The average rank and file Jehovah’s witnesses are sincere people, who have in many cases been attracted to the movement by a genuine desire to understand the Bible and serve God as best they can. They are often very kind people who have become unwittingly involved.
Their distant and sometimes hostile attitude towards those outside the movement is a result of what the Society term “mental regulating,” in the form of books, magazines, lectures, question and answer discussions and private counselling - coupled with a fear of expulsion if they associate with anyone who their Society see as a threat to their cause.
Most members would show a great deal more empathy if they were not actively encouraged to view all outsiders as sinners who are about to be killed by the God they love. After many years in the movement and being trained to view all outsiders with suspicion, believing that they are a threat to their salvation, it is inevitable that some Witnesses have lost a great deal of their feeling towards people who are not part of their organization.
