The tone and voice of the WTBTS publications/writings

by HappyGuy 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  HappyGuy

  I hope this doesn't sound too strange. The first WTBTS book that I read was the studies in the scriptures. My grandfather gave my favorite cousin the entire set when we were both around 12. We read these books cover to cover like they were comic books. These books were so interesting.

  I didn't know about the connection between the studies in the scriptures and the WTBTS until later of course.

  I didn't go to college of course, I got baptized in 1973, and while the WTBTS denies they ever said it, we were told that college was totally out of the question.

  In the early 90s I got a career that required a lot of research and study, real scholarship. When you really study written works you start to notice a tone and a voice in the works.

  In the early and mid 90s I started noticing the tone of the publications of the WTBTS. I'm not even sure if I have the right words to describe it. Cold, dictating, snarky, talking down to the readers, a know it all smugness.

  I read every bound volume of the WT magazine from the early 60s to 1994 when I was trying to recover my faith and I noticed that hateful tone in ALL the publications.

  I find this very odd. Since the publications are written by a group of people, not one person, how can they all have the same hateful tone?

  I can only come to one of two conclusions about this. Either, there is a "holier than you maggots crawling around under the rocks" group think that permeates the headquarters and the people who do the writing get inculcated in this attitude. Or, and this is what I think is really the case, the WTBTS is under the control of demons. Because if you wanted to see what the inspired writings of demons would sound like, just read the WT. Now, I don't really believe in the bible's description of angels and demons, heaven, and hell. But, I do know that there are beings out there that are malevolent. What they are exactly I don't know, but I know they exist.

  I'm guessing that writings that really were "inspired" of a being who "....is love" would have a much different tone. Light hearted, happy, optimistic, loving, caring, that is what inspired writings of a being who "....is love" would be.

  The WT is definitely not light hearted, not happy, is very pessimistic, it does not inspire one to fill one's heart with light and love and joy. It inspires servitude.

  I am wondering if any one else has noticed this tone and voice in the WTBTS writings.
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  wha happened?

  snarky is the best descript I could think of..... but didn't. Snarky is all I get in conversing with them
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  Mickey mouse

  I can only come to one of two conclusions about this. Either, there is a "holier than you maggots crawling around under the rocks" group think that permeates the headquarters and the people who do the writing get inculcated in this attitude. Or, and this is what I think is really the case, the WTBTS is under the control of demons. Because if you wanted to see what the inspired writings of demons would sound like, just read the WT. Now, I don't really believe in the bible's description of angels and demons, heaven, and hell. But, I do know that there are beings out there that are malevolent. What they are exactly I don't know, but I know they exist.

  I'm going to go for option one (Occam's razor). I dont' think there's any doubt at all about them having a "'holier than you maggots crawling around under the rocks' group think".

  Demonz in Brooklyn is a nice conspiracy theory though.
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  SirNose586

  I can only come to one of two conclusions about this. Either, there is a "holier than you maggots crawling around under the rocks" group think that permeates the headquarters and the people who do the writing get inculcated in this attitude. Or, and this is what I think is really the case, the WTBTS is under the control of demons. Because if you wanted to see what the inspired writings of demons would sound like, just read the WT. Now, I don't really believe in the bible's description of angels and demons, heaven, and hell. But, I do know that there are beings out there that are malevolent. What they are exactly I don't know, but I know they exist.

  Hang on, I wouldn't jump to deeeemunz just yet. Your first idea seems plausible. In fact, I take your idea and simplify it even further--there's a style manual and all writing must conform to it. I think it would also be possible to train a group of "healthful words" ( ) proofreaders to make sure that everything sounds culty.
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  WTWizard

  I doubt that demons would influence such a writing style--after all, it was demons that wanted freedom from God's tyranny. Rather, it is a group of humanoids that are bent on keeping everyone under their control. The world is going to end shortly, and you need to be doing whatever they tell you or you are going to get destroyed. Then, there are layers of acts that lead to those "sins", which themselves become sins--requiring yet more layers of acts to prevent those "sins".

  Then, there is the issue of making Satan happy, being possessed by demons, and so on. I believe there is nothing that would make Satan happier than having a free, prosperous human race with no oppressive rulership--the kind of near-anarchy where everyone is totally free to innovate and create value (the only rules would be to not initiate the use of force, threats of force, or fraud against others or their property--and no one ever even thinking of breaking that rule because they are too busy innovating and creating value). If that were to happen, no one would ever need God again. No one would ever think positively about God again (who had to create problems to be thought well of in the first place). Of course, you will never hear that in your Washtowels.
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  wobble

  SirNose makes a good point, many years ago a Bro. I knew vaguly told me he had submitted a number of articles for publication in "Awake" , he said :

  "Of course they virtually re-write what you have submitted"

  He was pleased they published his stuff anyway, but heavy editing and a style manual all make sense.

  I do agree though about the "voice " , I read " Studies in the S criptures " when I was in my twenties, and as a born in I was surprised at the similarity in style ,or "voice", to the stuff I had been used to from the WT from my reading from the mid-fifties on.

  Russell's stuff was decades previous but still sounded the same, if a little wackier, I put this down to Holy Spirit !!! LOL

  Love

  Wobble
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  cattails

  Snarky is all I get in conversing with them

  You said it WH, "snarky" plus I'll add a lot of "malarky" in them ol' tomes and newer bound volumes.

  It also creeps me out how Russell used the Royal We, when talking about just himself (I bought CD with PDFs of his books and WT articles), he represented everyone and everything in his own mind he was a "plural" what a royal ego that guy, and some say it was due to humility, yeah right. He uses the plural to seem like he's talking from having a lot of power and followers who agree with him, the psychology underwrites his feeble attempts to seem humble. The man had a big ego that's clear from his volumes and WT articles.
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  Chalam

  Matthew 7:15-20 (New International Version)

  A Tree and Its Fruit

  15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Blessings, Stephen
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  designs

  Include Trinitarians in the List Stephen, after 100's of millions of murders on your hands your fruit is rotten to the core.
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  tjlibre

  How about this quote from the WT Nov 15, Pg. 13 Prrg. 5.

  “By word or action, may we never challengethe channel of communication

  that Jehovah is using today.”

  That sounded like a threat. How pitiful, their insistence on obedience and submission reflects that they are loosing grip. What’s gonna become of this religion in the next 5 years?

  “The power is detested, and miserable the life, of him who wishes to be feared rather than to be loved”. - Cornelius Nepos

  “Weak leaders keep others in their place. They remind them who is boss. Good leaders know that authority is more earned than granted.” Steve Goodier