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Original poster

To ask about religion (JW)

102 replies

Imustbemad00 · 23/12/2018 21:45

I know it’s never good to discuss religion and I’m respectful of all people’s religions and choices but I’ve read a few things about Jehovas witnesses lately, from Witnesses themselves, that have surprised me.

I’ve read a few things on here where people have said they were bought up as JW’s but are no longer practising as adults and feel they missed out as children. This really interests me as I’ve never heard this before with other religions.

I’ve known Witnesses, who have grown up and also raised their children as witnesses and are very happy with their choices. But that isn’t the impression I’ve gotten on here.

Is there really that many people that feel that way, and why?

Generally people stick with what they know and how they were raised and that is how religion works.

I’m not religious at all so genuinely interested.

OP posts:
LagerthaTheShieldMaiden · 23/12/2018 22:18

Because it's a cult Matilda. I know people who cut their son off when he came out in the early 80s. They haven't spoken to him since, haven't met his husband, his children, it's heartbreaking.

LagerthaTheShieldMaiden · 23/12/2018 22:22

Annie the reason we were discouraged from college and university was that the world would end soon, always soon, and so it would be a waste of time. Not that time would be better spent preaching.

HalloumiGus · 23/12/2018 22:25

I think JW teaching is destructive because it is actively anti-reason and anyone who doesn't obey without question can be cut off by family, friends and community.

Obeying dogma without question is always a bad thing regardless of the type of ideology.

Craft1905 · 23/12/2018 22:25

Because it's a cult Matilda.

The only difference between a cult and a religion is time and numbers. Christianity, Judaism and Islam were all cuts when they started out. Give it a fair few centuries and a few hundred million members and suddenly they deserve "respect" apparently.

No religion deserves respect. They deserve tolerance, as people should be free to believe whatever made up nonsense they choose and do so in peace, but no one should have to have respect the nonsense.

Peaspleaselouise · 23/12/2018 22:26

There are a couple of JW families in my DC's school. What I don't understand is how they don't respect other religions. Eg if a friend celebrated Diwali, I would wish them a happy Diwali...even though I don't celebrate Diwali.

So why can't they wish people a happy Christmas, Birthday etc, even if they don't believe themselves, as it is important to the other person?

Also - they get time off school at Christmas during festivities BUT then go on holiday to somewhere incredibly festive??

Craft1905 · 23/12/2018 22:28

I think JW teaching is destructive because it is actively anti-reason

All religions are actively anti-reason.

To quote Hugh Laurie as House...If you could reason with religious people, there wouldn't be any.

fiydwi · 23/12/2018 22:28

JW is not a religion it’s a cult. They’re all bloody brainwashed.
They knocked on my door a few weeks back. I just don’t know who the hell they think they are.
I despise the cult.
My daughter needed a blood transfusion in the womb, if I was a member of their ridiculous cult, they’d have quite happily left her perish inside me.
My aunts family are JWs. They’re idiots!

LagerthaTheShieldMaiden · 23/12/2018 22:28

I don't think any religion deserves respect. I have no time for it, or those who follow it. I won't ever be able to leave behind the impact that religion has had on me.

AnnieOH1 · 23/12/2018 22:30

@LagerthaTheShieldMaiden current "light" in the shepherding manual for elders gives the time argument. (!)

As for domestic violence they are an abhorrent organisation. Recent WT articles by women including stories about how "their husband hit them the night before but they put it to Jehovah to keep the family together and still made it to meeting".

Craft1905 · 23/12/2018 22:31

JW is not a religion it’s a cult. They’re all bloody brainwashed.

Errr...yup, that's religion!

sushisuperstar · 23/12/2018 22:36

@LagerthaTheShieldMaiden I could have written your post - my experience too. In the past now.

These days at Christmas I indulge in worldly pleasures 😏😊

Atetoomanymincepies · 23/12/2018 22:38

My dad has recently become a Jw, it's like he has been brainwashed

Craft1905 · 23/12/2018 22:41

My dad has recently become a Jw, it's like he has been brainwashed

My dad has recently become (insert particular brand of sky pixie here), it's like he has been brainwashed.

AnotherPidgey · 23/12/2018 22:44

My general attitude to religion is that most have wisdom and are worth knowing about. I have extended family in the JWs so have experienced them and find that as an organisation it is joyless, narrowminded, unChristian and not terribly rational. It's the belief system I dislike, not people on an individual level although it is an organisation that can mask rather unpleasant behaviour.

