The following highlighted info is taken from pg. 62 of Steve Hassan's Combatting Cult Mind Control:
If information transmitted to a cult member is perceived as an attack on either the leader, the doctrine, or the group, a hostile wall goes up. Members are trained to disbelieve any criticism. Critical words have been explained away in advance as "the lies about us that Satan puts in peoples' minds" or "the lies that the World Conspiracy prints in the news media to discredit us, because they know we're onto them." Paradoxically, criticism of the group confirms that the cult's view of the world is correct. The information presented does not register properly.
Perhaps the most widely used and effective way to control cult member's thoughts is thought-stopping rituals. Members are taught to use thought-stopping on themselves. They are told it will help them grow or be more effective. Whenever a cult member begins to experience a "bad" thought, he uses thought-stopping to drown out the "negativity" and center himself, thus learning how to shut out anything that threatens his reality.
I found this to be quite interesting. As a JW, you exhibit these very thoughts. And unfortunately, I admit to teaching this style of thinking in the past.
Perhaps some of you that are still "active" as witnesses recall a few parts on recent assemblies a few years ago.
A brother is looking up some info on his computer and comes across negative info about the JW's on a website. He IMMEDIATELY turns the computer off, recognizing it as garbage, lies, and worthless talk.
A brother gets a job offer and after having a short time to STOP and "THINK" , he refuses the offer in his head, realizing that putting "spiritual" things first (JW definition) is what is important.
A brother is browsing though his emails and comes across something from someone he doesn't know. He begins to view it and recalls the scripture of 'turning ones eyes away from seeing what is futile'. (Pornography was the example, but this applies to apostate issues also.)
I, in my "faithful" days, had an opportunity to perform some of these demonstrations. Little did I give thought to how the society really pushes their ideas. And I was a willing pawn to show others "how to do it". This is indeed thought stopping because the individual reacts INSTANTLY, there is no pondering over what other options there may be. As far as they are concerned, what they just saw is critical and harmful and they MUST resist it at ANY cost.
I recall my early days of dabbling with so called apostate info. As others have already mentioned, and the book makes clear, fear is a BIG factor. But it is a natural response when you are taught that anything said outside the walls of the Watchtower walls is a threat.
Now what I was taught in the past just makes me completely sick - THOUGHT CONTROL.
Coments anyone?
CoC