SHORT CHRISTIAN READINGS SELECTED FOR FORMER JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Surpassing Beauty of Living by Grace
by Randall Watters
(edited)
Commenting on the intrigue of human relationships and the trials men place on one another, Watchtower Circuit Overseer Floyd Kite once jokingly told me that "half of us are here to test the other half." As a devout Jehovah's Witness, and an "organization man", I was determined to be the "half" that tested the others. I kept close watch on others' conduct as a Bethel elder and overseer.
The study of Romans and Galatians while at Brooklyn Bethel changed my life, however, prompting me to discover the following truths, new to us but not to the Christian church.
Legislating Righteousness
Actually, the world is full of "spiritual policemen", but the efforts put forth by such ones to control the lives of others is often less than welcome. Yet some will say, "Doesn't the Bible have certain things to say about our conduct, and about our outward appearance?"
Yes! Are these to be considered as laws, or just helpful suggestions? How far is a Christian to go in counseling others? Let a former "spiritual policeman" give you some ideas.
The concept of living under Law is not bad in itself. Yahweh established a perfect Law for Moses and the nation of Israel. Jesus later came, not to abolish the Mosaic Law, but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17). That meant that the laws contained therein were not wrong, outdated, or prudish. Jesus came, not to say that the Mosaic Law was too hard to keep, but to establish an even more exacting standard. This he did when he summed up the Mosaic Law in two commands: "You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, mind, and soul, and you must love your neighbor as yourself." ... ... "On these two commandments depend the whole Law." (Matt. 5:20; 22:39,40)
Jesus' death on the cross released us from a yoke of servitude to a written law (Col. 2:1315). Yet, ironically, Jesus promoted more absolute standards. Jesus went a step further, and clarified how one could fall short of God's standards by what is in one's heart, even if outwardly obeying the Law. In other words, Jesus revealed the principles undergirding the Law as being the standard to strive for. By teaching such a perfect standard of conduct, Jesus advocated a quality of faith and commitment that is actually unattainable for fallen humans, were it not for divine grace.
For instance: According to Jesus, not only is the ACT of adultery a sin, but the very passion of lust is a sin! (Matt. 5:27,28) Not only is stealing a sin, but coveting your neighbor's belongings or his wife in your heart is sin. Not only is marriage sacred, but getting a divorce can make one an adulterer in God's eyes! (Matt. 5:31,32) You are to pray for your enemies and do good for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:3840, 4346). Who can then say that the Christian has it easier than the Old Testament Jew?
The difference is, God has given us the "new birth" and a "new nature" (1 Peter 1:23). A "seed" of righteousness is planted in us when we are "born from above". God comes to live IN us (through the Holy Spirit), enabling us to partake of his holiness (Romans 8:9,11). Jesus made this possible through his death and resurrection (Heb. 9:11,15). We are redeemed and declared righteous. Jesus then takes that "seed" in us and forms it into a mature Christian, thereby sanctifying us. He trusts us to walk in that new nature that we now possess. We die to the old, corrupted nature of the fallen flesh (2 Peter 1:3,4). Were it not for this "new birth" and its accompanying grace, our condemnation would be greater than under the Law of Moses, for Jesus' standards are more exacting and comprehensive than the Mosaic Law. Jesus said we are to be perfect (Matt. 5:48).
We can only hope to be "perfect" if we walk in the "new nature" (Gal. 5:16,17). We must be "born again" (John 3:3,5,7). How common it is to see the old nature of religious men and women trying to reach some artificial standard of conduct laid out for them by a religion or church, thinking that by doing so, they are somehow holy. Yet, the apostle Paul makes it plain that if we seek to justify ourselves by following laws or rules, we are still under condemnation, and Christ is useless to us (Gal. 2:1521). It is the Holy Spirit in us enabling us to do true works of righteousness, not our old nature.
