Expert: Brenton Hepburn - 3/31/2007

Question
Hello Brenton,
I am on the JW expert section but signed out on vacation so I thought I come over here and see how you're doing.I have posed questions to both Ryan and Andrew on here to find out what there gripe is about us besides claiming we are a cult and using mind control.One of them was actually in Bethel when he lost his way when he found out all the horrible lies that they told him.Bothof them claim that Jehovah answered their personal prayers and told them to get away from us,so they did,and now they are on a quest to make sure all that comes in contact with them knows what liars we are and such great hypnotists with our mind control to trick so many people into coming to the mountain of Jehovah
by using our manipulative powers to convert them.I told them that the only mind control we know of is our love we have for God and neighbor and if that is mind control,then
it don't get better than that.Anyhow let me know what you think about them. Janko

Answer
Hello Janko

I have seen your name on the other forum. I also answer questions there.

I understand the feeling of helplessness when we confront ex JWs in any way.

I have read through the debate between Andrew and John but I have not seen anything from Ryan as he has no public questions yet so I can not comment an anything he has said.  I must say that John was not at all tactful and Andrew generally responded with more thoughtfulness than what John did. Andrew does not appear to be forthcoming with answers either from the way he avoided some of the questions John asked

With regard to Andrew saying “that Jehovah answered” his “personal prayers and told them to get away from us” I can only comment on what he has said to John  “It was God Himself who showed me (in answer to a prayer) that I should leave the Witnesses”.  We must remember that a lot of individuals that have become JWs say that it was an answer to a prayer.

I suppose it is not beyond Satan to use the same tactic.  In his response to John, he did not say how it was done, just how God Himself showed him.  If it was through a vision or a dream then he is in real trouble because that would mean he was claiming inspiration form God. No one since the last of the apostles has been inspired.

From what I have read from Andrew, he does not like the idea of any authority over him nor has he kept to helpful Bible teaching.

Like Andrew, there are many experts that talk about mind control. The techniques that they say we use are as follows….. The definitions bellow come from a web site that specifically attacks the Watchtower society and JWs (I am preparing a response to that article)

Milieu Control
(definition) The organisation seeks to control the environment and human communication within the environment. The control of communication includes inter-personal control, informational control, and intra-personal thought control.

Mystical Manipulation
(definition) People are manipulated towards specific patterns of behaviour and emotions in such a way that appears to have originated mystically. The totalist leaders claim to be sole agents of God (or another supernatural source), disclosing his requirements and truth, so the person must rely solely on them for divine guidance and salvation

Loading the Language
(definition) By controlling language organisations can control thinking  By using ‘conversation-stopping’ clichés and words such as ‘chauvinist’ or ‘upright citizen’, whole complicated ideas or movements can be compressed into a positive or negative connotative statement. Words are often given new meanings according to the organisation’s ideology either to separate the ‘in-group’ from the ‘outsiders’, or to make their message more acceptable to those they are trying to converted

Doctrine over Person
(definition) The belief of the group’s ideology is all-important, whether it aligns with reality and experience or not. Anyone who questions the organisation’s beliefs is made to feel wrong for having done so, often having their questions used to judge their motives, character or integrity. The person’s value to the group is dependent on their conformity to the group’s ideals.

The Sacred Science
(definition) Here the organisation or group proclaims it alone has absolute truth, scientifically, psychologically and morally; and there are no valid alternatives

The Cult of Confession
(definition) The organisation requires confession that goes beyond legal and therapeutic boundaries.  Members are encouraged to confess nonconforming thoughts, feelings, and actions to the group as an act of self-surrender and a display of loyalty to the group’s ideals. The confessions are accompanied with criticism and self-criticism to lead to change

The Demand for Purity
(definition) The absolute goal is purification according to the group’s criteria. The world is sharply polarised between that which is ‘pure’ and that which is ‘impure’ . Only those thoughts and actions consistent with the group’s dogma and expectations are ‘good’ and morally right; everything else is stereotyped as ‘evil’. The individual conscience is unreliable and thus the individual must put absolute trust in the ‘true’ teachings of the group. The in-group propaganda, in comparing ‘outside’ ways to its own ‘perfect’ teachings of purity, often vehemently oppose all of the other impure ‘systems’ of immorality and injustice thus creating guilt and shame on members when failing to achieve the group’s perfectionist ideals. People who fail to live up to the group’s expectations are punished or taught to punish themselves. Natural urges and emotional sensitivity towards guilt and shame are used as levers for control.

The Dispensing of Existence
(definition) Within the group ideology, its members are part of the elect who are walking in the truth, while all others are in the dark and therefore are not worthy to exist. In totalitarian states this may warrant executions. The group decides the criteria for who will have eternal life and who will not. By joining the group and submitting to its requirements one is given the right of eternal existence whereas one leaving the group forfeits this right

Behaviour Control
(definition) Behaviour control is about directing the individual’s behaviour and movements within his/her physical reality. The cult may exert control over a person’s accommodation, interpersonal association, physical appearance, time of sleep, partner selection, speech, education, career, finance, leisure, sexual activities and children. Each cult has its own specific schedules and behaviours that the members are expected to conform to. Often there are rigid rules and guidelines that members are expected to enact in accordance with displaying loyalty to the group’s philosophy. Absolute obedience and dependence to both the group and its leadership is demanded. Cults often demand large time commitments for group related activities and indoctrination. Behavioural modification techniques, including the use of positive and negative reinforcements, and punishment, are actively used to encourage and maintain ‘correct’ behaviour. People are encouraged to report feelings, thoughts and activities to superiors for continual monitoring. The leaders know that they cannot directly control the thoughts of people but if they can control people’s behaviour, then their minds and hearts will follow

I have put the above definitins in to show who ever reads this that I am well aware of the claims and that these claims can and do have a counter argument.

What proponents of the above theories do not realize is that many of the “mind control” features above are used by themselves, you, me, all JWs, political groups, sales and marketing agencies. Even Jesus and his apostles used many of those techniques. So for a so called Christian to complain about JWs and mind control they are not familiar with Gods word.

Janko I would not worry too much about what Andrew is saying about mind control but if it does bother you send me a private question.