Does creating low self esteem in the R&F play into the hands of the GB?

by highdose 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  highdose

  Officaly they say that they don't want the R&F to have low self esteem, they say that low self esteem is from the devil.

  But they create a culture that cannot help but give their R&F crippling self esteem, the constant empasis is on looking at the flaws in oneself. "pummeling" yourself because of your sins, all the publications tell us over and over again that we are "dust" and deserve nothing.

  Then theres the culture of the nosy "loving brothers and sisters" constantly on the look out for what you might have done wrong and telling tales to the elders. Who then disapline you by attempting to crush you spirt even futher.

  What is the point of this? Does it make the R&F less likey to think for themselves if they don't think much of themselves anyway?

  Thoughts please?
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  Mr. Falcon

  Great question, highdose. There is a lot of authoritarian and clique-ish behavior in halls, coupled with books like Keep Yourself In God's Love which essentially make it seem as though if you cough, God will vaporize you.

  It's odd because they will openly "love-bomb" you. They will walk around hugging and kissing you, calling you "dear brother" or "dear sister" but if you so much as put one toe out of line, well, to quote Henry Hill from Goodfellas:

  "If you're part of a crew (or in this case a JW congregation), nobody ever tells you that they're going to kill you. It doesn't happen that way. There weren't any arguments or curses like in the movies. So your murderers come with smiles. They come as your friends, the people who have cared for you all of your life, and they always seem to come at a time when you're at your weakest and most in need of their help."

  So the end result is that the person either suffers from low self-esteem, or if they have a more internal locus of control, they my be determined to live their life in their own way. They may become increasingly insular and reclusive, as this is one of the only ways to protect your privacy if you are a JW.
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  Igot2bme

  I believe that the GB uses this and that it is typical cult tactic. People are more controllable, and malleable when their self esteem is low.
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  designs

  For awhile it does, you get a very subserviant bunch and then the rebellious gene kicks in (like Us here)..

  Free at Last, Free at Last, thank god almighty we're free at last................
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  aSphereisnotaCircle

  Low self esteem is a must to keep the R&F dependant on them.

  "do not trust your own understanding" is constantly grilled into the JW brain.

  JW are taught that "You cant trust your own thinking process, you can only trust gods channel of comunication",
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  leavingwt

  Does creating low self esteem in the R&F play into the hands of the GB?

  Yes. They want everyone, ESPECIALLY the males, to be stripped of the capacity to question authority.

  WT has created a large army of emasculated males, who ask, 'How high?', when told to jump.
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  ldrnomo

  I'm beginning to think "It's a Cult"
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  reneeisorym

  If you have high self esteem as a JW its because you are doing everything right according to the borg. Right = being a blind mindless drone. Either way they win.
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  snowbird

  Yes. They want everyone, ESPECIALLY the males, to be stripped of the capacity to question authority.

  WT has created a large army of emasculated males, who ask, 'How high?', when told to jump

  The plantation mentality is strong in WT Land.

  The similarities are too striking to be mere coincidence.

  Rutherford, whose family owned a farm, must have taken this mindset to Brooklyn.

  Syl
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  Joliette

  Yes. Watch the propaganda movies that the watchtower released. They promote low self esteem and take being humble to a whole different level.