Now the stage is set for comprehending the difficult sayings of Jesus, especially in his Sermon on the Mount. Christ does not make concessions for our weakness by lowering his standards. He expects us to allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to dominate our lives. To the extent this happens, we are able to follow his perfect standards. While Jesus makes no concessions to his standards, he is rich in mercy and forgiveness when we fall short of them. He knows we will sin many times along the way (Heb. 4:15,16). He points us towards perfection. We are to keep our eyes on what he wants us to be at all times; not on some lesser, more attainable goal. Yet, he knows that we will grow old and die without attaining perfection (Phil. 3:1214).
This can be most frustrating at times! It means that we will never reach a plateau in our Christianity. The "mountain" is higher than we can climb, and God has not set up "camps" on the slopes for us to live in; yet he allows us to make wayside rest stops to refresh ourselves and then continue on. Then, upon Christ's return, his work in us is completed as we are transformed into perfection as in the twinkling of an eye (1 Thes. 4:16,17; 1 Cor. 15:5153). So, just what part does the church play in making rules for Christians?
God's Work, Not Ours
In the realm of Christian religions, there are three approaches used in advocating standards of conduct:
(1) The strict approach -- a code of conduct is laid out as "necessary," and it is strict enough that only a few Christians will follow it, producing an appearance of righteousness.
(2) The merciful approach -- a middle of the road code of conduct is promoted that is workable (attainable) for most or all believers.
(3) The perfection approach -- Jesus' perfect standards are advocated, which are really principles to be followed from the heart rather than laws.
Some churches, and all of the cults, choose method #1; many churches choose #2.
However, not only do the first two approaches fall short of Jesus' moral precepts, but the system designed for the few (#1) condemns the many and exalts the few; whereas in actuality, if RULES are to be followed, ALL are actually condemned because ALL will fall short of perfect obedience to those rules! System #1, therefore, provides a false sense of security. It is also substandard to the third approach.
System #2 is unbiblical as well. To water down the principles Christ gave and to replace them with a substandard law code is not acceptable to God. He will not tolerate sin, nor lesser standards; that is why Jesus had to die for our sins. He will only work within the perfect approach.
As Christians, we expect God to mold us and to perfect our conduct and our character. We cannot by ourselves mute the power of sin within us (nor can others do it for us!). Though it may seem a noble cause to try and alter our own heart's desires, it cannot be done through living by a law code, whether it be strict or lenient.
So we drop the law code idea. We see Jesus' lofty standards for what they are and we realize that we will never obey them perfectly, at least in this life. That's why we are saved by grace! So we quit following rules and allow the grace of the Holy Spirit to do his work in us. We learn to become more like children as regards humility and simplicity (Matt. 18:3). Prayers are offered for the Holy Spirit to work changes within us, giving us a new heart; a pure heart. We are praying for something that cannot be accomplished through obedience to laws and rules.
Symptom Warriors
Chances are that you will come to understand these principles of grace versus law before some of your "spiritual policemen" type friends do. Most of the time these "symptom warriors" mean well. They believe they can legislate spiritual growth. The desire of the symptom warrior is to change your conduct so as to be more acceptable to God. Sort of like the Watchtower approach, right? Most of us have played this game at one time or another.
However, since we cannot really see the hearts of others, or accurately perceive where they are in their relationship with God, we often observe and react to outward symptoms. We are everready to point out symptoms to our brother that indicate his walk with the Lord is "not what it should be."
Because we lack the faith that God controls this process of perfecting his saints, we suggest to our brother that if he would only correct the symptom, his heart will change for the better. We believe that if "Mark would only stop smoking, he would not feel so guilty and could approach the Lord easier." "If Joan would quit watching soap operas, she would love the Lord more and her marriage would improve."
Seldom do we stop and think that we are approaching the whole thing backwards. Why not get them interested in the things of God, and let God do the work? Besides, we may be reading the symptoms wrong in the first place.
Wasn't Jesus very strict as to what we can and can't do? Didn't he make many statements regarding the living of a sanctified lifestyle?
On Giving Advice
Giving advice to a Christian friend is not something to take lightly! It is better to point to what Jesus said or did on a topic, rather than telling your friend what to do in a given situation. Let them make their decision according to their faith and commitment. To insist that others follow certain standards of conduct such as dress codes, movie or music preferences, types of recreation, business decisions, etc. means that we are making our own standards for another to follow, rather than allowing them to make a personal moral decision based upon their understanding of God's perfect standards.
