How about this one:
'Right-thinking persons....' Obviously, if you disagree with the presented view it must mean that you are wrong thinking...Right? Or am I wrong in thinking that I am right?....lol
HS
Peer Pressure - the WTS Greatest Weapon
by hillary_step 32 Replies latest jw friends
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Amazing
HI HS: DB made some good points about people leaving and not joining as the reduced level that peer pressure is having. However, the 'fear' resulting from the level of peer pressure and pressure you mention - 'right thinking' - has its effect in keeping more from leaving. Who would want to be thought of as not having 'right thinking' and so a JW may decline to listen to his/her internal voice, because it is not thinking right ... this is 'fear' and 'pressure' par excellence. Were this reduced, I have no doubt that what DB cites would become even more problematic for the WTS.
Following Bible principles, we will avoid trying to live - or demand others to live - by an extensive and rigid set of dos and don'ts that go beyond the teachings of the Bible. The Watchtower, 4-15-02, pg 22, pp 15
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hillary_step
Hi IW,
I appreciate your post. I would like to see the "manual that the WTS provides as instructions as to writing techniques." Do you have this manuel or have you seen it?
No, I do not have a copy. The last one I saw was in the early 80's, a ring file that allowed for additions. I understand that much of this information is now on the multi CD research set that some in 'Writing' have.
Best regards - HS
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dungbeetle
I guess it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. The 'history whitewash' thank God less and less of it is possible) to GET THEM in...
And pressure to KEEP THEM IN.
But even the peer pressure can't go on forever as there are more and more places for a JW in terrible trouble to go. I hope we keep woking on that.
Hugs to everyone who posted on this thread.
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Pureheart
All of those comments are a hard act to follow. And so I will just rate this thread par excellence. Thanks
Pureheart
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waiting
"He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past controls the future." Orwell "1984" (hope I got the sequence right.)
With the proper triggers in place, it's amazing (no pun intended) what an unethical person can accomplish. Look at Hitler, Stalin, etc. Even ethical people use triggers, such as politicians, preachers "We have a dream".
It motivates people to move, or to close down. Triggers can be fear, hatred, racism, etc., etc., They all work.
What's hard is spotting them - and then not reacting. People have been failing for centuries. Look at the Popes' ability to get men & boys to go into the Crusades.
Interesting subject, HS - thanks.
waiting
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bluesapphire
(((hugs to all))) this thread belongs on page 1!
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Marvin Shilmer
Hi, HS
Here’s a quotation for you from Insight on the Scriptures Volume 1 page 787 under the subject Expelling:
One who was cast out as wicked, cut off entirely, would be considered worthy of death, though the Jews might not have the authority to execute such a one. Nevertheless, the form of cutting off they did employ was a very powerful weapon in the Jewish community. Jesus foretold that his followers would be expelled from the synagogues. (Joh 16:2) Fear of being expelled, or “unchurched,” kept some of the Jews, even the rulers, from confessing Jesus. (Joh 9:22, ftn; Joh 12:42) An example of such action by the synagogue was the case of the healed blind man who spoke favorably of Jesus.—Joh 9:34. [Bold added]
The Watchtower characterizes the form of shunning practiced by JWs as a “death-dealing blow.” The Watchtower of 2/1 1960 page 80:So also today, the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses can not and will not tolerate juvenile delinquency to exist in its midst. So, to avoid a possible death-dealing blow by being disfellowshiped from the congregation, wise theocratic children give heed to and follow what God’s Word says: “Children, be obedient to your parents in union with the Lord, for this is righteous.” “You children, be obedient to your parents in everything [this leaves nothing out], for this is well-pleasing in the Lord.” “Listen to your father who caused your birth,” the Proverb says, “and do not despise your mother just because she has grown old.”—Eph. 6:1; Col. 3:20; Prov. 23:22.
So, who’s using the Pharisaic “very powerful weapon” today, the kind that could keep people from confessing Jesus out of FEAR? -
refiners fire
The most blattant use of peer pressure I ever experienced was when I got involved in AMWAY.
Those guys are bad!
First time I ever went to a meeting they misled me into thinking I was going to a party.
By the time I got there and realized what it really was I was totally surrounded by people in the chain above me,swamped with fawning attention, breathed on, fondled, and buttered up, while being brainwashed with slogans and having images of how rich I was going to be constantly pumped into me by my new "family".Thats what they called themselves .
Hard to say no in a situation like that.
But I did because I knew a "lovebomb" when I saw one.
Soon as I started not playing the game and agreeing with everything they said, they applied the old "approve/disapprove" technique on me.
Fortunately, Id already read up about it.
When I continued to be non compliant, they INTIMIDATED me with physical jostling and implied threats.
When I still didnt go along they Excommunicated me.
I was DFd!
Ended up even having to find my own way home that night.
Thats a very basic peer pressure scenario in a nutshell.Another good one is whats called "lowball/ highball'.
I experienced a good example of this in a car yard once.
I go in there and the salesman, who was a really sweet old gentleman,gets familiar with me,gives me a coffee, talks about the old country, etc.
Then he got me to agree that I wanted the car.However it was too expensive.But i agreed that I did want it. Theres the psychological commitment from me.
So the old boy got me to agree to buy it at a price I found acceptable.
So we are all ready to go and hes got the papers out and everything and says, "now we just have to confirm the price with the boss".
So he takes me to see the boss, and the boss BAWLS the old guy out, in front of me, and says how RIDICULOUS the price Ive agreed to is.
Course, the object of this is to make me feel GUILTY that Im getting the old boy in trouble and agree to the higher price the boss insists upon.
good one huh? -
hillary_step
Marvin,
Thank you for your quotes. I thought this sentence very telling and is certainly self-condemning to the WTS:
Fear of being expelled, or “unchurched,” kept some of the Jews, even the rulers, from confessing Jesus.
Clearly the WTS understands that it uses the threat of expulsion as a control mechanism and yet parades it around under the banner of 'trying to bring wrongdoers to their senses'; crooked thinking that 'cannot be made straight'.As Goebbels said, 'Publish a lie long enough and people start to believe it'.
Best regards - HS