Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 69
They [the Watchtower] adamantly teach that it is okay to ―hide the truth from
your enemies,‖ since they are in ―Theocratic warfare,‖ which is taken as
permission to lie. And who are their enemies? Everyone but
themselves...Lying has been described in their literature as permissible,
especially to your ―enemies‖ (which is everyone except the elitist governing
body). It depends on whom you‘re lying to. They give the example of
Abraham, in a life threatening situation, misrepresenting his wife‘s status,
calling her his sister instead of his wife. So, do they reason it is a little thing
for us to lie to the ―other sheep,‖ to tell them that they are ―Christians,‖ and
can preach, that Holy Spirit will protect them, etc? What difference does it
really make? (Ford, 1996, pp .7, 84)
The Watchtower teaches that lying to ―God‘s enemies‖ is not really lying but theocratic ―war
strategy‖ and that:
God‘s Word commands: ―Speak truth each of you with his neighbor‖ (Eph.
4:25). This command, however, does not mean that we should tell everyone
who asks us all he wants to know. We must tell the truth to one who is
entitled to know, but if one is not so entitled we may be evasive.
(Watchtower, June 1, 1960, pp. 351-352)
The Watchtower then adds ―we may not tell a falsehood,‖ but this again refers to their
definition of a falsehood. This Watchtower (1960, p. 352) also states that if a Watchtower
adherent takes the witness stand in court and swears ―to tell the truth, then, if he speaks at
all, he must utter the truth.‖ This ―truth,‖ though, is what the court defines as truth, but it is
overshadowed by the focus on ―hiding the truth‖ from God‘s enemies. Other articles and the
actual practice of Witnesses both show that this latter advice is not strictly followed. For
example, the May 1, 1957, Watchtower adds:
Lies are untruths told for selfish reasons and which work injury to others.
Satan told a lie to Eve that worked great harm to her and all the human race.
Ananias and Sapphira told lies for selfish reasons. But hiding the truth, which
he is not entitled to know, from an enemy does not harm him, especially
when he would use such information to harm others who are innocent … So in
time of spiritual warfare it is proper to misdirect the enemy by hiding the
truth. It is done unselfishly it does not harm anyone on the contrary, it does
much good. (pp. 284-285).
As William Blake once said ― the truth that is told with bad intent beats all the lies you can
invent.‖ The doctrine is best summarized by, The Measures Taken, a play by Bertolt Brecht:
Whoever fights for communism must be prepared to fight or not to fight, to
tell the truth or not to tell the truth, to give his services or to refuse them, to
be recognized or to be disguised. Who fights for communism, has only one
single virtue, that he fights for communism (Quoted in Perutz, 1989, p. 139).
Wilson gives an example of how the doctrine is used today:
the elders asked this young man to call our daughter and fabricate a reason
to get her to come over to the house. Under the guise of ―theocratic warfare,‖
lying was acceptable if it served the needs of the organization. Consequently,
the truthfulness of the reason he gave her to get her to agree to meet him at
the house was insignificant. He feigned helplessness about some aspect of
taking care of things at the house, asking her to meet him there at a specified
time so she could help him out. Trusting that he would never betray her, she
agreed (2000, p. 118).
They [the Watchtower] adamantly teach that it is okay to ―hide the truth from
your enemies,‖ since they are in ―Theocratic warfare,‖ which is taken as
permission to lie. And who are their enemies? Everyone but
themselves...Lying has been described in their literature as permissible,
especially to your ―enemies‖ (which is everyone except the elitist governing
body). It depends on whom you‘re lying to. They give the example of
Abraham, in a life threatening situation, misrepresenting his wife‘s status,
calling her his sister instead of his wife. So, do they reason it is a little thing
for us to lie to the ―other sheep,‖ to tell them that they are ―Christians,‖ and
can preach, that Holy Spirit will protect them, etc? What difference does it
really make? (Ford, 1996, pp .7, 84)
The Watchtower teaches that lying to ―God‘s enemies‖ is not really lying but theocratic ―war
strategy‖ and that:
God‘s Word commands: ―Speak truth each of you with his neighbor‖ (Eph.
4:25). This command, however, does not mean that we should tell everyone
who asks us all he wants to know. We must tell the truth to one who is
entitled to know, but if one is not so entitled we may be evasive.
(Watchtower, June 1, 1960, pp. 351-352)
The Watchtower then adds ―we may not tell a falsehood,‖ but this again refers to their
definition of a falsehood. This Watchtower (1960, p. 352) also states that if a Watchtower
adherent takes the witness stand in court and swears ―to tell the truth, then, if he speaks at
all, he must utter the truth.‖ This ―truth,‖ though, is what the court defines as truth, but it is
overshadowed by the focus on ―hiding the truth‖ from God‘s enemies. Other articles and the
actual practice of Witnesses both show that this latter advice is not strictly followed. For
example, the May 1, 1957, Watchtower adds:
Lies are untruths told for selfish reasons and which work injury to others.
Satan told a lie to Eve that worked great harm to her and all the human race.
Ananias and Sapphira told lies for selfish reasons. But hiding the truth, which
he is not entitled to know, from an enemy does not harm him, especially
when he would use such information to harm others who are innocent … So in
time of spiritual warfare it is proper to misdirect the enemy by hiding the
truth. It is done unselfishly it does not harm anyone on the contrary, it does
much good. (pp. 284-285).
As William Blake once said ― the truth that is told with bad intent beats all the lies you can
invent.‖ The doctrine is best summarized by, The Measures Taken, a play by Bertolt Brecht:
Whoever fights for communism must be prepared to fight or not to fight, to
tell the truth or not to tell the truth, to give his services or to refuse them, to
be recognized or to be disguised. Who fights for communism, has only one
single virtue, that he fights for communism (Quoted in Perutz, 1989, p. 139).
Wilson gives an example of how the doctrine is used today:
the elders asked this young man to call our daughter and fabricate a reason
to get her to come over to the house. Under the guise of ―theocratic warfare,‖
lying was acceptable if it served the needs of the organization. Consequently,
the truthfulness of the reason he gave her to get her to agree to meet him at
the house was insignificant. He feigned helplessness about some aspect of
taking care of things at the house, asking her to meet him there at a specified
time so she could help him out. Trusting that he would never betray her, she
agreed (2000, p. 118).
