Books, magazines, letters and visits with friends and family are taboo. Limitation of many/all forms of communication with those outside the group. 3Īll eight points align closely with practices and teachings of the Watchtower Society, and I have added examples of common Watchtower reasoning to show how closely these coincide:ġ.
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Dr Singer summarises Lifton's eight points as follows. Lifton identified eight points used that indicate a group is using coercive techniques or thought reform, techniques commonly used by cults.Īnother leader in the field is Dr. This has been the basis for research into religions that use similar techniques to persuade members that they alone teach truth. This is presented in the 1961 book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of "Brainwashing" in China. In the 1950's Robert J Lifton conducted a ground breaking study of techniques used to successfully brainwash captured American pilots to convert to the Communist ideology. He specifically researched Chinese communist techniques.
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#JW PUBLIC TALK #118 HOW TO#
The first major study showing how to identify organisations using mind control was done by Robert Lifton in the 1950's. See Are Jehovah's Witnesses a Cult? for a brief discussion on this topic, and why such labelling is counter-productive.Ĭoercive persuasion is the academic term for mind control or brainwashing. The common methods of persuasion outlined below is the reason Jehovah's Witnesses can be convinced they alone have truth, as do members of all high control groups. Watchtower perfectly aligns with this description and as such is classified as a "high control group" appearing on most cult awareness lists.Ī critically important concept for followers to realise is that Jehovah's Witnesses are not unique neither in doctrinal beliefs, displays of love or techniques of control. These range from groups with a handful of followers, to those with millions. Sites dedicated to cult awareness suggest that there are over 3,000 organizations in America alone that fit such descriptions and 10,000 globally. salvation is only possible through association with the group.they alone are unique in teaching truth.leadership deserves strict, unquestioning obedience.The main indicators of excessive control is any group that maintains "All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not." Watchtower 2013 Nov 15 p.20
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I consider this article the most important on this site. Finally the emotional affects on members are examined, particular for those that try to leave such an organization. These techniques are then compared with Watchtower practices. This article condenses a vast volume of research into political and religious control techniques, in an effort to explain such behaviour.