by Jdarley 38 Replies latest jw friends
Jdarley
So your boyfriend is a Winess? That must make it a bit easier for you.
I wonder....well, here's a question to ask him, if you got baptised and then later you decide to start attending your Mormon parent's church, what would be the congregation's attitude to you? What would they do? What would your bf do?
Have you thought about that?
Cheers, Ozzie
actually I think there are scriptures which back that it up, it was brought up once or twice in someting i was reading, give me til tommorow to find it though. I am under 18, I am only 16
JD Welcome to the forum. You might not realize it yet but this is a good place to find out what the JWs are NOT telling you.
Sadly many people get involved without fully knowing what they are getting involved with.
I heard something today on TV. I foret what the topic was but the comment was very appropriate.
If I want to buy (let's say a Dell computer) I don't just go to Dell and ask them what they think of their computer. We know they are going to say it is the best. I go to the people who have had problems and then weigh the two sides - the pros and the cons.
Just the fact that you are here shows you have a questionning mind. Keep it open. If you find after looking here on this site and others (don't just take our word for it - look around) you still think becoming a JW is great then have a good life. But if you find things that really bother you then listen to what your gut feeling is telling you.
Feel free to ask questions. There are a lot of people here who can help you
Jdarley,
Thanks for answering my question. Since you are still a minor, what does the Bible say about your relationship with your parents?
NewLight2
Welcome to the forum Jdarley! I have found this forum a treasure trove for support and information during times when other people are giving you a very hard time for adhering to your conscience and your most personal and sincere beliefs. Just like you. My mother and grandparents were baptized in 1943, and I myself was baptized in 1973 (32 years already, how time flies!). This was during the Second World War, so they were persecuted as well. I'm not sure if you're a big reader, but someone, a very well respected and loving church elder when he was actually a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses!!! - his name is Ray Franz - wrote a very balanced and helpful book that might give you everything you need - all in one. (Mr. Franz was baptized in 1938, was a missionary for over twenty years and actually wrote lots of Watchtowers and other JW books like the bible encyclopedia "Insight in the Scriptures"). After being baptized for over 32 years, in this book I learnt many, many things I never knew, and it really made me grow in knowledge. I truly wished that when I was your age, I would have had access to this great book. Almost all of us here have read it - it's a must. The book is called "Crisis of Conscience" 2004 edition - you can easily order it from Amazon. Please do not alienate yourself from your loving parents Jdarley. Be gentle on them. They are the means by which Jehovah has given you the precious gift of life. They must be so concerned for the well being of their precious daughter. To me, you sound like a sincere and moral young person, so they must be very proud of you! Please respect them for that even if you do not agree with them. Why don't you make a deal with them and try to involve them in your decision-making process? Buy the book together with them and promise to answer each others questions based upon it? Then you decide, and they will at least not feel having been shut out of a decision that they must also feel is very important you. Take very good care of your precious life, Vincent (Hope my formatting wasn't lost again and obliterated my paragraphs again. If so, could you please advise me?)
But i do plan on getting baptized as soon as possible. I follow all the beliefs and study diligently.
Welcome to the board !!!! Just 16!!! what a wonderful age to be!!!! You have a whole life to explore life... I am 78.. I was a faithful Jehovahs Witness for 25 years.. I used to be beaten by my husband ( he was a Catholic not practising) because he did not want me to be a JW. But as you will learn in the JWs THEY will teach you that it is good to be persecuted for being a JW.... But darling the BIBLE doesnt teach that, It is on account of Jesus the WAY! Truth & Life >>> the Bible says we will be persecuted for...You will lose ALL your family whatever other religion they are if you get baptised I can promise you that. Why not start a RELATIONSHIP with GOD???? Ask God to guide,lead direct you into all truth....Talk to him & look at other Bibles not only JWs they have altered very important parts to fit their interpretation on truth....At least dont get baptised till you have really examined the Wt failings... Like teaching that Jesus came back invisably in the 1800- then in the 1900,then in 1975 we were going to be on that paradize earth- even if it was going to take years to clean up- I have all the Studies in the Scriptures>>>> Their teachings ... e-mail me privately if you wish -give me you address I will send you what you need to know --- I have lost my family because I did not ===nor do I believe that Jesus came invisibly in 1914... Grace
Hey JD! Welcome to the forum.
It is always so nice and encouraging to see young ones who yearn for and find Jehovah on their own. Sorry about your family situation. Maybe you could tell them about this forum. That way they could ask questions and get to understand what you are doing and why it is so important to you.
There are some people who aren't jw here, or who used to be. Some folks will tell you to avoid such people because they are a danger to your faith.
I guess that never made much sense to me. I figure if I have the truth, it should be able to stand up to any questions or scrutiny. Plus I want to know what people who don't believe in the truth think. That way I can find out the best ways to argue against them.
