Interesting you should ask. Just today I sent out a mass amount of emails to all MAJOR NEWS MEDIA...TV AND PAPERS:
[[ 'Please Pay Close Attention'
The Jehovah's Witnesses teach that all of the world's
Media and News Sources, all other Religions, and all
of the world's Governments including the United
States, are controlled by Satan the Devil, and that
Satan is using them all to attack the Jehovah's
Witnesses:
The Watchtower, March 1st, 2003 Issue, Study Article
"Be Courageous and Strong!"
Paragraph 6:
"We also need courage when opposers maneuver the media
into spreading bad reports about God's servants or
when they try to restrict true worship by 'scheming
trouble by decree' (Psalm 94:20) For example, how
should we feel when newspapers, radio, or television
reports about Jehovah's Witnesses are distortions or
outright falsehoods? Should we be shocked? No. We
expect such things. (Psalm 109:2) And we are not
surprised when some believe the published lies and
distortions, since 'anyone inexperienced puts faith in
every word' (Proverbs 14:15) Still, loyal Christians
refuse to believe just any statement made about their
brothers, and they certainly do not allow bad
publicity to cause them to miss Christian meetings, to
slow down in the field ministry, or to waver in their
faith. On the contrary, they 'recommend [themselves]
as God's ministers'..."
Paragraph 20:
"Of course, persecution itself is not pleasant, but
our standing firm despite persecution, including
slanderous reports in the media, is a cause for
rejoicing. It means we are pleasing Jehovah and will
receive a reward."
-------------------------------------
Jehovah's Witness Speaker speaking at a Jehovah's
Witness Convention, as was shown on the Australian
'Sunday' Program called "Silent Witnesses" on
September 22nd, 2002:
"The media out there, with all its power and its
might, it presents human nature in three Ds, three Ds
- debauchery of every kind, deception of every kind
and demonism of every kind - and we need to be aware
of that."
-------------------------------------
The Watchtower, September 15th 2002 Issue, Pages
16-18:
"In the first century, such individuals as Hymanaeus,
Alexander, and Philetus, were advocating ideas that
did not fit "the pattern of healthful words." (1
Timothy 1:18-20; 2 Timothy 2:16, 17) How could the
early Christians avoid being led astray by apostates?
By carefully studying the inspired writings and
applying them in life. Those walking in accord with
the example they had in Paul and other faithful ones
were able to recognize and reject anything that did
not conform to the pattern of truth they had been
taught. (Philippians 3:17; Hebrews 5:14)
Instead of being "mentally diseased over questionings
and debates about words," they continued moving ahead
in their positive course of godly devotion. (1 Timothy
6:3-6) We do the same thing when we keep on putting
into practice the truths we have learned...."
"Satan tries to break our integrity through the sowing
of doubts about what we have been taught. Today, as in
the first century, apostates and others seek to
destroy the faith of guileless ones. (Galatians 2:4;
5:7, 8)
Sometimes they have used the media to spread distorted
information or even outright lies about the methods
and motives of Jehovah's Witnesses...."
"....Whatever stumbling blocks were involved, some
evidently preferred falsehoods over the truths of
God's Word. Soon they stopped practicing the things
they had learned, and this was to their own spiritual
detriment. -2 Peter 3:15, 16"
"We can avoid turning aside to false stories today if
we scrutinize and are selective about what we listen
to and what we read.... And modern-day apostates keep
on trying to sow seeds of doubt in order to subvert
the faith of Christians.... So we need to be careful."
"....If our ears are inclined towards disgruntled
ones, we need to analyze ourselves prayerfully. (Psalm
139:23, 24) Are we inclined to find fault with
Jehovah's people? If so, why?...."
"Rather than being critical, let us maintain a
spiritually healthy view of the information received
through personal study and congregation meetings. (1
Corinthians 2:14, 15) And instead of questioning God's
Word, how much wiser it is to have the attitude of the
first-century Beroeans who examined the Scriptures
closely! (Acts 17:10, 11) Then, let us act on what we
learn, turning down false stories and clinging to the
truth."
---------------------------------------------------
The Watchtower, October 15th 2001 Issue, Page 14:
Some opposers have spread slanderous lies in the
media, even falsely accusing Jehovah's Witnesses of
being a dangerous cult.
