How can the people that joined the Jehovah's Witnesses, stand so much control over their lives?

Question

none of you have given an answer, I
wanted. study the question.

Answer 1

As Christians, it is true that Jehovah's Witnesses willingly submit to God and Christ. In fact, Christ made an interesting statement:

(John 15:10) If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love

(John 15:14-16) You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, because all the things I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you, and I appointed you to go on and keep bearing fruit


Anti-Witnesses are consistently befuddled at how Jehovah's Witnesses can "keep bearing fruit" and motivate nearly SEVEN MILLION adherents to preach "the good news" regularly from door-to-door. It is because true Christians hope to be "friends" of God and Christ, and "fellow workers" with them.

(James 2:17-23) Faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself. ...Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness,” and he came to be called “Jehovah’s friend.”

(1 Corinthians 3:9) For we are God’s fellow workers

Answer 2

If there is control over our lives, we allow it because it comes from the "Bible, Jesus & Jehovah God, there is no human control, have been a Witness for 49 years, and absolutely no human controls me.

Some define sect to mean a group that has broken away from an established religion. Others apply the term to a group that follows a particular human leader or teacher. The term is usually used in a derogatory way. Jehovah’s Witnesses are not an offshoot of some church but include persons from all walks of life and from many religious backgrounds. They do not look to any human, but rather to Jesus Christ, as their leader.

A cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual. Many cults follow a living human leader, and often their adherents live in groups apart from the rest of society. The standard for what is orthodox, however, should be God’s Word, and Jehovah’s Witnesses strictly adhere to the Bible. Their worship is a way of life, not a ritual devotion. They neither follow a human nor isolate themselves from the rest of society. They live and work in the midst of other people.

Answer 3

I guess I am a bit confused about what you mean by "control." As was mentioned, we choose to submit ourselves to Bible principles and live our lives according to God's laws that he sets out for us in the Bible. Whether you choose to believe it or not, you are also subject to the laws that God has put into effect. A perfect example is gravity. If you choose not to obey this law, you will die. You also are required to follow physical laws that deal with breathing. You have to breath air, if you try to break that law and breath water, what happens, that's right, you die. The moral laws that "control" our lives are just the same as these physical laws. If we choose to obey, we live happy, healthy lives. If we choose to break the laws, we will die...maybe not today, but we will. Notice how I used the word "choose" we are all individuals and we all can make choices. But we also know that with those choices comes consequences.

Also, something you may not realize is when we choose to follow these Bible principles, we actually gain freedom. Just like a child has a sense of freedom...no worries about day to day stresses, we are free from the stresses that come from living an immoral lifestyle. We are free from drug abuse, alcoholism, STD's, etc.

You ask how we can stand so much control over our lives...personally, I would have to say, I stand it quite well, thanks.

Answer 4

I don't really see it as that much of a problem. It reminds me of when as a kid, we would want to watch a certain show, and our parents would say no, we would have such a fit because among the, then, dozen shows we could watch, they would not let us watch the one we wanted to. We felt so controlled. Looking back it is so silly. It is the same principle as a Christian, and for that matter a human. When we decide to follow the Bible, we are at the same time deciding, to not do other things. Big Deal. By the same view you could ask, "How can husband/wives stand so much control in their lives???" because they have certain rules, like not sleeping around. or "How can people who drive stand so much control in their lives???" because they have to follow simple rules to be considered drivers.

I guess it boils down to what is more important to us. Doing unChristian things, or living as Christians. I see the rewards of living as God wants as out weighing/lasting those not living according to Bible principles.

PS I have read of a similar query. A woman was once asker if it was true that she couldn't eat from ANY fruits in a garden???

If you want a specific answer then I guess you should be more specific, and probably someone will say it.

Answer 5

I think some of them follow the strict rules because they feel that if they do then they will be good observant JW's and they will be rewarded after death.

I think some of them follow the strict rules because they need it. They need the boundaries that strict rules create. Religion makes it okay for some outside force to create those boundaries when otherwise it wouldn't be ok.

All of this can be said about any religion. Every religion has rules. It's up to individual people where or not they follow them.

Answer 6

Would you care to give an example of this 'control'?

When I was a little child I was under the control of my parents. Then as I got older I also had a school teacher to 'control' me as well.

As an adult I have the laws and regulations of a township, a county, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States.

For example the legal speed limit on most highways in Pa. is 55. That is 'control' isn't it?
April 15th is the day that the U.S. normally expects tax payers to have filed income tax forms, again 'control'.

Answer 7

I think their belief is all about giving up control and letting the elders and God run their life. You cannot identify with this, because your ego is driving your life.
To you this much control the something that you would not only not want, but you that would resent.
Rest assured, God does not expect everyone to believe the same thing or to be spiritual in the same way.

Answer 8

Consider the freedom they gain from it. Freedom:

From having a plate, basket, or pale shoved in you lap in a demand for donations that may or may not actually be going for their intended purpose;

From knowing that a church elder is in the position simply because they donated more money to the church;

From the worry that some other woman dresses nice than you because she can afford better clothes;

From having to listen to the same old preacher giving the same old sermon every week;

To attend a religious conference, just like everyone else, and it be for the purpose of association and study, rather than who is running for what position in the church hierarchy and how big their compensation package is going to be;

From having to send your children to Sunday School, where they only learn Bible Stories;

From seeing the rich, but lustful parishioner who thinks they are more deserving of your spouse than you are;

From having to worry as much whether your teenagers are being sexually active or using illegal drugs;

To participate fully in Bible discourse and not just be a tiny voice in a very large crowd;

To know that your congregation will not get so large that your voice is lost in the crowd;

To know that one day you may serve as an elder, overseer, circuit servant, district servant, or on the governing board, because those positions are not reserved for paid elitists;

To know beyond a doubt that should you lose your child, sibling, parent, relative, or friend to death, you will see them again, but as perfect human beings on a Paradise Earth;

To be able to look around and see many example of what that Paradise will be like, even in this old world.

Ones restrictions are another's freedoms.

America is free, yet you cannot run naked in the streets. There is freedom of speech, but say the wrong thing and you will be punished. You are free to have children with many women, or men, but you are not free to be married to all of them at the same time.

Finally, if you are going to only look at what little you can or would do in your puny little short life, you will never understand what life will be like for those living tens of thousands of years, with 100% of their mental capabilities, being able to do things you can never imagine.

Answer 9

The ones I know and they are many, seem to do whatever they want, so don't be fooled, that they all are allowing themselves to be controlled. I do have one friend though, that worked in the south for a company that makes ammunition. Once the Jehovah's Witnesses found out, they told her she had to quit,because that was not acceptable in their sight. I often wonder if they will give her financial support if she ever needs it. She has a family, including an ill husband to support. Now she is working a minimum wage job with no benefits. I think that is very controlling, but I guess it is a matter of choice.

Answer 10

Jehovah's Witnesses don't see it as control but self-control.