by AndersonsInfo 30 Replies latest jw friends
I'm pleased that the columist didn't just print the WTS Public Relations Dept News Release. It looks like she took the time to get the "other side" of the story as well, such as quoting Richard Kelly & Cynthia Hampton, and a neutral expert from Cal State.
The "negative" facts about JWs will go in one ear and out the other of JWs who read this , but perhaps the average person who reads it will be awakened.
Doc
Martinez: People think of cults as secret. We are not secret.
Um, no!
People think of a CULT as:
1 : formal religious veneration : worship
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5
a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad
b : the object of such devotion
c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion
JW's go way beyond the dictionary definition of "cult" as defined by Merriam-Webster above.
The more accurately fit Steven Hassan's BITE Model of Cult Mind Control.
Read his description of Destructive Cults and you'll see that JWs have almost every attribute of a cult:
The BITE Model
I. Behavior Control II. Information Control III. Thought Control IV. Emotional Control
1. Regulate individual’s physical reality
2. Dictate where, how, and with whom the member lives and associates or isolates
3. When, how and with whom the member has sex
4. Control types of clothing and hairstyles
5. Regulate diet - food and drink, hunger and/or fasting
6. Manipulation and deprivation of sleep
7. Financial exploitation, manipulation or dependence
8. Restrict leisure, entertainment, vacation time
9. Major time spent with group indoctrination and rituals and/or self indoctrination including the Internet
10. Permission required for major decisions
11. Thoughts, feelings, and activities (of self and others) reported to superiors
12. Rewards and punishments used to modify behaviors, both positive and negative
13. Discourage individualism, encourage group-think
14. Impose rigid rules and regulations
1. Deception:
a. Deliberately withhold information
b. Distort information to make it more acceptable
c. Systematically lie to the cult member
2. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including:
a. Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, other media
b.Critical information
c. Former members
d. Keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigate
e. Control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking
3. Compartmentalize information into Outsider vs. Insider doctrines
a. Ensure that information is not freely accessible
b.Control information at different levels and missions within group
c. Allow only leadership to decide who needs to know what and when
4. Encourage spying on other members
a. Impose a buddy system to monitor and control member
b.Report deviant thoughts, feelings and actions to leadership
c. Ensure that individual behavior is monitored by group
5. Extensive use of cult-generated information and propaganda, including:
a. Newsletters, magazines, journals, audiotapes, videotapes, YouTube, movies and other media
b.Misquoting statements or using them out of context from non-cult sources
6. Unethical use of confession
a. Information about sins used to disrupt and/or dissolve identity boundaries
b. Withholding forgiveness or absolution
c. Manipulation of memory, possible false memories
1. Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth
a. Adopting the group's ‘map of reality’ as reality
b. Instill black and white thinking
c. Decide between good vs. evil
d. Organize people into us vs. them (insiders vs. outsiders)
2.Change person’s name and identity
3. Use of loaded language and clichés which constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts and reduce complexities into platitudinous buzz words
4. Encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts
5. Hypnotic techniques are used to alter mental states, undermine critical thinking and even to age regress the member
6. Memories are manipulated and false memories are created
7. Teaching thought-stopping techniques which shut down reality testing by stopping negative thoughts and allowing only positive thoughts, including:
a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking
b. Chanting
c. Meditating
d. Praying
e. Speaking in tongues
f. Singing or humming
8. Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism
9. Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy allowed
10. Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful
1. Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings – some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish
2. Teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt
3. Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault
4. Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness, such as
a. Identity guilt
b. You are not living up to your potential
c. Your family is deficient
d. Your past is suspect
e. Your affiliations are unwise
f. Your thoughts, feelings, actions are irrelevant or selfish
g. Social guilt
h. Historical guilt
5. Instill fear, such as fear of:
a. Thinking independently
b. The outside world
c. Enemies
d. Losing one’s salvation
e. Leaving or being shunned by the group
f. Other’s disapproval
6. Extremes of emotional highs and lows – love bombing and praise one moment and then declaring you are horrible sinner
7. Ritualistic and sometimes public confession of sins
8. Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority
a. No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group
b. Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000
c. Shunning of those who leave; fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family
d. Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and roll
e. Threats of harm to ex-member and family
But it's OK that JWs are a cult because they bring in more $$$ to the City of Long Beach than the Grand Prix!!!
Thanks Barbara/Andersoninfo for sharing.
I hope that other JWN members post their comments to the informercial, write respectful emails to Rebecca Kimitch, or at least like those comments to the article that they agree with that were written by other people.
Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,
Robert
the organization boasts some 17 million participants internationally
Really? They are using Memorial Attendance™ numbers to "boast" about non-existent growth now?.....Scully
Good catch Scully!..
10 million extra visitors on 1 day a year,who are Not JW`s..
To a WBT$/JW Event where Everyone is Encouraged..
"Not to Participate"
......................... 
...OUTLAW
Great article which I hope the Witnesses i the area read.
Thanks for posting.
Thanks for posting this article, Barbara. I can see why there is a mutual admiration society between JWs and Long Beach. Both benefit from the DCs being held there. Some years ago BaalamsAss and I drove to LB to attend the convention because my daughter was being baptized there. I must say it was by FAR the best convention venue we had ever experienced- upscale in every way. The weather is incomparable. The vibe of the town is cool. Even the witnesses were bordering on coolness. Not a polyester suit in sight. The woman were very attractive and actually fashionably dressed. The problem was the pesky religion- but we didn't see that at the time. LOL
An excellent article that went beyond the usual once-over-lightly that so many lazy journalists prefer (to keep their editor and readers happy). It would be hard for the average reader to escape the conclusion that all is not well in Watchtower land.
Great article. I wonder how it would go over if I post it on Facebook?
