I was reminded of this story after recent discussions on this board about JW speculation ref.1984 & 1994. While the following account is not specifically about Jehovahs Witnesses, it still has some relevance.
This story was recounted by Frank Koch, in "Proceedings", the magazine of the Naval Institute.
(For those who have heard this one before, please bear with me!)
Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities.
Shortly after dark, the lookout on the bridge wing reported "Light, bearing on the starboard bow."
"Is it steady, or moving astern?" the captain called out.
Lookout replied, "Steady, captain," which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.
The captain then called to the signalman "Signal that ship: We are on a collision course, advise you to change course 20 degrees."
Back came a signal "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees."
The captain said, "Send, I am a captain, change course 20 degrees."
"I'm a seaman second class," came the reply. "You had better change course 20 degrees."
By that time the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send, I am a battleship. Change course 20 degrees."
Back came the flashing light, "I'm a lighthouse."
We changed course.
How we are looking at things largely determines what we actually see - or think we can see. Thank God for lateral thinking!
Bill.