Mind Control

by brotherdan 40 Replies latest jw friends

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    As you continue reading his book, I think you'll connect more of the dots. It's a very complex topic. One point that he makes within his book, is the deep-down, people WANT to be free. So, in you own case, perhaps the dogma (even in some small way) was restrictive or it conflicted with your personal sense of wrong or right. I don't know. I'm very happy that you're reading this book.

    Are you familiar with this thread about the book at JWR? If not, please have a look. A poster there, "Critical Thinker" takes the book, in parts, and she relates it to the JW experience. The information is presented in multiple posts, spanning several pages. The initial post is not the meat. Scroll.

    http://www.jehovahswitnessrecovery.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=737

  • brotherdan
    brotherdan

    Thanks LWT, I'll take a look at that thread.

  • darth frosty
    darth frosty

    I have always thought that there were 3 things that could shake or wake up a dub from their stuppor.

    First a severe trama related to the borg (along the lines of being royally screwed by the elders people in the congo etc.)

    Second Fiscal responsibilities (when you have to miss meetings for work or you come to the realization money and your families survival is more important than cult indoctrination meetings.)

    Third When the time limit runs out. Whether they want to admit it or not the Dubs as an organization is on a time clock of their on creation. THey due themselves no favor either by making the END soooo close! Even with the latest generation change while it buys them a solid 50 more years they still push that the end is soooo near.

    As far as what you said about hassan's statement 'having contact with those on the outside.' I think once you start missing meeting and their relevence loses its urgency thats like outside association.

    The meetings are the key to maintaining the hold on to people. With that said I wonder how effective it is with only 2 group meetings per week instead of 3.

  • darth frosty
  • brotherdan
    brotherdan

    LWT - that thread is amazing. I'm going to copy a few of the quotes from the WT's quoted from on that thread. Reading about the moonies I kept thinking "Well that's not REALLY how JWs do things..."

    But after reading some of these WT quotes, wow...in some ways they are worse. Here are some of them:

    *** w95 1/15 p. 12 par. 7 The Joy of Jehovah Is Our Stronghold ***
    Our close relationship with Jehovah makes us the happiest people on earth. Before becoming Christians, we were part of unrighteous human society that is ‘in darkness mentally and alienated from the life that belongs to God.’ (Ephesians 4:18) How glad we are that we are no longer alienated from Jehovah! Of course, it takes effort to remain in his favor. We must “continue in the faith, established on the foundation and steadfast and not being shifted away from the hope of that good news.” (Colossians 1:21-23) We can rejoice that Jehovah drew us to his Son in accord with Jesus’ own words: “No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him.” (John 6:44) If we truly appreciate our precious relationship with God through Christ, we will guard against anything that could ruin it.

    *** w92 11/15 p. 21 Serve Jehovah Loyally ***
    Nowhere Else to Go
    12 We will be impelled to serve Jehovah loyally with his organization if we remember that there is nowhere else to go for life eternal. When Jesus’ statements caused ‘many disciples to go off to the things behind,’ he asked his apostles: “You do not want to go also, do you?” Peter replied: “Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life; and we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”—John 6:66-69.
    13 “Sayings of everlasting life” were not found in Judaism of the first century C.E. Its principal sin was the rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. In none of its forms was Judaism based exclusively on the Hebrew Scriptures. The Sadducees denied the existence of angels and did not believe in the resurrection. Though the Pharisees disagreed with them in these respects, they sinfully made God’s Word invalid because of their unscriptural traditions. (Matthew 15:1-11; Acts 23:6-9) These traditions enslaved the Jews and made it difficult for many to accept Jesus Christ. (Colossians 2:8) Zeal for ‘the traditions of his fathers’ caused Saul (Paul) in his ignorance to be a vicious persecutor of Christ’s followers.—Galatians 1:13, 14, 23.
    14 Judaism lacked God’s favor, but Jehovah blessed the organization made up of his Son’s followers—‘a people zealous for fine works.’ (Titus 2:14) That organization still exists, and of it a longtime Witness of Jehovah said: “If one thing has been most important to me, it has been the matter of keeping close to Jehovah’s visible organization. My early experience taught me how unsound it is to rely on human reasoning. Once my mind had been resolved on that point, I determined to stay by the faithful organization. How else can one get Jehovah’s favor and blessing?” There is nowhere else to go for divine favor and life eternal.
    15 Our hearts should impel us to cooperate with Jehovah’s organization because we know that it alone is directed by his spirit and is making known his name and purposes . Of course, those shouldering responsibility in it are imperfect. (Romans 5:12) But “Jehovah’s anger got to be hot” against Aaron and Miriam when they found fault with Moses and forgot that he, not they, was entrusted with God-given responsibility. (Numbers 12:7-9) Today, loyal Christians cooperate with “those who are taking the lead” because that is what Jehovah requires. (Hebrews 13:7, 17) Evidence of our loyalty includes attending Christian meetings regularly and making comments that ‘incite others to love and fine works.’—Hebrews 10:24, 25.

