If you want to show a JW some of the older publications from a non-apostate and 'safe' website.. (page 6)

emeth

@Caliber as a matter a fact my son dated a ´worldly´ girl for about 10 months during 2012/2013. She visited us a frequently and we did invite her for dinner with us. They broke up last July. During the time he dated her (which was no secret to anyone) there was no change in the way brothers and sisters in the congregation behaved towards him.

At the same time i have spoken a few times with him and told him about my own experiences with ´worldy´ girls and that its easier when you befriend someone who believes the same things and upholds the same values.

My son starts his higher education after next summer, and ofcourse i pay his education. His aim is to become a highschool teacher in a few years from now.

caliber

emeth ( I see you must be a male.. due to the above reference to dating girls )

You appear to be the exception to the rule... I praise the fact that you have kept your own conscience

You must be a very strong person and have solid family values

This is personal so you can answer or not...

How do the Elders feel about your liberal stand on things ?

"When dating a so called "worldly" person, the witness involved runs the risk of have the local congregation, under the direction of the Watchtower Society, use their interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14 on them. This person becomes "marked"

During the time he dated her (which was no secret to anyone) there was no change in the way brothers and sisters in the congregation behaved towards him.

(I don't want or even think you need to answer that here but....)

Where is this wonderful opened minded congregation at ... a lot of us may have wished to grow up "in the truth " there.

wasblind

" I never force my son to do anything against his will.........But if he decides to live another life he is free to do so without any devestating consequences"_____emeth

Then your a good father that shows unconditional love But the WTS begs to differ

the choice to leave do have consequences in the world of a Witness

Question : Is your son baptised ? if not what are your reasons for not " encouraging " him to be so in this wonderful religion

" The person who dissasociates himself by repudiating the faith and deliberately abandoning Jehovah's worship is viewed in the same way as one who is disfellowshipped."_____Organized to do Jehovah's Will book page 155

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emeth

@wasblind no he is not baptised. I was not baptised eighter when i was a teenager and lived a very worldly life till i was 38 yrs old. My son is now almost 18 and till he was 13 yrs old he was not brought up with 'the truth'. Since 2008 i started studying again with Jehovah's Witnesses and made a slow return. At first i asked my son to join me to the KH during the public talk and watchtower study.

And during 2009 he did come with me every now and then. That year i became unbaptised publisher. In 2010 we moved to another city and another congregation with more youth and relatives. He started to come every watchtower/public talk meeting. After i got baptised he did join me once every 8 weeks or so at the other meeting (dont know the english name for it) where we do our congrational book study, the theocratic ministry school and Kingdom Ministry leaflet. Since July 2012 he did go to every meeting , so two meetings a week, and never misses one. Since end of 2012 he participates (without me ever having pushing him) and make comments or give answers.

Ofcourse i am encouraging but i also want him to do it because he wants it.. so i am patient. And as long as everyone sees he is making spiritual progress (which is obvious) there is no need to encourage him more.

It took me several decades to get baptised.. but i took the descision because i was sure of what i wanted. I want my son to do the same. Not that i mean that he must wait for decades but i want him to be sure. By the way the average age on which people get baptised here (the Netherlands) is a little bit higher than in other parts of the world.

wasblind

Emeth

You practice what the WTS should. And that is to allow others to worship freely

without force. Without repercussions

If your son decides to leave this religion after he becomes baptised

and you are forced to choose between your son and this religion

which would you chose

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emeth

@wasblind if he was baptised and just left the religion not much would change... since fading away does not cause you to be disfellowshipped. And since i let him grow up and let him really make a choice based on understanding the consequenses of his descision and the value/responsibilities of getting baptised i dont think there will be a great chance that he would be disfellowshipped.

But if it would happen i would maintain certain familyties and try to get him back in the truth. It would also be important to me if he becomes Anti-JW or not. If he did i would reduce contact to a certain minimum that is needed to maintain family affairs.

LogCon

marked

wasblind

But if it would happen I would maintain certain familie ties and try to get him back in the truth. It would also be important to me if he becoames Anti- Jw or not. If he did I would reduce contact to a certain minimum that is needed to maintian family affairs "____emeth

So. what you are sayin' is that, as long as he does not dedicate himself to Jehovah your love will be unconditional

But if he dedicates himself to God. Your love will then become " conditional "

what you have proved is that " The love among dedicated Jehovah's Witnesses is conditional "

and that's the worst kind of love of all

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wasblind

emeth, I admire the way you try to handle your family business, BUT.......

to a hard core Witness. You could come off as " luke warm " in your family matters

and try to have it both ways in a totalitarian religion

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emeth

@wasblind first of all everyone who feels Jehovah's Witnesses are in a totalitarian religion should leave. I never felt that it is/was. My contact with the local elders and even the CO is wonderful. I am not seen as luke warm at all you dont have to worry. I dont know how long ago you left the JW's cause your thoughts on how brothers and sisters react towards eachoter is not a good reflection on how things really are nowadays.

Treating people as luke warm would not be very loving, encouraging and would bring divisions. For example last watchtower study warns us for that and emphasizes on giving compliments, being encouraging and to maintain unity.

If you want to show a JW some of the older publications from a non-apostate and 'safe' website..

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