More people are now speaking out about the use of undue influence by the Governing Body and other self-styled divinely appointed leaders
More people are now speaking out about the use of undue influence by self-styled prophets and cult leaders, such as the Governing Body

Recently there has been a notable increase in articles and discussion threads using the term “undue influence” in relation to politics, advertising – and most especially religious beliefs and practices.

To be quite honest, before I really got my arms around the subject and the actual definition of what undue influence is, I was becoming both bored and quite irritated with those who seemed to use the term incessantly.

Despite initially being uncomfortable at hearing the term used so often, I have since started to grasp both its importance and real effects on our daily lives.

Here is a very simple dictionary definition of undue influence: “Influence by which a person is induced to act otherwise than by their own free will or without adequate attention to the consequences.”

This is another, more expansive definition: “Mental, moral, or physical domination (even if natural or right that deprives a person of independent judgment and substitutes another person’s objectives in place of his or her own. Exercise of undue influence is characterized often by excessive insistence, superiority of physical power, mind, or will, or pressure applied due to authority, position, or relationship in relation to the strength of the person submitting to it.”

ISIS jihadists serve as a troubling example of what humans under undue influence are capable of
ISIS jihadists serve as a troubling example of what humans under undue influence are capable of

In our modern world we can see many examples of the effects of undue influence. The current political unrest in Syria and Iraq is due in part to a fanatical religious/political  movement known as IS, ISIS, or ISIL.

Their use of undue influence to radicalize young people in pursuit of their aims has lead to some shocking examples of the extremes of human depravity. You don’t need to be a psychology major to realize that mass executions and public beheadings might not be the “free will” or normal behavior of otherwise bright, educated young men unless undue influence had been brought to bear by their leaders.

Recently in London a gathering of a few prominent experts on this subject not only underlined and emphasized the dangers inherent in the use of undue influence, but also explored ways of fighting against its use by organizations to mentally enslave people and damage families.

Among those attending and taking a prominent role in the London meeting was Steven Hassan. There are few in the world today who are as knowledgeable or experienced as Hassan when it comes to identifying and dealing with undue influence. He is recognized as the author of the “BITE” model, which can be used to define and identify situations where undue influence is being exerted.

Since the London meeting, Hassan has made two appearances on news programs highlighting the role of undue influence in Islamic extremism.

FoxtvNews25 Boston September 5th 2014 on ISIS recruiting Americans to become terrorists from Steven A Hassan on Vimeo.

CNN INTERVIEW with Steve Hassan on ISIS as Cult Wednesday Sept. 17th 2014 from Steven A Hassan on Vimeo.

Several other experts joined Hassan at the London meeting. Lloyd Evans (“John Cedars”), the founder and editor of JWSurvey.org, commented specifically on the use of undue influence by the Watch Tower Society / Jehovah’s Witnesses and other cult-like movements.

One goal of the meeting was to inform the public and government agencies about problems created by groups who try to pose as “charitable organizations.”

Because most Western societies try to promote organizations that provide benefits to their members and the public, they often give them special tax advantages not available to commercial or private entities. Unfortunately, many religious and political “cults” exploit these tax-free economic advantages, such as charitable status, in ways that further the harm to their members and the public at large.

While trying to promote the “public good,” governments unintentionally endorse and perpetuate the harm these groups and individuals do to their members and the general population.

It is easy to identify undue influence by groups like Al-Qaeda or ISIS. Not only do they use fear of death to force “non-believers” to convert through threats and blackmail. They also use more subtle, insidious forms of coercion – particularly on impressionable and idealistic young people.

Unfortunately, most government agencies are blind to the more subtle forms of influence that are used by political and religious cults who operate with impunity within their countries, under their very noses.

That is why the London meeting was so important. Those on the panel were all experts on different aspects of undue influence. They used their time and communicative skills to make it clear to the attendees, including local press representatives, that unethical coercive techniques have a tremendous impact on individuals, families, and children – even without the groups that use them brandishing any weapons or physically attacking people.

For just a moment, I want to be specific about how the Watch Tower Society has used undue influence on its members. I will avoid the more subtle ways in which they use this technique, and focus on a few of the more egregious acts that Watchtower leaders have deployed to control ordinary Witnesses.

A. “Horrible death at Armageddon” – If a member wants to leave the group, or no longer agrees with the teachings and policies of the Watchtower Society, they are told that Jehovah God will hate them and put them on his list to be destroyed in some horrible manner and be dead forever. It is a concept drummed into the head of every Jehovah’s Witness, Witness child, or potential convert from their initial contact.

