Outstanding explanation of what the wt was and what it became...adding that Russell appeared to be the only "leader" who shared his power with others, however limited that sharing may have been...good read Terry, hopefully lurkers will get the gist of your expose....
The Governing NARCISSUS: the psychology of the FDS
by Terry 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Terry
Now seriously, "collective narcissism" is a rather paradoxical notion, isn't it?
I think of Hitler and see how he took a badly trounced Germany post WWI at the nadir of self-respect and offered them the banner of "Master Race".
All he needed to do was scapegoat appeasers at Versailles and Jews, then; heap opprobrium on the race issue and hang it around the collective notion of "Jew".
Master Race vs the Jew is a collective psychology in spades!
The notion of "Christian" is a collective psychology.
The concept of "Gentile" is a collective notion.
Labeling groups who band together under a carefully delineated "personality" is not far-fetched or unusual.
Groups which exclude on the basis of self-definition are heavy on the sort of psychology I'm speaking about here.
You can be defined by what you are as easily as what you are not.
The list of what Jehovah's Witness mould themselves into being is large of the "don't", "won't" and "can't" variety.
Don't salute the flag. Won't celebrate holidays. Can't mix with other religious practices.
Just as "christians" are imitators of Christ (or imitators of Paul who self-styled an imitation of Christ), so too, this collective puts on the "personality" of just one personhood.
Religions are, by and large, reflections of their leadership. When this becomes psychotic or distorted in nature; the result is aberrant collective personality disorder.
-
Terry
I have seen my own arogance, almost directly as a result of growing up in this narcissistic framework. We might say that the edicts that we were raised with, didn't come from our parents, we were raised by the authority and teachings of these sick individuals.
Elders have become strutting "brown shirts". Where do they learn their behavior? They are carefully taught.
The "word" from the Governing Body is the weapon they wield.
The Catholic Church wielded majesterium over the faceless laity and reduced them to mere obedience. The Governing Body molds strutting Pharisees who flaunt their self-importance over those who can't quite catch up to their magnificience, yet; aspire to.
The elders are "shining ones" now.
Instead of servants who run through a cloud of dust to serve their fellows, these ostentatious preening rule-Nazis lord it over the few remaining underlings who can't quite get a grip on how to play the game.
Consequently, Jehovah's Witnesses today have a two-layered society much in the mold of Catholicism during the Inquisition.
Bifurcated narcissism consists of the arrogant and entitled Pharisees and the delusional aspiring underclass who only have the strength of will to terrorize their own family and lord it ove their wives and children. Odd man out is the weakest link who must go underground to have any life at all.
-
llbh
Hi Terry et al.
If you have read, Mao The Unknown Story by Jung Chang, it is intersting that he denonstrated many of the characteristics you talk about.
Mind Control.
The almost total disregard for the welfare of the followers.
Anti education & cull of universities
Intolerance of oposing views
Ruthless supression of information (injw speak internet)
The consequent impoverishment of the people.
I could go on, but you get the picture. The theme is familiar to us all, sadly
The book is btw quite prescient when thinking about China now, and its relationships with the West and in particular with the US
regards llbh
-
Terry
If you have read, Mao The Unknown Story by Jung Chang, it is intersting that he denonstrated many of the characteristics you talk about.
Mind Control.
The almost total disregard for the welfare of the followers.
Anti education & cull of universities
Intolerance of oposing views
Ruthless supression of information (injw speak internet)
The consequent impoverishment of the people.
I could go on, but you get the picture. The theme is familiar to us all, sadly
The book is btw quite prescient when thinking about China now, and its relationships with the West and in particular with the US
Like attracts like (despite what the book The Secret has to say :)
Ideology attracts people who agree with a vested interest.
What separates Communist ideology from JW ideology is the personality of the rank and file.
Both use black and white thinking. Both employ mind control, as you say. Both are arrogant in denying any validity to other viewpoints or solutions to problems. Both demand conformity and plug members into rigid functions on behalf of the collective.
Where the two differ is in this. Communism destroys the existing society by revolution FIRST and imposes the "solution" on those with no alternative but to conform.
JW's work within an existing and functioning society and merely declare this society as "good as" destroyed already. The caged birds in the local Kingdom Hall are made to "think" they have no place else to go!
