I wrote a few weeks ago that the organization has been involved with the use of technology throughout many times within its history in the door to door work. Today, I want to explore some quotes as to how the organization has used technology on the macro scale.
The first major technology innovation is the Photo Drama of Creation. Part 1 of 96 is here and it should autoplay the rest of them:
Rutherford as we know, exerted more control over the organization and equated technology to being labeled as prophetic events with quotes such as:
As an illustration of this point:
Wireless telegraphy and airships are modern discoveries; yet since they have been discovered we find that God, through his holy prophets, foretold centuries ago the use of such inventions. (Job 38:35; Isaiah 60:8) The railway train has been in use less than a hundred years; and yet the prophet of God many centuries ago gave a clear and particular description of the railway train and the manner of its operation, and prophesy that the same would be in vogue at the time of the end, at the time the Lord is making preparation for the establishment of his kingdom. (Nahum 2:3-6)
Harp of God. 1921. p. 16
With the incorporation of radio, the organization had the ability to further blanket the airwaves for people who may have been turning the dial to find different stations. The radio station started in 1924 and was utilized until 1954.
The radio was provided by a divine source as illustrated with the following quote:
Certain it is that God provided the radio because he foretells it in his Word written by the prophet centuries ago. (Job 38:35) The due time must come, in the unfolding of his plan, for the use of the radio.
Freedom for the Peoples. 1927. p. 12
Ironically, the radio for whatever reason must have fallen out of Jehovah’s favor even though he approved it.
The following website has a reproduction of the Watchtower article from August 15, 1950:
http://pastorrussell.blogspot.com/2009/09/radio-pioneer-lifts-up-its-voice.html
The airplane get’s some attention too:
This is a day of great inventions; because it is the day the Lord foretold by his prophet. The radio and airships are amongst the marvels of this age.
Deliverance. 1926. p. 119
Those technologies that according to Rutherford were “prophetic” in nature were centered on those who had deep pockets. Today, the difference with radio, airplanes, and the internet is anyone can do something for free.
The Watchtower given its prophetic ability should have predicted the Internet. However, it wasn’t. Early on, there were articles such as “Do You Really Need the Internet?” from the July 22, 1997 Awake!
The November 1999 issue of Our Kingdom Ministry on page 3 had the following:
Web Sites of “Jehovah’s Witnesses”: Consider, for example, some Internet sites set up by individuals who claim to be Jehovah’s Witnesses. They invite you to visit their sites to read experiences posted by others who claim to be Witnesses. You are encouraged to share your thoughts and views about the Society’s literature. Some give recommendations about presentations that could be used in the field ministry. These sites offer chat rooms for individuals to connect to, allowing live communication with others, similar to talking on the telephone. They often point you to other sites where you can have on-line association with Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world. But can you tell for certain that these contacts have not been planted by apostates?
The organization is quickly realizing that something needs done as the rank and file was getting online and/or those in official positions were looking at some of these things.
Just a few years later, those within the organization for profit or feeling a sense of defending Jehovah’s organization were creating website pages even though there is the following portion of this quote:
There is no need for any individual, committee, or congregation to prepare a Web page about Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some have posted the contents of our publications with all scriptures and references given in full and have even offered copies of convention material on a donation basis. Whether profit is involved or not, the practice of reproducing and distributing publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses in an electronic document is a violation of copyright laws. While some may view this as a service to the brothers, it is not approved and should be discontinued.
Our Kingdom Ministry. September 2002. p. 8
Here’s some websites that the creator hasn’t heeded the “faithful and discreet slave.”
http://www.jehovahsjudgment.co.uk/
http://defendingjehovahswitnesses.blogspot.com/
Some sites that are created by Former Witnesses:
http://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/
Ministry Websites:
Youtube:
There are former testimonies and ministries involved with reaching out to Witnesses.
Former Witness Channel: thescrewedgeneration
Ministry: thesnarkyapologist
The organization is losing this battle online-badly and the Watchtower article for September 2015 titled “Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses” illustrates this. Quick rundown of one point:
Study the Bible: Study publication “What Does the Bible Really Teach?”
Listened to a great deal of prejudiced talk: Article conveniently leaves out legitimate criticism using the Society’s own material.
A simple question-isn’t the Society itself prejudiced with statements made?
The society has been trying to taut the website with the following:
JW.ORG Facts and Figures
316 Languages in which the Web site is available
220,000+ Number of Web pages on the site
600 Languages in which downloadable publications are available
130 Requests for Bible studies per day from over 230 countries
5 million+ Videos viewed per month
1.5 million Downloads per day
900,000+ Visits per day from over 230 countries
Yearbook. 2014. p. 16
Here is one question:
If the organization has 8 million members, why is it only 5+ million looking at the videos? Shouldn’t video views account for ALL members then the “+” sign account for people interested in the organization?
When you go to the website www.similarweb.com you learn more. The site monitors all web traffic. The organization has double digit percentage access from the United States and Brazil.
When you scroll down the page, the organization is being tied to those that the organization considers “apostate.” This is also true when you use an internet search engine. What you see is the official organization and then under it on the first page are other pages considered “apostate” by the organization. As much as the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society tries to shield you from apostates, it is connected whether it be search engine results, Youtube, etc. Since that is the case will you do what the Bible says and “make sure of all things, hold fast to that which is fine” or will you continue to let the organization think for you?