Psychological Changes in the Vocabulary of the
WTS
I have been reading the publications of the WTS since I
was 6, 60 years now. We were too poor to
have more than one subscription for each magazine so I had to wait until my
mother had read it (she let them pile up).
My father was not a jw and he watched every penny that was spent. So my mother had to save money in other ways
secretly from my father. Spend less than
his budget for food, buy our clothes at Goodwill or make them herself, cutting
her own clothes to make clothes for us.
So my siblings and I did not have our own personal
copies. Because of my early reading
skills, I found reading the magazines very interesting. That is why over the last 60 years, I have
observed the changes in vocabulary designed to manipulate, “encourage” the WTS
says, to mold the thinking of its members, and “motivate” them to do what the
WTS wants, even when they say it is a personal choice.
Yesterday’s study article was no exception.
Paragraph 1
No just Christians but true Christians, which is
also a phrase that means only jws are true Christians.
Not just worshipping God but a loving God
May (a qualifying word going
against the WTS application of the scripture at 2 Tim. 3:12
In fact, all those desiring
to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be
persecuted.
John 15:20
A slave is not greater than
his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;
Acts 14:22
We must enter into
the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.”
No can used here, but “will”
If the Bible says, that it “will” happen how are jws then
caught off guard when persecution comes suddenly and unexpectedly? Based on the scriptures above, shouldn’t jws
be expecting and prepared for persecution?
Secular authorities rather than governments—the WTS avoids
showing governments in a bad light
Paragraph 2
Don’t jws already know the answers to the following
questions?
Does persecution mean that we have lost God’s favor?
Will a ban end our worship of Jehovah?
Should I move to a land where I can worship Jehovah (left
out, without persecution)
All jws would answer No, No, No
Hasn’t it been more that jws in many countries never
thought that persecution would never come to their country, because it was long
ago when it did, or that they felt that their country (still one in the power
of Satan, per the WTS.
Paragraph 3
Wrongly conclude that
we do not have God’s blessing (the WTS is realizing that too many jws have and
are coming to that conclusion.
Example: Apostle
Paul wrote part of the scriptures when he was under intense persecution. But no jws today have that sign of God’s
approval.
Allow…faithful…to be persecuted. Is God testing them in contradiction of this
scripture:
James 1:13
When under trial, let no
one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried,
nor does he himself try anyone.
But does God “allow” others
to test them with evil things?
What does it mean if you or
I stood by and watched others do evil to other people? Does that mean we are not in some way part of
doing the evil?
Amazing how adding those
words "permit" and "allow" distances God from
responsibility in the minds of the WTS leaders.
** w07 8/15 p. 18 You Can Deal With Injustice! ***
Jehovah may
even have reasons for not correcting a certain situation. As
part of our Christian training, he may permit us to experience injustice.
Of course, ‘with evil things God does not try anyone.’ (James 1:13)
Paragraph 4
Yes, Jesus said we should “expect” persecution (opposition is a
euphemism to avoid a negative meaning)
Does persecution always mean jws are doing the “right” thing? How many jws did you know that thought every
negative thing in their life was persecution, even if it was because that jw
did not apply the law of love in their lives in the congregation, or broke
Caesar’s laws that did not conflict with God’s?
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2006605?q=all+persecution+caused&p=par
Of course, we must not assume that Satan
personally causes each tragedy that we suffer.
Actually, some problems could even be caused by our own mistakes (Galatians 6:7)
Paragraph 5
Mere human
opposers—are human opposers “mere,” remember
WTS says they are influenced by a supernatural creature, Satan the Devil.
Do numbers prove success? Or did Jesus say there need only be 2 or 3
gathered in his name?
Did jws during WW2 quietly do the preaching or
did Rutherford try to appease them in 1934 when that failed, challenged the
Nazi government bringing persecution and death to many jws, while he sat safely
in the US?
