Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 73
did in fact intend a faithful Rahab technique … in all kindness then, Bro.
Howlett, the inescapable logic of fact is that your postal to me, must be one
or the other of the two following things, to wit: (1) A potentially malicious lie
or (2) an admission before the Lord that you have been practicing demonism
and ―fibbing‖ out of it. (Goodrich, 1943, p. 1)
Goodrich‘s efforts to bring his concerns to the Watchtower‘s attention eventually resulted in
his disfellowshipping (forced explosion from the Watchtower Society, which denied him
almost all contact with members in good standing). Interestingly, a decade later The
Watchtower drew the same conclusion about E.R.A. for which Goodrich had been
disfellowshipped (Raines, 1996, p. 20). Some details on the development of this now
infamous Watchtower doctrine were related in a study by Frakes:
In his Sunday-morning discourse on ―Cautious as Serpents among Wolves,‖ …
Franz interpreted certain Old Testament passages as proving that when it
meant preservation of his own, Jehovah approved lying to one‘s enemies
hence, such lying is not to be condemned so long as it is addressed to
outsiders. Thereupon the chairman thanked him as the agent of the
Watchtower Society for the ―new light‖ he had brought. (1955, p. 819)
In Sherrill‘s words this new doctrine meant that ―Lying is part of ‗theocratic war strategy.‘ A
JW can lie to someone if they are not entitled to know the truth‖ (1995, p. 56). The
Watchtower teaching that ―the truth should be told‖ only to those who have ―a right to
know,‖ means that Watchtower ―opposers‖ (the term the Watchtower uses for
knowledgeable critics see Reed, 1997, p. 101) and critics do not have a right to know the
truth:
As a soldier of Christ [a Witness is] ...in theocratic warfare and he must
exercise added caution when dealing with God‘s foes. Thus the Scriptures
show that for the purpose of protecting the interests of God‘s cause, it is
proper to hide the truth from God‘s enemies. … This would come under the
term ―war strategy,‖ ...and is in keeping with Jesus‘ counsel that when
among wolves we must be as ―cautious as serpents.‖ Should circumstances
require a Christian to take the witness stand and swear to tell the truth then
...the mature Christian will put the welfare of his brothers ahead of his own,
remembering Jesus‘ words: ―No one has greater love than this, that someone
should surrender his [life] in behalf of his friends‖—Matt. 10:16 John 15:13.
(Watchtower, June 1, 1960, p. 352 See also Feb. 1, 1956, p. 78)
All critics and opposers of the Watchtower are considered ―wolves‖ who have declared war
on the Watchtower, all of whose followers are labeled ―sheep.‖ Furthermore, it is ―proper
for the inoffensive ‗sheep‘ to use war strategy toward the wolves in the interests of God‘s
work‖ (Watchtower, Feb. 1, 1956, p. 86).
The case of Elsa Abt (see Watchtower, May 1, 1957, p. 285) is a good example of how the
Watchtower teaches more than hiding the truth, namely, openly lying. According to the
Watchtower account, when she was questioned by the police about the whereabouts of a
mimeograph machine and ―the identity of the one taking the lead in carrying on the
underground preaching work,‖ she answered contrary to the truth and ―pretended not to
know anything.‖ Her openly lying here is provided as a good example that Witnesses are to
emulate. In an entire chapter title ―Justified Lying,‖ Thomas concluded that Witnesses
… are permitted by the Society to lie ...in the interest of their religion. The
JWs, of course, do not call this lying. ...[the Watchtower leadership has]
invented a new name for this kind of deception, they call it practicing
―Theocratic War Strategy‖ (Thomas, 1972, p. 95).
did in fact intend a faithful Rahab technique … in all kindness then, Bro.
Howlett, the inescapable logic of fact is that your postal to me, must be one
or the other of the two following things, to wit: (1) A potentially malicious lie
or (2) an admission before the Lord that you have been practicing demonism
and ―fibbing‖ out of it. (Goodrich, 1943, p. 1)
Goodrich‘s efforts to bring his concerns to the Watchtower‘s attention eventually resulted in
his disfellowshipping (forced explosion from the Watchtower Society, which denied him
almost all contact with members in good standing). Interestingly, a decade later The
Watchtower drew the same conclusion about E.R.A. for which Goodrich had been
disfellowshipped (Raines, 1996, p. 20). Some details on the development of this now
infamous Watchtower doctrine were related in a study by Frakes:
In his Sunday-morning discourse on ―Cautious as Serpents among Wolves,‖ …
Franz interpreted certain Old Testament passages as proving that when it
meant preservation of his own, Jehovah approved lying to one‘s enemies
hence, such lying is not to be condemned so long as it is addressed to
outsiders. Thereupon the chairman thanked him as the agent of the
Watchtower Society for the ―new light‖ he had brought. (1955, p. 819)
In Sherrill‘s words this new doctrine meant that ―Lying is part of ‗theocratic war strategy.‘ A
JW can lie to someone if they are not entitled to know the truth‖ (1995, p. 56). The
Watchtower teaching that ―the truth should be told‖ only to those who have ―a right to
know,‖ means that Watchtower ―opposers‖ (the term the Watchtower uses for
knowledgeable critics see Reed, 1997, p. 101) and critics do not have a right to know the
truth:
As a soldier of Christ [a Witness is] ...in theocratic warfare and he must
exercise added caution when dealing with God‘s foes. Thus the Scriptures
show that for the purpose of protecting the interests of God‘s cause, it is
proper to hide the truth from God‘s enemies. … This would come under the
term ―war strategy,‖ ...and is in keeping with Jesus‘ counsel that when
among wolves we must be as ―cautious as serpents.‖ Should circumstances
require a Christian to take the witness stand and swear to tell the truth then
...the mature Christian will put the welfare of his brothers ahead of his own,
remembering Jesus‘ words: ―No one has greater love than this, that someone
should surrender his [life] in behalf of his friends‖—Matt. 10:16 John 15:13.
(Watchtower, June 1, 1960, p. 352 See also Feb. 1, 1956, p. 78)
All critics and opposers of the Watchtower are considered ―wolves‖ who have declared war
on the Watchtower, all of whose followers are labeled ―sheep.‖ Furthermore, it is ―proper
for the inoffensive ‗sheep‘ to use war strategy toward the wolves in the interests of God‘s
work‖ (Watchtower, Feb. 1, 1956, p. 86).
The case of Elsa Abt (see Watchtower, May 1, 1957, p. 285) is a good example of how the
Watchtower teaches more than hiding the truth, namely, openly lying. According to the
Watchtower account, when she was questioned by the police about the whereabouts of a
mimeograph machine and ―the identity of the one taking the lead in carrying on the
underground preaching work,‖ she answered contrary to the truth and ―pretended not to
know anything.‖ Her openly lying here is provided as a good example that Witnesses are to
emulate. In an entire chapter title ―Justified Lying,‖ Thomas concluded that Witnesses
… are permitted by the Society to lie ...in the interest of their religion. The
JWs, of course, do not call this lying. ...[the Watchtower leadership has]
invented a new name for this kind of deception, they call it practicing
―Theocratic War Strategy‖ (Thomas, 1972, p. 95).
