The WTS Most Awesome Tool of Indoctrination? (page 2)

merfi

Nah, not really... But I suppose it depends how much effort a good dub puts into "studying" it. We would just read thru it and that was it. (I think it's still turned to somewhere in February, back when I was trying to give a crap yet). Some will ask questions, or do extra Research(tm) etc, so I suppose the DT is what you make it.

As far as "fellowship" being the best indoctrination tool, I will have to say that this "fellowship" is one of the main reasons I left....

My own opinion is that the TMS/SM is the strongest meeting for "selling" and beating us over the head for not doing enough, but throwing a kind, loving scrip or idea at us to soften the blow and make us feel like we WANT to do more... blah blah. Strongest brain-washing meeting, IMO.

~merfi

Check_Your_Premises

Without a doubt I think it is the door to door work.

It is the perfect example of the influence of consistency. Humans have a natural need to be consistent. Their actions need to be consistent with thoughts and emotions. That is the basis for cognitive dissonance theory.

Also it has been shown that if a person performs and act that is difficult (knocking on strangers doors to recruit people is VERY difficult!!!), they will have a stronger need for their future actions to be consistent with that act. If an act is somehow public (door to door is seen by fellow jws and people being preached to), then the need to be consistent is further reinforced by the outside social pressure that comes from needing to be seen as consistent by others.

You could probably add to that the way it divides the world in the jw mind. They are the right ones. All others are potential recruits or enemies. The only legitimate way to interact with the outside world for the jw is the preaching work.

Prostletyzing = Indoctrination

The jw's may not be the most controlling cult out there, but they are probably one of the hardest from which to free a person's mind.

CYP

fullofdoubtnow

I think the meetings are their most effective tool of indoctrination as well. All the love bombing makes you feel that you just want to be there, and often, even if the stuff you are studying with them seems a little bizarre, compared to other religions, at first. They seem so sincere and loving that they just have to have the truth.

It was the welcome at the meetings that hooked me anyway.

metatron

Their best tool? Joseph Goebbels ( Nazi Minister of Propaganda) told us the answer. It's .......

repetition... repetition .... repetition.......

Armageddon? Armageddon! Armageddon! Armageddon!

Faithful Slave? Faithful Slave! Faithful Slave! Faithful Slave!

Why did they ever waste so much paper and printing in past decades, trying to reason with people, when all

that was ever needed was mindless repetition? Who needs an "Evolution" book? Who cares about proving that

God exists? Why bother defending the Bible? The organization today is a living testament that none of that was

ever necessary.

metatron

ashitaka

I think it's their ability to instill fear immediatly. They love to tell their studies in service that Satan will pounce right away. They tell their new potential converts that their family will attack "their faith" and so when the family is concerned that this person is studying with a JW, it's like a sign, a prophecy being fulfilled. They use real family sentiment and concern to turn their converts against the family that is genuinally concerned for them. It's incredibly deft.

Finally-Free

I never read the daily text. I considered it too much of an intrusion into my personal life. My ex thought I had a bad attitude and read it herself anyway. She stopped reading it aloud when it became obvious that I didn't want to hear it.

And, of course, I was the "spiritually weak" husband who refused to "take the lead".

W

jstalin

Their greatest tool is appeal to emotion - specifically to the depressed and worn-down. They offer a hope that the targeted victim deperately needs. It's like saying to someone who's in dire financial straights that they will win the lottery, if they follow some specific rules.

mysterio91

I remember being the only "brother" going out in field service on a few occasions. That meant I had to lead the group for that day. We would go over the Daily Text, and I would simply say "Does anyone have any comments?". It was so weak.

jojochan

I agree with that statement though, also....

The one thing that HAD been affective was the knowlegde book. The collective would boast that it take a person only at the most six months to complete it, and be ready for baptism. In my most humble opinion it's the "cookie cutter" way to make witnesses. Just notice the chapters that are cited there in the book.

And even now with the new study book that's being used now....the information that's being dispensed is even more dumbed down more than ever( remember how they would devote more time to study the seventy weeks of years?) it's more streamlined, more idiot proof.

It just comes to show that you really don't need to be a brain to be a witness. There's NO such thing as studying anymore...there's only parroting.

"Open your MIND, Quaid". -Quato. Total Recall.

jojochan.

jojochan

Their best tool? Joseph Goebbels ( Nazi Minister of Propaganda) told us the answer. It's .......
repetition... repetition .... repetition.......

Damn.... so true....and it's THAT which scares me.And then they sanitize it by calling it "Repetition for emphasis". Which for some it clearly works best when they are at their lowest point in their life...for some when it's not. It's at this point that they are open to collective reasoning and repetition of the dogma. And the selling point for them is when they come to the Hall. It's there that they see the "love" that's around them. And it refreshes them.

We all know that this is part of the "sweet and bitter message".

Then...the bitter message follows when they study and begin to ask questions that are within their limits to ask.

I know because I used to set those limits.

To this day I still hear those dumb phrases and key words that were tattoed in my brain almost everyday in some way shape or form.

I can't believe I used to preach this to people.

jojochan.

The WTS Most Awesome Tool of Indoctrination?

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