"A Jehovah's Witness"

by NotFormer 38 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  NotFormer

  A very certain distinctive of JWs is how they refer to themselves. "One of Jehovah's Witnesses". It's one of those coded jargon thingies. An outsider will say "a Jehovah's Witness", or even worse (to the JW ear) "a Jehovah Witness". Even though I am a very well informed outsider, I'll never dignify their delusion nor stroke their ego by saying "Are you one of Jehovah's Witnesses?" or "You're one of Jehovah's Witnesses".

  In JW circles their own urban legends will have outsiders referring to them by their own preferred reference. You'll see anecdotes on Reddit, Quora and in videos where Joe or Jane Public came up to one and said "Are you one of Jehovah's Witnesses?" Upon reading/hearing this, I'll roll my eyes and say: "No they didn't!, They asked: (if the story is even remotely true, that is) 'Are you a Jehovah's Witness?' or 'Are you a Jehovah Witness?'" We outsiders quite simply don't use their jargon of self importance.

  I assume exes drop the "One of ..." epithet very quickly as well?

  While writing this the thought came to me about when that self-descriptor first came into being: was it part of the initial name change by Rutherford, or was it a later development? When is the first recorded incidence of "One of Jehovah's Witnesses"?
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  Beth Sarim

  You just have to read a book "" New Boy" by Keith Cassarona.

  Sorry Keith,,if I spelled your name incorrect.

  Its been over 5 years since I read it but it sounds kind of like what you're talking about
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  Ron.W.

  Yes, 'One of Jehovah's Witnesses..'

  'Are you a Jehovah's Witness?'

  My old pioneer partner, when asked this on the doorstep always replied 'I try to be!' 🤦‍♂️
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  stan livedeath

  i just call them dubs.

  its easier.
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  BoogerMan

  "Why do you call yourselves Jehovah's witnesses? The Bible says Christians were to be witnesses of Christ!"

  Isa. 62:2; Acts 11:26; Matt. 10:18; Mark 13:9; Luke 24: 47,48; Acts 1:8; John 1:15; John 5:37; John 8:18; John 15:26,27; Acts 10:39; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:31; Acts 22:15; Acts 22:20; Acts 23:11; Acts 26:16; 1 Cor. 1:6; 1 Tim. 2:6,7; 2 Tim. 1:8; 1 John 5:9; Rev. 1:9; Rev. 12:17; Rev. 17:6; Rev. 19:10; Rev. 20:4.
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  Rattigan350

  What's your point?

  No one ever says 'a Jehovah's Witness', it just does not sound right.

  Everyone says 'One of Jehovah's Witnesses' because it sounds right. Nothing coded about it.
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  Rattigan350

  Yes, in the first century they were to be witnesses of Jesus and preach him.

  But we are not in the first century anymore are we?

  People need to stop using the jargon of the Bible and then apply it to today.

  You see, back then they need to preach Jesus because no one knew him.

  Now everyone knows Jesus, so it is not necessary.

  But Christians are more than Jesus. They are worshippers of his Father just like Jesus was and that is why Christians are Jehovah's Witnesses and not Jesus' Witnesses.

  Why stop at the 2nd highest person when you can worship the highest!
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  KerryKing

  We arent witnesses of anyone because in the 21st century we haven't witnessed anything, we can't claim to be witnesses of Jesus because we weren't there when he walked the earth, nor were we there when the Apostles performed miracles by holy spirit. All we have at best is hearsay 🤷
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  moomanchu

  Rattigan350 - People need to stop using the jargon of the Bible and then apply it to today.

  You should try getting a writing job at The Onion. Both comments are funny. I don't find it strange when Catholics say I'm one of Catholics.
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  Vidiot

  “One of Jehovah’s Witnesses” and “a Jehovah’s Witness” are both considered acceptable, but the first is technically more correct from a grammatical POV… my mom was a teacher, so she preferred that one.