Comments from the Friends - Online Edition - April-June 1998

The Watchtower Society's RESPONSE:

"INFORMATION ANXIETY"

[Jan. 8 1998 AWAKE! magazine cover]

“Beware of
the Internet”
—January 8, 1998 AWAKE! pg. 12

AFTER some apparent wavering in its position on JWs using the Internet—with the July 22, 1997 Awake! presenting many positive aspects in a generally well-balanced article—the Watchtower Society has now come down hard against it.

WT bans JW websites

The November 1997 Our Kingdom Ministry (pg. 3) announces the organization's official website at http://www.watchtower.org but says this rules out the need for religious sites by individual JWs:

There is no need for any individual to prepare Internet pages about Jehovah's Witnesses, our activities, or our beliefs. Our official site presents accurate information for any who want it.

The January 8, 1998 Awake! cover story on "Information Anxiety" ends with a box titled, "Beware of the Internet." (See Excerpts below.) Urging "extreme caution," it warns of "apostates" on the Web:

"Immoral individuals use the Internet to pursue their sex perversions and to try to contact willing partners or innocent victims. Others use the Internet to promote their own personal agendas. Apostates also create Web sites to catch the naive.
"Extreme caution is necessary when the Internet is used... It is true that there are many useful sources to be found , such as research libraries, bookstores, and news channels. For example, the Watchtower Society recently announced its own Web site (http://www.watchtower.org), which serves to give factual information about Jehovah's Witnesses. Still, one has to recognize that there are some extremely harmful influences out there, including pornography and apostasy.
"...And many sites that may not be immoral or dishonest, such as chat groups, are a plain waste of time. From all such, stay away!" —Awake! January 8, 1998, box on page 12

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