Should I Become A Jehovah's Witness?

[Earthling]

You don't see why it would take more courage to go alone with your own idea house to house? Really?

My own idea? No one, including myself, is interested in my own idea. I would not be spreading the gospel of David from house to house. Really.

 

[SomeRandom]

Somebody might say, "Look, that's a duck!" Because it looks, walks, and quacks like a duck.

Technically it is.

 

[YoursTrue]

Technically it is.

Lol in Technicolor maybe. Realistically, however, it isn't.

 

[SomeRandom]

Lol in Technicolor maybe. Realistically, however, it isn't.

Well a robot duck is still a duck. It's just not an organic duck.
Animation is animation, an exaggerated imitation of reality.

 

[YoursTrue]

My own idea? No one, including myself, is interested in my own idea. I would not be spreading the gospel of David from house to house. Really.

It is generally agreed that when one speaks to others as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, he is adhering to the Bible and teaching what he has learned. I usually like to speak with a companion , but I can and sometimes do speak to others about the truth of the good news without a companion.

 

[YoursTrue]

Well a robot duck is still a duck. It's just not an organic duck.
Animation is animation, an exaggerated imitation of reality.

 

[YoursTrue]

If you consider yourself married, then you're married. A legal certificate only ensures you have the government benefits. I mean some people need that document for their own reasons maybe.

Some might think so but most take it when someone says he is married, that it's not simply a mutual arrangement without legal restraints as well.

 

[Earthling]

It is generally agreed that when one speaks to others as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, he is adhering to the Bible and teaching what he has learned. I usually like to speak with a companion , but I can and sometimes do speak to others about the truth of the good news without a companion.

Excellent. Good work. And this truth of the good news of which you speak isn't a message of your own, or the Watchtower's for that matter, is it?

 

[SomeRandom]

Some might think so but most take it when someone says he is married, that it's not simply a mutual arrangement without legal restraints as well.

You could be married in your church and never bother to get legal.

 

[Deeje]

I have read the pamphlets out of curiosity. I have also read their views on public forums. What I have learned is that JWs all think alike and their main concern in life is to get other people to become JWs because they are absolutely certain they have all of the answers to life and death.

Seeing as how this was what Jesus did, is it really so bad? He was offering people a way to gain everlasting life in a beautiful new earth under his rulership...and he told us to share that good news with everyone.....wouldn't you want to offer that to as many people as possible?Its not about just becoming JW's...its about qualifying for citizenship in God's coming Kingdom.

And people who become JWs, are even willing to throw their own kids out the door and out of their lives if those kids refuse to be a member and believe as their parents. Or the church shunning families who do support a fallen family member.

It saddens me to read that people believe this. We do not throw our children out for refusing to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses. My own grandson has made a choice not to follow his parent's faith, but he still lives at home. He is still loved and cared for. But regardless of whether they choose to be a JW or not, there are rules to living under your parent's roof. If he was to adopt an immoral lifestyle (expecting to bring a girlfriend home to sleep in his bed) or to drink to excess or to use illicit drugs, at 20 he would be asked to make alternative living arrangements. We live by Bible standards, and if our kids are old enough to engage in such conduct, then they are old enough to find and fund their own accommodation.

As for shunning...it is a form of discipline, based on the scriptures, and designed to show an offender that their conduct is not acceptable...not to God, and not to the congregation. Fallen family members are given every opportunity to repent and to leave their errors behind. No one who repents is shunned...in fact they are commended and encouraged. But those who show an unrepentant spirit are not encouraged to remain in the congregation if they only want to break the rules and cause trouble. We value our unity and dissenters only rob the congregation of the peace we value.

Anyone who wants to come back is welcome, as long as they leave their bad conduct behind. Think of the prodigal son.

The bottom line take away I have from the evidence I have experienced is that the only truly acceptable and worthy humans are those who are JW. And the biggest job of JWs is to convert as many humans as possible to their doctrine. And that as you say, JWs view every stranger as a potential worshiper.

JW's have so much in common as a spiritual family, that they are usually not drawn to those who do not share their faith. It doesn't mean that we can't be friends and neighbors with those of any religious persuasion. Its good to get the perspective of those who follow other faiths, but people are drawn together by shared interest so it is natural for us to want to be in the company of those who also want to follow Bible principles. We don't drink to excess, nor do we gamble or indulge in illicit drugs. Why would we want to keep company with those who do? We love to talk about the Bible too. Those not interested in spiritual topics might find us boring I'm afraid.

