JW and Guns

by eljefe 20 Replies latest jw friends

JT

the wt policy on guns is that one will not be dfed for owning a gun- the issue of guns revolved around bro who has a job that requires a gun
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i know because in my congo in NC this was a major issue- we had bro who were police, game wardens and corrections officers for the prison
it is a perfect example of the pharasisic wt mindset-
they were all elders and they were told they would lose thier title- the police bro and game warden didn't quit thier jobs- THEY LOSE THIER STRIPS, the bro who were correction officers didn't quit thier jobs and THEY KEPT THIER JOBS IN in the Scottland Neck Congo in NC just off interstate 95 -
this is how the society ruled on the matter- since the police and game warden were REQUIRED to carry thier gun all the time while on duty, they had to quit, BUT since the correction officer DID NOT- THEY were allowed to keep thier jobs and stay elders- and as i type this post bro Johnson and Bro Davis are still correction officers and will be retiring in about another 5-10yrs from their state jobs with thier eldership still intact
you see in prison guards do not carry guns, ONLY IF THere IS A PRISON BREAK- and the society has ruled that AT THAT TIME THE ELDER MUST DECIDE WILL HE CARRY A GUN and if he does-- then AND ONLY THEN-- DOES HE LOSE HIS ELDERSHIP
so they have requested not to be assigned to the "WATCHTOWER" ( now that is an oxymoron) since the guard in the tower carries a gun at all times, instead they work in the prison -
since they are required yearly to take target pratice, the wt ruled that such an occasion would not disqualify them
the congo was split down the middle-
so the gun issues is bascially the wt doesn't encourage jw to have a gun as the exp in the article cited showed, but IT IS NOT A DFING OFFENSE but if ones JOB requires it - then appointments as elders or ms or pioneers will be out the windows
just my 2
JT

the wt policy on guns is that one will not be dfed for owning a gun- the issue of guns revolved around bro who has a job that requires a gun
-
i know because in my congo in NC this was a major issue- we had bro who were police, game wardens and corrections officers for the prison
it is a perfect example of the pharasisic wt mindset-
they were all elders and they were told they would lose thier title- the police bro and game warden didn't quit thier jobs- THEY LOSE THIER STRIPS, the bro who were correction officers didn't quit thier jobs and THEY KEPT THIER JOBS IN in the Scottland Neck Congo in NC just off interstate 95 -
this is how the society ruled on the matter- since the police and game warden were REQUIRED to carry thier gun all the time while on duty, they had to quit, BUT since the correction officer DID NOT- THEY were allowed to keep thier jobs and stay elders- and as i type this post bro Johnson and Bro Davis are still correction officers and will be retiring in about another 5-10yrs from their state jobs with thier eldership still intact
you see in prison guards do not carry guns, ONLY IF THere IS A PRISON BREAK- and the society has ruled that AT THAT TIME THE ELDER MUST DECIDE WILL HE CARRY A GUN and if he does-- then AND ONLY THEN-- DOES HE LOSE HIS ELDERSHIP
so they have requested not to be assigned to the "WATCHTOWER" ( now that is an oxymoron) since the guard in the tower carries a gun at all times, instead they work in the prison -
since they are required yearly to take target pratice, the wt ruled that such an occasion would not disqualify them
the congo was split down the middle-
so the gun issues is bascially the wt doesn't encourage jw to have a gun as the exp in the article cited showed, but IT IS NOT A DFING OFFENSE but if ones JOB requires it - then appointments as elders or ms or pioneers will be out the windows
just my 2
catchthis

I know of an elder who now lives in Granby, CO that has a bedroom cabinet full of guns, pistols to rifles. When he was younger, in his late teens, he accidentally shot a woman and killed her. I believe one of the conditions of his parole in getting out of prison was that he could never own a gun again in his life(this is what his son told me). To my surprise, I found out about that condition after we all went hunting. To this day, that elder is still a hardcore Texan that loves his guns.
blondie

