I know this has been rehashed, time and again, but I saw this interesting blip on jw.org last night, and did a little thinking about it...
JW. org answers the important question that so many have... Are Jehovah's Witnesses a Cult?
No, Jehovah's Witnesses are not a cult... Consider two common perceptions regarding cults, and why those don't apply to us.
• Some think of a cult as being a new 1 or unorthodox religion... ... we pattern our worship after that of the first-century Christians 2 ...
• Some think of a cult as being a dangerous 3 religious sect with a human 4 leader. Jehovah's Witnesses do not look to any human as their leader. Rather, we adhere to the standard that Jesus set for his followers when he stated: "Your Leader is one, the Christ." - Matthew 23:10
Far from being a dangerous cult, Jehovah's Witnesses practice a religion that benefits its members and others 5 in the community...
observations: 1 This organization is less than 150 years old. 2 Jesus did not shun people. First century Christians did not worship the name of their group or the fact that they were somehow chosen by God. They actually worshipped God. (there is a difference) JW's worship the Name of their organization. 3 This one is debatable, but I don't trust anyone who tells me to get ready to: "Obey us, even if it makes no sense from a human standpoint." There is also the blood doctrine, encouraging so many people to die for the Name of the organization by refusing blood. I wonder how many secretly wish they could face that decision, just to prove their obedience? What kind of things are said at a funeral of a member who dies by refusing blood? Anything extra added to their eulogy? Are they going to get a bonus from Jehovah for the sacrifice of their own life? I don't know. 4 Governing Body is not human? If they aren't, what are they? If they are, then I guess that means no one in the organization should look to them as their leader.
• Ok, they have cleared themselves of two "common" perspectives on cults. That's a relief! I guess I might take another look at joining.
Let's consider what the University of California Berkley has to say about cults. Do any of these apply to the Jehovah's Witnesses and the way they "worship?" Are these models described below, derived from the first century Christians, or are any of them new and/or unorthodox? The worship style of the Jehovah's Witnesses is called a "meeting." Worship is actually supposed to be a joyful and happy occasion. Meetings are boring and unemotional.
I am going to highlight only my own experience with the JWs, and what I have personally observed and experienced. I have read Watchtower study articles that almost quote some of these lines below, but if I didn't experience them personally, I did not highlight the text.
Anything in red text, is something I experienced or witnessed from the organization or its members. I was a Bible student who went to meetings.
I fit the role of potential recruit, but then I changed my mind.
Supposedly, you should be concerned if the group you want to join, meets at least half of the criteria listed.
University of California at Berkeley (19 Characteristics)
Recruitment
1. Deception - Group identity and/or true motives are not revealed. The group leaders tell members to withhold truth from outsiders 1.2. Emotional Leverage/Love Bombing - Instant friendship, extreme helpfulness, generosity and acceptance 2...Group recruiters "lovingly" will not take "no" for an answer-invitations impossible to refuse without feeling guilty and/or ungrateful. "Love", "generosity", "encouragement" are used to lower defenses and create an ever increasing sense of obligation, debt and guilt.
3. Exploit Personal Crisis 3 - They use an existing crisis as a means of getting you to participate. They exploit vulnerability arising from:
- Broken relationships
- Death in the family
- Loss of job
- Move to new location
- Loneliness/depression
- Guilt/shame
- Stress/fear
4. Crisis Creation - They employ tactics designed to create or deepen confusion, fear, guilt or doubt. i.e. "you aren't serving God the way He intended." Questions areas of faith never before examined or explored and attack other faiths specifically 4.5. All The Answers 4 - Provide simple answers to the confusion they, themselves, create. Support these answers with material produced or "approved" by the group.
1 Never told us about the existence of their faithful and discreet slave (only heard comments murmured at meetings). See also #4 & 10 (truth withheld) 2&3 Yes! Especially when we moved to new location. Helped us move, unpack, helped us after auto accident...) 4 They raised new questions, that we'd never thought of, and answered those. Told us to question all religions, except JW's... see #10 also.
