I'm a Jehovah's Witness! Ask me Anything!

[infinityshock]

Regardless, thanks for sharing. I'm sorry that you have had a bad experience with us, but I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

it wasnt a bad experience...it didnt have any affect on my lifestyle. the interactions between my ex and her mother were otherwise 'normal' so i had no horse in the race, so to speak...but if the mother had acted towards her the way she was acting towards the excommunicated sister it would have been a whole different story.

as far as im concerned, they can practice, preach, and prosthelytize however they want...as long as it doesnt affect me.

i can understand why some countries ban them...but even the jews let their own version of fanatical fruitbowls abstain from military service. (slightly off topic...the 'orthodox' juden in judenland who i have personally spoken with who dont want to join the military or get jobs are nothing more than the juden version of lazy self-aggrandizing snowflakes.)

as far as questions...my ex answered pretty much anything i needed to know. she was even practicing it for awhile years and years before i met her, although based on her 'lifestyle choices' (and her mothers prior to becoming one) it struck me as a bit hypocritical...both on the personal level and the religion as a whole. a religion that is supposedly so god-centric and biblically emphasized has absolutely fuck-all in terms of compassion and understanding. even the bible has more than sufficient references to justify serving in the military AND killing. sixth commandment: 'though shalt not xxxxxx' doesnt prohibit justifiable homicide, which is what warfare is.

 

[Houseman]

a religion that is supposedly so god-centric and biblically emphasized has absolutely fuck-all in terms of compassion and understanding. even the bible has more than sufficient references to justify serving in the military AND killing. sixth commandment: 'though shalt not xxxxxx' doesnt prohibit justifiable homicide, which is what warfare is.

Are you saying that to serve in the military is to have compassion and understanding, or was it just a coincidence that these two sentences were placed next to each-other?

If it was not a coincidence, how is serving in the military compassionate? Is it compassion for your fellow country-men, or something else?

 

[infinityshock]

a religion that is supposedly so god-centric and biblically emphasized has absolutely fuck-all in terms of compassion and understanding. even the bible has more than sufficient references to justify serving in the military AND killing. sixth commandment: 'though shalt not xxxxxx' doesnt prohibit justifiable homicide, which is what warfare is.

Are you saying that to serve in the military is to have compassion and understanding, or was it just a coincidence that these two sentences were placed next to each-other?

If it was not a coincidence, how is serving in the military compassionate? Is it compassion for your fellow country-men, or something else?

the train of thought was along the lines of the religion claims to worship god and follows the bible, which contains countless jew-part and christian-part references to kindness and compassion yet theyll disavow a family member for the most trivial (to a normal persons perspective) transgression. im fairly sure jesus christ wouldnt kick someone out of his adobe abode for having a bf/gf.

the military part was a continuation on the line of thought of hypocrisy...in that the bible has countless references to justifiably causing death.

 

[Houseman]

the train of thought was along the lines of the religion claims to worship god and follows the bible, which contains countless jew-part and christian-part references to kindness and compassion yet theyll disavow a family member for the most trivial (to a normal persons perspective) transgression. im fairly sure jesus christ wouldnt kick someone out of his adobe abode for having a bf/gf.

What makes you think that this disavowal is un-christ-like or un-biblical?

 

[infinityshock]

the train of thought was along the lines of the religion claims to worship god and follows the bible, which contains countless jew-part and christian-part references to kindness and compassion yet theyll disavow a family member for the most trivial (to a normal persons perspective) transgression. im fairly sure jesus christ wouldnt kick someone out of his adobe abode for having a bf/gf.

What makes you think that this disavowal is un-christ-like or un-biblical?

a 16 year old girl doing what any normal 16 y/o does then kicking her out of the house is not christian.

 

[Houseman]

What makes you think that this disavowal is un-christ-like or un-biblical?

a 16 year old girl doing what any normal 16 y/o does then kicking her out of the house is not christian.

Yes, but what causes you to believe that this is "not Christian"?

 

[Signa]

a 16 year old girl doing what any normal 16 y/o does then kicking her out of the house is not christian.

Yes, but what causes you to believe that this is "not Christian"?

Christianity, generally speaking, is about forgiveness and compassion. Kicking a 16 year old out for pretty much any offense is lacking in those values.

On the flip side, other values include sacrifice and self control. That's something pretty much any 16 year old will be lacking. You could look at it from a tough-love perspective, and say that if the girl thinks she's so grown up to make adult choices like pre-marital sex, then she should get a taste of what it's like to be an adult. You're supposed to let the kid back in after they've learned their lesson. I'm not sure IS's story included that chapter or not.

 

[chocolate_chip_cookie]

got some motherfucking XANAX lmfao

 

[Houseman]

Christianity, generally speaking, is about forgiveness and compassion. Kicking a 16 year old out for pretty much any offense is lacking in those values.

On the flip side, other values include sacrifice and self control. That's something pretty much any 16 year old will be lacking. You could look at it from a tough-love perspective, and say that if the girl thinks she's so grown up to make adult choices like pre-marital sex, then she should get a taste of what it's like to be an adult. You're supposed to let the kid back in after they've learned their lesson. I'm not sure IS's story included that chapter or not.

What non-JWs might not know is that people don't get disfellowshipped, excommunicated, shunned, for a mistake, a sin, or a lapse in judgement. They get disfellowshipped because they are unrepentant about it. If this case was handled by the books, that's what should have been considered. Was she gradually pulled in too deep? Was she willing to dump her boyfriend? How far did they go? Did she try to hide the relationship? Questions like that should have been asked.

Forgiveness and compassion are, generally speaking, either given to those who ask for it, or to those who lack understanding so as to not know that what they are doing is wrong.