God is the only one qualified to give us laws to follow, which he did in the case of the Ten Commandments. Yet, no one could keep them! Therefore, God did away with law, and established a better arrangement. Do we have the right to introduce laws when God has done away with law? (Gal. 2:1621) To do so puts us under a curse (Gal. 3:10)!
Following rules for Christian living is of the flesh; letting the indwelling Spirit live through you is true Christianity. Paul says,
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him." (Romans 8:5-9)
We need to have the faith that if our brother loves God, he will seek to walk in the Spirit. If he seeks the things of the Spirit, God will perfect his heart. OUR part is to encourage our brother or sister in their walk so that this love for God will be there in the first place. As we encourage and strengthen the faith of our brothers and sisters, they come to love God more, and this seed of love is nurtured by the Holy Spirit.
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"Where Else Can You Go, Brother?"
By Rafael Martinez
(edited)
That's the "canned" response anytime a Jehovah's Witness so much as hints at the possibilty that the WatchTower Cult might not be "Jehovah's visible organization".
Who can you turn to? Here's the best answer to that ....
Jesus Christ!
We recommend to all Jehovah's Witnesses to "consider closely ... the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus." ( Heb. 12:2-3ff, NWT ) For He himself settled the matter of just "where else" anyone can go who looks beyond the closed world of the Watchtower Cult when He stated so clearly that
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." ( John 14:6, NWT), and:
"Come to me, all YOU who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh YOU. Take my yoke upon YOU and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls. For my yoke is kindly and my load is light." ( Matthew 11:28-29 NWT )
It is only by turning to and trusting in the promises and person of Jesus Christ that real and eternal truth be found. He embodies the love of the Father by the presence of His Holy Spirit, whom He will send to all those thirsting for Him and His righteousness (Matthew 5:6, Luke 11:9-13).
In Jesus, and Jesus alone, lies your greatest fulfillment, the ultimate answer to all your questions; the open arms of genuine grace; and a sure future without the strings of human tradition attached.
We urge you to turn to Jesus Christ! Confess and repent of your sins before Him and believe upon Him for real salvation and real peace, that you too might receive the Promise that "is to YOU and to YOUR children and to ALL who are afar off, just as many as Jehovah our God may call to Him" ( Acts 2:39 NWT ), that you too may be given "authority to become God's children" ( John 1:12 with 1 John 5:13 NWT ).
That's a promise from the Creator that no amount of new light will ever outshine!
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What did the Early Christians Say about "Salvation"?
A.D. 55 - PAUL AT EPHESUS: "you are saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you - unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day" (1 Corinthains 15:1-4)
A.D. 56 - PAUL AT CORINTH: "if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9)
A.D. 98 - JOHN AT EPHESUS: "God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God." (1 John 4:15)
A.D. 98 - JOHN AT EPHESUS: "Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1John 5:5)
A.D. 100 - CLEMENT OF ROME: "we, too, being called by his will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have wrought in holiness of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever" (First Epistle to the Corinthians, XXXII, 15)
A.D. c.120 - POLYCARP OF SMYRNA: "'we shall also reign together with Him, 'provided only we believe.'" (Epistle to the Philippians, V, 10-11)
EARLY 2ND C. - IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH: "For, since you are subject to your overseer as to Jesus Christ, you appear to me to live not after the manner of men, but according to Jesus Christ, who died for us, in order, by believing in his death, you may escape from death." (Epistle to the Trallians, II, 1)
BEFORE 165AD - JUSTIN MARTYR OF SAMARIA: "He was crucified, that the rest of the prophecy might be fulfilled. For this 'washing his robe in the blood of the grape' was predictive of the passion he was to endure, cleansing by his blood those who believe on him." (First Apology, XXXII, 2) "And it is written, that on the day of the Passover you seized him, and that also during the Passover you crucified him. And as the blood of the Passover saved those who were in Egypt, so also the blood of Christ will deliver from death those who have believed. Would God, then, have been deceived if this sign had not been above the doors? I do not say that; but I affirm that he announced beforehand the future salvation for the human race through the blood of Christ." (Second Apology, CXI)
LATE 2ND C. - IRENAEUS OF SMYRNA: "'And daily,' it is said, 'in the temple, and from house to house, they ceased not to teach and preach Christ Jesus,' the Son of God. For this was the knowledge of salvation, which renders those who acknowledge his Son's advent perfect towards God." (Against Heresies III, XII:12ff)
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Mind Control or Brainwashing?
