At what point did you realize JW's were a Cult?

by Think About It 184 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  poppers

  They are not a cult!

  nice loaded question for a debate topic.

  A loaded question is a question which contains a controversial assumption such as a presumption of guilt. Such questions are used rhetorically, so that the question limits direct replies to be those that serve the questioner's agenda.

  LOL! You're so brainwashed you can't see it or admit it - that in itself falls under cult behavior. You yourself "assume" that since you believe as you do it can't possibly be a cult. Those "in" can't think straight because their beliefs warp perception.
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  jookbeard

  Debator/Ren;

  how many countries are the WTS banned in and rightly so? doesn't seem like they are regarded as religions at all, Russia is waking up to the dangers that the WTS pose to it's people. People like Steve Hassan Prof James Penton Ray Franz, Randall Waters have more experience and formal educational qualification's then any R&F Dubs, suicide bombers call Islam a peaceful religion , asking a Dub if they belong to a cult is likely to get a biased response. Simply countless amounts of countries do not recognize them as a religion exactly the opposite as a dangerous high control cult in which they are, if you read an Amnesty International report on the suffering your GB inflicted on your brothers in Malawi you will find that they were very scathing in criticism of your GB.
• 

  isaacaustin

  Reniaa aka debator said:

  Thats if you are talking about actual cults leavingwt. The majority of governments and human rights organisations recognise Witnesses as a fully realised religion and definitely not a cult.

  I wonder would steve hassan support his book being cold-read into any religious organisation by those that dislike that religion as a tool to prejudice people's opinion?

  My reply: They are absolutely a cult Reniaa. The only reason the mjaority of governments and orgs do not readily see the WT as a cult is because, unlike most cults that follow a leader...JWs follow a group of men, nameless and faceless where the average JW could probably name no more than 2 or 3.
• 

  isaacaustin

  But, back to topic...when did I realize they were a cult...hmm...for years I suspected something was wrong but could not place my finger on it. Then after researching it around 2002-2003 and seeing the control exerted for self-serving interests on things such as birthdays and holidays with no basis...but simply to assure members do not form outside friendships I realized the org for what it is.
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  debator

  Hi poppers

  You are propbably living in a country were jehovah's witnesses are recognised as a religion and not a cult by your government. Who really is the one being blinded here by minority opinion?

  Hi jookbeard

  Yes they are banned in Russia and China such enlightenned governments that would know a cult when they see one and are not fascists dictatorships that like to curtail religious freedom at all?

  If my words sound ironic there is a reason for it. I am being ironic!

  I honestly cannot believe you would even use Russia as an example. (probs the only one you know of and have translated that to "countless countries")
• 

  isaacaustin

  Good point Jook, it is not accurate to say the majority of govts do not think the org is a cult...as awareness is rising!
• 

  isaacaustin

  Ren/Bator:

  Hi poppers

  You are propbably living in a country were jehovah's witnesses are recognised as a religion and not a cult by your government. Who really is the one being blind here?

  My reply: Awareness is rising. A typical sign of cults, such as the JWs...is that people know very little about it. This is the case among JWs...people generally have a scant knowledge of them.

  Ren/Bator said:

  Hi jookbeard

  Yes they are banned in Russia and China such enlightenned governments that would know a cult when they see one and are not fascists dictatorships that like to curtail religious freedom at all?

  If my words sound ironic there is a reason for it. I am being ironic!

  I honestly cannot believe you would even use Russia as an example. (probs the only one you know of and have translated that to "countless countries")

  My reply: Time will tell but perhaps others will follow suit.

  They also have a mess in France.
• 

  debator

  Hi Isaac

  Do you just agree with any old anti-witness opinion as a matter of form? a bit of objectivity here please guys!

  In most countries Jehovah's Witnesses are recognized as having the same basic rights as members of mainstream religions. [ 1 ] In many areas, government officials have praised their work in the fields of linguistic education along with disaster management relief in instances of national or international crisis.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah's_Witnesses_and_governments

  but you know what the nazis also banned us were they enlightenned too?
• 

  jookbeard

  shall we start with the whole of the Middle East? Libya,Algeria,Egypt and Morocco? Bangladesh, Myanmar,Indonesia,Cambodia,Malaysia, pretty good list I'd say.
• 

  debator

  Hi jookbeard

  A fine list of enlightenned and upstanding countries known for the human rights they give to their people to have more than one religion other than the one the government makes them be in!

  When you stop saying silly things jookbeard I will stop being ironic.