Relationship with different religions?

Question

What would happen if a J.W. married a Christain?

Please also include the differences that these religions have.

Answer 1

Largely depends on the couple, and their motivations in life.

They both need to accept the other as they are and not try to change them.

It is possible.
.

Answer 2

Both of them would discover the truth of the Bible's warning not to be unevenly yolked to unbelievers (2 Cor 4:16). The Christian who disobeyed God's instruction to 'marry only in the Lord' (1 Cor 7:39) would know God's disapproval and would need to repent and seek God's forgiveness.

For the JW a lot would depend on how strong s/he was in the JW faith and whether there were any JW relatives bringing pressure to bear. Also, whether elders at the local Kingdom Hall were striving to bring him/her back into the fold. A JW is not supposed to marry a non-JW so this act would identify him/her as 'spiritually immature'. There would be no service privileges for such a one.

If the Christian spouse was not critical of the JW faith there would likely be gradually increasing efforts to interest them in starting a book study and then going to the Kingdom Hall. If the spouse became critical, the situation would take a nose-dive. When a spouse is deemed to be 'a spiritual threat' to the JW, the elders come in to put a wedge between them and retrieve the JW from enticement to question the faith. As a Christian IS a spiritual threat to a JW, it should be obvious that the relationship could get very difficult indeed.

Someone on Yahoo recently asked a Q about this same situation: 'In your opinion, is my husband trying to convert me to the Jehovah's Witness religion?' (posted not later than 14 Nov. 07). The differences are too numerous to mention here. Please email me if you wish to know more.

Answer 3

They would be separated at death, one would go up, and one would go down.
During their marriage, the christian would be subjected to the world ending many times, as it has for the JW's in the past century, and they would not be allowed to have a personal relationship with the Saviour.
If they did not accept that Christ was a mere angel, then the JW would have to kick them out, there is little tolerance for those who think for themselves and search the scriptures with the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.
If this sounds harsh, it is because this is the Reader's Digest version of Watchtower policy, for the sake of brevity.
JW's are people like the rest of us, good bad and indifferent, but without the freedom that Christ gives us with our personal relationship with our Redeemer. Christians have the assurance of salvation and knows he/she cannot earn salvation, while the JW is in doubt of salvation, never knowing if they have done enough of the right stuff, or if all their good works will be anulled in the next spate of anger.
This doubt makes anxiety in their soul and uses fear as a motivator to earn enough points to earn God's approval.
Ministering in fear and doubt is a poor witness to the love of Christ, and leaves a hole in the soul.
Thankfully Christ has made it so the whims of men cannot be applied to His guarantee of salvation.

I know, I was there.

Answer 4

One thing I haven't seen mentioned in here is raising of any children the marriage may produce.

The JW will not want them to participate in any holiday rituals you may have, thanksgiving, christmas, easter, 4th of july, and this goes for in school activities pertaining to such, as well. the child will be expected to sit out of those activities. how will you celebrate any of your holidays with your children if your spouse will not tolerate it in his/her home?

Also, they do not believe in blood tranfusions. What if your child needed one? The JW parent could not even donate their blood to their own bleeding child... nor would they allow him/her to have a transfusion of someone else's blood. Granted, blood tranfusions are not always the procedure of choice, but there are times when nothing else will do to save the life.. and this is a dealbreaker with them.

Just some things to think about. I don't see how it could turn out to be a pleasant marriage, at all.. you'd always feel judged for your beliefs. I'd suggest against it, unless the JW was willling to forgo their beliefs to look into yours. Might be worth a try.

Answer 5

What beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses set them apart as different from other religions?

(1) Bible: Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God, and instead of adhering to a creed based on human tradition, they hold to the Bible as the standard for all their beliefs.

(2) God: They worship Jehovah as the only true God and freely speak to others about him and his loving purposes toward mankind. Anyone who publicly witnesses about Jehovah is usually identified as belonging to the one group—“Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

(3) Jesus Christ: They believe, not that Jesus Christ is part of a Trinity, but that, as the Bible says, he is the Son of God, the first of God’s creations; that he had a prehuman existence and that his life was transferred from heaven to the womb of a virgin, Mary; that his perfect human life laid down in sacrifice makes possible salvation to eternal life for those who exercise faith; that Christ is actively ruling as King, with God-given authority over all the earth since 1914.

(4) God’s Kingdom: They believe that God’s Kingdom is the only hope for mankind; that it is a real government; that it will soon destroy the present wicked system of things, including all human governments, and that it will produce a new system in which righteousness will prevail.

(5) Heavenly life: They believe that 144,000 spirit-anointed Christians will share with Christ in his heavenly Kingdom, ruling as kings with him. They do not believe that heaven is the reward for everyone who is “good.”

(6) The earth: They believe that God’s original purpose for the earth will be fulfilled; that the earth will be completely populated by worshipers of Jehovah and that these will be able to enjoy eternal life in human perfection; that even the dead will be raised to an opportunity to share in these blessings.

(7) Death: They believe that the dead are conscious of absolutely nothing; that they are experiencing neither pain nor pleasure in some spirit realm; that they do not exist except in God’s memory, so hope for their future life lies in a resurrection from the dead.

(8) Last days: They believe that we are living now, since 1914, in the last days of this wicked system of things; that some who saw the events of 1914 will also see the complete destruction of the present wicked world; that lovers of righteousness will survive into a cleansed earth.

(9) Separate from the world: They earnestly endeavor to be no part of the world, as Jesus said would be true of his followers. They show genuine Christian love for their neighbors, but they do not share in the politics or the wars of any nation. They provide for the material needs of their families but shun the world’s avid pursuit of material things and personal fame and its excessive indulgence in pleasure.

(10) Apply Bible counsel: They believe that it is important to apply the counsel of God’s Word in everyday life now—at home, in school, in business, in their congregation. Regardless of a person’s past way of life, he may become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses if he abandons practices condemned by God’s Word and applies its godly counsel. But if anyone thereafter makes a practice of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, drug abuse, drunkenness, lying, or stealing, he will be disfellowshipped from the organization.

(The above list briefly states some outstanding beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses but by no means all the points on which their beliefs are different from those of other groups. )

Answer 6

Jehoivah's Witnesses are Christian, BUT, they are no part of christendom.

Answer 7

it would be bad...jws wont keep holidays AT all...disaster..