Understanding Mind Control Among Jehovah's Witnesses
By Randall Watters
(edited)
Two methods have traditionally been employed in attempting to free Jehovah's Witnesses from bondage to the WatchTower Society organization. They are:
* Discussing key Bible texts so as to reveal how the WatchTower Society has mistranslated or misinterpreted them.
* Exposing the past and present inconsistencies of the WatchTower Society in terms of their false prophecies, changes in doctrine, cover ups, etc.
Much has been written on the biblical approach. Many books and webpages have been written which document the Watchtower Society's false prophecies and changes as well.
However, very little has yet been written clarifying their particular technique of mind control. I believe many will benefit from a new approach in talking to friends and relatives who are caught up in the Jehovah's Witnesses. The first two techniques mentioned above have their merits, and they should not be neglected in reaching a Jehovah's Witness. Indeed, we need all the tools that we can muster in reaching out to free them from mind control. Yet I believe that a person who is trying to reach Jehovah's Witnesses must truly understand the mindset of the person they are ministering to before they can set them free in many situations.
An excellent book has been published by Steven Hassan called "Combatting Cult Mind Control". Having worked with Steve personally (and with good results), I feel that this type of information needs to be applied specifically to Jehovah's Witnesses.
What is "Mind Control"?
While many have spoken of the methods used by the cults as a form of "brainwashing" (a forced reprogramming of a person's thoughts), a more apt designation would be "mind control". Hassan clarifies the difference between the two:
"Mind control, also called 'thought reform', is more subtle and sophisticated [than brainwashing]. Its perpetrators are regarded as friends or peers, so the person is much less defensive. He unwittingly participates by cooperating with his controllers and giving them private information that he does not know will be used against him. The new belief system is internalized into a new identity structure.
"Mind control involves little or no overt physical abuse. Instead, hypnotic processes are combined with group dynamics to create a potent indoctrination effect. The individual is deceived and manipulated -- notdirectly threatened into making the prescribed choices. On the whole, he responds positively to what is done to him." (p. 56)
Hassan constructs his methodology from his own personal experiences, as well as Robert J. Lifton's classic study, "Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism", and Leon Festinger's "cognitive dissonance theory", and its three marks of mind control. Hassan adds one more to make four:
* control of behavior
* control of thoughts
* control of emotions
* control of information
These methods, when used by unscrupulous cults, form a powerful tool for seducing converts. The appeal is not just to the ignorant and gullible, either; the best recruits are often quite intelligent.
What's Wrong with Mind Control?
Using mind control is a question of ethics in today's society; not all forms of mind control are harmful. Advertising and sales pitches seek to influence our minds daily. What we must take issue with, however, are certain methods of mind control employed that are not understood by the person seeking help. Often they do not know what they are getting into (until it's too late).
Religious cults employ mind control tactics that are kept secret from the rank and file members. That is one reason why they are called cults. Cults believe that "the end justifies the means" when it comes to making converts. They sincerely believe that they have the only answers to life's problems, and since most people "don't know what is good for them," the cult leaders assume the role of "parents" to the victim, often referring to themselves as their "mother" or "father."
Unlike a good parent who explains what he is doing to the child, however, the cult leader finds it to his advantage to keep the recruit as much in the dark as possible, preferring obedience and blind loyalty to making full disclosure. Cult leaders are sophisticated when it comes to understanding human nature! They know that the average person would object to the indoctrination program if they really understood the whole picture, so information is provided on a "need to know" basis only.
