For those who did not go to the site, I'd love for you to do so. I hadn't thought of the implications of showing a JW the page. I have and I think it may have had an impact. Didn't have a long conversation, but I'm hearing feedback!
The link is http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-cult_q0.html
The author gives his opinion on how he believes AA scores on several cult classifications. These include the following....
- 1. The Guru is always right.
- 3. No Exit.
- 5. Cult-speak.
- 6. Group-think, Suppression of Dissent, and Enforced Conformity in Thinking
- 9. Denigration of competing sects, cults, religions...
- 10. Personal attacks on critics.
- 11. Insistence that the group is THE ONLY WAY.
- 12. The group and its members are special.
- 13. Induction of guilt, and the use of guilt to manipulate group members.
- 17. Instant Community.
- 27. You Can't Tell The Truth.
- 28. Cloning — You become a clone of the group leader or other elder group members.
- 29. You must change your beliefs to conform to the group's beliefs.
- 31. Dishonesty, Deceit, Denial, Falsification, and Rewriting History.
- 32. Different Levels of Truth.
- 33. Newcomers can't think right.
- 38. An Impossible Superhuman Model of Perfection.
- 49. The guru or the group demands ultra-loyalty and total commitment.
- 50. Demands for Total Faith and Total Trust
- 51. Members Get No Respect. They Get Abused.
- 53. Hierarchical, Authoritarian Power Structure, and Social Castes
- 55. Belief equals truth
- 63. Separatism
- 67. Don't Trust Your Own Mind.
- 69. The group takes over the individual's decision-making process.
- 72. Progressive Indoctrination and Progressive Commitments
- 75. New Identity — Redefinition of Self — Revision of Personal History
- 77. True Believers
- 78. Scapegoating and Excommunication
- 84. You can't make it without the group.
- 85. Enemy-making and Devaluing the Outsider
- 86. The group wants to own you.
- 89. Demands For Compliance With The Group
- 90. Newcomers Need Fixing.
- 99. Total immersion and total isolation.