We have a good reputation in the community for being honest and reliable in a world where trust is dying and reliability is also becoming rare.

If I am way off then please feel free to correct my views. However, I am not interested in becoming a JW.

I hope you don't mind me jumping in....but I just wanted to correct your view......may I ask how you came by it?

 

[YoursTrue]

You could be married in your church and never bother to get legal.

We are not necessarily talking about marriage in the eyes of religion. At least I'm not. It also depends upon the government as to requirements for legal marriage.

 

[YoursTrue]

Excellent. Good work. And this truth of the good news of which you speak isn't a message of your own, or the Watchtower's for that matter, is it?

The more I read and study, the more it becomes part of me. Psalm 119.

 

[SomeRandom]

We are not necessarily talking about marriage in the eyes of religion. At least I'm not. It also depends upon the government as to requirements for legal marriage.

Marriage is an arbitrary concept devised by humans. Understandable why some would actively seek it out due to societal endorsement, of course. But it can mean multiple different things all the same.

 

[Earthling]

The more I read and study, the more it becomes part of me. Psalm 119.

Indeed. But, if all goes well that message never becomes yours. 'cause a feller kin sit 'round the fire of a night and begin to think to himself; 'Self. It ain't goin' so swell and now I got to figure out what in this world I'm a gonna do 'bout it. Now I reccon' if 'n I were ta maybe start ta lean . . . just a little bit! t'wards what all those folks out yonder call the Trinity maybe I could get more folks to listen to me.

Why, that ol' Trinity ain't nothin' but crazy talk of the high falootin' city folk . . . Well maybe that thar's exactly what we need around here! Some of that high falootin' city talk 'cause what I hear all them people sayin' is that we're a couple a' low down fools! That's what I say. We need some high falootin' Platonic Trinity for our little outfit and I'll jest tell ya' another thing . . . it wouldn't hurt none if' n we got us our self a little taste of that Evolutionary Theory I been hearin' so much of over yonder too. Then maybe we can get some folks out here to pay attention to us and soon folks'd be comin' from the city ta over here . . . and all their money 'n god we trust comin' with 'em, yes, brother I think you might have latched onto a plan!

Now we'll need some fresh city clothes and clean up respectable like the city folk and we'll need to speak properly. We'll have to take the little money we have and buy some impressive charts of monkeys and clades and eukaryotes and what have you. Something that would impress the townspeople and inculcate some fashion of eloquence rather than the vapid and insipid terminology that unfortunately has been unfavorably linked to our unfortunate former selves.'

 

[YoursTrue]

Indeed. But, if all goes well that message never becomes yours. 'cause a feller kin sit 'round the fire of a night and begin to think to himself; 'Self. It ain't goin' so swell and now I got to figure out what in this world I'm a gonna do 'bout it. Now I reccon' if 'n I were ta maybe start ta lean . . . just a little bit! t'wards what all those folks out yonder call the Trinity maybe I could get more folks to listen to me.

Why, that ol' Trinity ain't nothin' but crazy talk of the high falootin' city folk . . . Well maybe that thar's exactly what we need around here! Some of that high falootin' city talk 'cause what I hear all them people sayin' is that we're a couple a' low down fools! That's what I say. We need some high falootin' Platonic Trinity for our little outfit and I'll jest tell ya' another thing . . . it wouldn't hurt none if' n we got us our self a little taste of that Evolutionary Theory I been hearin' so much of over yonder too. Then maybe we can get some folks out here to pay attention to us and soon folks'd be comin' from the city ta over here . . . and all their money 'n god we trust comin' with 'em, yes, brother I think you might have latched onto a plan!

Now we'll need some fresh city clothes and clean up respectable like the city folk and we'll need to speak properly. We'll have to take the little money we have and buy some impressive charts of monkeys and clades and eukaryotes and what have you. Something that would impress the townspeople and inculcate some fashion of eloquence rather than the vapid and insipid terminology that unfortunately has been unfavorably linked to our unfortunate former selves.'

