HI to all. I am new to this forum. I was a former Jehovah's Witness for many years. I have a question maybe some of you can help me with. Back in the 70s and earlier, the Witnesses would say if you bring someone into the truth you would get a "letter of recommendation" That was to show you were a person who should make it through the end times into the new world. I have not seen that in any of the writings. I can not remember clearly if that was just something we would say of if it was indeed in some of the older writings. If anyone knows the answer I would really appreciate it.
Links to articles of letter of recomendation
by jojorabbit 11 Replies latest watchtower bible
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jojorabbit
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fulano
I have never ever heard of that.
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truth_b_known
I only heard of that when a brother moved. The body of elders from the old congregation would sometimes mail a letter of recommendation to the body of elders of the new congregation. This was usually done for Ministerial Servants as only elders automatically got re-appointed in their new congregation.
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JW_Researcher
Welcome jojorabbit!
if you bring someone into the truth you would get a "letter of recommendation"
I have heard the students who were baptized referred to as a "letter of recommendation" for the person who studied with them. Never heard about the benefit you describe ("That was to show you were a person who should make it through the end times into the new world.").
To find what was written on this (a quick search showed a few things), search on JW.org for II Corinthians 3:1.
Again, welcome.
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Earnest
I remember that students who were baptised were referred to as "letters of recommendation" for those who studied with them, as JW_Researcher said. The term "letter of recommendation" certainly comes from 2 Corinthians 3:1-3, but I think the idea that you would be a person who would make it through the end times comes from 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 :
Now if anyone builds on the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will be shown for what it is, for the day will show it up, because it will be revealed by means of fire, and the fire itself will prove what sort of work each one has built. If anyone’s work that he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward; if anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved; yet, if so, it will be as through fire.
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jojorabbit
As far as I remember it was not any kind of actual letter it was more of a brownie point for you with Jehovah.
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jojorabbit
I never really understood why it was better for you if one of your studies were baptized or if you just went out in service and tried your best. Why should you get a brownie point because someone decided to come into the group. What if that person later left the group? Would that mean you lose your letter?
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blondie
The thing I remember, is that no one can "earn" everlasting life. It is how we live our life up until Armageddon per the WTS. Life is a gift, there is no way to buy it, since humans in the bible are considered imperfect, and only a perfect person can pay the price. It is not a competition to see how many people you study with become jws. Converting a person is a group effort. Just reporting, not supporting WTS ideas. There are some people who have never seen a person they study with become jws. So will the person who does, get a greater reward, everlasting life for all who do their best and are faithful to their end. Letters of recommendation really are not better than spending time with the individual and seeing for yourself what kind of person he/she is. Your actions speak louder than any other person's words about you.
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jojorabbit
Blondie, you are taking a deep dive into why they use the term or how they viewed it. This is not where I was going with this. I don't know who started the use of it or if it was from someone an upper level or a phrase coined by a rank and file member. This was not about justification of the idea or not or if god exists or not or if Jesus was are real person of not. I wanted to know how many are old enough or were in the religion long enough ago to remember the use of the phrase. It was not something regional. I heard this used from the north Midwest to parts of Florida we would visit in winter as a kid with my JW family and go to local meetings and service there.
I clearly remember it used relatively commonly up to the late 70s. After the early 80s not so much. I have a post on other JW sites and several older ones remember it used also. It has nothing to do with an actual letter and many younger ones keep confusing it with a letter of recommendation sent from one congregation to another when a JW moves or switches congregation's. This was an idea that by saving a life it was somehow recognized by Jehovah and was some kind of extra point for lack of a better term for one to live through Armageddon.
To analyze the teaching of an insane group like the JWs and try to put things in some frame of coherent ideology is a bit mad. the fact is it was used. I don't know how official of an idea or phrase it was but it was used. Now it could be that it was like the use of the phrase "that is my after Armageddon home" When in service. I have heard COs say this when in service and it was quite wide spread. I don't know if its still talked about or not like this by JWs.
There are many catch phrases the JWs have used and were quite wide spread. Mother, the friends, meat in due season, the truth, real life, the prize, sheep like ones, the book study, TMS, the new system of things, goat like ones, Jehovah's Happy People, door to door, return visit. The list is very long on all the special phrases and words they created over the years. Some are in the printed literature some are not. I don't know if anyone knows for sure if letter of recommendation was ever in the literature or not but it would be nice to search a data base for it.
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titch
Jojorabbit: I DO remember that phrase being used by some JWs, and it referred to a "figurative" letter of recommendation. In other words, if you had studied with someone to the point that they wanted to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and were baptized, then that person would be viewed as your "letter of recommendation"---a figurative one. I hope that helps. But---clarify something for me. In your opening paragraph you stated that you WERE a "former Jehovah's Witness for many years." Does that mean that you have returned to the Witnesses? Just curious . Best Regards, Everyone.