Cults, and mind control

[placebofactor]

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11, “They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe (the) lie:

What is the definition of a cult? A cult is a religious or semi-religious sect whose members are controlled almost entirely by a single individual or by an organization. They are manipulative, demanding total commitment and loyalty from their followers. Converts are usually cut off from all former associations, including their families. The Hare Krishnas, the Family of Love led by Moses David Berg, and Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church are examples. They deviate from the orthodox teachings of the historic Christian faith derived from the Bible and confirmed through ancient comprehensive, unifying doctrines.

Techniques of the cults are:
1. Repetitive instructions through streaming, books, magazines, and meetings. They hammer home the same basic information repeatedly. Example: Jesus is not God, and there is no Holy Spirit, no hell, no soul or spirit, etc.
2. All new members are told to break their relations with outside friends and to limit fellowship with non-members'.
3. They’re told not to read critical work outside of their publications, especially material from former members.
4. They threaten to shun if rules are broken
5. All ex-members are to be shunned.
6. They verbally attack and undermine the authority of outside institutions, such as religious, educational, medical, and governmental.
7. Their mindset is a coordinated superiority/ inferiority-guilt complex.

They will not stand for their authority to be challenged by any member. They set guidelines to prevent followers from circulating or possessing unauthorized literature. The following examples are from the Watchtower because of my familiarity with their literature.

In the May 1, 1984, Watchtower, under the heading “Questions from Readers” on page 31, the question was asked, “Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses decline to exchange their Bible study aids for the religious literature of people they meet?” Their answer,

“It would be foolhardy, as well as a waste of valuable time, for Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept and expose themselves to false religious literature that is designed to deceive. Hence, it is out of wisdom and respect for God’s counsel that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not make a practice of exchanging valuable Bible study aids containing Scriptural truth for religious literature that disseminates error or apostate views.” I call that, religious totalitarianism.

In their March 15, 1986, issue of the Watchtower featured a photo of a woman tossing mail into the trash before the postman left. The caption, page 12, “Why is reading apostate publications similar to reading pornographic literature?”

In a November 1, 1987, Watchtower, page 19 they “claim that some Witnesses have exposed themselves to possible spiritual contamination by tuning in to religious radio and television broadcasts.”

Your thoughts:

[JehovahsWitness]

Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians and are legally recognised as such in most countries on earth with the exception of countries such as Russia , China and North Korea.



Jehovah's Witnesses are against any illegal and unethical techniques that violate the rights of individuals. Indeed most people that know Jehovah's Witnesses personally testify to finding them respectful, famlly orientated and law abiding.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS activites are a matter of public record and most of their literature instructional manuals are available for the world to see and scrutize on their official website.

www.jw.org

Jehovah's Witnesses are certainly not considered "mainstream" Christians and have been criticised, even persecuted because of their position on many issues . That said, in most countries the freedom to voice one's religious convictions and live accordingly is considered a constitutional right regardless of whether that conflics with social convention or long held religious dogma.

Membership of the religious organisation of Jehovah's Witnesses is entirely voluntary and as with any othet organised religion , anyone that does not wish to become (or continue as) one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and conform to their in-house bible based standards is free not to join or remain.




JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES , CHRISTIANITY and ... DISFELLOWSHIPPING / SHUNNING

[JehovahsWitness]

FAQ


Are Jehovahs Witnesses controled by their organization ?

No, the Jehovah’s Witness leadership has no mechanism to monitor, police or enforce external decisions on the personal lives of its membership. No house cameras are installed and there is no reporting of the personal daily decisions made by individuals or families. While bible guidelines are central to their regular fellowship meetings , each individual and family head makes decisions as to choice of employment, entertainment and dress, housing, associations ect according to their own bible based conscience.

Do the Jehovah's Witness leadership manipulate their members?

The Jehovah's Witness meetings are open to the public and are entirely bible based. Their public talks are not overly emotional and the speakers to not rely on theatrical delivery to influence their listeners. Information is presented in a calm, logical, informative fashion favouring thought and measured reflection. The same systematic theme orientated bible based approach is used in their outreach activities.

Are new Jehovah's Witness converts forced to cut off all former associations?

