Is this a "staying in the group" technique?

I-follow-the-narrow-path

I noticed that some of the members in the church are giving me gifts... For no apparent reason.
Are they just nice, or do they do this to keep me in the church.
Also, if I hear the word "the truth" one more time... ahhh... I keep hearing it left and right... it seems weird to hear.
People saying "so how long you have been studying the truth?" or "it is so nice you are studying the truth"-- weird

glitter

*Why* are you still attending meetings?!!

Tea4Two

Well, what is your conclusion? Do you feel you are studying the "Truth"?

blondie

If you are not baptized but just studying/attending, it is an attempt to get you to stay in the group. You realize that as long as you are not baptized, all the time spent "encouraging" you can be put on their time slip and turned in. For the words that JWs say that they don't celebrate birthdays or Christmas because they can give gifts any time, few give gifts except at weddings or showers (and sometimes not even then).

If you are recently baptized (the one who studies with you can still count the time), it can be the same thing.

What are you not doing they think you should do? Not enough meetings; not going door to door, hmmmmmmmm.

Beware gifts from JWs ~~Greeks~~.

Blondie

AuldSoul

People saying "so how long you have been studying the truth?" or "it is so nice you are studying the truth"

"By saying it repeatedly, we prove to ourselves that it is The Truth™. The only alternative is that we are lying to ourselves, and we are sure that isn't happening because we are in The Truth™."

That is, in effect, what you are hearing. You are witnessing the JWs brainwashing themselves and each other, mentally reinforcing through repetition of a simple mantra "The Truth™" will make sure they will continue to believe it—despite logical and reasonable cause for disbelief. All cults convince their adherents that they believe The Truth™. Many of those who died among the Branch Davidians believed The Truth™.

Respectfully,
AuldSoul

Carmel

Just tell them you are "investigating reality".

Carmel

"Man must seek the reality himself, forsaking imitations and adherence to mere hereditary forms. As the nations of the world are following imitations in lieu of truth and as imitations are many and various, differences of belief have been productive of strife and warfare. So long as these imitations remain the oneness of the world of humanity is impossible. Therefore we must investigate the reality in order that by its light the clouds and darkness may be dispelled. Reality is one reality; it does not admit multiplicity or division. If the nations of the world investigate reality they will agree and become united."

(Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - Abdu'l-Baha Section, p. 238)

serendipity

The attention stops after a person is baptized.

jwfacts

Many JWs are nice people, and the gifts may be genuine. However, as you are new you will be getting a lot more attention than once you have been baptised.

AlmostAtheist

>>Are they just nice, or do they do this to keep me in the church.

Could you buy that it's both? They ARE nice, and they want what's best for you, so they want you to stay in the church because they think you MUST stay in order to survive armageddon.

Sincerity doesn't make a person right, though.

As for "the truth", is it any different than any other marketing campaign? How many products advertise themselves as "pretty good" or "no worse than average"? They all claim they are "the best"! There are plenty of "The Truth"'s out there to pick from, JW's among them.

Dave

parakeet

After all the good advice you've been getting here, WHY WHY WHY are you still going to meetings and then posting here about JW tactics in such a wondering tone. I'm sorry, but you sound like you're a just a few fries short of a Happy Meal. If you're going to ignore everything said to you in this forum, then at least do yourself the favor of going to a qualified mental health professional NOW.

Is this a "staying in the group" technique?

Share this