So, I´m wondering if there are any Jehovah´s Witnesses out there who can help me. I met my BF´s sister this week, and her birthday happened to be yesterday. So yesterday I hugged her and wished her a happy birthday, not knowing that she was a Jehovah´s Witness. Needless to say, it was awkward when she told me about her faith.
The thing is, she only speaks Spanish and I am not fluent enough in Spanish to ask her the questions I would like to ask, so I will ask them here. I think different religions are interesting, and I am interested in learning more about what JW´s believe.
1. What are the basic beliefs of JWs that seperate you from other Christians? (or are you not Christians? If not, what is your diety?
2. Why can you not accept blood transfusion? Are there other medical procedures you are opposed to and why?
3. Do you have to observe any other religious practices (like Jews with certain foods and circumcision, baptism, confession, etc)?
4. Why do you not celebrate any of our holidays? Do you have any of your own holidays? If so what are they and how are they celebrated?
5. Can you celebrate the secular holidays (like, Independence Day, New Year´s Eve, etc)?
6. When do you worship, for how long, and what is your worship service like?
7. How offended would you be if someone accidently wished you a happy birthday/Christmas/etc, not knowing about your beliefs? I already apologized to her for it, but is there anything else I should do to ¨make it right¨? Or is it likely that she wasn´t all that offended because I didn´t know any better?
Update:Thanks for the answers so far, MOST have been really informative and respectful, and I´m really learning alot about this Faith!
Also, I ask responders not to be rude, demeaning or disrespectful. I want to know more about the JW´s beliefs and practices, NOT your personal opinions about how ¨wrong¨ their faith is. Even if you do not share their beliefs, please be respectful to them.
Thank you :)
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
You sound very kind and considerate. Thank you for asking, and for being concerned about your boyfriend's sister's feelings.
1. What are the basic beliefs of JWs that seperate you from other Christians? (or are you not Christians? If not, what is your diety?
A. We are Christians. We acknowledge Christ Jesus as our Savior, and believe that he is currently ruling as King of God's Kingdom in heaven at his Father's right hand. The main belief that separates us from other Christians is that we need to give our actual worship to the One that Jesus himself worshiped, his Father, our Creator, Jehovah God. (Ps. 83:18; John 20:17) Here is a link that provides an overview of our beliefs: http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm
2. Why can you not accept blood transfusion? Are there other medical procedures you are opposed to and why?
A. We do not accept blood transfusions in obedience to the command we were given at Acts 15:28, 29 to "abstain from blood." The only other sort of medical procedure we would be opposed to would be one that employed some form of spiritism. We actively seek out quality medical care, and many in our ranks are actually doctors, nurses, etc. Here is a link to many articles addressing our views on medical care and blood: http://www.watchtower.org/e/medical_care_and_blood...
3. Do you have to observe any other religious practices (like Jews with certain foods and circumcision, baptism, confession, etc)?
A. We do believe that dedication and baptism in symbol of that dedication to God is crucial. However, that can only happen after enough knowledge is obtained to make a well-informed decision, so that our dedication and baptism is meaningful. The way in which we live our everyday lives is very important. We do not have restrictions on foods, again as long as blood is not involved. http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/article_15.htm
4. Why do you not celebrate any of our holidays? Do you have any of your own holidays? If so what are they and how are they celebrated?
A. Holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine's Day, etc., all have pagan origins. They were adopted by the Catholic church and "spun" to have a 'Christian meaning' to ease the transition of pagans into their ranks. 2 Cor. 6:15 says, "what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?" And John 4:24 says that we must worship "in spirit and truth," so we do not believe those holidays have a place in our worship. Here is more information in that regard: http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/appendix_14.htm
The only occasion we were commanded to observe is one that we take very seriously, the Memorial of Jesus' Death. (Lu. 22:19) That is held on the day corresponding to Nisan 14 on the Jewish calendar every year, after sundown. http://www.watchtower.org/e/bh/appendix_06.htm
