Questions for Jehovah's Witnesses. Is it just me or are there more JW's that want out?

The jw who makes this statement appears more a neophyte about what JW teach and believe than you:

"1) We do not just talk about "go out and preach" or "Obey your elders" or even "do not hang our with outsiders".

Lets see, the active jw must attend one meeting a week called the 'Theocratic Ministry School' which is totally about how to "go out and preach", in fact everyone who is active must participate in some way either by giving "preaching demonstrations" or a talk on a bible subject or verse. So there is a good hour every week/

This meeting is followed by the Service Meeting, oh and guess what it is designed to teach jw how to "go out and preach". Talks, demonstrations, announcements all centered on going out and preaching.

"We do not talk about 'obey your elders'. Lets examine that claim.

From Watchtower June 15,2008

16. We must always remember that Jesus is the true Head of the congregation. (Col. I: 18) That is one reason why we humbly submit to the direction of appointed elders, giving them" more than extraordinary consideration." (1 Thess. 5:12, 13) Of course, congregation elders can show that they too are submissive by being careful to convey to the congregation God's message, not their own opinions. They "do not go beyond the things that are written" in order to promote some personal idea.-1 Cor. 4:6.

Spiritual food from the faithful and discreet slave class is disseminated to local congregations by appointed elders. The Bible admonishes us: "Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account; that they may do this with joy and not with sighing, for this would be damaging to you." (Heb. 13:17) Does this mean that congregation elders are infallible? Of course not! God sees their imperfections more clearly than any human can. Still, he expects us to be submissive. Cooperating with the elders, even though they are imperfect, gives evidence that we accept Jehovah's authority.

08-24-08 WT Study (June 15, 2008, pages 18-22 (AUTHORITY)

"We do not talk about "do not hang out with outsiders" Lets examine that claim:

The Walk of Shame

It all starts after you hear "these things we pray through Jesus Christ, Amen".

I gather my books and the kid's books and put them away. By that time people are walking over to us and talking to my wife and playing with my kids. They will talk to her about the weather, the meeting, her pregnancy or anything. Do they ask about me? No. Do they talk to me? No. Not only will they not talk to me, they don't even acknowledge my existence with a nod, a smile or even eye contact.

See, I'm dead to them. Who are these people? Well, they are ones who claimed to be my best friends, my spiritual brothers, people who loved me, well, only until 3 men judged me as a sinner worthy of death, now I suppose I'm not worthy of even a "hello" from them. Screw 'em. I stay at my seat for a while because with a 2 1/2 year old and a 4 1/2 year old my wife needs help keeping an eye on the kids. After a short while I just can't take it anymore. Thus the walk of shame begins. I navigate my way through the forest of people all the while noticing people....not noticing me (or at least pretending not to). I walk right past a friend of mine who doesn't even look at me even though over the summer we sat on my patio after putting up a fence and shared a six pack and played with my dog.

Then there are the elders, the Shepherd's of the flock that see a sheep having trouble and offer no help, again not even a glance. Then the real hurt and anger hits. I see little kids, most of who play with my son and daughter. They won't even say hi to me. These are otherwise innocent little kids who know they can't talk to "that man". I get my coat on and walk out the door, I go to the car to sit and stare at the night sky wondering if I am indeed the kind of person that deserves this type of treatment.

Thanks for reading, I just needed to vent. It's been about 2 months or so since my DF announcement and it's just getting hard to do the walk of shame 3 times a week.

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Out of the mouth of babes

A grandmother has not seen her six year old grand daughter for 18 months because her son is disfellowshipped. The six year old made the following comment to her mother.

"I think it was people who just made that (shunning) up and not God because I don't think he would do something such a nuisance. If you're in that religion when I'm a grown up and can't come to see me, I will still come to see you."

What sort of religion makes children think their mother may not want to see them?

Jw practice shunning of their very own, let alone anyone considered to be worldly...simply not one of Jehovah's Witnesses.....

Who really is making the false claims here?

If your argument about asociating with those who are disfellowshiped would be true, would you say that Jesus and his apostles where wrong? Would you say people should follow only part of what the Bible says and avoid doing what to some might seem wrong for what ever personal reason they may have?

I am going to put some scriptures here for you to analyse. They all have to do with your question. After you read them, think about how they have something to do with your question. They are taken from the New World Translation but you can look them up in another translation if you want, it's going to be the same idea.

