What is a Cult? (all 4 parts) (page 2)

mebeme

Glad to be here. It feels so good to share. Thanks for the welcome!

THeres so much debate about the technicalities Joy. The cult. This appears to be a phenomena that occurs when someone espouses a doctrine that is a revealed truth. The doctrine becomes the answer to all things in life. All things other than the doctrine become invalid. Over time, for some reason, the system whithin which the doctrine is preached tends to "seal" itself off from external influence. The sealing off is a turning point. Once sealed or separated, the system has only itself to refer to for opinion and balance of view. External input is squeezed out. Internal informational and social reinforcement input is polarized. The leadership (and hence the membership) becomes absorbed with all the horrible things that dwell in the human mind. Control, deepest fears, paranoia, death and destruction, while espousing a perfection and a Utopia. The system sometimes feeds upon itself to such an extreme that it devours itself, it implodes in on itself, such as occured at the Jonestown incident,( undoubtedly one of the most EXTREME cult situations of last century. )

rebel

Joy,

I thought your post was brill. I hadn't realised how much of a culty thing the WTBTS really is - especially those buzz-words such as governing body, anointed, disfellowship, disassociate, pioneer, PO, CO, DO, BO (ok - I made up BO), other sheep, field service, field ministry, hours, reports, theocratic, scriptural, etc etc. If I had heard a lot of these words before I became a JW, I wouldn't have known what they were talking about.

I also liked the point about explaining to a Bible study about disfellowshipping and all it entails - that would be such a good idea - at least they'd know a little more about what they were letting themselves in for.

breeze

mebeme...

Thanks for the reminder of those petty same things made into big issues?

After reading the above post, I am leaning toward thinking the org was a cult??

I am afraid to make any decisions.....just too confused....

Great information and material to be considered....THANKS, JOY2BFREE

back2dafront

Mebeme, what in the world could possibly be "bad" about Dawn Dish soap??

This i MUST hear! And Scooby Doo - demonized?

Yeah, I knew people that wouldn't get items from yard sales or thrift stores because "you never know, the previous owner could've been demonized!"

And I never understood how bringing rock tapes into the home was "inviting the demons into the house." What the heck kind of defunct reasoning is that? I'm not really into spiritism or anything, but do they really cling to objects like that? It would seem more likely to me that they'd wander about anywhere they'd want to go and not bind themself to a Led Zeppelin tape, as if they're drawing some kind of power from it and then releasing that power against all those in it's presence. If that were the case, one would get spooked out when walking through the Heavy Metal section at Tower Records.

whatever.

Edited by - back2dafront on 15 December 2002 15:44:54

refiners fire

Consider this from the WT of May 15, 1972. Read it and tell me this is NOT a system that has sealed itself off from external influence and views that which is external as "evil".

Article: Appreciating Jehovahs Deliverance"

...."BREAKING

OFF BAD ASSOCIATIONS

7

Another vital way to show appreciation for Jehovah's deliverance is by breaking off bad associations. People of this old system of things are bad associates. They do not love Jehovah, otherwise they would be serving him too. We find that most people of the old system love money, material things, all that this system can give them. And there are many who delight in immoral, wicked things. They are not at all interested in Jehovah and the principles of his new system. Perhaps some of Jehovah's servants have friends like that. They may maintain friendship with such worldly people for business reasons, but this is indeed a very dangerous course of action.

8

Why should a Christian witness of Jehovah associate with people who do not love Jehovah? He will soon begin thinking as they do, putting material things ahead of spiritual interests'.....

how about this? Tell me it has not sealed itself off from external information:

WT, Sept 1, 1971; "Fortify yourselves".....

..." Or is it because we spend considerable time reading newspapers, worldly magazines and novels? Do these publications encourage us to pursue a course of faithfulness to Jehovah God? Why, even the advertising in newspapers and magazines nowadays can arouse immoral thoughts and desires. How much better it is to spend any time we can to reading information that will serve to strengthen us, build us up spiritually".....

Edited by - refiners fire on 15 December 2002 15:49:33

back2dafront

Edited by - back2dafront on 15 December 2002 15:45:26

evangelist

A cult is Jehovah wittness, and muslims!

Shakita

Joy:

Thanks for posting all that info. I have read some of Steve Hassan's stuff. Makes you scratch your head and wonder how you could have been controlled for so long and not realize it. The WTBS is very subtle in controlling their members so that they don't question their authority to rule every facet of your life.

Maybe the WTBS doesn't fill every criteria for a cult, but there is no doubt it is a very high control group!

Mrs. Shakita

zev

JOY!

you've been looking at unaproved websites!

a judicial committee shall be formed to discuss this "matter".

seriously, stevens b.i.t.e. model was very helpful to me when i was doing my research on cults, what, almost two years ago now? yeah, its been that long.

i was amazed when i started reading it, now with an open mind, that almost everything on that list matched jw rules and ways of control.

i posted that same info on a aol d.b. and it was propmtly removed by the moderators.

i guess its content was too strong, or the moderater was a jw

anyways, good post and we just got to keep spreading the REAL good news now don't we

zev

What is a Cult? (all 4 parts)

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