Glossary of American English Hacker Theocratese

Some Disjointed Thoughts

The Glossary is written entirely in first person. It records my personal experience, since early 1970, with American English theocratic speech. Thus I have been able to avoid the use of the passive voice and expressions like the author or the formal we as though I were talking about someone else. Notice the different effect of the following renditions:

    This sentence was written by the author.  [very weak]
    This sentence was written by me.          [still weak]
    I wrote this sentence.                    [strong and direct]
    

Another reason I have identified myself as the author rather than submitting the Glossary anonymously, as is done with the Society's publications, is as a practical step. It is necessary for someone to take ownership of the things the Glossary says, and to be responsible for maintaining and correcting it. The copyright is to protect it from misuse by unscrupulous persons.

In the Glossary body many headwords are followed only by simple definitions. Some entries include expanded commentaries, mini-essays on theocratic life. I hope you find these enjoyable, informative, thought provoking, and even funny at times.

You are free to disagree with and criticize anything within these pages without fear of insulting me or of becoming suspected of apostasy. Sometimes I even disagree with myself. In the words of a famous intellectual named Russell:^[9]

You say I contradict myself?
Very well, then, I contradict myself.

[9] Bertrand, not Charles Taze.

Or perhaps as Pontius Pilate put it:

What I have written I have written. (Joh 19:22)

On occasion I have vented my personal opinions. The task of discerning where and disagreeing or ignoring them as appropriate is left as a task for the reader. ;-)

I have taken the liberty of indulging in occasional jokes, wisecracks, sarcastic remarks, sardonic wit, tasteless asides, and dry humor; at least I laughed when I wrote the stuff.^[10] It is hoped that this will contribute to more pleasurable reading. Not everyone tunes in to my understated sense of humor. This is not intended to offend anyone, but rather to direct the reader away from taking this work too seriously. I have avoided facetiousness in contexts where it is obviously inappropriate.

[10] The Internet Webster's defines humor as ``the mental faculty of discovering, expressing, or appreciating the ludicrous or absurdly incongruous'', also ``one of the four fluids entering into the constitution of the body and determining by their relative proportions a person's health and temperament''. I did pour a few fluids into my body while writing the Glossary, but none of them said ``humor'' on the label, though certain ones did have a notable impact on my attitude and behavior.

English-speaking persons who read this Glossary may find parts of it ultra-simple. Theocratic terminology is not complex, arcane, or intended only for erudite^[11] scholars, but straightforward standard English that has come to be used in ways that have special meaning to {Jehovah's people}.

These things we also speak, not with words taught by human wisdom,
but with those taught by [the] spirit,
as we combine spiritual [matters] with spiritual [words]. (1Co 2:13)

[11] Persons who don't know what erudite means aren't. Don't worry about it. This book is for you.

No attempt has been made to provide exhaustive coverage of all theocratic terms, though there are many.

Now I exhort YOU, brothers, to bear with this word of encouragement,
for I have, indeed, composed a letter to YOU in few words. (Heb 13:22)

Although every effort has been made to explain things as accurately as possible, I make no claim that everything written herein is absolutely correct. Readers are welcome to submit comments, modifications, and additions for consideration. In the case of corrections, references to the Society's publications would be appreciated. (See the final section, Glossary Maintenance.) Explanations that can be shown to conflict with {New World Society} practice will be corrected in future versions.

The congregator sought to find the delightful words
and the writing of correct words of truth. (Ecc 12:10)

The Glossary of American English Hacker Theocratese is written and maintained by