What if it got scary?

Taylor S.

The lovely JBeanz brought up the Peoples Temple in the My Book of Bible Stories thread.

The Jonestown tragedy ... images of which I'll never get out of my head. Then in other threads we've talked about mounting scandels of the JW's, losing young believers, older members having doubts, doctinal switcheroos, the ever-increasing threat of the internet ...

.... it all makes me wonder:

How far would they go to maintain total control? We already know by some of their teachings and the malarky they shove down kids throats that they're a few fries short of a happy-meal. Is it possible that this cult, like others in the past when under pressure, could change positions and come out with a 'final' scary new light?

Peppermint

I have worried about this in the past, having family members involved. But in all honesty I think the organization will just progressively become more and more mundane. This is what has happened to all other religions in the past of a similar size. I wouldn?t be surprised to see more fundamental offshoots of the Witnesses though. These are the ones more likely to do something scary.

Scully

I've wondered about this many times.

There have been at least four incidents of murder-suicide/attempted suicide by people who have been JWs in recent memory. I wonder if those were fueled by disciplinary decisions in the congregations and the instigators' fears that if they didn't get reinstated before Armageddon, it might cost their spouse and children their lives. Murder-suicide is plausible loophole in the Divine Arrangement? to someone in an anguished state of mind. Does anyone even know how many people have committed suicide following their being DFd?

I really think it would take very little to convince JWs to carry out a Divine Command? to exterminate Apostates? or children who leave the JWs without getting baptized. After all, they've already convinced so many people to
(1) risk their own deaths and
(2) allow their children to die with the blood issue.
(3) They've already convinced most JWs to treat DFd and DAd people as "dead to us".
(4) They have been conditioned to deny their feelings to the point where parents can disown children and siblings can refuse to acknowledge each other, to a point where nobody cries at a funeral for a grandparent or aunt or uncle or child or best friend.

These kinds of things de-sensitize people to death and the emotions associated with it. I would not be the least bit surprised to see an increase in this kind of violence, or even a subtle change in WT teachings that could be interpreted in a way that an unstable person would feel they were doing God's Will by killing Apostates? or anyone who wanted to leave the organization.

blondie

We have discussed in the past on JWD.

Looking historically at these groups, many members dropped out each time the group leader (s) upped the ante.

People's Temple

Davidian Branch

Heavensgate

There are still members around, people who dropped out when things got too bizarre.

The WTS would have to filter out all but the "true believers" and then conduct a stronger campaign of indoctrination.

Looking around now, can you think of JWs that would not drink the "koolaid." I can.

Blondie

Scully

I dunno, Blondie.

How many JWs (and more importantly, children of JWs who had NO choice in the matter) have died because they didn't get blood transfusions or organ transplants?

I'm sure the number is more than all those who perished at Jonestown, Waco, et al combined.

It sure looks like they "drank koolaid" to me.

blondie

Then consider that "koolaid" level #1. That shows how the WTS can and has indoctrinated people to make decisions that lead to their or others death. But I know JWs that while they speak the company line on blood transfusions, would take one privately.

I think it takes even more indocrination for people to drink poison publicly as a group.

I watched a show on cults such as these above and how ex-members, people who did not have full trust in the leaders, felt about it. Some felt that they were doomed because they were too "weak" to follow the others. Others saw that they made a good decision to leave.

No, I don't doubt that there is a good foundation already developed by the WTS for people to blindly follow them.

I found this comic in my readings recently.

http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/bizarro/aboutMaina.php

(2-4-05)

DanTheMan

The WT will end not with a bang, but a whimper.

I think that after Teddy J. dies, the cooler heads at Bethel will prevail, the religion will go more mainstream, and eventually become a forgotten relic. I hope so anyway.

zman

DON"T DRINK THE KOOL AID!!!!!!

I see them becoming a completely enveloped community. The "world" will just be to dangrous for them to live in. Little Bethals will pop up all over, becoming a haven for true belivers. They will exibit more control in these "artificial habitats", taking away all remaining outside influence. This is the senario I see playing out.

ithinkisee

It seems to me they really enjoy having a good status with the UN, Human Rights people, and related committees and organizations. They are really proud of their supposed legal clout and their pretty buildings and expensive real estate.

I think the last thing they would do is up the ante and lose all that clout. "Upping the ante" would risk flying under the radar like they currently do with the news media (for the most part).

This is what I told a friend of mine that I have been telling the "truth about the truth" to:

I believe they will become a mainstream religion, they will get rid of 1914 and just generically point to a paradise ?sometime in the future?. They will completely get rid of the blood ban after some more years when statutes of limitations and stuff will expire for people who MIGHT sue if they lifted the ban today. If all these people sued today it would easily bankrupt the Society. I figure that allowing ALL blood parts except actual blood (i.e. the current stand by JWs) means that less people will die from ?no blood? directives. Then in another 10-20 years they will completely lift the ban on blood. Because less people will probably have died in that time because of the relaxed rules on blood they can then proclaim all blood is okay without facing an assload of lawsuits that would bankrupt them. They might just have a few, but will likely settle out of court. (As they already often do.)
Regardless of this, they will still claim their divine messenger status and will continue to require maintaining quotas.

-ithinkisee

Taylor S.

ithinkisee: I think the last thing they would do is up the ante and lose all that clout. "Upping the ante" would risk flying under the radar like they currently do with the news media (for the most part).

I agree ... why rock the boat?

zman: They will exibit more control in these "artificial habitats", taking away all remaining outside influence.

That's a scary prospect .... family & friends completely absorbed by the Org.

Blondie: Then consider that "koolaid" level #1.

lol ... yeah, i'm sure a lot of folks would instantly snap out of it .... like when a cop pulls you over and sober up in a flash. But I'm also sure some wouldn't.

What if it got scary?

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