In George Orwell's novel 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' the capitulation of the principal protagonist is portrayed in his willingness to assent to the proposition that two and two make five. Once he had denied objective reality, his mental conquest was complete and he was no longer truly the master of his own mind. Nineteen Eighty-Four is in many ways, a very depressing read.

A charge commonly leveled at Jehovah's Witnesses is that the type of mind control envisioned by Orwell has been and continues to be used on them. The Orwellian World of Jehovah's Witnesses is actually the title of a book authors Heather and Gary Botting published through the University of Toronto Press in 1984.

Jehovah's Witnesses don't appreciate this at all and vigorously deny it, but a lingering question remains: If you were no longer the master of your own mind, would you actually be aware of it? How would you even know?

Since we have at least three active Witnesses currently participating in the discussions here, I propose a simple test of a mathematical nature. This will be your chance, served up on a silver platter to shut the critics up and prove that you are not the victims of Orwellian double-think.

Below are four pairs of quotes from JW literature. After each pair are three choices. Simply read the quotes and select the choice you think best describes them.

(1)

"Why then, do the nations not realize and accept the approach of this climax of judgment? It is because they have not heeded the world-wide advertising of Christ's return and his second presence. Since long before World War I Jehovah's witnesses pointed to 1914 as the time for this great event to occur." (The Watchtower June 15, 1954 p. 370)

"We would like to correct this misapprehension once for all, by stating that we do not expect Jesus to come this year, nor any other year, for we believe that all time prophecies (bearing upon Jesus' coming) ended at and before the fall of 1874, and that He came there, and the second advent is now in progress and will continue during the entire Millennial age." (Zion's Watch Tower May 1881 p. 5)

A. The first quote is contradicted by the content and date of the second quote

B. There is no contradiction between the two quotes

C. Not sure

(2)

"As far back as 1879, the publishers of this magazine pointed to the year 1914 as a marked year in Bible prophecy, as the starting point of what the Bible calls the time of the end." (Awake! October 8, 1972 p. 15)

"There are two important dates here that we must not confuse, but clearly differentiate, namely the beginning of the time of the end and of the presence of the Lord. The time of the end embraces a period from A.D. 1799, as above indicated, to the time of the complete overthrow of Satan's empire and the establishment of the kingdom of the Messiah. (The Harp of God (1921) p. 231 See page 236 in 1927 and later editions)

A. The first quote is contradicted by the content and date of the second quote

B. There is no contradiction between the quotes

C. Not sure

(3)

"Similarly, a prophecy providentially caused sincere 19th-century Bible students to be in expectation. By linking the seven times of Daniel 4:25 with the times of the Gentiles, they anticipated that Christ would receive Kingdom power in 1914. (The Watchtower September 15, 1998 p. 15)

"The year A.D. 1878, being the parallel of his assuming power and authority in the type, clearly marks the time for the actual assuming of power as King of kings, by our present, spiritual, invisible Lord the time of his taking to himself his great power to reign." (Thy Kingdom Come (1891) p 307)

A. The first quote is contradicted by the content and date of the second quote

B. There is no contradiction between the quotes

C. Not sure

(4)

"Today, Jehovah's Witnesses point to the sign given by Jesus and look back upon 1914 as the year when his invisible presence in Kingdom power became a reality. But how could they have had advance knowledge of such a momentous event? Not because of extraordinary human wisdom. No, but because they have prayerfully studied the Scriptures, heeded God's prophetic word and paid more than usual attention to what God's Son foretold. (The Watchtower April 1, 1984 p. 16)

"Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due to appear for the second time in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy shows beyond a doubt that he did appear in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy is otherwise designated the physical facts: and these facts are indisputable." (The Watch Tower November 1, 1922 p. 333)

A. The first quote is contradicted by the content and date of the second quote

B. There is no contradiction between the quotes

C. Not sure