If a J.W. went to a Catholic Hospital......?

by hubert 29 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  Frog

  Hmmm, good question, but I don't tend to think so. In the town I grew up in, the only private hospitals that their used to be, were Catholic hospitals. I imagine there would be some dub who had a problem with it though, and you'd likely hear about it. In a situation like that though where you've little choice, it would be bloody pathetic if the elders tried to take you to task on it...but I wouldn't put it past em'. Frog x
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  My first child was born in a Catholic hospital in 1964; because of the Kingdom Ministry article I just posted, I switched to another nearby hospital when my second child was born in 1967; later I had another one in 1974, but by then it was OK again to go to a Catholic Hospital.
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  blondie

  BC, I searched for that article on my WT-CD 2003 and couldn't find it. I wonder if they took it out?

  What was the reference exactly? I do have my paper file that I can check. 1966?
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  TresHappy

  I remember stuff like this all the time happening in our congregations. That's why we were walking on eggshells for everything, including where we got our appendix out!
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  blondie

  Index 1930-85 Question Box

  hospitals:

  proper for Witness to receive treatment at religious?: km 2/76 4; km 11/64 4

  I guess there is a reason not to put any kms on before 1970.
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  blondie

  
  Makes you wonder what their position was about using military hospitals in the case of children who were dependents of non-JW fathers and for JWs that were in the military prior to becoming a JW, can they use veteran's hospitals?

  Blondie

  w68 1/15 pp. 61-62 Putting Kingdom Interests First ***

  For twelve years I enjoyed the great privilege of being a traveling representative of the Society throughout all the southern states. Then in 1955 with my wife I attended the Watchtower School of Gilead for missionary training. That was a wonderful time of taking in knowledge and enjoying the close association with my Christian brothers from other parts of the field and also those from the Brooklyn headquarters of the Society. Then we resumed service as special pioneer ministers, that is, serving in towns where there was need to initiate and build up new congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses.

  In May 1965 I was sent to the Veterans Administration Hospital at Jackson, Mississippi, for treatment and observation. When I was discharged the doctor told me I was suffering from arteriosclerotic heart disease, duodenal ulcer, hemorrhoids and bad eyes. He told me I would have to take things easy from now on.
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  Blondie pr anyone - I have KM's back into the early 1960's. It looks like they started using a "Question Box" in September 1964. Well...here is the first question: "What viewpoint should we take toward membership in such organizations as the YMCA, if one's membership if solely for the use of recreational facilities?" Would anyone like me to make this a separate post, or do you have this quote already?
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  Junction-Guy

  To DannyBloem and Ellie, I can understand JW's going to a catholic hospital as that really wasnt much of an issue with the local jw's growing up, but Ive never heard of jw's sending their kids to catholic schools or other christian schools, im almost certain that would have been forbidden. Why would a jw parent put their kids through unnecessary torture by sending them to catholic schools. Dont Catholic schools teach with a religious slant? Maybe things are just different in Europe, but it would be unheard of for jw kids to attend catholic schools in Ohio,Kentucky, or anywhere else I attended the kingdom hall. Dave
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  blondie

  In many areas, the only schools are Catholic schools. JW children go and are excused from the religion component. Many teachers in these schools are no longer nuns (not enough nuns) and I understand not all are Catholics either. Notice that the WTS does not say they have to try to switch to another school. It is apparent that the WTS was straining out the gnat and gulping down the camel when it came to a JW being in a Catholic/Methodist/Lutheran hospital.

  w91 12/15 pp. 28-29 Questions From Readers

  · What should a Christian family do if their child has to attend a school where religious instruction is compulsory?

  Christian parents are not interested in having their children indoctrinated with false religion. But there may be situations where children cannot decline to be in a class where religion is taught, though they would not share in false religious acts or ceremonies.

  God’s friend Abraham set a fine pattern as to religious instruction for children. He raised his offspring in Canaan, where they were surrounded by religious error and abominable "sacred" practices. (Compare Exodus 34:11-15; Leviticus 18:21-30; Deuteronomy 7:1-5, 25, 26; 18:9-14.) Nonetheless, he was the source of religious instruction for his family. God was confident that Abraham would "command his sons and his household after him so that they shall keep Jehovah’s way to do righteousness."—Genesis 18:19.

  As a youth, Jesus too benefited from family and congregational instruction in true worship. Thus, he "went on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men."—Luke 2:52.

