That's my question - doomsday cults - how come ?
Why do cults focus in on 'doomsday'?
by A Paduan 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Elsewhere
Pessimists with a common goal.
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Room 215
It's both a scare (the ``stick") tactic designed to hold people in thrall and an accompanying ``carrot'' dangled under the noses of the guileless that promises an imminent reward ``just around the corner." It also massages their egos subtly by convincing them they're uniquely privy to a wondrous secret.
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NeonMadman
I think one reason is that it creates the necessary urgency to get people to put away their normal cautiousness at getting involved in something unfamiliar. I mean, the message of the cult sounds good, but would most people really jump with both feet into a group in which they couldn't celebrate Christmas, would be expected to die rather than take blood, couldn't vote or salute the flag, etc etc? Most of us would take some time to analyze and think about it, before taking such a big step and changing so many things in our lives, especially when the changes are likely to be socially unacceptable. But, hey, Armageddon is coming any day now - you take too much time thinking instead of doing and you'll be birdfood just like those guys in Noah's day who were thinking about getting into the ark.
Even at 17 (this was in 1969), I probably would have given it more time than I did before being baptized, except that the guy who studied with me was sure that Armageddon would never hold off till 1975; he thought this fall (that is, the fall of 1969) looked like a good possibility. So it was really urgent that I get baptized, at least in my mind, because there just wasn't any time to delay. Had I taken another year or two to consider my options, I might never have joined the cult in the first place.
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stillajwexelder
To instill FEAR -- and fear allows CONTROL --- and that is what they want CONTROL
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garybuss
People are motivated by the negative rather than the positive. They will work like mad for a fantasy but not work at all for the reality. The fantasy is the Watch Tower Publishing Corporation is the book printing business god chose and the literature it produces is from god and god is going to kill anyone not helping distribute the literature produced. People will work for that. The reality is, the Watch Tower Publishing Corporation is just a book printing business investing profits heavily in real estate and cash accounts and those nickles and dimes really do add up so keep sending them in. That won't work.
Soon the reality says spend your time and money helping yourself, your family, and your neighbors and enjoy life because soon enough you will get old and die. GaryB -
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Mulan
To instill FEAR -- and fear allows CONTROL --- and that is what they want CONTROL
Exactly.................it's all about CONTROL!!
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TresHappy
Fear, Fear, Fear
Control Control Control!
Nothing worse than gritting your teeth all the time worrying about your salvation - you may be saved in the day of Jah's anger or something like that...
UGH!
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reboot
There was a really good series on radio 4 about this last year- i'll have to try and find the transcript.
The basis of the programme was that for people who already feel opressed, relief and hope can be found in the book of Revelation and made to applyAnd that identifying yourself with an oppressed group and possibly surviving a great tribulation to become greater than the current great and good around you is appealing.
It went on to explain how zealous and positive people can feel when they feel theyve found 'the answer'.
I dont actually think there's anything sinister in the people who start these cults- I think they're as misguided as the followers they find; but may be slightly different personality-wise in that they feel they are chosen to reveal truths to others...It was really good- i'll search for it later.