There is much discussion of the "dumbness" of those still in and the reason that they stay.

Some of the reasons that I have seen are:

They want everything in black and white.
They prefer to leave thinking to others.
They are scared to be shunned.
They are just ignorant souls who are on the "opium of the people"
They dont want others to think bad of them.

While I agree that there is no one single reason and that everyone is different, I feel that the real reason is a much deeper one.

Throughout all of history, mankind has pursued an understanding and knowledge of the future.

From scientific predictions to horoscopes and other various methods, it is almost universal that people seek to know what is coming.

The borg offers that. And it offers thorough training and critical "facts" to support their claims. And although their "facts" are full of holes, to many unaware of the subject material, no matter how "intellegent" they are, the "facts" speak for themselves.

Most of the literature from the WTS is presented in a "textbook" fashion, which impressively convinces people that the contained information must be correct.

So you end up with people who are seeking a future being given "factual" information and regular "pump ups" necessary to continue the falacious thinking which leads them to believe that they do indeed "know" their future.

Even when doubts start to protrude into their comfortable world, they are not then prepared to easily give up what "answers" humanities lifelong passion.

It does not make them stupid, ignorant nor gullible, it just means that they are human like the rest of us.

BugEye

Hi Bug!!!

Just wanted to say that was a good post. And you are absolutely right!!! Later on Msn babe!

Joanne

Well put, Bug. The conditioning prevents most people from WANTING to hear anything that might destroy that fragile illusion.

-Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it-

as far as I can remember of my time in, it was a cocooned existance,
protected from the real world by an invisible bubble,insolated from life with a huge golden carrot dangling in front of you....just out of reach of course.
It was easier not to question, it was easier to do as you were told and the only word I can think of off hand to describe being one is 'institutionalised'
nelly

I beg to disagree and I believe your post proves the opposite of what you are trying to say.

All of these "reasons" are traits of "stupid, ignorant, gullible people. You even used "ignorant souls" in reason #4. We all were this way either by nature or conditioning, otherwise we would not have remained as long as we did.

At the present time, any reasonable person who is a Witness can see clearly there are problems in the congregations (ie. marriages breaking up, "rebellious" youth). There is also more information available to those with doubts than at any other time.

The only ones who might not fit this category are those who are aware of "things" but CHOOSE to remain out of what they feel to be NECESSITY (ie. wife and family active).

No reasonable or thinking person will ever sign up to be a JW. Only the "stupid, ignorant or gullible" do, and that mostly encompasses JW children who have not the intellectual maturity to critically examine things before making such a serious decision.

Being "stupid, ignorant and gullible" combined with fear is what IMO keeps them in.

Path

Pathofthorns

Thank you for your post, and thank you for being so critical of others, without this criticism and putting down of those who do not agree with your thinking, you would have no means of making yourself feel superior. Keep up the good work.

Oh and BTW, in my post, I said NOT some of the reasons that they stay.

To clarify it a little further for you, in case it is not clear, this is a forum and people suggest ideas on why people remain in the WTS and some of the reasons that I have "SEEN" are :

Get it now???

There you go, it wasnt so hard now was it.

Please feel free to make yourself higher and higher and taller by pushing others down and making them appear not up to your immense standards.

BugEye

The issues may be far more complicated.

"They want everything in black and white."

I believe this applies to every religion. Adepts want to see things in simple, uncomplicated terms, and the simpler the better. If the earth was created in six days, six days be it. Anything beyond that fundamental interpretation is bound to raise contention, spurn depths that religion in the basic sense is not kitted out to handle. It is not typical of Jehovah's Witnesses.

"They prefer to leave thinking to others."

Again typical to most religious groups. That's why there is a clergy class in every structured religion. The clergy are supposedly closer to the divine, therefore able to think and interprete, teach the laity.

"They are scared to be shunned."

Rightfully so. It's human to want to belong to the group and not be ostracized. It's sad for any religion to use "shunning" as a weapon. This is one of the most reprehensible of practices among Witnesses. Unfortunately, the majority of witnesses think they are right and biblically authorized to disfellowship and shun - even as the Catholic Church claims every right to excommunicate.

"They are just ignorant souls who are on the "opium of the people" "

You could generalize that to every religion and body of beliefs. Which would make every believer in or practicer of a religion an ignorant soul, needing a frequent fix of that "opium"....

"They dont want others to think bad of them."

An all too human reaction.

Could it be that many Witnesses who choose to remain simply want a religion to cling to, and they are reasonably comfortable with what they have?

I think it too presumptuous on anyone's part to dump scores of thousands into simplified and simplistic pigeon holes for their own comfort.

PC

Hey Dave
Good post...I agree with your comments regarding that strong need to 'know' the future. I think that is one of the things that held me in for so long. That and the very real fear of losing every person I loved and everything that was important to me. When I left, I felt as though the very foundations of my entire existence had been shaken loose; it is a devastating thing to lose one's faith. But as has been pointed out, the WTS demands faith to an organization, and imposes incredibly harsh rules and punitive actions upon those who choose not to be of the 'faithful'.

Closer2fine...I can really relate to your post! My mother has been a Jdub for about 35 years now...my sister and I have talked about how easy it would be to completely shatter her faith...but we realize this would be a terrible unkindness to her...she has given up so much...both of her daughters and 4 grandchildren, all for the sake of the bORG. I think my mother would 'snap', as you said. At this point, she is probably much better off dying 'faithful'...sad, isn't it??

Dana

"A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Heya Boozy

Thanks for the response. The mind control techniques used by the WTS are indeed effective, although not as effective as a couple of other religious organisations.

The alpha level programming at longer meetings and conventions is also well done.

At large conventions, the attendants and specified walking paths with area's that are "out of bounds" serve as an excellent manipulation tool. Due to thirst, food deprivation and uncomfortable seating along with monotonous repetative messages, the average attendee is almost guaranteed to be in a fairly suggestable mental state.

The physical "guidance" offered by the brothers then serves to impress the idea that restrictions and a set path are natural and easily translates into a mental guidance.

This is why, even though a convention rarely if ever offers new information, atendees often return feeling "spritually refreshed". Their self restrictions and limitations that have slowly been failing over time have been reinforced by patterned behaviour modification.

All in all, someone desiring to learn mind control would do well to observe the WTS in action, although I think the Scientologists may be a more advanced place to look.

BugEye

BugEye, good question. You saidThat is true, particularly since it contains references. The WTBTS insinuates that there are many opposers, so people think that if there were inaccuracies, it would be common knowledge. So they don't check.

Had Enough, you saidThis was true for me, too.

Pathofthorns, you saidWhile this is true, you must realise that (1) good JWs, even if they have access to the internet, do not usually go to 'apostates' for information and (2) JWs are brainwashed into thinking that the doubts are caused by being 'spiritually weak', so tend to try to improve their spirituality. Also, the majority of dubs do not know about the injustices and corruption within the organisation. I had quite a shock when I found out how much covering up goes on in the organisation, and I had already left before I looked at any 'apostate' sites.

You also put down people who become JWs by sayingAnd then you have the nerve to say that you weren't being critical of others

Boozy, Dana, Redhorsewoman I agree with your comments

esther