Watchtower Propaganda

by JosephAlward 78 Replies latest jw friends

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  JosephAlward

  Many have argued that articles in Awake! in recent years show that Watchtower was letting itself be told what do by the purple beast, namely, promote the United Nations in its writings. I can understand how many might quickly find support for this claim, for there are, indeed, many articles in Awake! that refer to work done by the United Nations or its affiliated organizations. However, if readers look carefully, they will see that while the Watchtower never directly condemns the United Nations in any of these articles, the consistent theme throughout virtually all of them is that the world is in terrible shape, and its getting worse, even though good people (like Eleanor Roosevelt, for example) are doing their sincere best to help.

  The articles generally make it clear that the United Nations and other world-wide governmental organizations are just not getting the job done, and that sincere and thoughtful readers who want to help bring world peace should turn to the Watchtower instead of relying on the United Nations. At the end of most of these articles, or not far from the end, is the invitation to the reader write to the Watchtower to learn how to really make a difference. The intent seems clear: to let the doorknockers point out to the householders articles which show the UN's failures to try to convince them that there's no hope without Jehovah.

  Rather than disseminating UN propaganda with "favorable articles," as Randall Watters and others have claimed, the Watchtower seems merely to be highlighting the United Nations' failures while it points to the need to embrace Jehovah and the Watchtower, which teaches that the only truly effective world-wide government, the only one which will truly bring world peace, is Jehovah's Kingdom worldwide government.

  Those who are quick to claim that the articles are propaganda for the UN fail to see the truth, in my view; these articles are not propaganda for the UN; they're propaganda for the Watchtower. Since these articles make the UN look bad and the Watchtower good, they would have been written even if the Watchtower had not applied for affiliation with the DPI. Thus, the two events--being affiliated with the DPI, and writing the articles about the UN, are not necessarily connected.
  
  I conclude from this that the Watchtower was only doing what it should be doing: pointing out the failures of the United Nations. Rather than be condemned for this activity, Jehovah's Witnesses everywhere should applaud it, shouldn't they?

  A discussion and analysis of the content of some of these articles is found in my article, "Watchtower Propaganda," which describes why some of the allegedly pro-United Nations articles are really anti-United Nations and pro-Watchtower. The link to this article is provided below:

  * http://sol.sci.uop.edu/~jfalward/Watchtower_Propaganda.htm

  I would welcome any constructive comments.

  Joseph F. Alward
  "Skeptical Views of Christianity and the Bible"

  * http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html
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  larc

  Joseph,

  You could be right on this. I think the reason we see them as favorable is the extreme contrast between recent articles and older ones, where they really skewered the UN. Also, I would not be surprised if the text submitted to the UN deleted that final conclusion of the articles. I can't prove that, but it wouldn't surprise me. It fits their MO regarding the use of quotes and text.
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  anewperson

  The WTS has indeed put out article after after quoting the UN's various branches (UNESCO, WHO etc) in positive manner and the Oct 22, 1998 AWAKE! gives a warm, chummy interview with various UN staffers. Not the Watchtower magazine but its buddy magazine the Awake disseminated the pro-UN stuff. The Watchtower magazine denounced the UN sometimes and meanwhile the Awake played the UN melody, which is hypocrisy. Look closely at the Oct 22, 1998 Awake any who say to the contrary. Randy is correct.
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  avengers

  Let's all go back to being JW's. The Watchtower as our leaders.

  Yeah Right!!!!!! Give me liberty, but don't give me death.
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  siegswife

  Mr. Skeptic, I totally agree with you in that the Watchtower did not overtly adhere to the standards set out in their agreement. The problem I see is that they HAD TO mention the agenda of the UN and they DID. The UN influenced their 'food' in that they were not FREE to provide the 'food' that only their God could provide. They HAD TO give PR to the UN and they DID.
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  kenny2

  So for 23 issues each year the message is "The World is Evil and the UN is Leading them, turn to the Watchtower." Then one issue each year says "The World is Evil, and the UN is doing the best they can, give your support by turning to the Watchtower." Different meanings? Maybe not but the "Theocratic Strategy" and the (coincidence)? of the (one) being submitted annually for NGO/DPI approval is so obvious even Ray Charles could see right through it. And it stinks.

