My brain was washed so many times they rinsed it out last time!
do you think that JW are brainwashed?
by notmyself 49 Replies latest jw experiences
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steve2
A complicating factor in the question of whether JWs are brainwashed is this:
Some people appear to be "willing" victims of "mind control" . They're actually desperatley searching for something to help them cope better with their lives. This desperate searching is not peculiar to converts to JWs. However, because of our backgrounds, I'm sure we all know of people who excitedly rushed head-long into the Watchtower, and embraced its teachings even before they seemed to have thought all of the issues through. That has more to do with where the individual is "at" than the religion itself - although the religion exploits the desperate search!
Whatever the end result - and whether you call it brainwashing or something more scientifically measurable - seldom in human interactions is it a case of Big D ad Manipulative Bully on the one side and Poor Helpless Victim of Brainwashing on the other. Reality is often varying shades in-between: You cannot sell a product to an unwilling consumer.
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LMS-Chef
Sorry I have not read any of the other posts far far too many so if i am rehashing on somthing I am sorry.
Anyhoo i don't think they are brainwashed. It is just there faith. It hurts them just as much as it hurts us to be shunned but there faith tells them they are doing it for God so it is fine. Which when you think about it, unless youare an Athiest, is a pretty darn good reason.
Chef
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Star Moore
Definately brainwashed to believe they alone hold the key to eternal life and they have to ONLY key to life. I believed it for 26 years..so their successive order of logic is so brainwashing that people would die for it...YES DEFINATLY>>>>>
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steve2
Definately brainwashed to believe they alone hold the key to eternal life and they have to ONLY key to life.
Well, by that criteria, a hell of a lot of Christians and adherents of other faiths (e.g., Islam) are also brainwashed.
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MsMcDucket
A sister once answered up in the congregation and said she was glad she was brain-washed. She said her brain was so full of trash before she became a witness tha ther brain needed washing
Isn't this a line that all of the Jehovah's Witnesses use. I know that the person that I studied with loved to say this "Sometimes people's brains could use some washing". They must of heard it at a convention and all of them started saying it like robots. I think someone here mentioned that the statement was once made by a Charles Manson follower and some convention speaker picked it up and used it. Must be why the dubs are so fund of using the phrase.
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RodentBoy
I don't think that's any different than people in any cohersive organization. JWs are skilled drones, constantly having their obedience reinforced. For those coming in from the outside, I suspect in most cases there is some unmet need, and they'll latch on. For those that were born into it, it is simply what they've known their entire lives. But there will always be those that never take to it perfectly, or that have some experience that shakes their faith and makes them question. But even for many of those, the threats of DFing are so great that they'll keep the mask on. In a way, it really is a form of group hypnosis.
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garybuss
Just for clarification, If Witnessism is brainwashing, would Promise Keepers be brainwashing too? How about Catholic Mass?
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curlygirl
Without even the tiniest little doubt.
CG
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DavidChristopher
Amen to Call of Duty!! I beat finest hour then my ps2 took a DRE!!
I would say....what is the highest authorities definition of "brainwashing"? Does it fit their actions?
Maybe they are "blindly obedient" to a few "misguided, well intentioned" people?
Maybe that is "brainwashing"?
the actions is the only way to discern with any accuracy in my opinion.
If they start ordering their people to kill others, well, I would say something is wrong, bad wrong!!!