It's a fear-based religion, at its core. JWs fear many things, but what or who do they fear the most? Let's find out...
5) Satan
The source of all evil they say. In reality, quite a cartoonish character. I remember hearing constantly about how scary he is and how he's to blame for everything, but I don't remember ever actually being scared of him. His actions always seem very distant and abstract, revolving more around the world stage at large rather than us as individuals. Moreover, the way his entire future is all planned out makes him seem rather inconsequential, and he's viewed with contempt by JWs more than fear.
4) Eachother
The fear of being exposed as unworthy and not good enough is very real for JWs. Every witness believes they aren't doing enough preaching and are sinning way more than everyone else. The fear of being found out and humiliated or even disfellowshipped is strong, though not a mortal fear.
3) Demons
Unlike Satan, demons seem to be more involved with us as individuals. I remember hearing many stories about them and the chilling things they do. JWs are scared of demons, but only when they're mentioned. Most of the time they're out of sight, out of mind. Although they believe that demons aren't really capable of killing people, they do fear the frightening experience of encountering one, so much so that even now I feel a bit creeped out by Ouija boards, and I haven't believed in demons for many years. It's a visceral fear for JWs, but not a profound one, and quite easy for them to ignore for the most part.
2) Apostates
Whereas the JW's fear of demons mainly leads them to avoid direct encounters with demons or at the very least demonic imagery, so afraid are they of apostates that merely encountering their words terrifies them. JWs are constantly warned that even brief exposure to apostate writings is enough to destroy their faith, and with it their relationship with Jehovah and their hope of everlasting life. It's no wonder they fear us apostates so much, we are a threat to their very existence, as far as they are aware. And why are they warned that we can destroy their faith so easily? Because the governing body knows what we know, that their faith is built on very flimsy foundations. They ought to be afraid of us, losing your faith can be a traumatic experience.
1) Jehovah
No competition. This is the fear that makes all of the others seem inconsequential. This is a profound and mortal fear, the fear of everlasting death. JWs truly are God-fearing people, in the most literal sense. They are terrified of dying at Armageddon, terrified that their loving heavenly father will kill them for not living up to his standards. It's this fear that gets them to the meetings and out on the ministry. It's this fear that gets them to reach out and to pioneer. It's this fear that makes them convince themselves that they love Jehovah, you have to after all, you can't not love the dear leader. JWs have an abusive relationship with an imaginary being, brainwashed into them by a group of faithful and discreet charlatans, who ironically JWs don't fear at all, but perhaps ought to, since it's they who are pulling the strings and making them so fearful with their endless guilt-tripping and scaremongering.
JWs are very fearful people, but their fears are profoundly misplaced.