Pictures in the Watchtower

by Sour Grapes 21 Replies latest jw friends

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  Sour Grapes

  After sitting through last Sunday's Watchtower I got so sick of seeing the bobbing/nodding heads when talking about the pictures. They act like God himself took the picture. There must have been 10 comments about the group in service and the one brother was looking at his phone with a smile, which is a dead give away that he was reading something interesting.

  What got me was how the older brother in the posed picture had a Bible in his hand had a stern look on his face looking at the young brother. Comments like, "the young brother is on Jehovah's time and shouldn't be using his phone." "See how the brother with the Bible is upset that he isn't carrying his Bible." " See how busy the friends are in the background, they aren't on their phones," etc., etc.

  For God's sakes, we are encouraged to now count how many "air" magazines we can place, and how many times we get someone at the door to squint and look at our phone in the bright light to see a video. Why emphasize the brother with a Bible in his hand when the tablet is to replace it. Everyone acted liked the young brother taking a minute break to catchup on something is getting paid $100 and hour!!!!!!!!!! He isn't getting paid one damn penny and if he is the driver is losing money.

  I feel better now. (not)

  Sour Grapes
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  Crazyguy

  Pew survey shows they are the dumbest
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  Magnum

  I agree about the pics. JWs will dwell on them and spend more time on them than on the scriptures themselves. They analyze small details as if the pics are directly inspired (or as you said, 'like God himself took them'). I've heard things like "now if you notice the way the brother's feet are aimed, you'll see...".

  The scenes in the pictures are usuallly so overacted that they're corny and embarrassing. They look like something that junior high students would come up with. One of my mother's longtime "worldly" friends, a really smart, middle class, educated, stable lady, started going to meetings one time and commented about how the pictures are embarrassing.
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  Esse quam videri

  Which WT was it? Date?
  
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  Magnum

  Esse quam viden - I don't know what specific pic(s) the OP is referring to, but I was referring to JW publication pics in general.
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  Ich3b

  Which WT was it? Date?

  The OP was talking about the October 15,2015 issue; article "Serve Jehovah without distraction"
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  ToesUp

  We had a sister (busy body/judgmental type), comment on the photo in the WT. She said the sister in the photo had her mid drift showing. If you looked closely at the photo, it was a belt and not her mid drift. You all know the type I am referring to. Loves to love what is "evil." I am proud to say that I set her straight more than once. Had a blast doing it! I sure do miss her....NOT!
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  Oubliette

  Those pictures are powerful pieces of propaganda, especially when we consider the way JWs are trained to interpret and discuss them at meetings (as many of the above comments observed).

  Although they are academically only one step up from a "Where's Waldo" picture, the way the congregation members will dissect them looking for "hidden meanings" (which are generally painfully obvious) in ways that of course only reinforce and confirm their existing beliefs is remarkable.

  It's actually a very informative, if not also somewhat frightening, lesson in the power of manipulation: Cult Manipulation Tactics 101.

  Let's review: It's a cult!
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  stuckinarut2

  Yes, very cult-like in the way that these pictures are deliberately designed to get across a point.

  But some in each cong ALWAYS read way more into them than even the GB intended!
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  alcyone

  they use these pictures to convey "hidden messages" as Oubliette said, but in the same time they can deny the meaning - "we do not say...". So instead of giving detailed instructions on grooming, they just show "spiritually weak" brother / sister and the people can contemplate on how such person looks. I can recall picture of brother showing to his boss it is 5 o'clock I am leaving now - this is really good advice if you want to have good relationship at your workplace. But they can deny it as it is not explicitly said.