"ones"

by A Paduan 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

A Paduan

It has occured to me while reading the language here that the term "ones" is often utilised by the wtbts - have they simply copied the style of biblical language, where the term "one" has application beyond what "he" or "she" does, or, is it a deliberate subtle usage ?
"one" descibing a 'whole', an integral unit - if someone is "one" they are being described in terms of integrity or autonomy, which includes the response-ability, accountability and wholeness (bringing to mind such terms as real 'free will').
I have only just read the term "interested ones" - does the saying impart a personal accountability toward the 'newbie', or am I just hearing with a different hearing ? I found it to be one of those jw terms that really grates on my hearing - and I think I've realised why. Do the wtbts use the term "ones" for their children too?
Elsewhere

You must be among the confused ones.
Leolaia

I posted this recently in bebu's thread:
Just browsing through the WT publications. Here are examples of the "ones" expression:
sincere ones, interested ones, sheeplike ones, honesthearted ones, new ones, faithful ones, inactive ones, older ones, young ones, deaf ones, deserving ones, violent ones, loved ones, righthearted ones, repentent ones, mature ones, meek ones, loyal ones, little ones, exemplary ones, sick ones, bereaved ones, different ones, taught ones, responsive ones, unsuspecting ones, righteous ones, outstanding ones, afflicted ones, experienced ones, timid ones, baptized ones, needy ones, mourning ones, newly dedicated ones, indecisive ones, haughty ones, anointed ones, wise ones, dear ones, spiritual ones, prominent ones, lowly ones, sad ones, conceited ones, humble ones, modest ones, disadvantaged ones, weak ones, austere ones, worthy ones, victorious ones, poor ones, uninvited ones, perfect ones, upright ones, etc. etc.
There seems to be a real aversion towards using descriptive nouns like "the sick, the poor, the weak," etc. There is almost a numbing effect from the repetition of "ones"....."ones"...."ones"
Yes, that "I'm ONE of Jehovah's Witnesses" is really weird!!! Grammatically, it's sound, but it's always so odd-ball sounding
To me, this phrase stresses the collective over the individual. Saying "I'm a Jehovah's Witness" betrays an individualism that "I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses" does not. It is a collectivity that is not broken down for the sake of the individual. I checked the past literature and found an interesting pattern. The phrase "I'm a Jehovah's Witness" occurs only once in post-1950 texts:
***
g88 1/22 p. 30 Watching the World ***
He couldn?t believe his ears when she replied, in all seriousness: ?I can?t tell lies?I?m a Jehovah?s Witness.?"
But the "I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses" alternative occurs 22 times:
***
g70 5/8 p. 5 Protect Your Family from Drug Abuse ***
When a student refused a barbiturate with the comment, "I?m one of Jehovah?s witnesses," he was told: "We don?t have anything to do with you anyway."
***
km 6/70 p. 2 Your Service Meetings ***
Basically the following approach was used: ?Good morning, my name is ???. I?m one of Jehovah?s witnesses. I imagine you have your own religious affiliation?
*** g71 9/22 p. 12 An Interesting Conversation ***
"?Actually,? I answered, ?I?m one of Jehovah?s witnesses.?
*** yb71 p. 302 Country Reports (Part Two) ***
"No," the publisher replied, "I?m one of Jehovah?s witnesses." "Oh," said the householder, "in that case, come in.
*** km 1/73 p. 4 Presenting the Good News?"Who Is It?" ***
In places where householders are fearful and the voice is businesslike, one might give one?s name and then say, "I?m one of Jehovah?s witnesses and I would appreciate seeing you for a minute."
*** km 7/73 p. 4 Presenting the Good News?By Making Good Use of the Telephone ***
When one sister called, she was informed by the householder that she was very busy, but when told, "I?m one of Jehovah?s witnesses," she asked the sister to come to her home.
*** km 5/74 p. 8 Presenting the Good News?Introductions ***
Another starts by saying: "I?m one of Jehovah?s witnesses. You may wonder why we are calling again. Well, we have the very best in mind for you; that?s why we came."
*** g80 12/8 p. 17 A Long Journey in Search of a Stranger ***
I asked, curiously, "What religion are you?" She smiled and answered, "I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses."
*** g81 4/8 p. 20 Jonah?A Fish Story? ***
Ron: Well, I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses, and we believe that the account of Jonah and the great fish is true.
*** yb82 p. 106 Chile ***
"But that doesn?t affect me," he explained. "I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses."
*** g85 4/8 p. 27 Robinson Crusoe?Fact and Fiction ***
"That doesn?t affect me," said the guide. "I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses." What a surprise for the elder who thought he was going to virgin territory!
*** w85 2/1 p. 27 Can a Blind Man "See"? ***
One day while offering Bible literature to people in the business section of Salvador, I heard a female voice say, "I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses too."
*** g86 7/22 p. 17 I Heard God?s Name and Forgot About My Own ***
On that show was a minister. I asked what religion he was. "I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses."
*** g94 5/22 p. 12 Youths Who Have "Power Beyond What Is Normal" ***
I cried out: ?I can?t take blood because I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses! I hope you know that!
*** g95 9/22 p. 14 Should I Learn Self-Defense? ***
"Letting everyone know I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses is my best protection," states young Lola.
*** yb95 p. 54 Middle and South America ***
Then to the surprise of the brother, the boy stated, "I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses." Was he really?
*** w96 1/1 p. 27 Jehovah Never Abandoned Us ***
"And you?"
"I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses."
*** w96 1/1 p. 27 Jehovah Never Abandoned Us ***
"Oh, these are mine!" I exclaimed. "Of course, I can explain this. You see, these magazines come from Brooklyn, New York. That is where the headquarters of Jehovah?s Witnesses is located. I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses."
*** g97 2/22 p. 21 A Thrilling Surprise ***
"I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses."
"Who are Jehovah?s Witnesses?"
*** g97 4/22 p. 21 Now I?m Happy to Be Alive! ***
I kept repeating, even through the oxygen mask: "No blood, no blood. I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses!"
*** g98 11/22 p. 30 From Our Readers ***
A traveling minister said, "When anyone asks you what you are, just say, ?I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses.?"
*** w01 5/1 p. 25 Pressing On in Jehovah?s Way Is Our Strength and Joy ***
"My name is Christine Genchur. I?m one of Jehovah?s Witnesses. I moved to Cleveland to find a job, and I want to associate with a congregation."
That's quite a striking difference. But even more telling is the fact that the phrase "one of Jehovah's Witnesses" occurs a whopping 2,850 times in the literature, versus a scant 94 cases of "a Jehovah's Witness". Very much a hive mentality at work.
A Paduan

