JWs are not alone:
High cost of leaving ultra-orthodox Judaism
by behemot 8 Replies latest jw friends
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goldensky
Wow! How similar! How sad!
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Mary
My former boss was an Orthodox Jew in practice, but a Conservative Jew by nature. He and his wife became Orthodox after his daughters became Orthdox and asked their parents to convert as well). He described to me the 'Ultra Orthodox Judaism' that exists in Israel and we compared notes on how much Orthodox Judaism resembles being a JW.
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Doubtfully Yours
Didn't know about this way of life. In comparison, the JWs are like a walk in the park!
DY
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tjlibre
A lot of similarities, equally disturbing and sad. Particularly this quote, you can hear the same almost word by word from thousands of JWs …
"Maybe to people outside it looks like a cult, maybe a little primitive," he says, but he believes it can be "a happy community" and a "very beautiful place". "But if you don't have the faith inside, it's like a jail."
No wonder many are walking out of their churches and renouncing their religion.
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poopsiecakes
The article mentions 613 rules - has anyone ever done a JW rule count?
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behemot
Poopsiecakes: the "613 rules" refer to the 613 principles of law and ethics contained in the Torah or Law of Moses.
The list is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/613_Mitzvot
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poopsiecakes
Oh I get that, behemot - I was wondering if anyone has ever done some kind of number estimate on the number of rules JW's have to live by; including beards, skirts, bethel visit attire...that kind of stuff and of course, the stoning disfellowshipping offences. It seemed to me that I read a number somewhere that there were over 1000, but I have no idea where that was...
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Pistoff
Of all religions, JWs are perhaps the most ignorant of the roots of their beliefs. What they believe were important moral laws about food, drink, and abstinence from blood were really poorly observed customs to preserve identity; that idea is reinforced by what the ultra orthodox have to say about their ways. They are a means of preservation of identity, culture and custom.
Many generations removed from the actual observance of the Israelites, the JW's misunderstand still what they meant, and take them literally.
Reading what the ultra's have to say about their way of life shows the same type of lie that the JW's espouse: that their way of life is a choice.
It is NOT a choice if your family shuns you, and young witnesses, as young as 8, do not have a real choice if the only choice that pleases your parents or prevents God from killing you at Armageddon is baptism.
Religions LIE, every day and in many ways.