The choice to join a cult

NoRegrets

This was an article from the TED talks that was interesting:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jayanti-tamm/the-cult-of-choice_b_3997609.html

happy@last

Very interesting, who's mentally diseased now?

Kojack57

Wow just read the artical and watched the video. That hit the nail dead on the head. Thanks for posting that.

Yeah, I really like the point the author was making that those who join groups as adults are making a choice to join; it's just that the cost of entry is so much lower than the barriers to EXIT, that it's like one of these:

OnTheWayOut

I wasn't thrilled with the Huffington article at all. It attacked the approach of the TED video talks. The author of the article seems to feel that born-ins can cry victim when it comes to cults, but anyone else liked their vision or promises and willingly chose to go along.

It hates over-simplification and then over-simplifies.

While this seems simple, it is absolutely true: If anyone who joins a cult knew it was a cult, they wouldn't join the cult.

wasblind

" What distinguishes religion from cults is the ability to question without being shunned, and the ability to reject dogmatic tenets without being shunned "

DISASSOCIATION

" The person who disassociates himself by repudiating the faith and deliberately abandoning Jehovah's worship is viewed in the same way as one who is disfellowshipped " ( Shunned ) ______Organized to do Jehovah's will page 155

There's no question about it. The WTS is a cult

jhine

Can I ask a question (s)of those who chose to join ?

Did you think to do research about the WT before joining ?

Did you have Bible knowledge before joining ?

Would you have listened if some clever clogs , know it all , like me suggested that you do research or pointed out some of the flaws of the WT ? or would you have listened to the people you were studying with who warned you that nasty members of Christendom would try to put you off?

I know that these are very to the point questions , but I am interested in what makes someone join a fringe group like the WT even though family and friends probably warned against .