5. Can you celebrate the secular holidays (like, Independence Day, New Year´s Eve, etc)?
A. John 17:16 says that Christ's followers would be "no part of the world," just as he was no part of the world. In John 18:36 he said that his kingdom was "no part of this world." So we do not take part in celebrations that commemorate events in a nation's political history. New Year's Eve is actually a religious holiday, dedicated by the Romans in 46 B.C. to Janus, the god of gates, doors and beginnings. Since we must worship no other gods besides our Creator, Jehovah God, we do not participate in celebrations of that day.
6. When do you worship, for how long, and what is your worship service like?
A. We meet twice a week, generally speaking (in some lands they combine all the meetings into one due to travel needs), usually with the Public Discourse and Bible study by means of the Watchtower held on Sunday, and the Congregation Bible Study, Theocratic Ministry School, and Service Meeting held on an evening during the week.
Our meetings for worship begin and end with a song and prayer.
The Public Discourse is a 30-minute talk given by an experienced brother, wherein everyone is encouraged to follow along in their Bibles. After that is a song and the study of the Bible by means of the Watchtower: a question-and-answer discussion in which the audience is encouraged to participate. Both the talk and the discussion are about how the Bible relates to our times and how to apply its guidance in our lives. The full meeting is an hour and 45 minutes long, from start to finish.
The meeting combining the Congregation Bible Study, Theocratic Ministry School and Service Meeting is also an hour and 45 minutes long, from start to finish. Basically, that evening is a study of Bible topics and a progressive training course on how to teach the Bible.
Everyone is always more than welcome to attend and there is never a collection plate passed.
7. How offended would you be if someone accidently wished you a happy birthday/Christmas/etc, not knowing about your beliefs? I already apologized to her for it, but is there anything else I should do to ¨make it right¨? Or is it likely that she wasn´t all that offended because I didn´t know any better?
A. That happens all the time to all of us and no, we are not offended. :)
I studied some with them as a teen, now am an old man.
1. They do not believe in hell fire. The Bible was written in several Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic, and was translated. Old testment word for hell was shoel which means the grave. When u die you are dead. New Testment word for hell was gehennia (sp), which was a grababe dump out side of Jeresulum, where they burned trash. Only one real reference to hell was hades in Revelation..."and they shall be cast into the lake of fire..."
They are very much Christians. They believe the trinity is 3 separate persons. Belive 144,000 will be chosen to help God with the New Heaven and New Earth. They have their own translation of Bible.
2. As for blood transfusion, there is a verse in the Bible that says do not eat or drink blood in any form.
3. There are no religious ceremonies. Can't remember about baptism but don't believe that the case also, not sure.
4. You shall have no idol, or put anyone or thing above or equal to God's status. All days are special, none greater. Includes halloween, Christmas, birthdays...etc... Won't salute the flag or pleage of allegiance. 5. No holidays... 6. Sundays and various study meetings. 7. They feel strength in your ingnorance, it reinforces their belief.
They are kind, generous, honest and loving people.
1-What are the basic beliefs of JWs that seperate you from other Christians?
All christians believe this planet will be destroyed by Jesus Christ in Armageddon...But JWs believe the opposite....
JWs believe that under the rule of Jesus Christ and his heavenly corulers, peace and happiness will prevail in all the earth. (Psalm 37:9-11) Those in God's memory will be resurrected and will enjoy perfect health. (Acts 24:15) By their faithfulness to God, obedient mankind will be granted what our original parents lost—everlasting life in human perfection on a paradise earth.—Revelation 21:3, 4.
In the Bible book of Isaiah, we get a preview of what life will be like in the Paradise earth. No inhabitant of Paradise will say, "I am sick." (Isaiah 33:24) Animals will pose no danger to man. (Isaiah 11:6-9) People will build beautiful homes and inhabit them and will plant crops and eat to satisfaction. (Isaiah 65:21-25) Moreover, God "will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces."—Isaiah 25:8.