That's very, very interesting though I don't quite agree with your postulation - "To me, this phrase stresses the collective over the individual."
I believe that the overusage highlights the importance of the collective as being opposed to the importance of individual - ie. "There are jehovahs witnesses (namely the 'exemplaries') and I am "one" (ie. I understand that I am accountable individually regardless of my mandatory direction from others).
Like having it both ways - for the wtbts that is.
VM44

The use of the word "ones" is to signify a "class" of people. Thus, "Sincere ones" means the class of sincere people, "interested ones" the class of interested people, etc. The Watchtower has always liked talking about various classes of people, and this is just another way of doing so.
--VM44 (of no particular class)
lisaBObeesa

That's quite a striking difference. But even more telling is the fact that the phrase "one of Jehovah's Witnesses" occurs a whopping 2,850 times in the literature, versus a scant 94 cases of "a Jehovah's Witness". Very much a hive mentality at work.

Leolaia:
I'm glad you posted this again because I missed it the other time..very interesting. I had never noticed that before. Like the other poster said, it IS wierd. I don't say, "I am one of the Democrats." My husband doesn't say, "I am one of the Catholics."
You are so right. It stresses the collective over the individual.
NeonMadman

You all make good points about the phrase "one of Jehovah's Witnesses" reflecting a "hive" mentality, emphasizing the collective over the individual. I always understood the primary purpose of the phrase as conveying a "generic" sense to the term "Jehovah's witnesses" (remember the "w" used to not be capitalized?) - saying that Jehovah had lots of witnesses and you were one of them - instead of just a denominational "brand name" like Baptist, Methodist, etc. But I'm sure that the fact that it helps to enforce the brainwashing helps a lot to explain why the peculiar usage has endured so well.
blondie

I checked the NIV (89 cases of "ones") and the KJV (80 cases of "ones) and the NWT (1359 cases of "ones"). Maybe that gives us a picture of this use of "ones" in WTS literature. The CD only goes back to 1950 when the NWT first started coming out in segments.
Blondie
Room 215

I believe my fellow Jerseyan Neon Madman has it right; it's been my experience that several JWs who referred to themselves as ``a Jehovah's witness," or worse yet, as ``a Jehovah witness" were corrected; the explanation was that the term ``Jehovah's witness" is not, as NM said a ``brand name" but rather a descriptive phrase, a sort of ``mission statement. Yet, the practice persists. I've also noted the change to capitalizing the W in Witness some years back; but I don't recall ever having seen an explanation for the change.
blondie

As to Jehovah's witnesses as opposed to Jehovah's Witnesses, it as Room 215 says, it changed consistently in 1976 to Jehovah's Witnesses without any explanation after years of insisting that it must be Jehovah's witnesses because it was not the name of a religion but a group of people.
For some time the WTS used the phrase "Jehovah's Christian witnesses" but that disappeared in completely in 1986 in the True Peace book after dropping off sharply in 1979.
Blondie

"ones"

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