I grew up in the Truth since the age of 6, but the philosophy on singleness always bothered me. For many years I couldn't explain why. I didn't even understand myself. It just didn't FEEL right. Now I've got it into words and I'm asking the questions and getting the cold shutout.
I need your help.
Ask your JW Elder:
"Why did God create Eve?"
You'll get a different answer from one Elder to another. Some will respond with outright falsehood, others with half of the truth and still others will go out on a non-governing body sanctioned limb and actually give the
correct answer.
The truthful answer is actually quite easy because Jehovah himself explained why he created Eve. Jehovah said "It is NOT good for the man to continue by himself, I am going to make a helper for him, as a compliment of him."
Why was it "NOT good" for the man to continue by himself? Jehovah was once alone. He obviously did not like this situation and so created other spirit creatures. If Adam was created in Jehovah's image, does it make sense that he would be happy being alone? Of course not! The solution that Jehovah made for Adam was different in that instead of creating many creatures, Jehovah created just one companion and designed her to be complimentary. The other difference is that, as Gen 1:27 states, humans were made "male and female".
The Bible says that Eve was created to be "a helper". What was Eve designed to help Adam with? The hard physical labor of planting and cultivating? If that were the case, wouldn't it have made sense to give the woman more strength? Isn't it obvious from the qualities that we see women exhibit that providing emotional support and intimate friendship was the helpful function the Eve was created to fulfill?
Some Elders will say that Eve was created merely for the purpose of pro-creation so that Jehovah's ambition to populate the Earth could be realized. This is surprisingly contradictory to the Scriptures, since Jehovah made it clear that he was responding to Adam's needs and that he was making a "helper" for Adam!
The fact of the matter is that Elders will give many different and conflicting answers to this question. The Governing Body has and will continue to ignore the question if at all possible. Why? Because they have for many years been teaching the philosophy that a person can get all their emotional needs met through prayer, Holy spirit and association with other Witnesses. They've supported the apostle Pauls words that a single person "will do better" (1Co. 7:38-40). If it was not Good for Adam to be single according to Jehovah's own words in Gen 2, then how can the apostle Paul's claim that a man is better off single be true? This contradiction makes the Governing Body run and hide. The Apostle Paul was spirit-annointed and so were the ones he was writing to in 1Co. 7. The other sheep are NOT spirit annointed and neither has their nature been changed from that which Jehovah gave the first human pair as it apparently will be in the resurrection to live on earth as Jesus indicated in Lu. 20:36,37.
If a Theological doctrine can not be defended or explained from the Scriptures as with the Trinity. We are taught as Witnesses to look for truth elsewhere. So WHERE do spiritually-minded persons go to find truth these days?
I am not an apostate and am not rejecting Jehovah's Witnesses as God's organization. I simply want to deprive the Governing Body of the freedom to keep running away from the question and ignoring me, so PLEASE ask your Elders and ask any Witnesses you talk to; "Why did Jehovah create Eve?" and see what kind of answer you get.
Society position on Singleness
by [email protected] 5 Replies latest jw friends
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[email protected]
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Mary
I am not an apostate and am not rejecting Jehovah's Witnesses as God's organization. I simply want to deprive the Governing Body of the freedom to keep running away from the question and ignoring me.
dorkin, you'll soon find out that if you continue to question the Governing Body on ANYTHING that they've made a decision on, you WILL eventually be considered an apostate. It makes absolutely no difference whatsoever, that you might have valid questions----those are the ones that terrify the GB, because they know full well that many of their doctrines and teachings are false.
The GB's position on singleness is based on what Paul said about those being ablet to "make room" for the "gift of singleness" in order to devote their time to preaching . There was a time decades ago where anyone getting married was almost shunned because Armageddon was "soooo near" that they should just wait. Then about 25 years ago, the GB came up with the idea that even if you get married, you shouldn't have kids this close to Armageddon......they quickly realized though that without the members reproducing, the Organization would go the way of the Puritans (or some other religious group centuries ago who refused to have sex and reproduce), so they've let up on that one.
It can be devasting when you finally come to realize that this isn't "the Truth", but be forwarned: If you question the Governing Body, they view that as questioning Jehovah Himself.
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rebel8
Dorkinaut23,
You are right about the Eve/getting married issue. You also recall that there is a scripture condemning those who forbid to marry. Of course the Society is not doing that outright; however, as you know, it is strongly discouraged. Here are some more references for you on this topic. I hope they will help: FACE THE FACTS, pp. 46, 49-50 ; Watchtower, 3/1/1988, pp.18-27 ; CHILDREN, p. 366-367; AWAKE!, 11/8/1974 p.11. I think you will have difficulty finding a recent publication that retracts any of the things published in those.
I hear where you?re coming from and understand. I, too, feel quite uncomfortable with some of the teachings of the WTS and the local Elders. I hope it will lead you to continue your research.
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stillajwexelder
IT is interesting - tehy like singleness so the ycan pioneer etc, etc, BUT --- all the JW growth or most comes from JWs having kids, being raised in the truth and getting baptized - the WTBTS really are caught between the Scilla and Charibdes on this one
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badboy
Celibacy is unscriptural,according to a jw I know.
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Taylor S.
there's a thread on here that goes 'Are you an apostate' or something like that. you should check it out because questioning the GB is, in their twisted minds, like questioning Jah himself ... and therefore (ding ding ding), you're an apostate.
but don't sweat it son ... if reasonable questioning makes you an apostate ...
then wear the badge proudly .
taylorS
PS -- Screw being single. What kind a sadistic god would give you extreme cravings, and then tell you to suppress them (as if you ever truly can ***Catholic Priests***). My mom spent my entire life being single because she couldn't find a suitable 'brother' and she didn't want to put me (her only child) through the evil stepdad thing that she went through, inspite of all the 'worldly' suitors who were constantly after her. i love her for that ... but its yet another JW bug up my ass about THAT GROUP.