Being a former anything automatically puts that person in the questionable category when they warn others about their former associates. So, why should you listen to anything I have to say on this matter? That's up to you.
Quite frankly, I personally believe if anyone is truly happy following these teachings and living this life they are welcome to it. I don't want to bring down those who are satisfied being in this religion, so if that is you, don't read the rest of this.
What I do have a problem with is the nature of the organization which tends to be an Orwellian world of double speak, ignorance, and cult mentality.
If the Jehovah's Witnesses were a cult, one would have reason to pause before joining. A cult is filled with more than enough dangers as far as spiritual, emotional and sometimes physical abuse. One could argue back and forth on what a cult is. The Jehovah's Witnesses will deny being a cult by their version of the definition. The official definition of a cult, as defined by Dr Margaret Sanger is:
- Keeping the person unaware of what is going on and how she or he is being changed a step at a time.
- Controlling the person's social and/or physical environment and time.
- Creating a sense of powerlessness in the person.
- Creating and manipulating a system of rewards, punishments and experiences in such a way as to inhibit behavior that reflects the person's former social identity in order to promote learning the group's ideology or belief system and group-approved behaviors.
- Advocating a closed system of logic that does not allow feedback and cannot be modified except by the leader.
Other factors which scream cult:
Environmental Control
Cults control the environment and surroundings of the members in many ways, mostly with some form of isolation. Members are either totally sent away from the public or shielded in other ways from public interaction such as being warned to stay away from the evils of higher education, the media, books, or movies. Members are also warned to stay away from or former group members and those who criticize the cult.
The inner environment is just as controlled as the outer. Members are told to avoid thinking about certain topics out of fear one may become possessed with evil. Words are banned and other words used only among members.
Even personal surroundings such as what a member can or cannot wear, how they can wear their hair, who they can marry or befriend, and how their time is spent is under control of the cult. Those who do not comply are made to feel guilty and subjected to punishment or cruelty to get them to conform with the group norms.
God Given Power
Most cults have a charismatic leader who can make anything, no matter how bad, seem like a good thing to do. These leaders represent themselves as the mouthpiece of God and given full, unquestioning authority over the group. To question such a leader is equal to questioning God.
God On Our Side
As proof of the power these leaders have, they will claim bad things will happen to those who leave and are quick to point out all the bad things that happened to former members to set an example of what happens when you disobey God. Anything good to happen to former members is because of their strong alliance with the evil forces.
Conversely, when good things happen in the group, it is due to the blessing of God. When bad things happen, it is only a test.
The philosophy of the cult is said to be directly from God and is too sacred to be called into question. Reasoning for beliefs are phrased so they cannot be properly questioned and without being able to question there can be no contradictions with the ideology. Anyone who dares question the logic from God is called evil.
Clear Cut Rules
A member of the cult is given a set of rules to live by, at times these rules can become legalistic to be enforced by the leaders at their whim, but not for individual members to ponder. A member must simply do what they are told. To go against it is bad. To do what you are told is good. There is no in between or room to decide on a certain situation.
Everyone outside the group is evil and needs to be saved. Everyone on the inside is safe as long as they follow the rules and be submissive to the leaders. There is much to fear outside the safety and clear guidelines of the group. To cut yourself off from the group would put you in mortal danger.
Turn In Thy Neighbor And Yourself
Public humiliation is a way designed to pressure the sinner into submission to confess their wrong doings and to face the punishment in hopes they will find redemption in the eyes of God. It is reasoned one bad apple will spoil the whole group, so it is up to each member to keep it pure.
If anyone is caught sinning, that person must report on it either by confronting the person to get them to change or bringing it directly to the leaders to hear the charges. If a person is accused, it is essential to corner that person into a confession so the sin will not be allowed as acceptable behavior by the cult.
Loaded Language
This is a language of non-thought. In other words, certain terms are designed to give you an accurate picture according to the leader of the cult. When you hear those words, immediately a certain image is brought to mind to clear your head of any other meaning and to focus on the agenda of the group. The words used are totally innocent to the noncult members, but are very powerful words to the cult members. This language binds the group with a language of their own to distinguish them from outsiders.
