I was stunned to see that one of our new posters doesn't believe that the Society uses mind control on its members. I think that the fact that they don't see it is evidence of just how deep the control really goes. Have they never read 1984 by George Orwell? This book is as close to the Watch Tower experiance as any "apostate" literature I have ever read. I'm not angry with this person I'm just in shock at how they are unable to see the manipulation. It is clear that brain washing or mind control is used by the Society because it fits the classic definitions and is identical to the techniques used by secular totalitarian governments. The only difference is in the Society's inability to use physical torture and the impossing of death sentences which, as I recall from a Watch Tower article, is bemoaned by the Society as being a tragic limitation placed upon the Society due to being subject to secular governments unlike ancient Isreal were "apostates" were tortured and killed to keep the congregation "clean".
The very meeting structure in JWdom is specifically designed to be a series of mind-numbing repeatition and memorization indoctrination sessions unrivaled in all but the most fanatical communist regimes were party meetings are held several times a week to insure idependant or "counter revolutionary" thinking does not take hold. The dailey "Hates" in "1984" were identical to the "isn't Satan and his world awful" talks we got all the time. In "1984" there was even a secret conspiracey against Big Brother led by a turn coat party official which smacks of the old "Evil Slave" crap we were scared with. The demonization of make-believe enemies is reason enough to view what we were taught as brain washing. The fact that many ex-JW's must go through counceling to help them with the irrational fear and guilt impossed by Watch Tower brain washing is also reason enough to believe they use such techniques.
Just talking to an active JW about why they believe what they believe is proof enough. Reason and logic are as far from their comprehension as worshiping Satan. I could go on and on but when an ex-JW doesn't see that the religion they left was manipulating them then they are still under its control even though they think they have left. The fear of this site's ability to allow cult victims to come together and share their experiances is another proof that these ex-JW's still don't understand how the Watch Tower pre-conditioned aversion therepy is still active in their own minds causing them to criticize others who have left but still meet together of being obsessed or involved in another cult. This is just like when I was an active JW I would say that other religons were actually cults while mine was not. I was blinded by my own ego into believing I had the "Truth" and everybody else must be wrong. This ego manipulation is the Watch Tower's chief ally in holding their victims even above shunning because the person will not admit he is being manipulated because they are too "smart" for that to happen to them..