This reveals the underlying foundation of cult leadership -- a total lack of faith in the neophyte's ability to make responsible decisions. The neophyte is viewed as a worthless individual unless their entire way of thinking is overhauled. They must have their minds swept clean of former ways of reacting to life's situations, and then reprogrammed entirely. The cult's program of mind control will ultimately only work if the person sublimates their former personality.
Hope for the Deceived
Is it a waste of time to try and get a Jehovah's Witness out of the organization after being in it for years? It might seem that way to outsiders. The blind zeal and imperviousness to critical thought on the part of the Jehovah's Witness might appear permanent to the relative trying to rescue their loved one caught up in the Watchtower Cult.
Yet the organization itself is aware of the need to constantly drill their subjects with the same material week after week, lest the individual begin to think and act like the others who live and work around them once more. Sometimes all it takes is a long vacation from the Kingdom Hall activities, a time of emotional depression, or a bad experience with a fellow Jehovah's Witness to spark doubt in the mind of the Jehovah's Witness. A few Jehovah's Witnesses simply get tired of the very mind control process itself, and their cult identity loses its attraction.
Any exposure whatsoever to literature about mind control methods or experiences of others from various mind control cults may spark new or resurfaced doubts in the mind of a Jehovah's Witness. The goal is to help them see clearly that the Watchtower Society is no different than hundreds of other religious organizations that use the very same phobias, promises and mind control methods to seduce and retain their members. Such comparisons are devastating. Nothing can be more effective than a well-planned "casual" discussion between a Jehovah's Witness and a former member of a different cult who simply feels like talking about his or her experience in that other cult, without their even inferring that the Jehovah's Witness themself is also in a cult.
One of the very first alarms that went off in my mind a year before my exiting the Watchtower Society was the reading of a "Reader's Digest" article about religious cults that, to my remembrance, didn't even mention the Watchtower Society. Something just clicked inside, as I asked my roommate, "Why doesn't the Watchtower Society reach out to cult victims?" Little did I know where attempting to answer that haunting question would lead. Freedom, for me at least, was just around the corner.
Understanding Watchtower Mind Control
I have found in the vast majority of cases where Christians are trying to talk to a Jehovah's Witness about the errors of the Watchtower Society, they are unable to relate to the Jehovah's Witness at all. They may be well acquainted with Watchtower Society theology, but then proceed as if the Jehovah's Witness is simply lacking factual material, naively assuming that once presented with the truth, the Jehovah's Witness will give his faith up and become a Christian. This almost never works.
The basic assumption of this approach is that (1) the Jehovah's Witness is merely lacking accurate information, and (2) once presented with the truth, it will "trouble" them enough to make an intelligent decision to leave the Watchtower Society. They are thereby making two generally false assumptions: that the person previously has not heard information critical of the Watchtower Society, and that the Jehovah's Witness is objective enough in their thinking to weigh the truthfulness of the Watchtower Society on their own.
It is uncommon to find a Jehovah's Witness who has not seen or heard information exposing the dishonesty of the Watchtower Society. Why, then, do they not see a problem? Evidently, something else has prevented them from objectively analyzing factual information. Their minds are trained to stop short of doubting the organization. A wall has been erected which says, in effect, "This far you may go, and no further." The Christian or concerned relative does not realize that the person is a victim of mind control, and whatever biases or presuppositions that have been placed in their minds by the Watchtower Society will effectively prevent the Jehovah's Witness from seeing things objectively.
One could liken it to a child who loves her mother very much (and who is loved by the mother) discovering that her mother is on trial for first degree murder in a court of law. Not yet having the maturity to understand human nature and the complexities of personalities, the child will be overwhelmingly driven by her feelings towards her mother and almost always reject (though without factual basis) any efforts to convince her that her mother is a murderer.
The illustration is not far off from what actually occurs within the mind of the Jehovah's Witness. The Jehovah's Witness is taught that the WatchTower Society "organization" is the "mother," and that Jehovah is the Father. Since Jehovah does not speak directly to the Jehovah's Witness, he must rely on the organization for guidance and instruction. The Jehovah's Witness is reminded over and over how trustworthy is the "mother", and how he cannot get along without her.
