It is becoming a cult.

by Lex Talionis 48 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  *Incubus

  I come to this site to whine.It releases some stress.

  In real life I am the first to explain what dubs are all about.And I dont whine when I present the facts(half of which I learned here while whining) to any one who knows me.
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  Hellrider

  I am convinced it is not the religion it once was.

  What was it then? I mean, if you believe it was better before, what was it that was better? Are you talking about doctrines or moral, or what?
• 

  Octarine Prince

  They will change so slowly, that you will be dead before they get to the point you want them to.
  
  Keep it movin'.
• 

  jefferywhat

  Whats your plan?
  
  Interesting name by the way....latin for.....
• 

  Hellrider

  It means "the law of retribution". Revenge.
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  blondie

  I feel it is good that we have somewhere to come and share safely our concerns and to find others who do the same. As to the organization changing, as time goes by you will find that it is your vision that has changed, that the more things change in the WTS, the more things stay the same.

  As to organizing to reform the WTS or change it, that would mean that someone really is in control. As those "in charge" die off, new ones with the same "organizational" bent come forward to take their place. Many of them are just as blinded as those in the rank and file. The important thing is to get healthy yourself, perhaps help friends and family. The WTS will always be there in some form or fashion. When Herbert Armstrong died, his organization changed and split into several groups, but they are all perking along.

  Blondie (not a Reformed JW)
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  AddaGirl

  Hi all,

  As an almost former bible study student, I did a lot of research into the Witnesses. The cult aspect of it I also researched. The BITE Method is a simple way to test if a group is engaged in persuasvie co-oersion.

  Behavioral Control-

  • Regulation of individuals physical reality, (what clothes, what hair styles)
  • Major time commitment required for indoctrination sessions and group rituals
  • Individualism discouraged; "group think" prevails
  • Rigid rules and regulations
  • Need for obedience and dependency

  Information Control-

  • Use of deception (holding back info or distorting it)
  • Access to non cult sources of information discouraged
  • Compartmentalization of information: Insider vs Outsider doctrines, information varies at different levels, info not freely accessible, leadership decides who knows what and when
  • Spying and reporting on other members
  • Extensive use of cult generated information: newsletters, magazines, and other along with misquotations, statements taken out of context from non cult sources
  • Confession

  Thought Control-

  • Need to internalize the group's doctrine as truth: black & white thinking, good vs evil, us vs them
  • Loaded language: "special words" that constrict rather than expand understanding, reduce complexities of understanding to trite or "buzz words"
  • Only good and proper thoughts are encouraged
  • No critical questions about leader, doctrine or policy seen as legitimate
  • No alternative belief systems viewed as legitimate, good or useful.

  Emotional Control-

  • Make the person feel if there are ever any problems, its their fault
  • Excessive use of guilt
  • Excessive use of fear--of thinking independently, of being shunned, of disapproval, of losing one's salvation
  • Phobia indoctrination-the person under mind control cannot visualize a positive fulfilled future without being in the group

  Do the Witnesses qualify? They most certainly do. At this point, the only reason I have contact with them is to try and get one, only one, to think about what they are actually being taught. I have done a chronology of the kings of Judah and Israel straight from the Bible which without a doubt disproves 607 BCE therefore nullifying 1914. The 70 years was my main concern. It is not 607 BCE-537 BCE as the witnesses teach. It is 609 BCE-539 BCE (servitude to Babylon) It is also 586 BCE-516 BCE (the devastation of Jerusalem-temple destruction to temple completion). I am trying to get one active witness to at least consider that the Bible does not tell a lie, that obedience to one who is telling the lie is not the way to salvation, and that the truth comes from only inspired writers of God in the Bible. The link is posted under the Bible group........but if anyone here would like to take a look it or might find some info useful in their own quest, the link is located at ChronologyofKings_Scriptures. (I hope this link works right the first time) This is a 27 page chronology done numerically with scripture citation and all the scriptures are included from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. The Bible is sychronized to perfection, historically correct and does not lie.

  I'm still searching but I am learning........hopefully I find it one day.

  AddaGirl
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  Lex Talionis

  Hello again,
  
  I have read through all of the posts.
  
  If you took offence, you should not have. I simply asked the question, if the question challenged you, that is your doing.
  
  Vercingetorix was one of the most successful leaders to challenge the Romans, unlike other military leaders he did not try to fight Rome as Rome would like to be fought.
  
  A lot can be learnt from this.
  
  We cannot fight the WT as they would like us to. They are well trained at propaganda so when we bring up doctinal or cultural flaws, they are simply side stepped, job done.
  
  The society has two achilles heals.
  
  1. 1919.
  2. Growth figures.
  
  These two points are now all that matter, they are like book ends, any books in between can change but whilst the numbers increase the WT screams " Rich Blessings from Jehovah" and while ever the RF beleive that in 1919 Jesus chose them, they are untouchable.
  
  I propose a purposeful and concentrated global campaign to attack these two points, the rest is educational, interesting but ineffective on the whole.
  
  Who's in?
  
  We are at war.
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  AddaGirl

  If its proved that 1914 does not exist, anything like 1919 also does not exist. This is one of the main reasons they protect 607 BCE and 1914.

  Their growth rate is low.....but how about the average exit rate wihich is statistically the highest of all religions at 32% . I checked with my teacher and an elder. That 7,000,000 number includes all who have ever been baptized including those who are disfellowshipped and all who have chosen to leave of their own accord. That 7,000,000 number becomes 4,760,000 really fast. The Mormans are almost 3 times the size at 13,000,000.