My boss is a former Jehovah's Witness and her story is eerily similar to many posts I've read on here concerning reasons she left, how she was treated afterwards, etc. Anybody else notice similarities or have experience with this?

Hi. Yes, we get JW's dropping by here every so often telling us about it. We have a lot in common.

I actually found this site while I was researching Jehovah's Witness disfellowshiping protocol. Which made me realize I had little to no knowledge of LDS church discipline protocol.

Jehovah's Witnesses have always fascinated me. They have some beliefs that are similar to Mormons, but others that are really odd. (not that anything is odd about Mormon beliefs)

As far as behavior goes though, things are very similar. Personal "testimonies" and all that. If you talk to a True Believing Jehovah's Witness the way they "know" will sound probably familiar to a TBM's version of how they "know" the truth.

I would say Jehovah's Witnesses are a bit more hardcore, because although leaving the mormon church can be ostracizing, if you leave the Kingdom Hall, not even close family is supposed to have any contact with you, whatsoever.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2013 08:17PM by nonsequiter.

That's the treatement she got, she had to beg to be present at the hospital when her dad had heart surgery. It's sad that religions that preach so much about family are so quick to tear it apart if someone doesn't toe the line.

Looking at the pew research on religion, there are two outlier groups, Mormons and Jehovah's witnesses. They are both also outliers in almost all of the same ways. There were a few slight differences, but the behavior and attitudes of the adherents were more similar to each other than to any other religious viewpoint.

If you care (and who could blame you if you didn't):

The Church Handbook of Instructions for Bishops and Stake Presidents (aka "Handbook 1"), Chapter 6, has the "official" procedures for church discipline. Handbook 1 is, supposedly super secret, but a simple Google search brings it up on PDF immediately. I won't give a direct link here as, I am quite sure, TSCC lurkers would immediately bring this to the attention of their higher-ups and sick TSCC lawyers on the site.

JW and LDS are both part of the alphabet soup that is spoon fed to the credulous.

I have a granddaughter who was raised JW. She became a RN so that she could work at the JW world headquarters as a nurse. Wife and I visited with her for a few days a couple of weeks ago in Brooklyn, NY.

A couple of interesting points, she and her husband live on the 24th floor of a nice apartment building next to the JW Headquarters. What a view they have, most of Brooklyn and Manhattan!

Everyone that works there from the top dog to the bottom is paid the same amount, $140 per month, but they have free medical and free group meals available. We ate lunch there one day with them; salmon and other nice things. I could get to like that, but I'm atheist.

JWs are moving their headquarters to Warwick, NY and getting out of NYC.

While on my mission, my companion and I were riding our bikes down a busy street when someone rolled down their window and yelled, "Down with the Jehovah's Witnesses!!" So we gave them a thumbs up and a smile. I funny how many people can't tell LDS and JW apart.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2013 09:47PM by hangar18.

Mormonism 7, JW 0.
Blazing Saddles reference.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2013 10:26PM by misterzelph.

http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/quotes/quotes.php

The similarities between JWs and Mormons, as recounted by former members, are striking.

Cults often have similar themes and characteristics: poweful, charismatic founder who is intensely venerated, special revelation/books unique to them, authoritarian leadership, a belief in being the only "true" church, a sense of persecution, "secret" (distinctive) language and vocabulary, exclusiveness, legalism (moralistic or otherwise), eisegetical Biblical "scholarship," esoteric beliefs ("milk before meat"), shunning (officially or otherwise). And that's just for starters.

You'll find these qualities in various combinations and degrees in Scientology, the Amish, Hassidic Jews, the Hare Krishnas, Aum Shinrikyo (famous for the Tokyo subway poison gas attack, 1995), the Branch Davidians, Heavens Gate, and Jonestown.

An important part of my leaving Christian Science was learning about its similarities with an organization I knew to be false--LDS.

Good summation of the general characteristics of "cults" (as taken to mean controlling religious groups...some smartass Mormons will also point out that "cult" in an academic sense is any organized system of religious observance... so I like to shut that $h!t down immediately). Your post makes me want to look into Christian Science (not to join!) as I can't recall meeting a member. Must not have the sales force that the J-dubs and Mormons have.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2013 09:21AM by stillburned.

My doubts began when I learned about Heaven's Gate. Just watch their "testimonies". It is frightening.

Would love to see that...do you have any links? Can I just search YouTube and find them? I would love to see if I'd be creeped out to find it's just like a F&T meeting.

I was both. Was raised JW, very devout, a "pioneer" destined to work at the headquarters at "Bethel". Left the JW's at age 17 to become LDS thanks to some very cute Elders who came to my house one day. I wanted to convert them but ended up realizing JWs were NOT "the truth." Unfortunately, believed the LDS were.

Was then the most true blue Mormon girl you ever saw, married in the temple, tons of work for the dead, lots of callings, five kids, etc. Then left the LDS church when I was in my early 30's.

Very similar, yes. But as hard as this may seem, I find the JWs to be far more harmful and toxic, much more dangerous to children and extremely difficult to recover from. Brainwashing at its finest, and the shunning is a horrible thing to live through.

I went to elementary school & junior high with a good number of JWs. Not so much in high school though, but have run into a few in recent years in college. I personally think that the average JW is far more religious than the average Mormon. That's the impression I've gotten any way in the past 30 years.