Anyone else who tries to help the Jehovah's Witness is viewed as "of the devil", and is considered dangerous. Since the Jehovah's Witness is part of a family with its normal amount of brotherhood and togetherness (five meetings a week), the feeling of being safe and even "loved" reinforces what the "mother" is saying. The "mother" has taught him not to listen to anything critical of her, calling it satanic; thereby preventing the Jehovah's Witness from thinking objectively and causing him to react with strong emotions whenever he senses a critical spirit towards the Watchtower Society.
The Jehovah's Witness will simply not question the motives or truthfulness of the "mother." Only if he begins to lose faith in the claims or nurturing ability of the mother (thereby breaking the emotional bond) will he start to think a little more objectively.
What Actually Does Work?
How does one plant doubts in the Jehovah's Witness mind about the truthfulness or nurturing ability of the Watchtower Society? Some have thought to do this by means of using Bible verses that the Watchtower Society misinterprets, showing them what the original Greek text really says, or how the organization has changed their interpretation over the years.
There are two major pitfalls to this method, however. The first is, the Jehovah's Witness knows the Watchtower Society will have an answer to virtually ANY question that comes up in a conversation. The Jehovah's Witness is not trained to question the validity of their answer, only to be satisfied that the "mother" HAS an answer. So the Jehovah's Witness knows that even though he is stumped at the doorstep, he can go back to their books and magazines and get an answer. He thereby sidesteps any uncomfortableness that comes from not having an answer on the spot.
In fact, he will often volunteer to come back with an answer. In the interim, the other Jehovah's Witnesses will convince him that the person challenging the Watchtower Society is not really interested in the truth, but is actually an "opposer of the truth." Therefore, few Jehovah's Witnesses ever actually do return to answer the questions of those critical of the Watchtower Society or its interpretations. As a Jehovah's Witness, I often did not return (nor did I offer), thinking to myself that I was wasting my time with someone who was "negative and not interested in the truth."
As a response to this pattern, some ministries have actually adopted the stance of not using the Bible at all with the Jehovah's Witness until they feel they are ready to discuss it objectively. While this may come as a surprise to many Christians, once you understand the intricacies of their mind control, it makes much more sense.
Others have sought to plant seeds of doubt about the "motherhood" of the Watchtower Society organization by pointing out their false prophecies and contradictions between faith and practice. This generally takes the form of showing them old Watchtower Society literature where they said one thing, then comparing that with what they say presently. Or, it may include pointing out the inconsistencies of Watchtower Society policy, such as their condoning the loss of homes and lives of tens of thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses in the African country of Malawi a few years ago (because of not buying a 25-cent party card) with the Watchtower Society's 1980s-90s policy of condoning bribery and faked military service by Jehovah's Witnesses in Mexico.
While this "using their own literature against them" approach can be used in situations where the person is actually willing to look at what you have in the way of evidence, most of the Jehovah's Witnesses will not look at anything that is critical of the Watchtower Society. Thus, in most cases, this approach will not prove effective. Most of the success in using old Watchtower Society literature has come when the Jehovah's Witness's mind is somewhat open and they already possess a measure of objectivity. In that case, use whatever works! The major obstacle has been overcome.
Most will find, however, that one's conversation with the Jehovah's Witness must not directly involve the Watchtower Society, unless it is in a positive note. They simply will not listen to you for long otherwise. What, then, can one do?
Opening the Closed Mind by Discussion
One of the best way to reach a biased person and gently expose their bias (without offending their ego) is to have discussions on issues that have distinct similarities to the Watchtower brand of mind control, but of which they have no particular vested interest. For instance, Jehovah's Witnesses consider Mormons and the Moonies to be cults, but on the basis of their doctrines rather than their methodology.
