New here, got a question

kj

Hi everyone. I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed reading your posts. I am not and have never been a JW, but my husband and I both have a lot of family who are. My mother was sucked into it in 1999. I have a question, is it true that JWs are forbidden to set foot in any church other than the Kingdom Hall? Even for something like a rummage sale, something non-worship related? You all have been giving me a lot of food for thought when it comes to JW hypocrisy! Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks.

kj

Victorian sky

kj, welcome to the board! About going into a church, the answer is sort of yes - JWs can't go in. In the mid 1990s, when my cousin got married my elder uncle told me that to go into the church for the ceremony would be a form of interfaith so we didn't attend the ceremony just the reception. Same thing when my grandfather died, we can't go in for the service only the cemetary part of the service. As I started having doubts about such a 'loving' organization, I did attend one of my cousin's weddings for the church service and it was wonderful. As far as going to a church for a garage sale, no - the way I understood it, as a JW I wasn't allowed to go because the money would be supporting the world empire of false religion, as awful as that sounds. Now I think the GB are just afraid we'd find out that they are just like any other religion and that JWs aren't the only decent people on the planet. Sorry about your mom being in, so is mine, we'll get 'em out. welcome again - V Sky

Valis

You aren't supposed to go into other churches, for bake sales, social gatherings, rummage sales, etc...However, as far as I know they leave the clause in there that if you were to attend say a funeral or wedding for someone then it ultimately becomes a matter of conscience. That along with the admonition to be wary not to fall into any satanic snare and do something unscriptural... Welcome to the board.

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

tinkerbell82

welcome to the board! :)

i believe this is one of those things that is *technically* a matter of individual conscience, although it's heavily "frowned upon"...and we all know what that means :\

Stacy Smith

My parents and I have attended several weddings and funerals in churchs without a problem when we were active. But if we were to say have attended an Easter or Christmas mass, then that would be grounds for disfellowshipping.

RunningMan

Weddings and funerals are allowed, subject to much soul searching on the part of the attendee. You wouldn't go to a church funeral frivolously - only for someone close to you. Anything else is out.

You wouldn't want to come home demonized, now would you?

refiners fire

Some aspects of belief are beyond dispute in the JWs and everyone accepts them. Going door to door would be one such thing. Noone would question its necessity as a condition of salvation. Other things are less certain and,to a degree, are matters of individual choice, things that the WT org gives either strong or weak indications of direction upon. Id say the matter of attending other churches has been fairly strongly banned by the JW org and certainly no witness would attend church services out of interest in hearing what had to be said.

Doubtless some dubs rummage about at Church jumble sales, but they would be looking over their shoulder to see if a dub was driving past who might spot them. I ve known people who foamed at the mouth in a rage at the thought of attending a funeral service for their brother if it was being held in a Lutheran church,these ones had very finely tuned consciences and certainly appeared extremely holy before men. While others,I expect, would choose to attend the funeral for family reasons but certainly wouldnt spread the fact of their attendance around lest it "stumble" a brother.

kj

Wow, you all are quick. Thanks!

The reason I ask, is I have a JW aunt who likes to go to what are called "Mom to Mom" sales. These are like big garage sales where moms sell stuff they don't need anymore, and a lot of them are held in churches. Sometimes the admission fee goes to the church, but the profits from the sales, as I understand it, go to the sellers themselves. Anyway, this same aunt of mine would not set foot in my backyard this past summer for a picnic because my father-in-law, who was DFd 30 years ago, was going to be there. He even said he would not talk to her or eat with her, but she wouldn't budge. She then bullied my mother until she refused to come too. But she will shop in a church to save a few bucks on her baby's clothes. She can bend the rules, as long as there's something in it for her. MAKES ME SICK! AGGGHHHHH!!

Thanks for letting me vent, and for the quick replies!

kj

Hamas

Welcome, KJ !

Great to have you here.

I hope your family release themselves from the chains that they wear.

www.escapethewatchtower.com

refiners fire

Indeed, KJ, you can see some variety of opinion within this thread.Every dub reads the WT words of wisdom and puts his own slight twist on the interpretation. Certainly the matter of church attendance is not totally cut and dried. But you can clearly see from the responses here that no dub would attend a "babylon" church for ANY reason without a lot of personal soul searching beforehand.

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