I believe that there have been many studies done that confirm that the age of reasoning, the time when a childs natural ability to reason, becomes meshed by the ages of 9-12. Indoctrination up to that point, if a child is surrounded only by those promoting the same doctrination aka brainwashing, pretty well ensures that the child will be fully brainwashed by the age of 9. In families where there is no outside activity or influence, often home schooling as well, the ability to reason or think independently, is removed because fear, guilt and punishment-the requirement to conform, results in the child believing that to question is bad but to obey is good. That is why a child raised in a cult, despite what people so glibly say 'they can just leave, no one forces them to stay' - has so many mental and emotional issues. A child able to use his critical thinking during the formative years, is much more likely to be able to move away from the issues and view them rationally but a child who has had that ability quashed has many more problems as an adult.
I believe that the WTBTS is dangerous in that it promotes and demands obeyance from birth and since the organization believes only those who live as they direct, are true followers, subjecting any child to a witness is to me dangerous. The child does not understand that their value to their family is only in relation to their religious beliefs and it can become more and more confusing to try and explain to them as they get older and in many cases painful. sammieswife.