  In most parts of the earth, Christian youths receive secular education in public schools. Not everything taught is in full accord with Biblical truth and established fact. For example, many generations of Christian youths have attended science or biology classes as part of their normal curriculum. Most of them have thus been exposed to prevailing theories of evolution and associated views about "natural" origins of life on earth.

  This exposure did not, however, turn these Christian youths into adherents of godless evolution. Why? Because at home and at Christian meetings, they had previously received accurate information based on God’s inspired Word, which helped to train their ‘perceptive powers to distinguish both right and wrong.’ (Hebrews 5:14) Many parents had studied with their children the balanced coverage of evolution in the faith-strengthening volume Life—How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? Thus equipped, these schoolchildren did not accept as believable the classroom instruction about evolution. Yet they were able to show in their classroom responses and in tests that they were paying attention and could learn the details presented. Some even had opportunity to provide alternative explanations in accord with the facts presented in the Bible by man’s Creator.—1 Peter 3:15.

  What, though, about class periods devoted to instruction about the predominant local religion or even religion in general?

  It is unlikely that such instruction will be presented neutrally, as mere information. The teacher may even practice that religion and thus try to influence the minds and hearts of the students. So Jehovah’s Witnesses prefer that their children be excused from religious instruction classes. This may enable their children to use school time more profitably to complete assignments for other classes or to study in the school library.

  In some places, however, such requests have been denied; the school or public authorities may even require that all children attend and complete a religion course in order to be graduated. Each family must decide personally what to do in that case.

  Some of God’s servants in the past have involuntarily been in situations where they had to endure exposure to religious teachings or acts while remaining loyal to the true God. That was likely so of Moses. He was brought up as the grandson of Egypt’s Pharaoh, and he "was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians." (Acts 7:20-22) That probably included to some degree the beliefs and religious practices common in Egypt. But Moses was safeguarded by the superior instruction he evidently received from his family and perhaps other Hebrews.—Exodus 2:6-15; Hebrews 11:23-26.

  Consider also the example of the three young Hebrews, associates of Daniel, who were given special instruction in Babylon and made government workers. (Daniel 1:6, 7) They were not at liberty to do or refuse to do whatever they wanted. On one occasion King Nebuchadnezzar decreed that they assemble with other officials at the gold image he set up on the plain of Dura, where acts of nationalistic devotion would be performed. How did the three Hebrews respond? We can be certain that they would have preferred not to be there, but that was not possible. Yet they remained faithful to their beliefs and to Almighty God. Their godly consciences permitted them to be present while resolutely refusing to participate in, or personally engage in, any act of false religion.—Daniel 3:1-18.

  When it is compulsory for all students to be present at a religion class and possibly to learn to the extent of being able to pass standard tests, children from families of true Christians might be present, as those three were at Nebuchadnezzar’s command. But the Christian youths would put God first. There would be no need for them to challenge each incorrect statement made or each unscriptural practice shared in by the others, just as the three Hebrews did not try to interfere when others bowed down to the image of gold. However, Christian youths would not themselves share in acts of worship, joint prayers, religious songs, and such things.

  These youths ought to exert themselves at other times to take in upbuilding knowledge ‘from the holy writings that are able to make them wise for salvation through faith in connection with Christ Jesus.’ (2 Timothy 3:15) Through communication with their children, the parents should constantly monitor the content of the class instruction. This will help the adult Christians to see what needs to be corrected or clarified from the Bible so that their children do not become confused or misled.

  [Footnotes]

  Published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

  The Bible makes no mention of Daniel’s being on the plain of Dura. Perhaps his higher rank in the government enabled him to be excused from going there.
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  BluesBrother

  I do not think that there are so many religious owned hospitals in the UK, maybe because of the National Health Service? If a witness chose to 'go private' he could find a number of private hospitals that are simply commercial, without affilliation. I have never come across the problem, but the answers given seem very reasonable.

  Schooling may be an issue . At my last congo ,in the 90's, I noticed some of the children coming to the midweek meeting still in their school clothes bearing the logo ".......................Church of England Primary school" This surprised me at the time and I meant to investigate, but events moved apace to my removal as am elder and I did not get to raise the query. The only comment I got was that "The schools these days have watered religion down so much that it does not matter now"

  Re the YMCA

  ***

  w79 1/1 pp. 30-31 Questions from Readers ***

  Questions

  from Readers

  •

  Is it true that for religious reasons Jehovah’s Witnesses may not become members of the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association)?

  Yes, that is so. We have long recognized that the YMCA, though not being a church as such, is definitely aligned with the religious organizations of Christendom in efforts to promote interfaith.

  [A lengthy article follows]