Yes, the jw work was banned in Australia and
Canada, and the pledge of allegiance became a point of contention leading to
many jws teachers and students being kicked out of the school system. Jws were told to flood cities, towns, and
villages and do a blitzkrieg with the publications to circumvent the laws
preventing that, many of them ending up in jail and others tarred and feathered
or beaten severely by the crowd;, but then allowed segregation in their
congregations and conventions because there was no law against that, they could
still do their preaching work. Did the
WTS have to preach on Sunday to accomplish their preaching work.
Paragraph 6
Opposition can motivate us to…serve more
fully.
Through fear or love?
So how many jws in your congregation, a young
couple with a young child, have begun regular pioneering and the wife quit a well-paying
(does this imply that if it was a low-paying job that was okay) job even when
not under persecution?
Easier to start bible studies, I’d like some
proof of that. Give me the numbers (see
above).
Positive effect: many who had stopped
serving Jehovah began to attend meetings.
Does that mean that jws who were not attending
meetings were no longer jws?
*** w55 1/1 p. 14 par. 14 Holding Fast the
Public Declaration of Our Hope ***
Under that wholesome counsel by Paul it is very necessary for each
one of us to look after himself. It is not just a matter of saying, ‘I
am one of Jehovah’s witnesses,’ or one’s coming to a meeting and there sitting
quietly. It really is a matter of inspecting yourself, testing or
proving yourself by answering questions in public, voluntarily or when called
upon. How can anyone say he is one of Jehovah’s witnesses if he does
not attend and participate in the meetings of true worshipers of Jehovah? (John
4:23) How can he say, even to himself, that he believes the truth of God’s Word
if he never expresses that truth to his brothers?
Remember when 9/11 occurred in the US, many
inactive jws rushed back to the meetings thinking the end was upon them. But as things calmed down, they stopped
coming. Did you see that in your congregation?
Or farther back, when the end did not come in
1975, did you see the number of jws decrease substantially, 2% in 1977 and
1978?
Paragraph 7
Our (jws) enemies
May circulate
false stories (or true stories that made the WTS look bad, thus fake news)
Did the WTS say that only a small number
of jws were put into prison shortly before and during WW2? Is that to calm down jws today, thinking only
a few of them will experience such things?
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1990564#h=63:127-63:319
In The Nazi State and the New
Religions: Five Case Studies in Non-Conformity, Dr. Christine
E. King wrote: “One out of every two German Witnesses was imprisoned, one
in four lost their lives.”
Paragraph 8
Watch how the WTS words this to tell jws that
the right answer to this question, should move to another land, is no for
faithful jws.
Personal decision but consider this, some moved after Stephen was stoned, but
Paul did not. He risked his safety. So what kind of Christian can you be if you
don’t imitate Paul who said he imitated Christ?
Paragraph 9
Each family head—implies jw husband, but can be jw mother with no husband
Personal decision but
Prayerfully and carefully consider his
family’s circumstances (because other jws will be judging if your circumstances
warrant moving)
Positive and negative effects…might (how can
any faithful jw think that God is not capable of making a negative situation a
positive one, do they doubt his power and concern?)
Each Christian must carry his own load (yes,
because no faithful jw will support you in this so-called personal decision
Should not judge others—unless you are an elder or equivalent
Paragraph 10
How worship…under ban
During the years just before 1975, a book study
conductor had us go door to door as if we were under ban. We dressed unobtrusively, had a few houses in
each block and then moved to another area close by, going one person to a door
always keeping an eye out for the police.
Can you imagine what non-jws thought how weird that was.
Branch = elders = perhaps by book study groups (yes, somehow local jws do
not how to circumvent secular authority?) (what if branch is outside the
country as many are now as branches have been consolidated, are the WTS must
get passed highly guarded borders?)
Spiritual food = WTS publications, after all how suspicious could a bible
be if it were not an NWT?
Elders will help you, and go beyond the things
written
Why would the direction be any more in harmony
with the bible and Christian (WTS only) publications?
Paragraph 11
Well-fed spiritually, yes you cannot be well-fed through the bible, only the
right bible through WTS guidance
His organization (not even the word organization in the bible, just like the
word trinity)
Good place to hide your bible—if jws have done that years in advance, will they still
remember where they hid them?
Precious material,
did you know that they WTS smuggled their publications as first priority, not
bibles?