No. Jehovah's Witnesses do not have to submit a list of their associates to the JW headquarters for approval nor does their local leadership select who they can and cannot see. Individuals can associate with whomever they choose. JWs ( new or long term) however reserve the same rights as everybody else on the planet to disassociate with anyone they see as being harmful to themselves or their family.

Are new Jehovah's Witness converts forced to stop associating with their families?

No, absolutely not. Jehovah's Witnesses are certainly family orientated and marriage is considered sacred and for this reason even if children or marriage mates choose not to join them in their faith, Jehovah's witnesses follow the bible standards to continue to love and cherish their family. As far as extended famlly member's are concerned, witnesses display the same balance and good sense most people in the community do, namely, reserving the right to limit or in extreme cases, disassociate with anyone (extended family or not) that they see as being harmful to themselves or their family

Do Jehovah's Witnesses verbally attack and undermine the authority of educational, medical, and governmental institutions?

Jehovah's Witnesses follow a the bible standard of "relative subission" meaning they recognise and submit to all secular authorities as long as doing so does not violate bible law and principle. They adhere to the bible command to give honor to those that demand it and are politically strictly neutral. This means that Jehovah's Witnesses do not take part in demonstrations, revolutions or support socio-political movements designed to undermine, dismantle or destabalize any institutions. They pay their taxes, send their children to school, seek medical care when needed and show proper respect to the individuals and experts therein.

[JehovahsWitness]

APOSTATES & SHUNNING

Jehovah's Witnesses make no apologies for exercising their god given and constitutional rights not to associate with anyone they see as toxic and harmful to their physical, emotional or spiritual well being.

Each individual makes their own personal decision to apply bible law and principle in their lives including avoiding apostates and their literature. Violation of this bible law is not a shunning offense but the leadership have a biblical responsibility to educate their membership as to the dangers.

1 CORINTHIANS 5:11

But now I am writing you to stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy person+ or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner,+ not even eating with such a man

Are all ex-members are to be shunned?

No. Any member that wishes to disassociate from the religion has simply to cease attending meetings. After a period of inactivity they are no longer counted as an active member of the organisation. They are not shunned and continue to be considered as Christian brothers snd sisters although no longer part of the organisation.

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES , CHRISTIANITY and ... DISFELLOWSHIPPING / SHUNNING

[onewithhim]

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11, “They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe (the) lie:

What is the definition of a cult? A cult is a religious or semi-religious sect whose members are controlled almost entirely by a single individual or by an organization. They are manipulative, demanding total commitment and loyalty from their followers. Converts are usually cut off from all former associations, including their families. The Hare Krishnas, the Family of Love led by Moses David Berg, and Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church are examples. They deviate from the orthodox teachings of the historic Christian faith derived from the Bible and confirmed through ancient comprehensive, unifying doctrines.

Techniques of the cults are:
1. Repetitive instructions through streaming, books, magazines, and meetings. They hammer home the same basic information repeatedly. Example: Jesus is not God, and there is no Holy Spirit, no hell, no soul or spirit, etc.
2. All new members are told to break their relations with outside friends and to limit fellowship with non-members'.
3. They’re told not to read critical work outside of their publications, especially material from former members.
4. They threaten to shun if rules are broken
5. All ex-members are to be shunned.
6. They verbally attack and undermine the authority of outside institutions, such as religious, educational, medical, and governmental.
7. Their mindset is a coordinated superiority/ inferiority-guilt complex.

They will not stand for their authority to be challenged by any member. They set guidelines to prevent followers from circulating or possessing unauthorized literature. The following examples are from the Watchtower because of my familiarity with their literature.

In the May 1, 1984, Watchtower, under the heading “Questions from Readers” on page 31, the question was asked, “Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses decline to exchange their Bible study aids for the religious literature of people they meet?” Their answer,

“It would be foolhardy, as well as a waste of valuable time, for Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept and expose themselves to false religious literature that is designed to deceive. Hence, it is out of wisdom and respect for God’s counsel that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not make a practice of exchanging valuable Bible study aids containing Scriptural truth for religious literature that disseminates error or apostate views.” I call that, religious totalitarianism.

In their March 15, 1986, issue of the Watchtower featured a photo of a woman tossing mail into the trash before the postman left. The caption, page 12, “Why is reading apostate publications similar to reading pornographic literature?”

In a November 1, 1987, Watchtower, page 19 they “claim that some Witnesses have exposed themselves to possible spiritual contamination by tuning in to religious radio and television broadcasts.”

