Reply to Re: Life ahoy
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Okay, NOBODY take zeddexx seriously. The Jehovah's Witnesses are known to cause lots of problems to their members. Here's a little excerpt from Wikipedia:
There are claims that the Watchtower Society's emphasis of the term "theocratic organization" is designed to exercise control over every aspect of the lives of Jehovah's Witnesses and condition them to think it is wrong for them to question anything the Watchtower Society publishes as truth. Witnesses are encouraged to feel dependent on "the organization", are discouraged from engaging in independent Bible study and are told they are incapable of understanding the scriptures without its involvement. The Watchtower Society's firm discouragement of members to read criticism of the organization or scriptural material published by other religions is claimed to create a form of mental isolation that has been cited as an element of mind control. It is claimed the organization's aim is to create a sterile atmosphere in which its views and interpretations can circulate without having to confront any challenge.
The religion's Governing Body has been accused of resenting, deprecating and seeking to silence differences of viewpoint within the organization and demanding organizational conformity that overrides personal conscience. Watchtower literature strongly emphasises the importance of avoiding or fighting against the "dangers" and "infection" of "independent thinking", such as "questioning the counsel that is provided by God's visible organization".
The Watchtower Society places strong pressure on all members to conform to the teachings and personal behaviour it sanctions.
If a member of Jehovah's Witnesses does not comply with the organisation's interpretations, they can be excommunicated, termed disfellowshipping. This involves being shunned by all members of the religion, including any family members that do not live under the same roof. Due to the social nature of the religion, being shunned can isolate a member in a very powerful way and can be devastating if everyone in a member's social circle participates in the shunning.
Fear of being shunned and family break-up causes people who might otherwise freely leave the religion to stay. The only way to officially leave the religion is to write a letter requesting to be disassociated or to be disfellowshipped, but both entail the same set of prohibitions and penalties.
There are claims that the Watchtower Society's emphasis of the term "theocratic organization" is designed to exercise control over every aspect of the lives of Jehovah's Witnesses and condition them to think it is wrong for them to question anything the Watchtower Society publishes as truth. Witnesses are encouraged to feel dependent on "the organization", are discouraged from engaging in independent Bible study and are told they are incapable of understanding the scriptures without its involvement. The Watchtower Society's firm discouragement of members to read criticism of the organization or scriptural material published by other religions is claimed to create a form of mental isolation that has been cited as an element of mind control. It is claimed the organization's aim is to create a sterile atmosphere in which its views and interpretations can circulate without having to confront any challenge.
The religion's Governing Body has been accused of resenting, deprecating and seeking to silence differences of viewpoint within the organization and demanding organizational conformity that overrides personal conscience. Watchtower literature strongly emphasises the importance of avoiding or fighting against the "dangers" and "infection" of "independent thinking", such as "questioning the counsel that is provided by God's visible organization".
The Watchtower Society places strong pressure on all members to conform to the teachings and personal behaviour it sanctions.
If a member of Jehovah's Witnesses does not comply with the organisation's interpretations, they can be excommunicated, termed disfellowshipping. This involves being shunned by all members of the religion, including any family members that do not live under the same roof. Due to the social nature of the religion, being shunned can isolate a member in a very powerful way and can be devastating if everyone in a member's social circle participates in the shunning.
Fear of being shunned and family break-up causes people who might otherwise freely leave the religion to stay. The only way to officially leave the religion is to write a letter requesting to be disassociated or to be disfellowshipped, but both entail the same set of prohibitions and penalties.
