If you take out the weasel words, the size of the magazines could again be cut in half.
Rub a Dub
does the wt always carefully phrase sentences so as to never take blame?
by sowhatnow 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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nancy drew
Words to defend your backend
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sparky1
The latest member of the Governing Body Teaching Committee helpers finally shows his face.So thats what the Nethinim look like!
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Magnum
It seems that what you're referring to is their using words that won't commit them to a certain teaching or idea in case it turns out to be wrong. And, Yes, to answer your question, the org is crafty and always tries to do that.
It also refuses to take the blame after the fact when it has been wrong, using wording like:
"Some might have felt..."
They also like to use the passive voice instead of the active becuase the passive doesn't point the finger as strongly at them.
Passive voice: "It was stated in some of our publications..."
Active voice: "We stated in some of our publications..."
The active voice stings more; it has a definite subject that clearly identifies the wrong party. However, the passive voice doesn't directly indentify the wrong party.
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AndDontCallMeShirley
WT uses many tactics.
1) For instance, it makes emphatic, positive statements (from god, no less) when promoting dates or doctrines:
"...all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved." (1889)
"...but the same fact and scriptures, teaching the same time and presence, stand unchallenged and incontrovertible". (1899)
"...we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the kingdom of God, will be accomplished by the end of A.D. 1914." 1902
"They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours." 1894
To flat-out denial if what it has actually written when things go south:
"We did not say positively that this would be the year." --Watchtower 11/1/1914, p.5565
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2) WT praises JWs for following the direction/orders WT expects everyone to obey dutifully and without question. For example:
"Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that not reason to increase our activity?...Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and propertyand planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world's end." (Kingdom Ministry, May 1974, p. 3)
...then chastises JWs for actually being stupid enough to believe WT and following that very advice:
"It may be that some who have been serving God have planned their lives according to a mistaken view of just what was to happen on a certain date or in a certain year. They may have, for this reason, put off or neglected things that they otherwise would have cared for. But they have missed the point of the Bibles warnings concerning the end of this system of things, thinking that Bible chronology reveals the specific date." (Watchtower, July 15, 1976, p. 440)
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3) Blatantly lying and contradicting itself (knowing JWs will buy the lie hook, line and sinker):
"Following 1925, meeting attendance dropped dramatically in some congregations... Again, in 1975, there was disappointment when expectations regarding the start of the Millennium failed to materialize. Again, some withdrew from the organization." --- Proclaimers (Jv), p.633
"This organization has NEVER disappointed us and always gives us an abundance of pure water of truth from God´s Word". --- W 7-15-2011
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4) WT asserting it's authority as god's only spokesman and expecting full obedience from JWs:
"...The Governing Body publishes spiritually encouraging literature in many languages. This spiritual food is based on God’s Word. Thus, what is taught is not from men but from Jehovah." --W 9/15/10, p.13
then blaming, not itself (WT/GB) for the failings, but suddenly the blame falls on "Jehovah's Witnesses" as a group:
"Did the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses on these matters prove to be correct? They certainly did not err in believing that God would without fail do what he had promised. But some of their time calculations and the expectations that they associated with these gave rise to serious disappointments." Proclaimers, pp. 632-633
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Separation of Powers
edited, redacted, reviewed, repeat....When they don't do that....they get the Anthony Morris talk
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AndDontCallMeShirley
...and of course, WT can default to the infamous "tacking" excuse for doctrinal flip-flops, false prophecies and lies:
"However, it may have seemed to some as though that path has not always gone straight forward. At times explanations given by Jehovah’s visible organization have shown adjustments, seeminglyto previous points of view. But this has not actually been the case. This might be compared to what is known in navigational circles as "tacking." By maneuvering the sails the sailors can cause a ship to go from right to left, back and forth, but all the time making progress toward their destination in spite of contrary winds. And that goal in view for Jehovah’s servants is the "new heavens and a new earth" of God’s promise." -- W 12-1-81, p.27
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keyser soze
I think that it's a skill they've been forced to finetune over the years due to one prophetic failure after another.
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Vidiot
Using weasel words is, for all intents and purposes - cheating.
x
And if you have cheat to defend your beliefs...
...your beliefs don't deserve to be defended.
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stuckinarut2
Fantastic thread!
Yes, the use of 'weasel words' has been fine tuned to perfection by this organisation!
Those pulling the strings are twisted indeed.....
The latest member of the Governing Body Teaching Committee helpers finally shows his face.