.” - w06 3/15 p. 6
My Comments: Oh boy. 1914… the ULTIMATE post hoc fallacy. The error here results in the arbitrary linkage of correlation with causation. Simply because two events correlate in time, does not mean the first caused the second. One must ask, of ALL the dates thrown out there by Russell, Rutherford, and Franz, WHY was 1914 the only one retained? It is, of course, because that year also marked the outbreak of WWI.
A number of problems arise from this reasoning. 1) There is no scriptural basis for the 1914 date. 2) Despite what the Watchtower says, there were other wars prior to WWI that could also be considered global, and in which more people were killed. 3) WW1 was greatly eclipsed in significance by WWII, and no Bible prophecy pointed to it. 4) The Watchtower claimed at the time that 1914 would be the END of Armageddon, and not the BEGINNING of a war. 5) World events have NOT worsened since 1914. ALL indications show (believe it or not) improvement or at least stability on all statistics that would indicate “worsening conditions”. Crime rates are generally stable (and closely correlate with economic trends), more people comprise the ‘middle class’ than ever before, life expectancy is at an all time high, and advancements in science and medicine allow for a quality of life that is unprecedented in human history, and mankind is also more tolerant of other races and ideas than at any other time in its history. Certainly this is the BEST time to be alive, even with all of our many, many, problems. Hell, just look at the iPhone. How awesome is that?
FALLACY #11 - Rationalization
Book Example: “I could have done better in the test if I thought the course mattered to my major.”
Explanation: People frequently come up with excuses and weak explanations for their own and others’ behavior that avoid actual causes.
Watchtower Example: “ Eager to see the end of this evil system, Jehovah’s people have at times speculated about the time when the “great tribulation” would break out, even tying this to calculations of what is the lifetime of a generation since 1914. However, we “bring a heart of wisdom in,” not by speculating about how many years or days make up a generation, but by thinking about how we “count our days” in bringing joyful praise to Jehovah.” - w95 11/1 p. 17
My Comments: Slippery they are. Like snakes. If by “Jehovah’s people have at times speculated…” they really mean, “Our ENTIRE freaking history we, the Watchtower Society, have speculated…” The wording here makes it appear like it’s never been a big deal. As if, ‘Occasionally it came up in conversation between a few overzealous ones’. And that they, the ever wise and rational F&DS, are thankfully here just to clear up a minor misunderstanding. However in the very next sentence, they condemn their entire history and brush it aside, along with the weight of this change, and say essentially, ‘Forget about our past and just be glad we let you serve God.’
The funny thing is, by their choice of wording, they admit that prior to 1995 they had NOT been bringing in “a heart of wisdom”. So what exactly were they doing all that time?
FALLACY #12 – Slippery Slope
Book Example:“We shouldn’t grant amnesty to illegal immigrants now living in the United States because it will mean opening our borders to a flood of people from around the world who want to move here.”
Explanation: The slippery slope fallacy assumes that if the first step is taken, other steps necessarily follow.
Watchtower Example: [Get ready for this!] “Because the practice (Masturbation) is one “contrary to nature,” the masturbator pays a mental penalty. The habitual practice cripples his social and emotional development, hinders his attaining a healthful outlook and attitude toward the other sex and toward people in general. It can ‘turn the person inward’ upon himself, making him introverted. Or it can, and frequently does, lead into homosexuality, in which the person, not satisfied with his lonely sexual activity, seeks a partner for mutual sex play.” - w73 9/15 p. 566
My Comments: The slippery slope is also an over-used fear tactic to convince the rank & file to stay in line. You can likely come up with several more examples off the top of your head.
But really… LOL! If you want some laughs, I highly recommend reading the entire article in that Watchtower. The whole thing REEKS of being written by grumpy old men who can’t even ‘get it up’ any more. “If I can’t fiddle the diddle, then no one can! Humph!”
The article also commits a post hoc fallacy by using the reasoning that “If masturbation were natural, then why do people feel bad after doing it? Hmmm smarty pants?” Ummm let’s see, maybe because fundamentalist idiots like YOU have been telling people that they won’t get to pet the lions in the New System TM if they practice it!
