I agree that its this sort of talk that will alienate some. Keep it up WTS.
We dont even want to be in the company of unbelieving men or women.
by frogit 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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blondie
Do the congregations have the July 15 issues already?
I'm sure they don't want lonely, single JWs associating with non-JWs socially.
Hard to avoid non-JWs at your job unless you are self-employed or work only with JWs.
w93 8/1 pp. 18-19 Let No One Spoil Your Useful Habits ***
Some Christians have been. They gradually developed a relaxed attitude toward association with workmates. Maybe it grew out of a common interest in a sport or a hobby. Or a non-Christian on the job might be exceptionally kind and thoughtful, which led to spending increasing amounts of time with that one, even preferring such company to that of some in the congregation. Then the association might lead to missing just one meeting. It could mean being out late one evening and breaking the pattern of sharing in the field ministry in the morning. It could result in watching a film or a video of a type that the Christian normally would refuse. ‘Oh, that would never happen to me,’ we might think. But most of those who have been misled may first have responded that way. We need to ask ourselves, ‘Just how determined am I to apply Paul’s counsel?’
But then that is no certainly either. I know a single sister who ran off with her married JW boss.
I suppose no talking to the neighbors either.
But then I know a married sister who ran off with the single brother who lived down he street who was putting the roof on their house.
*** w93 8/1 p. 19 Let No One Spoil Your Useful Habits ***
Some worldly neighbors and relatives may be friendly and helpful, though they have consistently shown neither interest in spiritual things nor love for righteousness. (Mark 10:21, 22; 2 Corinthians 6:14) Our becoming Christians should not mean that we become unfriendly, unneighborly. Jesus counseled us to manifest genuine interest in others. (Luke 10:29-37) But equally inspired and necessary is Paul’s counsel to be careful about our associations. As we apply the former counsel, we must not forget the latter. If we do not keep both principles in mind, our habits can be affected. How do your habits compare with those of your neighbors or relatives as respects honesty or obeying Caesar’s law? For instance, they may feel that at tax time, underreporting income or business profits is justified, even necessary for survival. They might speak persuasively about their views over a casual cup of coffee or during a brief visit. How could that affect your thinking and honest habits? (Mark 12:17; Romans 12:2) "Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits."
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M.J.
I'm sure they don't want lonely, single JWs associating with non-JWs socially.
We don't want our non-JWs gettin' mixed up with those JW types either.
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willyloman
Non-dubs will be even more shocked when they learn that "unbelieving" refers not to pagans or non-Christians, but to any and all people on the planet who are not dedicated JWs.Suppose a religious magazine publishing the following:
'We don't even want to be in the company of non-Catholics'
Hard to imagine, right?
Would you ever expect to read something like this (except in a fringe publication):
'We don't even want to be in the company of non-white people.'
Reasonable people would avoid both sets of dogma like the plague.
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ozziepost
They (the WTS) arrive at this conclusion by a series of distortions.
Firstly, there's no getting round the admonition to christians to "marry only in the Lord" - it makes sense too that if a couple are going to be 'as one' then they would be in harmony on their innermost beliefs.
This gets skewed though when spoken of by the Dubs for they believe that they are the "true christians'. Of necessity this shrinks the pool of available mates. How is this a distortion? Well, "only in the Lord" is interpreted as "one of Jehovah's Witnesses". For many reasons, off-topic, this itself is wrong.
The second distortion centers around this matter, oft repeated by the dubs, of "bad associations spoil useful habits". The footnote to this text in the NIV reads:
"A quotation from the Greek comedy Thais written by the Greek poet Menander, whose writings the Corinthians would know. the application of the quotation is that those who are teaching that there is no resurrection (v12) are the "bad company", and they are corrupting the "good habits" of those who hold to the correct doctrine."
As this note points out, Paul's counsel had to do with those denying the resurrection. One wonders if he could have foreseen his quotation of a Greek poet being used 2,000 years later by a controlling sect as if it were God's own words!
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kj
That kind of statement really pisses me off. My mom got sucked in as an adult. Her husband (my father) who she loves very much would be considered "one of those non-believers", as well as all 3 of her children and all of her grandchildren. And this is how "God's true religion" thinks she should feel about us? How people can keep eating this shit is beyond me...
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jillbedford
How can those men in Brooklyn sleep at night?????
Saying who you can have as friends and who not to. What if your own special person was the "ONE"? Are you saying you are playing with destiny?
Oh, that's right, you don't believe in destiny....or miracles....or healings....
I am SO sorry,
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hamsterbait
How do they square this with Paul's words:
"If one of the unbelievers invites you and YOU WISH TO GO then go"?
He doesn't say they shouldn't wish to go does he?
HB