Do false accusations really matter? It is God who
declares true Christians righteous, based upon their
faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Why would Jehovah
stop loving his worshipers after he has given them the
most precious gift he could--his own beloved Son? (1
John 4:10)
---------------------------------------------------
The Watchtower, November 1st 2002 Issue, Page 17:
"Unfortunately, some "unreasonable men" in authority
persecute us or oppose us in other ways - such as by
promoting smear campaigns against us. Still, in
Jehovah's due time, their lies are always exposed, and
their "ignorant talk" is effectively muzzled."
-------------------------------------
The Watchtower, August 1st 2001 Issue:
Influenced by the Media?
Maybe the media have greatly influenced your beliefs.
Most people are glad that there is freedom of speech
in the media, giving them access to information that
can be useful. However, there are powerful forces that
can and frequently do manipulate the media. What is
often presented is biased information that can
insidiously affect your thinking.
In addition, to appeal to or to attract a larger
audience, the media tend to give publicity to what is
sensational and unconventional. What could hardly be
said or printed for public consumption just a few
years ago has become commonplace today. Slowly but
surely, established standards of behavior are attacked
and whittled away. People's thinking is gradually
becoming distorted. They begin to believe that "good
is bad and bad is good."--Isaiah 5:20; 1 Corinthians
6:9, 10.
-------------------------------------
The Watchtower, March 1st 1979 Issue, Page 24:
"Outside the true Christian congregation, what
alternative organization is there? Only Satan's
organization consisting of his political 'wild beast'
and his Babylonian world empire of false religion."
-------------------------------------
The Watchtower, April 1st 1988 Issue, Page 24:
"Over the last seven decades, in conjunction with
proclaiming the glorious hope of Jehovah's incoming
Kingdom, Jehovah's Witnesses have spread around the
world a veritable flood of denunciation and judgment.
In hundreds of millions of frank, hard-hitting
Bible-based publications, they have exposed
Christendom as the most powerful force in the
religious whore, 'Babylon the Great,' denounced in
Revelation chapters 17 and 18. (See 'Babylon the Great
Has Fallen! God's Kingdom Rules!', pages 576-615,
published in 1963 by the Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society of New York, Inc.)"
__________________________________________
1985 Yearbook, Page 175:
In addition to being objects of criticism and attacks
through the news media, the Witnesses also became a
popular subject for discussion in parliamentary
debates.
__________________________________________
"Creation" Book (1985), Page 249:
9. Thus, in the Paradise to come, the nations, their
educational systems and their media will no longer
exist.
__________________________________________
"Revelation -- Its Grand Climax At Hand!" Book (1988),
Page 134:
18. How is this judgment message delivered? Generally,
not by the world's news media, which are part of the
world and often reproachful of God's slave.
__________________________________________
1992 Yearbook, Page 126:
Just across the eastern border of the Sudan lies
Eritrea. In the early 1960s--after the expulsion of
the missionaries--radio, newspapers, and other media
were extensively used in a campaign to malign
Jehovah's Witnesses. Under such headlines as False
Prophets and Beware of Religious Pretense Leading to
Denial of True Faith, the Witnesses were portrayed as
haters of the emperor and the church and as rejecters
of the Trinity and the Virgin Mary. They were said to
be agents of foreign enemies, immoral people who do
not fight for their country. Demands for drastic
action to rid the country of Jehovah's people were
heard.
__________________________________________
1993 Yearbook, Page 144:
Sadly, during this time the boy's parents and other
Witnesses were subjected to a veritable persecution
campaign in the media.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, July 1st 1993 Issue, Page 18:
Many in religious and political establishments as well
as in the media are opposed to them. Some of these,
either by outright attack or, more often, by innuendo,
try to sully the reputation of Jehovah's Witnesses and
arouse prejudice against them.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, July 1st 1994 Issue, Page 21:
13. It has been found that many secular authorities
have the oddest misconceptions about Jehovah's
Witnesses. This is usually because they have been
misinformed by malicious enemies of God's people. Or
it may be that all they know about us they learned
from the mass media, which are not always impartial in
their coverage.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, April 1st 1995 Issue, Pages 26-29:
HOW do you feel when someone reproaches you or spreads
lies about you? Naturally you are deeply hurt.