It also makes the non sequitur statement that masturbation is abnormal, because “abnormal and mentally deranged people do it.” Brilliant!
It amazes me that these people think they’re in charge of others salvation. They shouldn’t be in charge of a taco stand.
FALLACY #13 – Straw Man
Book Example: “Environmentalists won’t be satisfied until not a single human being is allowed to enter a national park.”
Explanation: A straw man argument is a diversionary tactic that sets up another’s position in a way that can be easily rejected. In fact, only a small percentage of environmentalists would make an argument even close to this one.
Watchtower Example: “[E]volutionary theory assumes that long ago microscopic life must somehow have arisen spontaneously from nonliving matter.” - ce chap. 4 p. 38 par. 2
My Comments: This fallacy is also frequently used in Watchtower literature. Often we see it used to argue against so-called “opposers”, the Trinity, and my personal favorite, evolution. The WT loves to present the other sides case for them. How else is the average JW going to hear about it, they’re not allowed to read anything that promotes ideas contrary to Watchtower teachings? So the Society gladly “informs” them of the other argument and usually presents it in a twisted fashion so that it appears in a way that would be disregarded my most reasonable people.
In the above case, they try to link the theory of evolution with the origin of life. Scientific theories that deal with the origin of life are usually considered under the term ‘Abiogenesis’. In many cases these theories utilize certain concepts and principles of evolution, but they have NO BEARING on Evolutionary theory itself. Evolutionary Biology, which is the type of evolution the Society is usually arguing against, ONLY deals with the way life forms change over time, and the mechanisms that drive those changes. Evolutionary theory has NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF LIFE. For Evolution, it doesn’t matter HOW life got here, it only describes THE WAY life has changed over the past MILLIONS of years.
By way of example, what the Society is doing here is similar to doubting the validity of our understanding of the relativity of space and time simply because Einstein couldn’t tell us how the space and time came into existence! So because the actual origin of life is a subject that NO scientist really understands or knows much about (at least for certain, anyway), the Watchtower links it with Evolutionary Biology in an attempt to attach that same uncertainty to it in the minds of readers. The unsuspecting reader is left with the thought, “I don’t believe life came from random chance, so I can’t believe in evolution.” When in reality, those are two very separate ideas.
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In conclusion, the Watchtower really has no interest in creating a logically compelling argument. They only need to create arguments that the uncritical rank-and-file will gulp down without question. This is why their articles have an appearance of credibility and they use the language of logic, but this is all superficial. As we can all attest, their arguments do not hold up under scrutiny.
This is why ‘doubt’ is such an anathema to them. Doubt leads to curiosity which leads to questions. In all other worthwhile human endeavors doubt is a key element in making progress. If we do not question the status quo, if we do not doubt that this is the way things are (or must be), then there is no driving force for change, or to improve upon what already is.
Our awareness and familiarity with the above logical fallacies are sort of a ‘Bologna Detection Kit’ (…thank you Carl Sagan). They are a way to ‘test’ whether or not we are being deceived. If an individual or organization tells us that it is wrong to doubt what they are telling us, then they are almost for a certainty attempting to deceive us, be it knowingly or unknowingly. For how else can we have confidence in our beliefs if we do not put them through the most rigorous tests? Truth, real TRUTH is never harmed or faded by doubt and questioning, it is only refined. This is how we as a species have come to know what we know, and how we’ve advanced so far scientifically. All of these advancements came from men who were not content to be told what to think.
Turning our attention back to the Watchtower, we see that they seek to limit the active JWs exposure to other opinions and ideas, considering such things as ‘harmful’. Because they know how easily ones can become convinced of the Watchtower doctrines inadequacy. Those whose arguments are based on logic and evidence NEVER insist that we avoid learning the other side of the argument. Reason has nothing to fear from information. When an assertion is on shaky ground, the person presenting it is forced to violate certain rules of logic. So when we see numerous ‘shortcuts’ in critical thinking, as we see in the Watchtower, this should always raise a red flag. This is called reason. When we exercise our reason, it keeps us from falling victim to people and organizations that would seek to control us, or otherwise take advantage of us.
Thanks for reading!!!
Benjamin Spencer
