by kzjw 9 Replies latest jw friends
I grabbed one of the public editions of the WT from the wife's car yesterday. O noticed there was no mention of the FDS, god's org or any of the hardline stances found in the Study editions. No verses frorm Matt 24, Proverbs 4 or any of the other standard verses found inthe Kool-aid versions, but a host of others concerning the Holy Spirit...
So how is the WTBS still so successful at the age old bait & switch?
kzjw,
I'm a non-Witness who was studying at one time, but soon decided "no thanks," but not before the lady I studied with started giving me the "insiders" edition of the WT (she was THAT sure I would become a witness). I was like WTF? I had NO idea that the WTS was handing out two versions of the WT. Why do they do that?
I can't really answer your question as to what's going on. I will say that this should raise some eyebrows for some people. I notice the "insider" edition is a lot more hardcore, and what little I did read just turned me further away from that organization.
The 2 seperate editions is a relatively recent thing. I think they like to refer to it as "the milk" and "the meat" of their words (as opposed to God's word). Family still pass along both copies to me. Its certainly interesting to see the difference between them.
Yes, it is basically what you say.
I tend to see the Watchtower Society as deniers of their own self proclaimed revelations. The end goal of their ministry is to convince people that the leadership of the organization has been chosen by God at a specific time and place in modern history. Only problem is that such a message can sound pretty crazy so it is best if they do not present it to a person until they agree with many other things the religion teaches first.
I would direct you to their "Bible Teach" book, the publication used to recruit new believers. This book does not even mention the term 'faithful slave' in it.
For what it's worth, I think that it has always been a bait and switch. I became a member in the late 90's, at time when the faithful slave was mentioned in the publications. I had only a foggy idea of what the slave really was. I remember being told that if anything didn't make sense "it would come in time".
See this post of mine in which I discussed this in detail
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/157371/1.ashx
LOL @ daniel p.
I'm sure the makers of Kool-Aid appreciate someone removing the stigma of Jim Jones and placing the proper product endorsement where it belongs! Besides, Flavor Aid is cheaper!
AB, I had to laugh, too, at the "correction" to Flavor Aid!
Maybe some typical JW perfectionism showing through?
StAnn
I agree with drew... even though I was raised as a jw, I didnt decide to join until adulthood and even then I only had a foggy idea about some of the more controversial ( basically unscriptural and far out) teachings. I just assumed that because I didn't understand all that crap in the Revelation and Daniel books, that I just needed to 'study more' or graduate to 'solid food'.
The whole thing of having 2 different versions of the same mag, struck me as odd and wrong. If this is the truth, why be so secretive about it? If this is all stuff found in God's word the Bible, why have the stipulation that you cannot even make copies for anyone who's not baptized, even if they are attending the meetings? In my cong, they are very strict about the whole new WT program, and if you don't have a copy, you will just have to sit there with your hands folded, cause you ain't getting one. It made me think the WTS is really trying to hide things from potential converts and critics.
Well I am expecting the Public WT and Awake to morph.....saving the WTS $$$$
After all that is the motivation of all WTS decisions.....
That way, they can make the religion look like they are going mainstream, while clamping down all the harder. The Showcase Edition of the washtowel could have information that makes salvation without joining look possible, while the Kool-Aid says that not only you have to be a member, but you have to be totally whole souled. The Showcase edition makes it look like education is encouraged, but the Kool-Aids make it clear that it is not. The Showcase makes it look like field circus is only a few hours a month, but the Kool-Aid makes it clear that they want everyone to pioneer. And so on.
And they tell me that the "secret" societies are all bad. The core is deceptively simple, and anyone can see the core of their doctrines without being turned off. If anything, they strip off the hype and the superfluous rules that obscure the truth, and expose the simplicity of morality. If it's good for self or society, it's moral--if it is bad for self or society, it's immoral. You don't get any simpler than that--and that is not going to turn off people. (And no, there are no hidden interpretations of "good" or "bad", either).
I have heard that the WT's that come out on the 1st are for the general public/introductory brainwashing sessions, and those that come out on the 15th are for bible study/advanced brainwashing sessions. My grandma told me about the two editions--because no doubt the general public would not understand the magazines that come out on the 15th. She still mails a Watchtower and Awake! to me every month. I really don't have the heart to tell her to stop.
Is this correct, or do they actually make two editions twice a month?