B. “Total Disconnection from Family or Friends” – If “A” fails to convince someone to embrace the group, then “B” applies. Not afraid of Armageddon or being dead forever? Fine. We’ll take your family and friends away from you. If they bend the rules or ignore Watchtower’s judgment against you and decide to see you anyway, then we will punish them as well. If they too are being shunned, they must continue to shun you if they ever hope to return to the organization.

C. “Unquestioned Agreement” – Members must believe everything they read or hear that comes from Watchtower. This even applies to new doctrines that contradict previous teachings that were the standard for 50-100 years. You MUST believe whatever the Governing Body says, even if they cannot provide any biblical support for their teachings. You must believe that they receive direction directly from Jehovah. What if you disagree? Then “A” and “B” above apply.

D. “Constant and Repetitive Indoctrination” – The same dozen or so concepts are regurgitated for Jehovah’s Witnesses at nearly every meeting, whether in the study publications, in talks and demonstrations, or in songs and prayers.

E. “Rejection of External Influences” – Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that all external influences are “worldly” or “evil,” and likely to be products of Satan, his demons, or their followers (especially anything said by former members, whom they brand as “apostates”). Witnesses are banned from reading anything that discusses the teachings, policies or history of the Watchtower organization that was not produced or explicitly approved by the Society’s leaders. [Crisis of Conscience = NO / Faith on the March = Yes! and JW.org = Yes! / JWFacts.com = NO]

So, back to the original question… Do modern societies truly understand how undue influence is being exerted by organizations that hide behind the veil of political and religious freedom? Quite frankly the answer is a resounding “NO!”

Granted, in the United States there are many groups working hard to inform and protect Americans from those who would try to influence the public – especially school children – with their political or religious agendas. Two prominent American non-profit groups fighting this problem are ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) and AU (American’s United for Separation of Church and State).

The London workshop event was aimed at starting a movement to raise greater awareness of undue influence
The London workshop event was aimed at starting a movement to raise greater awareness of undue influence

But despite the efforts of these and other groups, the threat posed by undue influence shows no signs of diminishing. New avenues for raising awareness need to be explored.

The London press conference and workshop did much to inform the attendees, including media and political representatives, of the harm inflicted on ordinary people by organizations that demonstrably use undue influence as part of their modus operandi.

The weekend event was intended to start a movement to educate world governments and their populations as to how to identify and mitigate the effects of undue influence. The signs are encouraging that, if the momentum is sustained, some progress might be achieved to that end.

Protect yourself from undue influence

You, dear reader, can protect yourself from being “unduly influenced” by reading material that offers reasonable and scientific approaches to life, ethics, and history. Keep an open mind and always be prepared to question what you have been told by others.

Make your own decisions about right and wrong, good and evil, harm vs. help, the greater good vs. the benefit of a few. Judge everything based on overall benefit not only to yourself, but to those around you. If a politician or self-styled “prophet” tells you he or she alone has the absolute truth, treat those claims with the utmost skepticism. What such people preach often turns out to be utterly incompatible with “truth.”

One last thing: When you get a chance, read or watch a movie version of Shakespeare’s classic play, Othello. One of the prime characters in that play is Iago.

Iago is the embodiment of undue influence. He has an agenda, and does not care who might be hurt along the way as he pursues his objectives. He presents himself as a “good and close friend” as he plots against innocents and even his own benefactor.

Leaders of groups (like the Watch Tower Society) present themselves as your “best friend, your protector, your informed guide.” In reality, they don’t give a damn about you or your family. To them you are just a number in their Yearbook anonymously listed under “publishers.” They see you only as a source of income as you dutifully pay for their literature or drop money in their contribution boxes to pay off your ‘debts’ for the kingdom halls they already own.

They don’t care about you personally, they only care that you think the way they tell you to think, and do as they say. They will promise you a future paradise, but remember that they did the same for every one of their members since 1874. Their promised “paradise” has not yet arrived and never will – and yet they continue to threaten the loss of that paradise for anyone who takes a stand against them.

I, for one, will take my chances.

Don’t let a day go by that you don’t fight against those who try to influence you by shaming, threatening, or shunning you; take every opportunity to educate your family and friends as to the dangers of undue influence so they can protect themselves from harm.

 

new-john-hoyle-signature

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further reading…

31 thoughts on “Do modern societies really understand the dangers of undue influence?

  • October 1, 2014 at 8:16 am
    Permalink

    Thank you, John!!

    Hope to see you there next time!!

