Is it possible to be friends with a devout Jehovah's Witness?

losthobbit

Just wondering if it's possible for a non-religious person like me to be friends with a devout Jehovah's Witness. As I understand they don't like to mix with us lower life forms. Any thoughts?

cantleave

Only if they think you are a potential convert!

cedars

cantleave has nailed it. I'm still a JW but "inactive", and my friends are dropping like flies (not through dying, but through what I like to call "pre-emptive shunning").

Also, bear in mind that (as you suggest) "worldy people" are portrayed as a lower life form in JW talks and literature. A JW will only be friends with you if he HAS to be, i.e. because you work together. Even then, you may find him or her limiting the scale of social interraction.

Cedars

Fernando

Probably depends to what extent the Watchtower follower buys in to Watchtower supremacist and exclusivist propaganda and self-righteousness.

A romantic friendship is probably trouble as in TROUBLE.

dozy

Short answer , NO ( if you assume that any real friendship , on whatever level , requires a degree of reciprocation). Technically , A JW wouldn't call any worldly (ie non-JW) person a friend , in line with their understanding of James 4:4 etc. They are very much discouraged to have any kind of close relationship with non-JWs , even on a business level , as all non JWs are regarded as at best "bad associations".

watchtower 934/15p.16 Youths—What Are You Pursuing? " So keep clear of unwholesome associates. Limit your association to spiritually minded Christians who really love Jehovah. Be careful even of youths in the congregation who are negative or critical. As you grow spiritually, your taste in friends will likely change. Says one teenage Witness girl: "I have been making new friends in different congregations. It has made me realize how unnecessary worldly friends are"."

Watchtower 725/15p.304AppreciatingJehovah’sDeliverance***

" Another vital way to show appreciation for Jehovah’s deliverance is by breaking off bad associations. People of this old system of things are bad associates. They do not love Jehovah, otherwise they would be serving him too. We find that most people of the old system love money, material things, all that this system can give them. And there are many who delight in immoral, wicked things. They are not at all interested in Jehovah and the principles of his new system. Perhaps some of Jehovah’s servants have friends like that. They may maintain friendship with such worldly people for business reasons, but this is indeed a very dangerous course of action. "

That being said , when I was a JW I had quite a few friends who weren't JWs. It all depends on how you define a "devout" JW. Confusingly , they are encouraged to associate with their neighbours , so some worldly people think of them as their friends , but this isn't fully reciprocated unless and until these ones begin to take an interest in JW activities.

WTWizard

What will happen is Big TROUBLE. The witlesses are programmed to view outsiders that refuse to join the cancer and stay in it as "bad associations". Rather, they will do all they can to drag you into the cancer. Discussions always turn to what is in the latest rag. Then, it is the study book they are currently using. Then getting you to boasting sessions. Then to getting you to believe the core doctrine. Then making sure you are throwing away everything that means something to you. Then doing field circus. Then getting baptized. After that, it is about shared experiences in field circus and the a$$emblies. If you disagree with anything from the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger, that is the end of the relationship.

Usually, only other pious witlesses can be friends with pious witlesses.

tornapart

Well.. I must never have been a 'devout' JW then, even before learning TTATT because I had/have loads of non JW friends and have made some very close friendships with a few of them over the years. I value these friendships very much and they've helped me through some rough patches. In fact some of them have been closer to me than anyone in my congregation (expect for a couple).

losthobbit

Thanks guys... this is interesting stuff. Wizard... I had a good laugh at that.

So, if I wrote a letter like this, I could get a JW friend and start causing trouble with a capital T?

Dear Magnificent J-Dub.

I'm a puny, worthless, low-life. I know nothing. Please tell me everything you know, because you are a chosen great one, who knows stuff (not really). I like having friends. Will you be my friend? Maybe just a "Facebook Friend"?

Regards,

Puny Lowlife

Okay... I'm just talking a load of crap now. Sometimes I like to do that.

losthobbit

tornapart... what's "TTATT", and did you consider yourself to be devout?

tornapart

It's 'The Truth about the Truth' Losthobbit.. I'm not sure if I considered myself devout. I believed in it, believed it was God's organisation for all my life. (no longer). But my husband always called me a bit of a rebel because I didn't like being told what to do if it didn't make sense. I could never understand why I couldn't have nice decent friends on the 'outside'. It made no sense, so I rebelled against it and found some beautiful friends. :)

Is it possible to be friends with a devout Jehovah's Witness?

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