Okay, before you fly off the handle--I wrote a blog on how my research proves JW's are a cult (no, I haven't read the Cult book yet). Somebody linked their own findings onto my site saying the opposite. Their evidence is erroneous and as I don't have time to point this out I thought I would let you all do it for me.
JW's not a cult
by Lunatic Faith 77 Replies latest jw experiences
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elderelite
As someone who would like to leave but is afraid of losing family and friends and being shunned... I can clearly say, without hesitation or reservation..
It is, for sure and for certain, a goddamn cult
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Open mind
Are JW's a cult? Depends on where you set the goal posts.
The writer of that blog article set them where she wanted in order to support her personal definition of cult.
Here's my take on JWs and cults.
Scale of 1 - 10.
1 = Unitarian Universalists
10 = People's Temple (Jim Jones)
JWs are a 7.
Scientologists are an 8.
And when all the blathering is done, that's just one of 7 billion opinions on this pale blue dot.
om
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baltar447
(a) They do not have a particular leader, strong or otherwise.
I'd say that the GB are exercising their authority more lately than at any other time. This has been a recurring theme with the GB making more and more dogmatic statements and sketchy "new light" that proves they are guessing at prophecy.
(b) They believe that as a result of independent bible study, everybody will eventually come to the same conclusions that they have.
Whaaa? Obviously this person knows NOTHING about what witnesses teach:
“Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization in mind.”—The Watchtower, October 1, 1967, p. 587
(c) Witnesses ask people they don’t know as well as relatives to teach what they think they have learned;
This sentence doesn't even make any sense to me, can this person write a proper sentence please? Or someone translate it?
(d) While it’s frequently true that Witnesses devote a lot of their time and effort trying to convert others, there does not appear to be any monetary pressure – not any more so than any other church encourages tithing.
Yes but they do have their ways of raking in the money. Conventions raise alot of money, where they pre-determine a per-head amount to be made that isn't based on actual expenses and they this is on top of what congregations send in between conventions. Publishers are also told to donate for the literature first then additional donations got for more literature, etc. Disaster relief efforts can make money too, when people sign over their insurance checks to the WTBS.
(e) It’s their lack of separation from the nearby community that often has them at odds with their neighbors
Again, I'm trying to grasp where this writer is coming from. Witnesses stand out as being different and generally will try to avoid community events, even non religious ones because they are far too busy doing theocratic busywork on the weekends. In addition, their elitest attitude makes them treat everyone as either as someone to be converted or future bird food.
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baltar447
As someone who would like to leave but is afraid of losing family and friends and being shunned... I can clearly say, without hesitation or reservation..
It is, for sure and for certain, a goddamn cult
I am really beginning to agree with EE here.
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nugget
I couldn't read the whole thing because it was such a skim over the surface with no depth of argument that my life just wouldn't be long enough for me to give up valuable time to it.
However to say the JWs have no cult characteristics shows a complete lack of understanding of the group.
For example the GB is always right they are never wrong. When they are wrong they explain that they were not wrong they were right at the time but now what was right is wrong and what would have been wrong is right. Even if you propose the wrong thing that turns out to be right you are wrong because it is wrong to decide for yourself what is right.
You cannot question doctrine, you can doubt the bible but you cannot doubt the governing body. You can be disfellowshipped for not agreeing that the governing body is gods channel of communication on earth but you will not be disfellowshipped for saying you do not believe the Bible. how is this not a cult.
ALthough the witnesses live in the community they are seperated from it by the rules under which they must govern their lives. Their refusal to take part in celebrations, sports, recreational activities means they are kept at a distance. They are told worldly people are bad and must be avoided and interaction is only acceptable when fufilling religious duties or during times when it is unavoidable.
Witnesses cannot think for themselves in fact they are discouraged from thinking at all. Study means read the publications, answering up means answering from the publications. No research is encouraged academic research is actively discouraged. Education is demeaned personal development is discouraged, being better than average is discouraged, using talants is discouraged. Conformity is enforced.
And any one who doesn't think Df'ing is a cult characteristic is just beyond stupid.
And it is a cult because you cannot just leave they will not let you just walk away without punnishment.
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unshackled
I'll second elderlite's response...but in past tense:
As someone who HAS walked away from the JW religion, I HAVE lost family and friends and been shunned... so I can clearly say, without hesitation or reservation..
It is, for sure and for certain, a goddamn cult.
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jgnat
The criteria stated are outdated. I hope this "student" is not disappointed in his grade. We now know that cults do not necessarily need a charismatic leader to be self-sustaining. (Ref. Festinger and later researchers on end-time cults and failed prophecy). Hassan uses the BITE model to describe groups who are using mind control.
The first confusion comes from using "cult" for two different types of groups. "Cult" could be broadly defined as any new religion that is unorthodox. Before Christianity became orthodox (Nicene Council) it was considered a cult, possibly dangerous to the state religion (worship of Ceasar). With this definition, any religion that starts out as a cult can mature and become mainstream (Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses).
The second use of "cult" is for any group whose practices are harmful to it's members. A careful term might be "high-control group". The care and concern for the individual is subsumed in the interest of the group. It might be said that army bootcamp is a sort of cult. The explicit goal is to break down the individual so that they will obey instantly without thought. One might argue that an army is not cultic as recruitment is voluntary and members may de-enlist (within the guidelines) without social repercussion. It may also be argued that army sargeants want obedient soldiers to keep them from getting killed.
The Jehovah's Witnesses does have practices that are harmful to members.
I'd like to read your blog, too. Can you provide a link?
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Spade
When used to indict Jehovah's Witnesses, the word “cult” has no implicit meaning. It's basically just a slang term for a religion someone doesn't like.
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bohm
...like spade is just a slang for AiW...
you even use the same wrong arguments!