Why can't anyone just simply tell me who writes the watchtowers or the publications for that matter??...(please read)

by Joliette 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  Joliette

  Got into a discussion with my mom after a sister (that lives down the street from me) went back and told her some things that I said. After me and mom got done having a deep discussion on the phone, I asked my mom a simple questions: Who writes the watchtowers? I've been going to the hall since I was three, and I have YET to have this questions answered. Why can't I just get a simple answer? My mom said, why is that important? You just trying to find a way to not believe in it anymore. Once again, I ask a simple question: Who writes the watchtowers? My mother mentioned a writing department, and she said that they kept the writers hidden for their protection. I'm like WTF?

  If I wanted to know who wrote Revelations, theres a simple answer: Apostle John.

  If I wanted to know who wrote Genesis, theres a simple answer: Moses

  If wanted to know who wrote Huckleberry Finn, theres a simple answer: Mark Twain

  If I wanted to know who wrote The old man and the sea, theres a simple answer: Ernest Hemmingway

  Even most non-JW's christian books based on the bible have the author's name right on the cover.

  Why can't I simple know who writes the watchtowers? I cannot follow what a publication says if I dont know the author (especially when its 'life saving information)' as they like to say. And futhermore, how do they say 'examine the deeper things' when they dont even think that their core membership is smart or good enough to know who writes the watchtowers, the publications, etc?

  Hypocritical bastards!

  

  

  

  
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  cantleave

  I thought it was the genius DJeggnog!
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  Joliette

  LOL no way! If he was writing the watchtowers I would have left sooner then I already have!
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  InterestedOne

  The usual JW response I've heard is that the writers are humble, so they don't want any glory to come to their names. However, you raise a good point that even the Bible books are attributed to named individuals. Does that mean the "humble" reasoning implies the Bible writers were not humble?
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  Joliette

  Intrested One: Thank you! You hit on the bullseye!
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  Lady Lee

  Truth is that they do not want anyone to know that women write some articles.

  They certainly don't want to go back to the days when they had Rutherford and Russell as the author of WT publications. It led to a lot of creature worship. And they have done an excellent job of buring all those publications from the lowly rank and file.

  Like most businesses the Watchtower Society uses the company name as author and publisher of all material they print. It is a business and that is how they run the whole thing.
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  yknot

  Well we did give authorship of books during Rutherford's reign....

  As for Knorr......well he wasn't a writer (that was Fred's job).....but fearing Fred would find a stronger following and allegiance he moved to have all things be done anonymously.......thus is the beginning of the nameless authorship.

  Generally speaking most JWs will answer in three ways: (blindfaithers) "Jehovah writes the books/mags" or (more aware JWs) "The Writing Department" and occassionally an actual author is revealed by Bethelites like our dearest Barbara Anderson and other posters!

  The QFR is manned by Gene Smalley.

  The Writitng Department is headed by David Splane....

  On the legal front.....if the WTS is cited as author then the WTS can maintain copyright for as long as they like too....
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  Joliette

  Women write some of the articles? Wow...I know Barbara Anderson worked in the writing department.
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  Joliette

  Y-Not: Thank you!

  So the writing department is headed by David Splaine...intresting.

  Isnt the writing department pretty liberal?
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  InterestedOne

  Given the info from Lady Lee & Yknot, I can see how my logic on humbleness does not stand up. The lack of names doesn't necessarily have to do with being humble or not. The writing could be considered a group effort. Still, when an article has multiple authors, I like to see the authors, like in scholarly journals. At the same time, in this case, as Lady Lee said, the "author" is the company itself because it represents the view of the company.