Your thoughts:

That is mostly true, yet your list of what JWs might do is warped. It is mean and misleading. I agree that reading other religions' literature is like viewing pornography, and I say, "I just don't care to read that stuff, knowing what it's going to say. I know the truth already, so why waste time pretending to go over what the tracts and booklets say?" So I politely demure to take the material being offered to me. And why would we want to look at the televangelists in all their money-grubbing spurious glory? They make me ill. Your words "religious totalitarianism" do not set forth the truth. We get the warning, yet it is on each one of us to make up our minds as to what other religions' literature has to offer us. It turns out to be nothing. Most of us have examined what other religions teach before we became Witnesses. We can honestly say that we know what their literature is going to say. Obviously, you can't say the same about our literature. You don't really know what we believe and why, as your rhetoric and long lists of what we supposedly do show that you do not really know, even though you say you've had long discussions with your relatives.

[placebofactor]

Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians and are legally recognised as such in most countries on earth with the exception of countries such as Russia , China and North Korea.



Jehovah's Witnesses are against any illegal and unethical techniques that violate the rights of individuals. Indeed most people that know Jehovah's Witnesses personally testify to finding them respectful, famlly orientated and law abiding.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS activites are a matter of public record and most of their literature instructional manuals are available for the world to see and scrutize on their official website.

www.jw.org

Jehovah's Witnesses are certainly not considered "mainstream" Christians and have been criticised, even persecuted because of their position on many issues . That said, in most countries the freedom to voice one's religious convictions and live accordingly is considered a constitutional right regardless of whether that conflics with social convention or long held religious dogma.

Membership of the religious organisation of Jehovah's Witnesses is entirely voluntary and as with any othet organised religion , anyone that does not wish to become (or continue as) one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and conform to their in-house bible based standards is free not to join or remain.

If you think Jehovah's Witnesses have been persecuted, read about the murder of Christians by the Romans, Catholics, Muslims, and Ottomans. The best word to describe the atrocities to Christians is, "Slaughtered." Yes, Nazi Germany did persecute Witnesses, but they also slaughtered Polish people, Russians, Gypsies, Jews, and even their own people.




JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES , CHRISTIANITY and ... DISFELLOWSHIPPING / SHUNNING

[placebofactor]

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11, “They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe (the) lie:

What is the definition of a cult? A cult is a religious or semi-religious sect whose members are controlled almost entirely by a single individual or by an organization. They are manipulative, demanding total commitment and loyalty from their followers. Converts are usually cut off from all former associations, including their families. The Hare Krishnas, the Family of Love led by Moses David Berg, and Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church are examples. They deviate from the orthodox teachings of the historic Christian faith derived from the Bible and confirmed through ancient comprehensive, unifying doctrines.

Techniques of the cults are:
1. Repetitive instructions through streaming, books, magazines, and meetings. They hammer home the same basic information repeatedly. Example: Jesus is not God, and there is no Holy Spirit, no hell, no soul or spirit, etc.
2. All new members are told to break their relations with outside friends and to limit fellowship with non-members'.
3. They’re told not to read critical work outside of their publications, especially material from former members.
4. They threaten to shun if rules are broken
5. All ex-members are to be shunned.
6. They verbally attack and undermine the authority of outside institutions, such as religious, educational, medical, and governmental.
7. Their mindset is a coordinated superiority/ inferiority-guilt complex.

They will not stand for their authority to be challenged by any member. They set guidelines to prevent followers from circulating or possessing unauthorized literature. The following examples are from the Watchtower because of my familiarity with their literature.

In the May 1, 1984, Watchtower, under the heading “Questions from Readers” on page 31, the question was asked, “Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses decline to exchange their Bible study aids for the religious literature of people they meet?” Their answer,

“It would be foolhardy, as well as a waste of valuable time, for Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept and expose themselves to false religious literature that is designed to deceive. Hence, it is out of wisdom and respect for God’s counsel that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not make a practice of exchanging valuable Bible study aids containing Scriptural truth for religious literature that disseminates error or apostate views.” I call that, religious totalitarianism.

In their March 15, 1986, issue of the Watchtower featured a photo of a woman tossing mail into the trash before the postman left. The caption, page 12, “Why is reading apostate publications similar to reading pornographic literature?”

