Are they a cult?

TooBad TooSad

At a recent one day assembly the following remarks were made by elders who had parts:

"The Watchtower is the main instrument that Jehovah uses to instruct His people."

( I wonder where the Bible fits in? )

"We are now going to talk about higher education and I am not talking about the education

that we receive at our meetings because that is the "highest education", I am talking about

going to college."

As I sat there listening to these comments plus 5 hours of other "education" I was embarrassed to

be there and to be associated with people who look, think, and talk like a cult.

AudeSapere

I was out (faded) for over 10 years before I accepted the fact that they are a cult. ... OK 'High-Control Group'.

It must be excrutiating to sit thru that when you know what's really going on.

All those years in meetings taught me one really bad habit - how to make it look like I'm paying attention when my mind is really 100 miles away.

Cults Suck.

-Aude.

Vivamus

Ohh I could not do that. I am sorry you have to sit through that

Yeah, they are a cult . The Jehovah's Witnesses control their members, their minds , and limit what they can read to ONLY their own reading materials so they won't hear other insight or knowledge of this world from any other source to be enlightened. Uh, yes definitely , they are a cult

Zico

The Watchtower Society is a faceless entity that controls every relationship a member can have. This Organisation, which doesn't actually care at all about one of the members, is also the very basis for each members relationship with their family, their friends, and even their God.

Make a mistake, or dare to think for yourself, and this Organisation will discard you without a second thought or any concern at all, and everything you have is lost, you will have no more friends, you will no have more family, and you will have no more God.

If that's not a cult, I don't know what is.

Gringa

I am so weird - I wanted out of the ocntrol, out of the rules but I was defensive of the Witnesses for years after I left (third generation, born in). I would defend them and tell people, they aren't all that bad....MY, GOD! WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?! Was it the guilt or what?

Anyway, my dear departed little brother said to me one day, you know the JWs are a cult and I said - no they aren't. He said, go to the bookstore or the library and go to the section on cults and you will see all you need to see that they are a cult - well, I guess I had never thought about it before, I have had no one to talk to about any of it - but he got me to thinking and yep - yes sireee - they are a cult, all right. They are one of the largest cults around. How could I have been so blind.........? Took me about 25 years after I left to really see them for what they are.

OnTheWayOut

For those on this board that wish to deny they are a cult, fine.

But know that not all cults have to have a single charismatic leader.
I know the GB isn't charismatic at all, but the mystery they create
around themselves is charismatic. Plus, CTR and da Judge were
very charismatic, even Freddy Franz fit the bill.

Also know that not all cults need to totally separate from the
community. JW's are isolated by doctrine, activities, being too busy
to see family or neighbors, avoiding the holidays. You don't have to go
back to a compound at the end of the day to get away from people, just
go to the Hall constantly and think bad things about co-workers instead
of getting to know them.

You don't have to have cult members give all their life savings at once to
the cult. You can siphon it off a bit at a time, as much as they will give.

You could refer to them as cult-light if it helps. That's actually more
dangerous because even those that escape will argue that they are not a
cult, and nobody sees a reason to place restrictions on a cult-light.
France wised up, but the law might change there again.

jwfacts

A more accurate term than cult may be that the WTS uses standard mind control techniques. The following article goes through the main criteria that show mind control (coercive persuasion) is being used and lists research by Lifton, Hassan and organizations that specialize in overcoming the affects of being in a cult.

undercover

Well, if a religion...or any other group...can coerce its members to put the religion/group first over family to the point that they will shun children, parents and siblings all based on one little announcement that that particular family member is no longer a member of the group, then in my book, its a cult.

sweetstuff

I remember being a JW kid and hearing a conversation between adults JWs regarding Amish people and how they were a "cult" yet they never ever thought of themselves as a cult. Even then, I thought, I wish I was Amish, I wouldn't have to go to a school where I didn't fit in, knock on people's doors, etc. They are undoubtly a cult. They tell you what to think, how to behave, whom you can love and not love. Any independant thought is apostacy. Any disagreement with doctrine is apostacy. Any behavior other than what they perscribe as proper is shun worthy. They rule with fear and hate. They keep an iron grasp on those in the organization with terror. You will lose all if you leave, you will be dead, cut off. You have to account for your hours of ministry, if you don't get enough, you are considered crap in a congregational standing sense. You have to account for what you placed in litterture. Yeah, I spelled it that way on purpose. These are all control techniques to disuade anyone from straying from what they want from you. EVERYTHING.