    Greetz,
    Pat

  • October 1, 2014 at 8:23 am
    Permalink

    ISIS and Jws have something else in common. The witnesses rule in order to prove rape. The difference is that sharia law asks for 4 witnesses instead of tow for the JWs. But the principle is the same. Jws are ISIS of the christian world.

    • October 1, 2014 at 8:28 am
      Permalink

      Fortunately, speaking as an agnostic, I think Christianity’s violent extremist period has been and gone, with the 17th/18th Century witch-hunts and inquisition its last iteration. ISIS truly are in a league of their own from what I can tell. They do things that make Al Qaeda uncomfortable, and that’s saying something.

  • October 1, 2014 at 8:42 am
    Permalink

    John, thank you so much for this excellent report on the clear and present danger of “undue (unethical) influence.”

  • October 1, 2014 at 9:36 am
    Permalink

    In the United States a couple years ago, there were 2 young brothers who killed several people and injured about 180, at the Boston marathon. One brother was killed but the younger brother is still being kept in prison, the last I heard of him. It shows how two very young and likeable fellows can become influenced by extremists to the point where they will put bombs up that will kill so many innocent people they have never met before and did nothing to deserve what happened to them.

    Maybe with ISIS being in the news so much lately, more attention will be given to the undue influence of religious cults on television shows to show how innocent and especially the young can be drawn in and influenced by these religious groups. Unfortunately, most Jehovah’s Witnesses won’t see themselves in this group but hopefully, if enough attention is drawn to it in the media, maybe new ones that might become interested in studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses, might see the similarities from these really extremist groups and the JW’s, early on in the Bible Study and quit the study before being drawn in by them.

    The thing is though, that attention has to be drummed into the public by media, over and over again for it to sink in to the average JW. That is how good a job the Society has done in “brainwashing” the rank and file. They are the best at “brainwashing”. I think their methods are more insidious than the best of the best.

  • October 1, 2014 at 9:39 am
    Permalink

    Appreciate Mr. Hoyles’ deep research into this topic and enlightenment on the mental health issues surrounding exposure to the Witnesses. I agree that comparison of Witnesses to ISIS probably seems extreme but there are similarities in how they fit the BITE model. While ISIS is publicly beheading victims, the Witnesses do it silently by removing ability to freely think and make personal choices guided by Bible but free of human judgments on those choices. Granted, the latter will never be 100% in any environment, but it seems especially ‘toxic’ among Witnesses. And, as discussed in prior posts, the Witnesses have sent thousands to their deaths with its mandated superstitious outlook on various medical treatments and endorsements over the years. Unfortunately, medical examiners usually do not write in the blank “Cause of Death,” “Being a Jehovah’s Witness”.

    In general the violent history of Christianity is behind it, but there are pockets of violent rhetoric arising in the fundamental and extreme fundamental sects where statements regarding the validity of death is attributed to homosexuals, agnostics, atheists and politicians deemed opposed to the missions of these sects. Some have attributed bashing of individuals (such as Matthew Shepherd) to this polemic. And, for some the memory is still fresh of apartheid in South Africa and United States (labelled “Jim Crow”/segregation) where extreme violence happened in “Christian” countries. Currently, hate-watch groups have added religious (Christian) sects to their watch-lists in some instances.

  • October 1, 2014 at 9:39 am
    Permalink

    John,

    An interesting and thought provoking article. Thank you.

    What makes it tricky for people is that there is due influence. It is right and proper that we modify our behaviour in line with laws, supervised by independent courts, for example.

    The WTBTS and others use this to exert undue influence over their members, just as advertisements can cross the line into undue influence without adequate legislation. We need legislation to cover these cults as we do any other purveyor of snake oil!

    Peace be with you

    Excelsior!

  • October 1, 2014 at 11:16 am
    Permalink

    I carefully watched how my wife (surprisingly a Nurse) behaved with Elders and work with them to attack me… I came to understand all. look at this:
    “Be Courageous and Very Strong” Jael was courageous and strong (w12 2/15 p. 12)

    I finally discovered my WIFE WAS INSTRUCTED BY ELDERS TO BE COURAGEOUS AS JAEL. Using JWs publications, they had changed her completely:

    Jael invited weary Sisera into her tent, gave him milk to drink, and covered him, so that he fell asleep. Jael then “proceeded to take a pin of the tent and to put the hammer into her hand,” things that a tent dweller would use regularly. “Then she went to him stealthily and drove the pin into his temples and beat it into the earth, while he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.”—Judges 4:17-21.