As JT said the issue is around not around owning guns but using them in your employment to shoot at people, law enforcement and security fall into that category. People can be in law enforcement but have a position that does not require using a gun; many jails/prisons do not arm the guards...too dangerous.
If a person (man or woman) were to persist in keeping a job that requires shooting at people, they would lose any "privileges" in the congregation. Of course, a woman has few but she could not serve as a regular/auxiliary pioneer.
I suppose if a brother/sister were very public and vocal about gun ownership they might be talked to because of "stumbling" people.
***
w83 7/15 p. 25 "Seek Peace and Pursue It" ***
If a sizable number of Witnesses in a congregation should be disturbed in that someone is hunting animals merely for sport, and not for obtaining food, he might not be in position to receive special service privileges, because of his offensive reputation.?1 Timothy 3:2.
It is similar if one of Jehovah?s Witnesses insists on carrying or having firearms for protection against humans, or on learning the martial arts. The spiritual elders should take immediate steps to counsel and help him to remedy the situation. (Micah 4:3) Anyone who thus continues to carry personal arms or otherwise equips himself to become "a smiter" would cease to qualify for special privileges in the congregation.?1 Timothy 3:2, 3.
And this "precautionary" tale:
***
w83 7/15 p. 24 "Seek Peace and Pursue It" ***
However, would there not be occasions, such as in traveling through dangerous insurgent territory, when Jehovah?s Witnesses might be better off carrying firearms for self-defense? The answer emphatically is No. (Compare Ezra 8:21-23, 31; 2 Corinthians 11:23-27.) Take for example our traveling overseers in a certain African country. In recent years these brothers often were required to pass through war zones when serving the congregations. At times they were accosted by guerrillas or by security forces. If firearms had been found on them it would have cost them their life. With few exceptions, their identity as Jehovah?s Witnesses, along with the absence of any weapons of violence, gave them passage to their destination. It is the same in strife-torn Northern Ireland, where it has been said that "death is part of the landscape." The neutrality of Jehovah?s Witnesses is well known, and as peace lovers they find protection in both Catholic and Protestant areas.
JT

I know of an elder who now lives in Granby, CO that has a bedroom cabinet full of guns, pistols to rifles. When he was younger, in his late teens, he accidentally shot a woman and killed her. I believe one of the conditions of his parole in getting out of prison was that he could never own a I know of an elder who now lives in Granby, CO that has a bedroom cabinet full of guns, pistols to rifles. When he was younger, in his late teens, he accidentally shot a woman and killed her. I believe one of the conditions of his parole in getting out of prison was that he could never own a gun again in his life(this is what his son told me). To my surprise, I found out about that condition after we all went hunting. To this day, that elder is still a hardcore Texan that loves his gunsgun again in his life(this is what his son told me). To my surprise, I found out about that condition after we all went hunting. To this day, that elder is still a hardcore Texan that loves his gunsI know of an elder who now lives in Granby, CO that has a bedroom cabinet full of guns, pistols to rifles. When he was younger, in his late teens, he accidentally shot a woman and killed her. I believe one of the conditions of his parole in getting out of prison was that he could never own a gun again in his life(this is what his son told me). To my surprise, I found out about that condition after we all went hunting. To this day, that elder is still a hardcore Texan that loves his guns
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THIS IS what is known as the good ole boy network where elder will cover for other elder, esp if other elders know aboout this info
and the same way that elders will cover for each other, if there is tension on the body, elders are known to used stuff like this to get a fellow elder deleted, i have seen it work both ways
protect at all cost each other, or turn each other in due to the smallest infractions- poor meetings or low hours etc.
undercover

JWs and guns. This is one of those things that depending on where you live, adherence to policy is optional.
I grew up in the country and with guns. Rifles and handguns. I was taught how to dismantle, clean, reassamble. I was taught gun safety. I was taught how to reload shells. My father ignored the WTS admonition of not owning guns. My mother was anti-gun, only because the WTS said so, but since Dad was head of the household, she didn't have a lot of say about the matter. I noticed in my moves and travels that JWs with guns and rural territory kind of went hand in hand. Non-gun ownership and city dwelling JWs kind of went hand in hand.
When I moved out on my own, I owned a couple of handguns at first. I have since picked up a couple of rifles along the way. I currently don't own a hand gun. With other family members in the house, I think it's safer without one around. If I was single and lived alone, I would own a handgun again.
Simon

We had guns (living on a farm) and a lot in the congregation made a fuss about it and were not at all happy about it.
I liked shooting - rifles, shotguns, pistols (except where I nearly shot my foot )
Quotes

====================
except where I nearly shot my foot
===================

Not as bad a stuffing your foot into your mouth: the Watchtower is expert on that!

As for gun ownership: one of my brothers owns several, and I plan to get at least one.

~Quotes, of the "Do I Feel Luck?" class
eljefe

Looks like we have enough shooters to have an Apostashoot. I will be keeping my feet away from Simon though.
hillbilly

It is similar if one of Jehovah?s Witnesses insists on carrying or having firearms for protection against humans, or on learning the martial arts. The spiritual elders should take immediate steps to counsel and help him to remedy the situation. (Micah 4:3) Anyone who thus continues to carry personal arms or otherwise equips himself to become "a smiter" would cease to qualify for special privileges in the congregation.?1 Timothy 3:2, 3.

that was the quote that told me those folks had NO business telling me how to defend my home or family if need be....Even as JW's our family prescribed to the "judged by 12 or carried by 6" theory.
Carried, permitted, practiced regularly... the whole time I was active and of legal age. "Dont ask dont tell" worked for me!
------------Hill

JW and Guns

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