by 4thgen 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
There was an interesting statement on a cult recovery site: “The first is to look at its purpose which should be centered on the people it serves rather than on the ones that are providing the service.’
Well, that leaves out JW’s, as it’s now all about the GB.
'It’s not what they say, it’s what they do!"
"Lets say an organization wants a person to separate from and cut off contact from family and friends does that sound like a cult?"
'You will be afraid.... you will be"
and don't think it won't happen to you ....
I wish there were a neutral word for a cult. Do you think Roman Catholics are a cult? It seems as though they were pre-Vatican II. The Church was very rigid and the people loved it for the control.
All my life I avoided JWs like the plague. When I commuted through the NYC bus terminal, Witnesses often had a display. Looking at it for a few seconds upset me.
Band on the Run - "I wish there were a neutral word for a cult."
I prefer the term "authoritarian high-control group".
Yeah, it's kind of wordy, but break it down into its individual components and even a dyed-in-the-wool JW would be hard-pressed to refute the designation.
In fact, I think a pretty compelling argument could be made that the proliferation and specifics of negative characteristics in any given group (religious or secular) can be significantly attributed to the degree of authoritarianism found in said group.
I suspect you'd be hard-pressed to find financial fraud, corruption, or the institutionalized sexual abuse of young people in a church that utilizes the democratic process, embraces fiscal and policy transparency, respects the discoveries of history and science, and advocates positive community activism.
Authoritarian religions practice the opposite; look at the internal problems the WTS has.