    Jael then came on out to meet Barak and said to him: “Come and I shall show you the man you are looking for.” The account adds: “So in he went to her, and, look! there was Sisera fallen dead, with the pin in his temples.” What a faith-strengthening experience that must have been for Barak! Earlier the prophetess Deborah had told him: “The beautifying thing will not become yours on the way that you are going, for it will be into the hand of a woman that Jehovah will sell Sisera.”—Judges 4:9, 22.

    Can Jael’s action be called treachery? Jehovah did not view it that way. “Among women in the tent she will be most blessed,” said the victory song of Barak and Deborah.” ( http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2003848?q=Jael&p=par )

  • October 1, 2014 at 11:56 am
    Permalink

    Here is a classic case of undue influence from the Watchtower.
    I am pretty sure this illustration is found in the ironically called Reasoning book . It goes something similar to this. . . Describing it’s teaching/organization as a box of chocolates it asks the reader to consider that the person would not necessarily like all the chocolates in the box but that would not necessarily prevent the person of buying the box of chocolates for the ones the person likes.
    As a Jehovah’s witness of over 30y experience I can unequivocally state that once you are a member of Jehovah’s witnesses you have to except all the teachings presented to you as coming from God thereby inifect forcing you to eat something you may find unpalatable. . Undue influence.
    ‘Would a Christian balk at food presented by the faithful slave as if it was something poisoned’ this of course comes from an organization that forced people to accept it had been approved over all the master’s belongings since 1919 hence the Faithful slave which in itself false poisoned food. . .ironic isn’t it.

  • October 1, 2014 at 12:00 pm
    Permalink

    Apologies for the spelling and poor England.x

  • October 1, 2014 at 12:31 pm
    Permalink

    To be clear, you were saying brothers, as in siblings not Brothers, as in the reference to male Witnesses? The first statement made me pause.

  • October 1, 2014 at 1:54 pm
    Permalink

    Here in the U.S. there is a popular show called Dr. Phil and today he had yet another show about how old women get scammed out of thousands of dollars by “cat fishing”. These men sweet talk these lonely old ladies online and these women can’t believe that these men aren’t real until they go on a show like the Dr. Phil show and Dr. Phil calls these men and of course there’s no person with that identity and the pictures have been stolen from real people. I never realized the similarities between these “catfish scammers” before but seeing these videos on undue influence, I see it in all of these kinds of scams. They sweet talk these old ladies, just the same that Witnesses Love Bomb new Bible Studies and it’s the Society’s instructions to show that kind of display of fake love when we see a new one coming into the Hall but once that person gets baptized, that same Witness gets lost in the crowd and it’s up to that new person to “fit in” by doing everything expected to stay “loved” and if they don’t, all that “love” is gone. That means going in service, answering at meetings and donating money and going along with everything the Society says and for women being a “doormat”. It is similar to the “cat fishers”. Once the money is gone, so is the “lover”.

  • October 1, 2014 at 8:27 pm
    Permalink

    Excellent article, Mr. Hoyle!

  • October 1, 2014 at 9:01 pm
    Permalink

    Well written article, excellent thank you John!

    When one thinks about how the elders that are influenced by the bethel lawyers, and the bethel are influenced by the GB and the b/s are influenced by all of them one can understand how this undue influence has made ones not report crimes against children, even such a repulsive crime against innocence is brushed aside as not as important as protecting an organization, we see some actually going to court to stand by the criminals rather than the victims, any normal thinking person wouldn’t dream of such a thing, but would fight for justice for the victims, so this undue influence has caused so much injustice, and heart ache and if this spell is broken and any JW comes to their senses they are as the written rightly stated blackmailed by emotional abuse of either losing their life at Armageddon or their family.

    Have even had some say your child’s eternal life is in your hands if you leave your to blame for your child’s destruction.

  • October 2, 2014 at 6:43 am
    Permalink

    Excellent job! I used some of your points when re-writing to the Canadian Government asking for the removal of the JWs as a Canadian charity.

  • October 2, 2014 at 12:22 pm
    Permalink

    Just posted a comment and it has not appeared. Is there a technical glitch or a new moderating policy in operation?

  • October 2, 2014 at 12:23 pm
    Permalink

    My second, mini comment, appeared straight away. What has happened to my first?

  • October 2, 2014 at 12:35 pm
    Permalink

    So much focus on ISIS. Please remember that the penalty for apostacy in many Islamic states is not simply shunning. It is death. Afghanistan, Sudan, Iran and Saudi Arabia are just some nations who actually administer this punishment.

