My brother who is a SGT in the army and served in Iraq twice has stopped talking to me for exercizing my freedom of religion that he has put his life on the line for. I guess I don't understand why Witnesses are frowned upon by many....anyone feel the way I do?
2007-02-13 10:45:34 · 34 answers · asked by understandingdowntoearth 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It is true that Jehovah's Witnesses are not loved by everyone.
http://jw-media.org/newsroom/human_rights.htm
Some people hate Jehovah's Witnesses out of ignorance, or over some misunderstanding. A few may have had a bad personal experience with an individual who claimed to be a Jehovah's Witness, and prejudicially extended their animus to this entire Christian religion.
However, it seems that the majority of anti-Witness hatred is motivated by religious intolerance and bigotry. A few may even be motivated against their Christian worship by the unseen 'god of this system of things', Satan the Devil.
(2 Corinthians 4:4) the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers
Interestingly, such "hatred" should be expected by true Christians in this time of the end, and it actually helps identify Jehovah's Witnesses as Christ's true disciples:
(John 15:19) If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.
(Luke 6:22) Happy are you whenever men hate you, and whenever they exclude you and reproach you and cast out your name as wicked for the sake of the Son of man.
(1 Peter 4:4) Because you do not continue running with them in this course to the same low sink of debauchery, they are puzzled and go on speaking abusively of you.
(2 Timothy 4:3-5) 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; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.
It seems signficant that the relatively small religion of Jehovah's Witnesses are the ones best known for their worldwide preaching work. Yet Jesus commanded that ALL who would call themselves "Christian" perform this public work:
(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, 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.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20030301/
http://watchtower.org/e/20020401/
2007-02-13 12:22:11 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Last year 2006, we "brainwashed" as some of you like to say, 248,327, that became Jehovah's Witnesses and everyone of these had to change their minds pertaining to the false teachings that they had been taught, these were people that used their own Bible, King James, etc., 28,915 were from the United States.
During the service year, 2,340 Kingdom Halls were completed around the world. This represents an average of 195 halls per month, or just over 6 per day! Since November 1999 when the construction program in lands with limited resources began, 11,700 Kingdom Halls have been built. As of right now, 40 Kingdom Halls are being build each week of the year. In many areas, once a hall is finished, meeting attendance soars and halls are soon filled to capacity.
Recently a clergyman in Brooklyn, New York, obtained a copy of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life. He was so impressed with the chapter dealing with prayer that he used the book to teach members of his church this chapter in a special meeting. Later he was asked by one of them, “Are you teaching us out of those Jehovah’s witnesses’ books?”
He replied: “It is the truth, isn’t it? When you want Sunday-school literature, you get it from several sources, don’t you? Well, Jehovah’s witnesses teach the truth. Furthermore, when you see Jehovah’s witnesses with the Watchtower magazine, you ought to take it, because they print the truth.”
When you ask a ??? pertaining to Jehovah's Witnesses, unless a Witness answers your ???, all you receive is a bunch of utter nonsense, lies, they know very little about JW's.
Who are most of these people? Some just hate the teaching of JW's, but many are disfellowshipped, apostates, a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion. Why did they leave or were disfellowshipped, here are some reasons:
Some of the offenses that could merit disfellowshipping from the Christian congregation are fornication, adultery, homosexuality, greed, extortion, thievery, lying, drunkenness, reviling, spiritism, murder, idolatry, apostasy, and the causing of divisions in the congregation.
2007-02-13 17:50:11 · answer #2 · answered by BJ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Everyone who's not a standard christian feels this way to some degree.
The christians have been growing surprisingly quickly and have rapidly become an overwhelming majority exerting most of the control and influence on society. Anybody not a "good christian" is looked down upon, despised or just barely tolerated.
There is nothing wrong with becoming a Jehovah's Witness so much, and freedom of religion is still (mostly) protected... but nowhere does the first amendment apply to other people. You can (and probably will be) harassed and disparaged by the intolerant christian majority at every turn. If you want to become a JW all the more power to you, just be prepared to be demonized by some.
