What makes JDubs so gullible?

by Sour Grapes 11 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Sour Grapes

  I think that JDubs are so gullible because they can't handle reality and are fully invested in a future paradise earth where there will be no problems. I hope they can cope with the 1,000 reign of Jesus that will have a ton of more problems than what they have now.

  They may be gullible also because they like not having to think. They are told what clothes to wear, what to eat, what type of movies they can see, where to go on vacation, what type of car to drive, what to answer when answering during the Watchtower study, what is permissible sex for a married couple, etc.
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  sparrowdown

  Many people just want to fix the worlds problems and in the case of JWs the price they are willing to pay for that is allowing themselves to be indoctrinated and then indoctrinating their children and others who in turn indoctrinate others - you will be assimilated resistance is futile!!!. Their indivduality is indoctrinated out of them by use of fear tactics until they believe they have no personal right to make their own decisions or think for themselves.

  They have no present moment to live in and every joy is delayed the future that never comes is the only thing that matters.
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  Betheliesalot

  Well, the kind of people that respond to their type of half-psudo partial truth message is a group of people that frequently fall for this kind of message, so that is why those that become JWs are skewed toward gullible people. They have more than their share of Amway salespeople, Mary Kay Reps,Herbalife reps, shaklee reps, primerica reps, and the like of multi level marketing schemes. They appeal to get rich quick kind of people that don't want to spend much time studying to learn something worthwhile, like becoming a lawyer, doctor, or scientist. I fit into this group as I fell for the Dave Deldotto no money down real estate scam in the early 90,s. Went to one of his seminars and fell for his spill hook line and sinker and lost maybe $1500 on his books and tapes. He was a "brother" which caused my guard to go down. He is now selling over priced wine at his winery in Napa valley.
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  TD

  They want to believe

  JW's are hardly the only ones who succumb to this weakness. It's basic human nature.
  
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  minimus

  But do they really believe all the instructions? I do not think so. They follow the crowd and stay in the pen but in secret, what do they really believe??
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  steve2

  Lack of and/or disdain for higher education is the major reason JWs swallow JW organization's doctrines.

  Conversely, people who have acquired higher education and/or can see its value are generally less gullible and less prone to superstition (e.g., seeing Satan's influence whenever critical thinking arises). They tend to have inquiring minds, awareness that issues are seldom reducible to 'one side good, other side bad' and that in the complexities of life, black and white do not always apply.

  As TD observed, JWs are not alone. My guess would be that anyone or any group who espouses the inerrancy of the Bible - or any sacred text, for that matter, is likely prone to gullibility.
  
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  Brokeback Watchtower

  I think wanting to believe is a major factor, and then fear of being disfellowshipped keeps them in the gullible stage afterward.

  First they dangle the carrot(paradise,everlasting life, perfect health, and on and on0. Then get them to commit to a Watchtower/bible/indoctrination study, keep inviting them to meeting where peer pressure, and love bombing will drag them further into the WT mind control system and in order to keep them useful/busy give them lots of things to do and threaten subtly with DFing if they stop believing.
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  Sour Grapes

  I guess that to gullible non Jdubs the Borg can become like quick sand.
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  Whynot

  I was a faithful jdub for 25 years and I wouldn't say that I was gullible but I never agreed with a lot of beliefs and congregational procedures. I had several conversations with jdubs about certain things that bothered them or they just had to look away. Most are very inteligent but misguided. We hang on to hope that one day things will change or get better. "Leave it in Jehovah's hands" is what I used to tell myself. It made me feel important to get assignments and I believed that the community was a protection. I was raised to believe that the world would destroy me and I still feel somewhat uncomfortable around non-jdubs. We're programmed to believe that this way of life is superior, special and even though we may have doubts and not understand, this is Jehovah's chosen organization on earth So just suck it up.

  I'm still deprogramming and it's hard. I'm glad I woke up and decided that I needed to walk away. It's lije I always had that voice telling me "this is wrong. Wtf is this. Walk away." It took courage to listen to that voice and free myself.
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  nonjwspouse

  Without reading prior posts ( sorry in a hurry here) I would say emotions. The need to have responsibility to lie somewhere other than their own conscience. Needing to be directed to an end that is "guaranteed" to be perfect when they obey. The need to feel as if they know or rather, will know, all the answers to life's questions through this organization....if they just follow all the rules.
  

  MHO