Jehovah's Witnesses - Is there to be a special edition of The Watchtower for the public and another for JW's?

Question

If so, why?

Why the deafening silence from the Witnesses?

Thank you, Achtung, for responding. One question - will the Watchtower magazine that is distributed to the public continue to include the study articles? I realise that your Sunday meetings (public talk followed by study of the Watchtower article) are open to the public. But if a member of the public wants to join in with the study session, will they then have to be given a copy of the study articles?

My thanks to the other JW's for their input and for addressing the issue. Just one final question - will the study articles be available on-line?

Answer 1

Starting with the January 2008 issue, "The Watchtower" will be printed monthly without the usual study articles. The study articles will be printed separately, and not distributed to the public in our door-to-door ministry. "Awake!" will continue to be printed monthly.

My understanding is that the reason for this change is two-fold.

The primary reason is that terms Witnesses understand but that are unclear to the public have to be explained in the paragraphs (such as "the anointed", "the great crowd", "the other sheep", "the faithful and discreet slave"). But in the new study issue, the wording can be tailored to a Witness audience.

The second reason is that it will cut down a great deal of the cost of printing if one issue of "The Watchtower" has a standardized cover. (Such as our booklet "Examining the Scriptures Daily" or the large-print edition of "The Watchtower" have.)

If a non-Witness would like to join the discussion of "The Watchtower", they would certainly be provided with a study issue.

Nothing in the study issue will be a secret and Jehovah's Witnesses' weekly study of "The Watchtower" will continue to be (as always) open to the public.

Answer 2

For more than twenty years, Jehovah's Witnesses have published The Watchtower in a "study edition" that was not used in connection with their public ministry. It has been called "large print edition", and is only black and white rather than full color (with an obvious cost savings).

Like that large print "study edition", the new "study edition" will contain only those articles intended for consideration at the congregation meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses.

The congregation meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses have always been open to the public. There will be copies of the "study edition" available for the audience and guests at the meeting.

In connection with their public ministry, Jehovah's Witnesses will continue to present an attractive full color "public" edition containing articles of interest to all self-described Christians and other godly persons.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm?article=article_07.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/publications/index.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/ministry.htm

Answer 3

Clearly ANY who wish to read either copy can do so. I have wondered how long it would be before someone asked about it. It is esentially like someone wanting to know about the human body. Clearly what helps doctors, might not be of interest to lay persons. The "public" copy will be more clear and distinct.

In regards to the poster who says he/she thinks this was meant to be kept quiet, Nope, don't worry.

While building up others who are not Witnesses, we can also more intently try to help upbuild those of us who are.

Hope this helps.



As for why only a few have answered, I am not sure about the rest of you, but I just found this one today, and I did my usual search a few times today and yesterday, so not sure why but either I missed it, or it didn't show. Odd.

Answer 4

I recently spent a couple of hours with 2 JWs and they told me there were to be two editions of 'The Watchtower' magazine. (Sorry I cannot identify my sources - they could get into serious trouble with their elders as I don't think this information is for public consumption, but I think the public ought to know.)

All Watchtower magazines contain at least 2 'study articles' - they are the ones all JWs go though, world-wide, every Sunday morning in their Kingdom Halls. You can spot them by the printed questions at the bottom of the pages. On the platform, a JW man reads out a paragraph, then another JW man asks the printed question and selects JWs in the audience to give answers. (Those wanting to answer put their hand up.) Having attended many such Watchtower studies, I can say that anyone not providing an answer in total agreement with the views printed in the paragraph is quickly 'de-slected' for answering up! These study articles are exactly the same, world wide. But they come over as 'heavy' and peculiar to non-JWs. This is supposedly why two editions are going to come out.

The public will be offered magazines minus the study articles. JWs will get magazines with the study articles. This is an interesting change because it effectively means that 'double-speak' could go on without hindrance. Presently, the mag has to be cautious when refering to, say, non-JWs; JWs don't want to give the impression that non-JWs are not viewed by them as Christians - even though they believe only baptized, obedient JWs are the ones God will save through Armageddon. (In other words, you need to be a JW to be saved.) Splitting the Watchtower this way will surely make it a lot easier for the Wt.Soc to say what it really means to JWs, whilst continuing to charm a non-JW readership with less precise language. Perhaps, however, the Wt.Soc will put those study articles on their website. I'm sure they are most anxious not to be seen as trying to hide anything.

Edit: The large print editions are for visually impaired people, just as tape recordings of main study articles are also available, and Braille editions for the blind. But the Q relates to a new development, one that looks very much like a new policy.

Answer 5

That would be an entirely new one for me ....I haven't heard that...i would be interested as to why, it would be necessary.


edit:...Sasi gave a very complete rendering of fact...Heiss as usual..gives false truth...Keep it up Heiss..the witnesses are wondering why you are not standing up for what The WBTS really does...they are watching too.

Answer 6

i'll ask Mother and report back. She's still in the thick of it.