Hey folks. I have been busy reading Steve Hassan's book, " Combatting Cult Mind Control " and just wanted to share several thoughts now that I'm about 25% through the book. It has been a real eye opener of how the power of a cult like the " Jehovah's Witnesses works.

    One thing he mentioned is that in cults, " members are systematically made to feel phobic about ever leaving the group . Today's cults know how to effectively implant vivid negative images deep within members' unconscious minds , making it impossible for the member to even conceive of ever being happy and successful outside of the group. "  He continued, " The unconscious mind is made to contain a substantial image-bank of all of the bad things that will occur if anyone should ever betray the group. "  He said that of course that most of these thoughts are irrational and nonsensical. But, remember most phobias are irrational .

   By the witnesses telling us our lives are doomed if we exit the religion, and that bad stuff will happen if we leave it , it is just another way to control our lives and to get us to stay under the Watchtower Societies controlling spell ! Many of us have found that we ARE much happier being out of the witness cult. So it is an unfounded fear that all will be terrible if you leave the witnesses.

  Also, another trick cults, like witnesses use is appealing to our basic human needs , in order to gain control of us. Quoting Hassan , he says, " Everyone, like it or not , is vulnerable to mind control. Everyone wants to be happy. Everyone needs affection and attention. Everyone is looking for something better in life : more wisdom, more knowledge, more money, more status, more meaning, better relationships, or better health. These basic human qualities and needs are exactly what cult recruiters prey upon. It is important to remember that for the most part, people don't join cults. Cults recruit people. "  So anybody can be coerced into joining a cult , even someone who feels they cannot be coerced into anything. If just one of these basic human needs that people value is appealed to by a prospective cult , it can suck in even the wary.

   So, it has been interesting reading this, quite educational to see how subversive and tricky cults as the Watchtower society can appeal to people, yet control them without even their knowledge of it.  So, what do you folks think? Have you seen this in the witnesses and other cults too? What experiences have you had or seen in others to verify what Steve Hassan is saying here ? I look forward to your comments as always.   Peace out, Mr. Flipper

  Love Steve Hassan!!!!

  I think everyone uses these techniques to a certain degree.   I have used some of these same techniques to try to keep my child from dangerous situations.   Not really knowing it was mind control, but after reading up, it surely is!

  Using these methods to control someone unethically, THAT is a whole other story.  

  Religious cults aren't the only ones that use these methods.  There are a lot of pyramid type commercial organizations (er....cults) that do the same thing.  It's all about using what the person longs for the most.  Spiritual security, financial gain, longevity, business success....  lots of groups use the same system of mind control. 

  My in-laws recently went to a "free dinner" in a college town, and it turned out to be a cult-type group.   They offer something free, but they make you feel guilty if you don't listen to their schpeel, and then you feel pressured to get their tapes, videos, etc....  Which are tools to further indoctrinate you. 

  Fortunately, my father-in-law is a sharp cookie, and he didn't fall for any of it.

  How Cults Work . com is a great place to get basic info. about how it works and questions you can and should ask before joining anything. 

   I nearly fell into a commercial cult head-over-heels, and the way they recruit is very much like the WTS does it.   I was actually p.o.'d for quite some time at my husband for not wanting to get more involved.   Am I ever glad I married such a wise man!  (Whew!)

One thing that is certain.  When I became one of Jehvoah's Witlesses, I feel I had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire in so many ways.  They promised that, if I joined the witlesses, they would take care of my needs for the opposite sex.  Not only they japped on that promise, but they made the problem even worse than it already was.  They also made it difficult for me to earn enough money to make ends meet, while usurping all my time on their field circus.

While I do not pretend that life is perfect outside the Watchtower Society, I cannot honestly say that anything has gotten worse just because I quit.  Nor can I honestly say that anything actually got better just because of joining.

WT WIZARD- I agree with you. I too lost income because of having to do the door to door  magazine selling. I'm doing a lot better now financially.

WITNESS 007-  I did read about the " love bombing ". Something cults do when new members come in to make them feel loved. Then as time goes by they stop. Sound familiar ? Peace out, Mr. Flipper

Great work, CoCo! I'm prouda you!

ESTEE

I always recommend "Combatting Cult Mind Control" by Hassan to my readers as one of the first things they should read upon leaving the JWS, and for an outsider talking TO JWs. It is about HOW you talk to cult members, more so than WHAT to say. Very important!

Randy Watters

http://www.freeminds.org

I have a question. Do you think that the GB and Writing Department have shrinks on staff to craft this mind control? Or do they just come by it naturally?

JK