    Islam’s peaceful majority need to do more to counter skeptics about their faith than simply shout ‘Islamophobia’ and ‘Islam is a Religion of Peace’.

    State sponsored violence in the name of Christendom is largely consigned to history. I have hear Christian ministers in an English Cathedral question the relevance of the Book of Revelation and the wisdom of St. Paul as regards women and marriage. Tha mini state, the Vatican, has been forced to acknowledge, and to deal with, the undue influence exercised by its paedophile priests.

    Muslims, likewise, must consider if and how there is a connection between the verses in the Koran and Hadiths which apparently both urge and glorify violence, and the undue influence wielded in Islam’s name by terrorist groups and nation states alike.

  • October 2, 2014 at 1:21 pm
    Permalink

    What a beautiful and inspiring statement, “Don’t let a day go by that you don’t fight against those who try to influence you by shaming, threatening, or shunning you.”

    Just what I needed to hear! Thank You!

  • October 3, 2014 at 5:27 am
    Permalink

    A really thought-provoking article. Even in mainstream churches we need to watch out for cultist tendencies masquerading in the form of orthodoxy. Intolerance is alien to the Christian gospel.

  • October 3, 2014 at 3:28 pm
    Permalink

    Another excellent article! Thank you!
    The world we live in is influencing our everyday lives in many ways.
    The important thing is to keep our own minds and educate ourselves so as not to be taken in by would be fraudsters, whether religious or not.
    Advice I heard recently was “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!”
    As someone who has fallen foul of the fraudster in the past, I could not believe that the Watchtower would do the same thing to me.
    They do not remove your head, they insidiously remove your thinking ability, or as someone has said ‘When you enter the Kingdom Hall, you leave your brain at the door!’

  • October 3, 2014 at 4:28 pm
    Permalink

    Great article, John! Loved all your examples and suggestions – will use when trying to ‘reason’ with JWs!

  • October 3, 2014 at 6:41 pm
    Permalink

    It’s a shame that people want so much to believe in something that they fall for almost anything. And in doing so, they destroy the very peace they hope for most. Isn’t it better just to focus on what I can do right here, right now, to make the world a better place to live in and people around me happier?

  • October 4, 2014 at 4:22 am
    Permalink

    Bad Penny,

    Here, here! Excellent advice for us all, thank you. I am sorry to hear you were scammed by a con artist. You have my sympathy.

    We need to remember, folks, the humanity of everyone. When we dehumanise people, and make them a label, then it is sadly very easy to treat people badly. It gives me hope that there are far more people who want to live by sharing and cooperation than scamming and stealing.

    Peace be with you

    Excelsior!

  • October 4, 2014 at 7:41 am
    Permalink

    Excellent article John, Many key points on how undue
    influence gradually takes control.
    As you indicate with the example of Iago,
    I think the biggest problem is. that the victims themselves
    are not aware initially that it’s happening and actually believe
    that the perpetrator is their ally, their friend, or mentor.

    When it comes to religion, Governments seem reluctant to
    get involved. But citing articles from the ECHR seems to be
    the best way to get through to them.

    Article 9, endorses freedom of thought and religion, but draws
    a line when when it encroaches on the freedom of others in
    the area of health and morals. ( the archaic, inappropriate, 2
    witness rule that allows pedophiles to prey on young victims
    comes to mind.)

    Article 12 prohibits interference with a persons family, ( The
    shunning practice is destructive of marriage and family.)

    There are other articles too that have a direct bearing on
    undue influence in religion and resonate with W,T, practices.

    Shakespeare had a keen insight into human nature, their
    motives, and emotions. I wonder how he would have portrayed,
    exposed, cultish organisations like the W,T,?

  • October 5, 2014 at 11:52 pm
    Permalink

    Undue Influence! Has always been a problem for the Watchtower……………
    1914 Russell’s explanation….. undue influence
    1925 Rutherford’s explanation….. undue influence
    1975 Governing bodies explanation…. undue influence
    1994 Governing body explanation……. undue influence
    from the top down…. with what result.
    When people allow others to do their thinking for them
    it is like the blind leading the blind, both will fall into a pit.

    I watched a young man walking past a homeless person sitting on the city side walk, as he walked past he stopped and went back to the homeless person and bent down and pressed a twenty dollar note into this persons hand and walked on.

    It impressed me how this young man lives his life.
    I can not say the same for the Watchtower.

