Posted by:
Nightingale
(
)
Date: December 05, 2018 07:23PM
I don't judge degree of cultishness (I'm not good at it) but from personal experience JWs are much more isolated, on purpose, from the general population. Many don't even get a chance to get to know non-JWs at a job as they are encouraged to go for self-employment (many become independent real estate agents, often in their own small company). Females, of course, are expected to stay at home and play out the "traditional" roles of wife and mother. JWs are taught and/or pressured to give higher education a miss. (As was said to me about my nursing ambitions, "We won't need nurses after Armageddon", which is always just around the corner, of course, generation after generation). They do not celebrate any religious holidays (Christmas, Easter). They are discouraged from having non-JW friends. Of course, you can/should only marry a fellow JW. As young as possible. They aren't so much into having big families as Mormons are, that I ever knew about - could have changed.
So they are isolated. Plus some of their beliefs are way outside mainstream, such as not accepting blood transfusions, even if death will be the result. There's the usual antipathy from non-JWs who don't like getting preached at from their own doorstep on a Saturday morning or being exposed to magazine displays and greetings on the street from JWs putting in their (required) preaching time.
To me, JW doctrine is much simpler (simplistic?) than Mormon doctrine. Basically, mankind screwed up God's perfect plan and all of human history has been about getting back to where we started: Garden of Eden, post Armageddon, when only faithful JWs will walk the earth and it will be Paradise well and truly restored. That really appealed to me as a young teen (and the world situation seems 1000-fold more bleak now).
Mormons, otoh, are out and about in the world, with a lot more freedom of choice about career and relationships. So if you felt constrained in these areas as a Mormon try and imagine JWs being even more so.
Inarguably though, both are isolating groups with profound effects on an adherent's upbringing, development, beliefs, career choices, relationships, plans, future and entire life.
I enjoyed being a JW for a few years though. Met nice people, had a few good boyfriends, understood the teachings, didn't feel too tied down. Can't say the same about Mormonism, which I found controlling, confusing, frustrating and depressing.
Both have their pros and cons I guess in comparison with each other. Far better to find a path that allows for a lot more freedom of individual choice in all matters.
ETA: I have observed that many posters here judge the WatchTower Society (JWs) as being far worse. Not in my experience. But, of course, that is only one.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2018 07:24PM by Nightingale.