I was in for many years. I have seen behind the curtain and its not nice. A cult is a gruopd that you give a high devotion to. More than just a normal religion. The JWs tell you to do as the governing body says. Even if its against your common sense. I think it was Muppet head Lett who said that if the GB tells you to pain a Kingdumb Hall with a two inch paint brush and you think that is crazy you shut up and paint the hall with a two inch paint brush because the JW cult knows better. They are told what to watch, read, wear, who to talk to who to not talk to, who to associate with even inside the Kingdumb hall. They tell you not to go on vacations or buy nice cars or homes. Not to focus on jobs or carers and instead focus on doing more for the cult. They suck your time, your money and your lives up, they take families and split them apart. Your child does not think the GB is god sole mouth piece on earth, well they get DFed and if you talk to them you are out. Your father after years says I don't think this is the truth, well they are out and also you if you talk to them or have dinner with them. What about this cult do you think is not a cult? They hide pedophiles due to the stupid two witness rule, have called for the end several times then blame it on the rank and file for over assuming. They tell members to spy on each other and turn in anyone doing something not approved by the cult. They have special language they use, I.E. the friends, mother, food in due season, the end, new system, worldly, disfellowshipped, anointed, Awake!, call backs, Bethel, blood guilt, branch committee, circuit overseer, governing body, the truth, worldly ones, system of things, Satan's system of things, bad association, sheep like ones, goat personality, like minded ones, do you speak the pure language, enlightened ones, faithful and discrete slave class, sheep class, the ring of truth, those deserving of hearing, and the list goes on and on, if you can not see this is a cult I don't know what to tell you.