I was raised one of JW. Before I was born my Dad joined when two JWs came to our house around the same time my grandpa (my dad's dad) died. I remember my Mom telling me that my Dad took this very hard. At the time he was also questioning the Cathlic Church and not getting answers I guess. My Dad is very smart. A book worm that loves Shakespear, History books, and of course the WTS publications along side the Bible. Growing up, in my eyes, he knew everything. The beliefs of the JW are so far fetched though. What do you think made him quit associating with his family, quit holidays, and go at such a weird life change? I was just wondering what made some of you join after being subjected to freedom your whole life. What drew you?
For those who joined as adults
by brainwashed-from-birth 27 Replies latest jw friends
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creativhoney
Dad joined when two JWs came to our house around the same time my grandpa (my dad's dad) died. I remember my Mom telling me that my Dad took this very hard.
you have answered your own question. - one of my first posts was on this theme - people join because of personal tragedy. x
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brainwashed-from-birth
Damn it has been like 30 years since then. When is he going snap out of it? Is there really a chance he is explaining all this non-sense to himself? How could be be finding all the answers with those crazy people?
My bad had to vent. I really don't get it though.
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scotinsw
I've even heard witnesses say that personal selfishness is why they join. They are initially attracted because of the hope of seeing dead loved ones again.
You've got to admit - its a pretty good way of hooking people into the cult! Unfortunately if you want to leave - you can't.
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drew sagan
Because your Dad was convinced of the arguments presented to him by the Witnesses, their publications, and meetings.
The "in-home" bible study allows JWs to slowly convince a person of many things, argument by argument. In my own case (I joined as a young adult), the deeper I got involved the harder it was to back out. I had already "agreed" that certain things were true, and thus recieved additional pressure to make these truths motivate further agreement.
In essence, it is a mental trap. The arguments JWs use are not very good at all, but if they are the only people you are reallly listening to you will begin to agree with them. Eventually a person becomes attached to the agruments and ideas that they were taught, and becomes fearful of letting go. Even though a good bit of it doesn't make sense, enough of it appears to make sense.
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brainwashed-from-birth
Very good... if you would buy that line? I mean if you came to my door and said you know my loved one is coming back to life. I would probably act like I did not speak English to get you off my porch. It is hard for me to realize that my parents are so WEAK minded. My Dad for joining, and my Mom for doing everything my Dad says. Pathetic. I will never be like that. Life lesson learned I guess. I pray everyday they wake up from the hypnosis. I dont even think they really believe all that craziness. I think they are just comfortable and not good with change. Maybe I was adopted :-)
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brainwashed-from-birth
Very good... if you would buy that line? I mean if you came to my door and said you know my loved one is coming back to life. I would probably act like I did not speak English to get you off my porch. It is hard for me to realize that my parents are so WEAK minded. My Dad for joining, and my Mom for doing everything my Dad says. Pathetic. I will never be like that. Life lesson learned I guess. I pray everyday they wake up from the hypnosis. I dont even think they really believe all that craziness. I think they are just comfortable and not good with change. Maybe I was adopted :-)
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Lillith26
I last long enough as a study to 'get dipped'.... curiousity (and previous- little knowledge of the bible), is why I accepted a study. My study wasn't a failure... I learned that it deffinatly WAS NOT the truth- so I didn't join.
If I had been living in different circumstances/if I had just suffered the loss of a family member/if I didnt have other sources of credible information available to check or the internet.... then I very well could have been bought, hook line and sinker.
I was just wondering what made some of you join after being subjected to freedom your whole life. What drew you?
Curiousity, and the propect of a better way to raise my children.... sometimes the smartest parents will make the dumbest discissions in their attempt to 'give their children, a better life, than the one they had'... BFB- your Dad is still a smart man, he just made a dumb discission, because he loves you... he needs it to be the truth, because if it isn't, how will he protect you????
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dgp
I can contribute here, as a non-JW. Initially, no one wants to join the Society. It gets so much bad press that not many people want to get in. Some people do listen to the witness at their doors because they don't want to be impolite; but that is about it. Some people eventually join because they feel the witnesses are morally above the rest. Or, because they fall in love with someone. But I believe that most people who join as adults have two things in common: one, they were going through some kind of a crisis at the time, and two, they had hardly read the Bible, were not really aware of what their own religions taught, and found that the witnesses seemed to have all the answers.
Also, the witnesses know how to spot people's weaknesses and use them. They also have the big advantage that people are not aware of what they are really trying to do. They are not aware that supposedly innocent comments are ways to make you see things their particular way. People are not aware of how the organization works, and what it really teaches.
