Jehovah's Witnesses

[ShanandBoc]

No of course not we believe in the new and old testament, the entire bible, and its all in harmony with eachother Never heard that one before lol x

 

[porkypig]

oh i may be getting confused with judaism. so it its a strand of christianity, why are people so opposed to them? xx

 

[ShanandBoc]

I guess mainly because we preach from door to door, even though Jesus did the same and instructed his followers to do so, but it shouldnt be forced on people, some people i guess are just natrually pushy, but thats certainly not what is encouraged. It just gives people the chance to listen to the same message Jesus was teaching and to try and help people cope with life now as things have gotten so tough. It always amazes me how wrong people can be about JW teachings, no idea where they get some of the info from!

 

[porkypig]

I guess mainly because we preach from door to door, even though Jesus did the same and instructed his followers to do so, but it shouldnt be forced on people, some people i guess are just natrually pushy, but thats certainly not what is encouraged. It just gives people the chance to listen to the same message Jesus was teaching and to try and help people cope with life now as things have gotten so tough. It always amazes me how wrong people can be about JW teachings, no idea where they get some of the info from!

can i ask something really personal ShanandBoc? i see you got married on the 3rd July (brilliant day as thats my birthday) congrats. but i couldnt help noticing that youre 27 weeks pg so clearly had sex before marriage. are you a new jw? if not how was that viewed? (being pg before marriage) xx

 

[ShanandBoc]

Well i was raised a witness, went and did my own thing for a while and then me and my DH started studying again recently ( he was not religious at all) i was pregnant and we were going to get married anyway but did it a little earlier so we were married before little Elleah came along.

Everyone , including family has been very supportive, they just want to help us do what is right.

Obviously sex before marriage is a no no, but as we are both unbaptized, we were just supported to try and right the wrong IYKWIM. As long as you dont keep on practicing sin willfully, then the support is there to help you along.

 

[porkypig]

thats fair enough xx

 

[ShanandBoc]

Thanks for asking though. Ive always believed in what they taught, just did the usual immaturity rebellious teenager thing lol, which continued on into my 20's obviously lol x

 

[Tiff]

No of course not we believe in the new and old testament, the entire bible, and its all in harmony with eachother Never heard that one before lol x

I could be mistaken, but from what my friend said about it (who is JW) that yes, JW's do believe in the New Testament, but consider Jesus to be a prophet, and not the "son of god"?

Not sure how accurate that is, its been awhile since her and I spoke about it.

 

[ShanandBoc]

No not accurate at all, Jw's believe that Jesus is the son of God, that is scriptually correct. He was sent to earth as a perfect man and ransom, to 'buy back' so to speak what Adam lost so that mankind would be given the chance to live forever on a paradise earth as was Gods original purpose with Jesus as king in heaven, so no human governments would be needed as they clearly fail lol x This is Gods kingdom that Jesus preached about , as do JW's

 

[Tiff]

Interesting!

So why don't JWs celebrate birthdays, Christmas... etc? She said that they didn't celebrate easter as she thought it was awful to celebrate someone dying. I always said that it wasn't the death that was celebrated, but the rising from the dead and being spiritually saved.

Not arguing, genuinely curious.

 

[ShanandBoc]

I actually posted about this in another thread, hold on ill copy and paste it for you

But so u know they dont celebrate Easter as such ( bunnies eggs the whole commercial side etc) but deffinately do celebrate Jesus death every year at easter but dont participate in the pagan side of it (which is explained further down) It was Jesus' death that we were told was important, not his birth, for the reason i mentioned in my previosu post

Any way here is waht i posted in another thread.....

This is not meant to cause offence to anyone. Just pointing out some facts.

I dont celebrate christmas, not because i think telling a little white lie about santa is wrong or anything like that as i understand its just a fun thing for children (same with easter and the easter bunny) and of course not that there is anything wrong with the gathering of family and gift giving aspect of it, but because of its non christain and non biblical origin. After all Christmas and Easter are meant to be about Jesus essentially.

Christmas for example supposedly is to commemorate the birth of Jesus and nearly every religion celebrates it. Yet there is no biblical origin for its celebration at all. It was jesus' death that was important and that we were instructed to commemorate.

Early christains would not have celebrated Jesus' birth as birthdays are a pagan custom and are idolatrous worship something that bible warns against, not a christain or a biblical one. At birth it was believed that a spirit or demon attended the birth and protected that one through out his life, and Jesus certainly would not have wanted to be linked with anything that involved superstition.

Also the account of Jesus' birth that is celebrated is scriptually incorrect. We know that Jesus couldnt have been born on Dec 25th (not that this is a huge deal) because the bible says that the shephards were out tending to their sheep. In that part of the world in Dec, it would have been much too cold to do this.

December 25th was chosen as it coincides with the pagan roman festival marking the birthday of the unconquered sun. In an effort to convert pagans, religious leaders adopted this festival and tried to make it seem 'christain'. The saturnalia also played a part in the choice of Dec 25th. This was a festival honouring the roman god of agriculture. Feasting, drinking and gift giving took place.

So this date was chosen in worship to false gods, and anyone with a knowledge of the bible knows that this was warned against by Jesus and God.

