Association: Am i being lied to?

roxanesophia

I don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association. I keep reading on here that JW's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized. She tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want. Now, I don't BELIEVE that's true. My suspicion is I'm being told this because they know it's putting me off getting baptized and they have no real control over a study until they become a member so no one brings up the truth early in the game. Am I right in assuming that?

InterestedOne

I can't help you with the real truth since I'm an outsider, but when I ask my JW friend about this kind of thing, she says "you can do what you want." However, something felt fishy about it. I think they're hiding something.

Paralipomenon

Once you are a member the scripture "Bad associations spoil useful habits" is droned over and over again.

I'm surprised that this sister outright lied like that. Usually most witnesses stretch the truth or try to change the topic, but that one is a boldfaced lie.

I'll let someone with access to litterature flood you with the hundreds of accounts in their own litterature where they warn against having worldly friends. You can be labeled as "spiritually weak" if it known that you associate with worldly people outside of work hours.

Edit: Here, you can hear it from other witnesses:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090209094704AAJRB65

Iamallcool

Rox and IO, you are right, both of you, it is called Theocratic Warfare Strategy, the witnesses teach that you are not entitled to know the whole truth.

mrsjones5

Yes, your deduction is correct. You are being lied to as to whether jws can have worldly friends. I was born and raised in the org and having worldly friends was something frowned on and in very strict families something that was not allowed at all.

flipper

ROXANE- Yes, you are right in assuming that. On the money. They WILL have more control over you if you get baptized. Solution ? Don't get baptized. Cherish your freedom my friend

Mad Sweeney

"Bad associations spoil useful habits," is a big one. And they'll throw this at you, too, "Friendship with the world is enmity with God." "You don't want to make yourself an enemy of God, do you?"

JWs are big on telling people, including themselves, that they're free to do whatever they want. But they leave off the most important part, the defining part of what "free" means. You are NOT free to do what you want WITHOUT REPERCUSSIONS. It is like saying, "you are free to commit murder." Well yeah, if you accept the going to prison and maybe getting executed part that goes with that "freedom."

So when they tell you that you're "free" to associate with whoever you want, what they are leaving off is the laundry list of negative consequences for you if you exercise that right. You will not be IN with the spiritual cliques in the congregation if you routinely associate with "worldly" people. You may not be in with ANYone. You are likely to be "spoken to" by a "mature sister" and then if you don't change your ways, by a pair of elders. You WILL be leaned on to give up those close "worldly" associates or suffer the consequences of social stigma within the congregation.

You can have JW friends, OR you can have "worldly" friends. You can't have both.

HintOfLime

"Spiritual Warefare". It's not forbidden, you're just treated like a social invalid if you do it.

Just as you are being encouraged/led/pressured/whatever toward baptism...

Once you are baptized, the "encouragement" will continue toward "greater" things - being a frequent commentor/pioneer/ms/elder/person who handles microphones.. etc. There is no end to it. Period. You're not doing enough, and you never will be.

There is NEVER a meeting about how good a job everyone is doing. NEVER. It's always about what you are not doing. 100% truth right there. There are always "Local Needs", not "Local commendation" parts. No matter what you're doing - you really should be doing more, and if you're associating with non-JW's, that is probably what is holding you back, and why JEHOVAH isn't blessing your hard work.

Part of that "encouragement" will be the repeatedly beaten drum on "bad association". You'll find yourself in back rooms with elders offering you "encouragement" to only associate in the LORD, complete with bible scriptures quoted at you.

Good luck.

- Lime

MrFreeze

They will hound you about association, especially if you hang out with members of the opposite sex, even just as friends. They may even make false accusations. I know some did of me.

hoser

yes, you are being lied to!

Association: Am i being lied to?

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