I'm not making any judgements, only explaining how the process goes. I don't even know the order of events here, if she was kicked out first and disfellowshipped later, or the other way around.

 

[bluegate]

Overheard a couple of people talking about Jehova's Witness' the other day when in public transport and one of them pulled up some website on her phone and started mentioning things that aren't allowed, can't remember too much from it but it sounded a bit like she was looking up a website on the Scientology Cult.

As I can't be bothered to try to find the list I'll just ask about one thing that I happen to remember; Is it true that going to college level education is prohibited or discouraged?

 

[Houseman]

As I can't be bothered to try to find the list I'll just ask about one thing that I happen to remember; Is it true that going to college level education is prohibited or discouraged?

Prohibited, no. Discouraged, yes.

We are discouraged from seeking higher education, as A) The environment a person lives in isn't conducive to living as a Christian. B) The best education and career one could have is to serve Jehovah full-time.

One still needs to work to provide for their necessities, so we are encouraged to have simple part-time jobs and spend a majority of our time in the preaching work, or volunteering in other ways. There are those called special pioneers who are actually paid living expenses.

 

[infinityshock]

As I can't be bothered to try to find the list I'll just ask about one thing that I happen to remember; Is it true that going to college level education is prohibited or discouraged?

Prohibited, no. Discouraged, yes.

We are discouraged from seeking higher education, as A) The environment a person lives in isn't conducive to living as a Christian. B) The best education and career one could have is to serve Jehovah full-time.

One still needs to work to provide for their necessities, so we are encouraged to have simple part-time jobs and spend a majority of our time in the preaching work, or volunteering in other ways. There are those called special pioneers who are actually paid living expenses.

thats something none of them ever mentioned to me and now that i think about it, none of them have a higher than HS education...except for one that went to automotive vocational school. their jobs were things like retail...one works at a subway...car mechanic...orange-packer...no-job-at-all-living-with-mommy...and nothing that i can recall that is considered a job requiring higher education.

that outlook reminds me of what some fruitbowl kike told me about his religious leanings: theyre 'not allowed' to get jobs...they have to sit around all day reading their religious texts. their income is solely from what the judenkike government gives them. fucking slackers.

oddly enough, for 'not allowed' to have a job i saw an unusually large number of them wandering the streets aimlessly in kikeland.

 

[andersonnnunes]

Would you work as a taxman? Is being a tax collector compatible with being a JW?

 

[Houseman]

Would you work as a taxman? Is being a tax collector compatible with being a JW?

Yes and yes. Why wouldn't it be?

 

[infinityshock]

is prostitution compatible with the beliefs of jehobas witnesses...considering marriage is nothing more than legalized prostitution.

 

[Taesahnim]

From what I know about LDS: typically: A) Only young men go on "missions", B) These missions are somewhere other than where they live, and C) Are short-term. You go on your mission and then you are done and you never have to do it again.

In contrast, our preaching activity is for everyone, young and old, male and female. You are considered "inactive" if you do not preach each month, and if we are in good health, we are encouraged to preach every week. Our preaching is local, in that we preach where we live. We also never stop preaching until we are physically unable to do so.

For JWs, to preach is the most important thing, and it should be the focus of our lives.

Even if that means annoying the living shit out of the majority of people you come in contact with? Even if it means directly disobeying the orders of the supposed god you supposedly believe in?

 

[Houseman]

Even if that means annoying the living shit out of the majority of people you come in contact with? Even if it means directly disobeying the orders of the supposed god you supposedly believe in?

1. Yes
2. What orders are we disobeying?

 

[Taesahnim]

1. Yes
2. What orders are we disobeying?

Matt. 6, 1-6. Jesus tells you, in very specific terms, to shut up about your religion.
Matt.6
[1] Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
[2] Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
[3] But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
[4] That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
[5] And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
[6] But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 

[Arnox]

Jesus tells you, in very specific terms, to shut up about your religion.

Right. Which is why he ordained Apostles to preach his gospel. So they could shut up about it.

 

[Houseman]

Matt. 6, 1-6. Jesus tells you, in very specific terms, to shut up about your religion.
Matt.6
[1] Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
[2] Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
[3] But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
[4] That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
[5] And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
[6] But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

That's not how I understand that passage. I understand it to be specifically about worship. One should not brag, make a showy display, about how pious one is. One should not seek the glory of men by doing so. That passage says nothing about preaching, does it? It doesn't say anything about teaching others, does it? It only mentions "thine alms" and "thou prayest", right? Jehovah's Witnesses are not doing "thine alms" or "thou prayest" when we knock on your door.

As Arnox said, Jesus tells his apostles, at Matthew 28:19 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"

When preaching, we are not doing it so that you can see how pious we are. We don't want adoration or glory from men.

 

[Taesahnim]

That's not how I understand that passage. I understand it to be specifically about worship. One should not brag, make a showy display, about how pious one is. One should not seek the glory of men by doing so. That passage says nothing about preaching, does it?

To me, it does. You go knock on people's doors and brag about how much better your religion is than theirs and how they need to sign up with yours. That's bragging and making "a showy display" in my book. As well as being annoying.

 

[Taesahnim]

Right. Which is why he ordained Apostles to preach his gospel. So they could shut up about it.

Just another contradiction in the bible. One of thousands.

 

[Houseman]

You go knock on people's doors and brag about how much better your religion is than theirs and how they need to sign up with yours. That's bragging and making "a showy display" in my book.

What makes you believe that we're bragging, when we preach?
Do you believe that bragging and preaching are inseparable, or that there's a way to preach without bragging, but we're just doing it wrong?

Also, do you have any personal experience with Jehovah's Witnesses that make you think that they were bragging?

 

[Arnox]

Just another contradiction in the bible. One of thousands.

There is indeed a lot of contradictions in the Bible. This isn't one of them.