by OnTheWayOut 26 Replies latest jw friends
Especially if you are not American, but anyone.
Justhuman mentioned it being an American cult in his latest thread.
(By the way, go there and support him, he can use it.)
Does it disturb you Europeans, Africans, Ozzies, etc. that the JW cult
is something out of America? Like you were sold the Brooklyn Bridge
because you were from out of town?
it's so easy to start a religion in American all you need is a few followers, fill out a form and pay the fee and thats it your an official religion. Think of all the crazy religions the USA has started, Davidians, Heavens Gate, The Peoples Temple, JWs, The Family, all the UFO based one and the one that Tom Cruise is a spokesperson for. ugg!!
I like American cults the best. They tend to have "made in China" stamped on the bottom though!
Jeff
Oh wait - you said 'cults' - I thought you were talking about American quilts. Sorry.
Jeff
Justhuman mentioned it being an American cult in his latest thread.
(By the way, go there and support him, he can use it.)
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/161498/1.ashx
Sylvia
There were several religous groups that came into being in that time and place.
Christian Scientists
Mormons
Seventh Adventists
Salvation Army
Christadelphians
Kabala, Scientology...it does seem that they take root and grow well here in the New World...
If it was a French cult I would have stayed away in droves. I dont even eat french fries or french dressing.
Damned French.
(is the mood lighter now?)
Hill
Religion is America's special cottage industry.
The JW movement began during a time when the atmosphere here is America was very promising for a new religion to sprout up.
Likewise, I highly doubt that such a movement could ever be started today using the same premises. It just would not be possible. America is no longer a place from which such groups could begin to thrive, at least not in the way the JWs began.
The WTS began by taking the general populations respect for the Bible and using that as a tool to create a divine narrative which interlinked modern people and God's plan. Most people today (especially in America) are a lot less interested in such ideas. Most are interested in forming some sort of generic, non-denominational perception of spirituality that is not in line with such dogmatic ideals. Even those who practice a certain form of belief are more likely to say that their religion is not the only way to God. People are just less dogmatic in general. Sure there are certain pockets of our society that are very rigid and dogmatic, but I believe those to be in the minority.
Back to your original point, it does strike me as odd how very American the JWs really are. They embody many common American ideals in much of what they do.
One thing that always struck me as a little weird was thinking about small groups of people in third world countries studying books that spoke of people in America who were chosen by God. It just seems like it would be absurd to believe such things from that perspective.
