Jehovah's Witnesses are not a CULT ... (page 6)

Think About It

JW's not a CULT?

What other religion could you be DF'd for apostacy (with shunning and losing family) for not believing the WTS 'generation' doctrine and it's changed 3 times since 1995?

Think About It

I used to have an elder often tell me, "Jehovah's Witnesses are not a cult - they aren't led by man." He seemed to use any opportunity to repeat that phrase. Now that I look back on it, I wonder why he was so sensitive about this? My own conclusion is that JW's are definitely a cult. There's no doubt that JW's elevate the Governing Body to a lofty position - one that demands that JWs follow their lead. What clearer definition of cult do you want? JWs follow imperfect men and WTS history proves conclusively that they are NOT led by Holy Spirit. And, those imperfect men ensure that its followers are subjected to high control techniques, including shunning should a member decide to leave.

I suppose that elder used to repeat that phrase in hopes it would convince himself what became blantantly obvious over time! It's a shame the games JWs (many who are grown adults) have to play in order to justify their belief system.

bohm

anybody else just had a feeling of dejavu?

Joepublisher1

I think people like ConcernedJW (as well as many JWs) think of cults as only pertaining to the Jim-Jones-type. Like everything in life, there are varieties of most everyting. There are varieties of flowers, but they are all categorized as flowers.

What's interesting is that immitation [fake] flowers can contain many traits that could even fool someone into thinking it's a real flower. When ConcernedJW says JWs are an established religion, it reminds me of a fake flower. Sure, there are traits of that fake flower that make it appear to be authentic, but its not.

The WTS is NOT who they say they are. Upon close examination you realize it's a phony religion - of the cult-type! And, its own history and literature prove that it's a phony religion. They certainly are NOT led by God's Holy Spirit. The certainly have promoted and predicted false dates for the end of this world and thus the WTS proves themselves to NOT be an approved authentic prophet from God. So, according to its own claims, there are many traits that identify itself as "a fake" - they hypocritically joined the UN as an NGO but would disfellowship it's members if they joined the YMCA only to used its pools!

Joe Rutherford taught, Relgion is a snare and a racket. Boy, talk about throwing rocks when you live in a glass house! It kind of reminds you of how the WTS literature was inundated with critism of pedophilia handling in Christendom, all while the WTS was cognizant of a similar problem in their own house!

Thinking JWs eventually have to attempt to reconcile these problem. Fortunately, many have come to the accurate conclusion that their own religion is nothing more than a very elaborate scam! And, out of good conscience, they decide that they can no longer perpetuate this cult-like religion!

sherah

Bohm, I do.

We will know in due time.

Crisis of Conscience

DING! DING! After reading the definitions on page 1 as well as reading Combatting Cult Mind Control in full, the winner by unanimous decision..........JW's ARE A CULT!!

CoC

Concerned JW

Since the consensus is religion means cult that is a big win or not really.

The next leap is saying "Never mind dangerous branch davidian type cults Steve hassan wasn't talking about them, he actually meant main stream established religions we have a personal gripe with and can read our target religion into his book with a little mental editing when it doesn't fit" not biased at all!

And of course France didn't fall flat on it's face recently on this very subject because they bought into this anti-hype over witnesses and lost.

Interesting old thread.

shamus100

I'll tear anyone's face off that says they are a cult. I SAY HIGH CONTROL GROUP!!!

(it still doesn't matter.... ) ;D

yalbmert99

There are many definitions of what is a cult. However, there is a clear definition of what is a cultic deviance :

"The cultic deviance is characterized by the implementation of various techniques of pressure having for goal or effect to create, maintain or exploit at a person's state of a psychological or physical subjection. "

discreetslave

I didn't want out of JW's because they were a cult. I never thought JW were a cult. Anyone who knew me as a JW will tell you I could run circles around most explaining WT doctrine. I only studied for 9 months and before I was baptized at 17 I could explain the antitypical day of atonement, the temple antitype, & Ezekials vision. I went to Bethel at 19 & was in a cong with two married couples from writing and associated with John Wischuk and Russell Kurzen. They all compared my knowledge of WT doctrine to Fred Franz. Which makes sense since he came up with most it. I have excellent literature recall.

When I became of the anointed (which none of the elders I told doubted one being 4th gen.) I reviewed every thing relating to the heavenly calling. This research opened up a floodgate of questions. I kept asking why and how did they get that? When I first learned this stuff I was simply accepting what they said. Now I wanted to know how they got their explanations. I realized this was as fictional as Alice in Wornderland or the Chronicles of Narnia. All the scriptures we use to point the finger at false religion fit JW. Jesus introduced a form of worship based on Spirit & Truth & genuine love of people. This is not the religion of JW's. JW's focus on the physical not the things unseen. Rev 7:9 says a great crowd no man was able to number why so much focus on figures. The count's were only mentioned in Acts twice. Later no mention of figures is found in the Christian scriptures.

All this lead me to look elsewhere for answers. I prayed to Jehovah if this is a sin I will confess & repent but I need to know more. If this is the truth nothing would change my determination to serve with his people. I looked up Ray Franz's book Crisis of Conscience. I had always heard of Ray spoken in a bad light. Reading his book one realizes how humble, faithful, & discreet he was. He never bad mouthed those who spoke so ill of him. The contrast was apparent and I realized this has the ring of truth. So I kept looking up more websites. The ring of truth kept ringing. And everything Watchtower sounded like feedback. I decided to leave JW's for these reasons and my emotional & mental health. The religions relentless pressure and lack of Holy Spirit was killing me from the inside.

After my decision to leave this religion did I join here & LeavingWT told me about Steve Hassans book. Reading Hassans descriptions of cults and their operations made me realize I was in a cult. His descriptions of cults and their tactics fit JW's.

Hassans book is not apostate literature to a JW. So why not read it? As a JW you could use it in your ministry to help others free themselves of cults. Since you are not convinced JW's are a cult.

Jehovah's Witnesses are not a CULT ...

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