Blondie nailed it. It IS actually forbidden, however the penalty isn't normally Dfing but other loss of status or priveledge. It is a "disloyalty" and "unfaithfulness". BUT...If the person was 'studying and making progress' the local Elders MAY actually decide to perform the ceremony at a location other than the KH. It is left to the Elder/MS.
Where would a JW marry a non-JW? A KH?
by InterestedOne 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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mrsjones5
My cousin married an nonjw 20 years ago. They went to Reno. My mother married a nonjw in 1962 (my father) by use of a justice of peace. Dad converted 5 years later.
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Amelia Ashton
I know of one sister who married outside the "troof". Daddy was a very rich elder so no probs at all. They got married at a Registry Office and 15 years later they are still together with 2 daughters. Another sister got her boyfriend to have a study, get baptised and they got married at the KH all in less than a year. He stopped going to meetings about 6 months after getting married! 3 years on and she still goes and as far as I know they are happy and now have a little boy.
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Lady Lee
My JW married a non-JW at the courthouse. She was reproved for it.
Many people get married now outside of churches. My second wedding was in the backyard of a beautiful bed and breakfast with a JP
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TD
My wife and I were married in a rented ballroom. --Much, much nicer than any kingdom hall.
Despite that, every JW in the whole area; those that were invited and those that were uninvited all showed up!
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brotherdan
Both my wife and I were JWs, but we couldn't have the wedding at the hall. Someone went to the elders 2 weeks before our wedding and accused me of over drinking on 1 occasion. They told us we would have to find a new place for the wedding...2 WEEKS before the wedding. Heartless bastards.
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mamalove
Someone should start a wedding planning service geared toward religiously challenged families....hmmmm
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RubaDub
There ARE exceptions I have seen where an Elder has performed ceremonies for a JW marrying a non-JW (although NOT in a Kingdom Hall).
I recall two cases that were somewhat similar. The man and woman had children, separated, and then one of them later became a JW (for the record, both cases involved people from islands in the Caribbean living in/near New York City, both involved the woman as the JW and IMO, both included a financial motive for getting back together).
In both cases, the men attended meetings (at least occasionally) and one was studying, what old-timers here would call, a person of "goodwill." They were both generally liked by the elders.
To make the long story short, in both cases, the elders allowed one of their own to perform the ceremony. Of course it was not at the Kingdom Hall.
In one of the cases I am more familiar with, the reasoning was that since the man was still close to the family, spent time with the children, etc., that it was better for the brothers and the "community" to see them as legally married since they had never done so in their native country.
Rub a Dub
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peacefulpete
RubaDub...Like I also said in an earlier comment, the Elder may be allowed discretion if there is evidence the nonJW has intent to become one but the passions they have threaten to lead them to 'sin' if not married quickly. They see it as an honorable but not exemplary decision. Again this is only in the instance where one is well along on the way to becoming a JW and expresses the desire to do so as soon as they can.