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Original poster

To just go to a jehovahs witness meeting?

796 replies

blobtobetter · 07/04/2012 21:05

One of the older women at work is a Jehovah's Witness. I don't really know what they are but they don't like blood or birthdays. I thought they were just another type of Christian but apparently not.

She keeps asking me to go to a meeting and I keep putting her off. Thinking now that I should just go once and then never again!?

It sounds really shallow but I wouldn't want to give up Christmas!!

Part of me wonders what it would be like. Would they be over friendly? Would they be distant as I am a heathen type? Can't imagine it really.

OP posts:
BelaLug0si · 09/04/2012 21:31

Don't all active JWs tithe 10% of their income?

BelaLug0si · 09/04/2012 21:32

No Calzone I'm not but people I'm close to are either active JWs or have been disfellowshipped.

calzone · 09/04/2012 21:33

No not all inferring that hh was an apostate but the links were so derogatory about witnesses that they had to be apostate.

I think in this day and age that 13 is very young to be baptised and it is more likely that 19 and upwards would be an average age to get baptised.

calzone · 09/04/2012 21:34

Don't all active JWs tithe 10% of their income?

No they do not. At all.

lisad123 · 09/04/2012 21:34

Ages vary greatly and anyone who is seeking to get bapitised has to go though a number of questions to ensure they fully understand what they are committing to.

BelaLug0si · 09/04/2012 21:35

Calzone - how much of an expectation tithing is there these days then?

HerRoyalNotness · 09/04/2012 21:35

There is no requirement for tithing amongst JW. It's voluntary contributions, of the amount you want to contribute. All done in private. If you don't want to contribute, that is okay too.

lisad123 · 09/04/2012 21:35

think mormons do tithing at 10%

jjkm · 09/04/2012 21:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

calzone · 09/04/2012 21:36

Tis a huge commitment to get baptised and that is why witnesses make sure they understand this.

That is why there is no infant baptism.

WhiteShores · 09/04/2012 21:37

Its very easy to youtube 'Jehovah's Witness baptism' and anyone can see for themselves the age ranges getting baptised. They range from very young (10-ish) to very old (90+), with most falling in between.

There is no minimum age requirement. Just the ability to answer questions about beliefs correctly, and active involvement.

MmeBucket · 09/04/2012 21:40

But at 12, I didn't fully understand what I committed to. And I don't think the age has changed, because my sisters (very much younger than I am and younger cousins are all getting baptized at that age and younger. (My family doesn't talk to me, but my mom will send e-mails with spiritual "milestones")

runningforthebusinheels · 09/04/2012 21:41

blobtobetter it sounds very much to me like you are vulnerable, that are seeking some sort of direction in life. In a recent post you say 'you'd like to feel sure/happy in your faith' or words to that effect. Please don't be tempted to look to any person/people or any religion/church/faith to give you happiness.

Faith should come from within you - it should not be 'given' to you or dictated by a religion, church or community. It may interest you that I have no faith whatsoever, no religion, and I simply don't feel the need to belong to any community like this. If you'd like to belong to a religious congregation, (many people do like to), I would beg you to do some more reading/research on the subject of religious beliefs, rather than just start attending JW meetings purely on the basis that a woman at work won't stop asking you to.

Ask yourself if you actually believe what the JW's teach - there's some pretty extreme stuff just mentioned on this thread. Don't be tempted to join just because they're likely to be friendly to you. I think it is debatable whether JW are a cult or not - but I do think they have some very 'cultish' behaviours - the shunning business, the very threat that they may try to separate you from non-JW family and friends would be enough to make me very very wary of them.

calzone · 09/04/2012 21:47

I do not think anyone is giving Blob ANY CREDIT AT ALL for being a grownup and able to make decisions for herself.

If she wants to go to a meeting then let her!

If I want to look round a Mormon church then I will.

If I want to pray in a Jewish synagogue then I will.

She is an adult and able to decide for herself what she will or will not do.

