by 00DAD 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
They want to encourage to read the sanitized version so when they hear the true version they will say, "ahhh don't bother I already heard it all".
So true. During the WT study an uber, over-zealous elder said a householder tried to tell him something about Russel. He didn't bother listening, because he read "everything" about him in the Proclaimer book. He pretty much said he knew more than the householder, and that he was unqualified to tell him anything.
Ironically, in today's WT, JWs are encouraged to study the early history of the "earthly organization".
Well, this may seem like a new initiative but it ain't.
The Watchtower has periodically paid lip-service to the witnesses needing to know about the early organization such as in Russell's and then Rutherford's day. But like purveyors of snob-quality wine, the Watchtower insists you check the label before taking a sip: Keep away from "cheap" wine purveyed by the Apostates Vineyard.
In the 1950s, they published a very polished inside view of the organization entitled (I think) "Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose" - an impressively presented A4 hard-bound book structured around a modern-day JW couple studying with a newly-interested couple. Of course it was a heavily edited and biased account of early Watchtower events. It had the newly-interested couple raising perfectly scripted questions about a number of "allegations" made by "opposers" against Russell and Rutherford. All questions were elegantly - and simplistically - answered. Spin has seldom been so superbly spun.
Similarly in the 1950s, crusty old long-time JW, Harold McMillan wrote a firsthand account of serving alongside Russell and Rutherford at Watchtower headquarters. Published by a famous worldy printery, Faith on the March became an American "best-seller" (don't be put off by the fact that most of the buyers were loyal witnesses!). My maternal grandfather gave me a well worn copy to read when I was only ten. McMillan's book was earthier and blunter than the Watchtower-published book mentioned above. McMillan was arrogantly dismissive about evidence against both deceased leaders and pretty damn scathing of anyone, especially "opposers" (i.e., apostates), who dared question the Watchtower's authority.
Steve 2
Wasn`t "Faith On The March " supposedly written by a non witness Marley Cole ? who in fact , as it turns out, was a witness for many years ( and yes it was still deceitfull on the WTB&TS part)
smiddy
Faith on the March was indeed written by A.H. Mcmillan who died in 1966. I remember reading it way back in 1976 when an elderly Witness whom I much loved loaned me her personal copy. I have never read Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose but I did read the 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses which also laid out a “history” of the organization in the United States. It started with a young Charles Taze Russell in 1870 and went to 1973. While it was certainly a sanitized version of that history, it made for fascinating reading nontheless.
Our friend steve2 is right to point to the ‘elegant spin’ the WTS has put on its history although, to be fair, it is hardly the only religious organization to have ever done so. I recall reading a book about the history of the Roman Catholic Church that was published under the imprimatur of Pope Pius XII which did exactly the same thing. The Mormon Church has done likewise with its official publications so we shouldn’t be surprised to see the WTS walk the same path.
The aims of all such official histories is the same: keep the rank-and-file pacified and reassure them that they are indeed part of the “one true Church” and have no need to look elsewhere. It supplies them with enough carefully chosen facts as well as outright distortions to answer the questions and blunt the criticisms of most challengers. That 1975 Yearbook certainly helped me out in that way as I used its portrayal of events to answer the very few people I met in field service who also had a grasp of Witness history. For most Witnesses I knew who also took the time to actually read that Yearbook, it served to strengthen their belief that they had the “truth.”
Quendi
Regarding JW history, it is very interesting to note that the Olin Moyle case is not mentioned in the Proclaimers book at all!
TS: To be fair though, they also didnt include the "advertise" banner either. It does contradict their insignificant claim, but I'm under the impression that its possible there was no intent to remove the flags but rather they felt it insignificant to add the flags or the banner.
Notice the two ways you used "insignificant" in your comment and you'll see that you really prove the point. It is the WT that set the standard of being " accurate and truthful, even regarding seemingly insignificant details ".
Also, it's clear to anyone remotely familiar with JW beliefs that there would be a good reason to leave out the flags, not just because they are an "insignificant detail."
I think this is more about proving that their claims of scrupulous accuracy and truthfulness are just false boasting than it is about pointing out missing flags.
00DAD
Wasn`t "Faith On The March " supposedly written by a non witness Marley Cole ? who in fact , as it turns out, was a witness for many years ( and yes it was still deceitfull on the WTB&TS part)
As Quendi pointed out McMillan did write "Faith on the March". Cole's book came out in the fifties - the title eludes me. It too was a reported "best seller" . Let's just say it was probably more likely that Brother Bloggs bought copies and not Joe Bloggs off the street.
Anyway, there was some kerfuffle about whether or not Cole was a witness at the time he wrote the book. Accounts vary but when the dust finally settled, he suppoesedly had some JW connections but only made up his mind to become a committed witness after writing the book. Well, having a ready money-spinner probably helped.
I never did find out what became of Mr Cole. No doubt if he is still alive, he'd be very old by now (add 50+ years to his age in the 1950s). I wonder if he lived out his years as a loyal witness? It would probably be very hard to fall away after promoting the organization so heavily in his book.
Encouraging people to research the history but the online library only goes as far back as 2000. Only those who have kept the cd-rom or bound volumes can do this. The majority will just rely on the Faith in Action DVD and the magazine series From Our Archives
The majority will just rely on the Faith in Action DVD and the magazine series From Our Archives
Sadly - yet predictably - that will be all "the majority" will ever feel the need to know. I know very, very few JWs who ever "thirsted" for knowledge beyond what was put under their obedient noses.
Not minimizing the Watchtower's super-lite and sanitized history, but it is a hallmark of religious organizations to highlight the "uplifting" stuff and to completely ignore the more ignominious aspects of their pasts.
Come to think about it, this is what a lot of humans also do when talking about themselves...no excuse, but it is very human....Still, I would expect a damn lot more from a religious organization that calls all other religions to account for their claimed lack of integrity to the "truth".
