Understanding JW Recruiting Concepts Can Help Others To Leave

by AllTimeJeff 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  AllTimeJeff

  TD said:

  I have absolutely no data to make this up, but my gut feeling is that those who have coverted as adults are unlikely to leave at all. --Certainly far less likely to leave than born-ins.

  I agree with you here mostly. I too have only anecdotal evidence to offer, but it seemed pretty clear to me that born in's are the ones who are most likely to want to examine their faith of birth at some point down the road. The fact that the GB virtually forbids internet research, and yet, each new generation of born in's have internet access everywhere from libraries to McDonalds makes this a harder reality for the GB to deal with.

  For those who convert as adults, I think it truly must be taken case by case. However unlikely it is that adult converts will leave, I know some that have. It's all about being honest with yourself. There is no doubt in my mind that most converts today have real issues, and want a framework and context to see their problems. Enter JW's, stage right.

  Sirnose, feel free to use the post. Thanks.
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  besty

  http://www.freeminds.org/blogs/spirituality-beyond-gilead/helping-jehovah-s-witnesses-leave.html

  Jeff has a series of articles on his Freeminds blog - well worth the time to read his other musings.....
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  SirNose586

  http://www.freeminds.org/blogs/spirituality-beyond-gilead/helping-jehovah-s-witnesses-leave.html

  Jeff has a series of articles on his Freeminds blog - well worth the time to read his other musings.....

  Capital! I can use that link. And thanks for the permission, Jeff.
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  WuzLovesDubs

  Thanks Jeff. I have to agree with that assessment. Most of what JWs read in the publications and regurgitate at the meetings goes in one blind eye and out the other deaf ear with them. Its all just the Societys regurgitation of their OWN old worn out topics with a new twist, or rearranging the paragraphs from an article from 15 years ago that nobody remembers anyway. Its all just white washing and propaganda.

  I admit to being one of those hysterical posters sometimes. Because I reply to nonsense accusations and generalizations and outright LIES they propagate even about their own history! Pisses me off. And all THEY are doing is reflecting the crap THEY have been shown repeatedly ad nauseum. Born ins...shit that is all they know.

  As for adults who come in...I dont think they are harder to get out of it. In fact I believe they are easier because they have the experience of being on the other side of the fence...knew the freedom...and once they get into the Borg and the walls start closing in, they get it. They might not be ABLE to leave easily because they married a JW or have JW kids now...but they WANT to.

  I say work the "youth"...get the YOUTH out and you undermine their expansion and growth totally. As long as there are computers and the internet and cellphones and skype and blogging and text messaging...we can get to them. Before you couldnt because mommy and daddy witless were controlling their every move. Now the barn door is not only open it is OFF and there isnt a damn thing the parents can do to prevent information from getting to these kids short of handcuffing them to their beds or the Kingdom Hall chairs 24-7. Most of their new baptized ones are kids of JWs. Without the income from those coming up...the whole cult will die off.

  wait for it....
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  flipper

  JEFF- Good thread. Good information here. Kind of similar to Steve Hassan's views that it's not doctrine that pulls a person into joining the witnesses ; it's more the promises of something that will make them feel special, like privileged to be among the alleged few who survive into an alleged " paradise earth " to " live forever ". So the WT society and JW's bring prospective members in with this HOOK , promising things they can't deliver. Like many mind control cults do also. And they even try to manipulate and hook people into joining by telling them initially that only Jehovah's Witnesses have a " worldwide brotherhood showing love " - which tricks prospective members into trusting each other too much to where they lose their critical reasoning ability and objectivity.

  I know when I left the witnesses over 6 years ago , like you say it was injustices and being victimized by elders and injustices that made me stop attending. But it DID make me analyze teachings after exiting that I had big doubts about including the " generation " teaching which for years growing up in the cult I thought was a croc of $hit. So, nowadays I tend to subscribe to Steve Hassan's methods in trying to deal with cult members, whether in my family , or ones who occasionally call at my door
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  FreudianSlip

  ATJ-

  Very, very good post.

  subliminal pics in Watchtowers? Satan worship at Bethel? Get real....) in an effort to get current members to quit, it makes me laugh

  Hysterics don't work. Reasoned facts do. Innuendo's and sensationalism doesn't work.

  I've always thought this... but it can be fun.

  For the most part I am assuming that you were addressing your comments about new recruits. Because re:

  Real life stories chronicling the mistreatment, neglect, incompetence, and sometimes criminal neglect (where pedophiles are concerned) are enough to loosen the mind, so that honest hearted JW's will feel they have permission to defy the GB, and research JW's on their own.

  I don't feel the above statement is true of most die hard JWs. "Real life stories" from apostates are seen as lies. For long timers I do think you have to attack the dogma.
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  AllTimeJeff

  "Real life stories" from apostates are seen as lies. For long timers I do think you have to attack the dogma.

  I agree. However, long timers have long time indoctrination. I think a combination of both is best, but again, it ultimately is up to whether a person is of the mind to consider the information in the first place.

  Not all JW's are fooled, and not all JW's are worth trying to "save" or otherwise talk to. They are who they are.
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  Olin Moyles Ghost

  Great post, Jeff. I couldn't agree more. All the craziness about Satanism, Freemasonry, subliminal art, etc. does more harm than good in my opinion.

  And I agree that the personal experiences can be a great benefit. I can say that from personal experience. I happened upon this site over a year before I joined. I would never have considered visiting an "apostate" site, and I felt a bit guilty for being here. If I would have registered and posted at that time, I would have been a pro-JW apologist.

  But I read a few of the personal experiences, and they had the "ring of truth." If you've been in the org long enough, you're going to be mistreated by those in charge. I enjoyed reading others' accounts of such run-ins, and noted how there were similarities to mine.

  Now, when I first visited the board, I was careful not to read any doctrinal threads. I rationalized that it was ok to read personal experiences, but I didn't want to read about "apostate" doctrinal ideas.

  So, the moral of this story is to keep the experiences coming! I'm sure there are plenty of lurkers out there just like me who have been put through the wringer by men in power and would enjoy reading your experiences.
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  babygirl30

  Like any sane human, once mistreated sufficiently, prepare for them to take off and spread the word. Dogma isn't the point. No one in my opinion joins or leaves JW's because of the dogma alone. In fact, most leave because being mistreated makes them take a fresh look at the dogma they really never took the time to study and understand in the first place.

  That statement alone is the SOLE reason why I decided NOT to get reinstated and started my 'research' on the org and it's history! I was born-in, so I never ever questioned a damn thing: baptized at 14, pioneered, sat at mtgs shaking my head in agreement to what was said from the platform despite it not making sense in my young reasoning mind...but after dealing 1-on-1 with a JC and seeing and feeling SICK over how I was being treated, I decided it was my personal duty to READ as much as I could about JWs. Glad I finally started looking deeper into things, but sad that it took me THIS long (and such a traumatic experience with the elders) before doing all of this...
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  Life is now

  This is excellent information AllTimeJeff.

  I've changed my name to avoid confusion. I joined the site as undertheradar and asked for advice a month ago. 'Helping those out, that I put in...'

  I was grateful for the advice you gave then, and proceeded with caution, as it hasn't been easy.

  I was just wondering where to go from here and your post is perfect timing for me. Thank you.

  Good points too WTWizard.