JW's not a cult (page 5)

OUTLAW

....................... ...OUTLAW

TTWSYF

Spade is alice in wonderland? I thought alice in wonderland was really alice in chains.

GLTirebiter

Using that five-fold test, the Watchtower is a cult. You need look no further than their own history and publications.

1. Does the group have a charismatic, strong leader (or leaders)

Yes, Joeseph Franklin Rutherford, esq. being the most prominent. After seizing control via a corporate coup d' etat, he separated the fringe religious group founded by Charles Taze Russell from what little credibility and respectability it had left (after the failed 1914 prophecy).

[2] Does the group squash individuality as well as independent thought?

See Watchtower January 15 1983, page 22, "Avoid Independent Thinking." Here they equate independent thinkers to satan and rebellion against God:

"From the very outset of his rebellion Satan called into question God's way of doing things. He promoted for independent thinking. 'You can decide for yourself what is good and bad,' Satan told Eve. 'You don't have to listen to God. He is not really telling you the truth.' (Genesis 3:1-5) To this day, it has been Satan's subtle design to infect God's people with this type of thinking.--2 Timothy 3:1, 13.

How is such independent thinking manifested? A common way is by questioning the counsel that is provided by God's visible organization..."

So according to Watchtower even posing the question is evil. You don't even have to disagree; the very act of thinking about the issue is rebellion. Against whom? None other than the self-proclaimed "God's organization!" (see question #1 about the leaders). Also see Watchtower May 15 1984, page 15:

"So important is it never to raise the voice in bitter criticism of the Lord's organization or its appointed representatives."

3. Is there a denial of intimacy by excluding or alienating friends or relatives?

The Watchtower organization is proud of their shunning policy. From Watchtower April 15 1988, page 28:

"Even if there were some family matters requiring contact, this certainly would be kept to a minimum, in line with the divine principle: 'Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person (or guilty of another gross sin),...not even eating with such a man.'--1 Corinthians 5:11.

Understandably, this may be difficult because of emotional and family ties. such as grandparents' love for their grandchildren. Yet, this is a test of loyalty to God...Anyone who is feeling sadness and pain that the disfellowshipped relative has thus caused may find comfort and be encouraged by the example set by some of Korah's relatives.--Psalm 84:10-12."

The gloss "(or guilty of another gross sin)" and the emphasis is from the original article, not my addition. They admit it is a loyalty test. They don't mention that Jesus himself dined with sinners (see Mark 2:15-17). Finally, Psalm 84 is about the glory of God, not judgement to our neighbors. From New Jerusalem Bible:

"[10] Better one day in your courts than a thousand at my own devices, to stand on the threshold of God's house than to live in the tents of the wicked. [11] For Yahweh God is a rampart and a shield, he gives grace and glory; Yahweh refuses nothing good to those whose life is blameless. [12] Yahweh Sabaoth, blessed is he who trusts in you."

[4]. Do they apply financial pressure and abuse for the welfare of the group, even at the personal expense of the adherent?

Watchtower August 15 1987, page 20 encourages parents to persuade their children to forego normal career goals, so they can pursue unpaid, no-expenses-reimbursed, full time service to the organization:

"So hold forth the goals of pioneering and of missionary and Bethel service. Help them to appreciate that the ministry is a career with a future and that there is no real future in worldly careers."

[5]. Does the group keep its members separated from their surrounding community?

Watchtower August 1 1986, page 14. Note the loaded language: "Satan", "this world", "people of the world."

"Be alert, also, to other designs of Satan. Sports, music, and dancing, for example, have become a prominent part of this world's entertainment. True these things in themselves are not necessarily wrong and can be pleasurable and even beneficial... Satan, however, has deceptively promoted the view that they pose no real threat of harm, even when regularly partciptaed in with people of the world.

Watchtower June 15 1980, page 8 equates non-Witnesses to poisonous snakes:

"Without a doubt, our appreciating just how wicked and corrupt Satan's world is will help us to keep separate from the world. Such appreciation will make it easy for us to obey the command found at Psalm 97:10: "Oh you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad.' ... avoiding them as we would poison or a poisonous snake, for they can poison us spiritually."

teel

The only real "mind control" that can be spoken of was instituted during the Dark Ages as no one could teach anything outside what was official church doctrine without being subject to capital punishment.

Hmm.... sounds very familiar to me. You know Spade, there are many types of deaths, social death is one of them, and in some cases it's worse than actual death. JWs brought back the Dark Ages with their "increasing light" (maybe it's black light).

MrMonroe

Does the group squash individuality as well as independent thought?

Put it another way: Are members permitted to form their own opinions about the dictates of the Governing Body? Are they free to determine their own actions and choices in life?

"Overseers of Jehovah’s People", The Watchtower, June 15, 1957:

"Let us now unmistakably identify Jehovah’s channel of communication for our day, that we may continue in his favor ... It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the “slave” as we would to the voice of God , because it is His provision."

@Nugget, I like your reasoning on page 1.

punkofnice

I call the JW's a CULT

.......it's shorter to say than 'Dangerous Mentally destructive High Control Group'..........or...............'Antichrist big pyramid business posing as a religion'.

I'm just ignoring Spade/Alice/Copy and paste..............not worth baiting this troll.

JRK

And how often to they quote Matthew 24:45-47? WE are the equivelant of God.

A group cult leader!

JK

JRK

Outlaw,

Gawd, Grace was a hottie!

JK

Mad Sweeney

I prefer some of the other methods for determing a cult, but these work, too:

1. Does the group have a charismatic, strong leader (or leaders)

Yes. The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watchtower Society is not just a strong leader, they are an unquestioned authority on whatever topic they decide to make a rule about. Their anonymity is not a weakness, but rather a strength, because it aids their personal unaccountability.

Two. Does the group squash individuality as well as independent thought?

It tries very hard to do so. That it doesn't always succeed is a testament to the human spirit. There are numerous articles in the Watchtower warning about "independent thinking." The January 15, 1983 Watchtower is almost exclusively devoted to the topic.

3. Is there a denial of intimacy by excluding or alienating friends or relatives?

If those friends and relatives are not Jehovah's Witnesses you are not allowed to have them as friends. Associations with "worldly" family should be kept to "necessary family business."

Four. Do they apply financial pressure and abuse for the welfare of the group, even at the personal expense of the adherent?

Assemblies and Conventions are very financially difficult on the members. Not only do people who have generally low wages have to spend money on the trips, they often have to miss work to do it. And the organization makes A TON of money from these.

Five. Does the group keep its members separated from their surrounding community?

Socially, yes. JWs do not associate socially with non-JWs. Period. They work with "worldly" people and "preach" to them, but they do not socialize with them and they do not take part in community service activities.

Heaven

When you are a 'study', it does not appear as a cult. So when you're studying and someone outside says "That sounds like a cult." you dismiss this because:

1) You are uninformed as to what defines a cult.

2) You have not been exposed to the true nature of this religion until AFTER you are baptized. Now it's too late because you've not only bought in, you've probably convinced your family and friends to buy in too.

b) They believe that as a result of independent bible study, everybody will eventually come to the same conclusions that they have.

As a result of my bible studying and my studying with the JWs, I not only dismissed the JWs ideals, I dismissed religion, AND the Bible. Case closed.

But that's just my opinion... yours may vary.

JW's not a cult

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