Is it right to follow the teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses?

Question

Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian faith who believe in Armaggedon and after that a new paradise on Earth. Although they have strict but good morals, they shun all other religions teaching that you may be destroyed in Armageddon if you are not in "the Truth" as they call it. Although most of them are very good people, they have "disfellowshipped" (excommunicated) some of my family, for heresy. (the heresy being that my family member said that it is wrong to belive that the Jehovah's Witnesses are the only true religion) The rest of my family who are jehovah's witnesses cannot talk or associate with these "disfellowshipped" people at all and i believe this is wrong. Yet much of my family want me to stay with the religion. Although they have good interests for me, I am not sure what to tell them.

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses make every conceivable effort to assure and ascertain that their students know what Jehovah's Witnesses teach from the bible and what Jehovah's Witnesses expect from baptized members. The process that must be followed before one can become baptized as a Jehovah's Witness requires many many hours and lots of hard work, and a typical minimum of six months.

A person is *NOT* expelled from Jehovah's Witnesses for personal misgivings or confusion regarding some teaching. In the matter of doctrine, it is only those who ADVOCATE unscriptural teachings who disqualify themselves from continuous spiritual fellowship with the congregation.

Jehovah's Witnesses actually encourage a student to resign from any false religious organization rather than to begin a campaign targeting one particular former religion. Jehovah's Witnesses encourage those who learn bible truth to join in preaching Kingdom "good news" and not to indulge in the human work of vindictive retribution.

Jehovah's Witnesses do practice the Scriptural practice of disfellowshipping for unrepentance of such serious sins as fornication, drug abuse, stealing, and apostasy. Baptized Witnesses who join the military or publicly engage in worship with another religion are considered to have disassociated themselves from Jehovah's Witnesses.

Contrary to the misinformation of anti-Witnesses, it is quite possible to become inactive in the JW religion without becoming disfellowshipped. As long as one's lifestyle does not bring reproach upon the congregation, and as long as one does not advocate one's disagreements with the religion, the congregation has no interest in "investigating", exposing, and disfellowshipping an inactive former Jehovah's Witness.

For those who are disfellowshipped or disassociated, a primary goal is to shock the person into recognizing the serious of their wrong so that they rejoin the congregation in pure worship. Since the primary bonds that are broken involve friendship and spiritual fellowship, it is well understood that family bonds remain intact. Parents, siblings, and grown children of disfellowshipped and disassociated ones sometimes choose to limit what they may feel is discouraging or "bad association" but that is a personal decision and is not required by their religion.

Former Witnesses who are disfellowshipped or disassociated are typically treated in accord with the Scriptural pattern explained in these Scriptures:

(1 Corinthians 5:11-13) 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. ...Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

(Titus 3:10) As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition

(Romans 16:17) Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.

(2 Thessalonians 3:6) Now we are giving you orders, brothers, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother walking disorderly and not according to the tradition you received from us.

(2 Thessalonians 3:14) But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked, stop associating with him, that he may become ashamed.

(2 John 10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.

(Matthew 18:17) If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations

Becoming baptized as a Jehovah's Witnesses is not a trivial step. At a minimum, a student must demonstrate months of regular meeting attendance and public ministry, then must himself express the desire to be baptized. The candidate then spends hours answering hundreds of bible questions wherein he expresses both a clear understanding and personal conviction regarding Jehovah's Witness teachings in at least three separate interviews with three different elders. The candidate must vocally agree to be baptized in front of hundreds or thousands of eyewitnesses, and must be publicly immersed in water. This is not a momentary emotional decision by an unreasoning child. Dedication as a Witness required hard work and determination at the time.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19880415/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19970101/article_01.htm

Answer 2

Is there an elder in your congregation that you trust ? Why not try talking to him, and ask him your questions? There is much to disfellowshipping that may not come out in public, and may never be known except to the parties involved. If you have been raised in or around the truth, you surely understand the basic concept behind one being disfellowshipped, and even though it may seem harsh to some, it can be likened to what others call 'tough love'. Sometimes you have to be shocked into the realization that what you are doing is simply not acceptable behavior. The Bible TELLS us to not even share a meal with a person who is called a brother ( or has an accurate knowledge of Jehovah's rules and expectations) and who has commited a gross sin for which they are UNREPENTENT. This is in the hopes that the brother ( or sister) will realize what their current behavior is costing them.
As for Witnesses believing that you will be destroyed if you are not 'in the truth' as you said, think of this... how many Muslim folks, or Baptists, or Seventh Day Adventists or Wiccans believe that what they know to be truth is THE truth? All of them! Because if you come to a point that you don't have faith in your faith, it's time to change faiths! Who in their right mind would stay in a religion that they have come to doubt? You would at LEAST study more, and then decide!
Talk to someone in the congregation, and see if they can answer your questions. And if not, then you will at least have made an informed decision!