Jehovah's Witnesses will not be familiar with the mind control methods used by cults, so to share the methods of, let's say, the Moonies, will probably take them by surprise. As you discuss the four levels of control of the Unification Church over its members in terms of thought control, emotional control, control of behavior, and of information, the Jehovah's Witness just may turn out to be a captive audience. You are not threatening them or their organization, after all! But what if they suspect you are trying to say that the Watchtower Society is like the Moonies?
It is therefore important to be as casual and inoffensive as possible when dealing with the Jehovah's Witness. Since their training is to resist anything critical of the Watchtower Society, you must avoid discussing the Watchtower Society when trying to draw parallels in their mind. If you are, for instance, trying to explain the control of information as used by the Moonies, you do not want to simultaneously compare them with the Watchtower Society.
Let the Jehovah's Witness draw their own conclusions! Give them the benefit of the doubt that they are smart enough to sense the similarities in time ... and time is what they need. Experience has shown that it might take several informal sessions of discussing mind control methods as used by other religious groups or political groups before the Jehovah's Witness even begins to get the point. Watch movies together with them that are based on mind control themes. Give them time, and let them draw their own conclusions. They must make the information their own; it is their life.
Using A "Chance" Conversation
A proven method as used by professional exit counselors of cult members is to set up a planned conversation with the Jehovah's Witness, who will hopefully not be threatened by it. People are not usually intimidated by someone sitting next to them at a bus stop or on the airplane or waiting in line or at the grocery store if the conversation comes up casually.
For instance: A man has a wife who is a JW, and he wants her to be free from Watchtower mind control. He knows the futility of arguing with her or trying to show her old Watchtower material that might showthem up to be false prophets. So he arranges for an ex-Mormon or Moonie to sit next to her on some occasion while traveling, and the ex-cultist strikes up an informal conversation about what they used to be involved in, at the same time not asking the JW too many questions or being overly curious. The JW will often feel more at ease if the stranger doesn't even know they are a JW, especially if the subject is religious organizations that are mutually recognized as cults.
Jehovah's Witnesses are not stupid; they know others consider them to be a cult, so they usually prefer to keep a low profile in such conversations.
The stranger's job is not to show them the Watchtower Society is a cult, but to help them to see the similarities between the cults and their own faith in their own minds. That is simply too embarrassing. Jehovah's Witnesses must ultimately face what they have done with their own life. You are simply giving them opportunity to think objectively once more (something they may have unwittingly given up long ago with regards to the Bible or God).
Several well-planned conversations of this type can do much to prepare the ground for more intensive discussions, which are also planned in advance. The family member or Christian who is working to get the Jehovah's Witness out of the Watchtower Society befriends an ex-cultist (not an ex-JW!) and invites him/her over for dinner. It is important that the Jehovah's Witness is not intimidated, so please, no preaching allowed! (unless it is very clear that the Holy Spirit is moving you in this direction). The conversation should be directed towards subjects such as:
* manipulative techniques used by their former religion
* why they felt it was the "truth"
* how they woke up to the control they were under (avoid making this a religious discussion)
* how ex-members treated them and why they were considered apostates
* how the group they were in changed their doctrine or made false prophecies (again, avoid discussing the Scriptures)
* the fear and guilt fostered by the cult
* the false confidence the cult inspired
* the subtle self-righteousness the cult fostered
* the cult's ignorance of historic Christianity
The reader may be disturbed by the idea of not using the Bible at first. It must be understood that picking up the Bible triggers a "mode" of thought to the Jehovah's Witness. Though they are really ignorant of much of the Scriptures in context, they really feel at home in such discussions. Your goal is to get them into an area of uncomfortability; an area of thinking that does not come automatically to them. You are promoting thought on issues that they have conveniently brushed aside or never considered. Bringing out the Bible at such an inappropriate time will only snap them out of their pensive thoughtfulness (that you have painstakingly created) and restore their full confidence that they know all about the Bible and that you are not in "the truth," and therefore have no business trying to teach them. Many a Christian has shipwrecked their efforts to share with the Jehovah's Witness by getting into "Bible discussions." The sad part is that the Christian actually thinks they are getting through to the Jehovah's Witness by bringing up certain Scriptures or fine points they can't answer, yet the true fruitage is obvious when the JW will not talk to them again.
