The general public knows far too little about cults and mind control…and this is reflective of many ex-JWs as well. When I meet up with former JWs, either in person or on the phone, I’m surprised that the majority have never read Combating Cult Mind Control. Of course, I am sure many former JWs do not want to read yet another publication. And we all have the freedom to read or not read what we want. However, I believe it is an important step to healing and understanding, increased freedom.
Some say, “Oh, I know it’s a cult. I don’t need to read it.” Even so, I believe it would help us understand our friends and family who are stuck within. Even if they are beyond our reach, it helps understand that it’s not their authentic selves doing these things, it is the mind control.
I believe it would also help avoid things that would activate the cult identity—ie protesting outside a Kingdom Hall during the Memorial. Of course, only a very few go to that extreme, but such activity will not win hearts and minds.
I often see signs of latent indoctrination: Fear of Armageddon, fear of ex-members, and so forth. One person confessed before the meet up, they were nervous, and the night before they dreamed it ended up being a meetup for child molesters. This from a person who DAed four or five years previously. To their credit, they recognized this as latent indoctrination.
Of course, there are ex-JWs who’ve left, but never really awakened. They might not believe in the Org, some might not even believe in God or the Bible, but the indoctrination still has a hold on them. Some end up going back, for the lack of knowing of any alternative. Some might go from one cult to another. Some still retain some or most of the JW theology. It is sort of like escaping the prison, but carrying around the chains.
It goes without saying that the more aware people are of cults and mind control, the more people can empower themselves and put themselves on a more healthy path of their choosing.