The bOrg Cult Tactics (page 2)

Finkelstein

When an organization or one man says that all of humanity should obey every expressive controlling behavior he sets out because he has been chosen by god , that's what I would call intentional and corrupt brainwashing for the sake of self empowerment.

The WTS duped and allured people who may been mentally weak intellectually or emotionally by uses imposing tactics of fear.

One other thing to note, the hierarchical leaders of these groups are always said to possess special abilities above all other men, who are pretty much actually doing the very same thing.

The WTS proclaimed many times that it was the only true Christian faith following and obeying god through his son's teachings, the actual truth to that proclamation is quite the opposite.

Brokeback Watchtower

I doubt they would read a book about mind control but I'm sure that probable most have read dale Carnegie's book:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People

How to Win Friends and Influence People is one of the first best-selling self-help books ever published. Written by Dale Carnegie(1888-1955) and first published in 1936, it has sold over 30 million copies world-wide, and went on to be named #19 on Time Magazine's list of 100 most influential books in 2011.[1]
Leon Shimkin of the publishing firm Simon & Schuster took one of the 14-week courses given by Carnegie in 1934. Shimkin persuaded Carnegie to let a stenographer take notes from the course to be revised for publication. The original book contained sections providing colorful anecdotes and insightful wisdom. It gave instruction in handling people, winning friends, bringing people to your way of thinking, being a great leader, and navigating home life successfully. Carnegie combined age-old truisms with the emerging field of psychology to present a handbook in human relations which was interesting and accessible. Emphasizing the use of other's egotistical tendencies to one's advantage, Carnegie maintained that success could be found by charm, appreciation, and personality. The book sold exceptionally well from the start, going through 17 editions in its first year.

Finkelstein

Destructive cults, groups, movements and/or leaders "maintain intense allegiance through the arguments of their ideology, and through social and psychological pressures and practices that, intentionally or not, amount to conditioning techniques that constrict attention, limit personal relationships, and devalue reasoning."

-- Margaret Singer, Ph.D.

stuckinarut2

Actually finkelstein, your points are very good! Well said.

snare&racket

I want to say no....

But then what person encourages, no demands.... fear of knowledge, education or information?

dropoffyourkeylee

Cults have formed in many places, countries, and time periods. It just happens from time to time when circumstances are right for it. I for one don't think the wt has become a cult because the leadership read books on it. It just happened the same way all the others have.

Finkelstein

A normal religious organization would not have any trouble with you moving to another similar organization as long as you stayed in that same religion. Because it is the belief system that matters, not membership in an organization. For example if you were a Christian then you could move from one church to another and still be a Christian.

However cult leaders will tell you can only be “saved” (or can only be successful) in their organization alone. No other organization has the truth, all others miss the mark. So it is not the belief system that decides your future, but it the belief system AND your membership with that particular group.

The cult leaders need to make you believe that there is no where else you can go and still be saved, and if you ever leave the “one true church” then you are going to hell. This is a fear based control mechanism designed to keep you in the cult. It also gives the cult leaders tremendous power over you. If you really believe that leaving the group equals leaving God (or means you are leaving your only chance to succeed in life), then you will obey the cult leaders even when you disagree with them instead of risking being kicked out of the group. Exclusivism is used as a threat, it controls your behavior through fear.

Be very suspicious of any group that claims to be better than all the others. A religious group may say that other groups following the same religion are OK, but they are the ones who have a better grasp of the truth and they are superior to the rest. This is often just a subtle version of exclusivism.

This is one of the practices that cults are often very deceptive about. For example, first off they may give you the impression that they think you are a true Christian, Buddhist or Muslim and it’s not until later that their true position is revealed.

pale.emperor

Watch the master at work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2E7OBWPG5I

Heaven

Rutherfraud was an ass. He even said so himself.

Island Man

Yes and no.

Yes they deliberately use psychological manipulation. Why do I say this? Look at the BE book that was used in the theocratic ministry school. Look at the many speech counsels that are used in there that involve psychological tactics of persuasion. Look at the use of images and drawings in the literature and the great attention to detail that go into them. Look at how these images are designed to appeal to the emotions and reinforce stereotypes about worldly people. It is very plain to see that much deliberate effort goes into brainwashing rank and file JWs.

However, the leadership does not consider their psychologically manipulative tactics as being nefarious or unethical. They are not using these tactics with the guilt and knowledge that they are using unethical cult tactics. In their own minds, they are just using very effective methods of reaching the hearts of people. If it is pointed out to them that their methods amount to brainwashing then they dismiss the claim as being nothing more than hateful rhetoric by worldly opposers and apostates. They will even say that the members minds are washed clean of the satanic filth of the world. See Samuel Herd's first hosting of JW broadcasting, as an example of this. Call them a cult and they say Jesus' followers were labeled as a sect.

So I believe they are deliberately using tactics of manipulation, but without realizing that these tactics are actually unethical cult tactics. They have convinced themselves that they are very effective teachers using very effective methods of persuasion and reaching the heart. If it is pointed out to them that they are using unethical cult practices then they go into denial and say that they're being maligned just as first century christians were maligned.

The bOrg Cult Tactics

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