Paul wrote:

(1 Corinthians 5:9-13) 9 In my letter I wrote YOU to quit mixing in company with fornicators, 10 not [meaning] entirely with the fornicators of this world or the greedy persons and extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, YOU would actually have to get out of the world. 11 But now I am writing YOU to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. 12 For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do YOU not judge those inside, 13 while God judges those outside? “Remove the wicked [man] from among yourselves.”

Jesus said:

(Matthew 10:37-39) 37 He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39 He that finds his soul will lose it, and he that loses his soul for my sake will find it.

Paul wrote:

(Hebrews 13:7) 7 Remember those who are taking the lead among YOU, who have spoken the word of God to YOU, and as YOU contemplate how [their] conduct turns out imitate [their] faith.

Paul wrote:

(Hebrews 13:17) Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among YOU and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over YOUR souls as those who will render an account; that they may do this with joy and not with sighing, for this would be damaging to YOU.

Paul wrote:

(1 Timothy 5:17) Let the older men who preside in a fine way be reckoned worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching.

Jesus said:

(Matthew 24:14) And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.

Jesus also said:

(Matthew 28:19-20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU. And, look! I am with YOU all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”

Paul said:

(Acts 20:20) while I did not hold back from telling YOU any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching YOU publicly and from house to house.

Paul wrote:

(1 Corinthians 15:33) 33 Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.

Solomon said:

(Proverbs 13:20) He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.

Paul wrote:

(1 Corinthians 5:6) YOUR [cause for] boasting is not fine. Do YOU not know that a little leaven ferments the whole lump?

Peter wrote:

(2 Peter 2:2) Furthermore, many will follow their acts of loose conduct, and on account of these the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively.

Paul wrote:

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) 3 For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. 5 You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do [the] work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Think about all these scriptures and all the points in your question. PLease feel free to contact me by email and we can talk further about the subject.

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If you would like to know more about this and other themes, next time Jehovah's Witness come to your door, ask them for a free Bible study at your convenience. You will never regret all the knowledge you will acquire and remember that what you do with that knowledge is your choice.

Knowledge + Application = Wisdom

well with you not wanting to be a JW, its easy to see you are not at the Kingdom Hall, because I'm there every week, and that is absolutely not the only thing that we hear at the Kingdom Hall. You should ask your wife the subject of the Bible Based audience participation Watchtower lesson we had this past Sunday, Respect Marriage as a Gift from God.

Also if you are married to a JW, I'm sure she has explained to you that the teaching of Hellfire is not a Bible Based teaching and we do not believe that, (google Origins of Hellfire Teaching) and you will see it is not something in the Bible, nor something Jesus talked about existing. The Bible is clear when it speaks of the condition of the dead.

Jesus at Matt 11:28, when saying Come to ME, he means embrace his teachings as part of your life, and study the scriptures, and believe that the Kingdom Jesus Preached about while he was on the earth is a real government, the one that will truly solve all of mans problems, and humans will live on the earth. (Psalms 37:11 & Psalms 37:29).

You are also using words that really are not used at the meetings, "don't hang with the outsiders" "Obey the elders"...

You should visit the Kingdom Hall with your wife sometime, you will hear much different things that are posed in your question. I have doubts as well that what you pose is even true, you sound very young...

The meetings are free and the doors are not locked, if someone wants to leave then that is their decision, but you will find people are there because they WANT to be there, they love the things they are being taught from the Bible, we USE the bible, the whole thing at our meetings, everyone has a copy of their own bible, and we can ask our Elders any question we want to about what we believe or if we have a question and they lovingly take the time to answer us from the scriptures.

I guess you didnt see the recent news report on TV that Jehovah's Witnesses have had a rise in their members over the past year, so apparently people dont want to leave, but are embracing the teachings of the Bible.

and if you arent a JW, and are not at the Kingdom Hall, how, as you say, do you see all these people destroyed and these family members not talking to one another, brothers not talking to each otehr b/c they as you type incorrectly "didn't wanted to be in the religion"

your question just isnt consistent with a non-belieiving husband, unless you used to have a Bible study, went to the meetings a few times for the sake of your wife / maybe then girlfriend (if you are really married) and then stopped going, but you have an incorrect statement of what goes on at the Kingdom Hall.

Yes

I must agree with the others who say the problem is "just you". You wouldn't have any way of knowing if there is one person who wants to leave them but doesn't or if a lot of people feel that way. It's a matter of a little common sense that would tell a person "hey, if I don't want to stay, I just won't". Jehovah's Witnesses haven't destroyed any families or teach that anyone is going to hell. Heck, even in the hate group I signed up with, we don't go so far as to say that about the JWs.

