This week we talk to filmmaker Aaron Kaufman. He is known for producing Robert Rodriguez films, and more recently for directing the documentary on Jehovah’s Witnesses for Vice TV Crusaders. Aaron was raised a JW and his doc focuses on the data base of sex abusers the JW’s have which they have refused to make public. Plenty of scientology parallels in this discussion.
Here is Aaron Kaufman’s IMDb page:
The Vice TV, Vice Versa episode:
What is disfellowshipping? From Wikipedia
We talk about the characteristics of a cult. Dr. Janja Lalich has this on her website, it is one of the best lists in my opinion.
In case you have difficulty reading the screen shot:
- The group displays an excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader, and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
- Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
- Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, or debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).
- The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (e.g., members must get permission to date, change jobs, or marry—or leaders prescribe what to wear, where to live, whether to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
- The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (e.g., the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
- The group has a polarized, us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
- The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders, or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
- The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (e.g., lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
- The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and control members. Often this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
- Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
- The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
- The group is preoccupied with making money.
- Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
- Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
- The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave—or even consider leaving—the group.
The Australian investigation into child sex abuse in the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Australian Royal Commission Final Report
Aaron mentions Ruben Ortiz podcast
One of the first people to successfully sue the JW’s, Candace Conti is the Julie Christofferson of the JW’s.
Leah’s list of recommended books on healing from trauma:
Thank you all 3 of you for shedding light on the darkness. I was caught up in it for 30 yrs and my family is all still in.
Just listened, great episode – seriously shocking in some parts. The database of known child abusers is the stuff of nightmares, how is this not front page news everywhere! The media does have a lot to answer for with regards to responsible reporting and it baffles me how newspapers/magazines and prime time news shows are alot of the time full of such useless drivel while information that could save the lives of countless children/families stays on the side-lines. Definitely going to watch the crusaders documentary.
Thank you Leah & Mike, for once again providing a platform for the abuses of this organization to be exposed and discussed. I was raised in the cult environment of JWs, and taught to believe all of their propaganda, including their disfellowshipping policies. It was because of these exact policies, that I knew without a doubt that I HAD to leave. I have never doubted my decision, but now, 40 years later, I still suffer the trauma of it.
all the crappy added rules of a “religion” seem the problem.
Then once you dodge out of the nasty religion you are stuck in which has the bad rules, you do what?
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Still, to this day, is there a Consumer’s Guide magazine issue about the religions to choose from, and the supernatural beliefs, the nasty rules/lack of nasty rules, and obligations, rituals, hocus-pocus, etc, listed out simply, so a consumer could see if any religion is to their liking?
When I was a philosophy student, and I’d chosen no religion, and then I was lured into Scientology “new religion” I just wanted a damned good Consumer’s Guide magazine review issue about the key stuff.
Like the hocus-pocus stuff of Scientology, the body-thetans, the Xenu story, the exorcism stuff, the past lives therapy stuff.
But literally, it’s just a huge lack of a good Consumer’s Review source to go to to pick your religion, and see if it’s better to skip them all even.
Look forward to this episode! The constant links between the beliefs and practices of JW and COS never cease to amaze me………..what amazes me the most though………….its 2021 and these organisations are still fully functional with so much mental/physical/sexual/damage still being done on such a large scale!
maybe in 2022 there will be change, though I wont hold my breath but the prayers continue for all the victims involved with both cults
Also, Dr Lalich really hit the nail on the head with that list! 5*
Scientology is small compared to JWs. It’s amazing the similarity’s to Hubbardian.and ex-scientologists can definitely help JWs make the transition out.
I look forward to these podcasts every week. They’re so good! Keep it up, M & L.
About 10 years ago i worked with a woman, a former Catholic, who left the religion because of “all the pedophile Priests & them having sex with each other & women despite their vows of remaining chaste”.
She chose to become a Jehovah Witness because they “dress up for meetings & sit with the Bible in their laps for hours on end & they had stricter religious rules”.
Her husband, a strict Italian Catholic refused to join JW….UNTIL she began to change her clothes in the bathroom or closet & refuse to have sex with him or let him see her naked!!! He relented & changed to become a JW. His parents life long strict Italian Roman Catholics, cut ties with their son & HER as well (they have no children that would have been affected by this separation decision). She was GLAD to be “RID OF THEM”…since they were NOT ever going to become members of JW.
When reality struck….as in “there are sinners…i.e. Pedophiles within the JW religion as well”….her heart sank….yet she remained within the fold. She was too afraid to be “de-fellowshipped”……..& loose all those friends she thought she’d made within the bonds of JW. Twice a year or so she & her husband spend a long week end at the JW Conventions no matter WHERE they are being held.
Thankfully I’ve lost touch with her several years ago, but I heard she’s still loyal to JW……..so sad.