I have compassion for people who have been deceived, misled, lied to, brainwashed, coerced, controlled, it's abuse in so many different ways. Most JWs would vehemently deny any sort of abuse. They will defend the very ones who have done that to them. But there are many JWs who have come to realize the truth about that organization and have left it.
It doesn't seemingly start that way. It begins with love bombing techniques. And people are told by JWs that they have such wonderful good news for them about a paradise earth. That message has been used on so many people to draw them in. Then they try to get a person to agree to a home bible study. Then they try to get the person to come to the Kingdom Hall where on the first visit the love bombing is really on a high level. So the person feels like they really care about them.
But later on things change. That love bombing slows down until it turns into something else as the person has more and more pressure put on them. Things they're told that they have to do if they want to please Jehovah and survive Armageddon. And I mean a lot of pressure.
They have to complete a home bible study using several books. Then if the person is reluctant to be baptized, they will be pressured about that. But some people have also been told, well I don't think you're ready to be baptized. So even that is controlled. Eventually before baptism, they have to answer at least 100 questions and if they don't answer them the way they are expected to then the baptism is delayed and they have to try to answer the questions again. I was told that when someone gets baptized, it is in the name of the Father, the Son, and the spirit filled organization which represents the Watchtower Society especially the Governing Body.
The Governing Body also called the faithful and discreet slave are a small group of men who dictate rules, regulations and doctrines of the organization. JWs are taught to revere these men as being specially anointed and not to be doubted or questioned. That is really repeatedly told to JWs that they must trust those men unquestioningly and believe that they receive their direction directly from God. So to question those men is to question God. That is what JWs are taught. So eventually JWs equate these men as the only true channel that God is using and therefore JWs believe that organization is the only true religion. Eventually in a JW mind the Governing Body=God. JWs will deny that but it's true. But what is so disturbing is that these men place themselves up so high.
If a JW decides they want to leave that organization, they are told that they are leaving Jehovah or God but what those men are really saying is that the person is leaving them, the Governing Body. And that is just not allowed. JWs cannot leave that organization without repercussions and it's all about control right up to the very end. Those men will make it as difficult as possible for a person to leave at least by choice. But they will disfellowship a person. A person can disassociate themselves or fade away but all that is really viewed as bad as being disfellowshipped. Then they make a public announcement to the congregation to publicly shame the person.
One way they use is that if a person has a family member or members who are JWs then if they leave, their family will not be allowed to associate with them. Their family has to shun them. That is like holding family members hostage. It destroys families. And those families will choose the Governing Body over their family member who is leaving in most cases.
Anyway I think I've already commented about this in some detail. But I do have compassion for JWs. I don't like seeing an organization or small group of men have that much power over a person and their life even to the point that they can turn your family completely against you making sure you suffer the consequences for leaving their organization as if they think they own you for life. I don't like that.
The JWs seem to share some same similarities with the Catholic church and Scientology. That's interesting.