    *** w00 9/1 pp. 9-10 Reflect the Mental Attitude of Christ ***
    15 During the first century, some who listened to Jesus displayed an improper attitude. On one occasion, Jesus said something that was difficult to understand. In response, “many of his disciples, when they heard this, said: ‘This speech is shocking; who can listen to it?’” Those who spoke in this way clearly had a wrong attitude. And their wrong attitude led to their ceasing to listen to Jesus. The record says: “Owing to this many of his disciples went off to the things behind and would no longer walk with him.” Did all have a wrong attitude? No. The record continues: “Therefore Jesus said to the twelve: ‘You do not want to go also, do you?’ Simon Peter answered him: ‘Lord, whom shall we go away to?’” In effect, Peter then answered his own question: “You have sayings of everlasting life.” (John 6:60, 66-68) What a fine attitude! When confronted with explanations or refinements in understanding of the Scriptures that we may at first find difficult to accept, would it not be good to display the attitude shown by Peter? How foolish it would be to stop serving Jehovah or to speak in a manner contrary to “the pattern of healthful words” simply because some things are initially difficult to understand!—2 Timothy 1:13.

    *** w99 5/15 pp. 25-26 The Christian Congregation—A Source of Strengthening Aid ***
    Support and Assistance
    In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the word “congregation” is translated from the Greek term ek•kle•si´a, which means a group of people called together. Inherent in that word are the ideas of solidarity and mutual support.
    The Christian congregation upholds the truth of God’s Word and declares the good news of his Kingdom. (1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 2:9) However, the congregation also provides spiritual support and assistance for those associated with it. Therein, one can find a group of loving, concerned, and caring friends, who are ready and willing to help and comfort others in times of stress.— 2 Corinthians 7:5-7.
    Worshipers of Jehovah have always found safety and security in his congregation. The psalmist indicated that he experienced joy and a feeling of security among God’s congregated people. (Psalm 27:4, 5; 55:14; 122:1) Similarly today, the Christian congregation is an association of fellow believers who build up and encourage one another.— Proverbs 13:20; Romans 1:11, 12.
    Members of the congregation are taught to “work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to [them] in the faith.” (Galatians 6:10) The Bible-based education they receive moves them to manifest brotherly love and tender affection for one another. (Romans 12:10; 1 Peter 3:8) Spiritual brothers and sisters in the congregation are moved to be kind, peaceable, and tenderly compassionate . (Ephesians 4:3) Instead of being just formal worshipers, they show loving concern for others. —James 1:27.
    In the congregation, therefore, crushed ones find the warm atmosphere of a familylike envir onment. (Mark 10:29, 30) The feeling of belonging to a close-knit and loving group strengthens them. (Psalm 133:1-3) Through the congregation, “the faithful and discreet slave” provides nourishing spiritual “food at the proper time.”—Matthew 24:45.

  • sabastious
    sabastious
    The meetings are the key to maintaining the hold on to people. With that said I wonder how effective it is with only 2 group meetings per week instead of 3.

    The GB knows this as well, and it is the sole reason why they have turned up the guilt factor on Family Worship Night by 100x.

    -Sab

  • wannabefree
    wannabefree

    I know that outside sources had a big influence on me. Looking at them, experiencing things, and reasoning on it. As you said, encouraging someone to view or consider outside points is a way to start, that is why getting someone out of this mind control is often a long process because to be effective it has to start crumbling on the little reasonings before the wall can come down.

    For example, this isn't what did it for me, but reflecting back I realize it was part of opening my mind back up ... I finally got to the point that I got tired of the negative talk about "worldly" people. Having been a convert to JW in my early 20's, I was a "worldly" person, I started reflecting back on my own childhood, which was normal and good, I sympathzed with "worldly" people and how judgmental JW's (me included) were towards them.

    I realized that when people would compliment me for fine conduct, honesty, manners, etc., the JW in me gave credit to "thats because I'm one of Jehohah's Witnesses", credit to the organization, yet, I started reflecting that in my case, the way my non-JW parents raised me had more to do with this than anything else.

    Observing the honest person at the self-checkout at Walmart running to catch the customer who walked away and left their change. WHAT!? Not a JW? If a JW catches a "worldly" person acting like a Christian, a JW thinks, "they need the truth". Crazy!

    And so many other little things. They all started to add up, the mortar is gone, the wall can come down with the right chain of events.

    At least in retrospect, this is how I discern the chain of events that opened the opportunity for an awakening in me.

  • brotherdan
    brotherdan

    That quote from the 99WT says this: "Worshipers of Jehovah have always found safety and security in his congregation."

    I wonder what all the molestation and rape victims would say about that...

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt
    LWT - that thread is amazing.

    I agree. I really appreciate what 'Critical Thinker' has done with that trhead. IMHO, it's very enlightening to see Hassan's words compared to actual WT quotes, etc.

  • sabastious
    sabastious

    What got me thinking was when I was following what the WT was telling me to do... reading the Bible daily.

    I started with Genesis and when I got to the "women are mad from a man's rib" part it made me think that the Adam and Eve story was a fable. Then God destroyed just about every living thing on the planet because of a localized group of humans, that just made no sense. Then I got to the Moses story where God kills all the Egyptian kids... that kind of disturbed me. Then the Isaelites become a marauding nation laying waste too all God's "unchosen people" making sure to mention that the slaughtered "every man, woman and child."

    At that point I stopped going to meetings because I needed to figure out if I even wanted to be a follower of the Bible at all lol.

    -Sab

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