Non-Christians and Christians alike, what is your reaction reading this Jehovah’s Witness excerpt?

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Not many people know what the JW policy is regarding unbelieving mates (bearing in mind that, to them, an 'unbelieving mate' is a non-JW mate). If s/he is agreeable to continuing to live with the JW mate, then that is encouraged. And for as long as the non-JW mate shows any possibility of becoming interested in the JWs, the JW mate is exhorted to hang on in there, no matter what. The aim is to get that other mate converted to becoming a JW, you see.

However, if the non-JW mate actively resists attempts at conversion to the JW faith, that policy is liable to change. The JW mate will be told by the local elders that such a mate could become "a spiritual threat" and separation will be mentioned as a possibility. Should the non-JW mate show awareness of biblical arguments that challenge JW doctrine, or even have contact with any former JW, this idea of "spiritual threat" will increase and the marriage will be virtually doomed. I'm speaking from experience, having seen this happen with several couples.

Any amount of physical threat is to be tolerated, but no degree of spiritual threat is to be tolerated! And "spiritual threat" amounts to the JW spouse coming to know things about the Watchtower Society and the Bible that the Watchtower Society does not want that JW to know about.

Clearly, in the example you quote from, Steve could never have put up any real resistance to attempts to convert him. What caused the initial problems in their marriage when Selma started studying with the JWs? Steve is quoted as saying, “I became angry, jealous, possessive and insecure.” Given how much time and attention new recruits give to the JWs, Steve had good reason to worry! His wife was being taken over! Her life was being changed, and he wasn't part of that change! How many husbands do you know who wouldn't bat an eyelid at that? He reacted badly, but he reacted to something that was a threat to his marriage!

Of course, the JWs insist that the change is always for the better; that the interested spouse will become a much nicer person to be married to. Well, even if they do, the non-JW spouse will find very little time left in their marriage to benefit from that - the Watchtower Society now governs the JW spouse's life and thinking! It must be a very lonely life, being married to a person who later becomes a JW. No wonder Steve eventually succumbed after 17 years....Show more

how evil for one to encourage another to remain in an abusive relationship. Instead of advising the woman to seek shelter for her safety...once again they twist and bend scripture to keep people oppressed, and subject to cruelty. (( Then )) give them guilt trips to make sure they follow instruction.
Rules of man...and people so lost and psychologically shot down will follow the untruths of a false religion.


Jesus is a loving God, never would he reject someone who is being abused, for seeking safety.

In the book, "Crises of Conscious" written by a former elite member of the jehovahs witness organization known as the governing body(the men who call the shots for the whole organization world wide), Ray franz writes of his experience while being a member of the governing body.
In his book he mentions an incident when a woman was disfellowshiped because she divorced her husband after she found him to be having sex with an animal. She was told that her divorce was unscriptual therefore she was cast out. Things like this are what caused Ray to have a crises of conscience. Double standards within that outfit and lives that were lost, blood shed all because of how the men at the top of that organization direct the lives of people who follow them.
Sounds like they mirror the Pharises.Rules and regulations with total disregard for Gods Grace.

This organization is under demonic influence appearing as an angel of light.
These followers are psychologically damaged spiritually crippled without Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior....Show more

That's actually rather fascinating. If you think about it, it does make a small fragment of sense, regarding the "Treat others the way you wish to be treated" saying. If she wasn't being loving to her husband she is in fact wrong to assume love from him.

Equivalent exchange, she loves him, and he loves her back. It makes sense. Of course, if she had not become a witness in the first place, she would never have been struck, and those 17 years would not have had to have been troublesome.

It's all how you look at it, I guess. If the ends justify the means, then let bygones be bygones. If the abuse and the suffering was doused, then I applaud them. However, this strategy does not work for everyone. This is not a common story....Show more

He should of at least got counseling. The JW elders always want to take legal matters into their own hands case in point child molestation and removal of children from the emergency room after they have been slated for a mandotory blood transfusion by Child Protective Services. Are they protecting the victims or protecting the organization? Something to think about. Revenues are said to be close to 1 billion dollars so there is a lot at stake for them....Show more

All I can see from this article is that a women was in a volatile situation/relation then she started studying with Jehovah's Witnesses and initially things got a little worse from her husband, but he eventually accepted the truth, Everybody knows that once you accept the truth you change your life style for the better while you remain in the truth.

So this lady and her husband have actually been helped by Jehovah through one of his witnesses, you can run down the witnesses with unsubstantial talk & chat, but we only deal with proof and not hot waffle.

Seems to me that you have an 'axe to grind' with people helping people, & as for commenting on what you perceive to be literal incidents of abuse from other peoples accounts is nothing more than hear say with no proof of any validity to how or where these accounts gathered there intelligence.

If you want to forward this article on to domestic violence shelters/counselors then by all means do it, as they would read the article and then start looking for the Jehovah's Witness who helped the couple and solved their problem with the offer of a job as one of their councilors, as you talk like you have no idea how domestic violence counseling works and how long it can go on for, 17 years is nothing.

3 main reasons how a abusive partner stops abusing,

1. One kills the other
2. One ends the relationship and moves away in secret with help
3. Finds the true God & listens to his teaching....Show more