Give Jehovah Only 6 Months!

by naazira 15 Replies latest jw friends

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  naazira

  Main question: What do you think would happen if Jehovah's Witnesses stayed away from the Watchtower Organization for 6 months? Instead of "US" staying in their world for 6 months. Personally, I think they would be like the Amish youth on Rumspringa- many to never return.

  I came across a thread here, where the poster said that their parents told them to give Jehovah's org 6 months. I too have been told to give Jehovah's org a try for 6 months. I could never make it pass 2 months. During the 6 months, I would ideally attend all meetings, go out in service, do parts on the school, and comment at meetings.

  But....

  What happens at the end of 6 months if the person still wants to stop attending meetings? Maybe a recommended extension of another 6 months lol? And what's so special about 6 months? It sounds like a 12 step recovery group, marking a milestone of sobriety at 6 months.

  
  

  A lot of questions I know. ;)

  
  
  
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  OneEyedJoe

  I can see the "commit to it completely for 6 months" thing working on a lot of people who are just beaten down but don't know TTATT. The way cults work is to get you to participate in spite of your better judgement and that causes cognitive dissonance, which forces you to have a better view of the cult (your participating in cult activities is contrary to your negative feelings about the cult so you either have to change your actions or your feeling about the cult - if you've committed to trying it for 6 months, most likely it will be the latter).

  What I'm wondering is if this 6 month trial period is an institutionalized thing. Is it a recommended tactic in the elder's manual or at the elder's school, or is it just a fluke that a couple elders hit upon the same thing? It always interests me to see what bits of the cult indoctrination and mind control come from the top. It seems like most of it does, but there have definitely been a few cases that I've seen where it seems like a few elders or a CO have happened upon some particularly unique method of controlling people that isn't used by the organization as a whole.
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  naazira

  I agree probably a CO, happened upon the 6 month tactic. I like how you explained cognitive dissonance, I never understood the meaning! So at the end of 6 months, we're supposed to come to the understanding that it's not them that has the problem but us!
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  LisaRose

  Six months is about how long it takes to nicely finish brainwashing someone. they used to study with people for six months, by that end of that time they were expected to have progressed to the point of attending meetings and possibly baptism. If you spent six months only associating with Jehovah's Witnesses, it's likely you would be greatly influenced by them, you would be likely to take on their attitudes and thinking. Not every person would then be a believer, but many would.

  They don't care about the people who question everything, already have a strong belief system and have critical thinking skills, they know they will never convert them, they are looking for the naive, the easily manipulated, the gullible. If those people spend six months with the JWs they will very likely become believers.

  Have you ever heard of Stockholm Syndrome? It's when someone who has been kidnapped begins to identify with their captors.

  Stockholm syndrome, or capture-bonding, is a psychologicalphenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending and identifying with the captors. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness.[1][2] The FBI's Hostage Barricade Database System shows that roughly 8 percent of victims show evidence of Stockholm syndrome.[3]
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  Diogenesister

  Give me a study for six months, we will use Richard Dawkins 'The God delusion'& The Greatest Show on Earth & JW Facts.com with exerpts of the Australian Royal Commission into child abuse and if they are still believers I will eat my barrell!!!
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  OUTLAW

  Give Jehovah Only 6 Months!

  If Jehovah has been here Since Before the Beginning of Time..

  Six Months isn`t going to Help Him..

  .

  ..................

  ....
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  Wasanelder Once

  I agree, give him six months to shape up or fire him.
  
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  Scully

  The "give it 6 months" ploy works in reverse, too.

  Despite all the warnings of Leaving The Truth™, that I'd be miserable, addicted to drugs and gambling, and committing adultery like crazy, I told myself that I could always go back if life started to fall apart once we started our fade.

  There were no punitive lightning bolts directed at us.

  It never occurred to me to start smoking, doing drugs or gambling, or being promiscuous.

  Not once did any JW check in to see how we were doing, none of our Friends™ from our previous Congregation™, no family members, and nobody from the new Congregation™.

  And best of all, our family was happy.
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  GodZoo

  If you imagine most people in here got involved, drawn into and often stuck in the witness religion from reading just a single one of their books. Studies have also shown that people can be indoctrinated and brainwashed in a matter of weeks or even days depending on the methods used. 6 months? You're risking your life.

  I find it funny that they say 'give Jehovah a try' when Jehovah is not even provably present in the minutest sense in anything they say or do. All that is present is a man made religious cult run by some odd old men in Brooklyn.

  What you are in fact 'trying' by giving them a chance is just giving these people free reign to love bomb your ass into surrender and replace your entire lifestyle, friends, family, interests, activities, educational goals, sexual preferences, moral and ethical code with their own one size fits all template. Why by the way if you do not follow.. they will shun you.
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  Incognito

  The six month commitment request is often made to previously active and practising members who have come to realize that matters are not proper in the WT/JW org. Many of those were fully indoctrinated and committed members for years and even decades. What is a further six month period supposed to change or undo?