Watchtower and Jonestown Drawing Comparisons

The wanderer

Paradise

When first meeting Jehovah's Witnesses, the message is one of hope
and peace. Promises of God's Kingdom restoring mankind into perfect
peace and harmony, coupled with artists rendering of a paradise like
world where even the animals are at peace with mankind.

Paradise Becomes a Prison

Only after having spent some years in "spiritual paradise" some individuals
come to discover it is little more than a corporation filling its pockets for
profits. Rules and regulations must be followed in order to gain the groups
approval. Anything, that deviates from what the "higher ups" have layed
down as law, gains immediate discipline and disapproval.

Jones Town

In 1978, the now deceased and infamous Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple
ordered more than 900 of his followers to drink cyanide-poisoned punch.
Sadly, most of his followers did so willingly, with only a few opting not too.

Questions about the Watchtower

Even though the Watchtower Society does not endorse such wholesale
mass murder suicide pacts, there has been discussion regarding the
emotional and psychological scars done by the Society. Even though
their are no bodies littered in one given area, how does the Watch-
tower measure up to Jonestown? The scars maybe invisible but the pain
is all too real.

Please add your commentary to expand upon this discussion.

Respectfully,

The Wanderer

iamfreenow

I can't see there ever being any mass suicides among JWs, certainly not on the scale of Jonestown and other cults. The differrence is most of their followers tend to live in a commune - type arrangement, and are easier to control and manipulate in that type of situation. The Watchtower doesn't demand that their followers do that, they are more individual in that way, though the mental control mechanisms employed by the Society are, although nore subtle, equally effective.

As the world carries on with no "end" in sight, some JWs will become more frustrated, especially older ones who have been waiting most of their lives for the promises to come true, and I personally know many depressed souls within the congregations, but I would think, hope, that they are more likely to slacken off a little in their service than take their own life.

KW13

There are quite a few similarities in the way the whole setup is ran, i just read an article on it to refresh my memory and your right. Although such a tragedy is unlikely to happen anytime soon, with dubs killing themselves, some dubs as individuals have commited suicide to get to paradise quicker.

Arthur

"That's right brothers and sisters, step right up and grab a cup. Don't look at it, or smell it. Avoid any murmuring or independent spirit. Be willing to obey the spirit-directed organization, and drink what has been lovingly provided to you by the Slave Class . . . . that's it, drink up."

Sunspot

IMO, the only difference between the men who run the Watchtower and the Jones/Koresh groups, is that the WTS has had a few more years to hone their craft---becoming far more clever in their control.

Their mindset is exactly the same, but the WTS is more subtle in dispensing their orders......leaving the JWs far more open and vulnerable to obedience to them.

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.........

Midget-Sasquatch

Why would the parasitic WTS kill off the rank and file (the host) and destroy its cash flow? I think there are now a significant number of higher-ups in the WTS, that don't believe its spirit-directed, don't believe in anything probably, and are only interested in making an easy comfortable living.

vitty

The question is how far would you have gone...................letting your baby die, because you refused a blood transfusion ???

Sunspot

Why would the parasitic WTS kill off the rank and file (the host) and destroy its cash flow?

Unless I'm missing the point of the opening post, it's more like the comparison is all about control over minds and not the goal of killing off the members.

I'd also venture to say IF or WHEN the WTS has exhausted all avenues of credibility so its obedient and loyal followers will be harboring SERIOUS doubts----it would not surprise me if they pull something drastic along the lines of Jones or Koresh.

Once the cash cow is drained, and all their prophecies, predictions and stupid speculations have made them look even MORE foolish (and with NO possible fulfilment to happen because of the time frame they have claimed), they just can't go limping off into the sunset.

They will have to come up with something on an "AHA!" level, and give their followers one more reason to stick around for their moldy carrot....and it won't be pretty.

Is ANYTHING the WTS dreams up.....very pretty when it is more closely scrutinized????

hamsterbait

EXCUSE ME??

Has the definition of willing cult suicide changed?

At Jonestown ONLY 900 killed themselves and their children.

Since the WTBTS bans on vaccinations (Until the early 50s - Knorr didn't want to die in Africa) ban on organ transplants (until the early 80s some Crooklyn reptile needed a kidney) ban on clotting factors (until the 90s another reptile didn't want to die and go to glorious happy heavenly life) blood transfusions (reptiles don't need them yet)

The Witless cult has killed literally tens of THOUSANDS OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS.

The people at Jonestown were told to drink poison and obeyed.

The Witlesses think they have made their own mind up on the blood fiasco and don't think they are committing religious suicide or denying their child the right to grow up and make its own decisions on right and wrong.

hb

jaguarbass

A lot of people have died prematurely by refussing 20th century medical technology. Ive known a few.