In your experience, do JW's show hospitality?

by Gopher 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Gordy
    Gordy

    During the 30 years I was a JW, my wife and I would often invite brothers/sisters for a meal with our family. Usually at least once a month. Sometimes it would just be a couple, sometimes up to six of them. One of the strangest things I used to notice was that no one would discuss anything to do with the "truth". The Watchtower was always saying when brothers get together they should discuss "spiritual things" but that seemed to be the last thing they wanted to talk about. Even the Elders who we had, didn't even make any effort to do so. It was as if it was the last thing they wanted to do. Since leaving I now think it was because they were frightened that they may say something out of place or deemed to be critical of the WT. Compared to now with my Christian brothers/sisters we have some good discussions about spirtual things. Even taking opposite views on certain points, but no one is condemend for doing so.

    Yet in all those years I can probably count on my fingers the amount of times we were invited to another JW's house for a meal.

    Also my wife would often throw parties for the young JW children, even hiring a bouncy castle.

    I remember one brother and sister who at the Kingdom Hall would appear so nice and loving, speaking to everyone etc. Yet if you called at their house you were never asked over the doorstep.

    We lived some distance from the Kingdom Hall and had to use public transport to get there. Yet we were often the first there. Coming home from a meeting, very rarely would anyone offer us a lift home, even those in cars by themselves. Even in winter.

    Now I can't walk out my church or from the home-group without someone offering a lift. The church even bought a mini-bus so those who needed it could have transport to meetings.

    If the JW's had shown half as much love and care as the church I'm in now does, I might have been tempted to stay a JW.

  • Pork Chop
    Pork Chop

    It depends on the congregation. Most I've been to are hospitable and some are very hospitable, but there are a few that are as cold as ice.

  • crownboy
    crownboy

    At least here in the US, I find the Witnesses down south are more hospitable than up here in NYC, but as others have said, it has more to do with the culture of the place than with JW doctrine per se.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit