Must JWs Confirm They're JWs?

by Simon G Best 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  VoidEater

  Hi Blues: Remember who we're dealing with - hypocrisy is their middle name. To answer about:

  "doctrine, or belief, principle, rule"

  ...you have to go to what they are telling people to do rather explicitly. The latest "new light" really is quite different from past doctrine (pretty old WT to quote from when so much has changed). Dealing with the:

  "...or whatever"

  ...part, sure there are lots of basic ethical standards Christians should uphold - honesty and integrity not being the least, and the specifics of proclaiming yourself to be one of Jehovah's people ("Witnessing about Jehovah") being at the forefront. That was the whole point with Malawi, with WWII...hmm, but not anymore.

  That was then, this is now. No one should be lulled into a false sense of security that they will be dealt with honestly or ethically in this new age of "theocratic warfare". Clearly Witnesses now have permission to lie.

  Should they answer honestly? Yes. Would a true Christian or witness of God do so? Sure. Is there a specific docttine you can count on today? Doesn't look like it.
• 

  tribalgirl

  If you truly believe what they teach, why wouldn't you be proud that you were recognized as living up to the standards they set?

  When I was "in", I would have been honest about it.

  So glad I don't have to even think about it anymore. ;)
• 

  yknot

  Welcome Simon!

  There is no "rule" but I don't really see why the person wouldn't confirm their Dub-dom, as an adult.

  If we are talking JW kids, then in the dog eat dog world of school, anything goes.

  Yknot
• 

  jgnat

  Witnesses themselves quickly confirm if they are talking to a "true" witness or not. This is very plain when a visitor arrives at a Kingdom Hall. Someone will approach and ask a few questions, such as "Are you in the Truth" or "The times we are living in, I tell you, (deep sigh)." ? To find out what that person's status is. The Witness will then decide how intimate they will become based on those answers.

  Ever heard the story of shibboleth? Kind of like that. http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Words/shibboleth.html

  As for a non-witness trying to sort out if a friend is a Witness or not, that's a little more difficult. You don't have the lingo. "Are you in the Truth?" might work if the Witness has never seen you smoke, celebrate Christmas, sign a birthday card or do anything else that would alert him that you are a "worldlly" person.
• 

  sacrebleu

  Got to disagree with Blues Brother,

  Denying Jesus is not the same as denying the lying, thieving, killing, heartless, gutless, merciless, money hungry Watchtower. At least not to me.

  Sorry

  sacrebleu
• 

  WTWizard

  I would rather say I was one of Jehovah's witlesses as I bring my shopping basket full of tinsel garlands and Christmas ornaments up to the checkout counter at Wal-Mart or Target. That way, they know why I would spend $40 on a basket full of tinsel garlands. Like yesterday I bought 4 garlands and two door ornaments. Last week, I went to Wal-Mart and bought 5 garlands and a set of lights.

  Sure beats having to tell people that I AM a Witless.
• 

  hilannj

  When I was little I was taught that if asked outright I should say yes, but if I was out in service and they said who are you with, or what church are you in, I was to that saying Watchtower Bible and Tract Soc. was fine, since I wasn't actually lying.
• 

  katiekitten

  When I was one I would never had avoided a direct question like that, but out on the door knocking service I might have 'clouded' my identity a bit in order to get past the first sentence before the door was slammed in my face! So openers like "we are engaged in a christian ministry", "We are bible students", "We are talking to local people about crime"! etc

  You could always ask a series of questions designed to root out the real JW:

  Do you celebrate christmas?
  Do you salute the flag?
  Would you refuse a blood transfusion?
  Are women allowed to wear trousers at your place of worship?
  If you watched 'The Life of Brian' would you feel guilty if you belly laughed at it?
• 

  Warlock

  Any JW just needs to talk to someone for 5 minutes about the 'truth' and they will know if you are a fake or not. Maybe less that 5 minutes.

  Once, I had a guy tell me he was a JW. I asked him two questions and he was just a flat out liar.

  Warlock
• 

  Superfine Apostate

  in fact JWs learn how to not tell the truth without feeling like a liar.