On October 7th, 2023 The Annual Meeting for the Jehovah’s Witness Organization was conducted. The concluding talk was given by Governing Body Member Mark Sanderson entitled “Love People, Make disciples.” He annouced by saying similar to what Governing Body member Kenneth Cook said in the beginning of the meeting “This is truly a historic day for Jehovah’s witnesses.”
This is because on the same day 10 years before in 2013, they released the newly revised version of the New World Translation bible. Also known as the silver Sword.
Br. Sanderson held out the brochure for the crowd to see, showing the cover of bright smiling people. The brochure was given to those as a “gift” who physically attended the annual meeting, but it will not be available to congregations until November 9th, 2023. Earlier this year the brochures were sent in a “secret” black package that enclosed a box, and the body of elders were informed not to open it until they gave notice to.
Yet, the brochure on the 12 lessons is shown here below.
The video recording of Mark Sanderson’s 2023 Annual meeting talk “Love People, Make disciples” can be found here:
This Brochure is 32 pages, and is digitally formatted in over 400 languages. Its contents are pretty spaced out, with very little wording and has an added link for a video regarding the topic.
It features 12 lessons that are suppose to guide Jehovah’s Witnesses to “imitate Jesus” by developing skills that do not focus on specific topics, but to talk naturally with others in the ministry. The Governing Body wants witnesses to converse in a more realistic way rather then the outlined routines that is in their previous publication’s. It points out from A letter from the Governing Body that in the past memorizing presentations and leaving literature was the main go-to, determining on the topic of the article they were presenting. Now, they say to imitate Jesus they must reevaluate their main goals to be demonstrating their love for people by listening.
This brochure to Jehovah’s Witnesses may seem like an easier and efficient tool to use with their householders, bible studies, acquaintances of the world. To help them engage in conversation that seems to interest the other, but really they are being taught on how to manipulate the relationship with other motives.
Similar to the reasoning book, a book that was thoroughly used out in the ministry. It mostly contained scriptures and external references, with really very little reasoning. It was to help Witnesses answer challenging questions or if in challenging situations on how to ‘nicely’ argue the faith. Some bibles even had this book included in the back of their bibles.
The brochure is rather a manipulation manual at best, and the way its formatted, even 1st graders can learn how to use it to coerce others. It does not help with sincerity, authenticity, nor honest and open conversation as it may depict.
Honest and open conversation does not have an ulterior motives, especially when it comes to trying to sway ones mind on religious beliefs.
It boils down to you cant train people to be natural. You can’t tell someone to be compassionate and expect them to know how to be so. Being Natural is not something Jehovah’s Witnesses are raised to be, because being our “natural imperfect selves” is something they abstain from because they are suppose to be no part of this world.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are also not allowed to associated with ones of the world Conversation with them feels more alienated rather than the small talk at their kingdom halls with fellow witnesses.
If you are to teach ones that they are not deserving or worthy of living because of their imperfections and to also not have a mind of their own and to not follow what they themselves think is best, then how can you expect them to be naturally compassionate?
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