This was a question to separate the WTBTS teaching from the bible or Jesus teaching, which it is to often confused by JW's. They think because they’ve got their own translation of the bible and a load of books on these matters they accept that the WTBTS teachings as being from God not the GB men who study it and apply there own ideas.
What would you think if someone walked up to you in the main street and said, "be my follower"? There's every chance we would have thought him a nut as many then did.
I’m not religious, anymore but I like to think as you do. Lets assume this is just a story in a book nothing more Didn’t Jesus perform miracles? This must have convinced some people. Although, saying that the supernatural was more commonly accepted fact then, I think. So where did this power come from, people would have questioned this all the time? Some would have thought the Devil some God. People would have hated him because of the claims he made. Religious leaders definitely would have. The Christian congregation that resulted was so far from what he taught if you look at it from an objective point of view and don't treat it with fanatisism. It was self-righteous, absolute, separated from society. [He said ‘you must be no part of the 'world’, but this could mean anything.] Also, how literally should we take the bible? I know for a fact that when people do they are just unreasonable and at some stage just lose their head up their own ass. Do they miss the true meaning of it? The Pharisees made such a big deal about following the law, that it became a joke and ritualistic, like the WTBTS today. The difference the Pharisees were a religious organization where as Jehovah’s Witnesses are a harmful organisation that uses cult like methods.
To follow him would mean becoming a laughing stock to your peers and your family, and linking yourself to a ridiculed minority. You would be totally at odds with the established religion of the time/area, and what's more Jesus would send you out to preach from house to house and city to city that you were the only ones with "truth" and they didn't have a hope in hell unless they converted!
Doesn't sound that much different to being a dub.
No, it doesn’t, but all religious cults are essentially the same.