On the other hand, I can admit that I have been very rude to others, especially people like B-Man (aka Kent B aka Woody and aka a bunch of other names). Sometimes my rudeness has manifested itself in harassing posts with my fabricated, photo-shopped images and in many other instances with outright lies and the like.

I have my doubts that any of this story is true.

1) We do not just talk about "go out and preach" or "Obey your elders" or even "do not hang our with outsiders".

a) "go out and preach"-- I have been attending serviced for over 2 years now. And maybe there has been one watchtower study on the preaching work. What is it you are referring to? The bible dissertations?

b) "obey your elders"-- That is never talked about in the hall one iota

c) "don't hang with the outsiders"-- that could not be more false. I myself am the only one in my family of 7 siblings that is a Jehovah's Witness. And in no way is any teaching or belief that i cannot "hang" out with them. Also the majority of my friends are not witnesses either.

2) We do not destroy families. That is a huge misnomer. Also a baseless rumor propagated by haters. Again, just like in "c)" that is not a teaching, practice or a belief. Now if they turn apostate, than God is the one telling us not to associate with them, not the organization.

3) Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe that we are the only ones that are going to be saved. Again, not a teaching of a belief.

4) We are not telling people to come to us as an organization. We know that we can do nothing but show people what is in the bible. We know that we cannot save people.

So, in light of you being wrong on all of your assumptions about us, please tell me how it is that you are married to a Jehovah's Witness?

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You are coming up with things that are not true. Maybe instead of just throwing insults around, you should back it up with some sort of proof. I have all of the watchtower studies we have done in the last 60 years. Not to mention all of the rest of our publications. So please tell me where the organization is saying anything you claim.

And as far as disfellowshipping is concerned, you should study the bible. Because that is a biblical principle. Not our own.

And how is it we are all brainwashed? Because we do not agree with your biased, untrue, groundless view of us as a whole? How does that work now?

Oh and it is not "alot of people telling you that what you are saying is not true", it is every witness on this site that is telling you that. Should that not say something to you?

SO either stop pushing these erroneous claims, or back them with even the slightest proof.

when you have been in this religion for many years .. your whole network revolves around those in the organisation.. this makes SHUNNING a very effective control mechanism ..

Please don't think for a moment that we're stupid enough to believe a word of your little fairy tale. Some will be (those who share your bigotry and prejudice against Jehovah's Witnesses), but most people would not.

All you (and your bigot friends) can do is suppose or guess that anyone wants to leave (let alone your ridiculous claim of "a lot of people").

NO families have been destroyed because someone chose to become a Jehovah's Witness or began changing their life around so they could live by Bible principles and morality.

Also, you point blank LIE when you say "wrong to think that Jw's are the only ones that are going to be saved and everyone else is going to hell". Jehovah's Witnesses DO NOT say or teach any such thing (and it's clear you don't know what 'hell' actually is).

It's pretty clear to most of us that you're lying. You can deny it all you want, but your entire story is nothing but you spewing out one unfounded, baseless statement or accusation after another. I'm surprised you could even type that stuff with a straight face (or could you?).

Sounds like YOU have been brainwashed by hate groups and their satanic propaganda.

** Every word from danman is one false claim against Jehovah's Witnesses after another.

If you fill this way, why do you continue to go to the meetings?

If and elder asked me to do something that would cause harm, I simply would not listen. The fact is the elders have never told me to do anything! I listen to the advise of the faithful and discreet slave and follow their direction the best I can. They are directed by Christ. Does following the Christ make one brainwashed?

And looking at this world and it's filth, most can use a good washing!

It's just you

.... because many people are becoming Jehovah's Witnesses each day.

We never say at our meetings the following things that you've stated...

"go out and preach"

"obay your elders"

"don't hang with the outsiders"

And just for the record, we don't believe in a hellfire... which proves that you've likely never even set foot in a Kingdom Hall as you claim

"

Please do not pretend that your "question" is not a rant, because that is exactly what it is.

Not everyone can meet the challenge of Christian discipleship, and they want out.

Nothing new there.

In Jesus' day, many of his disciples stopped following him. They wanted out.

"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." -- John 6:66, New International Version

But they merely lost out.

"'You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.'" -- John 6:67, 68, New International Version

Serving Jehovah God and following Jesus Christ is a voluntary matter. No one is forced to do it.

But it did not reflect badly on Jesus because some people did not see the value of the truth, and it does not reflect badly on Jehovah's Witnesses because some people lack similar appreciation for the truth today.

God wants willing servants.