What kind of a response would I get if I asked the JW's at my door

by Agnes 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  jaffacake

  Watchtower 1957 May 1 pp.285-286 Use Theocratic War Strategy

  ...."Look! I am sending you forth as sheep amidst wolves; therefore prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves."-Matt. 10:16, NW.

  Perhaps some will wonder as to where the line is to be drawn between use of theocratic war strategy in hiding the truth and the telling of lies.

  ….And, of course , there is no occasion for use of war strategy when dealing with our Christian brothers. In dealing with them we tell the truth or tactfully remind them that what they seek to know does not concern them .

  Lies are untruths told for selfish reasons and which work injury to others. Satan told a lie to Eve that worked great harm to her and all the human race. Ananias and Sapphira told lies for selfish reasons. But hiding the truth, which he is not entitled to know, from an enemy does not harm him, especially when he would use such information to harm others who are innocent.

  …in time of spiritual warfare it is proper to misdirect the enemy by hiding the truth. It is done unselfishly; it does not harm anyone; on the contrary, it does much good.

  Today God's servants are engaged in a warfare, a spiritual, theocratic warfare, a warfare ordered by God against wicked spirit forces and against false teachings. God's servants are sent forth as sheep among wolves and therefore need to exercise the extreme caution of serpents so as to protect properly the interests of God's kingdom committed to them. At all times they must be very careful not to divulge any information to the enemy that he could use to hamper the preaching work.
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  jaffacake

  The elder I study with tells deliberate lies on each and every Bible study, but I don't tell him that I know they are lies. I stor up his quotes and one day I will read them back to him and prove they were lies. I attended a KH only once, last memorial, and an elder deliberately lied, not only to me, but two my friend and his wife, part of the congregation and newly baptised.

  They lied to JWs about the U.N. scandal. Oh this is very much intentional, at least it is with the elders. Many R&F are probably more ignorant and more innocent.
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  jaffacake

  http://quotes.watchtower.ca/lie.htm
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  doinmypart

  In addition to the letter Rebel8 posted, here are some recent articles regarding "theocratic warfare", "theocratic strategy", "withholding from one not entitled". The practice is still promoted...

  *** w04 11/15 p. 28 “The Tent of the Upright Ones Will Flourish” ***
  The faithful witness does not commit perjury when testifying. His testimony is not tainted with lies. However, this does not mean that he is under obligation to give full information to those who may want to bring harm to Jehovah’s people in some way. The patriarchs Abraham and Isaac withheld facts from some who did not worship Jehovah. (Genesis 12:10-19; 20:1-18; 26:1-10) Rahab of Jericho misdirected the king’s men. (Joshua 2:1-7) Jesus Christ himself refrained from divulging total information when doing so would have caused needless harm. (John 7:1-10) He said: “Do not give what is holy to dogs.” Why not? So that “they may never . . . turn around and rip you open.”—Matthew 7:6.

  *** w04 12/1 p. 9 Highlights From the Book of Joshua ***
  Why does Rahab mislead the king’s men who are searching for the spies? Rahab protects the spies at the risk of her life because she has come to have faith in Jehovah. Therefore, she is under no obligation to divulge the spies’ whereabouts to men who are seeking to harm God’s people. (Matthew 7:6; 21:23-27; John 7:3-10) In fact, Rahab was “declared righteous by works,” including the act of misdirecting the emissaries of the king.

  *** g00 2/8 p. 21 Lying—Is It Ever Justified? ***
  “Cautious as Serpents”
  Of course, being truthful does not mean that we are obligated to divulge all information to anyone who asks it of us. “Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine, that they may never . . . turn around and rip you open,” warned Jesus, at Matthew 7:6. For example, individuals with wicked intent may have no right to know certain things. Christians understand that they are living in a hostile world. Thus, Jesus advised his disciples to be “cautious as serpents” while remaining “innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16; John 15:19) Jesus did not always disclose the full truth, especially when revealing all the facts could have brought unnecessary harm to himself or his disciples. Still, even at such times, he did not lie. Instead, he chose either to say nothing or to divert the conversation in another direction.

  *** it-2 p. 245 Lie ***
  While malicious lying is definitely condemned in the Bible, this does not mean that a person is under obligation to divulge truthful information to people who are not entitled to it. Jesus Christ counseled: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine, that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.” (Mt 7:6) That is why Jesus on certain occasions refrained from giving full information or direct answers to certain questions when doing so could have brought unnecessary harm. (Mt 15:1-6; 21:23-27; Joh 7:3-10) Evidently the course of Abraham, Isaac, Rahab, and Elisha in misdirecting or in withholding full facts from nonworshipers of Jehovah must be viewed in the same light.