Jehovah's Witnesses---A Cult or Not?

When I first got on this site, I would bristle at the thought that I ever belonged to a cult.

Do you believe that Witnesses are truly "cultists"?

I have no doubt that they are a cult with only their own self preservation considered important.

If you haven't read crisis of conscience , I suggest you do it's a great starting point to fully understand what I mean.

I believe they're acult and I ready and agree with both Franz books.

I didn't for several months after I left.  Now I believe they are.  I believe they use subtle tactics to begin taking over your mind and then they use that to push you into believing thier magical faithful and discreet slave class can prophesy and only they can interpret the bible.  This was the big one that led to my calling them a cult.

                                                                              It`s a Cult..

                                                                          A Terrible Cult..

                                                             The WBT$ go`s inside your Brain..

                                                                                And..

                                                                     Wiggles it`s Finger!

                                          Just like the Doctor when he`s checking your Prostate..

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

Good point Outlaw.

Philip

i think they meet every definition of mainstream definitions..........oompa

Oompa (got bamboozled on your thread lol)

which of the definitions that I posted apply to the W.T.S.?

"Do you believe that Witnesses are truly "cultists"?"

Yep, I believe the bOrg is a cult and the rank and file are misled.

These were well known cults, Charles Manson, Jim Jones, The Pope, etc etc

SOM, you mean like that simple Yahoo search you did to find your definition?

S.O.M.

a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.

JW's follow the charismatic Governing Body, thus qualifying them as a cult. The GB are very false, disurbingly unorthodox, extreme in many parts of their dogma, and most certainly live outside of conventional society.

"SOM, you mean like that simple Yahoo search you did to find your definition?"

*snicker*

SOM this is Mini's topic...if you want the question to be answered a certain way (even though you didn't ask it) start your own damn topic.

Christianity is not outside of conventional society. How many faiths believe in speaking in tongues, faith healing, so oon so forth. Do not those TV evangelists say they could pray for you and you will be healed? They do not venerate the governing body, this have never been the case. The governing body give all attrention to GOD and to Jesuc Christ. They are as extreme as the bible teaches however with misunderstandings without a doubt. This does not classify them as a cult.

Son of man

Jehovah's Witnesses face strict sanction, and even expulsion, for the simple matter of disagreeing with the GB. You are mistaken, JW's are a cult.

1.     a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2.     an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3.     the object of such devotion.
4.     a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5.     Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6.     a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
7.     the members of such a religion or sect.
8.     any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.

(posted from dictionary.com)

Yes, and according to dictionary.com, and other sources, JW's are a cult.