a cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual.many cults follow a living human leader,not Jesus or God.and they live a part from the rest of human society.their meetings are in hiding, not just anyone can attend.you have to be a member.
do you really know what a cult is?
by redjeep 23 Replies latest jw friends
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Sapphy
Hi redjeep, hmm. I'd say the Witnesses are more of an authoritarian high control group. If I was being harsh, I'd say they are a 'committee cult'. Just think of all the committee type activities and groupings:
Body of Elders
Service Committee
Judicial Committee
Branch Committee
Governing Body...
There must be loads more.
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leavingwt
Do you know what an Authoritarian, Apocalyptic, Millenarian, High-Control, Fundamentalist Religious Sect is?
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Sad emo
lol @ leavingwt!
Do you reckon the red jeep just did a hit and run?!
Sorry redjeep. Welcome.
My response to your comment - and your point is???
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AllTimeJeff
Just curious as to your point as well. If JW's are so sensitive about the label "cult", I suggest they stop acting like one.
As leavingwt has alluded to, there is more then one type of cult. I know that JW's aren't a James Jones type of cult, but that isn't the only kind. So I happily acknowledge that up till now, you don't advocate mass suicide on an island. Cool. That missing ingredient isn't the only thing that makes or breaks a cult.
Ditto isolation.
And its true that JW's don't follow one human leader. They follow 9. They are called the Governing Body. Don't believe me? Just say you would rather serve Jehovah or Jesus without them and see how kicked out (i.e. isolated) you are.
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The Almighty Homer
Mind control and cults
Studies performed by those who believe that some religious groups do practice mind control have identified a number of key steps in coercive persuasion:
- People are put in physically or emotionally distressing situations; ( God will kill anyone that doesn't meet his approval, the only way to do that is obey us )
- Their problems are reduced to one simple explanation, which is repeatedly emphasized; ( God will soon relinquish all of mans problems at Armageddon )
- They receive unconditional love, acceptance, and attention from a charismatic leader; ( The GB loves their flock always and unconditionally )
- They get a new identity based on the group; ( You are recognized as brother or a sister but in a larger family arrangement )
- They are subject to entrapment (isolation from friends, relatives, and the mainstream culture) and their access to information is severely controlled.
( Anyone who does not belong to this particular faith is wordily, evil and untrust worthy, even family, anyone that opposes or questions the organization should not be
talked to or listened to .... higher education is pointless and could prove damaging
because they are govern and operated by wrenched godless people )
Yeah I'd say the WTS/JWS are a cult in indirect and direct ways, they could certainly be called a high control group for sure.
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Lady Lee
dear dear redjeep
What you have provided is not what a cult really is. Most people accept Scientology as a cult and yet it. . .
- a cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or
- that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual.many
- cults follow a living human leader,not Jesus or God.
- and they live a part from the rest of human society.
- their meetings are in hiding, not just anyone can attend.you have to be a member.
Well Scientology would not fulfill your criteria. They don't live in seclusion. Their meetings are not hidden away.
You are working from a definition that is not correct. Cults are not about what they believe so the God and Jesus thing is cancelled out. What they are about is how people are lied to, manipulated and indoctrinated, how members are maintained and how the leadership decides who is worthy of being in the cult.
Here is one My comments will follow in red
http://www.essortment.com/all/whatisdefiniti_rjli.htm
A totalitarian control over the lifestyle and time of its members - Many cults tend to dictate exactly what its followers should read, eat, how and with whom they should spend their time, and even what they should do in off hours. This totalitarian control is necessary for the leaders to indoctrinate the followers in everything they do, and is also an attempt to separate them from anything not associated with the cult. This is why cults often live together in groups.
The WTS controls every aspect of a JWs life from what they do , to what they believe, to what they wear, where they are allowed to work, who they can talk to and on and on. Nothing is left to the individual. Notice they say "often live together". That means not always. The reality is that the more influence and control a cult has over its members the less they need to keep them under one roof.
A charismatic, self-appointed leader with complete authority - Cult members are taught not to question the teachings, practices, or ideas of the leader. Many cult leaders truly are charismatic people, and are able to influence people to believe them. It is common that a cult member is not told everything up front when joining the group, but that they are taught increasingly controlling ideas and teachings as they go. In the case of some of the more well-publicized cults that have come and gone, it is also common that the leader's ideas and demands evolve over time, becoming increasingly controlling and restrictive. One very clear identifying element dealing with the leader of a cult is that the leader will always focus the attention and veneration of the members upon himself or herself. At the heart of a cult usually lies a very self-centered and self-seeking person.
The WTS started out with two extremely charismatic men, Russell and Rutherford. But as the WTS/JWs grew there was no way one man could have the kind of totalitarian control over its members. So instead of having one man they have a Governing Body who who rules with complete authority. So strong is this authority that JWs are not even permitted to ask questions and risk being disfellowshipped for apostasy even if they later were found to be correct.
When JWs go to the doors of people and are asked directly if they are there to convert a person the JW will always say no. But really the whole point of going door to door is to try to get people to study and eventually become JWs. During a study if the person asks a question that they should not have the answer to yet, like"So if I don't become I will die at Armageddon?" the JWs will give a feeble response or say "We will get to t
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Nathan Natas
Why don't you just say, "According to the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, Jehovah's Witnesses are not a cult."
You say cults follow an INDIVIDUAL. Have you ever heard of the concept of a "group entity"? That's what you've got when, for example, a group of drinking buddies gets together and decides that AS A GROUP, they'll call themselves "THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE CLASS" and that people will have to follow whatever this "SLAVE" says or they'll be threatened with destruction when the world ends, which is always "ANY MINUTE NOW," yet never arrives.
I've got what I think is a BETTER definition of a CULT. A CULT is a group that requires its members to sacrifice their individuality, talents and ambitions for the sake of THE CULT'S goals. How many JWs in good standing do you know who have a beard? Why is that? Jesus had a beard. Pastor Russell and Brother Van Amburgh had beards. Do you know why JWs don't have beards? BECAUSE JFR couldn't grow one and decided that beards were "against" the New World Society culture. JFR has been dead since 1942, but the group entity that he was once a member of sees to it that his rules are enforced even today.
JWs are just as much a cult as the SCIENTOLOGISTS.
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Alwayshere
A CULT IS ONE THAT DOES YOUR THINKING FOR YOU AND YOU CAN NOT ASK QUESTIONS.