If you look into, St nicholas was also Influence of paganism and folklore, not christain at all and not what Jesus would want to be associated with. Imo it also gives the belief that Jesus is a fictional character, like Santa, when the two are tied in together
Intrestingly, Christmas was actually banned in England and some of the American colonies during the 17th century because of its unscriptual origin.

The other issue is that what is taught about the events of Jesus' birth is also scriptually incorrect.

The three wise men, were actually sent by King Herod, in an attempt to locate Jesus to have him killed. He ordered that all boys under the age of 2 be murdered, in order to eraticate the 'son of god and prophet' that had been born. This also suggests that Jesus was not newborn at the time they visited as boys up to the age of two were targeted. The bible also says that they did not visit Jesus in a manger either but rather a house.
The account of this is at Matthew 2:1-16.

Easter as it is celebrated today is also scriptually incorrect.

As we are instructed in the bible to celebrate Jesus' death, i do commemorate this, but do not take part in the celebration that involves the easter bunny and chocolate. Once again, not because there is anything wrong with bunnies or chocolate but because of its actual modern day origin. Easter is also rooted in pagan worship. The catholic encyclopedia actually states that the easter bunny is not christain but that 'yes the rabbit is a symbol of fertility, but is a pagan symbol' Its a pagan custom celebrating the return of spring.

I hope i havent offended anyone, i just noticed there were a few people who were religious and christain, as a christain also i wanted to point out why i dont celebrate, give the other side of the coin so to speak

 

[Tiff]

I'm not offended.

I would be if someone tried to tell me that its wrong for me to celebrate easter and Christmas, etc. But I am of the "to each their own" mentality. If someone doesn't want to and feels that it is akin to pagen worship then that is how they feel.

Interesting though! Always enjoy reading other people's views.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Cool no worries, but if you search on the origin of xmas, birthdays and Easter, they are pagan customs and rooted in pagan worship, which is against the bible. Hence why it is not celebrated. Plus these days is all about commercialism

But of course its entirely your choice and i wouldnt try and tell u otherwise, We were given free will as we are meant to use it!! x I also enjoy hearing others point of view and providing the correct info on these subjects

Your friend certainly had alot of the facts wrong! Maybe she didnt have a very accurate knowledge of their bible teachings, who knows!!

 

[flubdub]

if the person makes it very clear they are not interested, they make a note against that address: "do not call".

If you don't want them calling round, tell them you are gay, or dis-fellowshipped. They won't bother you again

Thats not always true - in fact, I think its quite the opposite. We have had them continuously turn up at our house - the same people - with the same children. I am polite to them, but after a while it is hard to be.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Flubdub, they should have you as a do not call. If you contact your local congregation and maybe get their names they will check that u are listed as such. But we are certainly not meant to return on people who ask us not to x The fact that you said its the same people maybe they are just doing it of their own accord, as maps and do not call listings are arranged by the 'elders' in each congregation.

I would take the next step and contact them, as thats not fair on u at all, your wishes should be respected and thats what we are taught x

 

[Nic1107]

ShanandBoc- I should show my husband your post! I mentioned to him once the origins of modern Christmas & Easter celebration customs and their roots in pagan tradition (I don't have a problem celebrating them or with the pagan roots, but to each their own! ) and he refused to believe me! He argued that December 25 was definitely Jesus' birthday, that I didn't know what I was talking about, and that there's no way any modern customs originated in pagan tradition. History is not his strong point, lol.

 

[hennaly]

I havnt read all through the posts im afraid but i was one of Jehovahs witnesses for 30yrs, i say was because i was disfellowshipped a few years back although it was because i no longer wanted to be one, since i left believe me i have seen things in a whole different light and i can tell you whatever their beliefs are, as people they are no better than what they would call 'wordly' people, they are very judgemental and my sister is one of the biggest reasons i would never go back to it, she goes round on the doors preaching and yet is bitch on so many levels, one of the Elders ruined my mothers funeral for myself and eveyone there who wasnt a witness and I can honestly say i hate him which isnt a term i use lightly.
Do i sound bitter? well thats because i am, yes there are plenty of them that are lovely people but there are plenty that are openly not and yet it goes un noticed amongst them

 

[ShanandBoc]

See us women know what we are talking about haha x

 

[ShanandBoc]

I havnt read all through the posts im afraid but i was one of Jehovahs witnesses for 30yrs, i say was because i was disfellowshipped a few years back although it was because i no longer wanted to be one, since i left believe me i have seen things in a whole different light and i can tell you whatever their beliefs are, as people they are no better than what they would call 'wordly' people, they are very judgemental and my sister is one of the biggest reasons i would never go back to it, she goes round on the doors preaching and yet is bitch on so many levels, one of the Elders ruined my mothers funeral for myself and eveyone there who wasnt a witness and I can honestly say i hate him which isnt a term i use lightly.
Do i sound bitter? well thats because i am, yes there are plenty of them that are lovely people but there are plenty that are openly not and yet it goes un noticed amongst them

Sorry to hear that, i really am. But as i have said before these individuals have acted wrong, and are not acting in harmony with the teachings at all. Its not a reflection on JW teachings, or bible teachings if u like or the religion as a whole. They are acting in a way which is exactly what we are warned about. At the end of the day God will be the one who judges them.

That kind of behaviour is unacceptable i agree

 

[flubdub]

Just out of interest, does anyone know how many people JW's 'convert' when they knock on doors?
I cant imagine it can be more than 1 or 2 a week?