What Makes Someone Become a JW? (page 2)

LisaRose

I converted at 13, back in 1969, along with my parents. The religion offered a narrative that appealed to me at the time. I liked the idea of a paradise earth, it appealed to me more than the idea of heaven. In a time of societal change it offered concrete answers, it was a very different time, and I was a different person. It was before the internet, so my ability to fact check was limited. I did research at the library, but it was an obscure group, there wasn't much out there, so the Watchtower lies about their history were not caught.

Finkelstein

Lets not forget that many people who became JWS were looking for answer to their personal problems.

Maybe a divorce or death in the family, maybe out of loneliness from not participating in a social environment.

Even depression from poverty, there many psychological states which might instigate someone to investigate the JWS.

And one shouldn't undermine the fear mongering aspect the WTS sells through its literature, such as Armageddon Soon, Jesus has returned to establish his new kingdom.

These are all attractive and alluring mental suggestions the WTS uses to allure people to its literature and the organization as a whole.

LongHairGal

MINIMUS:

Didn't you make a similar thread some months back?

People who joined many years ago were lied to (like I was) and had no Internet to fact check anything. We had to learn by one rude awakening after another. I think there is less of an excuse for people to get suckered in nowadays because of the Internet. But, it might happen here and there with people who are too trusting.

Sail Away

I had an alcoholic father who was a serial liar and cheater. My parents wanted a boy, but had four girls first. My mother had post-partum depression with psychosis after each pregnancy. To say that family life was unstable and insane would be an understatement. The witnesses promised a happy family life. What nine year old wouldn't want that? My family studied for two years and then stopped. My father had no problem with the witnesses continuing to "study" with me and allowed me to get baptised at age 16.

Diogenesister

Why do people join today? With the internet and access,

They don't.

Diogenesister

I had an alcoholic father ,,,My father had no problem with the witnesses continuing to "study" with me and allowed me to get baptised at age 16.

He probably thought it would be a protection against alcoholism Sailaway, against his own demons

My father suffered from bad depression and alcoholism, my mum left when I was 7 and utterly rejected me. Dad worked away from home a lot. Our neighbours converted then and I was like their little daughter, I spent all my time there so...childhood indoctrination coupled with bad childhood.

sparrowdown

Even people "born into" a religion are responsible for their own decisions once they become legal adults. So anyone that gets baptized after reaching the legal age of adulthood has chosen this religion.

Why do others convert?

Nobody goes looking for a cult, cults go looking for them.

JWs come off as good, honest "nice" people. They honey trap people then bait and switch them.

With JWs the religion you join is not the religion you find yourself in. This religion has a public face and an inner reality that is very different. If anything, born ins should be more aware of this disparity than converts.

Being recruited by a cult has nothing to do with intelligence Steven Hassan explains this very well in his book.

just fine

The JWs got my parents when they were in a vulnerable emotional state and the rest is history. Neither of my parents home life’s were ideal, throw in Vietnam and some other emotional upheavals and in come the Witnesses to offer their false hopes.

skin

Finkelstein
And one shouldn't undermine the fear mongering aspect the WTS sells through its literature, such as Armageddon Soon, Jesus has returned to establish his new kingdom.

Matt 24: 23“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’+ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it"

Luke 21: 8 "He said: “Look out that you are not misled,+ for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time is near.’ Do not go after them"

Divergent

a watcher:

Wanting a better life than what this old system has to offer.

What a depressing outlook on life. I guess you learned nothing at all even after being on this forum for 5 years+

What Makes Someone Become a JW?

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