The Watchtower rough guide: distinguishing between the line, and the lie.
1.Negatives.
You find these in abundance. Often they are slid, here and there, into apparently optimistic articles, extolling the virtues of, say, humming birds or watercolours. The reader will be left with the feeling that although these are 'wondrous to declare', true Christians should nevertheless treat them with balance and circumspection. However pay particular attention when you detect clusters of negatives. Why have these been shovelled in?
WT QUESTION:
Why can the world not see that the occurrence of ( negatives:) earthquakes, famines, wars, and reports of wars, is physical proof of Jesus' invisible reign?
WT ANSWER:
Because the world is in the hands of Satan, as proved by ( negatives:) youth crime, aids, family breakdown, green jelly babies, rap music, and Internet apostates.
Conclusion: The Watchtower line is so preposterous that a mass of unrelated negatives are needed to give a veneer of credibility?
Daft(Question)+(negatives) = Daft(Answer)+(negatives)
You can see by simplifying this equation that the negatives give no more support than the daftnesses.
It's like being sold that gift box-set of chromium and carbon-fibre back scratchers, except here the line uses positives.
"Look at all you're getting! The ankle sock, the pressure band, 12 high fibre water tablets, the blood-type stressometer, AND the dual nostril de-ionising nasal spray! Put in your order today, while stocks last, and we will throw in a pair of fully insulated, orgasmic jump-leads, absolutely free!"
philo