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A religious sect practices exclusivity, in which God’s salvation is available only within the confines of their organisation.
This places enormous power and influence in the hands of a handful of people. This small group then demands unquestioning loyalty, especially at those times it alters its “truth”.
In extreme cases, this affects an adherent’s internal reasoning ability and on external relationships with other family members.
Worse, adherents do not admit this, which can have serious impacts mentally.
The objective of any person wishing to help a member of such a sect must see that person as a victim, of being mentally manipulated.
The victim needs to be shown the agape (agape) of God, which he extends, whether the person is a member of an organisation or not.
My material is on Jehovah’s Witnesses but there are many other religious groups in which a few people endeavour to control the thoughts and actions of millions, saying these few people have exclusive access to God’s love.
The followers should be treated with love and empathy, not with any sense of superiority.
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Description
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The WTS treats the Bible like a flat board, which allows it to jump around it like a knight in a game of chess, ignoring all obstacles. And then it lands on a different colour.
It sounds like a Knight, it jumps like a Knight, but it looks like a Castle.
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Knight jump hermeneutic
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Why does a Jehovah’s Witness find it so difficult to hear what you are saying?
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What makes it difficult for a Witness?
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This picture depicts the foundation of the Governing Body’s authority and the resulting claims of power and privilege.
Please let me know how it may be improved.
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Authority Model
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This picture is my attempt to provide a factual description of the organization’s structure as it affects the average Witness.
It shows that the structure is not designed to facilitate communication with Jehovah or with the Governing Body. Rather, it shows the downward “theocratic government” operation. This is indicated with terms such as “Governing” and “Overseer”.
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Organization chart
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The WTS promotes “family values”, instructing JW fathers and mothers of their responsibilities and duties to their children. The WTS also strongly advises children of their responsibilities within the family unit. Although the WTS holds that the Ten Commandments are no longer binding on Christians, it would not go against the command: “Honour your father and your mother”.
Nevertheless, when the “purity” of the WTS organization is at stake, the hierarchy commands its followers to demonstrate “pure hatred” to any dissenter, even within the family. It bemoans the fact that modern society and Christian law forbids a dissenter being put to death, as happened in ancient times.
The WTS moves one step back from taking the law into its own hands and commands all Witnesses to totally ignore the existence of any person whom it deems has fallen out of favour. That person is treated as if they are dead. This is termed “shunning”, and it has to be practised even within the family unit.
Heart-rending stories abound from families that have been torn apart because of the WTS’s practice of shunning.
The fear of shunning forces an unnatural unity and an unhealthy state of mind. Because of their fear of the consequences of shunning, many Witnesses accept the WTS’s prohibitions on the medical use of blood. This results in the unnecessary deaths of several Witnesses, including children, every day.
The WTS would do well to understand and teach the meaning of the Greek word “agape”, which the Christian community adopted as its Greek word for “love”.
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STOP Talking to Your Family OR ELSE
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The WTS repeats itself to ensure a listener automatically produces the desired reaction.
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mind processing kingdom
mind processing 144000
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As the Watchtower’s debacle with 1975 fades into a distant memory, some more recent Witnesses are not fully aware of what happened.
During that time, my good friend Bruce Price produced a magazine aimed at helping Jehovah’s Witnesses. With his permission I have provided a copy of his October 1975 issue (reissued in 1976 with additional information provided on the last page) as well as the pages on 1975 from his “Our Friends” Manual, issued in 1997.
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Witness Mag Oct 1975
Bruce Price on 1975 (1997 edition)
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This Study, The “Faithful and Discreet Slave” and its “Governing Body”, provides an objective analysis of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses (GB).
OUTLINE
It claims to be the sole voice on Earth of God’s government.
The operational structure demonstrates the GB’s direct legal and ethical accountability.
The Parable resorted to by the GB.
Interpreting the Parable.
Demystifying the GB’s claims by demonstrating that it operates identically to ancient and contemporary eschatological movements. |
FDS and its GB
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Description
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Charles Taze Russell was the founder and first President of The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.
When he died, his will was printed in The Watch Tower magazine.
In his will, Russell did not name Rutherford as a member of the Editorial Committee. Also, Russell held strong views on “The Ransom”.
Russell’s death in 1916 was followed by a splintering of the group.
Rutherford obtained legal control of the organisation’s name and set about changing all of its beliefs, including that of “The Ransom”.
Russell taught that Christ’s Parousia had occurred in 1874. Rutherford still taught this in 1929.
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WILL AND TESTAMENT OF CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL
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In The Watchtower of December 15 1971, page 749, the WTS issued an organization chart.
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1971 Theocratic Organization
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During the early part of WW2, the Australian Newspaper “Smith’s Weekly” conducted a vendetta of fear against Jehovah’s Witnesses.
If any Australian researcher is interested in reading the articles, the download file provides the dates and pages in the “Weekly”.
I saw these pages at the State Library of Victoria (SLV) but do not know which other libraries also provide the newspaper.
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Vendetta of fear by Smiths Weekly
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