Out of the younger generation in my family, none are JWs in adulthood. One was shunned after baptism in early adulthood after they did something perfectly innocuous by modern moral standards. I've seen enormous personal hurt and conflict caused when the life of the church interfers with and dominates family life at vulnerable times. Just about every decision made as a "good JW" was a shit one that caused a huge amount of pain down the line.

It's the lack of forgiveness that I find so hypocrotical against the teachings of Jesus. He wasn't into dogma for the sake of dogma; religious observation should have been for the betterment of humanity. There was space for compromise such as healing on a sabbath. I find the spirit of the JWs quite remote from the teachings of Jesus.

I can't wrap my head around the 144,000 places on heaven. There are more JWs than that, so puritanically depriving yourself of Christmas/ birthdays, shunning errant family and rejecting lifesaving medical treatment, donated freely still won't guarentee a place in heaven Confused

An organisation that thrives on being exclusive and shunning others is rarely a healthy one.

Menolly · 23/12/2018 22:58

I work with several JW children. Christmas term is horrible for them, its not just they don't do Christmas but where children of other religions are generally allowed to join in with the nativity, Christmas party, cards, presents, RE lessons etc as long as it's taught as 'some people believe...' most JW children aren't even allowed in the room. They aren't allowed to celebrate birthdays either, most aren't even allowed the birthday sweets kids bring in to share. They are just shoved off with a TA who does their best but really is playing a board game with the TA ever going to be as much fun as the class party?

Also, they believe only 144,000 people will go to heaven. So you might live your whole life following it to the letter and still end up in hell. Even if you are one of the chosen most of the people you love won't be.

Mogtheanxiouscat · 23/12/2018 23:06

144 000 go to heaven. The rest live for eternity in a paradise earth.

No belief in hell.

Handsoffmysweets · 23/12/2018 23:09

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request

AnnieOH1 · 23/12/2018 23:15

The rest are only those who have aligned themselves to the organisation though, the clergy of Christendom and it's believers will be destroyed (torturously by most accounts) at the start of Armageddon. No hell though but also the doctrine of soul sleep whereby once you're dead you're dead. Smh.

SgtFredColon · 23/12/2018 23:20

These threads always have a load of nonsense in them. I know loads of JWs and they’ve gone to university and support sports teams Shock

LagerthaTheShieldMaiden · 23/12/2018 23:21

I'm always about the worldly pleasures these days.

The part of me that can't let go of Armageddon fear reads stories on the internet, like the awful news of what has gone on in Indonesia today, and it panics. There's a sign right there! Earthquake! It's a vile thing to have that indoctrinated into you. To not think, how awful a natural disaster, how can I help, but to think, ah a sign of the upcoming Jeebus tantrum, all the lolz for us believers.

Amanduh · 23/12/2018 23:22

All the JW I have known who were JW as children are not now. One is gay and married to a man, one has the best Christmas decs in town, and another doesn’t speak to her parents after her childhood.
My lovely (so I thought) window cleaner trapped me on my drive last week with my toddler, randomly asked me what I thought about the state of the world.. I assumed he meant politically... ended up with a 25 min rant about saving me, how all jehovahs will rise again from the dead and the world will be perfect, and how I need to convert.
He is no longer our window cleaner!

LagerthaTheShieldMaiden · 23/12/2018 23:25

I'm going to bow out as I'm stressing myself out. It's an interesting thread to be sure, if it carries on I'll hopefully revisit.

Merry Christmas!

Mogtheanxiouscat · 23/12/2018 23:25

They also believe in a resurrection of the dead? So not just JWs in paradise.

If I remember correctly anyway. It's been a while.

LagerthaTheShieldMaiden · 23/12/2018 23:30

After Armageddon; some will survive it, most won't. The current thinking is it will be fire. The dead will be resurrected and given the chance to live, (after having been judged of course) for 1000 years, obeying the laws of Jehovah, without any temptation from that bigger Satan. Obey for 1000 years - free pass to eternity. Break the rules - eternal damnation in the lake of fire. Not really a wonder that so many JW kids grow up anxious wrecks is it.

LagerthaTheShieldMaiden · 23/12/2018 23:31

Satan is a bugger, not a bigger 😂