REALLY, Why Do People Remain Jehovah's Witnesses???

minimus

I think it's all about FEAR. They are always afraid of displeasing Jehovah God, the elders, the Circuit Overseer. Witnesses are always walking on eggshells, HOPING that they'll be good enough to make it thru the great tribulation. Even the ones that aren't hardcore believers won't leave, just in case! ---------- Why do you think persons remain as JWs???

fullofdoubtnow

I stayed out of fear for the last few months. I thought, or even knew they were wrong, but there was still that residual fear that even though they'd got just about everything else wrong, they might be right about the end of this system. Also, I had hardly any friends other than jws, and I didn't want my social life, such as it was, to disintegrate overnight.

Gill

Fear

Stupidity

Lack of rational thought

Indoctrination

Habit

Lack of common sense

A need to be better than everyone else, even though their not

Being a misfit and malcontent

Having stupid parents and not wanting to lose your inheritance

Having equally stupid grandparents and not wanting to lose your inheritance

KW13

Fear is what controls them, but also some people like to have the feeling they are something special and that they are somehow clever because they found the truth.

Other than that, you get those that maybe even know its not the truth but want power and control and from going on the platform giving talks, to doing little jobs at the hall and getting recognition for their efforts.

Some folks need something, they are lonely and want company and something to fill their time...

serendipity

fear of losing family

KW13

all of the reasons are good, but i think the reasons people become jw's and then stay jw's tend to differ, i think they eventually believe it even if they don't want to at first, or at some points have doubts.

lilybird

I think for most people with doubts it is hard to leave because they are afraid of losing family members.Also, people are hooked on the living forever after Armageddon promise.

Forscher

I think a it is a co-dependency relationship.
Many who stay have a need to be told how to live their lives and a deep seated fear of independance. Others stay out of fear of the consequences of not towing the party line (loss of family, etc.). And some are authoritarian personalities who need to dominate others. In their case the religion is just a vehicle to fill that need.
Forscher

Swamboozled

fear of losing family

I think that is the most frequent reason. When you stop believing that is the only rational reason to stay on (IMO).

BizzyBee

Quite frankly, being a JW is not like a buffet. You cannot come in and take plate and take a little salad, a few meatballs, a roll and some tapioca and pay your $5.95 and leave.

The WTS is not interested in your $5.95 any more than they are interested in people just coming to a 'public talk,' or just taking a magazine.

D'you know the saying "Once you've got them by the ballz, their minds and hearts will follow?" Should be the banner headline on all WT lit.

The indoctrination is designed with strategically built-in hooks along the way to insure that staying is easier than leaving. Your family, friends, work, free time, job, nearly all life choices are intertwined with being a JW, like the tentacles of an octopus and each year you get more firmly entrenched. As long a you relax in the warm water, all is comfortable. But any movement toward escape, and the tentacles instinctively tighten and strangle you.

REALLY, Why Do People Remain Jehovah's Witnesses???

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