Would this scenario make a totally devout JW renounce their faith?

by BourneIdentity 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  BourneIdentity

  We’ve all heard the stories of someone pointing a gun at a JW telling them to renounce their faith or die. Some live to tell about it, others don’t. But what makes it seem easier to stomach is it just involves that person, no one else. What would a devout JW do in this situation?

  
  

  A JW finds themselves thrown out of a van with a mask on, you know, typical Hollywood stuff. After they hear the van zoom off, they pull the mask off. They see they are in the middle of a city square. They look down and there are explosives attached to them, the countdown is at 60 seconds and a button next to it. A note reads, renounce your faith and hit the button, no one gets hurt. Don’t push the button and when the clock hits 0, many lives will be lost. What does that person do? Do they say a quick prayer asking for forgiveness and then renounce or blow everyone to bits?
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  BourneIdentity

  The reason I bring this up is due to Russia labeling them as extremists. I automatically think of the crazy suicide bombers and say JWs would never do that! But in this scenario, would they?
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  john.prestor

  It's impossible to say the situation won't ever occur *shrug*
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  TTWSYF

  I would renounce a religious organization I think, but not Jesus as teacher, savior, God.

  admittedly, there's no bomb strapped to me though
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  Finkelstein

  I think most would renounce their faith only latter on prey to Jah and say they didn't mean it, your still the man or god .
  
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  waton

  60 seconds is not enough time to research the answers in Wt bible -aids that the GB, F&DS mandates before decision making. so. for the savvy, faithful a win win situation! save your life and that of others by following those instructions, even if they don't make sense from a human an standpoint, which is to become a martyr and reserve a few for the sure resurrection hope.
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  Vanderhoven7

  Reminds me of the story of Randall Logan who was a photo journalist for the National Post. He was sent to Nicaragua to report on the explosive political situation there in the 80s. He and his small US contingent were captured by rebels in a small town near the southern border. The leader of the rebel group (Manuel Zainos ) lined up 19 men from the village and was about to execute them for collusion with government forces that had used to town as a base for two months. Randal pleaded with him not to shoot them. Manuel said he would halt the executions if he as an American would shoot one of the men in the line up. Randal couldn't do it. Then the women of the village began wailing and pleading with him to please kill the toothless old man in the lineup and save their husbands, fathers etc.

  What do you think Randal did? What would you have done?

  More later
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  StephaneLaliberte

  Back in my 20s and being a JWs, I had thought about that subject and came to the following conclusion: Had I been asked by the Nazis if I renounced my faith, I would have said: "Sure!" while being confident that God reads the heart and knows that I am lying. Even if I had been asked to make a gesture to worship to another God, I would have, confident that there is in fact no other God, hence, it is impossible to worship which that does not exists!

  However, had I been asked to denounce other people; I would have died a martyr.
  

  As for the majority of the JWs, they probably would never renounce their faith, ever, thinking of the three Hebrews in Babylon and the Christians who died under the Romans.
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  OnTheWayOut

  I am not a fan of the gun-to-the-head scenario. I don't think anything said would matter once the situation was over. Many, if they thought the situation was genuine, would have no problem saying what an assailant wants them to say, and they would not mean it.
  
  A more realistic situation involving JW's would be one of having to break their rules and give blood to their child. Many secretly hope that a judge will force the issue rather than let their child die, but their worst nightmare would be knowing their child will die and nobody forces blood, so the parent must be the hero or the villain.
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  Vanderhoven7

  Randall gave into pressure and shot the old man to save 18 men. Manuel however laughed and had the 18 men killed anyway. Randall went home in disgrace to face the music and got 20 years for murder.