08. The Jekyl-And-Hyde Watchtower System Of Thought Control
CHAPTER EIGHT THE JEKYL-AND-HYDE WATCHTOWER SYSTEM OF THOUGHT CONTROL
HOW DOES A PERSON ever get involved in such a system? How does it get a grip on him to the extent that he no longer thinks for himself? Let us begin at the beginning of the story and see what unfolds. In most cases, persons who become Jehovah’s Witnesses have had no Biblical training, or, in other cases, very little at all. Quite a number are unchurched folks seeking a faith. Their lack of Biblical knowledge pays off for the Watchtower Society which capitalizes on it. These people then become victims of one of the greatest hoaxes of our generation. How is this accomplished?
Initially, a person is called on by a Witness going from door to door. The Witness identifies himself as a minister, and proceeds to deliver a short sermon he learned from an instruction sheet sent him from New York headquarters. If he is successful in his delivery, he will endeavor to place whatever literature is then being offered. It usually changes from month to month, except January to April which is a subscription period for The Watchtower magazine.
During the course of his “sermon” he will have pointed out the need for home Bible study. He will have shown what the lack of such study has produced nationwide. He could be called an “alarmist.” If the person to whom he is speaking has any complaints against churches, he is a good Jehovah Witness prospect. The Witness will build up these complaints all out of proportion. The Witness will sound like a Bible instructor, and offer books of “Bible instruction” to be read at the householder’s leisure. The Witness will promise to call back within two weeks to help solve any problems or answer questions. Actually he will call back in order to work on Step No. 2.
Now if the listener has been impressed by what he heard, he may begin to read the literature. It all depends on whether or not he is seeking something spiritual. He may be impressed by the fact that someone took time to come and speak to him about religious matters. He may also be impressed because this individual was not paid to do this work.
He may begin to read the literature for any one of numerous reasons. The Witness has just accomplished Step No. 1, and the chances are that he will return just as he promised. This time he has a longer sermon (15 to 20 minutes) that he hopes to deliver. This sermon, not a product of his own mind, was likewise learned from an instruction sheet sent from headquarters. Since it is memorized, he will, no doubt, impress the householder. He will use the Bible only for the effect it has. The Witness will sound quite orthodox, for he is trained not to discuss anything objectionable, if it can be avoided. He must find a common, meeting ground and dwell there. This time (Step No. 2) he will inquire whether the householder has been reading the literature. At this point he will try to indoctrinate him with Watchtower propaganda. He will use several Scriptures which he has taken out of context (or, we should say, that were taken out of context for him by the Society). Jumping from one verse to another, he will build his false doctrines on them. The householder, if he is not well versed in the Bible, may believe it all, not knowing how the Witness is wresting the Scriptures. If the Witness can convince him, he may find himself subscribing to The Watchtower or Awake! magazines, sent twice a month (each) to fill his mind with current Watchtower heresy. With this visit, or after several more if necessary, the Witness will pave the way for Step No. 3- the “home Bible study.” He will attempt to get permission to come one day or evening and spend an hour with the householder in order to study some Watchtower-chosen topic. The householder will probably think it is to be a genuine Bible study. He does not realize what this will lead to, at this point. If the Witness can successfully swing this (and they have subtle ways of doing so), then Step No. 2 has been dutifully accomplished and Step No. 3 now awaits its beginning. As promised, the Witness will show up on the night set aside for this study. The Witness knows that this is a BOOK study, but the householder thinks it is to be a BIBLE study. The topic(s) discussed will be taken from a current Watch-tower publication, most likely Let God Be True, and the Bible will be used by the Witness as a reference book to the Watchtower publication. What appears to be a “Bible study” now begins. Step No. 3 is in full swing. This is the crucial period in the system of brainwashing that one must undergo in order to become a Jehovah’s Witness. If he goes along with this Bible-book idea (and many people pursuing such study seem to), all his former ideas and convictions will seen be washed away in a flood of Watch-tower scoffing and ridicule. The book will use portions of the Scriptures and build thereupon a foundation of heresy. Yet, it appears to the casual observer that this is actually a Bible study! The Witness will show the householder that God revealed Himself as Jehovah. He then tells his listener that no one else knows this except Jehovah’s Witnesses. He will turn to Isaiah 43:10 where the name Jehovah and the words servant and witnesses appear. He relates this to Matthew 24:45-46, and says the servant (singular) of Matthew is the servant in Isaiah, composed of witnesses (plural). On these two texts he builds the Watchtower foundation. The one being so instructed may not know what to answer. He permits the Witness to explain that this means The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, whose members are called Jehovah’s Witnesses. The above material is essential doctrine for beginners. When he has accepted this, he is well on the way to membership. He may soon lose his identity completely in the Watchtower system of thought control. This doctrine tests his susceptibility to thought control. If it works, well and good for the Witness. Now that he has come this far, accepting The Watchtower Society as “the faithful and wise servant,” the Jehovah’s Witness will approach with Step No. 4.
