Maddie

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Posts by Maddie

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  40

  are JWs really worse? (or: is every religion a cult?)

  by inkling in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  many here freely trot out words like "cult" and "indoctrination".

  "group-think" and "double talk" in describing witnesses, and my .

  question is, if these words are apt (and i think there is a strong .

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  Maddie

  Sorry, don't know what happened there, the list keeps repeating itself - must be an omen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 
  40

  are JWs really worse? (or: is every religion a cult?)

  by inkling in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  many here freely trot out words like "cult" and "indoctrination".

  "group-think" and "double talk" in describing witnesses, and my .

  question is, if these words are apt (and i think there is a strong .

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• 

  Maddie

  INKLING - Judge for yourself

  Characteristics Associated with Cultic Groups - Revised

  Janja Lalich, Ph.D. & Michael D. Langone, Ph.D.

  Concerted efforts at influence and control lie at the core of cultic groups, programs, and relationships. Many members, former members, and supporters of cults are not fully aware of the extent to which members may have been manipulated, exploited, even abused. The following list of social-structural, social-psychological, and interpersonal behavioral patterns commonly found in cultic environments may be helpful in assessing a particular group or relationship.

  Compare these patterns to the situation you were in (or in which you, a family member, or friend is currently involved). This list may help you determine if there is cause for concern. Bear in mind that this list is not meant to be a “cult scale” or a definitive checklist to determine if a specific group is a cult. This is not so much a diagnostic instrument as it is an analytical tool.

  ? The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

  ? Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

  ? Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).

  ? The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).

  ? The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).

  ? The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.

  ? The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).

  ? The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).

  ? The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt iin order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.

  ? Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.

  ? The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.

  ? The group is preoccupied with making money.

  ? Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.

  ? Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

  ? The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.

  This checklist will be published in the new book, Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships by Janja Lalich and Madeleine Tobias (Berkeley: Bay Tree Publishing, 2006). It was adapted from a checklist originally developed by Michael Langone.
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  40

  I finally passed it !!!!!!!!!!!

  by Kudra in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  no, not gas, not a kidney stone... .

  i passed my phd exams!!!!!!

  ugh.

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  Maddie

  Congratulations Kudra!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 
  171

  Have you changed your mind about ABORTION?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm not after a discussion on the rights or wrongs on abortion, what i'm asking is whether or not your views have evolved over time.. perhaps leaving the watchtower was enough to allow your true feelings on abortion to find expression.

  maybe abortion is one of those subjects where you still find yourself in agreement with your old jw self.

  did becoming a mother change your perspective in any way or solidify your views?.

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  Maddie

  I have always thought of abortion as taking a life - before I was a JW, and still do now.

  I don't judge other women though for having a different view point, as it isn't my right to do so.

  Maddie
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  53

  My sisters wedding...

  by zamora251978 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  below is a copy of the e-mail my sister sent me.

  i had to make arrangements for my kids to be babysat somewhere else until after the wedding.

  there little hearts are broken.

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  Maddie

  This elder that is laying down the law to your sister is one of the "Hitler" types by the sound of it. There was one just like him in a congregation that I used to go to, and guess what? He was eventually disfellowshipped himself.

  He has no scriptural grounds to give your sister for telling her not to invite you to the reception, so she needs to know this.

  I really hope she changes her mind for both of you.

  Maddie
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  12

  I spoke to my JW mother...

  by coolhandluke in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we had a disagreement a few months ago because she asked me to pay for her to come to see my brother graduate from his masters program.

  whats the big deal with that?

  she said that her conscience would allow her to come and give him support even though i was there.

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  Maddie

  I really do hope you can keep a good relationship going with your mum. We only got one mum at the end of the day.

  Maddie
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  40

  Do You Try To Be A Politically Correct Person? Why or Why Not???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  are you careful about what you say?

  do you make sure that you won't offend anyone?

  do you care??

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  Maddie

  I don't go through life conscious about being PC all the time. On the other hand I find that I can say what I want to, most of the time, without the need to be insensitive to the feelings of other people.

  It sometimes seems that the issue of being PC has gone over the top at times. Some of the things I have heard are so ridiculous that they are laughable.

  Maddie
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  22

  Are JW's really hated?

  by lfcviking in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  jesus words: .

  "the world will hate you just like it has hated me".

  the jw's think this passage of scripture spoken by jesus applies to them in this present day.

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  Maddie

  The real hatred comes from the JW's towards everyone and everything that isn't a part of the WT organisation. This hatred is no more evident than in the way they treat former members by their inhumane practise of shunning.

  As far as the JW's themselves being the object of hatred, as far as I can see, the general public don't even think about them much. It's only those who have had involvement with them or have family that are involved with them and been hurt, that hate the WT org.

  Maddie
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  40

  What's Your View of Spiritism Now???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  of course, as witnesses, everything was possibly "demonized".

  if you got anything second hand, you could be in demon trouble.

  if you saw a horror movie or read anything by stephen king, you were inviting the demons to you.

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  Maddie

  When I was a teenager, just after mum died I dabbled with ouija and remember that it did work. We got all kinds of information but got freaked out after a while so stopped doing it.

  I have known people who regularly go to spiritualist meetings and believe they get messages from dead relatives.

  When I was a "believing" JW I was always thinking about demons waiting to get me etc. A JW sister told me recently that she is always careful what she says out loud in case satan hears her!

  I don't have a desire to mess around with spirits but I don't walk around in fear of them either.

  Maddie
• 
  54

  Our JC

  by besty in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  dear brothers .

  you are aware that i am not present this evening following medical advice from our family doctor.

  i will attempt in this letter to give you some idea of why that is and how i feel.

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  Maddie

  I just think you and Sam are really brave in standing up for the truth as it really is and not the WT distorted version.

  Love and hugs

  Maddie