Posted by Kent [KENT] on October 28, 1999 at 06:27:23 {BrTq3yWfsYOJikFWJ7tMBSwZlMEBKg}:
*** w61 5/1 284 The Decalogue's Principles Ever Valid ***
There are times when, conceivably, it would be right to hide the truth in the interest of one’s neighbor, as when Rahab threw off the pagan pursuers of the God-fearing Israelite spies by what she told those pursuers. Also, may it not be by keeping silent that “love covers a multitude of sins”? Surely!
*** w60 6/1 352 Questions from Readers ***
There is one exception, however, that the Christian must ever bear in mind. As a soldier of Christ he 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. A Scriptural example of this is that of Rahab the harlot. She hid the Israelite spies because of her faith in their God Jehovah. This she did both by her actions and by her lips. That she had Jehovah’s approval in doing so is seen from James’ commendation of her faith.—Josh. 2:4, 5; Jas. 2:25.
This would come under the term “war strategy,” as explained in The Watchtower, February 1, 1956, 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, if he speaks at all, he must utter the truth. When faced with the alternative of speaking and betraying his brothers or not speaking and being held in contempt of court, 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.
So far, so good. Here the point was to make Jehovah's Witnesses lie to protect the financial interests of the Watchtower. But take a look at these quotes:
*** g78 2/8 28 Can Blasphemy Be Forgiven? ***
Persons who with full knowledge deliberately oppose God and Christ, hide the truth and propagate falsehoods make themselves guilty of sinning against God’s spirit—a sin that cannot be forgiven.*** te 114 27 Hated for Doing Good ***
There are many people who do hide the truth. They are afraid of what other people think.
Surly, the Watchtower is afraid of what people will think - and what their followers will think, if they learned the truth about what is going on.
*** w96 1/1 20 "Love Truth and Peace"! ***
12 Jehovah urges us to speak the truth. (Ephesians 4:15, 25) He does not hear the prayers of those who scheme harmful things, hide the truth for personal gain, or utter false oaths. (Proverbs 28:9) Since he hates apostasy, he wants us to cling to Bible truth.
So, Jehovah does not hear the prayers of the ones following the Watchtowers advice. Maybe that's why The Watchtower Observer is still allive and well?
*** w68 9/1 539 What It Means to Be Honest ***
A Christian may think it is showing love to hide the truth, even from someone who has the right to know, in order to protect another from disciplinary action. But such a course is not true, principled, agápe love, but a form of selfishness, or at best a mistaken kindness. Thus a mother kept the facts of her daughter’s conduct from her husband so that the father would not get angry and discipline his daughter. But when the daughter got pregnant, because of keeping company with the kind of youths her father did not approve of, the mother could no longer hide the facts from the father, who was greatly shocked. But the mother had no reason to be, for she could have known to what her daughter’s course of action might lead. Similarly, a Christian should not withhold facts bearing on keeping the Christian congregation clean from those having the oversight of it, simply to prevent a wrongdoer from being disciplined.
*** w63 2/1 80 Conduct Showing Practical 'Love of Neighbor' ***
Lies are told by people who wish to hide the truth for some reason—their wish to keep some wrong act from being found out, and thus to escape punishment or reproof, being one of the most common reasons.
Remember, Big Brother sees you!
Kent