He is now invited to meet with a neighborhood group of people who are likewise in the same phase of brainwashing. These groups are called the area study centers or the area service centers. They differ in size according to the locality, from three or four to fifteen or twenty members. The meetings are usually held in private homes. Here the newcomer meets other Jehovah’s Witnesses as well as others who are just learning, as he is. He is told he may ask questions on difficult matters. However, when these difficult matters arise and he questions, he is told to wait until the end of the study for the answer. The Witnesses hope he will forget about it during the course of the evening’s study. If he insists on an answer after the study is over, he will be given one from the Watchtower literature, not from the Bible.
Now Step No. 5, and it should come easy at this point for it is simply going to the meetings at the Kingdom Hall. This new-found person of good-will (that is the name tagged on such folks) is now taken to the Kingdom Hall, where he receives a welcome that varies with the locality. The members may all put on a special act in order to impress him. Then again, they may more or less ignore him. Usually an effort is put forth (even if it takes their last ounce of energy) to make him feel welcome. Then the functions of the organization will be explained to him in detail.
He is shown how the distribution of literature is handled. He is given the world-wide vision of the work to impress him even more. He will see how the Witnesses are trained in sales meetings called service meetings, and he will watch speakers “train” in the ministry school. If he goes on a Sunday afternoon or evening (depending again on locality), he will hear a “public lecture” which is usually dull, boring and repetitious. This will be followed by a Watchtower study, which is just what it claims to be-not a Bible study. At this point Step No. 6 beckons. Once he has started attending the meetings, he will be urged to join the theocratic ministry school. This leads to the door-to-door work. He will be invited to go along with an experienced Witness and just listen to what is said. After that he will be invited to say a few words. Later he will take the lead while the experienced Jehovah’s Witness stands by to see how well he does. Then he is on his own. The length of time this takes varies with different individuals. Some catch on quickly, others take considerable time.
Having come this far, the subject is about to reach “the point of no return”-Step No. 7. He will now be told that he must be baptized. This, the Witnesses insist, is the act of dedicating yourself to God to do His will. It will also make him an “ordained minister” with the Watchtower Society.
If he is a young man of draft eligibility age, the Society at this point will fight for him to keep him out of the Armed Forces. He will be baptized (usually with 50 or 60 others) at a circuit assembly, or with several hundred others at a district assembly. Yet he remains a sinner-unsaved, unregenerated, without his sins forgiven, with no covering by the blood of Christ.
He is still in the sin he was born with, plus all those sins he has heaped upon himself during his life-span thus far. As such, he goes forth to “minister!” A candidate can be carried through these seven steps in this manner within six months. A year can be considered the limit, with exceptions, of course. How can it all happen that fast? Consider the following reasons:
(1)A positive and favorable impression is made by the organization upon many prospective members. The Witnesses try to get all newcomers to attend one of their huge conventions, and the desired effect is usually convincing.
