SCIENTOLOGISTS believe
that human beings are vessels for the ghosts of brainwashed aliens. HEAVEN’S
GATE believed that committing mass suicide would enable them to enter a
spaceship flying in the wake of the Hale-Bopp comet.
The BRANCH
DAVIDIANS leader said he was the messiah and all women were his “spiritual
wives.”
JEHOVAH’S
WITNESSES believed that Christ’s Second Coming and the Advent of God’s
Kingdom would occur in 1878, 1881, 1914, 1918, 1925 and 1975. Yet, with this
many failed Prophecies there are still over 8 million JW’s worldwide.
With views this
nutty, insane, deranged or demented, it is beyond belief that people buy into
cults at all.
Well, it turns out
that human beings are—under the right conditions—extremely gullible. Cult
members target likely candidates and use proven techniques to recruit new
members. Even though cults can have wildly different beliefs, the way they
recruit and retain new members tends to follow a general pattern. Here are the FOUR STEPS cults use to suck you into their organization.
#1. PICKING THE
RIGHT TARGET
As it turns out,
JW’s do not have to “Pick the Right Target,” the “Right Target” picks the JW’s.
How:
(1)
The “Right Target” answers their door to the knock of
a JW.
(2)
The “Right Target” accepts literature offered by
the JW.
(3)
The “Right Target” asks a JW neighbor or co-worker
a Bible question.
(4)
The “Right Target” agrees to a WT “Bible Study.”
(5)
The “Right Target” visits a Kingdom Hall.
Most people can be
susceptible to the WT influence under the right conditions. The people who are
most likely to become JW’s are the “Biblically
Ignorant.” This would include a majority of US adults. In 2021, 29% never
read a Bible, 13% read a Bible less than once a year and 16% read a Bible 4
times a year or less. Thus, when a JW knocks on a door, they have a 58% chance
of talking with someone who knows little or nothing about the Bible.
There’s a bit of a
false belief that cult recruits tend to be mentally ill, but this usually
isn’t the case. Cults don’t want completely unhinged people to join;
rather, they want relatively stable people who can work to forward the cult’s
goal and donate money. (Go here to see the WT's major push for JW’s to become Friends with Jehovah and Jesus by giving money to the WT).
#2.
LOVE-BOMBING
Originally
coined by the Moonies, love-bombing is more or less self-explanatory. Having
identified a “Right Target,” JW’s flood that person with affection, flattery,
and validation. One of the “Right Target’s” first experiences upon attending a
meeting at a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses is what cult experts call
“love bombing.” Usually, the “Right Target” will be introduced around by
the publisher who is studying with them and they will be greeted with a hardy
hand-shake, warm smile, widened eyes, and an “it’s so nice to see you
here.” That’s PHASE ONE.
PHASE
TWO will commence once the new recruit has started attending regularly.
Suddenly, their social life explodes with invitations to dinner, get-togethers,
ice cream after the meeting, and so forth. Everyone at the hall is their
friend. At this point it will be nearly impossible to extricate the
“Right Target” from the grasp of “The
Truth” (JW’s name for their religion).
The
“Right Target” will be nearly suffocated in the enthusiastic embrace of the
congregation. Suddenly, the “Right Target” will have 60 friends. The
“Right Target” will often be invited to come over after a meeting for popcorn
and some fellowship. During these visits the “new friends” will often
tell of their experiences about finding “The Truth” and stories of JW
conversions all across the globe.
The
effect of all of this is to make the “Right Target” feel like they have a place
in the congregation, that they have found something rare and wonderful.
The love bombing was the “spoon full of sugar” that made the weird doctrines “go
down” easier.
PHASE THREE BAPTISM.
From “who are the JW’s and what do they believe” to baptism into the cult is
swift. The WT’s beginning Bible Study for “Right Target” is called E.L.F. (Enjoy Life Forever) and the study
recommends that the study leader
encourage baptism for the “Right Target” after just six months of
studying twice per week. Twelve months,
if studying is done once a week.
As you might expect,
once a “Right Target” has become one of the regulars, the love bombing tapers
off and is replaced by the elders and members insisting that “Right Target”
follow all the rules laid down by the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society.
The four BIGGES:
1.
“You must study and take in knowledge of God
and Jesus Christ.”
2.
“You must obey God’s laws (and the WT’s
Rules) and live a clean, moral life
as set out in the Bible.”
3.
“You need to be associated with God’s
channel.” (Must be a JW in good
standing.)
4.
“You must be a publisher.” (Actively going
door-to-door.)
All of your
“friends” will now be closely watching and reporting you to the Elders should
you not follow any of the rules. Your old friends (prior to becoming a JW)
must be jettisoned, celebrating holidays and special days are now to be loathed and avoided. Anyone or
anything not part of the Watch Tower Society is of Satan and to shunned. When the Love Bombing letdown comes along it
is too late, you’re convinced that Armageddon is tomorrow and that if you leave
“The Truth” you’ll be miserable and die. It has also been pounded into your
head that if you are un-happy it’s your own fault because you obviously haven’t
been studying enough, praying enough, preaching enough, and attending every
single meeting.
#3. ISOLATION
PHASE FOUR. Once the
WT has enticed “Right Target” with approval and the promise of understanding
the requirements of Jehovah God, the WT then goes to work to isolate “Right
Target.” Holidays (Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.) and special days
(Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day)—name another, they are prohibited because JW’s believe that these festivals are based on (or massively
contaminated by) pagan customs and religions.
