Are you in a high control group? How would you even know? Lori Jane shares her story of waking up after attending Kingdom Halls for thirty years as a Jehovah’s Witness (JW). Although the Watch Tower organization claimed they were the one true church, Lori discovered in Pioneer School the many “corrections” that had been handed down, which indicated they didn’t have a monopoly on truth.
In today’s conversation, we talk about how to recognize if you are in a high control group. Still, even if you aren’t in a high control group, you might have their exclusive mentality that looks at all outsiders as beyond salvation. Lori explains why humility is important as an antidote to the arrogance that can accompany doctrinal pride, leading to sweeping statements about who is saved or not in other Christian groups.
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there is something comforting and reassuring about being in a high control group; you get clarity and certainty as well as an ‘always there’ group. I look back at my Mormon youth with genuine longing…but then you read up on J Smith.
Today, it is a struggle. I really am not sure of anything, at least not enough to share with anyone or commit to a group. I have little confidence in my ability to discern.
And when I look at the verse that says the path is narrow, I get confused on how just believing in Jesus can be enough.
Anyway, thanks for the pod.
Hi, Joseph;
It’s my experience that a lot of people in ‘high controlling groups’ were either born into them, or they marry into them. There are thus powerful socio-psychological forces at work that put people into such groups, and keep them there. Another factor is that very few such people seem to be very curious about their religion, or indeed the Bible – hence they usually just ‘go with the flow’ – with relatively circumscribed, shallow and indoctrinated thinking.
Jesus said ‘He was the Way, the Truth and the Life’ , and no one came to the Father but through Him. If Jesus was resurrected from the dead, then His claims are true. Put your faith in Jesus, rather than in fallible, mortal human beings.
Hi Joseph, I hear you. I was raised Jewish atheist, then became a JW at age 17 for 7 years. When I escaped the cult, I was nearly suicidal and I didn’t touch a Bible for 20 years. I didn’t know what to believe. But I started back in the Bible doing my own research, looking up the Hebrew and Greek words, and praying for God to guide me to wisdom. It’s taken 50 years, but I finally feel very secure and confident in my basic understanding of Scripture (I am always learning though). Because Ilove God and try to worship him in truth, I cannot believe in the trinity or hellfire or predestination (Calvin style). So I never fit in with any church I attend, though I can still help and love my brothers and sisters in faith. I decided to just take Jesus at his word. He says our work is to believe in him. If we love him, we will obey him. We will love God and neighbor. We will help those in need. That is the narrow way because a whole heck of a lot of “believers” don’t do any of that. I also believe, as Sean points out, that God is compassionate–that is the first adjective Yahweh tells Moses that describes him. I don’t believe he’s out “to get” anyone but wants us to love and trust him. I think it’s a whole lot more simple than most people/churches/religions make it. John 3:16 still rings true. I hope this encourages you.
Great interview with Lori Jane, Sean.
I find myself in happy and enthusiastic agreement with your religious philosophies.
Religion is not knowing christ or being led by the spirit, it is just religion – God is different than religion. When the spirit leads you, you know what is off and what isn’t – But what is confusing is that adults push so much stuff that is off What and who are they following? How can so many churches be built on doctrine instead of knowing and trusting God. They are being led astray. They leave church empty. I think salvation is being protected and saved by God and his son. I don’t think it is a thing that happens to your brain when you look for God, a thing that can be taken away because it is not a thing. I think the whole issue of losing or keeping the thing they call salvation belongs in the same category as the trinity thing. When a person has encountered God and his spirit, they are different. You sense it in them. An example of this is brother kel from trinity delusion. All the speculation is gone. Not needed as you have what is important. Dependence on God and his son.
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Hi, ajc;
There’s a lot of sense in what you say. The principle aim of Christianity is be genuinely Christ-like. Without divine love, we are spiritually nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).
I was a JW for 7 years, from age 17-24. Was a full-time pioneer, married an elder, worked at Bethel in the writing dept. as an artist, then ended up almost suicidal by the time I escaped my marriage (literally snuck out and ran away). I left the Bible for 20 years, then gradually came back to God. I helped JWs leave the cult and challenged Scripture for years. When my husband become a Christian, I dug deep for years and came back to faith. But for years I could never fit in because of the trinity, hellfire, and other doctrines. I am so glad to know, now, there are people who actually believe the way I believe after 50 years of studying the Bible. I’m actually in seminary in grad school majoring in theology, and I feel like I’m the monotheist apologist on mission at school. (In case you’re wondering, I wanted to go to seminary to really challenge the doctrines and learn Hebrew, and my eyes have been so opened to the insanity and ridiculousness of the evangelical positions, especially the trinity and predestination /closed theology). Thanks for this episode.
And yes, the JWs discourage college. I got baptized in 1975, when they said the end would come, so I gave up college and regret that I never got a degree until 45 years later!
Thank you so much for sharing your story! I am also familiar with the traumatic control in a religious group
Thank you very much!!! This video is the answer to my fervent prayers and a balm for my repeatedly scarred psyche. I have been a baptized Jehovah’s Witness for 14 years. Of these, he served as an elder for 3 years. I had 7 appointments in the meeting. It was actually my job, for which I paid for the lack of a personal life, a real job, physical and emotional health, and almost lost my life. I have experienced everything you have said for myself. Strict control of consciousness, behavior, and even feelings – Jehovah’s Witnesses have all this. A step to the left or right of the line of leadership is execution. I was deeply disappointed when I wanted to create a charity group in the congregation to provide support to the sick, elderly and lonely believers. At that time, I was the announcer. None of the elders supported this idea. When I became an office assistant, it took me three years! Three years of conversations with district supervisors. And only one of them supported me. And then. I met resistance inside the meeting. That’s just terrible.In most of the congregations that I know, there is a blatant disregard for the believers. Almost no one needs them. “The righteous man dies, and no one takes it to heart” (Isaiah 57:1). It’s been 9 years since I stopped attending meetings and 10 years since I resigned all my powers. I had a terrible spiritual and psychological breakdown. There was a serious temptation to become an atheist. Fortunately, I have not lost faith. But he became disillusioned with organized religion. I tried to find other Unitarians. However, they also had a categorical attitude – if you do not correspond to their views on everything 100 – you are not a Christian. What I heard and saw in this video really inspired me. Thanks, Laurie and Sean! I am glad that there are still such good Christians and Unitarian churches. Do you have any Telegram chat? I really want to talk.