disclaimer: this article has some broad generalizations that will have exceptions to what is stated.
this is the only way i can even attempt to address the topic.
i've looked for scholarly articles published on peer reviewed journals for years.
@ eyeuse2badub & Victor...
Tell me...
...would you still say that about religions that genuinely and fairly utilize the democratic process, embrace fiscal and policy transparency, foster authentic, positive community activism, and actually accept and respect the discoveries of history and science (no matter the implications)?
what were some of yours?
the big one in our hall was no frontal hugs!
these were generally thought of as inappropriate, only side hugs should be given between sisters and brothers.
Well, I was actually talking about normal young people "giving in" to normal sexuality.
(Not that the Org's repressive policies don't foster deviant behavior, because holy shit how could they not?)
a criminal in nz- in this case a murderer - has the right not to be identified - even after conviction?
quote: "why was grace millane’s murderer granted anonymity?
the reasons for the so-called suppression order, like the name of the killer himself, cannot be given for legal reasons.
Is he a minor?
in september 2019, the branch of jehovah’s witnesses and a number of kingdom halls in são paulo brazil were raided by the police, in search of documentary evidence of criminal activities relating to child sexual abuse.
the jehovah’s witnesses claim that the raid was unlawful.
below is a translation of the court of justice determination.
road to nowhere - "That was the 2 best dingbats they had."
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/f7jloq/breaking_watchtower_issues_dmca_takedown_to/.
zing.
@ Phizzy...
And none of the anecdotal evidence does anything to dissuade me from suspecting that at this point, the GB is fucking desperate to keep the rank-and-file from figuring out that the WTS isn't actually "God's Earthly Organization"...
...because virtually everything they're doing seems like increasingly frantic (and, especially, reactive) measures taken to - ultimately - prevent that.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/f7jloq/breaking_watchtower_issues_dmca_takedown_to/.
zing.
I've heard rumors they actually employ non-JWs to monitor sites like this one so as not to "contaminate" the faithful.
It sounds stupid, but...
...it is exactly the sort of thing deluded True Believers might actually do.
what were some of yours?
the big one in our hall was no frontal hugs!
these were generally thought of as inappropriate, only side hugs should be given between sisters and brothers.
Personally, I suspect that a ton of these "prohibitions" had to do with young people and their sex drives.
I worked out much later - from remembering all the "local needs" talks - that a lot of JW teenagers must have been falling into each others' pants way more often than I'd ever thought...
...and the Org was becoming increasingly embarrassed and desperate to leash it.
Which is like trying to turn a cat vegetarian, IMO. 
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/f7jloq/breaking_watchtower_issues_dmca_takedown_to/.
zing.
Right out of Scientology's playbook.
That fact alone irrevocably stains any of WTS's claim to legitimacy, IMO.
in september 2019, the branch of jehovah’s witnesses and a number of kingdom halls in são paulo brazil were raided by the police, in search of documentary evidence of criminal activities relating to child sexual abuse.
the jehovah’s witnesses claim that the raid was unlawful.
below is a translation of the court of justice determination.
smiddy - "...I saw this in the video of the ARC into Institutionalised Child sexual Abuse when an Elder was put under the spotlight ,and you could just see with the pauses to his response that he was waiting for the Holy Spirit to put words in his mouth... And they never came..."
I definitely remember that.
Poor fucker probably expected to sound eloquent, convincing, and sophisticated, and he ended up looking scared, mystified, and more than a little lost.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/f7jloq/breaking_watchtower_issues_dmca_takedown_to/.
zing.
Phizzy - "This is proof positive that those at the top in the JW Org know that what they are peddling is not the Truth. And proof that they are aware of the accusation that they use Mind Control, and the truth of that accusation..."
Not quite, IMO.
Virtually all anecdotal evidence really does suggest that they fully buy into their own rhetoric... which is an easy habit to fall into when you insist that you represent God and surround yourself solely with people who are never allowed to disagree with you.
And yet, there is the virtually impossible-to-refute point you've just brought up.
I myself saw it happen for the longest time and scratched my head over the paradox, until I came to the conclusion that - as you said... they know it's wrong...
...but they believe it's true...
...at the same time.
(I learned later that the phenomenon is called "compartmentalization", and seasoned politicians are particularly good at it.)
Phizzy - "...If they had the Truth, and did not use mind control techniques, they could challenge this guy face on, instead they simply use underhanded methods, like this spurious Take Down claim..."
If I had to guess, I'd say that argue (to themselves, at least) that it's perfectly justified... they do consider themselves to be "at war", after all.
But you're right, of course.
If you have to cheat to defend your beliefs, your beliefs don't deserve to be defended...
...and that, IMO, is the real crux of the matter.
Phizzy - "...They are a bunch of manipulating, lying, money grabbers."
Honestly, I think that - on some level - they believe that they're fighting for survival...
...which, of course, suggests that perhaps they're survival really is at risk.
History is full of examples of authoritarian regimes who feel threatened by something, act disproportionally defensive, and in doing so, indirectly cause the threat to manifest itself for real, even if the threat was never actually present in the first place.