WhiteShores · 09/04/2012 21:47

MmeBucket I agree. At 13 myself, I seriously had no concept that I would continue to grow and change as a person, and that the beliefs I held so strongly then would not last forever. I trusted my parents, and my grandparents, and hadn't yet begun to question things for myself.

HerRoyalNotness · 09/04/2012 21:52

MmeBucket I was baptised at 17 I think, and like you had no clue of the "dedication" part. I was able to answer the questions, was in good standing and in the preaching. It wasn't until I came back years later and really thought about it, what it actually meant!

I agree, about, not an age restriction as such, because there will always be young people that just KNOW, but advice that parents should advise their children to wait until they had at least gone through the turmoils of teenage-hood before deciding it if was for them, and to help them understand exactly what baptism means.

SophieNeveau · 09/04/2012 21:53

I don't think JW are anything but well meaning on the whole, I question the WatchTower people higher up though!

calzone · 09/04/2012 21:54

Are you a witness now HerRoyalNotness?

I got mixed up with all the other posters!

I think there is so much to go through in life before you should get baptised into any faith.

HerRoyalNotness · 09/04/2012 21:59

I am calzone, I was inactive in my 20s, but have returned. Holding on by my fingertips, but I'm trying every day.

WhiteShores · 09/04/2012 21:59

calzone Just as you want to point out to blobtobetter all the good things that JWs have to offer, some of us want to warn her about the risks to her (or any future children), because there are risks (such as what has happened to me).

This is not trying to take away her choice as a grownup, but rather informing it.

Original poster
blobtobetter · 09/04/2012 22:02

Runningforthebusinheels - I am trying to find something that matches my faith. Not something to replace it. I have been a Christian for a while now but have never belonged to a church - feel like I need to spend time with other believers though. I find it hard when my family and friends don't believe in God or realise how important my faith is to me.

I live with my non-JW and non-religious family so I am not sure how it would work even if I ever did join.

OP posts:
MmeBucket · 09/04/2012 22:07

Exactly, WhiteShores.

Blob, should you decide to go to the JW meetings, I would respectfully ask you to notice a few things. Such as how quickly they will try to get their version of the Bible in your hands. Or any of their publications. And notice how often they actually study just the Bible compared to how much time they study their publications. Should you accept a study, see what happens should you try to bring in anything but a JW publication into the study. And see how much actual outside thought and research is brought into their meetings that doesn't involve referring to their own publications. And if in their library they have any of their older books, ask if you can look into those to see how much the religion has changed since in the past 100 years.

MmeBucket · 09/04/2012 22:08

Again, I pressed post too soon.

Blob, I really hope you find what you're looking for no matter where you find it.

runningforthebusinheels · 09/04/2012 22:15

Nobody is trying to make out blob isn't a grown-up, but she has made reference to coming across as vulnerable in her posts - and I would wonder if this is why the JW woman at work is targeting her.

Blob - here's my advice - nobody should be able to tell you 'which' faith to follow. You have said you have your own beliefs already, and that's fine. I would say that any number of christian churches would allow you follow your christian faith and comfortably fit in with your life, and your non-religious family and friends.

Unless you have seriously considered becoming a JW before, I wouldn't do so just because of this woman at work.

BonfireOfKleenex · 09/04/2012 23:09

blobtobetter - it sounds to me like you are looking for fellowship in your beliefs, is that right? I'm sure that should be possible, as long as you find the right congregation / organisation.

I'm not religious, but I think if I was looking as you are, I'd be looking for:

  • something which complements my life, and fits as naturally as possible with my existing friends and family
  • something which didn't seek to replace my friends and family
  • something which respected me as an adult, and didn't try to dictate lifestyle choices to me
  • something which didn't speak of things being 'allowed' or 'not allowed' - I am not a child, and ultimately being treated as if I were would make me very unhappy, even if I went along with it initially to 'fit in'

I wish you luck in your search [busmile]

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