Psychological Changes in the Vocabulary of the WTS
I have been reading the publications of the WTS since I was 6, 60 years now. We were too poor to have more than one subscription for each magazine so I had to wait until my mother had read it (she let them pile up). My father was not a jw and he watched every penny that was spent. So my mother had to save money in other ways secretly from my father. Spend less than his budget for food, buy our clothes at Goodwill or make them herself, cutting her own clothes to make clothes for us.
So my siblings and I did not have our own personal copies. Because of my early reading skills, I found reading the magazines very interesting. That is why over the last 60 years, I have observed the changes in vocabulary designed to manipulate, “encourage” the WTS says, to mold the thinking of its members, and “motivate” them to do what the WTS wants, even when they say it is a personal choice.
Yesterday’s study article was no exception.
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No just Christians but true Christians, which is also a phrase that means only jws are true Christians.
Not just worshipping God but a loving God
May (a qualifying word going against the WTS application of the scripture at 2 Tim. 3:12
In fact, all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.
John 15:20
A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;
Acts 14:22
We must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.”
No can used here, but “will”
If the Bible says, that it “will” happen how are jws then caught off guard when persecution comes suddenly and unexpectedly? Based on the scriptures above, shouldn’t jws be expecting and prepared for persecution?
Secular authorities rather than governments—the WTS avoids showing governments in a bad light
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Don’t jws already know the answers to the following questions?
Does persecution mean that we have lost God’s favor?
Will a ban end our worship of Jehovah?
Should I move to a land where I can worship Jehovah (left out, without persecution)
All jws would answer No, No, No
Hasn’t it been more that jws in many countries never thought that persecution would never come to their country, because it was long ago when it did, or that they felt that their country (still one in the power of Satan, per the WTS.
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Wrongly conclude that we do not have God’s blessing (the WTS is realizing that too many jws have and are coming to that conclusion.
Example: Apostle Paul wrote part of the scriptures when he was under intense persecution. But no jws today have that sign of God’s approval.
Allow…faithful…to be persecuted. Is God testing them in contradiction of this scripture:
James 1:13
When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried, nor does he himself try anyone.
But does God “allow” others to test them with evil things?
What does it mean if you or I stood by and watched others do evil to other people? Does that mean we are not in some way part of doing the evil?
Amazing how adding those words "permit" and "allow" distances God from responsibility in the minds of the WTS leaders.
** w07 8/15 p. 18 You Can Deal With Injustice! ***
Jehovah may even have reasons for not correcting a certain situation. As part of our Christian training, he may permit us to experience injustice. Of course, ‘with evil things God does not try anyone.’ (James 1:13)
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Yes, Jesus said we should “expect” persecution (opposition is a euphemism to avoid a negative meaning)
Does persecution always mean jws are doing the “right” thing? How many jws did you know that thought every negative thing in their life was persecution, even if it was because that jw did not apply the law of love in their lives in the congregation, or broke Caesar’s laws that did not conflict with God’s?
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2006605?q=all+persecution+caused&p=par
Of course, we must not assume that Satan personally causes each tragedy that we suffer. Actually, some problems could even be caused by our own mistakes (Galatians 6:7)
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Mere human
opposers—are human opposers “mere,” remember WTS says they are influenced by a supernatural creature, Satan the Devil.
Do numbers prove success? Or did Jesus say there need only be 2 or 3 gathered in his name?
Did jws during WW2 quietly do the preaching or did Rutherford try to appease them in 1934 when that failed, challenged the Nazi government bringing persecution and death to many jws, while he sat safely in the US?
Yes, the jw work was banned in Australia and Canada, and the pledge of allegiance became a point of contention leading to many jws teachers and students being kicked out of the school system. Jws were told to flood cities, towns, and villages and do a blitzkrieg with the publications to circumvent the laws preventing that, many of them ending up in jail and others tarred and feathered or beaten severely by the crowd;, but then allowed segregation in their congregations and conventions because there was no law against that, they could still do their preaching work. Did the WTS have to preach on Sunday to accomplish their preaching work.
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Opposition can motivate us to…serve more fully.
Through fear or love?
So how many jws in your congregation, a young couple with a young child, have begun regular pioneering and the wife quit a well-paying (does this imply that if it was a low-paying job that was okay) job even when not under persecution?
Easier to start bible studies, I’d like some proof of that. Give me the numbers (see above).
Positive effect: many who had stopped serving Jehovah began to attend meetings.
Does that mean that jws who were not attending meetings were no longer jws?
*** w55 1/1 p. 14 par. 14 Holding Fast the Public Declaration of Our Hope ***
Under that wholesome counsel by Paul it is very necessary for each one of us to look after himself. It is not just a matter of saying, ‘I am one of Jehovah’s witnesses,’ or one’s coming to a meeting and there sitting quietly. It really is a matter of inspecting yourself, testing or proving yourself by answering questions in public, voluntarily or when called upon. How can anyone say he is one of Jehovah’s witnesses if he does not attend and participate in the meetings of true worshipers of Jehovah? (John 4:23) How can he say, even to himself, that he believes the truth of God’s Word if he never expresses that truth to his brothers?
Remember when 9/11 occurred in the US, many inactive jws rushed back to the meetings thinking the end was upon them. But as things calmed down, they stopped coming. Did you see that in your congregation?
Or farther back, when the end did not come in 1975, did you see the number of jws decrease substantially, 2% in 1977 and 1978?
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Our (jws) enemies
May circulate false stories (or true stories that made the WTS look bad, thus fake news)
Did the WTS say that only a small number of jws were put into prison shortly before and during WW2? Is that to calm down jws today, thinking only a few of them will experience such things?