Wayell, kind sir, I had an encounter today with a lady who told me she goes to a very famous church. We had a nice conversation. When I told her they teach hellfire literally in the personal burning concept, she said, "They do??" We exchanged phone numbers and hope to continue the conversation.

 

[wandering peacefully]

Which reminds me, I used to read those types of books, especially Alan Watts ? I think it is. I never really understood or grabbed on to it.

It does take some time to catch on to the ideas. At first, they can seem quite metaphysical sounding. But the ideas are very much physical and the results have been well documented by brain research.

The best books are the ones that start you out step by step from the very beginning of meditation. They have easy instructions. But one does have to be free to let go of preconceived notions and be willing to let your ego and life long mind stories take a backseat. It takes a lot of practice to get there but it can be done.

I always recommend three beginners books:
It Begins with Silence by Stephen Schettini

Beginning Mindfulness by Mark Williams and Danny Penman

Beginning Mindfulness by Andrew Weiss

 

[wandering peacefully]

Seeing as how this was what Jesus did, is it really so bad? He was offering people a way to gain everlasting life in a beautiful new earth under his rulership...and he told us to share that good news with everyone.....wouldn't you want to offer that to as many people as possible?Its not about just becoming JW's...its about qualifying for citizenship in God's coming Kingdom.



It saddens me to read that people believe this. We do not throw our children out for refusing to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses. My own grandson has made a choice not to follow his parent's faith, but he still lives at home. He is still loved and cared for. But regardless of whether they choose to be a JW or not, there are rules to living under your parent's roof. If he was to adopt an immoral lifestyle (expecting to bring a girlfriend home to sleep in his bed) or to drink to excess or to use illicit drugs, at 20 he would be asked to make alternative living arrangements. We live by Bible standards, and if our kids are old enough to engage in such conduct, then they are old enough to find and fund their own accommodation.

As for shunning...it is a form of discipline, based on the scriptures, and designed to show an offender that their conduct is not acceptable...not to God, and not to the congregation. Fallen family members are given every opportunity to repent and to leave their errors behind. No one who repents is shunned...in fact they are commended and encouraged. But those who show an unrepentant spirit are not encouraged to remain in the congregation if they only want to break the rules and cause trouble. We value our unity and dissenters only rob the congregation of the peace we value.

Anyone who wants to come back is welcome, as long as they leave their bad conduct behind. Think of the prodigal son.



JW's have so much in common as a spiritual family, that they are usually not drawn to those who do not share their faith. It doesn't mean that we can't be friends and neighbors with those of any religious persuasion. Its good to get the perspective of those who follow other faiths, but people are drawn together by shared interest so it is natural for us to want to be in the company of those who also want to follow Bible principles. We don't drink to excess, nor do we gamble or indulge in illicit drugs. Why would we want to keep company with those who do? We love to talk about the Bible too. Those not interested in spiritual topics might find us boring I'm afraid.

We have a good reputation in the community for being honest and reliable in a world where trust is dying and reliability is also becoming rare.



I hope you don't mind me jumping in....but I just wanted to correct your view......may I ask how you came by it?

 

[YoursTrue]

It does take some time to catch on to the ideas. At first, they can seem quite metaphysical sounding. But the ideas are very much physical and the results have been well documented by brain research.

The best books are the ones that start you out step by step from the very beginning of meditation. They have easy instructions. But one does have to be free to let go of preconceived notions and be willing to let your ego and life long mind stories take a backseat. It takes a lot of practice to get there but it can be done.

I always recommend three beginners books:
It Begins with Silence by Stephen Schettini

Beginning Mindfulness by Mark Williams and Danny Penman

Beginning Mindfulness by Andrew Weiss

According to what I understand about meditation as you describe it, it leads to nothingness. Poor Buddha. I feel sorry for him. Or what he was.

 

[wandering peacefully]

According to what I understand about meditation as you describe it, it leads to nothingness. Poor Buddha. I feel sorry for him. Or what he was.

I knew better than to get sucked back into this thread.

And it pretty much reinforces my original thought on not becoming a JW.

Good day

 

[savagewind]

It is generally agreed that when one speaks to others as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, he is adhering to the Bible and teaching what he has learned. I usually like to speak with a companion , but I can and sometimes do speak to others about the truth of the good news without a companion.

The Bible is a translation of copies which words were written down after the fact.