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The Watchtower answers this for us
WT 15/2/94 page 4 Cults-What Are They?
''..cults are generally understood to be religious groups with radical views and practices that clash with what is accepted today as normal social behavior......Their devotion to a self-proclaimed human leader is likely to be unconditional and exclusive. Often these leaders boast of having been divinely chosen....... Cult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general. Is that the case with Jehovah's Witnesses?''
Yes, very much so, and a dangerous one at that because it ensures that JW members do not learn the truth about Jesus Christ and God's love for all.
In the above answer the question was posed at the end. The answer is a resounding 'yes' based on the statement that was left by the previous answerer:
''..cults are generally understood to be religious groups with radical views and practices that clash with what is accepted today as normal social behavior......
Jehovah's Witnesses refuse to accept Jesus as God incarnate and as Lord of all, and follow a discredited and heretical belief called Arianism that was dismissed by the Christian Church way back in the early Church while there were still many Church leaders who could remember the actual teachings of Jesus Christ first hand. Arians were regarded (and still are) as radical and heretical. Practices such as disfellowshipping and allowing their own children to die for want of a blood transfusion cannot be called normal social behaviour. Therefore. by their non-acceptance of Jesus as divine, reducing him to a 'god-like' human, they do not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ himself and therefore cannot be classed as 'Christian' in the correct, Biblical, sense.
"Their devotion to a self-proclaimed human leader is likely to be unconditional and exclusive..."
Their devotion to their founder Charles Taize Russell - a charismatic self-confessed charlatan - was unquestioned. Their devotion to the Watchtower Society - a society that still follows the teachings of Russell - is still taken as unquestioned. JWs are discouraged from seeking truth elsewhere than the Watchtower society, and are discouraged from gaining a higher education for fear of asking awkward questions, are discouraged from seeking friends outside the organisation and are not allowed, for fear of being disfellowhipped (shunned by their 'friends' within the cult) of questioning what they are told by the Watchtower organisation.
"Often these leaders boast of having been divinely chosen....... "
In the Watchtower society not only the leaders are 'divinely chosen' but every member of the JW movement. They believe that they alone are the ones who will be saved and all others are condemned to hell. They regard all Christians in the worldwide Christian Church who believe in the Trinitarian Godhead (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) as in cahoots with the devil as they regard the Trinity as satanic.
"Cult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general..."
Yes. By the admissions of the Watchtower Society themselves:
''We must also be on guard against extended association with worldly people. Perhaps it is a neighbor, a school friend, a workmate, or a business associate.''
(Watchtower 2nd February 1994)
'' We have been counseled to be cautious in our dealings with men of the nations, unbelievers, and ordinary persons. (See the November 15, 1988, issue of The Watchtower, pages 15-16.) Why should we have unnecessary social contact with people who still pursue worldly ways and who have not become worshipers of Jehovah?''
(Kingdom Ministry June 1989)
to name just two out of many references.
"Is that the case with Jehovah's Witnesses?' (that the organsation is a cult)"
According to the JW response above, taken directly from its own publication, then the answer has to be a resounding 'Yes', very much so, and one which, when you become a member, is very difficult to leave.