(2)They are often impressed by the zeal and activity of the organization. (They do not appear as happy to others as they do to themselves; any outsider viewing them can see they are a driven people).
(3)They receive knowledge, which impresses them no end. The fact that they could have gotten better knowledge if they had wanted it and looked for it elsewhere escapes them.
(4)Many of these folks find themselves rejected socially for one reason or another, so they find “refuge” in an organization which tolerates them. The Witnesses are forced to recognize the most crude or uneducated person as their legal, social and religious equal if they come into the organization. The Society, not having to be with them as often as local Witnesses must, condescendingly tolerates them; after all, they can be of value by selling books and magazines! The fact that the Witnesses are being made merchandise of does not disturb them. In the period of one year a person will learn all he will ever know as a Witness. If you speak to one, it is as though you have spoken to them all! Of course, you will get different answers to your questions from different Witnesses, but basically they all use the same line. The previous chapters on doctrine have answered what the Jehovah’s Witness learns basically. This little knowledge, some of which is error, is important to him. He does not know that this superficial and often false knowledge NEVER WAS, as such, the accepted doctrine of the Christian Church. He thinks these teachings were lost two thousand years ago, yet somehow originate RIGHT NOW with the Society! He believes a person would not be able to find these doctrines in the Bible alone (thus making the Bible insufficient for a person’s faith), but that The Watchtower Society is needed to get these “new truths” in addition to the Bible.
He thinks these new-found doctrines are “truth” coming from “God’s organization.” From the very start he is sold the idea of ORGANIZATION. He is told that Jehovah is an ORGANIZATIONAL GOD, a “God of production” (see The Watch-tower magazine, December 1, 1956). He is made to believe that he dare not live as an individual, but must come into organizational relationship with God. Thus he becomes an organization man. The Watchtower teaches that all governments are of the Devil. Let God Be True, page 241 says: “The Fascist flag, the Nazi flag, and the Communist flag Jehovah’s Witnesses have refused to salute. It is not that they just refuse to salute the flag of the United States and other democratic nations.” Thus they put our nation’s flag in the same class with the Nazi and Fascist flags. To them all government is alike, and our flag represents no more value to them than the Nazi’s. They are somewhat reluctant to speak of this lest public sentiment be aroused against them over this issue. They are usually the least patriotic citizens of any community.
Yet, we note this contradiction in the booklet Defending and Legally Establishing the Good News, published in 1950, on page 83: “When threatened with mob violence, do not allow the officials to permit anarchy to take control of the community. Immediately call upon the state, provincial and local officials, such as the governor, mayor, sheriff and local prosecutor, to provide adequate protection.” Thus they expect protection from the very governments they despise! The reason they call upon these officials is that they, not being Jehovah’s Witnesses, can act in a capacity for them, namely, protection of Jehovah’s Witnesses against antagonists.
Many persons have questioned this writer as to where Jehovah’s Witnesses get their information against the country and the flag. Here it is-from Let God Be True, page 242:
Any national flag is a symbol or image of the sovereign power of its nation. The flag of each nation is commonly regarded by it and its people who give allegiance to it as being sacred. . . . This is an act that ascribes salvation to the national emblem and to the nation for which it stands. On page 245 we read this:
Jehovah’s Witnesses are not against people who salute or desire to salute the flag of any nation. Nor do they oppose the desire of any person to serve in the armed forces of any nation. Nor do they oppose the efforts of any nation to raise an army by conscripting its manpower.
Then on page 248 we read their comment made on Romans 13:1-7 : The apostle did not intend his mention of the higher powers to be applied to men visible to human eyes who are rulers of this evil world run by Satan.
Now compare the above with this statement made in the booklet Defending and Legally Establishing the Good News, on page 88:
We merely request that the officials treat us as the officials themselves desire to be treated in similar circumstances. Practicing such policy of fairness, the officers will not misuse THEIR GOOD OFFICES to aid and abet the religious fanatics and clergy who oppose the good news (Emphasis mine).
