Question for Jevovah’s Witnesses or ex Witnesses

[Jozephine]

Not really an AIBU, but not sure where to ask this. I’ve got friends who are JW. The know I don’t believe, and are very closed about their beliefs to me and just shut down conversation if I talk about religion. So my question is around death and funerals.

my friends were recent converts and none of their extended family or friends are JW. There have been a number of funerals in their family recently. As these family members were not JW will the belief be that they will be burnt in the eternal fires at judgement day? I can’t square it with my friend saying that her dad is now ‘at peace’ if she believes that’s going to be his fate? If I believed the things JWs claim then I would be a mess thinking of all my dead loved ones who would have such a fate waiting for them. How does it work?

@BIossomtoes really?! Does it? I stand by it. What would you call homophobic child abusers and those that cover up child abuse and protect the abusers? It's a cult. Clearly the brainwashing works.

Indeed!

Is the BBC a cult?
Royal family?

Ah, New Light.
See, that is why I left. All the New Light rubbish. That and the complete lack of mercy or grace. They really will shun you completely. You will lose, in cases of those who have been brought up on the faith, your family, your friends, your whole community. It is dreadfully cruel

It's definitely a cult. One based on the fear of the end of the world. The governing body know what they are doing. And the members, most of whom are lovely, kind, compassionate people, are so sucked in and cowed that they will accept any old claptrap if it comes from above.

Yes it really does. Obviously brainwashing does work or you wouldn’t write off an entire religion comprised of millions of people in such a way. Presumably you do the same with the Catholic Church?

Let’s flip that around to when an entire religion writes you off because you had sex before marriage, were gay or celebrated Christmas and birthdays. When your entire family and friendship network within that cult literally turns their back on you and will cross the road to avoid you.

That’s not normal in a progressive society.

Same goes for any other religion or faith who ostracises people for not following the rules.

It’s medieval.

Every religion ostracises people for not following “the rules”. Once again, I refer you to the Catholic church. Double standards.

Not always to the insidious extent JWs do. They are renowned for shunning as you well know. My escape was far easier than what most young people endure when they risk losing family and friendship bonds - the horrific impact shunning has had on many people is satanic and yet JWs justify it as gods will. Disgusting. That a brainwashed parent can turn their back on their child in a time of need is truly the work of something unholy.

Comparing the practice to behaviours in the Catholic Church is very telling. The irony.

My branch of Christianity never ostracises those who leave or break the rules. Corporately, we forgive. For people who commit serious offences, there are safeguarding procedures to follow so that they may still attend worship should they so choose. We are all Gods children and God lives is all. Jesus tells us to love our neighbour as ourselves and to tend to the plank in our own eye before criticising our brother for the splinter in his.

The horrific practice of disfellowshipping and shunning is not from God. The idea that God wants parents to turn their back on their child just because they don't obey "the rules" so that the congregation can remain "clean" is despicable. It just reflects the whole OT centric, judgemental approach of the cult. The GB does not want people who question or have independent thought because these people see through the brainwashing tactics. That's why JWs are very much discouraged from reading the Bible without Watchtower literature alongside it to "explain" the scriptures. There is more emphasis on the literature as showing the way than the bible.

THIS

That's why JWs are very much discouraged from reading the Bible without Watchtower literature alongside it to "explain" the scriptures. There is more emphasis on the literature as showing the way than the bible.

That isn’t true either. This thread is riddled with ignorance.

How is it not true? Even if it's not true for you, the majority of Witnesses will not read the Bible without the Watchtower sitting right there.

In fact, it's one reason I stopped my studies with them (after I promised a family member I'd use their Bible studies to draw closer to God). On a casual evening with our with family and friends, I witnessed a debate/discussion between a family member who is a JW and a friend who wasn't associated with any particular religion, but grew up reading the Bible every day. The argument was over a couple of verses in Genesis. You could interpret the verses to mean multiple things. But the JW would not budge from the watchtower teaching. They could not accept another view. It was not even an option to consider it MIGHT be possible to have another view. The Watchtower is as good as the Bible for them. It's essentially a tool for uniform thinking.

I was a witness for almost 20 years. It's true.

It’s a cult. It’s not in question. It’s coercive, abusive and it damages people and relationships. It seeks to explain the world away with one narrative and in doing this it sweeps away all of the complexity and beauty of life. It’s toxic, it teaches you not to think, not to question, it tries to give all of the answers, you can see it in some of the responses here. You just cannot reason with it at all and this is the biggest indicator for me.

Have a look at r/exjw.

Source: my life and the lives of my close family members destroyed by this.

The Watchtower is as good as the Bible for them. It's essentially a tool for uniform thinking.

This is exactly the case. There is no questioning allowed. No room for different outlooks or interpretations. No tolerance of anything except the official WTBTS teaching.
As I say, it's why I left. That and the utter lack of mercy especially towards women, who are just supposed to suck up their husband's abuse, infidelity, indifference, drinking, general uselessness...because he is head of their household and basically in charge of them.

The WT magazine takes presidence over the bible

Those Governing Body old men take presidence over Jesus

It's a cult

So was I. It’s not. Nor is this

The WT magazine takes presidence over the bible. Those Governing Body old men take presidence over Jesus

Hmmm so everyone else is wrong and you're right. Ok. Let us know how that works out for you in real life.

It works perfectly because I don’t make up nonsense about things I know nothing about.

Whatever you say. I can only speak from my own experience and the experience of those I know who have also escaped.
It can be very scary when you leave because you have been programmed to believe that only the governing body has the truth and that Armageddon is imminent. And, let's face it, no one wants themselves and their kids to die horribly. I think you are still carrying some of the fear, maybe, and I say that with great kindness. It took me a long time to stop being afraid.
I do think think, though, that if everyone else is not being truthful, then oftentimes, the problem is not with other people.

JW's are the biggest dobbers, snakes, and abusers covered up behind closed doors going. All cloaked by piety, nicey-niceness, and virtue-signalling. Never be fooled by them, or their smart Sunday outfits.

Reference: family members.

I'm sorry, are you suggesting that I am making things up?

I’m not remotely afraid @Lessstressedhemum. I left because some of their teachings don’t add up, it’s as simple as that. But there’s a huge amount of fiction on this thread - including from you - and the prejudice is unreal.

Regardless of my views of some of their doctrine I can honestly say that all my contacts with them since I left have been fine. The kindness they showed me when I worked with them to organise my mum’s funeral - in which an elder who had known her for over 40 years obviously played a big part - was exemplary. I speak as I find.

I also speak as I find. And my posts are a 100% accurate reflection of my experience.