They have not won the case at all; the Jehovah's Witness still believes that "they know the Bible and that they have the truth."
Fear of Apostasy
"Apostates often appeal to the ego, claiming that we have been deprived of our freedoms, including the freedom to interpret the Bible for ourselves. (Compare Genesis 3:15.) In reality, these would-be defilers offer nothing more than a return to the nauseating teachings of "Babylon the Great." (Revelation 17:5; 2 Peter 2:19-22) Others appeal to the flesh, urging former associates to "take it easy" because the humble work of witnessing from house to house is "unnecessary" or "unscriptural." (Compare Matthew 16:22,23.) True, such smooth talkers may look outwardly clean in a physical and moral way. But inside they are spiritually unclean, having given in to prideful, independent thinking. They have forgotten all that they learned about Jehovah."
Typical words to be found within the pages of "The Watchtower" magazine, a former Jehovah's Witness would say, regarding the above quote from "The Watchtower" of November 1, 1987 (p. 19,20). In fact, you might want to compare not only the message but the attitude behind it with the statement made by "The Watchtower" from their article on "An Open or a Closed Mind: Which Do You Have?" (Awake!, 11/22/84, p. 3,4).
"Slurs and innuendoes" are indeed a mark of prejudice and a closed mind. Almost every Jehovah's Witness who decides to leave the Watchtower organization has had other members of his congregation make up lies about why they left or what their problem was. The Jehovah's Witnesses must comfort themselves with the thought that those who leave are certainly proud, despise door-to-door work, or are homosexuals or prostitutes. "There is no honorable way out of this organization," some have said candidly.
I remember the spirit that was manifest among the Brooklyn Bethel headquarters of the Governing Body in 1979-1980 when word got out that their own Writing Department had discovered flaws in their "chronology". This was information that was to be kept under wraps. To talk about it would bring doubts into the minds of the brothers, it was said. At times I heard factory overseers say, "You just can't trust the brothers." They had to be watched and policed, for fear they would get out of line. The flow of information had to be controlled, lest their tiny minds misunderstand it or develop new liberties in the flesh. I remember how Nathan Knorr, third fourth president of the Watchtower Society, kept the Bethelites working a half a day every Saturday for years, because three or four brothers were killed in a car accident on a long weekend trip.
While life at Bethel may have eased over the years, the control over one's life pattern for all Jehovah's Witnesses has increased. Jehovah's Witnesses are not to have parties, special meetings on their own, develop their own public talks, or act as spokesmen for the Watchtower Society nowadays.
The ever-increasing restrictions speak only too clear that the Watchtower Society trusts its own followers less and less. What is the reason for this trend?
Disturbing Similarities
Most cults based on the Bible go through similar transition stages. They begin by promising freedom from church tradition, false doctrine, and hypocrisy. As time goes on, and the prophecies fail, and the people lose heart, the machine is kept going through new laws and requirements designed to fortify the elitist mentality of the group.
After all, to be the only true Christians requires a good outward appearance! As the idealism in the ranks wanes, it must be replaced with legalism and corporate mentality. Eventually, fear must become a motivating force to keep the people together. Fear of almost anything foreign to the group, including the devil, nonmembers, religious symbols, holidays, media programs, and especially ex-members.
APOSTASY! is the word that strikes fear into their hearts, as the threat of dying at Armageddon, going to hell, or some other horrible fate is said to await them. Though "apostasy" means leaving the teachings of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Bible, for another so-called "truth" (2 John 9,10), it is twisted around in the cults to mean the abandoning of one or more teachings of the cult as spelled out in its own publications.
The Jehovah's Witness with doubts is not aware of the thousands of Mormons who have doubts, along with Moonies, Armstrongites, etc. who are struggling with crippling fear for the same reason. Cults believe that they are the only true religion, so to leave the organization is equated with leaving God Himself. Let us work and pray to set free the minds and hearts of those bound up with fear, through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the mediator for "all men," regardless of what religious leaders may say. (1 Tim. 2:5,6)