Jehovah's Witnesses experience something similar
whenever they become the target of incorrect or
distorted information in the media. But as Jesus said
at Matthew 5:11, 12, they still have reason to be
joyful.
Many press reports that heap reproach on Jehovah's
Witnesses are an expression of this hatred, and such
should be ignored. However, the media may at times
present information that reflects a lack of knowledge
about the Witnesses or that distorts and misinterprets
certain facts. Some journalists might draw material
from biased sources. Whether we ignore false
information in the media or defend the truth by
appropriate means depends on the circumstances, the
instigator of the criticism, and his goal.
Sometimes the facts can be corrected by a properly
written letter to the editor if the letter is
published in full. But such a letter could achieve the
exact opposite of what is intended. How? The original
untruth might thus receive even more publicity, or
opposers may be handed further opportunity to get lies
or slurs into print. In most cases it is wise to leave
the question of a letter to the editor up to the
elders concerned. If a negative press report stirs up
prejudice, the branch office of the Watch Tower
Society can inform congregations in that country of
the facts, thus enabling all publishers to give a
satisfactory explanation to inquirers.
Do Not Be Frightened by Opposers
How encouraging to know that reproach does not stop
people from becoming Witnesses! During a TV talk show
in Germany, apostates wove a fabric of lies about the
Witnesses. A viewer recognized the apostate
embellishments as being fantasy and was moved to
resume his Bible study with the Witnesses. Yes, public
reproach sometimes leads to positive results!Compare
Philippians 1:12, 13.
The apostle Paul knew that some would pay more
attention to false stories than to the truth. He
therefore wrote: Keep your senses in all things,
suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully
accomplish your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:3-5) So do not
allow yourself to be distracted, and in no respect be
frightened by your opponents. (Philippians 1:28)
Remain calm and collected and preach the good news
joyfully, and you will cope steadfastly with public
reproach. Yes, remember Jesus promise: Happy are you
when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly
say every sort of wicked thing against you for my
sake. Rejoice and leap for joy, since your reward is
great in the heavens; for in that way they persecuted
the prophets prior to you.--Matthew 5:11, 12.
__________________________________________
1996 Yearbook, Pages 18-19:
Other specially designed brochures have been prepared
in the past couple of years to counteract the gross
distortions regarding Jehovah's Witnesses that the
clergy and apostates have fed to officials and the
media.
In Germany religious opposers have been especially
active in using the media to blaspheme Jehovah and
defame his people. (Compare Romans 2:24.) With the
approval of the Governing Body, a brochure was
produced that is entitled Jehovah's Witnesses--Your
Neighbors. Who Are They?
__________________________________________
"Family Happiness" Book (1996), Page 90:
2. In a similar way, parents must find a balanced way
to protect their family from the destructive
influences that rain down on them from many
sources--the entertainment industry, the media, peers,
and at times even the schools. Some parents do little
or nothing to shield their family. Others, viewing
nearly all outside influences as harmful, are so
restrictive that the children feel as if they were
suffocating. Is a balance possible?
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, March 15th 1997 Issue, Page 24:
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES in France were recently the target
of a barrage of false accusations. Seizing upon tragic
events involving religious cults in Europe and Japan,
the media spread distorted information about the
Witnesses. They were wrongly portrayed as one of the
largest and most dangerous cults.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, April 1st 1997 Issue, Page 17:
16. In the new world, Satan's propaganda media will
have been removed.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, June 1st 1997 Issue, Page 15:
14. In many places Jehovah's Witnesses are becoming
more and more the center of media attention. Similar
to what happened to the early Christians, they are
often misrepresented and placed in the same category
as questionable religious cults and secret
organizations. (Acts 28:22)
__________________________________________
1998 Yearbook, Pages 43-44:
Many in the world recognize Jehovah's Witnesses as
law-abiding, family-oriented people who have high
moral and ethical standards and who are actively
preaching the message of God's Word. However, there
are also people who oppose our work and will stop at
nothing to besmirch the reputation of Jehovah's people
and to hinder our efforts to let the light shine. They
do this by providing government officials and the
media with inaccurate, lying, and disparaging
information about Jehovah's Witnesses. In an effort to
correct such misrepresentation, in February 1997 the
Governing Body approved the formation, under the
oversight of the Writing Committee, of a Public
Affairs Office. General information desks have been
functioning in the Society's branch offices.
