How did you feel when you found out Jehovah's Witnesses were a cult?

The wanderer

Finding Out Jehovah's Witnesses were a Cult

On a number of occasions individuals would warn
me about being one of Jehovah's Witnesses and
say that the religion was really a cult.
Having been in the "truth" at the time, my feelings
were that they were either prejudiced or mislead by
Satan and were trying to mislead me.

Never Investigated what a Cult really was

Do to ignorance and a lack of interest regarding
the topic of cults, I never really pursued the sub-
ject.

My opinion of cults, were individuals, who dress-
ed strangely, led strange lives and followed their
leader.

Never in a Million years

When it finally dawned on me that the Watch-
tower and Jehovah's Witnesses were a cult,
my first reaction was " that can't be, these
people are too nicely dressed."

Credit the Freeminds Website

From my viewpoint, all the credit has to go
to Randy Watters and his website Freeminds.
org; truthfully,that website educated me—and
still does.

What about yourself?

1.) What was your initial reaction on finding out
that the Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses
were a cult?

2.) Did you believe it was a cult?

3.) What research did you do in order to prove
whether or not the Witnesses were a cult?

Please add your commentary to expand upon
this open-minded topic of discussion.

Respectfully,

The Wanderer

happehanna

I think finding out that JW's are a cult was something at the time that shocked me

When it did finally sink in it was a cult rather than just a religion that had serious flaws. I went into a kind of shock like grief.

This website helped me cope and helped to rescue me.

Then I attended a post cult workshop for a weekend and it helped enormously.

I also had about a year of therapy (which is pretty rare here in the UK) which also helped.

Finding out the truth about JW's has been the single biggest real awareness issue of my life.

Arthur

I began to intuitively sense that JWs are a cult. There were many factors: the enormous, burdensome workload, the anti-intellectualism, the intense indoctrination, and the total allegience to the organization that is expected from members. My gut-level instincts began to tap me on the shoulder and tell me to wake up.

I had suffered an emotional breakdown of sorts from trying to be a "good Witness" and from trying to suppress all of my doubts and intuition. My emotional breakdown beat the remaining pride out of me, and made me finally willing to seriously question my own beliefs, and the teachings of the WTS.

This first thing that I did was begin doing research into the characteristics of cults. This is when I began to learn about the methods of mind control, and psychological manipulation. The most compelling research that I had discovered was that done by a former cult member Steven Hassan; who was a member of the Moonies back in the 1970s.

I soon bought his book: Combatting Cult Mind Control. This book did not mention JWs, but the similarities to the JW religion and the WTS was absolutely staggering. The JW religion had almost all of the cult characteristics which were discussed by Hassan.

When I finally realized and admitted that the JWs are a cult, it actually was a bit of a relief. Steven Hassan's book answered so many of my most troubling questions. I finally realized that it wasn't my fault. The WTS is very crafty at blaming the individual for their not being able to accept the beliefs and doctrines. The WTS convinces people that they are "spiritually weak", "proud", "wise in their own eyes", and a whole host of other cliches. This blaming the individuals for the organization's defects is a chief characteristic of cults. It was a big relief to realize that the WTS had just been screwing with my head.

I think that when I finally admitted that the JW religion is a cult, it allowed me to be more forgiving to myself and to those who are still under the spell of the WTS's mind control.

OUTLAW

Wanderer,think about it..You thought a cult was:"Individuals who dressed strangely(Normal people don`t dress like us on a day to day basis,unless they`re professional or sales)..Led Strange lifes(Have nothing to do with the outside world,go to meetings 3times a week and knock on doors.)..And followed thier leader(WBT$)"..If that dosen`t describe us ,I don`t know what does..LOL!!...OUTLAW

BluesBrother

Outlaw is dead right in what is said above ! The word 'cult' is a subjective description, although I would now consider it accurate.

How did I feel when I found our that it was "just not true"?

Disbelief, denial..fear that that I was thinking the unthinkable. Could all the people that I had known all my life really be wrong ? My world just crumbled. I felt like Jim Carey's charecter in "The Truman Show"

I also felt a little scared - scared at the responsibility of taking my own decisions on issues and things. All my life I had been guided by the first question, "What do the Society say?" about anything from marriage to medicine to ethical questions. Now I had to think for myself.

This board has been a wonderful help..thanks to all involved....

bem

So right in your obeservation Outlaw. My non and never a jw mom told me I was getting involved in a cult and it really pissed me off when it was proven to me she was right.

Seriously I was stunned and shocked that I had been part of a mind-lifestyle altering cult. and I am fortunate my children seen it the same way, and are out with me and I can enjoy them in a "normal" way again.

awol

I joined this site the other day and haven't much been off since!! ha ha.

I had drifted away and never df'd... but I now live with my partner... so I guess if I wanted to go back, then I would be marked etc etc.

Anyway, not that I wanted to go back to the KH BUT in the back of my mind I always kept worrying and worrying about the end. I have rung my mum up this morning and I told her what RELIEF I have found! I am like my mum, I know she worrys about having drifted....and was wondering whether to return. I have told her to come over and take a look at what I have been looking at (here and other sites). I want her to stop feeling guilty and distressed - as I know she does. I want her to understand that it is ok not to belong to the watchtower society any more.

I spent an hour telling her some of my findings and she was dumb struck!!! I think she will be as shocked and upset as me .... more so, because she helped to bring us up as JW's and she already has big guilt because of that. She still has my sister in the cult and will not rock the boat or get df'd as she wouldn't be able to see her. The rest of us kids are out and my dad is floating in and out!! He know's it's not right but is too proud to say it - he would have to explain why he made our lives such misery!!! Bless him. I forgive him.

So, shocked first. Like finding out the best news in the world. I finally feel like I can walk head held high and not worry that I have condemed my children to death!!!! I am SO HAPPY there are people in the org that are "apostate" and able to help me. My whole thinking is taken up by this at the moment, and I want to speak to the elders, my sister and her husband and actually ask questions. I am biding my time. I want to get my sister out. I also want to be officially disfellowshipped now. I want them to publically announce it with me in the hall at the time. I will give a great big sigh of relief and have a massive smile on my face.... leaving some to wonder "how come she is soooo happy!!".

ECSTATICALLY YOURS! XX

fullofdoubtnow

I had heard jws called a cult many times during my years in the org, but always dismissed it. It was only when I started on my way out of the wts, and started looking at the org more objectively, that i realised they have all the hallmarks, apart from a single, charismatic leader, of a high control cult.

I was very shocked that I had allowed myself to be inducted into a cult, and held captive there for so long, without even slightly suspecting that jws are a cult.

jaguarbass

1.	a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies

The above is the first definition of cult on dictionary.com. That sounds like the catholic church would be a cult.

4.	a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc. This could be catholics, baptist, pentacostals

6.	a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.

Now Im thinking Jehovahs Witnesses

TopHat

I knew the WTS was a cult when I found out it was a fruad....I suspected it was a fraud but didn't actually know or have proof until I came to this web site here and read the dirty deeds the GB commented and then read the book COC by Ray Franz. I was shocked by the Malawi/Mexico issue. The uncaring, turn their back, Governing Body for those JWs in Malawi.