Watchtower Fake News?

On last week’s Watchtower Wednesday on our Facebook page I pointed to an article on jw.org addressing the question of misinformation, fake news. The Watchtower say:

'Today, you have access to more information than ever, including the kind that can help you stay safe and healthy. But in your search, you need to beware of misinformation, such as: Misleading news, False reports, Conspiracy theories. How can you protect yourself from misleading information and conspiracy theories?’

I asked how you might use the article in a discussion with a Jehovah’s Witness. The question is, if we applied this advice to the Watchtower Society what would we find? How might we introduce it into our witnessing? It is a very helpful article with a lot of sound, biblical advice – if it is applied honestly. But how does the Watchtower Society fair when put to its own test? They give several thoughtful helps:

Don’t believe everything you see or hear
Evaluate the source and content
Be guided by facts, not personal preferences
Stop the spread of misinformation

I have been fortunate enough to have several local Jehovah’s Witnesses write to me during this pandemic. They each encouraged me to visit the official Watchtower website and so I did. One article I found very helpful was the one about taking care not to believe, or pass on misinformation. I have certainly learned during this time of lockdown that the internet can’t be taken at face value.

Don’t Believe Everything You See or Hear

The first principle in the article encouraged readers ‘don’t believe everything you see and hear.’ That is certainly sound advice. I appreciated the honesty of the leadership in another article in admitting ‘The Governing Body is neither inspired nor infallible. Therefore, it can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction.’

I certainly don’t regard my church leaders as infallible, and neither do they consider themselves infallible. I wish our political leaders were this honest. I keep my Bible close by me, along with a collection of authors and commentaries I have learned to trust over the years so I can test everything I see and hear. How do you check out everything you see and hear from the understandably fallible Governing Body?

Evaluate the Source and Content

This is great advice. We should always know who the source of our information is, especially when it comes to something as important as eternal truths. I have a number of Bibles in different translations, especially study Bibles, and I am always impressed when I can discover who was on the translating committee, what are their qualifications. You have a good Bible reading program on your website. Who is on your Bible translation committee? What qualifications do they bring to the task?

I have noticed, though, that articles on the website are anonymous. Given the counsel to evaluate the source of our information, do you think that’s wise? How can we follow Watchtower counsel if the Watchtower fails to tell us what we need to know to make that judgement?

Stop the Spread of Misinformation

This is at the heart of the spread of misinformation and I agree that believers should never spread misinformation. If we don’t repeat it the fake news stops with us. I spoke to a Jehovah’s Witness once who, when I asked her, admitted there was not one instance in the gospels of Jesus using the name of God. I asked her if she would stop saying he did now she knew he didn’t, even if the Watchtower told her to teach he did.

I have sometimes thought of her and wondered if she was true to this charge to refuse to spread false information. Would you stop teaching something once you knew it wasn’t true?

Be Guided by Facts, not Personal Preferences

This is a good piece of advice, although not always so easy to follow. I know from experience that personal loyalties can cause us to prefer information even when it is shown to be misinformation. If you find that some key teachings of these fallible men who admit to making mistakes were unbiblical what would you do? If you were not able to check sources for yourself, check content against reliable independent sources as I do, how could you possibly know you were not spreading misinformation?

Mormon Christians? Whats in a Name?

The Mormon Church, disturbed by the continuing identifying of polygamus sects in the news with the name Mormon, recently issued a press statement aimed at "clarifying" issues. It is interesting to note that if you substitute the name "Christian" where they use the name "Mormon" it makes a very good argument for us against the claims of the Mormon Church. The full press release is reproduced below in italics with each paragraph rewritten in ordinary text to present it from a Christian perspective. SALT LAKE CITY 10 July 2008 On 26 June, Newsroom published a package of information featuring profiles of ordinary Latter-day Saints in Texas. With no other intention but to define themselves, these members provided a tangible depiction of what their faith is all about. They serve as the best distinction between the lifestyles and values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a Texas-based polygamous group that has recently attracted media attent...

The Times of the Gentiles - by Dawn Partington

Jehovah's Witnesses teach that “the times of the gentiles” is a time period of 2,520 years, beginning in 607BC and ending in AD1914. According to their doctrine, Jesus was enthroned as King in AD1914 when the “gentile times” ended. 1. Only one verse in scripture mentions “the times of the gentiles”: 'They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.' Luke 21:24 NIV. The Jehovah's Witness organisation has linked this one verse with other prophetic passages to calculate the supposed length of these “gentile times”, notably a time period which began hundreds of years before the incarnation and ended over 1900 years after it. 2. Simple examination of the text of Luke 21 reveals what Jesus was referring to when he used the phrase “the times of the gentiles”. Let's look at the passage together and distil this into four points which you may...

How Will Jehovah Forgive Us

The June 2022 Watchtower Article 24 titled “ Jehovah—The Greatest Forgiver ” attempts to paint a picture of Jehovah as a wise, just, and knowledgeable judge – which, of course He is. However, it also shows Him as a judge who has a number of requirements before He will forgive. The article quotes numerous Old Testament scriptures showing that Jehovah will forgive our transgressions and agrees that this forgiveness is made possible through Jesus dying for our sins, though it doesn’t mention the covenant this sacrifice generated. As Christians we would understand that Jesus’ sacrifice, the shedding of His blood, pays for our sins so that a just God can be merciful and forgive them; the price for those sins has already been paid (1 Cor 6 v 20, Heb 9 v 22). In contrast, the Watchtower article talks of there being other requirements for Jehovah’s forgiveness. It states that, before Jehovah will decide to offer forgiveness, “ He needs to be able to consider...

Bridge of Reason

Search This Blog