i met a man that became a friend of mine. we'd watch football together and all...and he is a JW.
And after knowing him for a while he called me and said he cannot be my friend anymore, because the elder says im not a sheperd of the JW flock..
What made him feel that way? to me it sounds such like a mind controlling religion....
please help me understand actually why he cant be my buddy? Why do JW people cannot be a part of this world of having different friends and all??
i miss my buddy so my feelings are hurt....
2007-05-10 08:43:11 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Honestly I don't believe your friend is being perfectly honest with you.
1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us to avoid bad associations. We go by that counsel in choosing friends for ourselves. Also, there are several scriptures in Psalms and Proverbs which tells us to deal with wise persons, so that we too could become wise.
It's a personal choice whether or not to deal with someone. Maybe the elder counseled him on his associates, and he took it as if he needed to just call you and disown you.
I'm not sure, I've never had this happen to me.
But you also have to think about it from a spiritual point of view. If you want to be spiritually strong, wouldn't it be best to have friends and associates who feel the same way as you do.
It's like doing the laundry. Would you put a clean shirt in the basket with the dirty shirts to clean them up? No, the clean shirt will only get dirty.
So, we have to be careful of our spiritual cleanliness.
Hope this helped to answer your question some.
2007-05-10 08:55:28 · answer #1 · answered by ♥LadyC♥ 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There must be a misscommunication somewhere along the way. Your best bet would be to ask this buddy to explain what he meant. It sounds like there is some other reason he is nervous about being friends. If he does not wish to elaborate then chances are he does not want to be friends anymore and doesn't have the nerve to tell you.
It is true that as Christians we try to associate with those of like values, as do most people. Considering most of the time when one refers to a shepard in this sense they mean an Elder or priest or what have you, either he misspoke or you missheard, as clearly we are friends with more people than just our Elders.
Sorry for your losing a friend.
2007-05-14 08:53:06 · answer #2 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your friend is indeed a cult victim. I used to be one of them and can honestly speak from experience. The best place to look for detailed information is freeminds.org. There is a lot of general and specific information about the cult mentality and manipulation. The fact that your friend started out spending time with you and that he doesn't seem to have all the terminology down shows that he isn't - or wasn't - totally entrenched. If he's just studying with them and not yet baptized as a JW, you have a better chance of getting through to him. Bear this in mind, though: Anything you say that's critical of them can be interpreted as "persecution." That take the scriptures and use them to their advantage. But, do read up on this stuff. Protect yourself first.
2007-05-11 13:09:55 · answer #3 · answered by Suzanne 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋
look up the word cult. a cult worships man. we worship Jehovah and Jesus Christ. your friend can watch football with you but we are busy people. studying for meetings, going to meetings and going door to door. we also have parties during the year. we are very busy people. the Elder may of told him to be careful who he is associating with. not that you are a bad person. www.watchtower.org
2007-05-10 15:54:10 · answer #4 · answered by lover of Jehovah and Jesus 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Sound like a pile of bull to me. Using the wrong reference words proves it.
An elder would not only not tell him that, but would not even know he was doing it unless you have done something that is concerning him, like trying to sleep with him. From your past questions, it appears you are a lesbian. Did you try something with him to see how the other half lives?
2007-05-10 17:02:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I cant tell you why they are like that but its true. that is a weird religion. I went to highschool with a girl who was a sweet heart and I never understood why no one hung out with her after school because she was friends with everyone in school. Well she was a J.W. and i asked her to come hang out with all of us one day she informed me that she can not due to her religion.
2007-05-10 15:49:00 · answer #6 · answered by Michael B 2 · 1⤊ 6⤋
Sad but true, they will be polite to you and preach to you but will not associate with you on any meaningful level unless you decide to join their sect because they think non-Witnesses are bad associations.
2007-05-10 15:54:57 · answer #7 · answered by pixie_pagan 4 · 0⤊ 6⤋
all those kind of people like to be controlled. they don't have a mind of there own. your better off with out being a friend to a robot!
2007-05-10 15:47:19 · answer #8 · answered by cool person 4 · 3⤊ 8⤋
jehovah's witnesses are readily shown to be a cult that is only loosely based upon scripture. your friend is being decieved.
2007-05-10 15:46:10 · answer #9 · answered by Silver 5 · 3⤊ 8⤋