A person desires to become baptized. It could be because they believe they've found the truth, peer pressure, an expectation of "doing the right thing", etc. Whatever the motive, they become baptized Jehovah's Witnesses. Eventually, for whatever reason, they no longer believe it totally. Or they may not believe it at all. Now in their heart and mind they may not feel like a JW. They might get a blood transfusion, celebrate some holidays, or speak freely with those disfellowshipped. The question is though, "Are they still Witnesses? Is it inappropriate to call them "non-practicing Witnesses"? If a person is not disassociated or disfellowshipped are they in fact, still Witnesses? Or does one's personal belief that they no longer believe in the tenets of the religion mean that since they don't consider themselves a JW, no one else should either?
The Status Of A "Jehovah's Witness"
by minimus 15 Replies latest jw friends
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blondie
What does the WTS think?
*w57 2/15 114 - **Being one of Jehovah's witnesses means more than saying, 'I am one of Jehovah's witnesses.' Are you witnessing? Regularly? All physically able have the responsibility to preach publicly and from house to house, as did Jesus, and in addition take advantage of all opportunities to witness to friends, neighbors, etc., while the physically infirm are privileged to witness to visitors, write letters, make telephone calls, and in other ways share in giving the mighty witness. Without exception each witness of Jehovah is aware of his obligations in this regard, as set out in Ezekiel 3:17-21.If one does not witness, he is not one of Jehovah's witnesses. To call ourselves witnesses of Jehovah and then to refrain from witnessing, which is ministering, would be taking Jehovah's name in a vain or worthless way. Never may that happen, and it will not so long as a proper view of the ministry is maintained.
*w59 12/1 722 - **All who are counted as Jehovah's witnesses are active preachers of the good news meeting the Biblical standard of morals, since an inactive Christian or one not meeting the standard is not a Christian at all. He is not a witness for Jehovah.
w84 6/1 22 - **Even though you may have specific times set aside to share in certain features of the witnessing work, a dedicated servant of Jehovah should be praising him in word and deed at all times. Are you doing this? Jesus' early followers were spoken of as belonging to "The Way." (Acts 9:1, 2) So they were not serving God only a few hours a month. Their service was a way of life! Are we like the first-century Christians if we are irregular Kingdom publishers who rarely engage in witnessing activity? Can we rightly call ourselves Jehovah's Witnesses if we say little or nothing to others about our hope?
*w86 12/1 11 - **It is not enough to call oneself a Christian witness of Jehovah. To have the mind of Christ, we must regularly fill our minds with understanding of Jesus' life and example. That means we need a regular and genuine study of the Scriptures along with Bible study aids that help to clarify meaning and context.
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minimus
Blondie, great quotes!!! But seriously, do you think a judicial commitee would care about those quotes from the Faithful Slave?
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Englishman
Minimus,
I just found your lady love wandering around on another site, so I've brought her back to you. Here she is:
Englishman.
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blondie
Nope, minimus. They have a secret set of quotes they use and there is the unwritten quote, the phone call to Bethel.
JCs speak out of both sides of their mouths (or with forked tongue).
When they would have to do anything kind and loving, sacrifice any of their personal time, to help an inactive person, that is when that person is not a JW.
When the opportunity comes to do something nasty and unkind, the elders will stay up all night to stake out some "weak" or inactive sister/brother's home to catch them doing something wrong.
"When you are losing, change the rules."
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minimus
EMAN, Was my girl being naughty again? She's a yellow bellied... Blondie, the funny thing is I was always taught that if the WT. said it and it's in print, then its gotta be true. Obviously, another lie.
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minimus
btw, EMAN, I first saw the pig and thought you were talking about "her".
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Blueblades
blondie, i think recently they said that an inactive person is still considered part of the flock and the elders must treat them as such. too early to look it up.Blueblades
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blondie
Yes, I have that type of quote too, Blueblades. I left it out on purpose because it is only what they "say" it's not what the WTS/elders really do.
It's important to learn that the WTS says the many of the right things from the platform and in their publications. The real test is what is actually done by the elders and publishers towards these ones. My experience is "out of sight, out of mind." I was told by 2 elders that if I did not particpate in the ministry that I was not one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I had them repeat it three times. Then I dragged them off to tell the circuit overseer the same thing and they did because they were so supremely sure they were right. The CO had just earlier told me that this view was not correct. Did he correct those elders? Not in front of me. So the CO left and those elders with the screwed up thinking remained to cause spiritual harm to the "sheep."
As minimus pointed out, these elders don't pay any attention to the WTS publications, only their secret book, secret letters, verbal directions from the CO/DO/Bethel, all which the R&F have no access to.
What can you do with a group of men that have been told that they can lie to people in the congregation and call it theocratic strategy?
Blondie (who is not angry with Blueblades)
(Here's a quote that says the truth but is not practiced)
w93 7/15 27 - **Inactivity in the ministry or in attending Christian meetings does not mean that the sheep is no longer part of the flock. He remains part of "all the flock" for whom the elders must "render an account" to Jehovah.
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HoChiMin
Dearest minimus;
Im glad you started a new thread on this subject.
My point is the big world out there usually considers the offspring to be the same religion as the parents. I know that is not always the case when one is old enough to make a choice. The JWs do not recognize free choice. They do not like their religions name in a bad light and that is understandable for any denomination. The baptized rule to be a full fledged member is WT brainwashing and cruel. It is just another means of control of young ones and new converts. You will die at Armageddon if you are not baptized I know you have taught this and so have I, but its wrong.
The JW religion name comes up in news of tragedies such as the one mentioned in another post because it is an extreme religion. The members themselves will use it to try and show some kind of special pious when faced with adversity of some kind. Things are not always so cut and dry as either you are a JW or not. There are JW associates that may not conform to the rules as the WT would like and it can still show up in news casts as a: former Witness, current Witness, in between Witness it doesnt matter. Whatever the religious position or their status in that religion, once its in print or broadcast the WT cries, and disowns them.
No matter what the WT tries to do to protect their name it is tarnished by these occurrences. What they themselves portray: WT vs. the world, live or die, cut and dry it is pidgin holing every one else as they see it. The WT teaches, when things get real bad, their god will feel as if his eyeball is being poked and he will swat billions to death at that time. They place themselves in the coveted, but fabled, position of that eyeball, when the big bad world comes after Jehovahs Witnesss that is when Armageddon will commence. If you are unfortunate enough to have refused their magazines one day, youre dead. The status of how you worship the WT is only important to the WT most other individuals do not care.
How any former Witness wants to be viewed by the WT is up to them not the WT. The law in the US and many other countries protects religion so they can treat you the way they like, good or bad, my opinion is the WT treats its members bad. That was not always my view, obviously being a former member. I chose to leave the WT and have not told them why, I just stopped attending one day. Automatically Im bad in their view regardless of why. I must be vilified to remaining members or it would be too easy for others to also walk away. Hence the Witness or not rule and similar thoughts.
HCM
edited,formatting
Edited by - HoChiMin on 19 October 2002 10:32:25