I am presenting what I think is a more accurate view of the JWs Theocratic War Strategy (TWS).
JWs do use these verse to support TWS. However, TWS does not endorse wholesale lying to non-JWs. In fact, the three anti-JW web pages to which the SAB linkd confirm this.
The first page:
Lying generally involves saying something false to a person who is entitled to know the truth and doing so with the intent to deceive or to injure him or another person.
...
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.
Note first there is a difference between lying and not divulging information. Of course, sometimes you can lie by omission. The website quotes the literature that shows how TWS permits not answering a question, but does not encourage lying by omission.
If a Christian must testify in court, is it proper for him to place his hand on the Bible and swear to tell the whole truth?
...
But more important than whether a person makes a certain gesture with his oath is the fact that he is swearing before God to tell the truth. Such an oath is serious. So if a Christian feels that he can and should answer a question put to him in such circumstances, then he is under oath to tell the truth.
Here, TWS gives the JW the option of either not answering, or answering with the truth.
Another quote:
Thus the Scriptures show that for the purpose of protecting the interests of God's cause, it is proper to hide the truth from God's enemies.
This item referred to an example in the 1957 Watchtower, where a woman in East Germany hid by changing from a red blouse to a green one, and then said she did not see a woman wearing a red blouse. Some more quotes from the article:
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. First of all, let it be noted that whenever one takes an oath to tell the truth he is obligated to do so. By dedicating himself to do God's will each Christian has taken a vow or made an oath to do God's will and to be faithful to him. To this oath he certainly must be true. Likewise, when a Christian is placed on a witness stand he is obligated to speak the truth if he speaks at all. At times he may prefer to refuse to speak and suffer the consequences rather than betray his brothers or the interests of God's work.
...
A great work is being done by the witnesses even in lands where their activity is banned. The only way they can fulfill the command to preach the good news of God's kingdom is by use of theocratic war strategy. By underground methods the literature is brought into the country and distributed. Would it make sense to hide this literature by one's actions and then reveal its whereabouts by one's words when queried? Of course not! So 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.
There you have it. TWS is applied in lands where JWs are banned, in order to continue the preaching work. These governments are the "God's enemies" not entitled to the truth.
The second webpage is a compliation by Jerry Bergman, and is of the quality I have come to expect from him; that is, there are several mischaracterizations.
1) We start with a partial transcript of a JW attorney desposing Duane Magnani, who repaets the distortions of TWS. Magnani is aupposedly an expert, yet gets the doctrine wrong.
2) Lots of claims that JWs use and are encouraged to use deception follow, but not one quote or example is provided. It does give a misstatement of JW doctrine (In actuality, the Witnesses teach that only those who are baptized members of the WT and in good standing will survive Armageddon.) followed by a mined quote attempting to support it.
3) Another mis-statment of TWS
4) More accusatons of lies without a single piece of supporting evidence (actual court case, transcript, etc.) or supporting quote from Preparing For Child Custody Cases, the JW literature they are attacking. We do get another mined quote from the WatchTower on not allowing blood transfusions.
5) Here's a fun quote: Witnesses seldom actually state succinctly that they would not hesitate to allow their minor children to die rather than to allow the child to receive a blood transfusion. (1991, p. 1
I'm pretty sure most JW parents would at least hesitate. Who doesn't think about things twice when your child is dying?
6) Mischaracterizations of doctrine from Ray Franz.
7) Mis-stating TWS again
Noting that the behavior of JWs in Nazi camps is inconsistent with the strawman of TWS they have created
9) An example where a JW confused one anti-JW tract with another (not that hard when many are very similar), or confused the author of a quote within the tract with the author of the tract, is accused of lying/practicing TWS.
The last link
1) Mis-statement of TWS
2) Accuses JWs of "nearly" worshipping Russell, whatever that means.
3) Pretends STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, Series 1, THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES is an example of publishing a biography of Russell.
4) Another mis-statement of TWS.
Quote:
[Abraham said to Sarah]: Say, I pray thee , thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. -- Genesis 12:13
Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. -- Genesis 20:2
And the men of the place asked him [Isaac] of his wife [Rebekah] ; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. -- Genesis 26:7
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Mt.7:6
Lying is OK if the lying is directed towards God's enemies (non-JWs). This is called the Theocratic War Strategy.
