Stockholm Syndrome and JW... Debate.

Confucious

Just musing tonight.

But do you think some JW fall into some sort of Stockholm Syndrome being in the Org?

Just a thought.

Opinions?

Interesting! I've always thought of it more as "peer pressure," but in actuality and practice, the R&F are not peers, really. They are held captive. The local elders who do the leg work are people who the R&F can identify with, and they are as much trapped as anybody else, but have the unenviable authority to take "judicial action."

It's a bit of a stretch, but I think I see some vague semblance...

wobble

It is a kind of Stockholm Syndrome I suppose.

Over a period I saw a JW who had the paedophile mentality,(to my knowledge he never did anything with under-aged kids) I saw him groom and control a young sister, eventually it all came out, he was DF'd etc.

But his method is similar to how the rank and file are groomed and controlled, so most Dubs are victims.

The controller demands loyalty, secrecy,unquestioning obedience,to what are often unreasonable demands. When he has this kind of control he goes on to worse things.

The GB/FDS are the same, and this filters down to the elders,who use the same methods.Will they go on to worse things?

Love

Wobble

AK - Jeff

Typical victims of SS are held against their will in the beginning. A series of pain or torture is followed by rewards for good behaviour. Soon the victim relates to the captor as his saviour, so to speak. His paradigm has been irrevocably altered for the victim.

There are some elements of brainwashing with the Jdubs, though in their case they are typically not aware of how they are setting up the victim. In cases of severe brainwashing, the captor is certainly aware of what outcome they are striving to create and the unkind methods they are using to achieve those ends.

I see elements, and have at time used the SS analogy to describe what Jw's do. But I can't find a full fit to be honest.

Jeff

wobble

I do not believe those at the top(GB)and the Writing Dept. are "unaware" of what they are doing, it is too deliberate,consistent and to those who know what it is,obvious,not to be based on knowledge,not just of how to do it,but what they are doing too.

Further down the ranks they follow example and orders,without question, very like the Nazis in the 30's and WW2.

Love

Wobble

Confucious

I know it's not SS in it's purest form.

But it's interesting how we "love" being berated on the stage.

Like you'll often here Dubs say, "Wow. That was a great talk. We really needed that. Getting our butt kicked."

And when we're called out on on something we blame ourselves.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Interesting. As an ex-bethhellite, I agree that there are certainly Stockholm Syndrome elements to the experience and feelings. I was mostly treated like crap and should have escaped, but I was convinced that I was being blessed and treated well. "I'm ready to sacrifice everything for Jehovah... and his appointed FDS class." Now I finally see how stupid that thinking was.

And I agree with stillin that there is certainly peer pressure to conform to the "I love being treated like crap" mentality.

Cthulhu

I was just discussing this on Tuesday with an active dub and his wife (two of only a handful that will still have anything to do with me). I should say I attempted to discuss. I threw a quote out there from a book I am reading that says "once a person has been brought to his knees, he or she will accept whatever master caused it" and that "most humans are masochistic, responding to fear and failure." While the author was not specifically addressing SS, it certainly made me think of this friend of mine. In any case, he has spent the better part of fifty years with the organization and didn't really want to comment a whole lot on the concept. Anyhow, I agree. While it may not be SS by defenition, the org certainly does use some similar mental tactics and they yeild common results.

Stockholm Syndrome and JW... Debate.

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