Recently someone asked me to define what core teachings have such a hold on jdubs that they have trouble breaking free. Trying to single out the driving force that keeps them in the bOrg, this is what popped into my head:
Obviously there are lots and lots of wacky things the jdubs teach/believe/pretend to believe.
But their view of the world is what keeps them going - There is Good. There is Evil. You are either FOR god or FOR satan. The end.
Believing that THEY are the ONLY ones god loves (because they preach and turn in their hours every month), they truly believe that every other person on earth is (a) evil, (b) out to get them, (c) immoral/drug dealing/promiscuous/etc, and (d) either blindly or willingly following satan, who god created as a brilliant angel but he was jealous of god and wanted everyone to worship HIM, so he convinced a bunch of other angels to come to earth with him (lots more to THAT story). Hence, they do not associate with (gasp!) *worldly* people. And the only thing worse than a *worldly* person is a fallen jdub. Because obviously, if you KNOW "the truth" (as they call it), and then you leave, you are turning your back on god and running into the evil den of satan and his demonic hoardes.
And SOOOOOOOOOOOON (it's always soon), armageddon will happen which is god's war against all the wicked kings of the earth blah blah and EVERYONE who is NOT a practicing JW will DIE at god's hand. Even babies and old people.
Then the JWs will "inherit" the earth and live happily forever and ever, amen. And yes, they actually do talk about which houses they will "claim" when they are out "preaching".
I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.
Is that a fairly concise explanation? Isn't this really what keeps JWs motivated? --> Paradise dangling at the end of the carrot string.