JWs do use these verse to support TWS. However, TWS does not endorse wholesale lying to non-JWs. In fact, the three anti-JW web pages to which the SAB linkd confirm this.
The first page:
Lying generally involves saying something false to a person who is entitled to know the truth and doing so with the intent to deceive or to injure him or another person.
...
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.
Note first there is a difference between lying and not divulging information. Of course, sometimes you can lie by omission. The website quotes the literature that shows how TWS permits not answering a question, but does not encourage lying by omission.
If a Christian must testify in court, is it proper for him to place his hand on the Bible and swear to tell the whole truth?
...
But more important than whether a person makes a certain gesture with his oath is the fact that he is swearing before God to tell the truth. Such an oath is serious. So if a Christian feels that he can and should answer a question put to him in such circumstances, then he is under oath to tell the truth.
Here, TWS gives the JW the option of either not answering, or answering with the truth.
Another quote:
Thus the Scriptures show that for the purpose of protecting the interests of God's cause, it is proper to hide the truth from God's enemies.
This item referred to an example in the 1957 Watchtower, where a woman in East Germany hid by changing from a red blouse to a green one, and then said she did not see a woman wearing a red blouse. Some more quotes from the article:
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. First of all, let it be noted that whenever one takes an oath to tell the truth he is obligated to do so. By dedicating himself to do God's will each Christian has taken a vow or made an oath to do God's will and to be faithful to him. To this oath he certainly must be true. Likewise, when a Christian is placed on a witness stand he is obligated to speak the truth if he speaks at all. At times he may prefer to refuse to speak and suffer the consequences rather than betray his brothers or the interests of God's work.
...
A great work is being done by the witnesses even in lands where their activity is banned. The only way they can fulfill the command to preach the good news of God's kingdom is by use of theocratic war strategy. By underground methods the literature is brought into the country and distributed. Would it make sense to hide this literature by one's actions and then reveal its whereabouts by one's words when queried? Of course not! So 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.
There you have it. TWS is applied in lands where JWs are banned, in order to continue the preaching work. These governments are the "God's enemies" not entitled to the truth.
The second webpage is a compliation by Jerry Bergman, and is of the quality I have come to expect from him; that is, there are several mischaracterizations.
1) We start with a partial transcript of a JW attorney desposing Duane Magnani, who repaets the distortions of TWS. Magnani is aupposedly an expert, yet gets the doctrine wrong.
2) Lots of claims that JWs use and are encouraged to use deception follow, but not one quote or example is provided. It does give a misstatement of JW doctrine (In actuality, the Witnesses teach that only those who are baptized members of the WT and in good standing will survive Armageddon.) followed by a mined quote attempting to support it.
3) Another mis-statment of TWS
4) More accusatons of lies without a single piece of supporting evidence (actual court case, transcript, etc.) or supporting quote from Preparing For Child Custody Cases, the JW literature they are attacking. We do get another mined quote from the WatchTower on not allowing blood transfusions.
5) Here's a fun quote: Witnesses seldom actually state succinctly that they would not hesitate to allow their minor children to die rather than to allow the child to receive a blood transfusion. (1991, p. 1
I'm pretty sure most JW parents would at least hesitate. Who doesn't think about things twice when your child is dying?6) Mischaracterizations of doctrine from Ray Franz.
7) Mis-stating TWS again
Noting that the behavior of JWs in Nazi camps is inconsistent with the strawman of TWS they have created9) An example where a JW confused one anti-JW tract with another (not that hard when many are very similar), or confused the author of a quote within the tract with the author of the tract, is accused of lying/practicing TWS.
The last link
1) Mis-statement of TWS
2) Accuses JWs of "nearly" worshipping Russell, whatever that means.
3) Pretends STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, Series 1, THE DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES is an example of publishing a biography of Russell.
4) Another mis-statement of TWS.
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"Come now, and let us reason together"
"Come now, and let us reason together"
). A very good friend of mine, whom I still see from time to time, did join. Also, I hate it when people distort the truth from fear. JWs aren't any wackier than any other literalistic sect, they just expect a little more of themselves and their fellow members.