Further, rank and file communist party members have no escape literally and actually. JW's can leave at any time, but, risk the shunning and loss of friends and support structure psychologically.
JW's must become True Believers to make this restricted existence make sense to themselves. They buy in 100% in order to experience a sense of purpose. Else, they wither and cease to function and are driven out.
So, am I saying Communism is the lesser of two evils? Not exactly. Communism historically has failed politically, socially and morally to demonstrate success. Excuses are given why the "worker's Paradise" was not realized, however; the watching world sees fairly clearly the lie.
JW's, although repeatedly disproved by failed prophecies and flip-flopped interpretations of scripture, simply are not openly known to the world at large beyond the local newspapers fluff articles about how dilligent they are at keeping stadium's clean during assemblies. Lovably tireless troopers for God with eccentric beliefs is about what they appear.
The effective JW, the True Believer, uses his/her narcissistic entitlement to the Kingdom reward to bang doors and spread the word constantly.
Both communism and JW's use propaganda. They lie about history, their own origins and the effectual results of their own efforts. They believe their own lies, too.
Both are dangerous to themselves, their family and especially in influencing children.
-
llbh
Hi again Terry,
Thanks for you reply which is pretty much my take. The high levels of deceipt and artifice in both is sad and amazing. What is interesting though is the devices that the members use to overcome thier problems within the group, particularly the thinking ones.
What also suprises me that having now left how much freer I feel. I even vote. wow what a sin!
Btw I did not advocate reading the book bi Jung Chang it is a long and hard read.
Another shorter book is by Ed Hussain - The Islamist. Along similar lines on radical Islam.
llbh.
-
Terry
hat is interesting though is the devices that the members use to overcome thier problems within the group, particularly the thinking ones.
It is a particularly dysfunctional "family" the membership must deal with while claiming to demonstrate the fruits of True christianity.
Not an easy high wire act!
-
llbh
Hi Terry,
We should do this more often I have really enjoyed this. Shame about the different time zones
llbh
-
lalliv01
A JW child learns to attract attention by not pledging allegience to the flag or sing the national anthem.
A JW family doesn't decorate for Christmas or Halloween. They stand out by being different and considering themselves superior!
I grew up JW. Just because JW children have narcissism modelled as the correct behavior does not mean they embrace it.
I hated being different as a child. It was embarrassing to not pledge allegiance. It was embarrassing to need to leave the classroom while the others had their holiday candy and whatever else they were doing in the classroom while I went down to the library or went home early.
I (like others have expressed on the forum) didn't feel like I fit in, either with the JW's or with the world. I tried for many years in my adult life to fit, but never got to be in the "in club" among JW's. I felt alone when I pioneered. I felt alone when I was an MS (never an elder).
Gopher: Wow,how I do identify with this. I never felt superior or somehow better than my friends or others. As a matter of fact, I (pretended) to have a chip
on my shoulder so that friends wouldn't dare bring up my "goofy" religious beliefs, thereby avoiding my need to make a defense, which they most assuredly did
not want to hear.
Maybe Terry is right,but, I know that neither I nor my witness friends at the time felt better or somehow more priveledged than our worldly peers. I liked my
school mates and I surely never,ever, wanted them to die. Later on in life I had dealings with DO's and CO's who talked about the need for "tightening things up"
as the "end" was drawing near. I felt their smugness and air of superiority, truly sickening.
That was back in the SEVENTIES. I was an elder at the time and I still dreaded having to make a defense for my "goofy" religion. And yes, I still have beliefs
that are indefensible but the "chip" is gone. Now, I want someone to show me the real truth.
-
TMS
Terry,
Reducing your psychological characterizations to a simple base; great history of the WBTS.
Although painted in sanitized JW history books as humble men, CTR and the Judge had to have astronomical egos to allow themselves to be portrayed and revered in such a way without strenous protest.
You are absolutely correct in thinking that JW's feel superiority over everyone else in their community. A nominal JW who "places" one set of the W & A has soared past Mother Teresa in Almighty Jehovah's eyes.
I recall the urban legend conversation between Nathan Knorr and Richard Burton related by Knorr at a convention. When Burton asked Knorr if JW's were brainwashed. Knorr said he replied: "Well, maybe, but our minds are cleaner than yours."
I suggest that this feeling of superiority is a good part of the wind behind the JW sail, but not all of it.
tms