Re:On irrational religious beliefs

Have I researched JW's? Well, yes, of course I have! What is my view of them? Does it really matter what MY view is of them?

What is your experience with them? How have they behaved towards you? Have they hurt you? Have they hurt someone you love? Are they making unreasonable demands on you or someone you love?

No matter what anyone thinks, have you researched what mind control truly is, and then related that research to your experience with the JW's?

Please understand that all groups in the world exists on a grey continuum as far as how much they influence people and how ethical that influence is. In my definition a cult is a group that use specific techniques to gain and keep control over their members. Yet, most all groups do this to a degree. The cult simply takes it to extreme. When is it extreme? Well, different people different answers.

Some groups exist in a grey limbo, and some authorities call those cults, others argue that they are not either deceitful of manipulative enough to fit the bill. Among those groups would be 12 step groups, mormon's, and JW's.

In my mind, if something you have experienced with those groups fits teh bill of a cult, then, that is what they were in relation to you. On the other hand, I do know of people who does not seem to be brainwashed in a traditional sense by these groups and so I respect that point of view as well.

Finally, for your own sake, go do the research. Look up the terms Mind Control on the web. Learn what mind control really is. Read some books. Start to understand the underlying dynamics of how cults function. Then, you can start the healing. You can start understanding. And most importantly, you can protect yourself from ever (again) being thoroughly brainwashed.

*sigh* alright this answer turned out longer than I expected, but there ya have it. My take on the JW's.

Good luck,
Da Friendly Puter Tech

A few good sites to check are: www.freedomofmind.com (on this site look up Steven Hassan's BITE model), www.csj.org

An excellent book for you to read would be Steven Hassan's Combatting Cult Mind Control.

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