Posts by Elsewhere

Keep in mind that one is only a "member" so long as you maintain the "tranquility". As soon as you start to hold views different from the "congregation" you are no longer a "member".

Therefore, one does not have tranquility due to being a member... one is a member because of the tranquility.

Gotta love how the WTS lies and deceives.

Another way to think of it... I drive a MINI Cooper. Imagine if you heard an adertisement that said:

"Happy drivers drive a MINI. If you are not a happy driver, then your MINI will be taken away... that way no one can say MINI drivers are unhappy."

4

"Police in the US are trying to recover $100,000 after motorists grabbed money that fell from a security van."

by Chalam in

jw
friends

people grab money that falls from a security van.

Touch My Body

by AwSnap in

jw
friends

the song, ya pervs.

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7ogx2dime8.

Elsewhere

Well... if we're showing silly videos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCaCQV78N5I

11

How to tell if someone is an Atheist

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

how to tell if someone is an atheist:.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0a4_bwcax0.

.

Wierd things only ex-cult members notice...

by Tuesday in

jw
friends

so the company i currently work for had a big town hall type meeting.

they had all these various parts to them to address subjects in some sort of "fun" way.

the first thing was about speech patterns, now maybe this is the ex-cult member in me but the whole thing set off my bs alarm and specifically the behavior control in the bite method of cult mind control.. the meeting continues and i notice it's specifically employing love bombing, then a skit that deals with emotional control.

Elsewhere

http://www.ex-cult.org/bite.html

Mind Control - The BITE Model

From chapter two of Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves

© 2000 by Steven Hassan - published by Freedom of Mind Press, Somerville MA

Destructive mind control can be understood in terms of four basic components, which form the acronym BITE:

I.	Behavior Control
II.	Information Control
III.	Thought Control
IV.	Emotional Control

I. Behavior Control

1. Regulation of individual’s physical reality

a. Where, how and with whom the member lives and associates with
b. What clothes, colors, hairstyles the person wears
c. What food the person eats, drinks, adopts, and rejects
d. How much sleep the person is able to have
e. Financial dependence
f. Little or no time spent on leisure, entertainment, vacations

2. Major time commitment required for indoctrination sessions and group rituals

3. Need to ask permission for major decisions

4. Need to report thoughts, feelings and activities to superiors

5. Rewards and punishments (behavior modification techniques- positive and negative).

5. Individualism discouraged; group think prevails

6. Rigid rules and regulations

7. Need for obedience and dependency

II. Information Control

1. Use of deception

a. Deliberately holding back information
b. Distorting information to make it acceptable
c. Outright lying

2. Access to non-cult sources of information minimized or discouraged

a. Books, articles, newspapers, magazines, TV, radio
b. Critical information
c. Former members
d. Keep members so busy they don’t have time to think

3. Compartmentalization of information; Outsider vs. Insider doctrines

a. Information is not freely accessible
b. Information varies at different levels and missions within pyramid
c. Leadership decides who "needs to know" what

4. Spying on other members is encouraged

a. Pairing up with "buddy" system to monitor and control
b. Reporting deviant thoughts, feelings, and actions to leadership

5. Extensive use of cult generated information and propaganda

a. Newsletters, magazines, journals, audio tapes, videotapes, etc.
b. Misquotations, statements taken out of context from non-cult sources

6. Unethical use of confession

a. Information about "sins" used to abolish identity boundaries
b. Past "sins" used to manipulate and control; no forgiveness or absolution

III. Thought Control

1. Need to internalize the group’s doctrine as "Truth"

a. Map = Reality
b. Black and White thinking
c. Good vs. evil
d. Us vs. them (inside vs. outside)

2. Adopt "loaded" language (characterized by "thought-terminating clichés"). Words are the tools we use to think with. These "special" words constrict rather than expand understanding. They function to reduce complexities of experience into trite, platitudinous "buzz words".

3. Only "good" and "proper" thoughts are encouraged.

4. Thought-stopping techniques (to shut down "reality testing" by stopping "negative" thoughts and allowing only "good" thoughts); rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism.

a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking
b. Chanting
c. Meditating
d. Praying
e. Speaking in "tongues"
f. Singing or humming

5. No critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy seen as legitimate

6. No alternative belief systems viewed as legitimate, good, or useful

IV. Emotional Control

1. Manipulate and narrow the range of a person’s feelings.

2. Make the person feel like if there are ever any problems it is always their fault, never the leader’s or the group’s.

3. Excessive use of guilt

a. Identity guilt

b. Social guilt
c. Historical guilt

4. Excessive use of fear

a. Fear of thinking independently
b. Fear of the "outside" world
c. Fear of enemies
d. Fear of losing one’s "salvation"
e. Fear of leaving the group or being shunned by group
f. Fear of disapproval

5. Extremes of emotional highs and lows.

6. Ritual and often public confession of "sins".

7. Phobia indoctrination : programming of irrational fears of ever leaving the group or even questioning the leader’s authority. The person under mind control cannot visualize a positive, fulfilled future without being in the group.

a. No happiness or fulfillment "outside"of the group
b. Terrible consequences will take place if you leave: "hell"; "demon possession"; "incurable diseases"; "accidents"; "suicide"; "insanity"; "10,000 reincarnations"; etc.
c. Shunning of leave takers. Fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family.
d. Never a legitimate reason to leave. From the group’s perspective, people who leave are: "weak"; "undisciplined"; "unspiritual"; "worldly"; "brainwashed by family, counselors"; seduced by money, sex, rock and roll.

6

Hey Losties! What did you think of last night's episode?

by sir82 in

jw
friends

spoiler alert - if you haven't seen it yet, read no further!.

i thought it was easily the best episode of this season.. for once more questions were answered than raised!.

i have to admit, i never expected this direction after seeing seasons 1-4. they only started hinting at it last year.. to me, it calls to mind the book of job.

Elsewhere

It's becoming more clear that the show is about redemption and CHOICE. What choices will we make in life?

If we have made poor choices in the past, we should take every opportunity to correct the consequences of our poor choices.

I'm not certain this is a Job-like situation. I think it is more like a situation of having Good and Evil balance each other... and ensuring that balance is never broken.

3

just got my 1st voter's registration card

by Found Sheep in

big step!!!

.

Elsewhere

Feels great doesn't it!

Just wait until you cast your first vote. Even better feeling.

11

Weird New Jersey: Mystery Knitter

by betterdaze in

west cape may police ask 'mystery knitter' to apply for permit after local interest growsby maryann spoto/the star-ledger.

march 13, 2010, 7:30am.

katelyn mccormick (back), who recently moved across from the park, thinks the .

Elsewhere

Very cool!