Programming
1. Intense Study - Focus is on group doctrine and writings. Bible, if used at all, is referred to one verse at time to "prove" group teachings 5.2. Opposer Warnings - Recruiters are told that "Satan" will cause relatives and friend to say bad things about the group 6 to try to "steal them away from God." Recruits soon believes group members, alone, are truthful/trustworthy.
3. Guilt and Fear - Group dwells on members' "sinful nature" (many use public confession). Guilt and fear arising from "failing God" are magnified to manipulate new member.
4. Schedule Control & Fatigue - Study and service become mandatory. New member becomes too busy to question. Family, friends, jobs and hobbies are squeezed out, further isolating the new member.
5. Attack Independent Thought - Critical thinking is discouraged as prideful 7 and sinful, blind acceptance encouraged.
6. Divine Commission - Leader(s) claim new revelation from God, within past 200 years, in which all but their group are rejected by God. They, alone, speak for God.
7. Absolutism - They insist on total, unquestioning obedience and submission to the group, both actions AND thoughts. Group "love" and acceptance becomes dependent upon obedience and submission 8 . Unconditional love...isn't.
8. Totalism - "Us against them" thinking. Strengthens group identity. Everyone outside of group lumped under one label 9 .
5 We noticed they routinely skipped over entire passages (ie Matthew 25:31-34, 46 - parable: sheep & goats) from their articles and publications. 6 I remember an early lesson warns us that people might try to talk you out of studying with them. That is because Satan doesn't like it when you start getting closer to God. 7 Don't worry so much about those particular details. These numbers (a day, 1000 years, 7) or examples (feed the hungry) are "figurative." These other numbers (144,000) or symbols are "literal." (more confusion) 8 They are only friendly to you when you are attending meetings. 9 My sister has started shunning me, even though I never even joined.
Retention
1. Motive Questioning 10- When sound evidence against the group is presented, members are taught to question the motivation of the presenter. The verifiable (sound documentation) is ignored because of doubts over the unverifiable (presenter's motives). See Opposer Warnings (#2 above).2. Information Control - Group controls what convert may read or hear. They discourage (forbid) contact with ex-members or anything critical of the group 11. May say it is the same as pornography making it not only sinful and dangerous but shameful as well. Ex-members become feared and avoidance of them becomes a "survival issue."
3. Isolation, Separation & Alienation - Group becomes substitute family. Members encouraged to drop worldly (non-members) friends. May be told to change jobs, quit school, give up sports, hobbies, etc.
4. Coercion - Disobedience, including even minor disagreement with group doctrine, may result in expulsion and shunning 12.
5. Phobias - The idea is planted that anyone who leaves goes into a life of depravity and sin, loses their sanity, dies, or will have children die, etc. Constant rumors of bad things happening to people who leave. No one ever leaves for "legitimate reasons."
6. Striving for the Unreachable - Group membership and service are essential for salvation 13..."Work your way into God's favor." NO matter what you do, it is never enough.
10 When we showed evidence about the organization to our teacher, he immediately tuned out the information, as it came from "apostates!" (another doctrine or "truth" they withheld... "research everything except us!") 11 There are multiple ways they get you to start thinking this way, and believing it is wrong to "stumble" someone else with anything they might not like to hear about their own religion 12 I was never baptized, but my sister cut me off because I asked her a couple of tough questions she could not answer. 13 My husband was threatened in private by our BS conductor, about how he was sentencing his entire family to die at Armageddon, if he didn't "start making some progress here..."
Anyway... I experienced 13 of the 19 on this particular list of warning signs that a group might be a cult. I heard rumors about most of the other ones.
Just my experience and opinions, of course. If an adult chooses to see these warning signs and still be a member of this JWs, that's one thing. Children should be no part of this, and forcing them into a JW life is unimaginable.
...OUTLAW