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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:
rhondajean · 12/04/2012 18:28

No, anything you did previously wouldn't be held against you unless you either continued doing it or tried to persuade others to take part in it with you, they do believe in second chances and people being able to change.

Jambuttyyummy · 12/04/2012 18:30

Hidden, I don't know much about Catholics but don't they believe you will go to hell if you don't act in line with their teachings? And what about ex communication?

Blob, your past really doesn't matter. If you are expressIng an interest then people will be pleased to welcome and encourage you. You will not be viewed as the enemy coming in, quite the opposite. They wouldn't come to your birthday party of course!!

stressedHEmum · 12/04/2012 18:32

Blob, Rhonda has the right of it. Anything not produced by the society is to be avoided. That includes TV, films, music, books, magazines, everything. There are a few reasons for that. One is that anything not produced by the Society is of the Devil and will distract you from Jehovah's will and lead you astray. Another is that it will fill you with worldly desires and expectations and put you in the way of temptation.

The actual reason is, of course, that you might read/hear something that the GB doesn't approve of, that challenges doctrine or policy or that is critical of the organisation.

You are really only encouraged to read the NWt in conjunction with Watchtower publications, anything is belongs to Satan and is a waste of time that you could be using studying/obeying Jehovah God's word and will. Music etc. is the same. Really you should only be listening to music/books etc. produced by the society because this builds up knowledge and faith, anything else distracts from that.

They want adults to join because they need converts. Something like 60% of young people brought up as witness leave and don't come back.

All articles, books etc. are anonymous because the GB says that it is not them that authors/edits the stuff but Jehovah God himself (he leads and guides them in producing the right spiritual food at the appointed time) and they don't want to take away from His glory. That's one of the nice wee mind control techniques they use. If the info comes from Jehovah then it is much harder to contest than if it comes from a bunch of old men.

Original poster
blobtobetter · 12/04/2012 18:35

Not planning to go any time soon - want to read the magazines and bible a bit first to see what is in them. Not going to just wander in unprepared!

There is probably a lot that they would expect me to renounce. Sounds almost like you get a clean slate but I would have thought baggage would be carried over.

What happens if someone joins up and repents but then slips back into old ways? Actually not sure what you would have to give up.

OP posts:
hiddenhome · 12/04/2012 18:35

What the Catholic church teaches is in line with the other Christian churches. All Christians are supposed to believe that they will go to hell if they don't repent and turn to Christ. I don't intend on doing anything that would ever have me excommunicated. Excommunications don't happen very often and only in extreme circumstances. What you do is between yourself and God. You would not be dragged in for questioning, examination or lectures if your actions were found to be wanting. Abortion is about the only thing they would get upset over and when I confessed to the Priest that I'd assisted during abortions when I was a student, he didn't bat an eyelid. PPs are remarkably wordly contrary to popular opinion.

rhondajean · 12/04/2012 18:35

Stressed I haven't seen that stat on leaving before, that's interesting.

Everything which does not come directly from the society is "vanity".

rhondajean · 12/04/2012 18:35

And a striving after the wind.

Just to complete the biblical quote.

Original poster
blobtobetter · 12/04/2012 18:38

I know the JW at work goes on cinema trips in a big group - just to see normal films. Plus she listens to modern music. Even Rihanna!

OP posts:
Codandchops · 12/04/2012 18:38

Hell is referred to in the Bible and personally I view it as an experience of horrible experiences rather than as a "fire of all eternity".

Bad people live in their own Hell in my opinion, I don't think that is just a Catholic construct.

People are not ex-communicated from the Catholic church. They can choose not to attend but they will still be acknowledged and welcomed by those who DO still attend because the example of Jesus is "to love one another". Nobody would be shunned if they lapsed.

Priests I don't know so much about. Our local Priest did tell me that the Bishop holds the power to stop him performing marriages etc if he behaved in a way which bought the church into disrepute.

hiddenhome · 12/04/2012 18:38

Christianity sets you free, not restricts you to the point where you are fearful, especially of what other people think of you. The problem with the JWs is that it's a manmade 'church' and you are answerable to the people who run it......Not to God. God accepts us as we are and loves us for what we are. Improving and cleansing ourselves can take place when we turn to Christ, but at no point are we answerable to another human being. Only God can judge us.

Codandchops · 12/04/2012 18:40

Disclaimer , I am a new Catholic so still learning.

rhondajean · 12/04/2012 18:41

Oh it's not that you can't blob - but it's a distraction - as long as its not an unsuitable film or song erc.

