by Kate82 51 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
The Watchtower bible used to be published with a green cover. More than one public speaker was heard to hold up a copy and proudly declare, "if the society tell me this book is red then its red".
Do you really want to give up your right to think for yourself?
Life in the Watchtower is akin to North Korea.
Kate.. most 'rules' are unspoken... you just pick them up as you go along from what is said by others. Congregations do differ from one to another, some are more laid back than others.
However the most important things that you WILL have to follow are...
You cannot celebrate Christmas, birthdays, halloween, thanksgiving, valentine's day, mother's day. father's day etc.
You will be expected to go out preaching from door to door and be expected to report the amount of time you spend. It may not be that much, just a few hours a month but you have to do it every month.
You cannot have a blood transfusion. You will be looked down on if you marry someone who is not a baptised JW. Sex outside of marriage is a big no no.
You have to regularly attend meetings. You can only really miss them if you are sick. If you stop going you will be considered 'spiritually weak'.
You should not go on sites like this or speak out against any of the doctrines even if you disagree with them, if you do you could have the elders asking you questions. At the worst you could be 'disfellowshipped' for it (excommunicated). This means all the friends you have made will no longer have anything to do with you.
While you are still not baptised this won't happen. So if you do consider looking into it further try and be aware of all these things. Take it as slowly as you can and look at everything (as you seem to be doing).
Most important rule: don't get baptized.
Rules can also vary according to congregation. There's a congregation near mine that does not allow women to wear red dresses. Why? Because the harlot in the Revelation book wears a red dress! However, it's okay to wear a red dress in other congregations.
Obey blindly and give up all independant thought thats the main rule .
To be baptised into the Watchtower Organisation is not the same as a Christian baptism . A JW baptism is a dedication to a group of not very special individual men who give themselves misguided thoughts such as that they are directly controlled by God . Anybody on this planet could claim the same but the men at Brooklyn having a total grasp of unreality take it seriously and desire to rule over a group of sales persons. Before anyone gets dedicated officially they should ask themselves why am I allowing other human beings to have control of my existence and well being . Stay free and beauty surrounds you.
You can eat whatever you want....you can eat so much that you weigh 400 pounds ( as long as there is no blood in your food ) rare steak is ok
But if you smoke you will be kicked out . JW's love to eat !!!! Smoking is as bad or worse then raping a child !!!!It's a drug to them.....
coffee is ok though......it gets confusing but they have the answers for everything. Just turn your brain off, and let them do all your thinking.
NOT lol
Don't get baptised!!! Run like HELL!!! Your entire life will be ruined. You will not have control over your own internal dialogue. The WTS methodically uses thought reform. The best advice is DO NOT ASSOCIATE with JW's.!!!!!!!!
Now, you can ask any question you want without much chance of them attacking your character. They might not even get too stroppy if you question their answer.
Once baptised, questioning an answer that doesn't make sense will put them on the defensive. Persisting in wanting a sensible answer will frighten them off you. They will not want to be your friend. They would see you as a danger to their, and their kids 'spirituality' and they would pass that gossip around the congregation so that others could protect their families from you.
Make enough noise about their nonsense answer and you may find yourself in front of a Judicial Committee, where you'll have the choice of sucking it up and repenting and promising not to be a trouble maker, Disassociating yourself (DA), or being Disfellowshipped (DF). If your position is supported by their own NWT Bible, that will not be taken into account as a mitigating factor. You either shut up, or you're out.
This makes for extreme psychological pressure to conform, especially when you have JW family members. They longer you have been a member, the more you have to lose. This results in a lot of JWs out recruiting for a church who's doctrines they don't actually believe themselves. I know quite a few that are hiding private doubts, don't agree with doctrines, don't agree with rules, but they are so entwined with the Church that getting out would wreck their entire social world.
Stolen from http://www.topix.com/forum/religion/jehovahs-witness/TLM0ERNA9660RFDMS
A lot of these are not official disfellowshipping offenses, but they are strongly frowned upon. You would be "talked to" in the back room if you participated in some of these and it became known.
