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Critics of Jehovah`s Witnesses/door to door
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Question
QUESTION: Why do Jehovah Witnesses travel in large groups when they go door to door? Power in numbers???? Also, isn't this a requirement of them to do their "servicing" for so many hours a week? What if they are unable to fill the required hours?
ANSWER: Dear Carolyn,
Witnesses usually travel in pairs when going door to door. If you see them in larger groups, it may be because they feel they are in a dangerous neighborhood. If they make you feel intimidated by coming to your house in larger groups, they are breaking their own standards. If you don't feel like answering the door, you can ignore the doorbell, or put up a sign saying "No Jehovah's Witnesses". This is the only sign they will respect.
They have no fixed rule about how many hours per week they have to preach door to door, only general guidelines. If they do not meet the general guideline for several months in a row, they will be treated as a black sheep.
Best wishes,
Andrew
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Yes, They do come to the door in pairs. I was refering to the number of witnesses that get out of one car. Also, a family member who is a witness stated to me she only buys larger vehicles with ample seating so they can all "service" together. I couldn't understand why she doesn't go by herself . She also has a sheet they turn in showing what they did that week or month. I thought that was odd.
Dear Carolyn,
I guess you mean the larger-than-two groups are milling about the neighborhood, but not approaching your door. I always thought this was a tacky, indiscreet behavior to be seen as a large group "invading" a neighborhood, yet most Witnesses don't seem to be aware of it. Perhaps in some localities they are more discreet about this than in other localities.
They work in "car groups" for three reasons: (1) They cover a wide geographic area, and carpool from their "Kingdom Hall" (that's what they call their church) to the neighborhood they plan to canvass that day. This helps them organize and systematically cover their entire assigned "territory". (2) Since they believe they are doing God's work, they always pray together before starting their door-to-door preaching work, and it is customary (though not required) to pray in groups at the Kingdom Hall. (3) By working in "car groups", they reinforce one another's courage in advance to face "householders" who are often unhappy to see them; and after returning from the door to the car they share success stories, if any; or show stoicism if not, further bolstering the group.
When working a rural territory, the entire "car group" goes to each home, and most of the group sits idle parked in the driveway while one or two members approach the door, then they rotate around the car as they go to subsequent homes so each person in the car gets a turn. When working an urban territory, they'll typically park near a street corner, and each pair works down the block in different directions with plans to meet back at the car in an hour or so, then they move the car together to a new block and start again. It's typical to work this way for about 2 hours at a time. Then they may take a coffee break and work for another 2 hours.
Everything the Witnesses do is systematic and fine-tuned to strengthen their uniformity, control, and increase membership.
At the end of each calendar month, they report on paper to their local congregation how much time they spent preaching, how many bible studies they conducted, how many magazines and books they delivered, etc. The congregations tally such information and relay it to national headquarters, and in turn world headquarters. They use such information to document trends, measure demand for literature, and make sure each member is doing his part.
An individual Witness who misses reporting for a month is labelled "irregular". One who misses for six months in a row is labelled "inactive". Such labels are likely to trigger a "shepherding call" which means a group of elders visiting the individual Witness at their home. The elders frame such a visit as seeking to promote spiritual healing of the "infirm"; but many times to the one being visited it instead feels like you're "in trouble". Witnesses have cause to fear their Elders because they have the power to expel for little or no cause, causing all one's friends and family to shun them. "Shepherding calls" are one of the many ways the Witnesses use to control individual members.
I don't believe the control is meant to be malicious, rather at all levels of the hierarchy, they seem to believe they are helping the "flock" stay on the "narrow road to life". Churches which believe an intercessor is necessary, that God does not commune directly with individual members, find it easy to appoint themselves as such an intercessor, which is, frankly, nothing more than an exercise of political power.
Then any and all interpretations are made by the hierarchy, not inspired in the soul of an individual member directly by God; so it ultimately cannot be anything but abusive and political rather than spiritual. Churches which believe in the necessity of an intercessor between God and the membership, and especially cults, are all about control.
I hope this report on customary Witness behavior satisfies your interest. Please let me know if I can help further.
Best wishes,
Andrew
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Andrew
Expertise
I don't object to Witness theology, but rather their use of social pressure & deceptive manipulations to undermine family ties and control minds. (This may seem contradictory to Witnesses, who draw no distinction between spiritual belief and organizational policy.) I do not engage in theological debate. I support persons impacted by an experience with the Witnesses and advocate early education for everyone so that they can protect themselves from cults by understanding what to watch out for. (It's not what most people think.)