In a November 1, 1987, Watchtower, page 19 they “claim that some Witnesses have exposed themselves to possible spiritual contamination by tuning in to religious radio and television broadcasts.”

Your thoughts:

That is mostly true, yet your list of what JWs might do is warped. It is mean and misleading. I agree that reading other religions' literature is like viewing pornography, and I say, "I just don't care to read that stuff, knowing what it's going to say. I know the truth already, so why waste time pretending to go over what the tracts and booklets say?" So I politely demure to take the material being offered to me. And why would we want to look at the televangelists in all their money-grubbing spurious glory? They make me ill. Your words "religious totalitarianism" do not set forth the truth. We get the warning, yet it is on each one of us to make up our minds as to what other religions' literature has to offer us. It turns out to be nothing. Most of us have examined what other religions teach before we became Witnesses. We can honestly say that we know what their literature is going to say. Obviously, you can't say the same about our literature. You don't really know what we believe and why, as your rhetoric and long lists of what we supposedly do show that you do not really know, even though you say you've had long discussions with your relatives.

Wow, you have a very large blanket to throw over the Christian community that disagrees with the teachings of the Witnesses, all 1,500, 000,000 of us. And although many of us disagree on certain issues, we all agree that Jesus is the Son of God, the Creator, and the Holy Spirit is a person of the Godhead, not an "active force." Anyway, thanks for your comments.

[onewithhim]

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11, “They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe (the) lie:

What is the definition of a cult? A cult is a religious or semi-religious sect whose members are controlled almost entirely by a single individual or by an organization. They are manipulative, demanding total commitment and loyalty from their followers. Converts are usually cut off from all former associations, including their families. The Hare Krishnas, the Family of Love led by Moses David Berg, and Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church are examples. They deviate from the orthodox teachings of the historic Christian faith derived from the Bible and confirmed through ancient comprehensive, unifying doctrines.

Techniques of the cults are:
1. Repetitive instructions through streaming, books, magazines, and meetings. They hammer home the same basic information repeatedly. Example: Jesus is not God, and there is no Holy Spirit, no hell, no soul or spirit, etc.
2. All new members are told to break their relations with outside friends and to limit fellowship with non-members'.
3. They’re told not to read critical work outside of their publications, especially material from former members.
4. They threaten to shun if rules are broken
5. All ex-members are to be shunned.
6. They verbally attack and undermine the authority of outside institutions, such as religious, educational, medical, and governmental.
7. Their mindset is a coordinated superiority/ inferiority-guilt complex.

They will not stand for their authority to be challenged by any member. They set guidelines to prevent followers from circulating or possessing unauthorized literature. The following examples are from the Watchtower because of my familiarity with their literature.

In the May 1, 1984, Watchtower, under the heading “Questions from Readers” on page 31, the question was asked, “Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses decline to exchange their Bible study aids for the religious literature of people they meet?” Their answer,

“It would be foolhardy, as well as a waste of valuable time, for Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept and expose themselves to false religious literature that is designed to deceive. Hence, it is out of wisdom and respect for God’s counsel that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not make a practice of exchanging valuable Bible study aids containing Scriptural truth for religious literature that disseminates error or apostate views.” I call that, religious totalitarianism.

In their March 15, 1986, issue of the Watchtower featured a photo of a woman tossing mail into the trash before the postman left. The caption, page 12, “Why is reading apostate publications similar to reading pornographic literature?”

In a November 1, 1987, Watchtower, page 19 they “claim that some Witnesses have exposed themselves to possible spiritual contamination by tuning in to religious radio and television broadcasts.”

Your thoughts:

That is mostly true, yet your list of what JWs might do is warped. It is mean and misleading. I agree that reading other religions' literature is like viewing pornography, and I say, "I just don't care to read that stuff, knowing what it's going to say. I know the truth already, so why waste time pretending to go over what the tracts and booklets say?" So I politely demure to take the material being offered to me. And why would we want to look at the televangelists in all their money-grubbing spurious glory? They make me ill. Your words "religious totalitarianism" do not set forth the truth. We get the warning, yet it is on each one of us to make up our minds as to what other religions' literature has to offer us. It turns out to be nothing. Most of us have examined what other religions teach before we became Witnesses. We can honestly say that we know what their literature is going to say. Obviously, you can't say the same about our literature. You don't really know what we believe and why, as your rhetoric and long lists of what we supposedly do show that you do not really know, even though you say you've had long discussions with your relatives.