So, first they are the Devil’s agents, then they are men holding a good office. Expediency again calls for Witnesses to act friendly when they need help.
Beware, officials, every time you aid Jehovah’s Witnesses, for here is how they view such aid: For permitting us freedom to preach from door to door and publicly upon the streets the officials are promised by Christ Jesus that they will receive this favorable consideration: “Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me . . . And these shall go away . . . into life eternal.” (Matthew 25:31-46) In thus granting us equal protection of the laws, THE OFFICIALS WILL JOIN US IN THE DEFENDING AND LEGALLY ESTABLISHING THE GOOD NEWS (Emphasis mine). Defending and Legally Establishing the Good News, page 88.
Here they say the officials who treat them kindly will get eternal life, although these officials do not have to become Jehovah’s Witnesses. You see how they court favor? Yet they believe these same officials (who will get eternal life by being nice to the Witnesses) are in the Devil’s organization! Any help is considered fighting for their cause, which is anti-government and anti- church. Needless to say, it is also anti-God and anti-Christ! This thought-control system under which they operate is called The New World Society.
According to the book Faith on the March by A. H. Macmillan (one of the top seven directors at Watchtower headquarters) 1957, Prentice-Hall, page 120, this New World Society began in 1919. Since then they have been propagating their tirade against all humanity, its governing processes and its religions. In this same book there appears another case of self-contradiction and duplicity. On page 173 he says, regarding the flag salute issue: “It is strictly an individual matter.” Yet it is not so. The pressure of the group will prevent any Jehovah’s Witness from saluting the flag. It is not an individual matter, but rather the organization builds up the pressure to steer him in its desired direction. His thinking, therefore, is not free but controlled, being under pressure from group-influence. In passing, take note of page 226 of this book where we read: “Have you ever asked yourself: ‘How much do I really love God? If I were to find that God’s Word, the Bible, contradicted what I have always believed, which would I follow?’” Well, Jehovah’s Witnesses, what have you to say? Which will it be for you now: the Watchtower or the Bible? Choose now while you are still in a situation where you may do so. The identity of the CHARTER MEMBERS is a secret to the rank-and-file Jehovah’s Witness. Few know who they are. They may be members of a local congregation without other Witnesses knowing who they are. These men act as spies when necessary, supplying information to the headquarters in addition to the usual routine procedure for such matters. More thought control! The Witness reading this may refuse to believe it, yet he may be one who himself is being spied upon! The Witness deifies the organization, and, to him, it can do no wrong.
These charter members can also be used to spread lies among the Witnesses against a particular individual if the Society so desires. All Witnesses are also permitted to perjure themselves on the witness stand in court, as long as they are protecting other Witnesses!
Anything the Watchtower Society sanctions is adopted by the Witnesses. Any doctrine passed by The Watchtower Society is then taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Whatever The Watchtower Society says is law. The Bible is not consulted in these matters because they do not believe it is necessary! Their organization could get along without the Bible for which their own publications are substituted. To see the influence of these books upon any Jehovah’s Witness, try to hold a discussion with one using only the Bible. This will ordinarily throw him into utter confusion. Thus you will see how dependent he is on Watchtower books in order to speak. On the other hand-if the Society orders him not to speak, he will not speak. In some cases The Watchtower Society has done this.
If you persuade the Witness to put away his books and converse with you using only the Bible, he will be hopelessly confused. There is probably no Jehovah’s Witness who can work with the Bible alone. If you point out Scriptures he has never seen before (and there are plenty such), and if he cannot recall what The Watchtower Society has told him regarding them, he will have to consult his superiors before giving you an answer. His superiors now have his tongue, the tongue of one who claims to be free.
Under no circumstances is the Bible allowed to contradict Watchtower teaching. That is why they had to rewrite the entire Bible. It just would not fit as it was. However, one can go only so far afield in tampering with the divine text, as has been shown in this book. Even the New World translation cannot hide some of the great truths that stand against their self-invented heresy. Both their Bible and their theology is decidedly for the uninformed.
