calling all Jehovah's Witnesses?

Question

why is it that Jehovah's Witnesses cannot date outside of their religion? If we are not supposed to judge, that sure sounds like judgement to me. why cant Jehovah's Witnesses have friends outside of their religion? it seems like if JW's are soooooooo intent on getting the TRUTH out, that they should embrace all non-believers and show them the way and not judge and shun away.

my sister is 18 yrs. and she is a JW because she was raised that way because my dad and step-mom are devout JW's and they DO NOT want my sister hanging out with non- JW's or having a non-JW boyfriend. as you can imagine, that is very difficult for her. my sister is a great kid. she doesnt get into trouble and she just graduated high school and she was honored in the newspaper for getting a nursing scholarship. her only stress is the fact that she is in love with her boyfriend of 4 yrs. (she has been sneaking), and now that my parents know, they are telling her she has to get out of their house or give him up

Answer 1

So why don't you try asking your dad why he decided to be one of Jehovahs Witneses? If it was just because he wanted to be with your stepmom that is a wrong reason and he will not be successful. You need to have a talk with him heart to heart. Your sister knows that she is wrong in sneaking, but now that she is 18 she can decide for herself which way she wants to go. Being one of Jehovahs Witneses requires that we be honest with all, but especially ourselfs and our family.
If you want to live in your parents home then you need to comply to their rules.
That applys to all young people. If a person is looking just for a free meal and wants it at home then he or she needs to comply. I was kicked out at 14 and I learned one valuable thing. If you want to eat, you have to work. Have you talked to your sister as to how she feels? For the sake of discussion it sounds like you don't live at home or you sneek too. If you took the time to find out the why's you might have a better understanding. Having friends outside the religion and having a kiss me touch me make me hook-up boy friend is two diffrent things. Look around you and see how many young girls have babys and no one to claim as father? and no means of support? My daughter had a live in boy friend for 4 years of college and after he got his degree he dumped her. She cleaned and cooked for him and made his bed, and satified his phisical desires. She knows now that my advice was good, she learned the hard way.
I see in your letter that you never got the sense of listening to your parents either.
Are you older or younger than your sister? Why now do you make an issue of this? What do you know thats better for you sister than they do? What do you advise? Please feel free to send me your thoughts. [e-mail]

Answer 2

If they followed scripture and did what Jesus commanded in His last words they would be Jesus' Witnesses. They have their own translation called New World Translation. Notice Jesus as a pronoun is not capitalized, they do not believe Jesus was indeed God but "a god". By changing John 1:1 in their bible they change the entire new testament and the fact that Jesus gave directions for all those who follow Him.

Answer 3

The Scriptures clearly instruct a true worshipper to marry only another true worshipper.

(Exodus 23:32) You are not to conclude a [marriage or other] covenant with them or their gods.

(Deuteronomy 7:3) And you must form no marriage alliance with [unbelievers]. Your daughter you must not give to his son, and his daughter you must not take for your son.

(1 Corinthians 7:39) She is free to be married to whom she wants, only in the Lord.

(Nehemiah 13:25) You should not give your daughters to [the unbeliever's] sons, and you should not accept any of their daughters for your sons or yourselves.

(2 Corinthians 6:14) Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers.


The Scriptures also warn against elevating human desires above godly teachings.

(2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) We request of you not to be quickly shaken from your reason... Let no one seduce you in any manner

(Romans 16:17-18) Keep your eye on those who cause ... stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them. ...by smooth talk and complimentary speech they seduce the hearts of guileless ones.

(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... You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19990215/article_01.htm

Answer 4

It is up to every parent/guardian to decide who their children associate with, and then later when we become adults, we must decide for ourselves. While the Bible does not tell us who not to be friends with on a person to person basis one principle it does give us is to try to avoid bad association. Another one is commonly known as "Marry only in the Lord". The point of these being that it is best to be with people who are going to upbuild us.

As for why your parents would not want your sister dating this specific young man, that is a matter they could probably say best.

Answer 5

some Jehovah Witnesses do date that are not Jehovah Witnesses. some even marry non Jehovah Witnesses. 1 corinthians 15 verse 33. bad associates spoil useful habits. since she lives in your parents home, she has to honor your Father and Mother. and follow the rules of the house. we are not misguided. we follow the bible, which comes from Jehovah God.

Answer 6

I can speak to this because originally mom was a JW and dad was not. He later became one. I was in no position to remember, but mom told me as a baby, how dad's friends loved to go drinking with dad using his car. Potentially, this could have been a disaster for the family. Mom stopped it by wrapping me up and getting in the car with all of them. What a party pooper!

We are not scared of anyone. We don't coware in the corner in fear of an unbeliever. We have friends outside of the congregation. The problem comes in when what our worldly friends want to do things anti-scriptural, as in going out to get drunk, ingauge in immorality, violate the laws of the land.

We don't do those things, not because it is against the state laws, but because it is against God's Laws. We are free from a lot of problems because we keep God's Laws. We don't have the problem of unwanted babies born to single mothers. We are free of STDs by avoiding fornication. We don't have to live with the horror of killing someone by driving drunk or losing control and doing something so stupid it brings shame to our families as well as ourselves.

Your father and step-mom know what can happen and try to protect their kids, and you will always be their kids. You will feel the same when you have kids, no matter what their age.
Of course they are upset with your sister's dishonesty. You would be too in their place.

Whatever you do influences your life. Fill it with bad influences and then how can you be acceptable to Jehovah?
We live in the world and can't help but be influenced by it. We need to limit it to do our responsibility as ministers.

Answer 7

I'm not a Jehovah's Witness anymore, and it's partly because of the indoctrination they do to keep people from doing anything but serving "the Governing Body." Part of it is that you are to "hate what is evil" and they used to teach that meant you couldn't have friends outside the Jehovah's Witnesses. Your parents and sister might be good people, but they are misguided by the things they have embraced. Your sister will have to make a decision and so will you. After your parents shun her, you will have to decide either to associate with her or not. I hope this is the changing point for your family in a GOOD way, not a sad one.

Seek counseling as a family, from someone other than a Jehovah's Witness, please. It may help.

Answer 8

According to the bible this can lead to a relationship where she becomes unevenly yoked.
Different religions invariably fight.

Answer 9

That's nice for your sister to get a nursing degree even she knows what will happen in the new system... (sarcasm)

Answer 10

Why not pray?