How Jehovah's Witnesses Differ From Cults

by Bangalore 49 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Opus92

  8. The dogmas and structure of cults tends to be rigid and inflexible, unable to respond to outside criticism or to make adjustments. The doctrines that Jehovah's Witnesses subscribe to as well as the organizational structure and policies tends to be more fluid, able to respond and adjust to changes in society and to justified criticisms.

  So now all the flip-flops on doctrine are a selling point?

  15. Jehovah's Witnesses are not encouraged to accept everything taught to them, but to study diligently the Bible, to "see if these things are so," as the Bible encourages.

  I think Ray Franz would like to disagree...
• 

  drew sagan

  A quick scan of the article reveals a major flaw:

  4. Participation in the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses is not all-or-nothing. People enjoy and benefit from contact with the Witness Bible education work on all levels. Some read the Witness literature and derive benefit from articles on family life, raising children, or health articles on depression, mental health, many different facets of life are covered by Witness literature. Other's occasional visit the Kingdom Hall, others come only once a year. Many associate regularly, and some choose to serve as missionaries, or in other aspects of full-time ministry. All is voluntary, and persons can participate in the full-time ministry for as long or short a period of time that they want to. "Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. Some participate in the full-time ministry, or public Bible education work, others do so on a very limited basis. But, all are encouraged to imitate Jesus example of sharing the Bible's message with others. There is no "punishment" for those who don't, there is no hour requirement.

  This is extrememly idealistic. The Watchtower requires high levels of comitment. This comment is clearly written from the perspecitve of an individual with ony a casual understanding of the Witnesses.

  It ignores factors such as social pressure, the desire to fit in, and fear. My wife once told me that a friend of hers out in field service once said that the only reason she did it was because she didn't want to die at Armageddeon.

  My wife herself never wanted to go out in service, but was under constant pressure since she was raised in the group. If you don't go out in service enough, people gosip that there is "something wrong with you".
• 

  Mary

  What a crock. Witnesses are encouraged to be "rational" and "balanced" in their thinking?

  Riiiiiiight.

  I wonder how much 'Mother' paid this guy to print this tripe.
• 

  AwSnap

  . There are no secret stages to becoming a Jehovah's Witness. Everything is out in the open from the start. Oh Really? That's the first 1/2truth I've seen so far and I'm only on #1. Everything's out in the open? In that thread about the july 09 awake, we see "just how up front and open" they are. It's funny because I mentioned it to a jw & they said "ohhhhh, yes, well that only applies to people who havent screwed themselves by getting baptized dedicated their lives to Jehovah. Well, well, well, WHY didn't they put that in the article? http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/174959/1/No-One-Should-Be-Made-to-Choosee280a6-LIES-from-July-09-Awake It reminds me of when you're a child playing a game with somebody and they keep adding and changing rules.
• 

  WTWizard

  The witlesses are becoming more a cult. Perhaps they were just another offshoot of Christianity when they started. But, they trended toward being a cult, more so when Boozerford was at the top. He is the one that started the ban on Christmas and in using the cross. Gradually, they started doing more things to cut themselves off from the world.

  These days, they are getting worse. In the past several years, they have cracked down on college (like they did in 1969, but this time they are threatening "privileges" if parents allow their children to attend college). They are banning independent research (cracking down once in the early 1980s, and again with the September 2007 Kingdumb Misery). They bust up families unless all members believe in the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger. They lie to the courts to give the impression that their children live normal lives, and then they make the same children waste all their time in field circus.

  And, starting in 2008, the Washtowel rag split into two. Prior to that, both were for the public (they placed both in field circus). Starting with 2008, they place the edited version for the public (that's why I would advise extreme caution before concluding that they are mainstreaming based on a Showcase Washtowel or Asleep article). The other edition is the Kool-Aid edition, with material that the public is not supposed to see. This frequently contradicts the doctrines in the Showcase Washtowel or the Asleep!.

  Which is enough to call it a cult.
• 

  Mary

  I just noticed that there's a place where you can leave your comments. I just put mine in, but I guess it has to go through a moderation process first before it's posted. I'd like to encourage everyone here to post their own viewpoint. Careful though---comments are limited to 1,000 characters or words.
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  sd-7

  Unbelievable. He's been reading JW Media. Dude...grossly, grossly misinformed. I can't even begin to spell it out. At least half of these points are untrue or incorrect, probably more. Good grief...

  SD-7
• 

  JWoods

  This bunch seems more like a modern progressive "accept others" coilition typical of the current educational NEA norms rather than a necessarily pro-JW outfit.

  Probably they would also be making "acceptance" noises over Muslims, Gays, Illegals, and so on.

  I personally think that the acceptance message on its own is probably OK, but it would certainly be beyond the pale for them to go around actively defending a religion like the guy's article appears to do over the JWs.

  It is one thing for various aviation writers who have never flown one to talk about the P-51 Mustang, quite another when Chuck Yeager talks about it.

  Like Chuck Yeager, ex-JWs have been there and done that.
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  Leprechaun

  Differ from Cults,” Well Virginia, not by very much; they are a cult to any educated person who knows how to read at fifth grade level. But, if you were raised in te organization or been attending meetings and eagerly paying heed to everything they say in their magazines without questioning them from time to time, then you are lost deep in an abbess of apathy where should not be.
• 

  sir82

  He lost me at point 1:

  The Bible study aid, "What Does the Bible Really Teach" outlines all there is in becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses, which is freely available to the public and to any who study with Jehovah's Witnesses from the start of one's studying the Bible with Jehovah's Witnesses.

  (Bolding mine)

  Of course, that's a crock of hooey. As I recall, the term "faithful and discreet slave" is scarcely mentioned in the book, and the full implications of disfellowshipping and its effect on family life are not discussed to any useful degree. The book does not mention 3-man judicial committees, "public" vs. "private" reproof, congregational restrictions, "marking", all sorts of stuff that has daily effect on the life of virtually every JW.