JW a cult? - what it means to them

by xelder 12 Replies latest jw experiences

  • recovering
    recovering

    I am not by any means an expert on hypnosis . I don't think Mr Crawley was saying that a cult had to have each and every trait mentioned either .That being said here is what Margaret T. Singer, Ph.D. a Prof. of Psychology says are the methodology of cult hypnosis. I have included how I think the jws use the methods in parenthesis after the ones that I think apply.

    (see Ericksonian hypnosis)
    speaking patterns (remember how we are taught to read for emphasis in the MS) guided imagery (constant references to a paradise earth) pacing of voice to breathing patterns
    parables, stories with imbedded messages ( all the experiances that are related to the congregation)
    repetition ( we here talks on the same topic over and over again as well as WT articles on basically the same topic)
    boredom (the meetings are boring )
    stop paying attention to distractions, focus
    inwardly to what's going on inside you
    the use of one's voice to get people's attention
    focused
    Chanting, Meditation
    Teach thought-stopping techniques
    Work them up emotionally to a negative state:
    re-experience past painful events
    recall negative actions/sin in past life
    Then rescue them from negative emotion by giving them a new
    way to live

    As I said before i am by no means an expert, so if others understand this process better please comment and clarify.

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    The witlesses started following Boozerford when Russell died. When Boozerford died, they followed Knorr, then Fred Franz. Eventually, they developed the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger class, and the witlesses follow this group of humanoids that make up the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger.

  • LongHairGal
    LongHairGal

    Back in the day when I was active in the religion I heard the term cult thrown around. I figured to myself (stupidly): 'well, if I have the 'truth' SO what if I am in a cult?' The term 'cult' didn't mean anything to me if it was meant as an insult. I just wasn't insulted.

    As far as other JWs are concerned, they don't believe they are in a cult. They think a cult is some compound somewhere with a dictator asking them to drink poison punch. No, that isn't them. God help us.

    If you look at the criteria of what makes a religion a cult, they don't have all the characteristics but they definitely do have some. At best, they are a high-control group but I will not argue with anybody who says they are a cult.

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