This religion was started in Ireland around the same time as the JW's were in the mid to late 1800'S. and is still alive today in Europe and America. My Grandfather and his family were of this religion. They have a lot of the same ideas about things as the Witnesses. They don't have a clergy, they don't have members, rather they have a fellowship, women have a secondary position they wear head coverings when teaching, their kids aren't allowed to be involved in school activities, they only marry within the fold and they shun anyone who doesn't live up to their beliefs. The Witnesses would still view them as of Babylon the great however, remember, only JW's have the absolute truth. My Grandfather was in his fourties when he married my Grandmother and because there just weren't any eligible P.B. women in his village he married her even though she wasn't of his faith. As a result, except for one sister, he and his wife and 6 children were shunned for the rest of his life. His sister was seen coming out of a movie theatre in the 1930's and was also shunned by the family and Congregation. The two siblings stuck together for the rest of their lives helping eachother through lifes difficulties. My mother never knew her father's side of the famiy even though they lived in a village nearby. (sound familiar to anyone?) My Grandfather raised his 6 children in the style of someone who still believed in that religion. My Grandmother was the village school teacher and taught the Bible to her students using the name Jehovah. Because of this background, my Mom was ripe for the picking when she came to America and the Witnesses called on her. She had no friends or family in the country and the pretty young lady with two little boys, who already prayed to Jehovah, was an automatic celebrity when she started attending meetings. My Dad never could overcome his shyness enough to go from door to door so he wasn't allowed to be baptized but he did die not taking a blood transfusion because of what he was taught by the Witnesses. Plymouth Brethren kids today who attend public school have to go home for lunch or eat in a seperate area as they aren't allowed to break bread with unbelievers in a lunchroom. They can eat on a bus or airplane however because this is not considered eating with but next to unbelievers. When they oust followers, the whole congregation meets to discuss the crime and they all come to the decision together. (depending on the crime, this might be more embarrassing but you at least would be judged by a jury of your peers and family members) They are allowed to have cars so long as there isn't a radio in it. TV and Movies are out of the question, Anyway, there are support groups available for former members of this religion today. Much like us, they have suffered the casualties of having come under the control of an overly religious group. Here is the Plymouth Brethren website in case anyone is interested. They list thier beliefs alphabetically. Look under "C" for Church dicipline or "A" for apostacy. Here
Plymouth Brethren, ever heard of them?
by exwhyzee 14 Replies latest jw friends
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Mickey mouse
Yes, their more extremist cousins the Exclusive Brethren are similar to JWs in lots of ways.
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Quarterback
My wife and I had a bible study with a Brethren group in our area. I was aware about them not marrying outside their faith, and questioned them. These young men said that his group was liberated, and although it wasn't condemned, it wasn't encouraged also. I wonder, if they were BS'g me.
Kind of like that British Public Office Spokesmen that stated, " JW's are free to leave, if they wanted."
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cantleave
I work in the Offices of a marketing and PR company. They do work for UBT. I don't think it's plymouth bretheren but read this thread from a discussion group.....
http://peebs.net/forums/news-room/exposing-the-corruption-and-illegal-activities-of-the-ebs/page/21
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exwhyzee
Thanks for the Video M. M. It sounds like these folks really live what they believe. Witnesses say the world is wicked and share the same holier than though view of it yet Witnesses still are entertained by it's goings on via TV and movies, concerts etc. At least Plymouth Brethern put their money where their mouth is in every way. Most Witnesses wouldn't last 5 minutes in this group and would be considered too worldly to even be allowed to associate with them. Yet each group thinks the other is displeasing God.
I'd love to post this video on my Facebook account under the heading "Wouldn't it be terrible to be involved with anything like this ?? " Just to see what kind of comments from the JW friends and family still on there. That would probably be the straw that broke the camel's back as far as anyone ever talking to me again. (it would be fun though)
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erbie
On the Ministry I once called on a very nice lady who had left the Plymouth Brethren to join the Baptist Church. She told me back then that I would make a good Christian as I was far too normal and open minded to be a JW. I took it as a compliment and I have to say, after a long conversation with her about cults and her struggle to escape from them, I never really viewed the Watchtower in the same way ever again.
Lady, if you're out there, I owe you a lot cos you got me thinking and sowed a seed in me that would come to provide a lucky escape.
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Leolaia
I know they were influential on the Bible Student/JW movements, particularly on their ideas of dispensationalism, the cross, holidays, and abolishing anything else of "pagan" taint. Russell's ideas on different dispensations and parallels between them, as well as his two-stage parousia doctrine, draw on ideas from Brethren dispensationalists. Alexander Hislop was not of the Brethren afaik, but because his views were very much in tune with them, they reprinted and distributed his works. When I was a JW, I purchased my own copy of the Two Bablyons in the kingdom hall, and the publisher was Loizeaux Brothers, a Plymouth Brethren press. E. W. Bullinger and W. E. Vine, whose views on the cross and annihilationism were oft mentioned in Watchtower publications, were also associated with the Plymouth Brethren.
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exwhyzee
Lady, if you're out there, I owe you a lot cos you got me thinking and sowed a seed in me that would come to provide a lucky escape.
Who would have thought the holy spirit would have let you fall prey to the dangers of bad association and apostate thinking, while engaged in field service ?
When I was a JW, I purchased my own copy of the Two Babylons in the kingdom hall,
It seems to me I remember this book being available at the book counter....that can't be right though...is it?
The Plymouth Bretherns changed the history of my family forever and now it's the Witnesses doing the same thing. When I was given the key to the cemetery by a shopkeeper in the village where my Mom grew up. I went in through the tall ancient iron gates and saw the tumbledown headstones of generations of family. The ones that were P.Bs. had "Until He Comes" written on their headstones. Apparently they didn't believe in an immediate resurrection but are awaiting Christ's arrival.
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kazar
I met a Plymouth Brethren at an Ex-JW Meetup. He was there to find out how to convert his wife from JW to PB. What a disaster that meetup was. You should have heard him talk....the pot calling the kettle black. I just never have any luck with meetups. I would go into more detail but I can't type. I accidentally amputated two of my fingertips on a door. My ring finger and my middle finger. I am miserable trying to hunt and peck. I typed 85 wpms easy at the law firm where I work so this is definitely killing me. Took so long to type this it gave me a headache.
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exwhyzee
Thanks for the effort kazar....bummer about your fingers....was it a car door ? Never mind...maybe I don't want to know and besides, you'd wouldn't be able to type the answer anyway.
Can't imagine a Plymouth Brethern and a Jehovah's Witness marrige. I guess you'd have to call it a P.B and J.W. sandwich with their screwed up thier kids would be in the middle of it. They'd be constantly trying to out righteous eachother. The P.B Dad wouldn't want his kids eating at the dinner table with their unbelieving JW Mom. The JW mom would make the kids go out in field service but the Dad wouldn't allow them to go because her car has a radio in it.
Being a true worshiper is so much fun.