Whenever they come to a difficult question on some Bible text, the Witnesses, in discussing it among themselves, will ask, “What does The Watchtower say?” If no answer can be found in existing publications or from other Witnesses, the usual procedure is to write to the New York headquarters for an answer to the problem. If the New York office feels like answering it, they do. Otherwise the questioner is left with the problem. If the Society fails to explain it, they will throw out the text until the time comes when The Watchtower decides to explain it to them. The writer spent ten years within this system, and the facts presented are not being stretched in the slightest. As a matter of fact, some things are being withheld, as the Witnesses would never believe them anyway. They think their organization has a shot of some divine “truth serum,” and is immune from telling lies, either accidently or deliberately. Their consciences are soothed by the lullaby-music of The Watchtower Society which constantly tells them all is well. Once sold on this Society, he is in its grip, tight as a vise. No Jehovah’s Witness is what he is entirely by his own choice. He thinks he is, but he is blind to facts. First, the Bible and the Watchtower literature are used together to lure him toward the organization. With all this comes the assuring words of his instructor that it is all the truth. Then, he comes under continual influence of the magazines (one each week), along with constant urging of the other Witnesses, pushing him on. He is pressured all the way, and falls under this pressure of the movement. The repetitious fact suggested to him (though not in these words) is: Everybody else does it- you must, too! He is constantly threatened with annihilation at Armageddon if he does not conform. Strict conformity is necessary and is obvious throughout the entire organization. Thus he is pressured through conformity into becoming a Watchtower automaton. He then goes out to do unto others as he himself has been done unto.
Convincing themselves by constant repetition of their teachings, the Witnesses constantly talk themselves deeper into their beliefs. Individual thought is discouraged in order to give full authority to Organizational Mindedness. That is why it is so difficult for followers to break away from the organization. The organization has become a part of their lives and their lives revolve around the organization. Deep down underneath it all is a fear of displeasing the organization. They fear the organization will shame them before other Witnesses if they do not obey.
Here are more proofs of what makes the Witnesses the way they are. From the book Qualified To Be Ministers published in 1955, on page 86: “The meetings conducted by Jehovah’s Witnesses are the most important meetings that take place on the face of the earth.” What do they do at such meetings? For one thing, they demonstrate how to place The Watchtower magazine. Here are recommendations for doing such, as found on page 184: “Sometimes it is helpful in placing subscriptions to take along several issues. A display of the different colors is attractive.” And these are the most important meetings on the face of the earth! This indeed is encouragement for people with childish minds to remain that way.
Here is one that is humorous: “Jehovah’s theocratic ministers are always courteous and polite in their dealing with all persons, whether of the public or government officials and officers of the law.” Any person who has ever confronted a Jehovah’s Witness will easily see through that statement. Especially are they rude and most impolite to persons having a zealous faith different from their own, and who are using public methods for imparting their message to others. The reason is that the Witnesses covet freedom to impart their own religion without granting the same freedom to others. If they had their way about it, all others would be excluded from this freedom.
Now for the benefit of the non-Jehovah’s Witness reader of this book, the following is presented to show you how Jehovah’s Witnesses are trained to deal with you. In Qualified To Be Ministers, page 193, we read the following contained in the chapter “Approaching Persons of Varied Faiths.”
We may approach a person who does not specify that he belongs to any particular faith, but merely states, “I have my church.” The best way to deal with such a person is to get him talking [but just try to get a word in while a J. W. is talking!], to show interest in his church [such interest being feigned] and what he thinks and get him to express a few things that he believes. One might ask him what the person thinks of the movement toward union of all religions, then show the danger here in compromising beliefs [none of which are true, according to the J. W. anyway!] and principles for the sake of mere unity.
There is real psychology behind all this. He appears to agree with you, while in reality he disagrees with you. Here are further instructions:
Again we may have a territory in which there are many Catholic people. We can express our [feigned] pleasure in meeting Catholics [another clever deception used on unsuspecting Catholics], and make a statement such as this, “I know Catholics are great believers in Christ.” Or say, “I have many good discussions with Catholics.”
