Große Lüge! i.e. The Big Lie!

As I did research for this Blog, I got the distinct impression that the WTBTS had read and implemented, into their treatment of the typical door-knocker, some of the same techniques and rules associated with THE BIG LIE as articulated by Adolph Hitler and Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Propaganda  for Nazi Germany. My comments are in RED.

The BIG LIE (German Große Lüge) is a propaganda technique. Let me repeat that: A Propaganda Technique. The expression was coined by Adolf Hitler, when he dictated his 1925 Mein Kampf, about the use of a lie so "colossal" that no one would believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously."

Later, Joseph Goebbels, put forth a slightly different theory which has come to be more commonly associated with the expression "BIG LIE." Goebbels wrote the following paragraph in an article dated 12 January 1941, 16 years after Hitler's first use of the phrase. The article, titled Aus Churchills Lügenfabrik (English: "From Churchill's Lie Factory") was published in Die Zeit ohne Beispiel.

"The essential English leadership secret does not depend on particular intelligence. Rather, it depends on a remarkably stupid thick-headedness. The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should LIE BIG, and stick to it. They keep up their lies, even at the risk of looking ridiculous."

The phrase was also used in a report prepared during the war by the United States Office of Strategic Services describing Hitler’s psychological profile.

HITLER'S Rules for Ruling the Masses:

1. Never admit a fault or a wrong. (the WT blamed their failed 1975 Prophecy on individual JW’s even though Witnesses are told to “avoid independent thinking.” My blog on the ’75 Prophecy is here. In fact, the WT does some fancy footwork to avoid taking the blame for their many failed prophecies here).

2. Never concede that there may be some good in your enemy. (The JW view of Christendom or "Wordly People" comes to mind).

3. Never accept blame. (The WT has a major problem of covering up for pedophiles who then can prey on other vulnerable children. I have blogged about this problem here).

4. Concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong. (WT paranoia concerning Apostates and their influence comes to mind. I have blogged about this here).

5. People will believe a "BIG LIE" sooner than a little one. (A good example of this is the WT's lie that the name Jehovah has been expunged from the original NT Greek text even though the name does not appear IN ANY of the 25,000 complete and partial NT manuscripts. For more on the subject: Jehovah is not God's Name go here.)

6. If you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it. (The WT does this continually in defending many of their unbiblical doctrines. Two examples can be found here.)

Now to the WT's use of the BIG LIE (which is in BLUE). Below I have reproduced a page from JW.ORG which can be found here. It originally appeared in Our Kingdom Ministry--1989 pgs. 3-4. 

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Our Identification as Jehovah’s Witnesses

As ministers of the good news, we are known publicly as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Our voluntary participation in the field service is motivated by love of God and neighbor. It is not carried on at the insistence of any man or organization but is according to our God-given commission to preach the “good news” and make disciples. Therefore, publishers do well to avoid representing themselves as agents or representatives of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., or any other corporation used by “the faithful and discreet slave” to advance Kingdom interests.

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MY COMMENTS. That Field Service is not voluntary can be seen in the WT article, You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth But How? (This article is reproduced below.) Note Requirement, repeat REQUIREMENT #3: One must be a member of the WTBTS. The WTBTS then mandates Requirement #4 which is going Door-to-Door.

FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
I have met many ex-JW's over the years and when I ask them about door-to-door work being voluntary or required, and every single one said, it is required IF one wants to remain a JW in good standing and be able to fellowship with JW friends and relatives. Also, many of my father-in-laws relatives are JW's. I have heard them and their friends talk about the main motivating factor for going Door-to-Door, which is their desire to avoid a tongue lashing from an elder and possible disfellowshipping which would cut them off from all their friends and relatives.