Parallels between Jonestown and WT org? (page 4)

NoMoreMeetings

There is an excellent listing of the common characteristics of cults in Releasing the Bonds by Steven Hassan.

The JW's qualify.

NMM

Sunspot

The change in policy in June 2000 allowing JW to make a personal decision on this issue caused them to re-evaluate their beliefs.They left the org., have come to Christ and he is now pastor of a community church.

Yeah Skeptic....the old "we be imperfect" routine. Not even an apology. They make me sick.

I am happy to hear the family has truly found their Lord and Savior and have left the WTS cult in the dust. THINK of the heartbreak they have caused. THINK about the trail of bodies strewn along the Watchtower highway....and think of what Jesus will be doing to them when they have to stand and face Him.

SammiesWife....your post sums up MY feelings as well.

hugs,

Annie

BizzyBee

Oh, my, Sunspot, what you say is so true! My feeling has been - that while there is a parallel with Jonestown, the WTS is somewhat controlled by a concensus of men whereas Koresh and Jones were clearly the head crazy-guys.

However, Koresh or Jones could not have pulled off what they did without help from their flunkies. Sunspot, you paint a compelling picture of increasing, mind-numbing, knee-jerk obedience in trivial matters - which is a perfect breeding-ground for the next step: unquestioning obedience in matters of life and death. As has already been pointed out, the WTS has crossed that line with the blood issue. They already have blood on their hands - it is now only a matter of quantity. They have proven that, as a body of men, they have the stomach for mandating death.

After all JWs are, at core, about life and death. Ultimately, they want to see the bodies pile up - and if anyone thinks that is a stretch - you haven't studied the history of JWs and their published literature.

ARoarer

I like to stop by every now and then and I started reading this thread and felt like jumping in

Yes, I really do believe the WTS is a dangerous cult that will use persuasion through it's literature and kingdom hall meetings to slowly get it's followers to do things that normal people would not think of doing. Even when I left a few years ago, I left because I was expected to do and accept things that went against my nature. I think the pictures that WT puts in its literature says it all when you consider it as a violent cult. The old childrens bible study books had pictures of little girl and puppy dying at God's hand at Armaggedon. The literature I was familiar with had pictures that depicted people being killed by buildings crashing on them, churches burning, and people walking and smiling as it happened, and pictures of monsterlike beasts with big teeth and blood dripping. These pictures, when you think about it, are very influential in persuading people to harden in their attitude towards outsiders and those wanting to leave the religion. It is the WT leadership using these threatening pictures to get the members to obey and fear reprisal from those put in charge of carrying out the letter of the laws imposed by the governing body, who in my mind is the dangerous cult leader like Jim Jones was. They are already expecting the members to view those of us who have chosen to leave as wicked and deserving of death because they have given us a label for members to hate and fear. "Apostates" I was once told by a friend who said I deserved to die because, I was deliberately leaving Jehovah and that nowadays it's against the law to stone apostates to death, so they have to view apostates as deserving death. This attitude could be slowly changed I think to get some believers to carry out some kind of retribution against those leaving them, or those they put out. Shunning is thier way of psychologically giving a death sentence. It makes them feel superior and doing the will of God. It's a little scary when you think about this kind of mentality. Nice to see you all

ARoarer

Stealth453

I don't see any parallels at all. There is no leader of the JW's that has armed men keeping people on a compound in a remote jungle. JW's have a non-violent theology. I don't think it is fair to compare the JW's at all with Jonestown massacre and suicide. You can't be serious. The wt is as equally armed and dangerous as the Jonestown cult was. The only diference is the wt doesn't use guns.

PinTail

I agree totaly, its the same, I live in a area where the plegamist live, and I see the same mentality with them, fear and more fear, rather than a wholesome fear of God they fear man or a group of men. The Witness's fear a publishing corporation, now does that make any sense at all. This just goes to show how we humans are so prone" to to worship something even when the bases of it is so stupid.

I have been to a few meeting lately, and still see the robot like demeanor of most of the brothers and sisters. Its sad, to see people who really just want to worship god, but are being duped into human worship, by the pressure of the WTBTS through the pages of the Watch Tower magazine, and heavy handed tactics. I know God does not approve of their trying to become the conscious of all his servants.

Pintail

Gill

Jehovah's Witnesses are forced to drink the 'KoolAid' every day.

How many die for lack of blood? Too many! I have read figures of about 1300 a year. How many Jones Towns or Waccos is that? The equivilant of how many jumbo jets coming down is that?

That's just the blood policy.

How many commit suicide every year? I can think of quite a few JWs in the 40 + years I have had dealings with the WTBTS.

How many people are killed or suffer in some way in Africa and other countries because they won't buy a party card or do military service.

The WTBTS is Jonestown on a much grander scale, but sneaky and unnoticed by the authorities.

Obedience and sacrifice were key words of Jones. Obedience and sacrifice are the key words of the WTBTS.

FEAR is what they survive on. This world is full of misfits, malcontents and uneducated people who will follow a carrot and be beaten to death by a stick.

Jim_TX

I find this comparison of Jim Jones & the WTBTS very interesting.

There are folks that say that the JWs are not like the Jonestown incident - the JWs do not pass around Kool-Aid asking the followers to drink. True. But, they do the opposite, and the JW rank-and-file meekly obey. They have their annual 'memorial' where they pass around the emblems and ask that the majority do NOT partake. And the followers agree to not partake.

I see the day when - perhaps thru their now 'once-per-month-for-the-witnesses-only' Watchtower - they will get 'new light' that says it is now okay for all to partake. Infact, it is now a requirement - to make it into the 'new system'.

This will be the way it happens. All of a sudden. No warning. No time to think it through. Not publicly known - only to those 'members'. Of course, there will be those - sitting there thinking, 'This can't be right...', but will drink the kool-aid anyway, because they are told to, and if they don't - they will be shunned or DF'ed.

Guess what? The memorial is still attended by folks that do not attend any other meetings, they still attend this meeting. Why? I don't know. I consider this the most dangerous meeting to attend.

The WTBTS is a very dangerous group. Especially those in charge.

Regards,

Jim TX

Gill

Jim - Why do you think that the Memorial is the most dangerous meeting to attend?

Jim_TX

Jim - Why do you think that the Memorial is the most dangerous meeting to attend?

Reread what I just typed. I feel it is the most dangerous meeting because this is when they (the JWs) have their highest attendance of any other meeting. This is when they get those who are 'weak' or 'on the fence' (or many who post here) to attend - and they know it. In my book - this is the time when the WTBTS is most likely to institute one of these major 'policy changes' aka 'new light' - when they bring in the vats of Kool-Aid. ...and the local guys in charge - will follow - because they are told to - mixing up the special ingredients beforehand. ...and the local people attending - will partake - because they are told to do so, gulping down their little dixie cup of 'new-light-juice'. ...but that's just me. Regards, Jim TX

Parallels between Jonestown and WT org?

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