Was there Intent?

jelly

I have noticed that many people that grew up as a JW have a very difficult time leaving the org. The obvious reason is the fact that they are going to be rejected by their entire social circle and family. But on a personal level I have noticed the culture of the average dub tends to keep them shackled also.

For instance the meeting arrangement; the multitude of meetings seemingly effect witnesses in three ways:
(1) The most obvious is the time factor. By creating a standard of five meetings plus field service in one week the average dub is borderline exhausted. This exhaustion limits the amount of interaction with people outside the org. Basically if you have no time to develop an external (to the borg) support group you are in a weak position to make a break. It follows the same line as starving prisoners to keep them from trying to escape.
(2) The second negative effect on the average dub is improper socialization. Think about the TM school and what we learned there. Anyone that believes differently than us is wrong and must be corrected (intolerance); we learned how NOT to communicate and listen to other peoples views. These are just two aspects of the JW culture but they tend to stay with the witness (at least for a while) even after the realization that the org is false sets in. In essence I think the meetings warp dubs methods of socializing so even if the individual begins to reach out to external groups he will find it difficult and sometimes faces rejection. Similar to the concept of hobbling a horse.
(3) The third effect of the JW culture is the lack of education. This is not just about how to make a living this is about how to carry on a conversation with other adults. A large number of adult JWs know only two things; the bible and how to wash windows. The lack of a shared set of knowledge or common culture will often limit the JWs attempt to leave. Basically if the witness does make the time to find external social contacts (I) and learns to communicate in a socially acceptable way (II) they will often have nothing to talk about, no common bond with worldlies(III). Similar to putting a prison on an island so even if the prisoner escapes they have no where to go; Alcatraz.

They question I have is basically did the society do this on purpose? Did they intentionally structure the meetings and beliefs to limit the individuals ability to exit the organization? To me it seems that they have an almost perfect trap to snare people for life but I am not sure if they created it with intent or just lucked into it. I would appreciate other peoples opinions.

Terry

Wolfgirl

I don't know the answer to your question. I could say yes, but I don't really KNOW, in all honesty. But I do agree with points 1, 2, and 3.

onacruse

Jelly, great thread!!

Since I am just now beginning to break out of the sociopathic jw web, I mostly attune to "hobbling the horse." More like a horse that was lame from birth, since I was raised as a dub. My disconnection from all society except the Watchtower "Society" is one of the greatest regrets of my life. And yes, they do this with premeditated purpose, so as to engender the greatest possible blind loyalty from their members. This plays into the "education" problem too, as many of my social "revelations" were a direct result of college, which of course like a good little old jw boy I didn't pursue until I was 40.

That term "culture" reminds me of a petrie dish, and most dubs are just a bunch of mindless bacteria in the FDS testing lab for maximum literature output and minimum independent thought.

Craig

GWEEDO

They question I have is basically did the society do this on purpose? Did they intentionally structure the meetings and beliefs to limit the individuals ability to exit the organization?

g'day jelly

i think they did it cause they are bleedin bonkers...Out of their tree. Totally insane

Not being too analytical here, but i think thats what it comes down to basically. The gb are a pack of flipped out loonies...

The Alchemist

I think there is an overiding reason that I have never seen stated. It is fear of death. The WT has destroyed any belief in life after death. To reject the Org. is to reject their teachings AND their hope. That means that someday we will grow old and die...and then what? For many including myself at one time it was an unthinkable thought. So it is easier just to keep believing and hopeing and waiting and waiting some more.
I do not think the Org set out to do this on purpose but I believe they do All things to enslave and keep people down and under their thumb. Such as "we are not sons of God", "the two class system" and so. I think it was mostly Rutherfords doing. He should be on a list of one of the evilist men of the 20th Century, Hitler, Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot, Bin Laudin, Rutherford...

outoftheorg

I agree at least somewhat to all that is posted above. I have often pondered the question "was there an intentional effort to develope this cult control situation"? Was there an evil intent? If so, where did it originate? There seems to be a stronger hold on the members if they were born into a family already firmly in this religeon. Ones mind becomes structured in a way That quickly rejects any negative comment about wbts without a moments consideration. This is true even if the negative comment comes out of ones own mouth. I think it started with Russell and his abuse of power and desire for control. But even at that point he seemed pretty benign compared to Rutherford. Then Rutherford, the alcoholic-bombastic-overbearing-arrogant person he was took over and control of others became his and thus the societies prime motivation. The articles written by Rutherford regarding medicine and other subjects reveal him to be an uneducated fool spouting the most ridiculous nonsense. Mix all these atributes or delusions coming from a man that appears to have had some serious mental problems and we create the wbts we see today. The lust for power and control still seems to be the motivation. We see this lust being demonstrated in the most horrible ways with demands from wbts that ruins lives, causes needless deaths, destroys families and marriages, creates a pedophile paradise, punishes and demeans the victims. All the while using the bible and claiming to be Gods only true religion to to support and defend their actions.

There is in my mind one question left. Where did the evil intent come from. Was it completly from the sick mind of Rutherford and those that succeeded him? Or did it come from that evil realm that the wbts is always pointing to as the source of all evil in the world.

SPAZnik

I've alwayz felt that the witness religion did not respect my right to choose. I've alwayz felt this wuz in direct opposition to God's attitude in the bible. He allows me the freedom of choice. Why won't they? That's a pretty nasty@ss way ta be.

Intent can be difficult to establish. I think they really believe what they preach. I think they believe their intent is to serve god and to save my life. But, I haven't studied up on it enuf to really say.

Intent?

A wise woman once told me, there are two reasons for everything.
The real reason,
and the reason that sounds good.

SPAZ