From that point on, the indoctrination begins little by little and, as someone pointed out, once you have accepted something it's difficult not to move further. The witness presents things as if they were only logical derivations of what you just accepted as true. They begin with things people will easily accept, and, once people lower their defenses, it is easier to make them accept the bigger issues.
Deceit is used, as well. The magazines you get at your door are not the magazines you would get if you were in. How many worldlies would know about "Keep Yourselves in God's Love", "Pay Attention to Yourself and All of the Flock"? How many of us know about judiciary committees, or the flip-flops in doctrine? That is withheld. It is supposed to be just not mentioning the truth, instead of telling a lie, but presenting things in a misleading way is indeed a lie.
Some people derive a sense of happiness from "knowing all of the answers". And, some people want things spelled out to them. They want an authority to tell them what is right or wrong. This is a basic human trait. Life is full of anxieties, and you find you always need to keep yourself afloat; therefore, some people willingly give their own individuality away in exchange for psychological safety and peace. If all they need to do is follow what they are told, then salvation is "easy".
Just as a passing remark, I need to say that the bad press the Society gets is usually NOT the bad press it should get. We the worldlies do not know about disfellowshipping at all. We don't know about the virtual prohibition to attend college. We don't know about liaison committees, and the fact that witnesses DO take blood; sorry, "fractions". We don't know, above all, that many witnesses think we are below their level. If that particular piece of information were well known, let me assure you that the society would not recruit too many new members, and many people would receive a treatment far worse than a slammed door.
It is already difficult for the society to get new recruits. It is still gaining ground where people don't have the information about its ways.
I can tell you, however, that some people DO take Bible studies and not all of them eventually ecome witnesses. I know that from a witness.
Each time you fall for a witness, for example, and the witness refuses to be with you, the society wins a very bitter enemy. And that is because you love your witness, you feel sorry for that person, and would want the person out. In this sense, their idea about "not marrying unbelievers" is more damaging that what they think.
The more information is out there, the fewer people will convert. Believe me. I know because I am one person who did not convert because I had the information at hand.
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jonathan dough
In essence, it is a mental trap. The arguments JWs use are not very good at all, but if they are the only people you are reallly listening to you will begin to agree with them.
http://144000.110mb.com/144000/index.html#intro
This lengthy paper is written primarily for the benefit of those Jehovah's Witnesses who feel trapped by the Society's legalistic arguments and want out. Many are fearful of even glancing at these pages believing that something bad will happen to them, but what they really should be afraid of is not paying heed and the risk of committing an unforgivable sin. When the Pharisees attributed the source of Jesus' power to heal and drive out demons to satan rather than the Holy Spirit they blasphemed the Holy Spirit and committed what some argue is the only unforgivable sin (Matt. 12:22-32).
It is no great secret that the Jehovah's Witnesses attribute the Catholic and Protestant churches' authority to heal, exorcize and minister to the power of satan. But if the Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong, which they are, they are blaspheming the Holy Spirit; this includes all Jehovah's Witnesses who advocate these beliefs through the dissemination of Watchtower Bible and Tract Society literature related to these issues. Rather than dissuading continuous inquiry into the nature and scope of truth, the Bible encourages it for as the apostle Paul cautioned, "be sure of all things."
The Jehovah's Witnesses are hindered in their ability to see their way through the morass of Society literature by four things related to the method employed in analyzing Scripture. First, rather than weighing all of the evidence there is a strong tendency to be satisfied with any answer, argument or supporting fact no matter how weak. But anyone can come up with an answer or opposing argument; lawyers do it all the time. What really matters is whether it is the correct answer, the most valid argument. One must weigh all of the evidence, not just some of it.
Secondly, the Society's theories are laced with hair-splitting and often inconsequential distinctions. Just because the walls in the bedroom are painted green it doesn't automatically follow that the thief buried the treasure in the back yard. Related to this is a third tool used to shore up their doctrines, namely, they too often read things too narrowly which makes it easier for them to deflect criticism. And lastly, one is left with the unmistakable impression that they don't want their own people to really know what the Society is teaching because core doctrine is scattered all over the place resulting in a literary shell game; and great lengths have been taken to muddy the intellectual waters This creates confusion and contradictions to a surprising degree which leaves the reader to rely on the Society's "understanding." Consequently, what might appear to be the work of some lofty, divine will is in all probability the work of some very crafty lawyers, among others.