Do Jehovah's Witnesses have love amongst themselves..

Brummie

They certainly do, and this is forever being thrown in my face.

However, when Jesus said his desciples would have love amongst themselves, surely he didnt mean it would just be amongst themselves? Surely it would expand further than that? Love is not selfish and limited to believers in the Watchtower.

What I have observed amongst JWs is purely selfish love, if you are outside of the flock you are not loved, infact you border on being hated (especially apostates). Being "outside" the flock means you are a goat, is that love? They changed the doctrine of the seperating sheep/goat work, but the mentality is still the same.

So, if anyone ever says JWs have love amongst themselves, take it in the context that it is a very selfish love and one that is not Christian (as they proffess) and therefore not supported by their Bible (same as all their other doctrines.

Brummie

Odrade

and always remembering that if you do ANYTHING "inappropriate" then they take love away. Low hour publisher, sorry, have to work on meeting night? clothes too trendy? suit too old? don't own a suit, just slacks and a sports jacket? horrors! we can't love you QUITE as much now.

Love...whatever.

gumby

They "Love their Neighbor"...untill that neighbor doesn't want to recieve their message from them as regards the bible. Then the neighbor becomes a "goat"... and we all know even Jesus hates goats. He puts goats on his left side then kicks the piss out of them.... so why should a dub like one of them?

Gumby

Nice job brummie

And what the hell you doin up so late?

Vivamus

Ugh. I actually have no witty comment Just felt like saying *ugh* to all those JW nitwits.

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And the world shall tremble in the wake of the Blue Bubblegum
Dutch District Overbeer

Brummie

They "Love their Neighbor"...untill that neighbor doesn't want to recieve their message from them as regards the bible. Then the neighbor becomes a "goat"... and we all know even Jesus hates goats. He puts goats on his left side then kicks the piss out of them.... so why should a dub like one of them?

Actually, that makes me realise that to JWs "love" is just a cold doctrine. Natural emotions are surpressed. If they never experience "love" out of the doctrinal context they are to be pitied for the robots they have become.

Thanks Orade, this was going through my mind as well.

Viv, uhg perfectly sums it up.

Real love casts out fear, no wonder the Society supresses it, where would they be without fear?

Euphemism

When you spread a dinner or evening meal, do not call your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors. Perhaps sometime they might also invite you in return and it would become a repayment to you. But when you spread a feast, invite poor people, crippled, lame, blind; and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you. (Lu 14:12-14, NW)

A group's love is not demonstrated by its esprit de corps, or its social cohesion. As Jesus showed, it's demonstrated by how it treats the weak, the marginalized, the needy. And when it comes to that, the JWs suck.

They have no official provision for helping the elderly or the needy. (Contrary to the direct example of the first-century congregation! See 1 Tim 5:9) While publishers are encouraged to provide such help on their own, the rule of 'counting time', in practice, discourages it. Just imagine how much help elderly and infirm witnesses would recieve if publishers were told that they could count the time they spent doing such good deeds!

Their treatment of sinners is abysmal. Disfellowshipped ones are shunned completely, deemed as not being worthy even of a greeting. Even repentant d/fed ones can be forced to attend the meetings in total silence for months. This is completely contrary to the example Jesus set forth in the parable of the prodigal son, where the father ran out to embrace his son "w hile he was yet a long way off." (Lu 15:20, NW)

And of course, as we all know, their treatment of doctrinal or policy dissenters is ham-fisted in the extreme.

So, no the JWs do not have love among themselves. Friendliness? Yes. A strong social network? Absolutely. But unselfish, caring, agape love? No.

shamus

and always remembering that if you do ANYTHING "inappropriate" then they take love away. Low hour publisher, sorry, have to work on meeting night? clothes too trendy? suit too old? don't own a suit, just slacks and a sports jacket? horrors! we can't love you QUITE as much now.

Excellent comments so far! I liked the one quoted above.... miss a meeting and you're "heavy deamo man!" ... or, "I think that they're bad assosiation because he / she follows trends, has a high hem line, yada yada yada"....

Does that sound like a Pharisee to you? It sure does!

Love amongst themselves..... they have nothing but divisions and backbiting amongst their ranks, until they can disfellowship you and be relieved that you are gone. Hypocrites!

Odrade

AND I find it disgraceful that they continually harp on the types of love "according to the greek:" agape, storge, philia, eros. They use those terms to further indoctrinate one on just how much love it is appropriate to show others. So if you want to shun someone, you can say you still have love for them since agape is love based on "principle" and "Jehovahs principles say it is LOVING to shun in order to bring them to repentance."

I repeat...whatever. bleh.

Odrade

Just thought of another thing. The problem is, when someone in the congregation really DOES have love. Yes, being the exception, but still. If you find one person like that in your congregation, it is HELL to extract yourself from the borg. You feel so guilty pointing up the unloving people because you have this stellar example of love. Of course then you leave, or get df'd. And they have a tender heart, and they cry for you and genuinely mean it. But they still never speak to you again. It's sad really, how indoctrinated even the kindest person can become, given enough time. WTS can even take away their naturally big heart, and mangle their ability to love.

Odrade

Vivamus

I know what you mean Odrade. My best JW friend and me, were like that. I can walk by any JW now, and feel glee at their expressions of shock. But on the rare occasions I see her, I feel utterly sad, cuz we did have a friendship with love.

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And the world shall tremble in the wake of the Blue Bubblegum
Dutch District Overbeer

Do Jehovah's Witnesses have love amongst themselves..

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