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The definition of a “cult” is a
religion or an
organization that does not follow the teachings of
the early church.
Cults also teach anti-Biblical elevation of their leaders.
Cults do not believe in the divine nature of Jesus and
they
do not believe the Bible is without error
so they follow their
own books or flat out change the word of God.
Cults are particularly dangerous because they may use
the
same language as true believers.
They also claim to be Christian but their teachings
actually
draw people away from God because they focus
on “good works” instead of God’s grace.
Cults also recruit people.
That's what JWs do when they go door-to-door, they recruit
people with their booklets, pamphlets etc.
A spokesperson for the Jehovah's
Witnesses said this deceptive
statement:
"Jehovah's Witnesses are reasonable, tolerant people who
want people to make their own choices. I've never found them
to
be oppressive.
We offer freedom of choice and if anyone decides to leave
the
group, it's up to them".
It is rare to find a
Witness who has not seen or heard information
exposing the dishonesty of the Watchtower.
Their minds are trained to stop short of doubting the
organization -
a wall has been erected which says, in effect, "This far you
may go,
and no further."
Witnesses
appear to be happy, successful, at peace, and united.
It’s all for show.
They are typically depressed, lonely, have low self-esteem,
and are
overly dependent on the organization, frustrated and
confused.
“No one should be forced to worship in a
way that he finds
unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and
his family.”
July 2009 Awake! on pg. 29
This statement is deceptive because that’s not
the way it is in the
Witness organization.
Members that no longer believe are forced to stay in
the group
otherwise they will lose family and friends.
JWs have limited association with family
who never were Jehovah’s
Witnesses, the key word is limited.
They may attend a cousin’s wedding or see her new baby, but
can not
go out to dinner with that cousin regularly or have her over
on
the weekends.
The JW's teach
their doctrine to others and use fear tactics,
such as fear of demons and Satan, to lure in "non-JW's".
JW's are taught to only listen to and trust what
they say.
Everyone else is wrong.
If you dare think on your own, you're not following
wise
counsel.
You must recognize
God as your Father and the Watchtower as
your Mother.
Watchtower 5/1/1957 p. 274
Thoughts,
feelings, and activities (of self and others)
are reported to superiors:
Many Ex JWs will attest to
how often elders are approached about
everyday activities of congregation members, including
complaints
regarding clothes that others are wearing, how families are
raising their children or spending their money, if they feel
someone has missed too many meetings or should be doing
more in the preaching work, and so on.
This kinda reminds you of the 1984 song by Rockwell called
'Somebody Watching Me'.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are known for
isolating themselves
from the outside world, even family members, despite
the fact that they don’t live on compounds or in secluded
communes.
Jehovah's Witnesses control your mind
and control your
view of truth.
They'll convince you that:
"All doctrines are 'the truth', and even doubters have a hard
time
finding anything better."
And that:
"Everything else that is not 'the truth', is from Satan."
So that you have fear. It's called, brainwashing.
Fear is what keeps many members trapped
in after they discover
the deception.
JWs do not have any freedom of
speech.
Some Jehovah's Witnesses leave because
they feel their freedom,
rights & free speech are being violated.
They feel controlled and manipulated.
Jehovah's Witness can not do much without consulting
with the
Watchtower first to make sure it doesn't violate one of the
Society's laws.
If any Witness asks questions
about the fraudulent and harmful
policies of this group, they are disfellowshipped
and shunned;
consequently, this breaks up families.
Thousands of people want out of this group, but
can’t get out
because they don’t want to lose their families.
So they are forced stay in and do what they are told
because of
the fear of shunning.
Another key aspect of mind control involves training JW
members
to block out any information which is
critical of the group.
If any information transmitted to a cult member is perceived
as
an attack on the leader, the doctrine, or the group, a hostile
wall
goes up.
Members are trained to disbelieve any criticism.
JWs are told what to believe on
nearly everything such as:
music, TV, movies, etc.
JWs are discouraged from reading the Bible without
their own
literature explaining it.
Doubt and criticism regarding any doctrine taught by the
Witnesses is seen as “ploy” that Satan uses to lead them
into
apostasy to force you to believe their doctrine.
The organization dictates
every facet of a member's life and
beliefs down to the smallest detail.
Jehovah’s Witnesses dictate that
women wear skirts and dresses
when at their meetings and out in their preaching work.
Men are prohibited from having beards or facial hair of any
sort
other than mustaches (no goatees, etc).
There is no room to
disagree with Watchtower doctrine; you will
accept it.
Watchtower 2/1/1952 pg.
79-83
Notice the dictatorship?
More dictatorship:
JW's in professions that keep confidential records
(legal, medical, etc.) are required to disclose
confidential
information to their elders if a fellow JW is disobeying
the
Watchtower, even though this is illegal!
Watchtower 9/1/1987 pg.
12-15
They even stick
their nose into the privacy of marriage!
In 1969 the Watchtower invaded the bedrooms of
married
JW's by telling them which sex acts are approved and which
ones are not.
This policy was changed in 1978 and left up to the
JWs
conscience.
The Watchtower changed this policy again in 1983 and
made
such acts worthy of disfellowshipping.
According to Jehovah's Witnesses, only
the Governing Body
of JWs has a spiritual connection with God and no
one else does.
All Christians are equals before God.
According to the Bible, Jesus is available to all
who call upon
His name.
Matthew 18:20
Anyone who claims to
have the authority of God is committing
blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
The Bible makes it clear that worship,
devotion, loyalty, obedience,
and faithfulness is reserved for God alone.
The Bible does not say that any statue, person, or
religious
organization has been authorized by God to be
His representative.
This person writes:
"I attended their meetings I felt
uncomfortable with what I was
reading, it was more like scenes in a horror movie.
Extremely unreal, plus I had heard that they were
brainwashed
and it was a false religion and a dangerous cult I
was
warned by family to stay away from."
One Ex Witness says:
"In short, if you ever decide to join
Jehovah's Witnesses, you
better never even consider thinking for yourself.
You will be molded, scolded, and in no uncertain
terms bound to
the rules of the JW's, and if you decide to delve into
"independent
thinking", you will suffer punishment."
Another Ex Witness says:
"It's a very strict religion that denies its members
any freedom
or the right to make lifestyle choices of their
own.
It is incredibly controlling and, as a family, we
felt we couldn't
breathe without telling the elders first. I grew up in this
indoctrinated household.
We weren't allowed to make friends with anyone outside
the religion, which they called 'outside of the truth',
and further education or careers were frowned upon, because
our spiritual development came above everything.
It was an utterly miserable childhood, very lonely
and tough.
Following fashion is forbidden, modesty is
everything.
The other children at school would laugh at me, dressed in
floral frilly dresses or sailor dresses with hems down to
the ground with not even a bare arm exposed.
I looked like something out of the 1930's I never wore
designer trainers or anything fashionable, so I
was very isolated.
In January 2004, I told my parents I was leaving the group
knowing we would no longer be in contact, which was really
hard.
My husband wasn't upset at all.
The elders hammered on my door day and night for six
weeks
trying to dissuade me, and I screamed and swore at them to
make them go away.
Then my parents cut all ties me with me.
We had a brief reconciliation a few years ago, but as soon
as I
launched my website to help other ex-members, they
disowned
me again out of loyalty to the Jehovah's Witnesses."
A former JW Elder
says:
"Jehovah’s
Witnesses create guilt, depression, stifling childhoods
and marriages, and downright unhappy congregants.
Most Ex JWs, myself included, will attest to this;
It wasn’t unusual to see women in the back rooms crying
during meetings, hearing them talk about their oppressive
and abusive marriages, but knowing they could do nothing
about them.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have repeatedly encouraged women who are
victims of domestic violence to stay in the marriage, no
matter
the extent of abuse to her or her children.
Depression was common, as was alcohol abuse and the use of
antidepressants.
Most men I knew in the religion were
angry, oppressive,
condescending, arrogant, and downright rude to
congregants;
after all, they could certainly afford to be, since they
had absolute
authority over members, and anyone who didn’t like it
could
be disfellowshipped and was going to die at Armageddon."
Beware of
the Jehovah's
Witness
religion,
which is of
the devil, by
the devil and
for the devil
whom they
unknowingly
serve.
Do not
deceived by
the Jehovah's
Witnesses!
They are false
teachers and
their
doctrines are
dangerous.