37 years later, I finally got the CULT thing

Freedom77

Hi all, just happened to come across this site again after 10 or 12 years - I see some old posts of mine under a diff username (can't reopen the account, forgot the freakin' password). I left the borg in 1977, age 21, haven't looked back but every now and then I am amazed to find there's some old, old attitude from the JW days that I find is still clinging to my pants leg like a stray sticker.

Looking over some of the posts here and some linked ex-JW sites yesterday it finally hit me - it IS an effing cult. When I was in, we were always accused of being that, so naturally we totally spouted the Society's line and got all defensive, etc. - and I guess and hope that's the last of the rotten JW thinking still with me. But seeing comments here and other sites finally brought home to me that it really, truly is a cult - a "corporation cult" I would call it - totally gray, bland, and boring - not at all mystical, psychedelic, or beads-and-incense which is what lots of people think a cult is. But a totally lying, wicked, mind-controlling, deadly, heartless, and totally UN-godly cult.

Just to clarify: I have realized all the above for many years - it was just the word "cult" I was still subconsciously in denial about.

I feel so stupid just now realizing this and no doubt most of you long since got that. Just wanted to say it "out loud" as it were, in front of people who know what I mean, and what it means to me. Of course I feel so stupid too having swallowed it all hook line and sinker but I was young - and you all drank the kool-aid too, so you can relate. Peace, y'all.

Londo111

Welcome back! Congrats to the realization. Even when I was first learning TTATT, I denied it was a cult. Reading Steven Hassan's book Combatting Cult Mind Control opened my eyes to what a cult is and how mind control works.

gingerbread

The road to freedom opened up for us when we realized that we no longer recognized the authority of the Watchtower Society and it's Governing Body.

Raised in - we were around in the 70's as young JW's too.

Now 40 year later ....

skeeter1

If you can see reality, then you can change anything. Welcome, to being able to change everything.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Welcome!

Dis-Member

Londo111 said:

Even when I was first learning TTATT, I denied it was a cult..

That fact is only just really dawning on me too right now and the serious harm and abuse this does to one's mind, heart and spirit. That damage goes very deep and can take years if not decades to wash it from one's system. I think I would do well to read Steven Hassan's book again.

OneEyedJoe

It's kinda weird how one person's path out can be so opposite of another's....I essentially knew it was a cult before I knew TTATT. I had to tell myself that all the culty stuff they did was just a coincidence, because it had to be the truth.

Freedom77

Appreciate all the comments, guys. Here's an update in my little 48-hour mental awakening: I've discovered Danmera has some great vids over on YT, y'all should go watch some if you haven't seen them, and this one in particular ("JW's: The Watchtower is Laughing at You") just made me spew my coffee across the room and say bad words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylVFghVHEeQ . Which is talking about the brainwashing techniques the WTBTS admits to in black and white!

She reads these quotes in the vid and posts the texts too - Holy Crap! Emphasis mine:

"Consider some of the other "twisted things" used to mislead God's people today. On occasion opposers will question the various teachings that Jehovah's people hold in common. Often this becomes a debate about words, just as it was in the first century. (1 Timothy 6:3, 4) They may also question the need for an organization to direct the minds of God's people. Their view is, God's spirit can direct individuals without some central, organized body of men giving direction." Watchtower March 1, 1983

"Minds must be cleansed and made over, mental circuits formed by old-world thinking and acting faded out and new ones put in according to new-world specifications. By privately studying regularly, by attending all meetings regularly, and by engaging in all features of the preaching work regularly mental circuits are deepened and such good activities become habitual, not at all the struggle they are when the mental circuits are weak and faint because used only occasionally. For ourselves and for others, make them strong!—1 Tim. 4:16." Watchtower June 1, 1953

It hardly takes "spiritual discernment" to see what they are really talking about - in plain view. So they totally knew what they were doing - deliberate thought control - the bloody b*stards!

I'll say it again: HOLY F*^&@%# CRAP!!!

Wow. Oh wow. And here all this time, even four decades after leaving the borg, and totally rejecting all the other indoctrination I got, I was still in the back corner of my mind resisting the cult label. Amazing.

Man, the brainwashing really goes deep, don't it?

*****

PS - Having been through the whole 1975 debacle, it's been amazing to me all these years that the JW's are still even around. But the cult leaders are soooo slick, so devious, they obviously managed to massage the message enough to keep it going. Here's some totally creepy sh*t I just found that they are pulling right now - pure cultic manipulation:

http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/jehovah-and-watchtower-are-they-now-to-be-thought-of-as-one-and-the-same

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20131115/seven-shepherds-eight-dukes/

Wow oh wow.

Fernando

Welcome back Freedom77!

http://www.cifs.org.au/conference.php

http://www.cifs.org.au/videos.php

yadda yadda 2

She produced great videos, love her calm and intelligent demeanour. Very empowering, especially for sisters wanting to find the courage to leave. Every little youtube clip and blog, website DOES help someone, somewhere and is another drop in the bucket to weaken the power and stranglehold of this doomsday cult.

37 years later, I finally got the CULT thing

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