ABSTRACT
In Chapter 2, I argued that the Witnesses’ view of the cosmos and sense of spiritual mission puts them in tension with secular society. Their world-renouncing beliefs mean that they are at once abandoned by modernity, yet they succeed by offering an affective bond to those who are rejected, isolated, disillusioned or unfulfilled. The Witnesses recruit by offering hope, self-confidence, support and direction to those who are prepared to listen to their message. In this chapter, I examine some of the cultural dynamics that play a part in sustaining membership and validating the Witnesses’ Weltanschauung. This requires an understanding of the world as the Witnesses themselves see it and an examination of their future vision.