Any organization,
government or private, that is not part of Jehovah’s organization on earth
(Little League, Scouts, ASPCA, Sierra Club, etc.) or person who is not a JW or
studying with a JW (relatives,
co-workers, neighbors) is part of Satan’s system of things which does not
embrace the goals of Jehovah God and should be avoided.
Not only is “Right
Target” physically isolated from friends and family members who might otherwise
provide a reality check, but the WT routinely isolates “Right Target” from
outside information. Newspapers, books, TV, and web access are all restricted,
ensuring that the only reality “Right Target” gets to experience is the one
presented by the WT.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL—That
“Right Target” will shun his “former
family” and embrace the WT & JW’s as his “new family.”
After convincing
“Right Target” that JW’s are the best
friends they will ever have and bombarding “Right Target” with WT doctrine, the
WT’s next job is to make sure they hang on to “Right Target.” There’s a variety
of techniques they can use to accomplish this, but they usually involve constantly
subjecting “Right Target” to terror and love.
In an interview
with Aeon, social psychologist Alexandra
Stein explained that “when we are frightened, we don’t simply run
away from the fear, but run to a safe haven, ‘to someone…’ or to ‘some
place’—and that someone is usually a person to whom we feel attached. But when
the supposed safe haven is also the source of the fear, then running to that
person is a failing strategy, causing the frightened person to freeze, trapped
between approach and avoidance.”
By keeping JW’s
totally off-balance in this way, the WT increases their members’ dependency on
the WT (remember, all former friends, relatives and contacts are verboten),
ensuring they retain control. The exhausting, frozen state of “terror and
avoidance” overwhelms WT members and their ability to think critically about
the ideology they’ve suddenly committed themselves to.
FEAR. Everyone is
afraid of challenging the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses. Saying
anything negative about their religion could result in disfellowshipping and
being shunned. If this were to happen, they would lose relationships with
family and friends inside the organization. If caught, some things Jehovah's
Witnesses can't do are very serious and can result in disfellowshipping. Other
things are looked down upon or judged negatively by individuals within the
organization. Some things are a matter conscience. Not every rule is given
equal weight.
Jehovah's Witnesses
may have nagging doubts about their beliefs, but if they want to avoid
excommunication (disfellowshipping), they must completely trust the guidance
given by their organization. They avoid independent thinking because speaking
in agreement and being like minded indicates to them they are in God's
organization.
CONSCIENCE. There are no formal rules that say a JW MUST
NOT DO some things. No one forbids them from being a cheerleader, buying girl
scout cookies, playing competitive sports, etc. ... Jehovah's Witnesses 'can'
technically do some of these things, but they don't. Zealous JW's choose to
follow stricter guidelines. They don't participate because most are overwhelmed
by fear and guilt at the mere thought of displeasing Jehovah and running afoul
of the WT. They want to appear to be more “spiritual” and thus scrupulously follow all formal and
informal rules.
GUILT TRIPS. Jehovah
(i.e. the WT) demands obedience to all its rules and regulations. For the WT,
group survival is far more important than individual rights and freedoms.
Because strict rules are easy to break, worshipers of Jehovah are never certain
of salvation.
Since Jehovah's
Witnesses serve Jehovah, they must earn God's love just like the ancient
Israelites did. There is guilt because whatever they do for Jehovah, it may not
to be enough. Oftentimes Jehovah's Witnesses believe they could have done more,
and because they didn't, there is worry that Jehovah may not save them. What if
they have angered Jehovah in some way that they are not aware of? What if
Jehovah punishes them for not doing enough in these last days before
Armageddon? What if they could have attended more meetings, spent more time going
from door to door, etc. ... ?
When thinking about
things they can't do or are not allowed to do, there are 'gray' areas. Some
things, they 'must' not do. Other things they shouldn't do. Some things are not
recommended. And some things are a matter of
conscience. Faithful Jehovah's Witnesses often feel guilty that they
might be doing something to displease God.
DOUBLE STANDARDS. It
is interesting that some people get disfellowshipped for the smallest of
infraction, while others get away with a
lot and no one ever says anything. It all depends on how much you're liked in
your congregation, how much time you spend going door to door, and how loyal
you are to the organization.
MIND CONTROL. Jehovah's
Witnesses have a unique language that they are proud of. It reinforces their
belief that they are the only ones with the truth. Words like 'in the truth',
'God's organization', 'paradise earth', 'doomed system of things', etc., are
repeated within the organization over and over again in literature,
conversations, and meetings. Some JW's try to reclaim their freedom by leaving
the organization. However, even then most are afraid to say what they really
want to say especially if they have family and friends inside the church. Long
after Jehovah's Witness leave their religion, they remain firmly attached to
the beliefs of the Watchtower.
OBEDIENCE. Jehovah's
Witnesses are required to 'speak in agreement' and defend all doctrines even
when they have doubts. They are afraid to question Jehovah's wisdom as
explained by the WT because they are told they belong to Jehovah's
organization. Thus, the good of the organization is thought to be far more
important than individual rights, beliefs, and freedom of speech.
Independent
thinking is discouraged because unity of beliefs is a requirement. Speaking out
against the doctrines of the WT is thought to be a dangerous path leading to
'apostasy' and termination of one's membership in Jehovah's organization. A
JW's salvation and making it through Armageddon alive depends on their
dedication and obedience to Jehovah's spirit guided organization, the WT.
No comments:
Post a Comment