How to convince my husband?

Question

My husband says Jehovah Witnesses are a cult, but I truly disagree. I have not seen them do anything harmful and if anything, I agree to their beliefs. I will be living in Japan soon with my husband and he forbids me from attending the congregation there. When I said I would he blew up and was in fits of rage. I feel like the only way to keep peace is to secretly do this on my own. Yet, I feel like this displeases God. I love my husband very much and I do not want to lose him. I also do not want to lose God's favor. If there is everlasting life, I want my husband there too. How do I get him to understand? I do not want to force him and I do not want him gettting into something he doesn't quite understand. I do not want to hurt him. He doesn't like religion and he says they only cause problems. In fact, he despise religion. Any religion. He wants me to do things I feel God would dissaprove of; small things like watching violent movies, celebrating holidays/birthdays, getting drunk....

Answer 1

This matter is perhaps easier to resolve when the wife is one of Jehovah's Witnesses; the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses continually reminds its adherents of the plain bible teaching that a Christian woman must be submissive to her husband (whether he is a believer or unbeliever). Showing godly subjection can itself work to "convince" a husband of the goodness in true Christianity (such as is practiced by Jehovah's Witnesses).

(1 Peter 3:1,2) You wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, in order that, if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, 2 because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct together with deep respect

(Romans 7:2) A married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is alive; but if her husband dies, she is discharged from the law of her husband.

(1 Corinthians 11:3) The head of a woman is the man [that is, her husband]

(Ephesians 5:22) Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord


How is the "problem" resolved? By submitting to any reasonable direction of the god-appointed family head: the husband. However, it is not reasonable for a Christian wife to submit herself to a practice she knew to displease God; she knows that she must answer to God for her deliberate acts.

(Galatians 6:4-5) But let each one [male or female, married or unmarried] prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person. For each one will carry his own load.


By contrast, a Christian wife would have to accept the husband's right as family head to make such decisions for his children; she would recognize that the relative "guilt" for any god-dishonoring practice would fall on the husband rather than on the minor child. Mercifully, the Scriptures plainly teach that as long as a minor child has at least ONE faithful Christian parent, that minor child has valid hope for salvation despite any and all failings of the unbelieving parent.

(1 Corinthians 7:14) For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in relation to his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in relation to the brother; otherwise, your children would really be unclean, but now they are holy.


Of course a godly parent would work incessantly to train her children to gain spiritual maturity so that the child could himself choose to one day (perhaps by his early teens) make it clear to the unbelieving parent that the child now intends to "obey God" when any human command seems to conflict the child's growing sense of his own responsibility to godly standards.

(Acts 5:29) We must obey God as ruler rather than men.

(Matthew 10:35-37) For [Jesus] came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law. Indeed, a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household. He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me


It probably makes sense for husband and wife to learn more about the Scriptural underpinnings for each other's faith. It may be that they find fewer differences than they may initially have assumed. At the least, they can both work together to build faith in the bible and encourage their children to "Follow the Christ"!



Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19971208/
http://watchtower.org/e/19980715/article_02.htm
http://jw-media.org/beliefs/family.htm

Answer 2

1 Pet 3:3 In like manner, YOU wives, be in subjection to YOUR own husbands, in order that, if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of [their] wives, 2 because of having been eyewitnesses of YOUR chaste conduct together with deep respect. 3 And do not let YOUR adornment be that of the external braiding of the hair and of the putting on of gold ornaments or the wearing of outer garments, 4 but let it be the secret person of the heart in the incorruptible [apparel] of the quiet and mild spirit, which is of great value in the eyes of God. 5 For so, too, formerly the holy women who were hoping in God used to adorn themselves, subjecting themselves to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah used to obey Abraham, calling him “lord.” And YOU have become her children, provided YOU keep on doing good and not fearing any cause for terror.

But remember You must still put Jehovah first in your life.

Answer 3

You are destined for difficulties if you cannot find common ground with your husband. You both need to be tolerant. Do not harangue him for his beliefs and moderate your determination to worship only with the JW's. You can express your distaste for violent movies, drinking etc without using your faith as an excuse. Stand up and be counted and your husband will respect you more for making an informed choice as to where you express your faith.

Answer 4

You might have had this discussion BEFORE you got married. If you knew he wasn't religious why did you marry him ? You can't change him, so don't try. If it makes you upset to have him NOT be religious, then you need to leave.
BTW. Last time I looked, God approved of birthdays (otherwise why would we have them), movies (otherwise why would we have the brains to create them) holidays, (otherwise No one would celebrate the birth of Christ with Christmas, a major holiday) and having a drink is not getting drunk and didn't Jesus turn water into wine (and isn't wine alchohol ? ).

Answer 5

JW's are pretty much a cult. There is no scripture anywhere in the Holy Bible that says you can't celebrate holidays and birthdays and that you need to go door to door to get to Heaven. You and your husband need to rethink this religion thing. JW's are wrong, try Baptist churches. And pray your husband will want to change with you.

Answer 6

Attempt to win him without a word... 1 Peter 3:1,2
http://watchtower.org/bible/1pe/chapter_003.htm?bk=1pe;chp=3;vs=1-2
There is no guarantee that he will respond favorably, but one will never know what may have been the outcome, if one never tries.

Answer 7

Husband lost his wedding ring

Answer 8

Girl, a man can't forbid you to do something. And you should not be with someone that "blows up in fits of rage" that is abusive and controlling.

Ask yourself why would you be with someone like that? Don't you want to find someone who is respectful and understanding? Is he going to blow up at your children like that too, if they think for themselves? He will. Do you want that?

Answer 9

How do you know that your god would dispprove of celebrations? Didn't your Jesus supposedly help out at the wedding at Cannae by turning water into wine?

JW's are a cult. No doubt about it. Shunning, disapproving of questioning the elders or the teachings of the cult, requiring tithes.. all symptoms of a cult.

Sounds like you're the one who needs to reconsider her beliefs, and lose the delusional beliefs you cling to.

Answer 10

"If there is everlasting life"

IF??? Jesus says that those who believe in him will be given eternal life. (John 3:16) If the JW's aren't telling you you will be in Heaven when your body gives out, why are you still there?

As for the celebrating holidays/birthdays, where is the scriptual backing for the prohibition of that? Passover, Feast of Tabernacles, Pentecost, etc, were all holidays Jesus celebrated. Birthdays are a time to be thankful to God for another year of life and to celebrate the God-given gift of life. How is that displeasing to God?

Answer 11

Does you husband do this?