What about marriage? I was just having this conversation with a friend of mine who doesn´t know I have left yet. Another friend of ours is married. However the wife left him 20 years ago and she is a witness too. So this guy has been waiting 20 frickin years to be free of her but she will not free him as she has not broken the marriage vow. She likes being a drunk living in Florida with her mother. Is that not insane? So two lives are ruined because they are holding out over a manmade rule.
45 JW Rules/Teachings that "go beyond" writings of the Bible
by oompa 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Hoping4Change
@nugget, re:Retrovirus question
I may be mistaken in this instance, but UBM also refers to an 'Unbelieving Mate'. Would be interested to here rules for this situation. (JW wife, UBM husband)
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nugget
thanks fr that Hoping4change I don't know all the terms,
If a woman comes into the organisation and her husband does not then she is told that even if he objects she should trust in Jehovah and press on with study and plans for baptism.
If her studies create conflict in the home and distress she must press on and trust in /jehovah.
If her husband wants her to participate in his religion then she must refuse although he should be pressured to participate in hers. Witness wives should not compromise on this.
As soon as she is baptised the elders have spiritual headship over her and her husband although head of the house is subservient in all spiritual matters. The wife will defer to the society first to see if she can or cannot do something.
If the wife sins in some way she will confess this to the elders and describe this sin to them. She will obey their decisions even if her husband would prefer matters to remain private the husband is not the spiritual head of the house so his opinion is irrelevant.
She will be expected to attend weekend conventions even if her husband objects and may even feel more fanatical about it as she has to carry the spiritual weight of her household on her shoulders.
Family Wedding the husband can insist she attends a wedding in church and this means she can enter the church. She will not participate in the service in any way but can sit in a pew and feel ok about it.
The same applies to funerals, However she still reserves the right to put the watchtower rules first and not go if her conscience troubles her too much.
She will still be expected to abide by watchtower principles as regards acceptable sexual practices, appropriate entertainment etc but will have more latitude as to what happens in the home. The watchtower will be the elephant in the room as she will not be wholely commited to any celebrations that are not approved by the watchtower and will do the minimum.
If the husband does not want children indoctrinated or taken to meetings it is her duty to try to circumvent this in not so subtle ways as she has responsibility for indoctrinating children.
My father was an unbelieving mate it is very hard to be married to a witness you are always second and disempowered. It is a disgrace.
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St George of England
Not being allowed to join the YMCA has already been mentioned, but where I live the YMCA run several 'charity' shops. I know of someone being seen by the elders for donating to this shop and also for buying from there.
I recently looked up YMCA on the CD-ROM and came across this:-
*** w79 1/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***
In joining the YMCA as a member a person accepts or endorses the general objectives and principles of the organization. He is not simply paying for something he receives, such as when buying things being sold to the public at a store. (Compare 1 Corinthians 8:10; 10:25.) Nor is his membership merely an entry pass, as when a person buys a theater ticket. Membership means that one has become an integral part of this organization founded with definite religious objectives, including the promotion of interfaith. Hence, for one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to become a member of such a so-called “Christian” association would amount to apostasy.
Not wishing to go off topic but I wonder how the GB explain that in the light of UN membership?
George
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oompa
sometimes i have to remind myself...plus newbies and lurkers need a way to laugh at it now.....oompa
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extractor
The number of people admitted to heaven is limited. - NOT found in the Bible anywhere.
The "Great Crowd" will be on Earth. - Nope, it's heaven.
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nugget
This thread was worth rediscovering. Goodness knows what the latest nuttiness from the Watchtower bible and Tract Society is these days but this lot is mad enough for a lifetime.