What do you think and feel about Jehovah's Witnesses?

Question

Have you actually talked to any of them? What you think you know about them, have you actually checked it out for yourself?

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses have the true religion. They are Christian (of course), but they are unique for their rejection of paganisms, use of God's personal name, and global preaching by every active adherent. No other religious organization can claim such purity of worship.

These facts about Jehovah's Witnesses are perhaps relevant to this question. The more one compares this Christian religion with others, the more remarkable it is shown to be.

1. Jehovah's Witnesses have no paid clergy. Yet they remain tightly organized with more than 6.5 million active Jehovah's Witness preachers (about 16 million associate themselves with the religion). Even fulltime preachers and workers at their branch offices are unpaid volunteers.

2. There is no elite class among Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the few 'anointed' among them enjoy no special privileges in their congregations on earth. An anointed person (one of those relative few with a heavenly hope) is not elevated above his fellow congregants in any way, and he may not even qualify for appointment as a simple 'deacon' or elder. There are no titles; EVERYONE is addressed as 'brother' or 'sister'.

3. No person benefits economically from the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Even the 8 to 20 men who serve on their Governing Body receive simply room, board, medical care, and reimbursement for certain personal expenses according to the exact same provision as every other branch volunteer.

4. About a hundred men have served on Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body committee during the past 125 years or so. The vast majority of them have spent the vast majority of their adult lives volunteering for their organization's purposes, and the vast majority have died faithfully and near-pennilessly while still under their legal 'vow of poverty'.

5. Amazingly, Jehovah's Witnesses did not splinter as a sect from some other religion. Instead, a truly tiny but sincere group of bible students studied only the Scriptures to determine the will of God. Thus their religion remains absolutely independent of and not carrying the sins of Christendom's history, yet carries the authority of Christ's teachings.

6. Despite the distortions of anti-Witnesses, throughout their modern history Jehovah's Witnesses have refused to claim divine inspiration or infallibility for their teachings. They have pointed to the bible (and not any particular translation) as the only inspired infallible means of knowing God's thoughts. For over 125 years, their teachings have been presented as merely the results of sincere bible research by imperfect but godly humans.


Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm?article=article_07.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20040601/article_02.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/who.htm
http://jw-media.org/people/statistics.htm

Answer 2

I dated one for two years, she was nice. I'm not too keen on the whole "no holiday-no birthday" thing, I think kids like having all that stuff and its good for them to have a special day all about them once a year.

I don't mind them coming around to the house, I just wish them well and send them on their way. One time though I was at my friend's house when he went to the store and some Witnesses came by. I told them I was busy at the moment but "to please drop by any time, I would love to discuss the Watchtower sometime". My friend was complaining a few weeks later that they were coming by all the time and I could barely keep a straight face.

Answer 3

I think they're entitled to their beliefs, but I also wish that they would not try to push it on people who have no interest.

I used to work with one, and we would have discussions about Catholicism vs JW. Discussions; we remained civil the whole time. I will say they are well-taught--better than a lot of other Christians. But when I actually used a piece of Scripture in an argument (& I was so tickled to have remembered it), she gave me a funny look & said something along the lines of "That's not in our Bible." Point to me, I figured. (My quote was the bit from Paul about many people, many gifts--I forget if it's in Colossians or Corinthians--she was wondering why we didn't go out & preach too like they're required to. I don't have that gift, which was part of the problem in the discussion)

Answer 4

Yes, I talk to them for about an hour everytime they come to my door and have had some pretty cool conversations. I have nothing at all against them as long as they can show respect and tolerance for Paganism, which to my surprise, most of them do. And they usually do not take their bible out. They recognise Bush for the evil hypocrite that he is, which gains them my respect. It is truly ironic that they come through the neighbourhood and the only one who does NOT slam the door in their face and be rude is the only PAGAN in the neighbourhood. I've invited them in, showed them my altar and explained all about it and they were intrigued and thanked me for sharing something to spitirually personal with them. Out of all the factions of christianity, they seem to be the most tolerant of Paganism.

Answer 5

Yes, I've chatted with them many times over the years. My daughter dated a boy, who's family was Jehovah's Witness. I think they are as misguided as any of the other religions. Religion is all about having power over the illiterate masses. Anyone who understands science can understand that the world was formed out of matter...and not by some invisible "super being" who watches over us, and judges our deeds, and yet doesn't do anything about anything...

Answer 6

I actually talked to some of them and read some of their materials they handed it to me. I find them a little strange. They don't believe in holidays. In fact, they don't have birthdays. They believe that blood transfusions are evil yet when I read the bible verses, The bible states that you shouldn't eat raw meat basically.

Answer 7

They knock on my door all the time and they are the kind of people that you dont really want to talk to but they are just so nice so you cant slam the door in their face.

Answer 8

I have talked to them - I know they won't take a hint when you thank them for coming and knocking on your door, and advise them that you can't chat because you're about to go out . . . I haven't checked it out for myself because I'm just not into all that stuff.

Answer 9

I actually feel sorry for them because they are so sincere and involved in a Church that is so wrong. I hope the Lord will do something so they can be saved as they genuinely seem to be nice people.

Answer 10

Very little on a day to day basis. My last "boyfriend's" parents were JW's, and I found them to be rather sad and rigid people. And very righteous. Very righteous.

Other than that, I just wish they'd stay out of my neighborhood. I hate having to hide when they come around.

Answer 11

JW is a cult .. plain and simple .. they will tell you they're not, of course, but if you are one, have been one, or had one in your family, you know it's true.

My sister in law (JW) married my brother (non JW). He family disowned her, her Kingdom hall disfellowshipped her. He converted, stopped spending holidays with his kids from previous marriage and started spending Saturdays bugging people at home. Eventually parents and Hall accepted her back. All of it was too much for her, and she killed herself in September.

I've written this here before, I know ... but I want as many people as possible to know just how awful it truly is.