After leaving the Jehovah’s Witness religion, we had the opportunity to read Emotional Blackmail by Susan Forward, Ph.D. We could relate to the stories she discusses in the book and could make a direct correlation to our lives as Jehovah’s Witnesses. While the experiences are somewhat different from what we encountered in our personal lives, we could readily comprehend how individuals use emotional blackmail to make others develop fear, obligation and guilt in order to manipulate them into furthering their own agenda.
This podcast explains in great detail how Jehovah’s Witnesses live in the FOG. No one can dispute these comments as every current and former Witness is most familiar with the culture of the organization!
This podcast references the experience of a sister that lived in an Iron Lung and her experience was used as a tool to measure the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses with otherwise good health that did not live up to the daily demands of the Watchtower. You can reference her experience in the January 22, 1993 Awake! magazine “Not Even an Iron Lung Could Stop her Preaching“.
Jehovah's Witnesses - Emotional Blackmail - Fear Obligation Guilt
by JT-LadyC 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
JT-LadyC
-
steve2
I obtained a copy of Susan Forward's book in the early 2000s - and that's where I first read about FOG (Fear, Obligation and Guilt) which permeates all kinds of toxic relationships, including with family members, "friends", and, of course, organizations where FOG becomes cruelly insidious. JWs' overtures to you reek of emotional blackmail and implied threat.
An excellent book that had a profound impact upon me and led to my kicking emotional blackmail to kingdom come. It provided the skills and tools to navigate my way through the conversational minefields used by those who habitually - and likely without thinking - use manipulation of FOG to drive home their dubious points.
-
GrreatTeacher
This was a good listen.
If you have about 15 minutes, it's a good reminder about how controlling the JWs are through seemingly subtle things that make people feel guilty or obligated.
No gun to the head necessary; they are able to get compliance through the self-policing of members through fear, obligation and guilt.
-
Landy
Years ago, when we first stopped going, at the behest of my mother, the CO knocked at the door. My wife answered and during the conversation the CO pointed to our kids, who were small at the time, and said 'think of your children, they'll die at armageddon'.
Emotional blackmail at its finest. I won't say what my wife's reply was - it wasn't pretty :)
-
breakfast of champions
Great video!
Ordered the book from my library.
-
ToesUp
"CO pointed to our kids, who were small at the time, and said think of your children, they'll die at armageddon."
Oh I would love to hear what she said to him. Probably the same thing I would say:
"bleep, bleep, *&^$ you, bleep, (*%# you, bleep, bleep, bleep."
-
Spiral
I haven't had time to listen (supposed to be working) but what a great way to explain it - FOG. I already used this as a "reasoning point" with someone this morning. Hopefully that will get some mental gears moving.
When you realize that's the glue that holds the whole thing together it's just......disgusting.
-
AudeSapere
This is a GREAT video! Well-worth the listen. -
LongHairGal
I saw through the emotional blackmail and thankfully didn't buy it. I am specifically referring to their urging people to do ridiculous things like quit their job and pioneer. They were counting on people wanting to be seen as "spiritual" and other buzz words.
I had to work and support myself so I had to disregard this nonsense...Some brother has a full-time job, that's okay. I had a full-time job, that was not okay. They were pushing poverty for single women.
I guess they wanted us to be sitting in the back of the hall impoverished, taking meds for depression and being targeted by users to do favors. Guess what? I rejected this hell!
I can't imagine anybody consciously wanting this evil outcome to happen to single women...because if they DID, the law of Karma should pay them back!
I'm so grateful I had the courage to go against the flow in this hateful religion!
-
JT-LadyC
@LongHairGal - We often talk about how they were always pushing people to quit jobs to pioneer but then they were always begging for money, insurance policies, stocks and bonds, etc. And we kept asking "who has all of that loot" if they are constantly telling you to live a modest life so you could pioneer. They can't have it both ways, having their members quit jobs to sell books and then at the same time think they had money to invest in stocks, etc. It was really crazy. ~Lady C