  • October 6, 2014 at 9:14 am
    Permalink

    I remember Bo Juel’s opening remarks at the London Workshop in late August. A sign, he said, that an organisation is unhealthy or damaging is the formation of ‘ex’ groups whereby one time victims can get together, exchange tales of woe, and plan reforms. ‘There are no ex Scouts’ said Bo.

    All readers of this blog will be aware of the proliferation of ex groups for JWs. Any JWs still trapped within, (and we know they read this blog; they keep quiet, though, once their lame attempts at defending the indefensible have been ground to dust) might ponder the ex JW phenomenon.

    This organisation has been formed, you will read in the link, largely to protect Muslim apostates from death threats. Not being cursed by Sharia law is not, in itself, an escape from its murderous consequences: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Council_of_Ex-Muslims#Council_of_Ex-Muslims_of_Britain

  • October 6, 2014 at 12:00 pm
    Permalink

    I was watching a Sam Harris vid. this morning, and he made a very interesting point. ‘Religion’ is not a very useful word. The variety of movements that collect under this heading is so varied that universal defining features barely exist. The term is in fact counter productive in that it allows the most uncharitable outfits to enjoy tax advantages simply by sporting the ‘religion’ label.

    Like John Hoyle I was initially irritated by the ‘Undue Influence’ term. It had none of the drama of ‘Cult Mind Control’. I hope it catches on without becoming distorted or misunderstood. ‘Teenager’, after all, has been in use for less than a century.

    Gods and Holy Books can figure in groups and individuals wielding undue influence, but they are not essential. Ditto, with religion, Gods are fairly common, but they are not essential, for example, in either Quakerism or Buddhism.

    It is almost universally accepted in the UK, for all that it is still, officially, a Protestant State, that religion is a personal matter. The word’s origins, from ‘ligare’ the Latin ‘to tie’ as in ligature, ligament and obligation, show that this has not always been so. Some nation states still deny certain rights to those not of the official faith. Catholics have only had the vote in Britain since 1829, and Jews since 1858. Would this be considered now as ‘undue influence’, a carrot dangling to entice the ambitious to join the Established Church against their essential and individual judgement?

    Whether or no ‘undue influence’, undistorted, will gain a wide and useful currency, we cannot of course, predict. As a feasible start, though, it would be great if the British Charity Commissioners could get their heads round it, and use it, rather than ‘religion’, as a factor in determining whether or no an organisation deserves to be registered as a charity.

  • October 19, 2014 at 2:05 am
    Permalink

    I was watching a video yesterday about how to help either a friend or a relative who is studying with a Witness how to break free from the study or to see it for what it really is. I think it was Steve Hassan but I can’t remember for sure. But he said to say to the one being studied with (or to say to a Witness who comes to your door) “How does a person become a Jehovah’s Witness?” and they will say you study, go to meetings, go out in service and get baptized and then you ask “what happens after you get baptized and you change your mind and don’t want to be a Witness anymore?” The person will pause because they will feel uncomfortable answering that question but you wait and wait until they answer. Then you tell your friend or relative to ask the Witness studying with them this question “Have you ever had a close friend who decided they didn’t want to be a Witness anymore?” and they will probably say yes. Then you’d have your friend or relative ask the next question “Did you ever ask them why they didn’t want to be a Witness anymore?” and the person will say no. Then you’d have your friend or relative ask them the next question “Why not? You said they were a CLOSE FRIEND of yours?” That puts the Witness on the spot and puts the “truth” on the defense.

    That approach is to not only to help your friend or relative to see the “truth” for what it is, but it is a way to make the Witness think about it too and it also makes a way out for the one who is studying with the Witness if they don’t know how to quit the study if they’d like to quit but don’t know how to tell the Witness “friend” of their decision to quit the study.

    When Witnesses study with a person, they become close to that person and the person being studied with, will either not be home when the Witness comes to study with them (if they don’t want to study anymore) or they will continue the study just because it’s so hard to tell this “friend” that they don’t want to study anymore. A really vulnerable person will continue to study and very likely in the end be brainwashed into thinking it’s really God’s channel to mankind if they don’t stop studying right away.

  • December 6, 2014 at 6:31 am
    Permalink

    To all good friends i will like to sage sting this. If you are straggle with religions anger,and confusion, please download this series of lectures from the teaching company or borrower from your public library.(The spiritual brain, science and religious experience) by Andrew newberg. i believe you can buy us a book.
    this will help you to see the whys and what.

  • July 2, 2016 at 11:39 pm
    Permalink

    Great article!

Comments are closed.