I'm including in this thread some other contributions to the discussion collected from around the forum and the Net so that they can be found in a single location.
The following notes are AlanF's comments on the Awake article:
> More Emphasis on the Bible!
Yeah, right.
> 1 On October 1, 1919, the first issue of the magazine The Golden Age was published. It proved to be a most valuable tool in the preaching work. Why? Because it was specially designed for the public.
Uh huh. It soon published many articles advertising the many benefits of the quack device called "the Electronic Radio Biola", which was supposed to be a miracle cure for just about all of mankind's ills. By about 1926, enough lawsuits had been filed against the inventor of this quackery that the Watchtower Society was forced to quit advertising this quack idea. Golden Age published many, many articles advocating all sorts of quackery, such as on the ills of being poisoned by aluminum cookware, the evils of vaccination, and the fact that the entire medical profession was nothing but a bunch of charlatans.
> That was not the case with The Watchtower, which for many years was viewed as a magazine largely for the "little flock." (Luke 12:32)
This is a fine example of the Watchtower Society's penchant for lying while appearing to tell the truth. When The Golden Age was first published in 1919, all of the Bible Students -- those who would today be classified as rank & file members of the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses -- were said to be "anointed" and members of "the little flock". This was, from the very beginning of Charles Taze Russell's teaching career, a fundamental doctrine. So, when the writer of this Awake! article states that The Watchtower was for many years "viewed as a magazine largely for the 'little flock'," it's pretty much a non sequitur. Of course Watchtower leaders were oriented toward the concept of a "little flock" that would ultimately rule all of mankind. They were the ones who would soon begin ruling. The writer is deceiving his readers by implying that the notion of a "little flock" was then the same as it is today -- an exclusive group that doesn't include most JWs.
> Kingdom publishers responded with such enthusiasm to the new publication that for many years the circulation of The Golden Age was far in excess of that of The Watchtower.
In view of the cultural milieu of the 1920s, an increase in the circulation of a goofy magazine like The Golden Age is only to be expected. But because the membership of the Bible Students dropped by about 75% between about 1924 and 1929, it's obvious that the circulation of The Golden Age, along with The Watchtower, suffered greatly. But the writer gives no indication of this. His goal is to put the best possible spin on WTS history by keeping to fuzzy generalities. He keeps to that theme in the rest of the article.
> 2 The magazine The Golden Age was published to show people that the real solution to mankind's problems is Christ's Millennial Reign, which will truly usher in a golden age for humankind.
Uh huh. Promotions for devices like the Electronic Radio Biola certainly did that.
> In succeeding decades a number of adjustments were made to The Golden Age to meet the changing needs of the times. In 1937 its name was changed to Consolation. In 1946 it became Awake!, the name we know it by today.
Actually, this indicates that the reason for the change is not so much to meet the "needs of the times" in terms of the readership, but in terms of Watchtower personnel. By 1946, the editor of Consolation/Golden Age, Clayton J. Woodworth, had become too decrepit to continue the pace of publishing nonsense, so he was put out to pasture and a whole new magazine, with a different focus, was initiated. I think it's the same today. Awake!'s long time editor-in-chief Harry Peloyan is pushing 90 years old, and is likely no longer capable of handling the chores.
> 3 From its beginning, this magazine has contributed mightily to the great witness that has been given since 1919. (Matt. 24:14) However, in view of the urgency of our times, it seems wise to make further adjustments to Awake!
Sure, like Peloyan can't handle it anymore and they can't find someone to replace him.
> 4 Millions of people enjoy reading Awake! because it covers a wide variety of secular topics in an appealing way.
And it presents a good deal of nonsense as if it were truth from God. In my own case, it was some articles in Awake! that finally convinced me that the Society is run by a bunch of idiots.
> No doubt the majority of those who attend the Memorial each year are regular readers of Awake!
More likely, they see the magazine and throw it away.
> Still, if anyone hopes to be concealed in "the day of Jehovah's anger," he will need help to do more than be a regular reader of our publications. -- Zeph. 2:3; Rev. 14:6, 7.
Right, like dedicate oneself to the holy Watchtower organization.
> 5 Hence, from January 2006, Awake! will place greater emphasis on God's Kingdom. It will encourage readers more straightforwardly to look to the Bible for the solutions to their problems and will highlight more prominently the Bible's explanation of current events. In this way, readers will get a better understanding of current events and perhaps be moved by what they read to learn more about Jehovah. -- Zech. 8:23.
I can't wait.
> 6 Awake! will continue to feature topics of general interest. However, more emphasis will be laid on the Bible. (1 Thess. 2:13) Since The Watchtower contains deep Biblical information
Like the nonsensical fulfillment of prophecies in Revelation. Even many of the Witnesses hate that garbage.
> and Awake! will feature more material that is Scriptural in nature,
Like showing why one should believe that when Adam sinned, that automatically changed the nature of some vegetarian animals into predators.
> it does not seem necessary to continue publishing Awake! twice a month. Therefore, beginning with its January 2006 issue, Awake! will be published as a monthly magazine. This will result in considerable simplification in the preparation, translation, and shipping of our literature.
No doubt. Stopping publication altogether would result in considerably more simplification.
> 7 This change will affect about 40 percent of the languages in which Awake! is published. In most languages, Awake! is already a monthly or a quarterly publication. There will be no change in the publication of The Watchtower.
Answering the inevitable question.
> 8 Publishers may offer each month's Awake! with either issue of The Watchtower for that month. Those who feature Awake! will be able to use the same issue all through the month without having to change their presentation in the middle of the month, as at present.
A total non sequitur if I ever heard one.
> 9 Since its first issue back in 1919, the magazine successively known as The Golden Age, Consolation, and now Awake! has played a major role in the preaching work.
A great deal of garbage has been distributed, alright.
> We pray that Jehovah will continue to bless the distribution of the magazine in its revised format and that it will help many more people out of "all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues" to turn to God's Kingdom as their only hope. -- Rev. 7:9.
Yes, Jehovah's blessing is upon the Society's activities, whether it's expanding or contracting.
It's interesting how the Society can't just make a simple announcement about this, but has to couch it in "spiritual" terms. Damage control is right!
AlanF