(Ex-)Witnesses: I know how upsetting it is to experience doubts (or anger) about your experience. Time does not heal this wound until you first remove the splinter, which takes more time and effort than you may realize. So, unless you have already put in that time and effort, don't be surprised if you are deeply affected long after the experience. But there is good news! You're NOT an enemy of God for doubting or for failing to meet the requirements of a human organization. An organization that lies cannot be the exclusive spokesman for the God of Truth. Tell me where you're at. I'll understand. I can show you how to begin or continue your recovery and make a life for yourself worth living.
Non-Witnesses: Describe your experience with your friend/relative who is (becoming) a Witness. I can help you understand the Witness indoctrination and social dynamics that are affecting him or her. I can help you put your options into perspective. Keep in mind that people do make their own choices (even though they may sometimes do so under outside influence) and you may not be able to affect this person's choices, even though they impact on you. After all, you do not have the arsenal of tactics that a cult does (and wouldn't want to). A few people manage to save their friend/relative, but don't count on it. What you can count on is navigating the maze more successfully by becoming more informed about your own options.
Experience
I was a Witness for 30 years, and a volunteer at their headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, for a year. I have attended meetings with many Witness congregations across the United States, a thorough cross-section, carefully observing patterns of behavior. Although being a Witness was difficult, and I gradually had more and more doubts about Witness teachings--I was a true believer, so I kept trying to make it work somehow. I stopped attending meetings in 1997 only after receiving an answer to a prayer about doing so, and have since been actively involved in recovery. This includes both my own and supporting others in theirs. Recovery can include reading books, communicating with others in recovery, and participating in support groups and/or therapy. It always involves reclaiming one's own mind and discovering the other sides of the issues that you have been blinded to in the past.
My gradual awakening was socially, psychologically, and spiritually tumultuous. I lost everything from my former life. My suffering was substantial.
But I have gained everything, so it was worth it. Only after beginning my recovery did I gain social, psychological, and spiritual healing and growth, peace of mind, and self-respect. Only then did I discover who I am; and--for the first time--the meaning of real brotherly love.
For more resources on this topic, try these web sites:
http://freeminds.org/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freedomofmind/
Education/Credentials
Like most Cult Recovery Counselors, I am a cult survivor. I have life experience, not professional training. Also I feel no need to apologize for that. People with professional training cannot understand what it is like to survive a cult unless they have been through it themselves, which few professional therapists have. Understanding what really happened and what works in this unusual social context is as important as psychological training. Most professional therapists are not specifically trained to support cult survivors. Those who are represent a rare and precious resource.
I sometimes refer people to professional therapists regarding deep personal issues. But surviving a cult is a broad experience with other dimensions. Professional therapy can be very helpful as part of your recovery process, assuming that you choose the right therapist. When choosing a therapist, remember that you are the client and they are a service provider. You are the one who holds authority about the relationship. You get to interview the therapist and decide which one to employ.
Be sure to ask what specific training and experience they have around recovery from cult mind control. Most therapists do not have relevant training. Some carry serious misunderstandings about what cult mind control is; and therefore will misunderstand your struggle. So it pays to be selective as a consumer of professional therapy services.
Past/Present Clients
The Witness organization is not like other churches. Most non-Witnesses really cannot imagine what it is like to be a Witness. The organization has unimaginably extensive rules and monitoring that affect every aspect of life, so there is no privacy and no sense of personal independence. "Independent thought" is considered their greatest "sin".
The organization insists on absolute conformity, and claims to directly represent God; so dissent is not tolerated, and authority is totalitarian. Being a Witness is more like living in China or the former Soviet Union than being a member of a religion as you know it. It was the research of Robert J. Lifton, who was studying--not religions--but totalitarian governments, who first began to illuminate the problem of religious cults around the world, which employ exactly the same tactics as totalitarian governments. His work remains a cornerstone for Cult Recovery Counselors still today. (This may be why many governments are tolerant of cults, to avoid exposing their own control tactics.)
Witnesses often experience unusually dysfunctional lives and an extensive array of personal problems stemming from broken family ties, stunted social development, inner unrest resulting from repressed doubts, inability to defend boundaries, and an extreme, persistent feeling of irrational shame. I can help people impacted by an experience with the Witnesses by revealing in detail the policies and social dynamics in the Witness organization that cause these problems.
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