Whether he does or not, he is supposed to say this. You see how he is NOT SPEAKING HIS OWN THOUGHTS, but the thinking that the Watchtower has put into his head. All of his statements can be traced to existing Watchtower publications.
Regarding their approach to Jews, this book suggests: In speaking with these it is better to use mainly the Hebrew Scriptures, talking about Abraham and the covenant made to him, then describing the wonderful Kingdom promises outlined by the prophet Isaiah and the rising up of Messiah, as mentioned in Daniel.
Further along, the same chapter states:
Many times they the [Jews] can be appealed to to accept the Watchtower publications because of their educational content and because much of the history of the Jewish nation, also the chronology and things relating to their ancestors, are dealt with in the literature.
Needless to say, the Jewish people can find better and more accurate reading material on such matters among their own publications than they will ever get from The Watchtower Society.
Page 199 of this book suggests:
Get as many agreements as possible from your opponent. That way your opponent will not be aware that you are out to convert him. The instructions continue:
Shun involved, technical arguments. For instance, if you are disproving the trinity doctrine, use proofs such as John 14:28; John 5:19; John 20:17, and illustrations of Jesus praying to Jehovah as his God, instances of proof where Jesus is shown as subject to Jehovah God, such as 1 Corinthians 15:27, etc. These would convince the average honest person who would reason [not believe], and usually the good-will person will be convinced by such lucid arguments. On the other hand, weak arguments on side issues give your opponent a chance to shift ground or get off onto a minor, insignificant technicality. This procedure works well on some who do not know the Bible well. Notice how it assures the Jehovah’s Witness that anything deviating from this prescribed course is a technicality, or a “side issue.” The Witness is thus led to believe that only HIS arguments are solid, and all others are weak and insignificant. In other words, it is a foregone conclusion with him that he is always right and others are always wrong, regardless of what the topic may be. In the above-quoted book The Watchtower Society compares Jehovah’s Witnesses with the early Christians-a most unfair, ridiculous comparison. On page 283 they quote Charles Samuel Braden, in These Also Believe, published in 1950:
“To argue successfully with them on Scriptural grounds, one must know his Scriptures better than most members of even the fundamentalist churches do today.” This, then, is the challenge! It is also the answer-right from their own mouth. At the end of an article setting forth their own version of the history of the Church, we read on page 295 of the above-quoted book:
Comes the nineteenth century, and numerous religious sects and diversions rise throughout “Christendom.” The major Protestant systems had by now become thoroughly organized and set, resisting any further changes and development. They, too, set about to hinder further enlightenment and growth of the truth of the Holy Scriptures. The reader should by now be able to discern what the Witness’ attitude toward him is when he is confronted at his door. You now know what is behind that casual smile and attitude he wears. You now see the training he has received and you know already what he thinks of you. Now you realize exactly what he wants. On page 360 this book states: “They [Jehovah’s Witnesses] know the New World Society will go through Armageddon fully organized and will expand until it fully covers the entire earth.” This means, of course, the obliteration of all but themselves. There will be no faith but theirs and no room for any other persons except themselves.
Despite the flowery language quoted so far, the Witnesses stand against all government and all churches remains unchanged. The Kingdom Is At Hand says on page 367: “Unwisely refusing instruction from Jehovah’s Word, the self-seeking governing powers of earth are toying with destruction for themselves by Jehovah’s King at the battle of Armageddon.” Remember what the Witness is supposed to say when he confronts you? There you see the two-faced system under which he operates. He must APPEAR to agree with you although he really does not. The Watchtower-published book What Has Religion Done For Mankind? (1951) page 319, informs the Witnesses:
Christendom’s religion in all its sectarian forms is an apostasy, a falling away from the pure, primitive Christianity based on God’s holy Word the Bible. It has rejected God’s kingdom set up at the enthronement of the Seed of his woman, Jesus Christ. As an organized, collective system of religion its clergy are the “embodiment of disobedience” to Jehovah God.
