semantic arguments are stupid. Jehovah's witnesses are different than your traditional christians. Jehovah's witnesses may consider themselves christians, but its not the other way around. Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays, christmas, they are not allowed to dance (if i remember right), do not vote, salute the flag nor accept blood transfusions. Etc Etc Etc.
Good point about the identifiers. On this point, are you sure they are not allowed? You seem to know quite a bit about them? I thought it was their choice not to do these things? Not allowed to dance? Oh now that is very humorous I have not heard that claim before.
They are not allowed, its not a choice at all. a friend in HS was a JW. My ex-girlfriend was an apostate to the religion (she went back later on). Edit - While I doubt there is a JW thug group going around to guarantee enforcement, I'm sure (like most things) its voluntary compliance. Also, if you are a JW, you have to preach to people (go to their houses, knock on doors) to get more people to be a JW. Hence the JW jokes all the time.
OK. A friend in High School said this? I think it would be wise to talk to maybe some older ones in this organisation to get to the facts about this. However, I respect your honesty in these remarks and I am not mocking them. Remember one of my first questions was about truth. Regards, Col
My ex too. She left the religion after her husband died. She talked about the religion quite a bit, and seemed to miss it, but the demands it asks (especially on a newly single mother of 2) get to be a bit much. Check wikipedia too. I was pretty certain about all that, but I confirmed with wiki too. (I'm still not sure about dancing, though - I'm not reading all of that). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah's_Witnesses Either way, I like the ideals of the JW's (kinda like the amish I guess), but their rules are a little too strict and in the real world, they tend to alienate kids from others (especially birthdays, christmas, saluting the flag etc).
I think the JW opposition comes from the point that saluting the flag puts it on a higher plane than God, which is unacceptable.
I feel as though she might have had the incorrect idea of the "demands". There are no demands as such. Jehovah's Witnesses can only do what they can do. There is some expectation and some guidelines but there is certainly no pressure or obligation do anything at all. There is however, guidance that we should take in.
Jehovah's Witnesses worship God (Jehovah is God's name). There is no saluting because it would mimic nationalism.
Yes. As I said before, it is better to speak to the older ones in the organisation. Feel free to ask away any questions.
Some people would say that puts you in the dense category... I don't worship anything based on supposition and my questions were tongue in cheek. Thanks, I appreciate your answer.
this is a very interesting thread I'm tired now, going to bed, but I'm going to catch up in the morning I would just like to say that it's wrong for anyone to demean another human being for their choice to subscribe to a religion or not, and what religion it is that they choose obviously though, it is only hoped that their decision is based on knowledge and proof of goodness and truth, rather than getting emotionally caught up in something. (or even just adhering to something simply because you were raised in that way).