I would say when they started disfellowshipping people, which I believe was the 1950's. I joined in 1969, they were a cult then, imo. Prior to that they may have had wacky beliefs, but people wouldn't necessarily loose their family if they chose to leave or simply choose not to buy into everything
Lisa rose
Yes, this was a big step towards tighter control when the disfellowshipping policy first came into effect....though I believe it was similiar to a degree with the Catholic excommunication policy whereby an individual might be frowned upon, but not shunned.
Perhaps the earliest signs that this was to become a high control autocratic organization occurred when Rutherford succeeded Russell. There was a huge falling away of Bible Students (as JWs we’re then known) who rejected Rutherford’s heavy handed attempts to control the brothers and sisters at the “company” level (as congregations were then known). And the lunacy of the 1920s hadn’t even fully materialised yet (e.g., the sloganeering and false predictions about “millions now living will never die” for starters).
All that happened after that miserably misleading decade were continuations and fine tuning of seizing control of brothers and sisters lives and minds until decades later it perfected that control, reframing it as a “loving” provision of Jehovah, the clean God. The Pharisees would be proud
Steve2
I think in a nut shell you put it really well. Things started to really change during the Rutherford era.
Also
No-zombie - makes a good point about the reviewed disfellowshipping policy of the early 80's. This I believe is the point when Watchtower firmly placed themselves in the spotlight as a high control religion, especially after the purge at Bethel that involved Ray Franz.
Thanks to everyone's input.
