Jehovah's Witnesses are not a CULT ... (page 5)

NewChapter

Actually "cult" with all it's perjorative connotations fits Watchtower nicely.

Why can't you speak to DF'd and DA'd ones?????

I will enjoy your answer since you will be describing us.

NC

shamus100

They fit the definition of high control group better.

Whatever definition you chose, it means the same thing.

InterestedOne

Concerned JW wrote:

Is this where I am supposed to fall into the trap of answering a question that by answering it would mean I accept that Steve Hassan's book which doesn't mention Witnesses applies to them in anyway?

There is no trap. Have you read it? Yes or no?

If someone asked me whether or not I have read a book, I would have no problem answering. Have I read the book? Yes. See, it's that easy. Now, anyone interacting with me about this topic knows I have read the same information, and we can have a dialogue about it. That's why people having a discussion ask each other what they have read. If you have not read it, that's fine, and those interacting with you will not assume you know the same information. It means they might have to fill you in on some things if you haven't read it. It is a simple yes/no question to facilitate communication. Can you please answer yes or no?

Concerned JW

You have yet to establish why reading the book is relevent to this discussion? Like I said earlier I am pretty sure Steve Hassan did not mean for it to be used as a "How to spot a Cult" book or a "How to read your religion into a Cult" book. but to be used with already established Cults. I will discuss Steve Hassan's book when you establish that witnesses are a Cult but you can't because they are in fact an established Religion.

Please answer why you asked me if I read it? and why would you think I need to read it?

sherah

Concerned JW said - I am pretty sure Steve Hassan did not mean for it to be used as a "How to spot a Cult" book

Yeah, he did. But that's based on my reading of the book.

Is you opinion of the book based what you have from reading it?

leavingwt

Concerned JW: If you're really 'concerned', I would encourage you to read Hassan's book. I'm going to leave the conversation, now. Welcome to the forum. Please stick around for a while. We are a diverse bunch.

InterestedOne

Concerned JW wrote:

Please answer why you asked me if I read it? and why would you think I need to read it?

I am baffled by the fact that you are hesitating to answer a simple yes/no question about whether or not you have read a book. It's not hard to type "yes" or "no." Still, I asked if you read it because I was wondering if we are both aware of the same information that has been published by a cult expert. The book is relevant to the discussion because information from a cult expert helps to shed light on the questions people have and the claims they make about the relationship of the word "cult," if any, to the JW organization. From your second question, I gather that you have not read it. As for answering your second question, I'm not going to try to persuade you to read it. I merely wanted to know if you were aware of its contents. I see that the answer is no, and that's all I was curious about.

InterestedOne

Concerned JW wrote:

I am pretty sure Steve Hassan did not mean for it to be used as a "How to spot a Cult" book

To help clear up any misunderstanding you might have about his intentions, here is an excerpt:

How does one learn how to discern whether or not a group is a destructive cult? What are the crucial elements that separate benign organizations from dangerous ones? In this chapter I attempt to point out in greater detail the general characteristics of destructive cults so that you can protect yourself from their influence. In doing so, I try to answer some of the more frequently asked questions about cults. Last, I include a list of questions which anyone can use to begin evaluating a group. - from Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan, pp 95-96.

The above excerpt demonstrates that part of his intention was in fact "how to spot a cult," as you put it, although there is more to his intention than that. Spotting a cult is only part of what the book is about. He also discusses ways of helping people who are in cults.

I personally found the book to be an excellent read. If you have time, I recommend it.

punkofnice

Jehovah's Witnesses are not a CULT ...

Cult or not they are NOT the one true religion.

I view them as an antichrist pyramid big business posing as a religion to get power and money from their victims. They have invented a brand name god.

Doctrines have to be 'NEW IMPROVED' versions. They are constantly upgrading their produce with 'new light' (TM).

It's a sales scam!

Terms and conditions apply and are subject to 'overlapping' (TM).

Mad Sweeney

Is this where I am supposed to fall into the trap of answering a question that by answering it would mean I accept that Steve Hassan's book which doesn't mention Witnesses applies to them in anyway?

No, this is where you're supposed to say "Yes" or "No."

It is a book about "Cults" not established Religions! First you have to establish Jehovah's witnesses are a cult!

Established religions ARE cults. It is what the word means. We don't "have to establish" that at all. The question is whether they are a "dangerous cult" or a garden-variety cult. But if we don't know whether you've read Hassan's book or not, it is difficult to know how informed/ignorant you are on the topic (though you've given us plenty of clues about that, I'll grant you).

I also think it has been quite adequately shown that the usage of "Cult" is too perjorative a term to be used without bias. Especially as Witnesses are an established and recognised religion.

So "cult" is used as a perjorative and the JWs are established and recognized. So what? Is there a point in there somewhere?

I'm also fairly certain Steve Hassan didn't mean for his book to become a "How to identify (read your religion into) a cult" book. But to be used with already well established "Cults".

Well we still don't know if you've read it or not so it is unclear whether you have a reading comprehension problem or whether you just blow smoke out your orifices because you can. Steve Hassan DID mean for his book to become a "How to identify a cult" book. That's established by its content, part of which is quoted above by another poster.

Jehovah's Witnesses are not a CULT ...

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