So please stick around and let us get to know you better.
CYP
Jdarley
Nice to have new ones visit the forum. Welcome.
Like the poster Van Gogh above, I was also baptized in 1973. I was a little older than you are at the time.
Obviously, you love the Bible, and want to serve God 'In spirit and truth", right? And you now believe you have found the 'truth' in the organization of Jehovah's witnesses, correct.?
Would you do this one thing, in respect of the Bible?
Please take your Bible and read the gospel of John. Note every time he uses the word 'truth'. See if you see any connection to 'organization' or even 'congregation' when he uses that word. I think you will find that most passages point to Jesus Christ as embodiment of 'truth' or at least connected to 'truth'. I had read my Bible faithfully as a witness youth before baptism and later as a baptized witness, for well over 40 years. But as a witness, I never heard a single other witness refer to Jesus as the 'truth' - they always referred to the JW religion as the 'truth'.
John 14:6 says " I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me." Jesus was speaking here.
Van gogh's recommendation that you work with your parents is a good one. Why alienate your family at this age? Get Raymond Franz' book as he suggested. You read it, allow your parents to read it, look at his scriptural references and decide together if this is what you want to do. Do it privately as a family. I think it is an excellent idea.
Your parents love you, have raised you, cared for you, fed and housed you, instructed you in life. Do you really think that now suddenly they have fallen under the infuence of Satan? Or could it be that they are continuing to love you and are concerned that you are taking a very dangerous step at this point?
Could it be too, and be honest here, that you are being unduly influenced by the love you feel for your boyfriend, and that you are allowing that to cloud your thinking? Just be honest. Be careful. Look at this from all sides. OK?
Stick around. We can help.
Jeff
Also 100% of my family looks at it like a cult, and dont want me involved.
Why do they think it is a cult? What is a cult anyway? I mean, before you could say the jw is a cult, you would have to know what a cult is.
For instance, my sister was in Scientology. Now that is a cult. They don't even believe in Jehovah! Here is a neat link that talks about them and why they are a cult. The first part is boring, but there is a checklist below that explains some of the reasons they are a cult.
Welcome to the board, Jdarley !!
I pray that you will investigate the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society thoroughly on the internet before you make any decision to become a member of their organisation.
Are you aware that instead of being baptised in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit as Jesus commanded at Matthew 28:19-20 you will be baptised into the spirit directed organisation of Jehovah's Witnesses?
Also notice in the same scriptures that Jesus said to baptise them first and then teach them the things He taught. Do the Jehovah's Witnesses baptise people and then teach them or do they teach them and then baptise?
Matt 28:19-20 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Are you aware that if you become a Jehovah's Witness you will not be able to worship Jesus as your Lord and Savior as his disciples did?
John 20:27-29 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer.” Thomas responded to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed.”
Did you notice that Jesus did not correct Thomas when he called Jesus his God?
Ask the Jehovah's Witnesses to let you see the New World Translation Bible that is green and is the 1961 Revised Edition. Look up Hebrews 1:6 and read it. Then look at the current New World Translation that the Jehovah's Witnesses placed with you and read Hebrews 1:6.
Do you see any difference in the words? Now compare it with the following Bible translations:
Heb 1:6 (Holman Christian Standard Bible) When He again brings His firstborn into the world, He says, And all God’s angels must worship Him.
Heb 1:6 (King James Version) And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Heb 1:6 (American Standard Version) And when he again bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Heb 1:6 (Bible in Basic English) And again, when he is sending his only Son into the world, he says, Let all the angels of God give him worship.
Heb 1:6 (New American Standard Bible) And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, " AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM ."
Heb 1:6 (New English Translation) But when he again brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all the angels of God worship him!"
Heb 1:6 (New International Version) And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."
Heb 1:6 (New King James Version) But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of God worship Him."
Heb 1:6 (New Living Translation) And then, when he presented his honored Son to the world, God said, "Let all the angels of God worship him."
Heb 1:6 (The Message Bible) When he presents his honored Son to the world, he says, "All angels must worship him."
Does the New World Translation Bible you have say the same thing about Jesus and the angels as other Bibles? Does the Green 1961 New World Translation say the same thing in Hebrews 1:6 as the one the Jehovah's Witnesses gave you? If not, then why was it changed?
There are many, many other things you should investigate about the Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs.
Do you believe it is only fair and right that you should be able to examine the history and teachings of the Watchtower Society by researching the library and the internet before you decide to be baptised?
Why would someone discourage you from making a complete investigation of the Jehovah's Witness religion using sources other that the Watchtower Society's publications if they have the Truth from the Bible?
Do you believe that Truth should be able to withstand any and all scrutiny?
Again, welcome to this board.
