are JWs really worse? (or: is every religion a cult?)

by inkling 40 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  inkling

  Many here freely trot out words like "cult" and "indoctrination"
  "group-think" and "double talk" in describing witnesses, and my
  question is, if these words are apt (and I think there is a strong
  case that can be made that they are) are the JWs any more
  deserving of them than any other religion?

  Are JWs any different than Mormons, or Baptists, or Catholics?

  I see many parallels between Mormon and JW thinking...

  Both have a custom-made bible.
  Both have a governing body of 12(ish) men who decide doctrine.
  Both have a nontraditional but technically Christian theology.
  Both isolate group members from critical writings against the group
  Both encourage a strong Us vs The world, in-group, One True Religion stance.
  Both are aggressive door-to-door evangelicals.

  But even Catholics will bend to the fickle opinion of one man (The Pope)
  even when it comes to massively critical things as wether or not to use
  birth control. Taken out of context, many would see this irrational trust
  in one human's arbitrary opinion as quite cultic.

  Obviously each religion exerts some amount of unifying pressure on
  the members, so where is the line between Religion and Cult?
  What factors make one cult worse than the next?

  There are forums just like this one for "ex-name any religion"

  [ink]
• 

  blueviceroy

  Society in general is a cult. Religion is just a reflection of the cultish mentality of the world in general . You must be a member to succede, you must abide by what society dictates or you will suffer , You follow what I'm saying?

  Religion is just the customs of a culture, and a social club for the most part, a serious student of the truth will most likely be found doing research and not practicing DOGMA, but instead treats all beliefs as valued treasures and lovingly extracts the worth of each. No hating , no exclusivness , no isolationist mentality.

  Not all religions are cults , some are actually gaining understanding of the will of the creator, But most are just pissing in the wind.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  There are forums just like this one for "ex-name any religion"

  You are not going to see passion in an EX Methodist or Episcopalian thread.

  IMO, the Mormon religion is a more extreme cult in the doctrines and methods.
  There are many extreme religions that are not Christian which could be considered
  dangerous cults. There are tons of dangerous Christian cults that are not as large
  as the Mormons or the JW's.

  What the passion here is, is the problems with disfellowshipping or attempting to
  leave Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the Mormons seem to let members leave easier
  than JW's, but they are a larger group that has successfully mainstreamed themselves.
  IF JW's ever become mainstream and stable in their wealth, they might lighten up.

  Our minds are forced into this wrong doomsday religion, then our family and friends
  are held prisoners and turned against us if we try to leave. No mainstream Catholic
  has that problem.

  As far as extreme dangerous cults go, JW's could even be viewed as CULT LIGHT.
  They don't live in a compound, they don't refrain from fairly normal lives, they marry and
  have kids, they use sedans or SUV's in their service, they stay in plush hotels if they
  want to for their sales seminars. The doctrine has more things than just the disfellow-
  shipping that makes them passionate, but that's the biggy.
• 

  inkling

  Society in general is a cult. Religion is just a reflection of the cultish mentality of the world in general .

  Becuase you can't spell "Culture" without "Cult"

  :)
• 

  Junction-Guy

  I think several things distinguish JW's from any other religion.
  
  One is the shunning aspect, and how they spin it to look good in their favor.
  
  Two is the complete dependence on the religion, even for the mundane things of life.
  
  Three is the lying that is used to support it and prop it up.
  
  
  There are many more reasons I can think of, these are just but a few.
• 

  James Free

  Many religions are just as bad. But, because the people here, including me, have experience with the JW's they are our focus.
• 

  Junction-Guy

  It depends on how you define "bad'
  
  I define bad in tangible terms, such as the forced shunning, the forced isolation from childhood peers, the forced separation of the sexes during adolescence, the total lack of encouragement for higher education. I consider all of these things as bad, because they have a tangible effect on the child in later years when they are trying to support their families and lead a decent life.
  
  All religions have their problems and detractors, but few go to the extremes that JW's do.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  If you read Steve Hassan's books or another author about cults, they really
  stress DANGEROUS MIND CONTROL CULTS. That's because other general
  ways to define cults make all religions seem like cults or the military or A.A. or
  the Boy Scouts. In many ways, we are controlled some by commercial television
  or other advertising. It is the DANGEROUS part that makes a cult into what
  we think of as a cult. Some people do give their lives to the military or their religion
  but most are able to walk away from them easily when they are finished with their
  enlistment or when their spirituality changes.

  My personal growth has helped me to see that I was almost sucked into Amway
  when I was barely an adult. They are a sales cult similar to JW's, but there's no
  religion involved. We think they are just a harmless pyramid scheme, but
  members swear by their products and their methods to spread the wealth. I think
  in many ways, they qualify as a DANGEROUS MIND CONTROL CULT. Apparently,
  many therapists use dangerous mind control methods, too. Their patients
  get sucked into a life they cannot break free from easily.
• 

  White Dove

  I think that every religion has a place on the is a cult-is not a cult continuum. JW's are at the is a cult end of it.
• 

  The Oracle

  Many religions are guilty in a similar way.

  However, from what I know of other religions the JWs are worse in most cases for a few reasons;

  1. the overly judgemental culture - creates depression, and leads to suicides
  2. the vascilating stance on the blood issue has caused, and is causing premature death
  3. the policies regarding handling reports of child abuse create a safe haven for pedophiles
  4. they discourage education which is so important for the advancement of the human family both socially and scientifically

  that's enough for now.

  The Oracle