Is Russia mishandling the JW crisis?
by Dr. Cathleen Mann, PhD
April 13, 2017
Many questions have been raised regarding Russia's threats to ban and sanction the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. I have a good deal of experience with the Jehovah's Witnesses, both as a licensed clinician doing counseling with further members and families, evaluating children in the group as part of being an court qualified expert on the group in a legal proceeding, and as an investigator working with attorneys and affected families. Additionally, I have been on the receiving end of the wrath of the JW apparatus through their legal department in Bethel. I have learned to carefully separate out beliefs from practices; ordinary members from elders; legal from ecclesiastical; children's rights from parents's wishes; first amendment rights from child abuse; and adult's rights to remain in a belief system regardless of whether outsiders think it's harmful or that they are sincerely deluded.
I have been the subject of countless motions to disqualify me, have my testimony stricken or not allowed at all, and been attacked with slurs and falsehoods.. None have been upheld. I have always been allowed to present evidence. My focus is on the children in this group, who have no choice as to their participation. Additionally, it has been shown, especially in the last few years, that children are exceptionally vulnerable in this group to abuse and the effects of parental alienation.
Please note that the JW system consists of several main authorities. First is the regulating body, The Governing Body, part of The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc, which is the authoritative and rule making body. I use the term "JW" as shorthand for the attitudes and behavior of the group as a whole.
Second is the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, which is the assembly, congregational, and ecclesiastical body which decides application of doctrine, among other things.
Third is the publishing branches, consisting of several subsets of offices and responsibilities. You would think all organizational components would work together, but like any closed, dysfunctional group, they do not. This is a major problem. An atmosphere of fear does not bend to bans; it just drives it underground. Since this group creates a false persecution complex anyway, a ban will not eliminate that at all.
Members are not the same as the patriarchal eldership, nor the governing body, nor do they have a say in ordinary governance of this belief system and its effect on their lives.
The practice of shunning is a fact in this group. This destroys families. There is nothing positive about this practice. So is the practice of not cooperating with "the Beast," as in any worldly authority including the courts ( also called "theocratic warfare." )
These practices, among others, harm members. It's just as simple as that.
So what Russia intends to do is ban the group entirely, thus making members to be criminals. This is misplaced and wrong. What Russia should do instead is enforce existing laws regulating abuse and practices (if any such Russian laws exist), require everyone to have access to medical care (in the case of children, this should be mandated with no bogus "faith exclusion" ), and require transparency, accountability, and outside oversight.
The other problem with the Russian ban is that Russia wants to ban all who are seen as threats against the State That's what this is really about. We should not be banning adults to believe as they want as long as it is not illegal; coerced; harms children; includes the practice of excessive proselytizing, and fraud.
I do not hesitate to call this group a cult. However, my definition is strictly a secular and psychological one. This group employs typical cult methodology: isolation and fear; demonization of critics, dissenters, and former members; deception in recruitment and retention; revisionist history; veneration of male, self appointed authority with no outside checks and balances; etc.
But I disagree with the ban of the group. If Russia is really concerned, use the power of the State to reform and monitor the organization. Are they willing to do that?
You can contact the author at: cathleenmann@gmail.com.
(c) copyright, 2017. All rights reserved.. Please do not reproduce in full or in part without acknowledging the name of the author herein.
by Dr. Cathleen Mann, PhD
April 13, 2017
Many questions have been raised regarding Russia's threats to ban and sanction the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. I have a good deal of experience with the Jehovah's Witnesses, both as a licensed clinician doing counseling with further members and families, evaluating children in the group as part of being an court qualified expert on the group in a legal proceeding, and as an investigator working with attorneys and affected families. Additionally, I have been on the receiving end of the wrath of the JW apparatus through their legal department in Bethel. I have learned to carefully separate out beliefs from practices; ordinary members from elders; legal from ecclesiastical; children's rights from parents's wishes; first amendment rights from child abuse; and adult's rights to remain in a belief system regardless of whether outsiders think it's harmful or that they are sincerely deluded.
I have been the subject of countless motions to disqualify me, have my testimony stricken or not allowed at all, and been attacked with slurs and falsehoods.. None have been upheld. I have always been allowed to present evidence. My focus is on the children in this group, who have no choice as to their participation. Additionally, it has been shown, especially in the last few years, that children are exceptionally vulnerable in this group to abuse and the effects of parental alienation.
Please note that the JW system consists of several main authorities. First is the regulating body, The Governing Body, part of The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc, which is the authoritative and rule making body. I use the term "JW" as shorthand for the attitudes and behavior of the group as a whole.
Second is the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, which is the assembly, congregational, and ecclesiastical body which decides application of doctrine, among other things.
Third is the publishing branches, consisting of several subsets of offices and responsibilities. You would think all organizational components would work together, but like any closed, dysfunctional group, they do not. This is a major problem. An atmosphere of fear does not bend to bans; it just drives it underground. Since this group creates a false persecution complex anyway, a ban will not eliminate that at all.
Members are not the same as the patriarchal eldership, nor the governing body, nor do they have a say in ordinary governance of this belief system and its effect on their lives.
The practice of shunning is a fact in this group. This destroys families. There is nothing positive about this practice. So is the practice of not cooperating with "the Beast," as in any worldly authority including the courts ( also called "theocratic warfare." )
These practices, among others, harm members. It's just as simple as that.
So what Russia intends to do is ban the group entirely, thus making members to be criminals. This is misplaced and wrong. What Russia should do instead is enforce existing laws regulating abuse and practices (if any such Russian laws exist), require everyone to have access to medical care (in the case of children, this should be mandated with no bogus "faith exclusion" ), and require transparency, accountability, and outside oversight.
The other problem with the Russian ban is that Russia wants to ban all who are seen as threats against the State That's what this is really about. We should not be banning adults to believe as they want as long as it is not illegal; coerced; harms children; includes the practice of excessive proselytizing, and fraud.
I do not hesitate to call this group a cult. However, my definition is strictly a secular and psychological one. This group employs typical cult methodology: isolation and fear; demonization of critics, dissenters, and former members; deception in recruitment and retention; revisionist history; veneration of male, self appointed authority with no outside checks and balances; etc.
But I disagree with the ban of the group. If Russia is really concerned, use the power of the State to reform and monitor the organization. Are they willing to do that?
You can contact the author at: cathleenmann@gmail.com.
(c) copyright, 2017. All rights reserved.. Please do not reproduce in full or in part without acknowledging the name of the author herein.
