Here's my notes from the Public Talk, "Do Not Follow Artfully Contrived Stories", taken in the summer of 2005 at our annual District Convention.

Logical Fallacy Employed [bracketed phrases are my additions and comments] repetitive phrases in red

[Opening illustration] [Nazi] Goebbels - watch your little children before Passover. [Evolutionist] Richard Dawkins -It is absolutely safe to say that if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane (or wicked, but I'd rather not consider that). - you will not die.	Plays the logical fallacy, "Hitler card". http://www.fallacyfiles.org/adnazium.html The implication is that propaganda is bad because Hitler employed the propagandist Goebbels. In context, Goebbels repeated age-old myths and about the Jewish people to spark fear and hatred: Anti-Semitic hate spewed out of the press and government information offices during this period. Julius Streicher's Der Sturmer, a German newspaper, carried a 14-page special issue which included the age-old charge that Jews used Christian blood to bake their Passover matzoh. http://www.remember.org/guide/Facts.root.solution.html In context, Richard Dawkin's quote in full. http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/p88.htm Technically, Dawkin's quote is not an example of propaganda, just an inflammatory comment to a fundamentalist. An outrageous claim must be supported to be taken seriously. Dawkins does provide this with his book, Blueprints: Solving the Mystery of Evolution. Propagandists are put in the same bed with Hitler, Evolutionists, and . Logical fallacy: "Guit by Association" http://www.fallacyfiles.org/guiltbya.html Set up for later strawman argument. Since propaganda is bad, any negative information about the Faithful and Discreet Slave is also bad.http://www.fallacyfiles.org/strawman.html
Deception, propaganda, false stories. Develop our discernment. 2 Peter 1:16 Eyewitness of His magnificence. Divinely inspired spiritual truth.	Is the audience given specific instructions or guidance on how to discern false from true? Full quote, 2 Peter 1:16 NWT No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted YOU with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it was by having become eyewitnesses of his magnificence. Interestingly, here Peter is seeking to convince his audience that he has not made outrageous claims about Christ, that they can be backed up by eyewitness accounts. Can the Watchtower society back up their claims as well, such as "Jesus was enthroned invisibly in 1914"?
[Illustration} Stick Men vs Accomplished Artists Liars vs Con Artists	This illustration suggests that the makers of false stories and propaganda are slick, skilled. Perhaps an implication that the average listener could not discern on their own if they were being lied to.
and fellow Apostates are artists in developing false stories.	and Apostates are lumped together. There is no further mention of Apostates in the talk. Perhaps the WTS is hinting that Apostates influence higher education, the media, and the internet?
Propaganda is spreading like gangrene, undermine the bible, true Christian teaching. As bizarre and hate-laden as Goebbels.	Reference to the Straw Man introduced at the beginning of the talk, the Hitler card. Straw Man fallacy. http://www.fallacyfiles.org/strawman.html Outrageous claim, no specific examples are given. The one who makes an outrageous, extraordinary claim is obliged to prove it. Logical fallacy, "Weak Analogy" http://www.fallacyfiles.org/wanalogy.html
Higher Education. Education gateway to success. Success through learning. Drive of this system is to be elevated by education or financial status. People are convinced pursuing these things will provide satisfaction. Matthew 5:3 Life and happiness. World provides so much propaganda on what makes us happy or free.	What does higher education have to do with artfully contrived stories? Logical fallacy, Red Herring.http://www.fallacyfiles.org/redherrf.html Full quote, Matthew 5:3 NWT Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them. Carrot, suggesting that people who take care of their spirtual needs are truly happy. It is suggesting that other's pursuit of wealth or goods are under the influence of propaganda and are not really happy or free.
Pornography. World attitude is "It’s safe". 260 million pornographic images. Sex is most commonly used word in all search engines. More commonplace, acceptable. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 God disapproves of covetous sexual appetite. View of world towards marriage. "The Right to Try Again" book quote.	What does pornography have to do with propaganda? Logical fallacy, Red Herring. http://www.fallacyfiles.org/redherrf.html The the internet is targetted, ambiguously, as a source of propaganda. Full quote, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 NWT NWT 3 For this is what God wills, the sanctifying of YOU, that YOU abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of YOU should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in covetous sexual appetite such as also those nations have which do not know God; I was not successful in finding the book or quote mentioned.
Media wrong information and spread far and wide. Relentless efforts of to spread lies. Incessant barrage of propaganda. Collosians 2:8 Look out Congregations were warned back then what they will face.	Full quote, Collosians 2:8 NWT NWT, Look out: perhaps there may be someone who will carry YOU off as his prey through the philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary things of the world and not according to Christ; But what are the criteria are we to use to discern if the person is trustworthy? Is the Watchtower speaker giving the audience tools for discernment, or are various groups simply lumped together? Who is using "empty deception"?
Matthew 19:6[???] World’s philosophies and false stories. Whose interests are served by the World’s philosophies? Propaganda.	The verse in context doesn't make sense. I may have copied it wrong. Good question. Whose interests are served when the media breaks a story? Whose interests are served to demonize the media, higher education, and the internet?
All designed to weaken our faith in the organization and the teachings of the Faithful and Discreet Slave today.	No specific examples cited. Slippery Slope fallacy. There is a design? Who is the designer? http://www.fallacyfiles.org/slipslop.html
[Illustration] Merry go round. Spinning so fast to make you fall. Place of protection is to move to the centre and hold on tight. Stories swirling around us. Stick to the Faithful and Discreet Slave. Carefully following the direction they give to us. Focus on something stable, prevents the nausea. These stories that are designed to dizzy us and confuse us.	Direct emotional appeal. http://www.fallacyfiles.org/emotiona.html I can see the scenario as plain as day. I provide a reasoned argument to a Jehovah's Witness. They begin a Cognitive Dissonant episode, suddenly feeling faint. "Wait! Faint? Dizzy? I was warned these feelings are from Satan. Away from me you worker of inquity! Where's my Watchtower so I can cling to it? When's the next meeting?"