High Control? Cult?

JoeSinclair

Hi guys,

I have posted earlier today about the Witness translation of the Bible. I am trying to learn about the JW way of life from the perspective of an interested outsider. I plan to visit a meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses, to find out what it is all about and learn more about what my girlfriend has been brought up believing, but I would like to 'prepare' myself before I do it.

I would appreciate some more information if you have it about the suggestion that JW is a "high control cult" or "an oppressive, mind control, cult." (This second quote is horrifically out of context, but it's late here and I don't have time to find a better one, I apologise to the author of it)

Those are two quotes from other topics in this forum site, I won't single out the names of the contributors, thats not necessary here (see above disclaimer!). They do seem to reflect a general opinion that JW are oppressed people, at least mentally, by the Watchtower organisation.

Can you help by pointing me in the direction of some online resources that demonstrate this? I have found a large number of sites that claim to "Prove the DECEPTION!" and such like and then proceed to embarass themselves with large shouty fonts and lots of bright colours but no real substance.

[Please don't get upset if I word this next bit badly, I'm tired] Anecdotal evidence from yourselves, while interesting on a personal level, would be less useful than some convincing evidence from the Interweb, or printed media.

I would imagine that when looked at objectively, there are even pages on watchtower.org that show the kind of thing I am after but I haven't found much yet. I'm still looking though! :-)

Regards

Joe Sinclair

Honesty

Wanna see for yourself if the JW's are a "high control group" or cult?

If you visit the Kingdom Hall just tell a few people that you and your girlfriend are very, very close.

ronin1

Hi JoeSinclair:

I will try not to be boring, but put this in a way you can understand why many persons on this site refer to the JW organization as a High Control Cult.

I could be known as one who was 'born' into this religion. I will tell you that from the time of our birth and youth, this religious organization controls just about everything its members do: from meeting attendence, to ministry, to associations, to entertainment activities, to choice of employment, to child rearing, to weddings, to finally your death or funeral arrangements- all under the guise that they (the top honchos) are from God and Spirit ordained from God, etc. And while this high control, mind control, brainwashing is happening for years--from generations to generations, devout JW's have no friends except other JW's. That is why many will not leave the JW organization even when they know things are not bible based or clearly wrong. They are afraid of being shunned by their other so-called JW friends/associates because all the years in the JW organization they never cultivated other outside friendships. Therefore, for many, if they leave the JW organization for any reason other than death, they have no true friends and emotionally cannot handle such a predicament.

I can only give you the advise that the Bible gives: examine the scriptures carefully. Do not let any religion tell you what to do, where to go, who to associate with, who to like or love, what clothes to wear,etc. The Bible for the most part is self-explanatory and understandable.What you do not understand- pray to Almighty God about and ask reasonable minded persons their understanding only-not their personal opinions.

As 1 Cor 2: 15 and Acts 17:11 states respectively:

"However, the spiritual man examines indeed all things, but he himself is not examined by any man".

"Now the latter were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so".

Hope this insight helps.

Ronin1

geevee

How about reading the books on cult mind control by Steven Hassan, and doing your own comparision?

Darth Yhwh

An excellent responce ronin1! Well said. I doubt any here could have said it better.

Can you help by pointing me in the direction of some online resources that demonstrate this? I have found a large number of sites that claim to "Prove the DECEPTION!" and such like and then proceed to embarrass themselves with large shouty fonts and lots of bright colours but no real substance.

The large shouty fonts and bright colours are done for a reason. They’re an attempt to get a point across to an indoctrinated JDub quickly and effectively. Unless you’ve been on the inside of this cult studying it’s doctrines for years you could easily overlook many of the subtle aspects of its controlling nature. The average JDub is programmed to avoid such material, however if it’s stumbled across inadvertently and the written word makes enough of an impression to fix itself in the readers mind it can give an individual a matter to contemplate for some time and thus sow seeds of doubt in ones mind.

I suggest thoroughly reading through the material found at http://www.reexamine.org/quotes/ This is a collection of WTBS quotes that clearly show how the publishing company has controlled the lives of its members while constantly changing it’s doctrine that is supposedly bible based. This is a copy of a website that the WTBS actually sued to have shut down on the basis of copyright infringement because they felt it was too embarrassing.

Good luck!

Shazard

Read http://www.ex-cult.org/bite.html

jwfacts

Below are some links to show how the WTS spins truth. Sometimes it is with direct lies, more often it is selective quoting or misleading statements, and regularly it is by only presenting a small sample of the facts when proving a doctrine. For example;

what they claim they said about 1914 compared to what was actually said http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/dates1918.htm

What they claim happens with earthquakes compared to what really happens http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/earthquakes.htm

How they spin divorce statistics http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/Page381.htm

Proving doctrine by ignoring any contrary evidence http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/cross.htm

How they spin changed doctrines like on superior authorities http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/superior.htm

What the Antenicene fathers said, compared with what the watchtower claims they said. http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/antenicene.doc

If you examine any of the changed doctrines you will see the the regularly mentioned concept that 'the light gets brighter' is with out any basis, and in reality there has been ongoing and sometimes dramatic changes in doctrine, such as whether or not to worship Jesus, or when the Last Days started.

nelly136

http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2000/6/22/article_02.htm

their own sites articles on manipulation are quite interesting, of course none of it applies to them and only to others.

they wouldnt dream of calling down scorn on other religions or trying to negate anyone who has a different view to them by calling them names...eg apostate, or use pictures of destruction over and over in their publications to feed the fear factor.

nelly136

that site has some good pages Shazard

http://www.ex-cult.org/General/lifton-criteria DR. ROBERT J. LIFTON'S CRITERIA FOR THOUGHT REFORM Here you will find a set of criteria, eight psychological themes against which any environment may be judged.

Severus

This post was prepared for JWs using Steve Hassan's 'cult questions' and uses JW publications to answer. Very interesting.

Questioning the Cult - 8 Questions for JWs

High Control? Cult?

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