One angle I have observed is that someone who grew up with parents whose love was very conditional can feel at home in a religion such as the JWs because it feels "right" to them to have to earn love and approval. If a child was rejected or disapproved of for making their own decisions or not following the parental "rules" then those same conditions in the religion don't seem odd to them. The person I knew, for example, was raised by parents who told him not to come home if he got a motorcycle, didn't cut his hair, didn't go to college, etc, etc. He was always being threatened with being kicked out of the family (disfellowshipped) if he thought for himself and didn't do what they wanted him to do. So to him the JWs make perfect sense. It's sad, really. I believe he is depressed, also, but won't go for help. Such a destructive religion!
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