Perhaps it is a matter of how one defines the words "truth" and "lie". The Watchtower Society certainly permits their flock to hold some unique definitions of common words the rest of us take for granted. For example, consider what we know to be Jehovah's Witnesses' general understanding of a few terms which might be defined thus:
TRUTH:
"Truth, The" - 1) The Watchtower Society of Jehovah's Witnesses formerly headquartered in Brooklyn NY, USA; 2) any of their teachings, past and present.
"truth" - 1) Anything stated in Watchtower literature; 2) "present light" revealed by Jehovah God to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, to which everlasting life is contingent upon the strictest adherence until such time as the "present truth" is superseded by "new truth", even though the former "truth" may remain in effect until the "new truth" is published to the general flock in "due season" (e.g., held in reserve to excite the next Jehovah's Witness district assembly); 3) meat.
"old truth" - That which was truth but is no longer truth, having been superseded by "new truth", distinguished from "lie", "error", or "mistake" by reason of having formerly been "truth".
"new truth" - That which supersedes "old truth". Syn. "present truth".
Apostacy - 1) Disagreement with any present teaching of the Watchtower Society; 2) Leaving (or not leaving) Jehovah's Witnesses by reason of disagreement with their teachings; 3) Researching, speaking, or otherwise discovering truth before it is revealed to the Governing Body and sanctioned by Ted Jaracz.
Apostate - 1) a former Jehovah's Witness; 2) A person baptized as a Jehovah's Witness who later discovers the Watchtower's dictionary differs from Webster's.
LYING:
Now consider this definition of the word "lie":
'A lie is defined as "1. a false statement or action, especially one made with intent to deceive . . . 2. anything that gives or is meant to give a false impression." The intention is to cause others to believe something that the liar knows is not the truth. By lies or half-truths, he strives to deceive those who are entitled to know the truth.'
Not a bad definition. The source?-The Watchtower, 12/15/92, page 22, in an article titled: "Why Is It So Easy to Lie?"
(Heh! :-D))
(They don't identify the source of their quote. Nevertheless, the writer presents a fair definition of "lie" similar to that of Webster and popular definition.) Considering that a "lie" is essentially the opposite of "truth", perhaps the uniqueness of the Watchtower's definition of "truth" is all the more remarkable for its absence of comparable expressions for "lie"; such as "old lies", "new lies", "present lies", in regard to "the light getting brighter" (or would dimmer be more appropriate for "lies". :-)
Further along (page 23), the article states:
"Truth is the standard our great Creator has set for all. His written Word, the Bible, states at Hebrews 6:18 that "it is impossible for God to lie." . . . "This truthful God requires us to live by his standards in order to receive his approval. His inspired Word commands us: "Do not be lying to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices." (Colossians 3:9) People who refuse to quit the practice of lying are not acceptable to him; they will not receive his gift of life. In fact, Psalm 5:6 says frankly that God "will destroy those speaking a lie." Revelation 21:8 further says that the portion of "all the liars" is "the second death," which is eternal destruction. So our accepting God's view of lying gives us strong reason to speak the truth."
Most interesting article-all about lying! Those with older volumes or CD should read it. In fact, the Governing Body should read it; they obviously did not write it.
SHUNNING:
Now consider the Watchtower Society's claims as to the reason Jehovah's Witnesses disfellowship and shun-that being, to "keep Jehovah's organization clean". And with that in mind, consider the experience of SilentLambs a little ways down the board. Does it seem there is some congregational deception going on? I mean, if one is presumably so unworthy as to be shunned, aren't they supposed to be "put out of the congregation" (disfellowshipped)? And if they are not disfellowshipped, but remain in the congregation without any hearing or disciplinary action, then why are they being shunned? So if there are members being shunned within the congregation, is the organization "clean", according to the Watchtower specification? (A scan of the words "clean organization" on the CD shows that the Watchtower claims over and over to be "clean" and intending to remain so. So if they claim the organization is "clean", but do not disfellowship members deemed to be "wrong-doers", is it not a lie to claim the organization is clean, according to their definition? Would a "clean" organization have a situation of shunning among brothers and sisters. And if a member is considered to be sinning, are they not obliged to follow Jesus' instruction to confront the sinner by one, then two or more witnesses, then before the whole congregation, before supposedly shunning them?
When it comes to disfellowshipping and shunning, the Watchtower is notorious for lying, and they know it. They fragrantly lied when Ray Franz was disfellowshipped-and admitted as much in private conversations. Come on, who believes for a second that Ray was disfellowshipped for having lunch with a disassociated person, his employer at the time, a professed Christian, prior to the time when shunning was even an issue for disassociated members? My brother who attended the school for elders in the early 80s was at a lunch table with Al Schroeder and asked him about the lunch story of Ray's DFing. Schroeder replied that the decision to DF Ray had actually been made before he ever left Bethel. But, because of Ray's long service and rank on the GB, the Watchtower lawyers advised that he might have legal recourse if he was disfellowshipped from the Governing Body. However, if he voluntarily resigned (which they practically forced him to do under false pretense), and then gave a small severance pay ($10,000), and if he accepted it, they would be subject to no further liability from him. (Turned out to be no doubt the dumbest mistake they ever made in their history-but good for us!) But where was the Scriptural premise? The point is the WTS lie, lie, lie whenever it suits them. (Look at their deception with the Bulgarian blood policy.)
Now if the Watchtower reeeally wanted to get the "organization clean", they would stop the shunning nonsense, and follow Jesus' instruction to treat a "sinner" removed from the congregation "as a gentile or tax collector". (Realize, the Jews did not shun gentiles and tax collectors. Matthew himself was a tax collector.) Jehovah's Witnesses know very well that if they stopped shunning, a large number of their membership would fall away. Now if a "clean" organization were their aim, what could be better than all those closet "apostates" pulling out of the congregation. What a house-cleaning that would be! Conclusion: they're lying again when they claim that disfellowshipping and shunning are lovingly imposed to "keep the Organization clean". In fact, precisely the opposite it true-it is intended to hold the opposition captive within!
So do we see even the slightest indication toward positive reform on unScriptural shunning and advocating desertion of family members who just happen to have a different belief about God? Not at all! In fact, the policy is being expanded now to shun even some within the organization.
It does present an interesting situation: How does one who is being shunned, but has not been charged with any sin, repent? Disfellowshipped people can apply for reinstatement by reason of repentance from what they were disfellowshipped for. What recourse is open to an active member who is being shunned, but has been charged with no sin? What does the congregation hope to achieve?-to drive the victims further into the closet of anonymity for their beliefs and principles, to make an example of any who would dare to question? Jehovah's Witnesses don't want a clean organization, they want mindless conformity. And the Watchtower wants numbers, money and power, like any other corporate conglomerate. If they really cared about a "clean organization", or "truth", they would stop the shunning. But they don't.
Ros