Answer 3

I was DISFELLOWSHIPPED by the Corning, CA Congregation in 1982. I note you don't say when and what congregation they were disfellowshipped from, but I do know this, they don't disfellowship for heresy, because that would make them like the world. A person who leaves the teaching of Christ behind simply disassociate, not disfellowship.

I have been approached numerous times over the year by people who say I should join their anti-JW group and say that I was disfellowshipped for disagreeing with their teaching, rather than the real reason, because I was sleeping with two women.

They would tell me that no one would question my claim, and since JWs are a cult, it's okay to tell a little white lie for the betterment of all. I refused their invitations.

Asking this question, and the very wording, shows that you are not a witness, or have become disassociated. As for me, I still talk to my parents, weekly, and yes, my mother ask me if an elder has called on me recently. They live 1800 miles away.

More than anything, a family member gets shunned because they begin to openly oppose the religion when they get caught doing something that does not show a favorable light on Christ.

You can do what you want or don't want, but please, quit pushing the idea that people are disfellowshipped for not believing anymore. That story is getting old. If you don't want to be a JW, than be something else. Your path is yours to set. Many a person has left their families behind because they want to follow a different path in life, long before JWs were ever around, and still do in all cultures and religions.

Of note in my case, I could have appealed the decision, but didn't. I'm too old to care who knows why I was disfellowshipped, but I won't lie about it like so many. I only fear that there are children being molested than forced to believe that a JW was doing it to back claims against the church.

I've seen so many cases of that type, in 18 years, made against divorced and single fathers, to prevent them from getting custody or visitation rights. Over 70% of men seeking enforcement of visitation, or trying to get custody will be accused of this. It is a fact of life in family court, and there are no laws to punish those making false allegations.

Answer 4

In 2 Tim 2:17-19 it states "
, 17 and their word will spread like gangrene. Hy·me·nae´us and Phi·le´tus are of that number.

18 These very [men] have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred; and they are subverting the faith of some. 19 For all that, the solid foundation of God stays standing, having this seal: “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” and: “Let everyone naming the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.”

If you live with the early Christians before, will you join Hy·me·nae´us and Phi·le´tus or join the apostles? If you always have fellowship with Philetus, will you not be affected by his teachings and depart the Christian faith?

It is the right of a member of a family to talk even with disfellowshipped members, but is limited. That means you cannot talk to them about spiritual matters if they do not repent of their wrong ways nor have any plans of repenting. A lot of them just want to trample the principles of the Bible. Prov 20:19 states "19 He that is going about as a slanderer is uncovering confidential talk; and with one that is enticed with his lips you must have no fellowship"

Answer 5

Nobody in Yahoo answers can tell you what you need to do. i suggest you actually start a study and figure out if its the right religion for you. no one is going to force you into doing anything you dont want to do. the mayority of the people here dont know scuat about anything, especially about being a jehovah's witness. Just pray and really think about it because serving jehovah is a big deal and its soo serious. i really hope u decide on your own and not what people in yahoo or anyone else says. :)

Answer 6

It is not right to do that. The Bible tells us not to have anything to do with false prophets and that group has failed to predict the end of the earth more times than I can count. 1881,1914,1915,1918,1922,1925,1945,1975,1984,1989 etc.
Dont get me started on them lying to people and not quoting outside people correctly. If you want to see what I mean, have a look at the book "Exposing should you believe in the Trinity" by Angel Arellano. Shocking stuff put together by a person who was never baptised in the JW church!
Excommunication is a whole other issue. Here in Toronto, they have about 12,000 people coming in the front door each year and they kick about 10,000 people out the back door each year. This is a carnage because they are thrown out like trash.
If you are not sure what to tell them, "No thanks" works for me.

Answer 7

If you feel that way, then leave the Witnesses. Yes, you will probably be "disfellowshipped"- but you can look up your fellow family members who were kicked out earlier if you need support. Believe me- they, having been through what they have and being family, will be more supportive than anyone I can think of.

Answer 8

You do not need to join any religious organization to believe in God, be a nice person, and go to Heaven.

Religious empires are based on you not knowing (or realizing that.

Read the Bible with your current attitude and I am quite sure that God's Holy Spirit will witness to you.

Good luck.

Answer 9

I think it all depends on how YOU feel. Would you miss the Church if it was not a part of your life? Do you believe in its teachings?

If I were you I would follow the religion and still maintain a relationship with the relatives of both sides. What can they do to you? Throw you out of the Church? If they would physically throw you out of the Church, then you NEED to find another religion. That is just not right. I could not follow a Church that told me I could not communicate with other members of my own family, or even other people. NO ONE has that right.........

Answer 10

Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God. Keep asking healthy questions and soon you will be set free like your disfellowshipped relatives. JW's disfellowship those who uncover the truth because those who have seen the religion from both sides are the most likely to convince others of the grave error of the Jehovah's Witness way.