My brother married a Jehovah's Witness. My brother and myself are Christians. I don't understand why she was dead set against having the name of Jesus in their ceremony. Can anyone answer? Serious answers pls.
2006-06-19 08:04:03 · 13 answers · asked by Gardener for God(dmd) 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I never said that I didn't accept her for who she is, I am just curious, thats all.
2006-06-19 08:13:04 · update #1
I am wondering...was she not wanting to use "Jesus" as God's name..? If that is the case, it's because Jehovah is God's personal name (Psalms 83:18) and Jesus is the name of his son.
Contrary to popular belief, Jehovah's Witnesses do believe in Jesus. They do accept him as their savior and they try very hard to follow the example he set as a Christian.
I think that you should ask your sister-in-law in a respectful manner to please explain why. As long as you are not confrontational, and are willing to listen, she will be more than happy to explain her beliefs.
2006-06-19 08:16:34 · answer #1 · answered by izofblue37 5 · 9⤊ 2⤋
It is somewhat insulting to suggest that Jehovah's Witnesses are not also Christians. As Christians, Witnesses teach that Jesus is the head of the congregation, the King of God's Kingdom, that faith in Jesus is required for salvation, that he gave his life for mankind's sins, that all things were created with Jesus, and that every prayer should recognize Jesus' special position. If the brother's wife really is a Jehovah's Witness, then please be assured that she also respects, loves, and obeys Jesus Christ's teachings.
The groom was careful to keep Jesus' name separate from the wedding ceremony, most likely to avoid any semblance of a religious ceremony, and probably at the insistence of his JW bride.
While Jehovah's Witnesses are discouraged from marrying non-Witnesses, there is no real "punishment" for doing so. However, participating in "false religious worship" (which a non-Witness religious wedding ceremony is) constitutes interfaith, effectively excommunicating the Jehovah's Witness from her congregation.
It seems that the groom worked to assure a secular civil service with no religious overtones, rather than offend his bride's religious sensibilities and congregational standing.
As a side note, Jehovah's Witnesses sometimes ATTEND non-Witness religious weddings since their attendance is not PARTICIPATION in the manner of the wedding party.
2006-06-19 17:12:09 · answer #2 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus is the head of the Kingdom Halls around the world. Jehovah is his Father ps 83 verse 18. they most likely did not like how they where using Jesus Christ name in the ceremony
2006-06-19 17:24:37 · answer #3 · answered by lover of Jehovah and Jesus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you're brother married a Jehovah's Witness, and he in fact isnt one himself, it makes me doubt if any of this is true.
Jehovah's Witnesses are supposed to marry "in the lord only".
You should accept the girl for who she is.
As for Christ, we admit Jesus as our savior and follow his preaching example.
That she was dead set against having his name used in her ceremony tells me that she probably isn't a real Jehovah's Witness. She's probably just impersonating someone whom she wished she was.
Jehovah's Witnesses do use Jesus' name in any meeting, prayer and wedding ceremony.
2006-06-19 21:55:47 · answer #4 · answered by geniusflightnurse 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Witnesses are Christian. We believe in God and Jesus. Jesus being God's son, not God himself. As someone before wrote, Jehovah is God's personal name. The only reason I can think of her not wanting to use Jesus in the ceremony is that it was being used incorrectly.
2006-06-19 15:25:54 · answer #5 · answered by ~Laura~ 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps you should be a bit more specific. Are you referring to her vows? In what way exactly was she dead set against having the name of Jesus in the ceremony? Did they write the vows? Did they use vows that are standard in wedding ceremonies? In what part of the ceremony was she dead set on not having the vows?
2006-06-19 15:23:14 · answer #6 · answered by Hannah J Paul 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She may not have wanted Jesus mentioned at the wedding because of our belief that it is to Jehovah alone that we must worship, and that as Jesus is God's son, there would have been no need for him to be mentioned. As for you and your brother being Christians...so is your new sister-in-law! My belief in Jesus' perfect sacrifice of his life for my mistakes and of his resurrection makes me, by definition, a Christian! We believe in Jesus, just not that Jesus and God are the same person! Congrats to the newlyweds!
2006-06-19 15:41:57 · answer #7 · answered by themom 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What achtung_heiss is saying is the commandment Jesus gave to 'love one another just as I have loved you' only applies in his book if you are a Jehovahs Witnesses.
If you are not a JW you are beneath them and not worthy. Kinda scary especially if they don't like 'interfaith' marriages with true religions because its sounds like discrimination akin to Nazi Germany and the Jews.
2006-06-19 18:18:50 · answer #8 · answered by happy_hammer 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO - Witnesses ARE VERY Christian, moreso than most in fact. I have studied with them extensively, but I am not one and I've never been to a wedding so I am not sure why... I'll see what I can find out though; that's interesting!
2006-06-19 15:18:58 · answer #9 · answered by ~Donna~ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jehovah's Witness's don't believe in the "Christian" christ, they are a sub-sect of Christianity, they are not christian themselves. They are like Mormons in that respect and some other groups such as Unitarians and 7Th Day Adventist.
2006-06-19 15:10:16 · answer #10 · answered by Poppet 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