continued to befriend me, hang out with me, socialize with me, and "give greetings" to me, even though I refused Jehovah's One True Religion. Does he need to repent?
2007-04-19 07:22:52 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
To those who are confused at this question, JWs are taught by the Watchtower that their "friends" are other JWs and that they should only carry outside friendships if the person is a prospect for conversion into the JW faith.
2007-04-19 07:35:27 · update #1
Thank you, Witness, for illustrating my point.
2007-04-19 07:37:16 · update #2
Jehovah's Witnesses tend to be selective regarding with whom they socialize, but there seems no specific "sin" explicit in "bad association".
(1 Corinthians 15:33) Bad associations spoil useful habits.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20050722a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20041208/article_01.htm
2007-04-20 07:22:43 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He may never take you as a friend because you aren't a JW. The thing is, you live differently from him. Some people hold tightly to their religious beliefs. The bible does say not to associate with sinners and I am not calling you a sinner but there is something that made him say you can't be friends. It may very well be the fact that you aren't a Jehovah Witness. At any rate, I think you should just leave him alone. I don't mean give him space, let him be and if he want to resume the friendship, let him make the first step. I know it may hurt, but you may very well never hear from him again. Good luck and keep your head held high. If he is too stubborn to see a good friendship, then his loss.
2016-05-18 23:53:21 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No need. While the Bible teaches we need to use discernment when choosing our friends, it by no means says to avoid all contact with others:D Case in point, my childhood bestfriend is not a Witness. He and I seem to bump in to each other every couple years. Last year we got together again, though over IM since we now live on opposite sides of the country. We had nice conversations. When the subject of beliefs came up, our conversation stayed nice. He said he has basicly decided to be confused about God for now. I said OK. We moved on. Are he and I currently as inseperable as before??? No. Our lives have changed allot, however this doesn't mean we are not still, at least as far as I am concerned, friends.
I see you changed your name, are you now a "good" penguin:D
If he is your "Good Friend" then why do you ask rudely worded questions about his beliefs?
2007-04-19 09:24:59 · answer #3 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
That's between him and God.
*Edit - didn't you ask a question earlier pertaining to receiving hate email from Jehovah's Witnesses? Then why are you still asking questions like this and then lying in your 'additional comments?'
The Watchtower does not say anything like that.
Any person with common sense would watch their association. If I liked morals and doing things by the Bible, why would I hang out with someone who was the exact opposite?
Ex: If you put a clean shirt in the basket with a muddy shirt, is the muddy shirt gonna get clean, or is the clean shirt going to get muddy?
Most likely, the clean shirt will not rub off and make the muddy shirt clean, but the muddy shirt with dirty-up the clean shirt.
Same goes with association and friends.
But, if you like scriptural references, here ya go:
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."
1 Corinthians 15:33 - "Do not be misled. Bad association spoils useful habits."
2007-04-19 07:26:09 · answer #4 · answered by ♥LadyC♥ 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
i am actually not 100% sure....but as witnesses, we have secular neighbors,workmates,and school mates......but, however, he should probably not be engaging in an extreme amounts of secular activities with you.....Now i am not saying anything at bad about you or anyone that chooses not to be come one of Jehovah's Witnesses, but we try and avoid to the best of our ability association that may make you think therefore lead sin.............but hold on..............this particular thing is not what makes us a cult as some say.......What is the main point of a cult? to ostracize their members from society.........right? well, jw's do open the doors of ALL meetings to anyone and we go out into the public and try and give others bible truths so that he makes a decision to become one
2007-04-19 07:34:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, another one of your phony claims. People need to check you history to see that you are only doing this to create waves and out of fear of what will happen when the program "Knocking" gets shown on PBS. They especially look for your phony question about War Bonds.
Anyone who knows a witness knows they can be friends with anyone, so the only people you are fooling are the fearful ones like you who cringe at the thought of getting to know one.
What Congregation does your friend belong to, or do you know? Don't go look at a Kingdom Hall for your answer, they don't list the different congregations on the outside.
2007-04-19 10:22:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I had a friend like that too. He will eventually write you off- as JWs are not allowed to socialize with non-JWs (My cousin became a JW 23 years ago, and even wrote off his own parents!)....the JWs want to isolate them from anyone and anything (including the real scriptures) hat will enable them to hear the truth about the JWs and their shamefull history and absurd, anti-scriptural beliefs. I used to point out the lies and contradictions in the JWs own writings (For instance: They admit that "Jehovah" is not Gods' name- that it was invented in the 14th century...yet their claim to fame is that "they are the only organization proclaiming Gods' true name" :) HAhaha!! )
So you see, they can't have their members in contact with anyone who both read and think.....
2007-04-19 07:43:03 · answer #7 · answered by Ed Norton 2 · 1⤊ 4⤋
no he doesn't need to repent the bible at 1cor 15:33 tells us bad association spoils useful habits. not saying your bad associations. he just has to pick and chose who he associates with and that can be said with picking friends in the christian congregation as well. just because you don't choose to convert means that witnesses will shun you and never speak to you, it's your choice.
2007-04-19 07:29:38 · answer #8 · answered by charlotte626 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Although it's required from their faith to keep other people (worldly) from the outside of it at arms-length at all times, they personally can't stop him from socializing with whoever he wants. If however, the relationship tends to affect too many of the other converts in their organization, then the "elders" will have to take steps to advise him of his association and/or remove him completely by "dis-fellowship".
2007-04-19 07:39:46 · answer #9 · answered by Daemon 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Is this a serious question? You seem to know a lot about other religions and my guess is that you know the answer.
2007-04-19 07:29:12 · answer #10 · answered by divinity2408 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