I was in a Los Angeles cult in the 70s (unrelated to JW) and finally at one point most of the cult members 'woke up' simultaneously & saw that the leaders had been emotionally abusive and oppressive. Once everyone woke up, the entire cult collapsed within days. A similar thing happened in the Communist countries----everyone suddenly got tired of being oppressed. What will it take to get a majority of JWs to similarly 'wake up' & leave the cult? What will be the factor that pushes people over the edge? If any current JWs are reading this, I'd definitely appreciate your views on this. But everybody's comments are welcome.
When Cults Collapse---
by navytownroger 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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james_woods
What cult was that?
Actually, the only major ones that I knew of to collapse for sure were the Peoples Temple, the Branch Davidians, and that guru guy up in Washington state with the 99 Rolls Royces and the warrior princess chick with all the machine guns.
All of these eventually came into conflict of law with the U.S. Government and were taken down by force.
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james_woods
Well, one more - (but not by any shot a major one) - Heavens Gate. They poisoned themselves because they thought the great starship was coming for them behind the Hale-Bopp comet.
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slimboyfat
I can understand how this might happen in small cult groups where all members are located in one place and know each other. The chances of this happening to all Jehovah's Witnesses worldwide simultaneously are virtually nill. For each Witness who no longer finds the story believable, they are currently more than being replaced by new Witnesses who do buy into the idea. Dedicated and convinced members climb the ladder, and the others fall away imperceptibly. So the structure remains strong.
You might as well ask will Anglicans all wake up one day and realise they were wrong.
More likely but still remote is the possibility of some sort of split in the Watchtower leadership along fumdamentalist/liberal lines causing disruption and tests of loyalty for the rank and file. I don't think that will happen but it sure would be interesting to watch.
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freethinker2009
NTR I am still an active Jehovah’s Witness, although i know a lot of what is taught is incorrect i cant leave as yet because i cant loose my family and they are in VERY deep, that being said the only way that all Jehovah’s Witnesses could ever wake up and smell the coffee so to speak is if there was a sudden realization that the FDS are not who they say they are and that all their book and publications are basically rubbish also if they found out that their Bible is actually a really bad translation that has been changed to fit their belief. The evidence would have to be overwhelming and irrefutable or they will just blame Satan.
FT
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justhuman
I don't think so that WT will colapsed like you describe. They will graduate reduced in numbers but it will takes years, plus WT has a very good technic to be flexible with "new light" when it suits them, or when a prophecy fails.
I recall very well the1995 generation change, since I was a MS. It was one of the major changes that took place to the modern JW's and very few left. It was indeed a big change but the rank and file didn't seem to care about that, but the major conscequences are huge on this change:
1.The famous "generation" that was supposed to see the end, died over a WT article. Not to mention the tons of volumes of WT, Awake, books, booklets, that they were refering to the generation that will not pass way. Even the subtile of the Awake was refering to the generation. My dad died hoping to see "God's" fullfiment with a paradise on earth. I don't know how many died with that hope
2.The seperation work (goats and sheeps)was supposed to take place through our preaching. Booze Jo change that around 1919, and WT kept that for almost 80 years...So if the preaching work does not seperate now, and it will be done by Jesus, what JW's have being doing all those 80 years? Was their preaching in vein?
Not to go on and tell about the new "light" the opening of the close door in 1931 and again opened in 2008, the generation now means the "anointed" ones...
JW's are being abused by the GB with the most intelligent way and I don't believe there will be a massive exodus. Like WT, we have similar cults that they enjoy increase and prosperity, like Mormons. Scientology, Unification Church, just to mention a few....they know how to run their bussiness well.....