by John Doe64 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I don't think you will find anyone saying favorable things on this site. So many have been abused and hurt.
We know more JW's (family included) that are on anti depressants and swallow the pills with alcohol. If it is such a positive experience being part of the most loving organization, why are so many taking meds? I never drank as much alcohol as when I was a JW. Something just wasn't right about the cult disguised as a religion.
It's a cult.
hello JD
I've heard about cultish behaviour but I am also hoping to get someone who looks at jw favorably to reply also.
fortunately most on this site are ex-jw's--plus a fair number trapped in the cult who would dearly love to escape.
however--there is an official watchtower website you may wish to check out, but sadly most on there are just braindead zombies who probably couldnt understand your questions----they never had the benefit of an education.
Hi John Doe.
We're not active, believing JWs here. We are exJWs and doubting JWs. Nevertheless, I'll attempt to answer your questions.
1. What do you enjoy about being Jehovah's witness and what do you enjoy the least? - when I was a believer, I enjoyed the communal spirit and definite, black-and-white answers to very grey problems.
2. What is communion like for Jehovah's witnesses? - JWs believe that only 144,000 chosen ones go to heaven. The 12,000 or so of people claiming to be of this class are in a minority of 8 million JWs. My congregation, like many others, didn't have any of these 'anointed' ones. Therefore communion meant passing around the bread & wine once a year - with nobody partaking!
3. What is your important belief as a Jehovah's witness? - My important belief was that the earth would be transformed in a paradise very soon. Active JWs are still waiting for this nonsense.
4. How has being a Jehovah's witness affected your life? - don't ask, please!
5. What are your stances on homosexuality, abortion, and divorce? JW stances on these can be summed up in 2 words: zero tolerance. The exception being divorce/separation. Divorce can only occur when a marriage mate has been unfaithful. If a marriage mate is violent, the victim is allowed to separate but not divorce.
Most JWs would not be able to answer these questions honestly for you, I am trying to think what a more liberal JW would say, it's a few years since I've been one but here goes:
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What do you enjoy about being Jehovah's witness and what do you enjoy the least?
Being a part of an international brotherhood / going door to door
What is communion like for Jehovah's witnesses?
We do not have communion
What is your important belief as a Jehovah's witness?
The good news of god's kingdom
How has being a Jehovah's witness affected your life?
It has protected me from satan's world
What are your stances on homosexuality, abortion, and divorce?
We do not agree with any of the above, only divorce where adultery has been commited.
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Hope this helps, I can't believe how blind these people are despite having been one
I am no longer a JW however I was raised as one and remained one for over twenty years after my baptism.
What did I enjoy about being Jehovah's witness and what did I enjoy the least?
I enjoyed feeling close to God and the least was anything that I was asked to do as a privilege like read in the meeting or be on the platform giving a talk or similar activities.
What was communion like as a Jehovah's witnesses?
We had the memorial of Christ's death once a year. I didn't enjoy the meeting although I had respect for the occasion.
My most important belief as a Jehovah's witness
To serve Jehovah to the best of my ability.
What effect did my belief have on my life?
It affected my marriage and my working life. I gave up formal education at 16 to be in full-time service and made my decisions based upon my faith. I think it probably had a good effect on my conduct. As an example one of my teachers came to the kingdom hall and told my parents that my behaviour in school was very good but it could have just been my parents that made a difference. Wouldn't have wanted a bad school report to have come to my father. So that is why I say probably. I think the belief has been an influence on our marriage.
My stances on homosexuality, abortion, and divorce
I am no longer a JW I believed and continue to believe that it is an individuals choice. I am a heterosexual male who was in good standing in the congregation all of the time I was there.
Greetings, John Doe!
You have been given quite an assignment. The religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, is a sect of Christianity, but the more you learn about it, the more you will see how it diverts from traditional Christian beliefs. The well-dressed people who come to your door, are operating under the false assumption that they have the exclusive truth about the bible's message. They are nice people, and believe they are doing the right thing, when they offer you that magazine from the Watchtower Society's massive printing facility. They are following the directions of Jehovah's organization.
They will proudly tell you that there are over 8 million JW's around the globe today. The Watchtower Society keeps track of every hour and piece of literature distributed, and their statistics are published in a yearbook each year, as well as being available on their website. They love numbers and statistics.
If you want an in-person interview with a believing, you might try going to jw.org, and requesting a visit from your local Kingdom Hall. As long as you realize they are not peddling the truth, but working for a group of men in New York, you are not in danger of believing any of their twists on the truth.