Page 140:
the media had painted a cruel picture of Jehovah's
Witnesses, depicting them as people who are willing to
let their children die.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, January 15th 1998 Issue, Pages 27-28:
At times, the news media as well as the authorities
are duped by clergymen and apostates into pinning
false labels on us, misrepresenting our Christian
beliefs and way of life. . . . Will we allow those who
are blinded by Satan to intimidate and dishearten us
and make us feel ashamed of the good news? Will we
permit lies about the truth to affect our regular
meeting attendance and our preaching activity? Or will
we stand fast and be courageous and more determined
than ever to continue declaring the truth about
Jehovah and his Kingdom?
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, May 15th 1998 Issue, Page 20:
16. At times, the news media and secular authorities
pin false labels on Gods people, misrepresenting our
Christian beliefs and way of life. This should not
surprise us, for Jesus clearly shows that the world
would hate us because we are no part of it. (John
17:14) Will we allow those who are blinded by Satan to
intimidate and dishearten us and make us feel ashamed
of the good news? Will we permit lies about the truth
to affect our regular meeting attendance and our
preaching activity? Or will we stand fast and be
courageous and more determined than ever to continue
declaring the truth about Jehovah and his Kingdom?
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, December 1st 1998 Issue, Page 14:
5. In many instances, the principal instigators of
persecution of Jehovah's servants have turned out to
be religious opposers who have used their influence
with political authorities and the media to try to
suppress the activities of the Witnesses. How should
we, Jehovah's Witnesses, respond to such
opposition--whether it is a result of our beliefs and
practices or because of false accusations?
Pages 17-18:
15. At times, Jehovah's Witnesses have been the target
of distorted information in the media. For example, on
August 1, 1997, a Russian newspaper published a
slanderous article claiming, among other things, that
Witnesses categorically require members to reject
their wives, husbands, and parents if these do not
understand and do not share their faith. Anyone who is
truly acquainted with Jehovah's Witnesses knows that
the charge is false. The Bible indicates that
Christians are to treat unbelieving family members
with love and respect, and Witnesses endeavor to
follow that direction. (1 Corinthians 7:12-16; 1 Peter
3:1-4) Even so, the article was printed, and many
readers were thus misinformed. How can we defend our
faith when we are falsely accused?
16. Here again, there is a time to keep quiet and a
time to speak. The Watchtower once expressed it this
way: Whether we ignore false information in the media
or defend the truth by appropriate means depends on
the circumstances, the instigator of the criticism,
and his goal. In some cases it may be best to ignore
negative reports, thus not giving further publicity to
the lies.
17. In other cases it may be a time to speak. A
responsible journalist or reporter may have been
misinformed about Jehovah's Witnesses and may welcome
truthful information about us. If negative reports in
the media arouse prejudice that hinders our preaching
work, representatives of the branch office of the
Watch Tower Society may take the initiative to defend
the truth by some suitable means.* [FOOTNOTE SAYS:
After the slanderous article was published in the
Russian newspaper (mentioned in paragraph 15),
Jehovah's Witnesses appealed to the Russian Federation
Presidential Judicial Chamber for Media Disputes with
a request to review the false charges made in the
article. Recently the court issued a decision that
castigated the newspaper for printing the libelous
article.--See Awake!, November 22, 1998, pages 26-7.]
For example, qualified elders might be assigned to
present the facts, as in a TV program, where failure
to appear might imply that Jehovah's Witnesses have no
answer. Individual Witnesses wisely cooperate with the
direction of the Watch Tower Society and its
representatives in such matters.--Hebrews 13:17.
__________________________________________
1999 Yearbook, Pages 141-143:
Now, replacing the former persecutors of Jehovah's
people, apostates took up the cudgel to beat their
former Christian associates. (Matt. 24:48-51) During
the late 1980s and early 1990s, these apostates became
more vocal, their false accusations more numerous and
virulent. Producers of some TV talk shows presented
the apostates as being experts on Jehovah's Witnesses.