ET for example was "banned" in the 80s - may still be - as the coming back to life part was mocking the resurrection of Christ.

Ive actually never seen it, even as an adult, and I think it's because it's tainted in my mind whether I want it to be or not. Someone watching et in the 80/ would be spoken to about it.

Does anyone remember the great proctor and gamble boycott? I think there must have been a hint of legal action around it as I'm sure something has to be printed saying it wasnt true.

hiddenhome · 12/04/2012 18:43

I'm reading a good book at the moment. It's called 'Struggling to be Holy' by Judy Hirst

It's easy to read and not very long.

stressedHEmum · 12/04/2012 18:45

Rhonda, I had forgotten that wee quote in this context, but it sums up the position entirely, doesn't it.

Blob, I bet your friend doesn't go to see films with bad language, violence or the like in, though, or watch the music vids of ladies "dancing in their pants" as my DD likes to say. Rhianna would definitely have been frowned upon in the old days, if she had been about, everything else was.

WhiteShores · 12/04/2012 18:46

JWs do watch normal films and read normal books, although they are encouraged to always put the Society's literature first.

Films/books that would be considered a 'no go' would be anything involving spiritism/paranormal/magic, horror, excessive swearing, sexual behaviour, violence, etc. Basically, only fairly low-rated wholesome movies/books should be watched/read.

Obviously, some JWs will sneak out and watch some of these movies anyway, but they're not supposed to, and could get spoken to by the elders if reported, disciplined if persistent, etc. etc.

stressedHEmum · 12/04/2012 18:47

Was the P&G thing about Satanism, Rhonda? I think that I vaguely remember something about that, but can't remember when.

rhondajean · 12/04/2012 18:49

Yes it was said the trademark showed an astrologer (at the time it was A mans head in a circle with stars behind) and everyone boycotts bold flash etc whatever cleaning products they made as being satanic.

MmeBucket · 12/04/2012 18:52

Rhonda, that stat that Stressed is quoting came from the pew religious survey of 2010. The JW's have cited this survey several times in their magazines since it was published, because it shows their members pray the most out of all the religions surveyed, but they've never quoted the part that they have the lowest retention rate for people who were born into it.

MmeBucket · 12/04/2012 18:55

I don't remember that boycott, but I remember reading an article in the magazines about how ET and Saturday Night Fever were bad, and there was a big to-do about not eating Godiva chocolate because it contained blood, and I remember everyone in our hall not buying things in garage sales or second-hand stores because they were all worried that people who practiced demonism had owned them before, and they could be posessed.

jjkm · 12/04/2012 18:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SparklyGothKat · 12/04/2012 18:56

I remember that one of the brothers was found to be abusing some of the young girls, he was allowed back as he repented and when I questioned this was told that 'man can't judge only Jehovah' but I know a lot of the parents were very careful after that. I was one of the lucky ones who was taken out by this man but wasn't abused, but because he was a brother, my parents trusted him.
Did you know that prince is a jw? Or at least he was, anyone know if he still is??

rhondajean · 12/04/2012 18:57

Oh yes the second hand thing!

Missed thengodiva chocolate and I had forgotten about the Saturday night fever. I remember disco dancing was frowned upon as dancing by yourself encouraged selfishness plus it was sexually provocative.

Not at all jim, the society produces books explaining others beliefs so you can refute them if you meet one while witnessing.

Jambuttyyummy · 12/04/2012 18:58

Thanks for the info. What happens with divorcees now? Can they re marry in the church or take communnium?

I very much believe I am answerable to Jehovah by the way not the men.

And you can be re- instated to the truth and be welcomed back whole

Original poster
blobtobetter · 12/04/2012 18:59

She went to see the Hangover and even I avoided that one - I don't like films like that doesn't appeal to my sense of humour!

So you can read / watch other things as long as the watchtower stuff comes first. That makes sense as it was starting to sound quite strict (based on this thread) but that didn't quite match up with what the JW I know does.

OP posts:
stressedHEmum · 12/04/2012 19:00

jjkm, I don't know about nowadays, but there used to be a book called "Mankind's search for God" which gave info on all the other leading world faiths. JWs studied that so that they would know how to tackle other faiths on the doorstep. It was all written from a "false religion" standpoint, of course, but it did give a bit of an insight into what other people believe.

Mme, I remember all that paranoia about second-hand stuff. No-one would buy anything second-hand from anywhere just in case it had been in a home where demonic stuff (like crosses and rock music) had been.

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