Bro Mike,
Here is why I consider the JW religion a cult....
1. In most religions, even though the religion itself may have their creed of beliefs, the individuals are FREE to believe or not believe in the specifics. For example, a friend of mine goes to a presbyterian church, but they dont' consider themself one and they don't agree with all of their beliefs, just the core part, Jesus died for our sins, and being charitable and helping draw people closer to God. She is free to flat out say if she doesn't agree w/ one of the beliefs, and guess what the response will be by other members? "That's fine", "Go with what you feel", etc.
In the JW religion, if something goes against your bible conscience, too bad, you either go with what the GB, who say they are not inspired, but demand obediance as if every word from their mouth comes from Jehovah, or get dfed.
2. Going along with the above, the GB put many rules, restrictions on things which are NOT in the bible and would be a conscience matter and they are not consistent on it. For example look up the Thanksgiving Holiday in the watchtower library. There are no pagan origins with it. Even in the bible, the israelites had harvest celebrations.
There is a 1979 awake article about not celebrating thanksgiving, and they just filled it with, I really can't pick a better word, bullshit reasons.
I'll put in one quote..."Further, for many the day is becoming one for ‘saturating’ the public with sports events. The National Observer told of a man who insisted that his wife quickly feed him during the “half-time” break in the football game. “So after the poor woman had worked many hours preparing the turkey and trimmings, the husband said grace, ate his dinner, and was back in front of the television set—in nine minutes.”
It seems the GB like to teach that family get togethers, any get togethers even among JW's, any fun, is all a sin. The above example shows the extremes they go to to try to spin a bad light on anything that isn't about field service or meetings. No wonder JW families are so cold, never get together, and many void of love.
3. Shunning and isolation - The WT had taught long ago that shunning was a tool of false religion and satan, as a means to keep people trapped in false religion. Yet now they do it, if somebody's conscious disagrees with what the not inspired GB are teaching, they either reject their bible conscience and go w/ the false/or hurt conscience teaching or get disfellowshipped. To keep people entrapped, they teach all other religions and opinions are false and bad and to avoid association with anybody not a JW, so your entire life is on them. You should check out as just an experiment some christian churches or groups one day, you'll find they don't use profanity, they are very moral, and have more love then you see in the kingdomhall.
4. Brainwashing - If you learn anything about sales or brainwashing, it seems to coincidental that the same techniques are used in the organization. I'll try to explain as simply as I can. Our brains have a BS detector, if somebody tells us something or tries to make us believe a thought, something to raise a red flag. There is a way to bypass this though and make someone believe something. When you read a statement, then if asked a question and must repeat that statement, since you are saying it out of your own mouth, and if over and over, your brain will accept it as fact.
The watchtower studies and meetings are quite interesting in this. A true bible study and personal input would be reading bible scriptures then each person inputting their own thoughts into the discussion. In a watchtower study though, you read the WT's comments (paragraphs), then you are instructed to answer what the paragraph says and what you've already read. Since your conditioned that those who comment more are more spiritual, as you comment, even if you wouldn't agree with the teaching or statement, you'll begin to accept it as fact.
EXAMPLE - Jehovah and Jesus have full trust in the faithful slave (matt 24) and so should we!. WT Question : Why should we put our full trust in the faithful slave? Commenter: "Well, we all know that Jehovah and Jesus fully trust the faithfulslave to give food at the proper time, so we should also put our complete trust in them!"
In that above example, and this is why you never see anything about putting trust or obeying the faithful slave in ANY books or literature that are used in bible studies with those in service, is because if you tried to tell them to put their complete trust in those men as from God himself, they would say, WAIT A SECOND, you guys say you have NO man as ruler, what are you talking about?!?! But that above example, those teachings are put into the WT, after they are already attending meetings, and it's such a simple comment to give, just to give a good impression and make a comment, they'll raise their hand and read the answer from the paragraph as told to do and their brain will bypass the BS detector and they will come to accept it as fact, without logic.
Think hard, WHY are the GB the faithful and discreet slave? How do you know, other than the fact they tell you they are? They tell you they are, but what evidence has God ever given they are his mouthpiece? The false predictions and changes? Which according to the bible make them false prophets and teachers?
I can go on and on.