Don’t leave it a place that could easily be
discovered—how often is confidential material in congregations not put in
safe places, taking copies or originals of KH files home, open to easy view by
family?
Practical steps—as outlined in detail for you by the WTS, as if jw
circumstances are all the same.
Paragraph 12
Elders will arrange meetings—not attract
unwanted attention (under ban why would attention be wanted?)
Change meeting times and locations frequently—yes, if you miss even one meeting you will not know where
the next one is and you will be viewed with suspicion so other jws may not even
share that info with you)
Speaking quietly coming and leaving—I went to a congregation where the KH was in a residential
area. The neighbors were always
complaining that people were talking too loud outside and children were playing
loudly outside. Never seemed to change
anything, and there was no ban in operation.
What about those who always late now?
Will they suddenly be able to be on time?
Paragraph 13
Circumstances will vary—does that mean the WTS will adjust the directions to suit
certain individuals? They don’t now.
Do jws enjoy the preaching work? Why can they find more time for tv viewing
then?
If jws will not persevere in their preaching
work when not under ban, will they when under ban?
Paragraph 14
Cautious…sharing info. Time to be silent—if jws don’t stop gossiping now and sharing confidential
with other jws who do not need to know it, how will they do it under ban,
especially if sharing it will save themselves and their own family.
Do elders protect the info now they
have on the names of jws and the locations of meetings and territory
assignments? Do they password
protect their computer? How many KHs use
1914 as a password to get into their KH?
Share well-meaning friends or relatives (do they mean non-jws or jws?) in other countries—yes
don’t be sending snail mail or e-mails or texts outside the country as if
governments don’t have access to them.
Safety of our brothers and sisters—not that jws now care about the safety of others (or good
reputations) as they share gossip.
Paragraph 15
Minor issues to
divide us—they already are in congregations not under ban, many long-long
standing ones.
Isn’t this like shutting the barn door after the
horses have escaped?
Start fighting with one another---start!?
Paragraph 16
Even mature Christians (jws)—so does
maturity come with age, position, length of time a jw…?
Yes, an example of a sister apologizing…what
about brothers?
Is jealously motivating only sisters who have
no real privileges?
Do jws focus on their fellows’ good
points?
So will jws today start now working hard to
overcome differences?
Paragraph 17
Avoid being presumptuous
Who is more likely not to heed direction
from trusted, responsible brothers?
Not leave printed literature—related point, I
knew a brother who disregarded the counsel to make return visits because the
territory would be worked again soon anyway.
Yes, a pioneer brother disregarded…even
if we know better.
Cooperate with brothers = blessings
Appointed to take the lead = but not leaders
Do not make unnecessary rules = going beyond the things written
Prescribing rules of conduct—making lists of do’s
and don’ts=When the cat’s (WTS/branch) is away the mice
will make rules, only the WTS is allowed to prescribe rules of conduct and make
lists of dos and don’ts.
What personal decisions can an
individual jw make without interference by elders and well-meaning jws?
Needless rules—give some examples please, what is the WTS definition of “needless”?
The GB has made itself the master of their
members’ faith; no eternal life except through the WTS.
Paragraph 19
Satan the Devil, our chief adversary—but he uses humans, including so-called brothers and sisters
at the KH to discourage other jws.
His agents—human governments
How will God support jws—some practical ideas please.
Be like 1st century Christians, who saw material miracles, knew people who had talked with
Christ and seen the miracles, saw Peter and Silas saved by an angel, a faithful
sister brought back to life.
Paragraph 20
Same resolve—you too
GB in your protected, ivory tower.
So, will jws be telling the rulers today
that they are pawns of Satan and so they don’t have to listen to them?
If jws are not courageous now, will they be under ban.
He who is faithful in what is least, will be faithful in what is much.
Comments
If you reached this point, good for you. It is no wonder that this pretty much resembled
my approach to study articles for 5 years before I left physically. I was mentally out, but needed that last
straw to get me to leave for good.
Keep it your resolve not to ignore the aha
moments, the contradictions and hypocrisies thinking you have wait until the boat
catches fire before you jump
Love, Blondie