A devout Witness of Jehovah will proclaim that they are the happiest people on earth. They can't wait for the end of this system, so they can live forever in paradise. They will deny their prideful ways, but they are often boastful in their own claims to have this exclusive channel to Jehovah. Their kingdom songs are not about Jesus, grace or forgiveness... they sing songs that celebrate vindication of their organization.
Like other high-control religions, sometimes called cults, they have their own jargon and catch phrases. They use repetition of catch phrases and trigger words, to control the followers of their organization. I'm going to use red text, to help you recognize their lingo in my answers.
Some of their unique teachings include:
What do you enjoy about being Jehovah's witness and what do you enjoy the least?
After several years of research, I decided not to continue associating with the nice people who thought they were teaching me the "Truth."
Pro: When I was studying with them, I enjoyed the fellowship and the illusion of an association of brotherhood. The friends. The way they came to my house every week... it really felt like they loved me. (This is a technique called "love bombing." It works great on lonely people and idealists.) I wanted to be a good person, and the people that I met in the JW religion were really some of the nicest people I've known and loved.
Con: They did not want to examine their own teachings or origins (not allowed). They would not answer my critical questions, but instead told me I should set my objections and questions aside. When confronted with facts from their organization's own origins, and doctrines previously published by the Watchtower, I was accused of listening to apostates. In the end, I was labeled as unwilling to submit to authority, and my husband was accused of chasing riches. They gave up on trying to get us to make progress.
What is communion like for Jehovah's witnesses? (not called communion)
JW's celebrate only one "holiday" each year, which they call "The Memorial." This is the one time each year that communion is performed for the members to "observe." A serving tray is passed through the congregation, but no one touches "the emblems." No one partakes of the wine or the bread, unless they have been "anointed," and believe they are part of the "heavenly class."
The JW's have a special "campaign," for the few weeks prior to Easter weekend, when they go and "invite" everyone in the community to attend. The invitation is usually in the form of a little pamphlet, left in your doorjam. If you happen to be home, you are likely to be quickly handed a pamphlet, so they can get to the next house... unless you show interest.
I have attended 2 of these Memorial services. It includes a long talk, explaining why they are remembering the night Christ died. It is a strange ritual, in which no one touches the symbols that represent blood or the body of Christ. They reject it, and do so joyfully. There were no anointed ones at the Kingdom Hall we attended, so all 100+ people rejected the symbols of Jesus's sacrifice.
What is your important belief as a Jehovah's witness?
You'll get a lot of answers for this question. My observation, after watching the way they worship and work for their kingdom message:
Christianity is a false religion.
Very soon, Jehovah will put an end to "this system of things."
It is important to keep working until the very end. ("faith without works is dead.")
How has being a Jehovah's witness affected your life?
Thankfully, I was never baptized as a JW. They continue to affect my life, because my parents and my sister (and her family) made the opposite decision. My sister now has decided to shun me. She told me that she has to "protect her children" from me, my apostasy and idolatry. (We are idolators, because we have attended churches that display the cross).
I have been labeled as an "apostate," because I learned all about the JW religion, but have "turned my back on Jehovah" and "the Truth."
What are your stances on homosexuality, abortion, and divorce?
Wrong, wrong, and wrong. JW religion is black and white. There is no grey area.
There is so much information on JWs. It matters whether it is sourced from adherent JWs or ex-JWs.
It would be extremely important for you to also interview JWs who will have very different views from those expressed on this forum.
Have you checked out whether JWs live nearby? Look them up in a local directory and ask if you can interview them. Most JWs would be very happy to oblige.
Then once you have gathered the relevant information, compare the points of view - but that comparison will likely be a whole new topic.
One thing's for certain: There will be no shortage of usable information for your project.
Oh, and once your project is completed and assessed, feel free to post it on this forum - regardless of your conclusions ( e.g., favorable or otherwse towards the JWs).
Best, steve2.
"What do you enjoy about being Jehovah's Witness and what do you enjoy least?"
I will answer the second part. For all intents and purposes I was born into the religion. It was all I knew. In 1974 I pioneered in the small town that I lived in before going to 'serve' at Bethel. I tried to contact as many of my ex- schoolmates as I could to warn them about the coming war of Armageddon and placed Truth books with them and witnessed to some of my ex-teachers. One fellow took the Truth book from me and said I believe you Sparky1 and thanks for coming to see me and warning me. When I walked into my shop this morning at 8:00 am he was standing at the counter. I HATE THAT THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY MADE A FOOL AND AN ASS OUT OF ME! It has been over 40 years and still no Armageddon.