Wow, you have a very large blanket to throw over the Christian community that disagrees with the teachings of the Witnesses, all 1,500, 000,000 of us. And although many of us disagree on certain issues, we all agree that Jesus is the Son of God, the Creator, and the Holy Spirit is a person of the Godhead, not an "active force." Anyway, thanks for your comments.

I believe there are 3 billion of you that are aligned with Christendom, and many more that disagree with us. You and I agree that Jesus is the Son of God, through which God made the universe, but the Holy Spirit is not a Person (how can you divide up a person into millions of pieces to pay attention to so many people at once?). BTW, Jesus said that the truth would be found on the narrow road to life, and FEW would be on that road.

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it." (Matthew 7:13,14, KJV)

Looks like the majority is wrong.

[JehovahsWitness]

Yes, Nazi Germany did persecute Witnesses, but they also slaughtered Polish people, Russians, Gypsies, Jews, and even their own people.

The difference with the other groups is that none if those others could avoid the persecution; all the Jehovah's Witnesses had to do was sign a paper renouncing their faith and they could walk free. One cannot renounce one's ethnicity or genetics. For the bible students (as Jehovah's Witnesses were then known) it was truly a test of faith.

Who is attempting to control whom when Jehovah's Witnesses are imprisoned or executed for what should be the free exercise of their faith?

RELATED POSTS

Have Jehovahs Witneses been persecuted in the United Stated in the 20th century?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 32#p839832

Are Jehovahs Witneses persecuted in Russia?
viewtopic.php?p=858115#p858115

We're Jehovahs Witnesses persecuted in Nazi Germany?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 65#p804565

FURTHER READING : The persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
https://www.jw.org/en/search/?q=Persecution

To read more please go to other posts related to...

RELIGION, CHRISTIANITY and ...RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

[marke]

2 Thessalonians 2:10-11, “They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe (the) lie:

What is the definition of a cult? A cult is a religious or semi-religious sect whose members are controlled almost entirely by a single individual or by an organization. They are manipulative, demanding total commitment and loyalty from their followers. Converts are usually cut off from all former associations, including their families. The Hare Krishnas, the Family of Love led by Moses David Berg, and Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church are examples. They deviate from the orthodox teachings of the historic Christian faith derived from the Bible and confirmed through ancient comprehensive, unifying doctrines.

Techniques of the cults are:
1. Repetitive instructions through streaming, books, magazines, and meetings. They hammer home the same basic information repeatedly. Example: Jesus is not God, and there is no Holy Spirit, no hell, no soul or spirit, etc.
2. All new members are told to break their relations with outside friends and to limit fellowship with non-members'.
3. They’re told not to read critical work outside of their publications, especially material from former members.
4. They threaten to shun if rules are broken
5. All ex-members are to be shunned.
6. They verbally attack and undermine the authority of outside institutions, such as religious, educational, medical, and governmental.
7. Their mindset is a coordinated superiority/ inferiority-guilt complex.

They will not stand for their authority to be challenged by any member. They set guidelines to prevent followers from circulating or possessing unauthorized literature. The following examples are from the Watchtower because of my familiarity with their literature.

In the May 1, 1984, Watchtower, under the heading “Questions from Readers” on page 31, the question was asked, “Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses decline to exchange their Bible study aids for the religious literature of people they meet?” Their answer,

“It would be foolhardy, as well as a waste of valuable time, for Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept and expose themselves to false religious literature that is designed to deceive. Hence, it is out of wisdom and respect for God’s counsel that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not make a practice of exchanging valuable Bible study aids containing Scriptural truth for religious literature that disseminates error or apostate views.” I call that, religious totalitarianism.

In their March 15, 1986, issue of the Watchtower featured a photo of a woman tossing mail into the trash before the postman left. The caption, page 12, “Why is reading apostate publications similar to reading pornographic literature?”

In a November 1, 1987, Watchtower, page 19 they “claim that some Witnesses have exposed themselves to possible spiritual contamination by tuning in to religious radio and television broadcasts.”

Your thoughts:

Marke: Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong about many things and their acceptance of bad doctrine can be contributed to brainwashing by false teachers the deluded unwisely trust to guide them.