They always have but lately, they've taken it to a whole new level. The new convention video about the end, the many videos at conventions and meetings, the new songs, all highly emotionally manipulative. And they're working. At conventions, I see people in tears. It's pretty worrying to me. They make the average JW so emotionally enslaved that they'd pretty much do anything. I almost feel like they'd drink the cool aid if an emotionally manipulative video at a convention asked them to.
They are increasingly appealing to emotion
by cookiemaster 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Dunedain
Yes, they are doing this. The reason is because nothing else is working. Their doctrine is all but insignificant. The level of content is beyond basic.
They are non existent in the field, and publishing areas. Their flip flopping on MAJOR doctrine, is failing them. The information age is exposing them, and the R&F are leaving in droves. No more quick builds, branches closing, and congregations merging or closing.
The Borg is OUT of options. They NEED to rely on "emotion" and "shock", and if it SCARES, or FRIGHTENS some to stay, then they are happy to do that.
Their problem is that these types of "shock" videos, while they may stir some emotion at the time, do NOT work long term. After EVERY assembly every JW is like, "Oh that was the best assembly ever". Then its back to the same old BS.
Yes, you may see some tears, and reactions, but after awhile, when ALL they have to offer is ONLY an emotionally charged video at the end of each assembly, its going to be become the "same old thing", again.
There are some that will never leave, and always drink the "kool aid". Honestly though, anyone with even a tiny bit of critical thinking, is going to say, after awhile, "what ARE the GB trying to say"????
All they are going to see, as there is NOTHING else being produced of substance, is a bunch of these "scary" videos YEAR after YEAR, with NOTHING changing. Its no different than the "scary" Armagedon pictures we used to see in the publications, except, these vids ARE more graphic, and after awhile its message will mean NOTHING, as it does to us NOW.
There is NO "payout" with these vids, they just cause more questions, and more head scratching, especially when its the same BS every assembly or convention.
-
days of future passed
I remember when assemblies had subjects about the trinity, what prophesies meant then and now, Christendom and how it will fall, wrong teachings of the world etc. Plenty of scriptures to be read along with new publications full of the same mind twisting explanations. Most of the emotional manipulations came at the end on Sunday. A drama and the end talk.
Now it's like a drama all the time.
I wonder tho, what affect it's having on JW's. About 3 or 4 years ago, the JW's at work, came back off their 3 day assembly and I heard them excitedly whispering about "how close it was" Now, I don't even know if they went to one. They certainly don't seem enthusiastic. I just hear how bad the world is all the time.
-
freddo
2018 is the third one with a lot of videos. We've had ...
Jesus loves you/Ignore your DF'd daughter's phone call and glare at her.
StarAngel killes 185,000/Hide in a bunker.
Fishy Jonah runs away/Strongbow Jesus gets the soldiers in the nick of time.
Bollocks! All bollocks I tell thee!
-
TheWonderofYou
Are you trapped in this kind of ROUTINE, hamster wheel than you are really stuck in the rut?
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/426012445982093546/
JW children are stuck in the religions fear of Jehovah mud.
Is the Governing body (Faithful slave) showing any of the following traits of behaviour?
-
tiki
Well...there the intimidation...but it sure isn't covert!
-
All or nothing
I remember sitting around with friends from the hall and family after 9/11(they really used that as an opportunity for emotional manipulation) discussing how the end had to be within the next 10 years...well here we are in 2018! I didn't realize then how much cognitive disedance i was experiencing mainly because I didn't even know what that was. I never could reconcile or balance how we were supposed to live our present lives but plan for an unknown approaching end of the world. It is impossible to make decisions without having all the facts..I feel sad for all the Jws still asleep that are continuing to make decisions based on the deceptive fairy tale we were tricked into believing as truth..if you are lurking and reading our posts please take it from me- the sooner you accept that you are going to die just like all generations of man before us- the sooner you can start living your only real life NOW!!
-
westiebilly11
They have nothing to say anymore. Moving further into this 21st century, prophecy based beliefs are unravelling...all they have left is emotion...and the molding of many to become emotionally dependent on something most are afraid of challenging...a society increasingly consisting of widows....clinging to the hope of the resurrection..Sad.
-
steve2
The blatant use of emotion is rich coming from a religious organization that once routinely condemned all other religions that peddled emotion.
Still, as others have noted, when even the superficial “rational” base of your beliefs is withering as time passes, peddling emotions works...at least in the short term.
Say what you like about the 1914 doctrine, but back in the 1960s through 1980s, it at least had some plausibility. No more is left with the absurd “overlapping generation” add-on. Who really believes this? Heard a JW talk about this openly and without blushing? No.
The downside of the current manipulation of emotions at regional conventions is these quickly evaporate after the experience. I agree with the observation that it is hard to know whether JWs have even been to a convention nowadays - you just don’t hear the “best convention ever” bullshit anymore - we’ll at least not in my neck of the JW woods.
-
LongHairGal
ALL OR NOTHING:
I agree with your post. JWs should wake up and start living their life - or whatever life they have left after being in the religion for so many years.
I’m glad I walked away from the religion in 2001. I remember after 9/11 happened, some inactives went running back to the religion. Not me. I was in the early stages of my “fade” and had enough of the religion.