by cameo-d 10 Replies latest watchtower bible
why is it that JWs refer to people from the org as "The Friends"?
Sometimes its even used to refer to people in their JW social group.
Since "Friends" is a Quaker term used likewise, how did the JWs come to start using that phrase to denote JW members?
I would guess that the WT started using the phrase way back, since all the loaded and unloaded phrases come from the WT....but couldn't you picture a WT article "cautioning" the Brothers to no longer use the term "friends" for fear of using terms from Babylon the Great
WT explanation:
*** Proclaimers chap. 11 p. 149 How We Came to Be Known as Jehovah’s Witnesses ***True followers of Jesus Christ, both in the first century and in modern times, have referred to themselves and to fellow believers as "the brothers," "the friends," and "the congregation of God." (Acts 11:29; 3 John 14; 1 Cor. 1:2) They have also spoken of Christ as "the Master" and of themselves as "slaves of Christ Jesus" and "slaves of God." (Col. 3:24; Phil. 1:1; 1 Pet. 2:16) Such designations have been used freely within the congregation, and there they have been well understood.
3 John 14
But I am hoping to see you directly, and we shall speak face to face. May you have peace. The friends send you their greetings. Give my greetings to the friends by name.
*** Insight Book-1 p. 873 Friend ***First-century Christians referred to fellow believers in general as "friends." (3Jo 14)
*** w85 5/15 p. 7 True Friends—How to Find Them ***Where, though, can one find true friends? A good place to start would be the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. These genuine Christians enjoy such good relations that they frequently refer to one another as "the friends," as did their fellow believers of the first century. (3 John 14)
Do you think they could have some hidden subsidiaries with "Friends" in the business name?
Disagree with their idol, the Faithful Slave and see how quick they "unfriend" you.
interesting etymology links the
old english word "friend" to a word meaning "free"...
nothing could be further from the truth*
about being friends with the "friends"
*not "THE" truth
It underscores the idea that one cannot be friends with worldly people. By using "the friends", it implies that anyone outside that group is ineligible to become friends unless they join.
They do love the scripture of friendship with the world is enmity with God so we have to assume it's just a figure of speech amongst themselves , they have had some articles lately that point out that tho jesus condemned everybody and everything (besides the apostles and believers) he was not anti social, sounds like another of those paradoxes
Over here it is always "The Brothers"....Friends seems exclusively American, I do not know why. We thought it funny and strange when we sat among Americans at an International Assembly and they used the term
They address one another formally as Brother or Sister X, I am sure they do not say "Friend X."..
Like "bluesbrother" I found it strange when American JWs refer to other JWs as "the friends" .
In the 30 years I was a JW 1971-2001 I never came across that usage at all. I can't even recall any WT publication using it.
It was always "brothers and/or "sisters"
For some reason I find "the Friends" rather creepy. In fact I find it very cultish.