As an atheist I have it even worse. :p
2007-02-13 10:54:27 · answer #3 · answered by Mike K 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It 's the same thing that the 1st century christians went thru. They were hated by their fellow Jews and by pagans and governments too. We do have freedom of religion here, but most other Christians believe in many of the same things, so because witnesses are very different and don't believe in the trinity, they're considered a cult or a group that tries to convert other religion's sheep. Don't let it bother u.
Edit, answerer Moor said witnesses are book sellers,. that's totally untrue. We do ask for donations to support the publishing costs, but all literature is free. MOst of it is paid for by our contributions at our local halls.
2007-02-13 10:59:29 · answer #4 · answered by jaguarboy 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
One thing to mention to your brother is that though JWs don't support the government or the military, they also don't oppose them. The don't oppose government spending on the military and they don't refuse to pay their taxes because some of it is use on the military. They don't protest the war or the nation's involvement.
Also, JWs living in countries that fought America, such as Germany, refused to participate not only in the military, but also all support operations, such as munitions factory work. This resulted in 16,000 them being put in the same concentration camps as the Jews, Gypsies, Gays, etc. They would rather take the chance of being killed, than to take a life, any life, including his.
Witnesses are not just found in the U.S., but everywhere. In countries that support America, and countries that oppose it, even North Korea. Uniformly, they remain neutral, regardless of where they live.
2007-02-13 17:58:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's not a bad thing, if you truly feel it's the right path for you...go for it. Don't let other people tell you how to think. You have every right and freedom to practice any religion you like. That's one of the great things about our country, freedom. :-)
Many people dislike JW's because of the whole door knocking thing and have had bad experiences with that. I've talked with some JW's before, like with any religion you have good and bad folks. People tend to stereotype that which they don't understand.
2007-02-13 10:49:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Maybe because they spread false doctrine? What would be laughable doctrine, if not for the fact that they are leading people to hell. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society's teachings are NOT Biblical. I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, so I know all about Charles Taze Russell's teachings. They are lies and half-truths. Always have been , always will be. Do you bother to check out their doctrine before becoming a follower of their skewed version of 'Christianity'? I got news for you - Jesus WAS NOT the archangel Michael in the flesh. Jesus was the Son of God, born of a virgin by the Holy Spirit of God. The archangel Michael was a CREATION of God, as were Gabriel and Lucifer. No use going any farther. You are most likely brainwashed enough to swallow these lies that they teach you. Go to www.carm.org, and click on 'search CARM', type in Jehovah's Witnesses, and read the truth about the cult that you are following.
2007-02-13 11:09:43 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Witnesses are frowned upon because they don't preach the truth. People who have never heard the truth can easily be misled, be careful of what you are getting into. When you except Christ as your saviour there are changes that take place in you and in the life you lead. I have met witnesses and know several, they go on living there lives just like the unsaved. They do not practice what they preach. I have done some research and I would suggest you do the same before becoming involved with them. They are not what they appear to be. They will tell you just enough truth and before you know it your so involved with them that you can't get out. They worship the watchtower, not God and they believe that only a handful of men are the ones that can interpret the bible. That God speaks only to these few men. My bible tells me that the Holy Spirit will teach anyone who truly wants to learn. BE CAREFUL!
2007-02-13 10:55:15 · answer #8 · answered by bobblehead 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Wow... what a bunch of bigotted answers you've gotten. No offense, but what do any of those answer have to do with how your religion affects your brother??? You knocking on doors does what to him? I dunno... anyway, here's my guess: Your brother, like many, see JW's as Pacifists. They have never claimed to be a pacifistic religion, as doing such would involve efforts towards preventing war, protests, etc. Naturally, Pacifists insult our armed forces (Hanoi Jane comes to mind). Perhaps you should consider looking in to how you can explain to your brother that being a JW doesn't affect him or your love for him.
And no, it is not a bad thing. Millions of people have died for their religious beliefs, so it's obviously a very serious thing.
2007-02-13 11:01:34 · answer #9 · answered by brassinpocket 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you about the freedom of religion part, but the fact that Jehovahs witnesses dont celebrate some major american holidays may mean that he gets to see you even less. And also some people think that they are just creepy, myabe its because michael Jackson was one, but that was before the scandal. Ive never net a Jehovahs witness so I am not one to judge.
2007-02-13 10:51:46 · answer #10 · answered by YouCannotKnowUnlessUAsk 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