Change the language. Immoral and adultery = Fun! Especially if the wife or girlfriend is there with you! (mind blowing fun actually), or you have an 'arrangement' (polyamorous lifestyle). Start calling this behavior FUN and see how fast your mind follows. And I'm NOT talking about betrayal in these comments designed and intended to rattle. Betrayal is betrayal. Period.
Immoral sleeping arrangement?
by hoser 34 Replies latest jw friends
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leaving_quietly
I once commented to my wife that Ruth would have been disfellowshipped since she slept at Boaz' feet all night prior to them being married.
Ruth 3:7-13: Meantime Bo′az ate and drank, and his heart was feeling good. Then he went to lie down at the extremity of the grain heap. After that she came stealthily and uncovered him at his feet and lay down. 8 And it came about at midnight that the man began to tremble. So he bent himself forward, and, look! a woman lying at his feet! 9 Then he said: “Who are you?” In turn she said: “I am Ruth your slave girl, and you must spread out your skirt over your slave girl, for you are a repurchaser.” 10 At that he said: “Blessed may you be of Jehovah, my daughter. You have expressed your loving-kindness better in the last instance than in the first instance, in not going after the young fellows whether lowly or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not be afraid. All that you say I shall do for you, for everyone in the gate of my people is aware that you are an excellent woman. 12 And now while it is a fact that I am a repurchaser, there is also a repurchaser closer related than I am. 13 Lodge here tonight, and it must occur in the morning that if he will repurchase you, fine! Let him do the repurchasing. But if he does not take delight in repurchasing you, I will then repurchase you, I myself, as sure as Jehovah lives. Keep lying down until the morning.”
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88JM
While we're on the subject of JW rules and sleeping arrangements, this reminds me of a recent event in the congregation here...
There is sister who has a few older children - some of who aren't JW's (I guess they were smart). Well, one of her sons who isn't a JW apparently has been "sowing his wild oats" and his girlfriend (not wife) had a baby. They live in another country, but made the trip over with their new baby to visit the JW mum and stay with her. So, of course her son and his GF with the baby have to sleep in separate rooms, despite having a child together. In a way I find it sort of funny and sad at the same time applying rules in that way. I mean, does it really matter how many times they break the rules once they're broken? (Actually with having a baby, that's probably put a stop to the rule breaking for now I guess!)
Also thinking about it, are the BF and GF not even allowed to be left alone together, even though they have a baby together? (Does the baby being there count as not being "alone" together?) What about the dad's responsibilty to care for the child - does that override the rule about being alone with the GF? What a crazy situation the JW rules must create with things like this!
Has anyone else come across this sort of story?
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mynameislame
Nice observation. Why is this something they make a loophole for especially when they seem to reccomend the single life anyway?
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adamah
Actually, the 'two witness' rule is needed to prove adultery; the issue of remarriage after being given a scriptural divorce is a separate matter, since the innocent spouse risks committing adultery:
"Although the elders cannot tell the innocent mate that he is free to marry because adultery was not proved, in view of the circumstances, if the innocent mate is convinced that adultery did occur, the elders may allow him to take responsibility before Jehovah for obtaining a Scriptural divorce; if he remarries, no judicial action will be taken."
In essence they're making re-marriage a conscience matter, and actually not a matter for the judicial committee; so they're actually softening the hard-line position on divorce that comes straight out of Jesus' mouth, in Matthew 19:
Divorce
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ ? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”
8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Jesus said nothing about if the mate was convinced their spouse had committed adultery, and thus would stand before God; it still needs to be proven.
Note in verse 8 that Jesus doesn't say that Moses was all wet, but instead blames the Israelites (and the ones he's talking to) by suggesting they were stoopid (sic), so basically Jesus is patronizing them (and also not responding to the question asked). Jesus didn't shift from the Genesis position, but notice how he allows divorce for adultery, a concept NOT found in Genesis; Jesus appeals to his own authority to update the policy on divorce!
10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”
Jesus' disciples are asking if it's best just not to get married in the first place, since someone cannot get divorced for whatever reason they wish (as under Mosaic law) without facing getting stoned for adultery. Jesus tactily agreed when he acknowledged what they suggested:
11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
So there it is: from Jesus' own words, it's better to remain celebate and single, and pass entirely on marriage and live like a eunuch! JWs picked up on that, since you've gotta put Kingdom interests first, per Jesus! Clearly sex is for those spiritual weaklings who cannot suppress and control their fleshly urges....
Ahhhh, the timeless wisdom of Jesus, and the family values on the life of a eunuch display....
JWs actually DO interpret the original message of Jesus more accurately than other Xian religions, but it's amazing that anyone lives their lives according to the dictates of some 2,000 yr old legal principles.
Adam