AK,
Yes, I believe that they did use such strategy. When I became a JW in 1968, I read Schnell's book, but was unimpressed because the JWs had changed so much that it did not click. I read it again twice since I left the JWs and it makes more sense ... though it is still a poor quality work compared to other books out there, not the least of which is Crisis of Conscience.
I recall that this strategy was still talked about in the late 1960s. Some of the Congregation Servants (Presiding Overseers) would hope that certain literature campaigns would bring about great agnst in the community. I also recall an older sister who knew Chucky Russell. She not only confirmed that this stratregy was used, she boasted about it with fond memories.
In the early 1970s, when we thought that Armageddon was due by 1975, we went door-to-door with much more vigor and focus on getting attention. I recall the magazine size 2-page phamplets called "Kingdom News" series. These were delivered door-to-door in a blitz fashion. They were outrageously strong - at the time - and were designed to stir up a storm. They fell flat, and the Society abandoned the campaign. Many JWs talked about causing great persecution as they did in the old days.
The last time I recall mention of these storm-trooper tactics was after we moved to Washington State in 1975. We would go into the City Hall of a town on South Whidbey Island to register out activity, and then go door-to-door in their community. I asked why we did this. The older JWs said that this was a compromise worked out with the city because of their ordinance agaist door-to-door solicitations. Then, on e of them said that in the old days, they would have ignored the city law, and gone door-to-door without permits so that they could stir up a court case. But, those days are gone now that the organization is well established ... and the Society no longer likes that kind of legal expense.
But, a few years ago, the Society did get involved in a door-to-door issue in a town in Ohio. It went all the way to the US Supreme court. The Society won, mostly based on established case law.
If you read my series on Rutherford and the trial of the Society's seven officers in 1918, you can see how this tactic was the mentality among the Bible Student leaders (though I did not focus on it that way) and how the Rutherford loved being in court, and sitting in the witness stand using the opportunity to push JW beliefs on the court. The whole scenario was obviously set up, unless these guys were extremely stupid.
Looking_Glass said, "I don't know that a blanket statement can be made that the WTBTS arranged for the lynchings and mob actions that took place."
Correct, the Society would not have arranged for mob action. This they did not really anticipate. They did arrange for causing trouble so that they could get their cause into the courts.
Jim Whitney
