Brother Mike
I am not an apostate and have never been a Witness but I have closely observed the Witnesses and read a lot of WBTS material and doctrine. I agree wholeheartedly with those who identify the WBTS organization as a cult for its use of BITE control over its membership. 'Cult' is a loaded word and causes a very negative reaction so you may find 'high control religion' a more acceptable description. In any case the point is that the WBTS ahs perfected over a long timeways to control the behaviour, information, thoughts and emotions of its membership. They are most effective at this when they are able to influence chidlren through parents who are Witnesses. They use publications such as My Bible Stories etc. and indoctrination at KHs to induce phobias in these children of Armageddon and the consequences of lack of faith in Jehovah, demons, Satan, doubts about the organisation, apostates, churches and other religions (Babylon the Great) and worldly people. One of the reasons for doing this is to discredit any alterantive sources of information and to make beleivers feel profoundly uncomfortable if they even start to doubt what they ahve been told by the organisation. They then identify themselves with Jehovah such that the organisation and Jehovah are indistinguishable in the minds of believers and use the phobias they have induced to make believers believe they are only safe from what they fear when they are part of the organisation. They back this up with shunning and vilification of those who leave to make leaving the organisation a deeply traumatric experience. Do I need to continue?
Frazzled