Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 68
discussion designed to define lying to the lay public, Savant explains that when witnesses
are asked to tell ―the truth‖ in court, it means that they are not to lie and are also required:
...to tell ―the whole truth.‖ … For example, if a governor says that ―in my
state, we‘ve moved 17,000 people from welfare to work‖ and omits adding
the fact that in his state, 25,000 other people moved from work to welfare at
the same time, he has told ―the truth‖ but he hasn‘t told ―the whole truth.‖
That is, the net effect was that 8,000 more people were on welfare, not
17,000 fewer … Third, witnesses are asked to tell ―nothing but the truth.‖
This is yet another concept. For example, if a person tells the truth in
response to a question and then adds a lie, he or she has told ―the truth‖ but
hasn‘t told ―nothing but the truth.‖ And although none of this will stop truly
dishonest people, at least it gives us good ammunition to charge them with
perjury. (Savant, 1996, p. 12)
In the words of Raines, theocratic warfare in practice means ―deceiving‖ or misdirecting the
―enemy‖ with untrue and misleading information to protect and advance the interests of
―God‘s people‖ and his ―organization‖ (1996, p. 20). Magnani added that the Watchtower
has a special policy towards outsiders. Those who question its teachings are
considered ―opposers‖ and are treated in a special way. The Watchtower actually
teaches Jehovah‘s Witnesses to cover up or LIE about certain facts. This tactic is
called THEOCRATIC WAR STRATEGY. (1979, p. 1, emphasis his).
The Watchtower tries to clarify its stand by adding that, although
malicious lying is definitely condemned in the Bible, this does not mean that a
person is under obligation to divulge truthful information to people who are
not entitled to it … Jesus on certain occasions refrained from giving full
information or direct answers to certain questions when doing so could have
brought unnecessary harm (Matt 15:1-6 21:23-27 John 7:3-10). Evidently,
the course of Abraham, Isaac, Rahab, and Elisha in misdirecting or in
withholding full facts from nonworshipers of Jehovah must be viewed in the
same light—Gen 12:10-19 chapter 20 26:1-10 Josh 2:1-6 Jas 2:25 2 Ki
6:11-23 (Franz, 1971 p. 245).
An example of how this doctrine is in fact applied is explained by Reed as follows:
When a Witness knocks at a door, gives a brief sales pitch, and sells a small book for
a dollar, local laws may require him or her to collect sales tax. (A credit report on
the Watchtower of New York, Inc., revealed $1.25 billion corporate sales figures for
1991, up from just over $1 billion in 1990.). To evade this obligation the
organization instructs JWs to say they did not sell the book rather, they placed it.
They did not receive the dollar in payment rather, the money was received
coincidentally as an unrelated donation. Another illegal activity covered by cloaking
expressions relates to violating child welfare laws and ignoring court orders
regarding medical treatment. When taking such drastic steps to prevent blood
transfusions for sick or injured children JWs commonly refer to their actions as
keeping integrity or putting God first … Cloaking expressions [with] obscure words …
to conceal information from outsiders unfamiliar with the sect. Witnesses resort to
such devices when organizational instructions require them to violate tax laws,
refuse military conscription, evade child welfare laws, and so on. Falsifications on
these matters are not considered lies, but theocratic war strategy (1997, pp. 22,
28).
Yet another assessment of this doctrine by a long-time, once high-ranking Witness:
discussion designed to define lying to the lay public, Savant explains that when witnesses
are asked to tell ―the truth‖ in court, it means that they are not to lie and are also required:
...to tell ―the whole truth.‖ … For example, if a governor says that ―in my
state, we‘ve moved 17,000 people from welfare to work‖ and omits adding
the fact that in his state, 25,000 other people moved from work to welfare at
the same time, he has told ―the truth‖ but he hasn‘t told ―the whole truth.‖
That is, the net effect was that 8,000 more people were on welfare, not
17,000 fewer … Third, witnesses are asked to tell ―nothing but the truth.‖
This is yet another concept. For example, if a person tells the truth in
response to a question and then adds a lie, he or she has told ―the truth‖ but
hasn‘t told ―nothing but the truth.‖ And although none of this will stop truly
dishonest people, at least it gives us good ammunition to charge them with
perjury. (Savant, 1996, p. 12)
In the words of Raines, theocratic warfare in practice means ―deceiving‖ or misdirecting the
―enemy‖ with untrue and misleading information to protect and advance the interests of
―God‘s people‖ and his ―organization‖ (1996, p. 20). Magnani added that the Watchtower
has a special policy towards outsiders. Those who question its teachings are
considered ―opposers‖ and are treated in a special way. The Watchtower actually
teaches Jehovah‘s Witnesses to cover up or LIE about certain facts. This tactic is
called THEOCRATIC WAR STRATEGY. (1979, p. 1, emphasis his).
The Watchtower tries to clarify its stand by adding that, although
malicious lying is definitely condemned in the Bible, this does not mean that a
person is under obligation to divulge truthful information to people who are
not entitled to it … Jesus on certain occasions refrained from giving full
information or direct answers to certain questions when doing so could have
brought unnecessary harm (Matt 15:1-6 21:23-27 John 7:3-10). Evidently,
the course of Abraham, Isaac, Rahab, and Elisha in misdirecting or in
withholding full facts from nonworshipers of Jehovah must be viewed in the
same light—Gen 12:10-19 chapter 20 26:1-10 Josh 2:1-6 Jas 2:25 2 Ki
6:11-23 (Franz, 1971 p. 245).
An example of how this doctrine is in fact applied is explained by Reed as follows:
When a Witness knocks at a door, gives a brief sales pitch, and sells a small book for
a dollar, local laws may require him or her to collect sales tax. (A credit report on
the Watchtower of New York, Inc., revealed $1.25 billion corporate sales figures for
1991, up from just over $1 billion in 1990.). To evade this obligation the
organization instructs JWs to say they did not sell the book rather, they placed it.
They did not receive the dollar in payment rather, the money was received
coincidentally as an unrelated donation. Another illegal activity covered by cloaking
expressions relates to violating child welfare laws and ignoring court orders
regarding medical treatment. When taking such drastic steps to prevent blood
transfusions for sick or injured children JWs commonly refer to their actions as
keeping integrity or putting God first … Cloaking expressions [with] obscure words …
to conceal information from outsiders unfamiliar with the sect. Witnesses resort to
such devices when organizational instructions require them to violate tax laws,
refuse military conscription, evade child welfare laws, and so on. Falsifications on
these matters are not considered lies, but theocratic war strategy (1997, pp. 22,
28).
Yet another assessment of this doctrine by a long-time, once high-ranking Witness:
