I think it's easier for the world to be interested and sceptical about Scientology because of the whole UFO alien things.
JW's beliefs are pretty wacky but there's nothing quite as sensational that could get the attention of the rest of the world
Scientologit and mormon apostates
by zound 17 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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LostGeneration
Mormons are probably a six or seven on the cult scale of 1-10. JWs I would put at an 8, maybe an 8.5. Scientologists are probably a 9, if you are calling only the most crazy a 10 (Koresh, Jonestown, Heavens Gate)
Mormons lie about their numbers from what I understand. They count EVERYONE, as long as they are on the rolls, its a bitch to get your name off of the rolls in some cases. Weird when you compare it to JWs who are ready and willing to kick your ass to the curb.
I think Scientology inflates their numbers too, I've heard in reality something like 100k to a million. They just get all the publicity (and $$$$$$$$) from the high end of their membership. But their "disconnection" policy is even harsher than DFing.
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Violia
Are there any X Pentecostal/ Church of Christ, boards? If it were not for blood and shunning, jws almost look sane compared to those folks. Really crazy and they DF too. At least the Pentecostals do. BTW, they have changed their name around here to things like , Four Square & some of the Non-denominational churches and churches with mainly the word Bible or Christ in it. It is scary out there. Anyone from South recall the Word of Faith folks? Or the Bahai folks? The Bahia ( Sp) where not too creepy but the WOF folks were scary and last I heard are in Florida after their Pastor was disgraced.
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zound
When comparing Jonestown to JW's - though Jonestown has the shock value, JW's I find are far more insidious.
913 people is chump change when considering all the people dead from blood transfusions, suicide, organ transplants, etc over the years.
The other thing is, its common knowledge now that Jonestown, Heavens Gate etc were crazy cults. JW's for the most part are recognised as a slightly kooky religion. This provides no real closure for ex members - the world at large don't really recognise us as cult victims.
By the time Watchtower goes the road of Jonestown in the annuls of history - and is worldwide accepted as a destructive cult, I'll be long dead.
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Zordino
So a JW, a Mormon, and a Scientologist walk into a bar..... wait! Mormons don't drink, JW's wouldn't be caught dead in a worldly bar and ......... ohhh forget it...
I hope as Zound said, that one day the world will see what a destructive cult the WT corp really is.
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Xanthippe
JW's beliefs are pretty wacky but there's nothing quite as sensational that could get the attention of the rest of the world
Actually Zound I think the JW beliefs are extremely sensational - no blood transfusions, believing the end of the world as we know it is coming and people will stop getting old and dying, refusing military service. These are highly emotive subjects and yet every time I see a documentary about them it is very positive. This organization must pack a punch legally is all I can say but then they are loaded aren't they?
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return of parakeet
zound: " There's some interesting comments from ex mormons as to their views of JW' (their views when they were active mormons) "
There's an active Mormon on this board right now, if you want to check his comments about dubs.
He's "Cold Steel" and does a lot of missionary-type posting using the various books of the Mormon cult.
After you read some of his posts, you can decide where he falls on LostGeneration's "1-10 cult-scale."
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prologos
"Apostacy" from LDS church was treated by a good PBS program. the leader stated: " Our greatest danger are our Mormon INTELECTUALS". it is hard to swallow (as an outsider) the strange doctrines they illustrate in their Salt Lake City displays.
WTBtS on the other hand, has the problem that their doctrines can be judged against a KNOWN STANDARD, the Bible. while incredible by itself, (talking snake & all), it is, as a literary piece, a basis for verification, and WTBtS doctrine failes, as it must, fresher light or not. so:
dissenting, distancing yourself from such an arrangement for protection is more to be expected than from the blatant "stand - alone" arrangements like the LDS or LSD orgs.
Only by distancing yourself from the past will you get into the future. homespun.