JW a cult? - what it means to them

With almost 50 years as a JW, I often heard JW's called a cult.   I now realize that to defend this, a kind of Straw man has been created.  The WTS has simply defined a cult for them as following men (namely CT Russel).  "We survived long past CT Russel, therefore not a cult", they say. 

To a JW, they don't think of mind control tactics as a cult definition.  When you say cult to a JW, they just think, "I haven't read much about Russel in years or anything he wrote.  Therefore, I know I'm not in a cult."  They don't even consider shunning, as a cult practice.  It was finally the DF shunning that first bothered me the most.  When I read scripural proof that DF does not have Biblical support, it really started to wake me up, especially since I had participated in so many judical hearings, which now are my constant regret.

I remember the same straw man.

To a JW, a cult has a guru or messiah or some kind of single person at the top and he(or she) is fully aware that he is lying to the members.  He is having sex with the members or otherwise abusing them, using sleep deprivation and the type of mind-control that they think is hypnotism and tying to a chair under bright lights with some kind of torture.  To a JW, a cult lives on a compound. 

To a JW, all religions influence the members.  That is true.   The WT throws in just enough scriptural reference to make the average dub member think that God supports everything they say.  They throw in so much reading that the average dub member tires of checking on it and just assumes it is all in harmony with the Bible. 

To a JW, JW's go home to their own dwelling, work in "the world" and get an education (typically limited) in "the world."  Their religion doesn't have a human leader, just a dozen or so men "taking the lead" but really "following Jehovah's will."  The typical JW doesn't even know that he is involved in "shunning."  He thinks that he is "not associating" with former members. 

from what I understand the word cult came from the orthodox church of england to describe unorthodoxed religion. Most common would be religion that doesn't adhere to the creeds resolutions. Of course the WTBTS does everything in it's power to discredit the main beliefs of , trinity , hell fire , immortal soul.

When a newbie shows up, I try not to get into this too much. It is my opinion that it's a process for an exiting JW to realize that they were in a cult.

When I first left, dealing with so much, I suggested that JW's weren't a cult, but I would allow that they were a high control group. Why? I couldn't allow myself at the time to admit that I was in a cult.

My pride was on the line.

Over time, esp after reading story after story, I realized I was indeed in a cult.

Great point by xelder. JW's survive simply by having their own definitions for key words. Cult? No, not us! Thats Jim Jones stuff. We aren't a cult.

Sadly, I even think the GB believes that.... Of course, Jim Jones used to think he was a prophet, so what the leadership of cults actually believe doesn't matter worth a damn!

                     The WTS has simply defined a cult for them as following men (namely CT Russel).

                            "We survived long past CT Russel, therefore not a cult", they say.

                                      Jehovah`s Witness`s now follow a Group of Men..

                                                      The "WBT$ Governing Body"..

                                       Jehovah`s Witness`s are a CULT..

                                                              JEHOVAH`S WITNESS..

                                                      WINDOW WASHING WORSHIPERS.

                                                                         Of the..

                                                             "WBT$ Governing Body"..

                                                                                                                           ..................... ...OUTLAW

Steve Hassan literally wrote the book on this topic.

How a person could read his book and not conclude that JWs (and several other well-known) groups are not cults, is beyond me.

At the link below, is an analysis of the WT experience and how it relates to specific passages within Hassan's book.

http://www.jehovahswitnessrecovery.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=737

Kevin Crawley defines cults as having the  following traits. Don't they remind you of how JWs are are cajoled and manipulated.

Three ideas seem essential to the concept of a cult. One is thinking in terms of us versus them with total alienation from "them." The second is the intense, though often subtle, indoctrination techniques used to recruit and hold members. ...

Cultism usually involves some sort of belief that outside the cult all is evil and threatening; inside the cult is the special path to salvation through the cult leaders and their teachings. The indoctrination techniques include

1) Subjection to stress and fatigue
2) Social disruption, isolation and pressure
3) Self criticism and humiliation
4) Fear, anxiety, and paranoia
5) Control of information
6) Escalating commitment
7) Use of auto-hypnosis to induce "peak" experiences
[Kevin Crawley]

The word "cult" is a pejorative akin to calling someone an idiot.  No one would ever admit to being an idiot nor would any person admit to being a member of cult.  Therefore, I think it's useless debating whether JWs are or are not a cult.

What's really useful is analyzing them under objective criteria, such as whether they qualify as a high-control group.  Do they restrict the free flow of information?  Yes.  Do they convince their members to reject critical thought and unquestioningly subject themselves to the church's leadership?  Check.  Do they cut off former members?  Yup.  Do they cover up and distort their church's history?  Also true.  

Using objective criteria you can show that the JWs are a dangerous high-control group in the same category as Scientology.  It's irrelevant whether they have one leader who they look up to or whether they live in a compound or any other of false criteria they offer up.  What's pertinent is that their members set aside independent thought and allow themselves to be controlled by church leaders.

Then two things, one question, one observation and question:

1. So how would you all talk to a believing JW about the cult issue? It seems to me that to them, people calling them a cult makes them more commited. This is just another argument to defeat, IMO, on how no you're not persecute, and no because someone calls you a cult doesn't actually make you the true religion. Do you see what I mean? I've seen it used as just another indicator of how they actually have it right (as twisted as that is). Could I say, "You're right, I think people take it too far when they call you a cult. However, I do think you'd qualify as a very high-control group." Would that fly?

2. Recovering, I get how JWs meet numbers 1-6, but how does 7 work? Maybe I don't know what auto-hypnosis is...

I am not by any means an expert on hypnosis . I don't think Mr Crawley was saying that a cult had to have each and every trait mentioned either .That being said here is what Margaret T. Singer, Ph.D. a  Prof. of Psychology says are the methodology of cult hypnosis. I have included how I think the jws use the methods in parenthesis after the ones that I think apply.

 (see Ericksonian hypnosis)
               speaking patterns (remember how we are taught to read for emphasis in the MS)
               guided imagery (constant references to a paradise earth)
               pacing of voice to breathing patterns
               parables, stories with imbedded messages ( all the experiances that are related to the congregation)
               repetition ( we here talks on the same topic over and over again as well as WT articles on basically the same topic)
               boredom (the meetings are boring )
               stop paying attention to distractions, focus
                    inwardly to what's going on inside you
               the use of one's voice to get people's attention
                    focused
          Chanting, Meditation
          Teach thought-stopping techniques
          Work them up emotionally to a negative state:
               re-experience past painful events
               recall negative actions/sin in past life
          Then rescue them from negative emotion by giving them a new
               way to live

As I said before i am by no means an expert, so if others understand this process better please comment and clarify.

The witlesses started following Boozerford when Russell died.  When Boozerford died, they followed Knorr, then Fred Franz.  Eventually, they developed the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger class, and the witlesses follow this group of humanoids that make up the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger.

Back in the day when I was active in the religion I heard the term cult thrown around.  I figured to myself (stupidly): 'well, if I have the 'truth' SO what if I am in a cult?'  The term 'cult' didn't mean anything to me if it was meant as an insult.  I just wasn't insulted. 

As far as other JWs are concerned, they don't believe they are in a cult.  They think a cult is some compound somewhere with a dictator asking them to drink poison punch.  No, that isn't them.  God help us.

If you look at the criteria of what makes a religion a cult, they don't have all the characteristics but they definitely do have some.  At best, they are a high-control group but I will not argue with anybody who says they are a cult.