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1990564#h=63:127-63:319
In The Nazi State and the New Religions: Five Case Studies in Non-Conformity, Dr. Christine E. King wrote: “One out of every two German Witnesses was imprisoned, one in four lost their lives.”
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Watch how the WTS words this to tell jws that the right answer to this question, should move to another land, is no for faithful jws.
Personal decision but consider this, some moved after Stephen was stoned, but Paul did not. He risked his safety. So what kind of Christian can you be if you don’t imitate Paul who said he imitated Christ?
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Each family head—implies jw husband, but can be jw mother with no husband
Personal decision but
Prayerfully and carefully consider his family’s circumstances (because other jws will be judging if your circumstances warrant moving)
Positive and negative effects…might (how can any faithful jw think that God is not capable of making a negative situation a positive one, do they doubt his power and concern?)
Each Christian must carry his own load (yes, because no faithful jw will support you in this so-called personal decision
Should not judge others—unless you are an elder or equivalent
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How worship…under ban
During the years just before 1975, a book study conductor had us go door to door as if we were under ban. We dressed unobtrusively, had a few houses in each block and then moved to another area close by, going one person to a door always keeping an eye out for the police. Can you imagine what non-jws thought how weird that was.
Branch = elders = perhaps by book study groups (yes, somehow local jws do not how to circumvent secular authority?) (what if branch is outside the country as many are now as branches have been consolidated, are the WTS must get passed highly guarded borders?)
Spiritual food = WTS publications, after all how suspicious could a bible be if it were not an NWT?
Elders will help you, and go beyond the things written
Why would the direction be any more in harmony with the bible and Christian (WTS only) publications?
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Well-fed spiritually, yes you cannot be well-fed through the bible, only the right bible through WTS guidance
His organization (not even the word organization in the bible, just like the word trinity)
Good place to hide your bible—if jws have done that years in advance, will they still remember where they hid them?
Precious material, did you know that they WTS smuggled their publications as first priority, not bibles?
Don’t leave it a place that could easily be discovered—how often is confidential material in congregations not put in safe places, taking copies or originals of KH files home, open to easy view by family?
Practical steps—as outlined in detail for you by the WTS, as if jw circumstances are all the same.
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Elders will arrange meetings—not attract unwanted attention (under ban why would attention be wanted?)
Change meeting times and locations frequently—yes, if you miss even one meeting you will not know where the next one is and you will be viewed with suspicion so other jws may not even share that info with you)
Speaking quietly coming and leaving—I went to a congregation where the KH was in a residential area. The neighbors were always complaining that people were talking too loud outside and children were playing loudly outside. Never seemed to change anything, and there was no ban in operation. What about those who always late now? Will they suddenly be able to be on time?
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Circumstances will vary—does that mean the WTS will adjust the directions to suit certain individuals? They don’t now.
Do jws enjoy the preaching work? Why can they find more time for tv viewing then?
If jws will not persevere in their preaching work when not under ban, will they when under ban?
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Cautious…sharing info. Time to be silent—if jws don’t stop gossiping now and sharing confidential with other jws who do not need to know it, how will they do it under ban, especially if sharing it will save themselves and their own family.
Do elders protect the info now they have on the names of jws and the locations of meetings and territory assignments? Do they password protect their computer? How many KHs use 1914 as a password to get into their KH?
Share well-meaning friends or relatives (do they mean non-jws or jws?) in other countries—yes don’t be sending snail mail or e-mails or texts outside the country as if governments don’t have access to them.
Safety of our brothers and sisters—not that jws now care about the safety of others (or good reputations) as they share gossip.
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Minor issues to divide us—they already are in congregations not under ban, many long-long standing ones.
Isn’t this like shutting the barn door after the horses have escaped?
Start fighting with one another---start!?
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Even mature Christians (jws)—so does maturity come with age, position, length of time a jw…?
Yes, an example of a sister apologizing…what about brothers?
Is jealously motivating only sisters who have no real privileges?
Do jws focus on their fellows’ good points?
So will jws today start now working hard to overcome differences?
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Avoid being presumptuous
Who is more likely not to heed direction from trusted, responsible brothers?
Not leave printed literature—related point, I knew a brother who disregarded the counsel to make return visits because the territory would be worked again soon anyway.
Yes, a pioneer brother disregarded…even if we know better.
Cooperate with brothers = blessings
Appointed to take the lead = but not leaders
Do not make unnecessary rules = going beyond the things written
Prescribing rules of conduct—making lists of do’s and don’ts=When the cat’s (WTS/branch) is away the mice will make rules, only the WTS is allowed to prescribe rules of conduct and make lists of dos and don’ts.
What personal decisions can an individual jw make without interference by elders and well-meaning jws?
Needless rules—give some examples please, what is the WTS definition of “needless”?
The GB has made itself the master of their members’ faith; no eternal life except through the WTS.
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Satan the Devil, our chief adversary—but he uses humans, including so-called brothers and sisters at the KH to discourage other jws.
His agents—human governments
How will God support jws—some practical ideas please.
Be like 1st century Christians, who saw material miracles, knew people who had talked with Christ and seen the miracles, saw Peter and Silas saved by an angel, a faithful sister brought back to life.
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Same resolve—you too GB in your protected, ivory tower.
So, will jws be telling the rulers today that they are pawns of Satan and so they don’t have to listen to them?
If jws are not courageous now, will they be under ban. He who is faithful in what is least, will be faithful in what is much.
Comments
If you reached this point, good for you. It is no wonder that this pretty much resembled my approach to study articles for 5 years before I left physically. I was mentally out, but needed that last straw to get me to leave for good.
Keep it your resolve not to ignore the aha moments, the contradictions and hypocrisies thinking you have wait until the boat catches fire before you jump
Love, Blondie