Summing it all up, the conclusion appears on page 322, stating:
Communists with their Red religion and the clergy of Christendom-which class is the more reprehensible? The Bible answers, The religious clergy.
One further example of typical Watchtower duplicity. This writer, when a Jehovah’s Witness, received a letter from Radio Moscow dated September 14, 1954, signed by I. Petrov, Radio Moscow Letters Dept. It reads:
We have your letter of August 20th regarding freedom of worship for Jehovah’s Witnesses in the U. S. S. R. We wish to inform you that contrary to what you have heard Jehovah’s Witnesses are permitted to worship in the Soviet Union.
Pressing for further proof of this, the writer again wrote Radio Moscow and in reply received this second letter, dated October 30, 1954, which reads in part:
We have your letter of September 23rd and wish to inform you that we can add nothing to the information we already gave you about freedom of religion in the Soviet Union in our previous letter. The information that you have is biased and untrue and has nothing in common with the real state of affairs in the Soviet Union.
“The information you have” refers to this writer’s assertion that Jehovah’s Witnesses were not allowed to meet or perform their work in Russia, according to what The Watchtower Society said on the matter. Sending a photo copy of the first letter to New York with the suggestion that the Russian Government might be petitioned (getting them to back up the statements made in the letter with deeds), The Watchtower Society replied in a letter dated October 22, 1954: This is in answer to your letter of September 23 about holding the Russian Government to back up its statements that Jehovah’s Witnesses are permitted to worship in the Soviet Union. . . . However, it is not apparent why any servant of Jehovah should so much as think there is a chance of the Russian Government heeding an appeal to justice. Its black record of acts against the New World Society and refusal to grant Christian pleas of Jehovah’s faithful witnesses in Soviet Russia itself should convince one that no letters or representations on our part would do any good. The Watchtower magazine of April 15, 1957, however, contains THE PETITION SENT TO THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT BY THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY. Yes, therein is the petition that the Watchtower Society said would be UNTHINKABLE to any servant of Jehovah! This petition was read at 199 district assemblies of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This writer heard it read in Reading, Pennsylvania. Part of this petition reads:
DISCUSSION PROPOSED. We shall be very pleased to have representatives of our governing body, Watchtower and Tract Society, discuss this matter with you, either with your foremost representatives in the United States of America or directly with your Government in Moscow. So in this petition they proposed to thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses all over the world what no “servant of Jehovah should so much as think” of doing. That is typical of the Jekyl-and-Hyde method the Watchtower uses in its ministry of confusion. No wonder they lose thousands of members. The Watchtower discourages, yes, actually destroys ambition. It brings to nought the worthiness of the individual. For the young people they discourage college and university training. For the older folks they discourage any specialized training, because they are supposed to remain slaves for the New World Society. That is why many of Jehovah’s Witnesses are worthless; they know only their Watchtower-taught doctrine. They do nothing for the good of others outside their group.
They gain much publicity from their stand against the Armed Forces. But are they really and truly ministers as they claim to be when requesting draft exemption? Is the accusation true that people get into that organization just to avoid serving in the Armed Forces? Do Jehovah’s Witnesses attempt to prevent our own nation’s aggressiveness? These and other problems in the next chapter.
We will use the booklet already mentioned. It was issued to Jehovah’s Witnesses during the 1950’s. The public was never shown this material. In fact, no other Witnesses except those directly involved ever get to see this material. Only one copy was issued to each person involved.
We are about to see the difference between what they tell the Government and what is really practiced. The Government is fooled, and the citizens are deceived. The Witnesses themselves, however, are the ones most greatly hoodwinked. They are led to believe that they are something which they actually are not. If they were left to think for themselves, as God intended us to do, they would soon realize how badly they had been tricked. But their minds are carefully guarded from private thinking. Thus, they are led astray.