Determining Who Has The Right To Be
Cults can decide who has the right to be within the presence of what they feel is access to God. Anyone who doesn't cut it the cult leaders will decide is unworthy of God. They decide in matters of association of members friends and family who will be worthy and who must be cut off. They decide to alter their own history according to what makes them look in the best light at the time.
With that in mind, how does that fit with the nature of the religion of the Jehovah's Witnesses? Do they follow the patterns of a cult?
From the time you are approached with a "Bible Study" you are being set up into this closed system. One step at a time you are introduced to a new vocabulary, belief system, and living conditions which you must follow.
Note that the "Bible Study" has very little to do with studying the Bible, but a publication put out by the Watchtower and Bible Tract Society [WTBTS]. The question and answer sessions discourages thinking outside of what is presented. You will always be put back on track by not straying from what is presented in the book as if no other thought can be properly associated with the topic. The step by step process of keeping you focused ONLY on the points at hand and discounting your point of view as invalid creates a dependence on what the book says is "the truth."
When you are becoming on of the Jehovah's Witnesses, you are controlled in more ways than you will realize. Your association with non-JWs are strictly limited, including your non-JW family members. Your time is then pre-occupied with studying all the new material brought out by the WTBTS, going to meetings, and going on "field service" [the door to door ministry where you preach to others.] This does occupy a lot of your free time if you are working a secular job. If you are not working a secular full time job or only have a part time job, you are encouraged to devote more time to the field service. Your free time should be devoted to studying and reflecting on your relationship with Jehovah or associating with other right-minded JWs.
When one breaks any of the rules, there is punishment to face. Some of it is out open in the public such as disfellowshipping where you are "cut off" of any communication with members of the religion. Others are lesser such as a label of "bad association," "inactive," or "on reproof" which is a badge of shame for you to wear for other devout JWs to avoid you until you decide to become good and learn your lesson.
A college education is frowned upon and until recently even a high school education was considered an unnecessary formality. To challenge or question any belief would put the spotlight on you and where your loyalties lie. Even if you had a legitimate question that you didn't understand, if you are a good Witness, you will forget about it and accept the standard thought or be subjected to disciplinary actions.
While a Jehovah's Witness is not the type of cult that lives in a remote commune, wear weird clothing, or goes to the extremes in isolation methods, the separation between JW members and the world at large is a great invisible boundary. While they must live in the world, they must be no part of the world. This is a saying they take literally. This creates in the young people brought up in the religion a void in being able to relate to others on the outside. The world outside of the JW organization is evil and demonic, something to be afraid of and a certain death waiting for you. This keeps many who are otherwise unhappy in the religion imprisoned in it.
It is one thing for a consenting adult who knows what the world is like to join the religion. If they are dissatisfied they won't have as much of a hard time coming out, although the brainwashing process will make that a challenge. One raised in it has nothing to compare it with. For all they know everything else is evil and to be feared.
The organization is notorious for policies to favor the organization itself over that of the members. The stance on blood transfusions is one that has killed many who have died martyrs for the policy, some of them are children. Not carrying a political card got members in Malawi killed. Child molestors and those who rape or abuse their wives have been sheilded from the law while elders in congregations cover it up to handle it in secrecy and victims not allowed to talk about it. Victims of rape are given the choice to scream and fight even if it means certain death or to be branded a fornicator with all the punishment fit for one who fornicates. Those suffering mental illnesses are discouraged from getting treatment as it is seen as a weakness in your faith in Jehovah. A woman in an abusive marriage is forced to stay in the marriage and make it work. Ditto if she or he is married to an alcoholic or drug addict or the spouse is molesting their children (short of sexual intercourse). These atrocities have gone on from the beginning and makes this a dangerous cult.
The danger they see in pursuing further education is enlightening the members that there is more than one way to see the world and you would have to take the blinders off to do that. If for one moment you are distracted from the beliefs of the JWs, you are most likely going to stray away from the so-called truth.
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