Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2002, Page 86
and its significance (elders and circuit overseers). Most (98%) knew of the practice or could
define it, but some Witnesses did not recognize it by the proper term. Some may have still
thought of the doctrine by the old term ―Rahab technique.‖ Some persons may not be
aware of the term because the word ―theocratic‖ is used less often now than formerly, but is
still common. An example is their official songbook Singing Praises to Jehovah (1984),
which is used at all meetings and lists 13 songs under ―Theocratic Warfare.‖
The Religious Rationale Behind Watchtower Lying
The Watchtower uses several Scriptures to justify lying aside from those already discussed.
As Thomas comments, the Watchtower attempts to justify lying by noting that
… in the Bible, Rahab the harlot lied to the King of Jericho in order to protect
the Israelites spies. The JW‘s argue that when Jericho was destroyed, Rahab
was spared because she lied to protect the spies. The Bible reveals, however,
that Rahab was spared because she acknowledged Israel‘s God to be the true
God (Josh. 2:11). God spared Rahab‘s life not because she lied, but in spite
of the fact that she lied. The Watchtower further points out that Abraham,
Isaac, and David also hid the truth at times. But all this proves is that even
the best of men have had their failings. Surely one cannot use the mistakes
of any man (no matter how great he may be) as an excuse for wrong-doing.
The command of the New Testament is clear: ―Wherefore putting away lying,
SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOR‖ (Eph. 4:25). Jehovah‘s
Witnesses, by their own admission, do not speak the truth with their neighbor
if it is in their interest not to do so. If they deem it advantageous, the JW‘s
will deliberately lie to their neighbor! (emphasis in original, Thomas, 1972, p.
96)
On the use of the Rahab strategy to justify lying, Robbins concluded:
Scripture does not praise Rahab for lying that is an invalid inference… It
would be odd if the Bible, which repeatedly condemns lying, were to praise
someone for lying. Given [this] ...why ...infer that God commends Rahab
for lying alone? Her prostitution was equally important in the saving of the
Jewish spies, and inferring that the Bible therefore endorses prostitution
would be just as valid. ...[Yet some persons] suggests that Rahab and
[others] … are adequate precedents for lying when needed. (1994, pp. 1-4)
The position that lying is justified if it misleads only those who have ―no right to know the
truth‖ was never taught by any Christian church as a formal doctrine, and Thomas
concludes that many Christian martyrs could have saved their lives
...if only they had employed the so-called ―Theocratic War Strategy‖ of JW‘s.
With many of them their very lives hung on the answer to this one question.
―Are you a Christian?‖ If they dared to answer ―yes,‖ terrible torture awaited
them. All they had to do, in many cases, was to deny being a Christian and
their lives would be spared. But these great stalwarts of the Christian Faith
...did not stoop to Watchtower trickery to escape ―the tyrant‘s brandished
steel or the lion‘s gory mane.‖ They lost their earthly lives for the cause of
Christ but gained everlasting life and eternal honor. This is our Christian
heritage and we have every right to be proud of it. (Thomas, 1972, pp. 97-
98)
The Watchtower‘s stand on lying is actually inconsistent. A good example occurred during
World War II involving Witnesses in the Nazi concentration camps. In order to be released
from some camps, Witnesses merely had to sign a paper renouncing their allegiance to the
Watchtower—yet the Society instructed them not to, even teaching that to deny the
and its significance (elders and circuit overseers). Most (98%) knew of the practice or could
define it, but some Witnesses did not recognize it by the proper term. Some may have still
thought of the doctrine by the old term ―Rahab technique.‖ Some persons may not be
aware of the term because the word ―theocratic‖ is used less often now than formerly, but is
still common. An example is their official songbook Singing Praises to Jehovah (1984),
which is used at all meetings and lists 13 songs under ―Theocratic Warfare.‖
The Religious Rationale Behind Watchtower Lying
The Watchtower uses several Scriptures to justify lying aside from those already discussed.
As Thomas comments, the Watchtower attempts to justify lying by noting that
… in the Bible, Rahab the harlot lied to the King of Jericho in order to protect
the Israelites spies. The JW‘s argue that when Jericho was destroyed, Rahab
was spared because she lied to protect the spies. The Bible reveals, however,
that Rahab was spared because she acknowledged Israel‘s God to be the true
God (Josh. 2:11). God spared Rahab‘s life not because she lied, but in spite
of the fact that she lied. The Watchtower further points out that Abraham,
Isaac, and David also hid the truth at times. But all this proves is that even
the best of men have had their failings. Surely one cannot use the mistakes
of any man (no matter how great he may be) as an excuse for wrong-doing.
The command of the New Testament is clear: ―Wherefore putting away lying,
SPEAK EVERY MAN TRUTH WITH HIS NEIGHBOR‖ (Eph. 4:25). Jehovah‘s
Witnesses, by their own admission, do not speak the truth with their neighbor
if it is in their interest not to do so. If they deem it advantageous, the JW‘s
will deliberately lie to their neighbor! (emphasis in original, Thomas, 1972, p.
96)
On the use of the Rahab strategy to justify lying, Robbins concluded:
Scripture does not praise Rahab for lying that is an invalid inference… It
would be odd if the Bible, which repeatedly condemns lying, were to praise
someone for lying. Given [this] ...why ...infer that God commends Rahab
for lying alone? Her prostitution was equally important in the saving of the
Jewish spies, and inferring that the Bible therefore endorses prostitution
would be just as valid. ...[Yet some persons] suggests that Rahab and
[others] … are adequate precedents for lying when needed. (1994, pp. 1-4)
The position that lying is justified if it misleads only those who have ―no right to know the
truth‖ was never taught by any Christian church as a formal doctrine, and Thomas
concludes that many Christian martyrs could have saved their lives
...if only they had employed the so-called ―Theocratic War Strategy‖ of JW‘s.
With many of them their very lives hung on the answer to this one question.
―Are you a Christian?‖ If they dared to answer ―yes,‖ terrible torture awaited
them. All they had to do, in many cases, was to deny being a Christian and
their lives would be spared. But these great stalwarts of the Christian Faith
...did not stoop to Watchtower trickery to escape ―the tyrant‘s brandished
steel or the lion‘s gory mane.‖ They lost their earthly lives for the cause of
Christ but gained everlasting life and eternal honor. This is our Christian
heritage and we have every right to be proud of it. (Thomas, 1972, pp. 97-
98)
The Watchtower‘s stand on lying is actually inconsistent. A good example occurred during
World War II involving Witnesses in the Nazi concentration camps. In order to be released
from some camps, Witnesses merely had to sign a paper renouncing their allegiance to the
Watchtower—yet the Society instructed them not to, even teaching that to deny the
