Vol. 8, No. 1, 1991

Articles on Jehovah's Witnesses

Clete Hux

The testimonies of ex-Jehovah Witnesses at the l2th Annual Witnesses Now for Jesus Convention this past October had a resounding tone.

Over and over were, "I was set free," "I found the truth," "I came out of the bondage." These testimonies came from people who had described themselves as slaves to the Watchtower organization.

Some had spent twenty, thirty, and even more than forty years in the tight authoritative web of the Watchtower.

There were some that knew that what they were a part of was not of God, but yet stayed in for years.

One might ask, "What is it that would cause a person to remain against their will in an organization they don't believe in. Why don't they just get out?"

Well, for many the answer is fear.

The fear of losing everything that they hold dear to them, mainly their friends, family, religion, and the Watchtower acting as the "voice of God" for them.

The fear of being "disfellowshipped" threatened them with losing everything they had come to know as a way of life, and the thought of being ostracized by friends and family was simply too much for many of them to risk getting out.

In his book Behind the Watchtower Curtain, David Reed , an ex-Jehovah's Witness, explains the effects of this fear: "There are also broken homes, youngsters deprived of a higher education, families separated by mistrust, and millions of people living lives of guilt and fear. There is a whole `nation' of people living under a totalitarian `kingdom' government that denies them freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of conscience.

"Jehovah's Witnesses themselves will vigorously deny these allegations, but is typical of victims of brainwashing. Because the fetters are fastened on the mind, instead of on the wrists, they do not chafe.

"Like persons put under a spell by a hypnotist, the Witnesses open their eyes `wide awake, happy, and refreshed,' not realizing that post-hypnotic suggestions planted in their minds must remain there to control their conduct."

Psychologists really are on target in pointing out fear as a motivator.

Dr. Jay Adams in his pamphlet, What Do You Do When Fear Overcomes You? says: "...Fear may get such a tight grip upon you that at times it may seem to be some powerful force from the outside that takes you captive. Because of fear, people have changed jobs, moved from one city to another, sealed themselves in houses, killed, and fled to mental institutions. Because of the fear of cats or bridges or elevators or other people, people have developed styles of life that are weird and unfruitful. Fear of this sort, fear out of control (or would it be better said, fear in complete control), is the fear that you have come to fear!"

There are times when Jehovah's Witnesses do their door-to-door evangelism out of guilt and fear.

Being an apocalyptic cult, they have a sense of urgency about them: God pouring out his wrath at Armageddon and including them if they are not obedient to the Watchtower.

So, fear becomes a motivator for them.

Christians can do a lot to increase a Jehovah's Witness' fear or calm the Witness' fear depending on how they respond when one comes to his door.

In answering and defending the faith, the Christian needs to understand what has motivated the Jehovah's Witness to come, and if the Christian, in answering and defending his faith, would heed the admonitions of Paul, he will go a long way in breaking through the walls that have been built around the JW.

Paul says, "And the Servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will," (2 Timothy 2:24-26).