However, some honest people questioned the wisdom of
judging the Witnesses on the basis of statements of
such disgruntled former members. After one such TV
show, a young man phoned the Society's office in
Selters and explained that some years earlier the
former Witness who was interviewed had studied the
Bible with him. For personal reasons the young man
quit his study. But upon seeing the TV program and
recognizing his former instructor, the young man
became quite upset. He asked: How can he say such
things? He knows what he is saying about the Witnesses
is not true. The result was that the young man resumed
his Bible study, this time with an elder in the local
congregation.
Of course, there are many people who accept without
question what they hear on TV or read in the
newspapers. In view of the frequency of the attacks on
Jehovah's Witnesses by the media, the Society prepared
a 32-page brochure specifically to counteract this
flood of misleading propaganda. It is entitled Your
Neighbors, Jehovah's Witnesses--Who Are They?
In that same year, yet another step was taken to deal
with the persistent efforts of opposers to use the
media to paint a distorted picture of Jehovah's
Witnesses. Walter Kbe was appointed chairman of a
committee in charge of Information Services. He
explains: The massive campaign launched by opponents
has forced us to give a supervised response by making
information more readily available.
__________________________________________
2000 Yearbook, Page 213:
a campaign of ruthless attacks through the media
began. Characteristically, the greatest freedom for
attacks against Jehovah's Witnesses was provided in
the religious press. Biased articles contained
questions that were asked of the Witnesses during the
registration process together with speculation by the
writers regarding the answers given. On one hand, the
charge was made that spokesmen for the Society had
been deceptive when saying that Witnesses were not
forced to believe or practice certain things. On the
other hand, the answers given were claimed to be a
betrayal of the organization's own principles.
Page 221:
An aggressive mass media constantly attacks Jehovah's
Witnesses. This presents tests of faith that are as
penetrating as those faced in the crucibles of Nazi
and Communist prisons and in the chicanery of those
that used these. The large majority of Jehovah's
Witnesses stand firm in faith in the face of these
tests.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, December 15th 2000 Issue, Page 22:
Some [Jehovah's Witnesses]... have been the object of
lying reports in the media.
__________________________________________
2001 Yearbook, Page 20:
Today opposers continue to stir up public opinion
against Jehovah's Witnesses, sometimes using the media
or other public avenues to further their aims. In
response, the Public Affairs Office in Brooklyn and
Public Affairs Desks in many of the Society's branch
offices spend considerable time in providing
information that is used boldly to make known the
truth to editors, journalists, and others.
__________________________________________
"Our Kingdom Ministry", August 2001 Issue, Page 1:
3. To the World and to Men: Sometimes the media
publish reports about the activities of Jehovah's
people. While we appreciate good reports that are
factual and fair in dealing with our work, we also
expect bad reports to be spread by our detractors from
time to time. Nevertheless, we must continue
recommending ourselves as God's ministers through bad
report and good report. (2 Cor. 6:4, 8) To
honesthearted observers it becomes clear that we are
the true disciples of Jesus Christ.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, August 15th 2001 Issue, Page 13:
Recently, some of the media in France have portrayed
Jehovah's Witnesses as a dangerous religious cult.
__________________________________________
The Watchtower, December 1st 2001 Issue, Page 10:
mental junk food is readily available and tantalizing
to the senses, but it is detrimental to one's
spiritual health. Cleverly marketed in the media is a
profusion of material that features illicit sex and
drugs, violence, and the occult. Feeding one's mind on
such a diet is deadly to the figurative heart.
__________________________________________
However, it is highly interesting to see that the
Jehovah's Witnesses are more than happy to use
"Satan's Propaganda Media" to promote their own
Religion:
1977 Yearbook, Page 11:
The News Service Department at Brooklyn has also been
instrumental in obtaining much publicity for these
events through television, radio and other news media.
Thus many persons were advised concerning the issues
for which Jehovah's Witnesses are fighting and their
unshakable loyalty in living up to Bible principles.]]
Then I simply hit 'submit'.
sKally, glad to be of service klass ACTION!