  Kenny
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  Gozz

  The Watchtower is definitely smarter than just publishing an article about the UN without mentioning the kingdom of God as the solution to man’s problems. Those articles achieved a dual purpose: spreading the Watchtower message and meeting UN DPI conditions for information dissemination. The Watchtower’s opinion of UN efforts may not be the issue here, but that certain conditions have been met. As it has been noted over and over again, the tone of the articles strongly suggests a softening of Watchtower views of the UN. And for those who truly understand the language of the Watchtower, they are indeed favourable articles.
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  JosephAlward

  The reason the WT requested affiliation with the DPI was to get information about the UN’s failures so they could write articles about those failures; as a condition of affiliation, they were expected to publicize the UN’s work, something they happily would have agreed to do--since that is the very reason they wanted affiliation in the first place.

  The Watchtower was exploiting the UN, not helping it. It was using the UN's resources to collect data which documented its failures, and then wrote about those failures, and happily presented to the UN samples of their writings. What JW could be unhappy about this? Isn't this exactly the type of efforts against the UN the governing body is expected to be making? If not, why not?

  Some have argued that full access to the UN library would have been made available without affiliation, but the Watchtower says affiliation was necessary to obtain an "ID card." Many on this forum have called this a lie, saying that no such card was necessary. I have two big problems with this accusation: First, every library I've ever been to has required its patrons to have a library card before they're granted the right to take library material home; why would the UN library not have had a similar policy? Second, why would the Watchtower lie (see the Paul Gillies letter--link below--to The Guardian) about its "writer" having an ID card? Would they really be so stupid as to lie about something that could easily be checked?

  Gillies letter:

  Joseph F. Alward
  "Skeptical Views of Christianity and the Bible"

  * http://members.aol.com/jalw/joseph_alward.html
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  hawkaw

  Some have argued that full access to the UN library would have been made available without affiliation, but the Watchtower says affiliation was necessary to obtain an "ID card." Many on this forum have called this a lie, saying that no such card was necessary. I have two big problems with this accusation: First, every library I've ever been to has required its patrons to have a library card before they're granted the right to take library material home; why would the UN library not have had a similar policy? Second, why would the Watchtower lie (see the Paul Gillies letter--link below--to The Guardian) about its "writer" having an ID card? Would they really be so stupid as to lie about something that could easily be checked?

  I see you haven't bothered to read anything. The WTS excuse was they needed "association" at DPI because it was their only access to the UN library materials.

  Problem with this excuse is that everyone has access to the UN depository libraries scattered throughout the world (4 close to WTS headquarters). Then the main UN library branch (in NY) will allow you access if you cannot obtain what you are looking for on the outside or you can use interlibrary loan. I have also gathered many an article about DPI from the UN's main library and posted them on this board.

  Its a lie plain and simple.

  The lie wasn't - needed ID card to access to library.

  The lie was - there were no other ways to access UN materials and the library unless they became associated with DPI.

  As for your, I again am going to hold off commenting for a few weeks. But you are again really missing the mark on this - need to disseminate information to the UN DPI's satisfaction (not the loyal JW's satisfaction) and thus they remain accredited.

  Look at the Watchtower magazine articles that "slam" the UN and call it the "scarlet coloured wild beast" but the Awake! articles are much tamer explaining what the UN has done to help the people, and yes, praises some of the UN's work. These Awake! articles at most give a "questioning" format at the end that may "tweak" a JW but no one else.

  hawk
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  NameWithheld

  The Awake articles are quite ingenious actually. To a JW they push all the right "god's kingdom is the only true answer" buttons. However, to a non-JW (I.E., the UN) the articles appear very freindly to the UNs work, even if the message is that god will do a better job. I doubt the UN had a problem with the articles explaining god's kingdom as the final solutions, in fact I bet many at the UN are religious people and may even agree w/ ythe Awake's conclusions.

  The big 'BUT' that coming is this though ... the WTBTS message throughout the many years has been completely ANTI-UN, so dead set on slamming the UN. Then all of the sudden these articles come along with the tone, "The UN's doing the best it can, of course god's kingdom will do better". No slathering denouciations in them though. It's OBVIOUS when you realize they were submitting these articles to the UN the intent of them.

  And as for your thought that the WTBTS was 'using' the UN to 'discredit' them, that's not very well thought out. They've been doing that for years without being an associated DPI. They had much bigger goals in mind than using the UN libaray to 'discredit' the UN. Think $$$$$$$$. Think having ammo with countries like France, etc. Think having access to the UN's resources world-wide. Think having a big 'buddy' to run crying to when your 'rights' have been violated somewhere.