Belong to another organization or club for the purpose of socializing with nonbelievers
Have best friends and activity buddies who are not Jehovah's Witnesses
Associate with people outside their organization when it is not necessary
Attend social functions sponsored by their employer unless attendance is required
Associate with coworkers after business hours in a social settings
Disagree with their organization's rules and code of conduct
Disagree with their organization's doctrines
Contribute to the Presidential Campaign Fund on their tax return
Join the armed forces and defend their country
Say the Pledge of Allegiance
Salute the flag
Vote
Run for leadership in their organization
Run for leadership in any organization
Take a stand for any political issue inside their organization
Take a stand on any political or 'worldly' issue outside of their organization
Campaign for a political candidate
Hold political office
Discuss politics
Be a union steward or shop steward
Actively be involved in a union strike
Use a gun for protection against humans
Become a police officer if a gun is required
Wear military uniforms or clothing associated with war
Take yoga classes and practice the discipline of yoga. See Is Yoga For Christians?
Smoke tobacco and cigars
Work full time selling tobacco and cigars
Attend Alcoholics Anonymous
Donate blood
Accept blood transfusions. See Abstain From Blood
Read books, magazines, publications, and literature from other religions.
Buy anything from a church store
Buy something at a church garage sale
Donate items to a church run store
Shop at the Salvation Army
Work for the Salvation Army
Work for another church
Play competitive sports on a school team
Play competitive sports professionally
Run for class president
Become a cheerleader
Go to the school prom or school dance.
Attend class reunions
Be hypnotized
Accept Jesus as their mediator, 1 Timothy 2:5. See Mediator
Join the Boy Scouts
Join the Girl Guides
Join the YMCA.
Serve on jury duty
Study psychology, philosophy, sociology, and viewpoints that might shake their faith.
Attend other Christian churches
Attend nondenominational churches
Attend non Christian churches
Get married in another church
Dating non believers is discouraged
Casual dating is discouraged
Dating someone without the intent of getting married
Having sex before marriage
Breaking an engagement can result in disciplinary action
Marriage to non believers is not recommended
Be gay or lesbian. Homosexuality is not acceptable.
Throw rice at a wedding
Get divorced unless the reason is adultery
Can't remarry unless their ex commits fornication first
Toast drinks
Buy a raffle ticket
Play bingo
Gamble
Sing any holiday songs
Sing the National Anthem
Celebrate Christmas - Why?
Celebrate New Years Eve - Why?
Celebrate Easter - Why?
Celebrate Mother's Day - Why?
Celebrate Father's Day
Celebrate birthdays - Why?
Celebrate Thanksgiving
Celebrate Flag Day
Celebrate Veteran's Day
Celebrate Independence Day
Celebrate Saint Patrick's Day
Celebrate Valentine's Day
Celebrate Halloween - Why?
Celebrate Hanukkah
Accept holiday gifts - Why?
Celebrate any holiday except the death of Jesus - Why?
Partake in the bread and wine that represents Christ unless they are part of the 144,000
Make holiday artwork for school
Engage in holiday parties at school
Take on a leadership role in school
Porneia
Do suggestive and immodest dancing in a public place
Attend a class, workshop, or seminar, sponsored by another church
Attend social events or fund raisers sponsored by another church
Use of bad language (curse words) is discouraged
Wear blue jeans, shorts, and casual clothing at the Kingdom Hall
Wear pants at a Kingdom Hall if you're a woman
Wear revealing clothes or skirts that are too short (looked down upon)
99.Wear long hair or facial hair if you're a man (depends on the local customs of the country you live in)
The most important rules........
1. Thou shalt obey the governing body.
2. Thou shalt not question the governing body.
3. Thou shalt obey the governing body above the bible.
4. Thou shalt sing praises to the governing body in the new song books.
5. Thou shalt not check into the origins or dig into anything about the governing body.
6. Thou shalt stop all association with any family, friends, relatives, associates who do not worship the governing body.
7. Thou shalt only associate with others who are followers of the governing body.
8. Thou shalt spend as much of thy time as possible distributing and recruiting others to serve the governing body.
9. Thou shalt do all the governing body requires of thee with joy and a smile
10. If thou shalt not do all these commandments, thou shalt be disfellowshipped for apostacy and be shunned, and all thou friends, family, relatives shall shun thee too, so that thou shalt see thy error of thy ways.
11. If thou shalt want to regain the governing bodys favor and forgiveness, thou shalt attend meetings in silences for THREE YEARS, no more, no less, three shalt be thy years and thy years at three, four years shalt not be, neither two, less then proceedeth to three, and five is right out! So after the third year being reached, if thou has humbly attended all meetings in silence and begs forgiveness, then thou who having had been naughty in thy sight shalt be reinstated.
