Guard Against Being Deceived

To deceive, says one dictionary, means "to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid." It also implies "imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness." The basic idea of the word, along with such other words as 'mislead' and 'delude,' is to lead someone astray by underhanded means.Surely, a person who is not aware that he or she is being kept in a state of "ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness" by deliberate misinformation is in serious danger.

The really sad fact is that very often the person who is deceived or deluded tends to hold on to his belief in spite of strong evidence proving otherwise. Perhaps he gets so emotionally attached to his belief that he simply shuts his eyes and closes his ears to any evidence that might challenge it.

The Watchtower (Study Edition)
September 2010 p 10/11