Soon, obedient mankind will live under such blessed conditions. They "will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God." (Romans 8:21) How wonderful it will be to live forever in the promised earthly Paradise! (Luke 23:43) You can be there if you act upon accurate knowledge of the Scriptures and exercise faith in Jehovah God and Jesus Christ. And you can have confidence that it does make sense to believe in a paradise earth.
2-Why can you not accept blood transfusion? Are there other medical procedures you are opposed to and why?
The bible only authorize to use jesus 's blood to save our life in the gospel of Luke 22:15-19 and Revelation 7...over of that is forbidden to use blood in Acts 15:28-29.
Are there other medical procedures??...if is not agianst the bible we can accept them
http://www.watchtower.org/e/vcae/article_01.htm
3-Do you have to observe any other religious practices (like Jews with certain foods and circumcision, baptism, confession, etc)?
No...according to Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:14 we are not under the Leviticus 's covenant that is why JWs don't give tithing or keep the SAbbath that was removed the day Jesus died NISAN 14 Year 33 C.E....1976 years ago.
4. Why do you not celebrate any of our holidays? Do you have any of your own holidays? If so what are they and how are they celebrated?
If you take time to investiguate the majority of holidays are based in paganism....Jesus rejected Paganism and we follow his example...Jesus never celebrated his own birthday that is why never the bible mentioned that he did it or any of his disciple did it.
5-Can you celebrate the secular holidays (like, Independence Day, New Year´s Eve, etc)?
No...why.??.....check this link
http://www.jw.org/index.html?option=QrYQZRQVNlBBX
and choose Keep Yourselves in God's Love" (English)
CHAPTER 13—Celebrations That Displease God
6. When do you worship, for how long, and what is your worship service like?
1 hour 45 minutes two times a week and are quiet begining with song and pray
7. How offended would you be if someone accidently wished you a happy birthday/Christmas/etc, not knowing about your beliefs? I already apologized to her for it, but is there anything else I should do to ¨make it right¨? Or is it likely that she wasn´t all that offended because I didn´t know any better?
Honestly...we don't offend and don't worry she is not upset with you....
i've recently opened up a witnesses eyes to how fraudulent and decieving the higher echelons of the watch tower is
they've excommunicated this man and tried turning his wife and child against him because he asked certain questions
in matthew chapter 24 versus 23 and onwards it clearly states that when jesus returns to the earth it will be as clear as lightening and visible in the east and the west
which goes against jw's faith which states jesus has come back as different people but jesus is in actual fact the ark angel michael but changed when coming to earth from the skies
the watch tower claim to have a direct link to god (the inner rooms)
which is also mentioned in matthew 24:23 and onwards
jesus said god is for all, yet charles taze russel the jw founder didn't see it like that
jw's have claimed the world will end many times the last most noted is in 1975 and jw's are still a bit touchy about this
the sound of hell more like the sound of mexican and milawian chidren crying for eternity jw's choose to ignore this lil hick up in jw's world politics mess ups
i'm not a christian i just love to point out the facts
p.s the jw's even claimed that the leviathon or beast was a lokomotive steam train,
other jw's have mentioned the theory of combustion to be the beast which makes the most sense of it all, but does push the bible into the metaphoric realms again which is not correct according to all christians holistically
all christian bibles are missing key knowledge on their faiths thanks to the catholics/romans for destroying thousands of books that went against what the romans made up from their pagan faiths
sad thing is these are documented facts
Check out the website at www.watchtower.org
After you check it out, and you still have questions please feel free to email me. I think you can get a lot of great answers to your questions.
JW are as christian as Scientologists are...
The top three most idiotic sects are:
1) Scientology
2) JW
3) Mormanism
Honestly, even silly KJV only christians can easily point out how contractive and false JW is as a so called christian religion.
They are not christian. I was one for 22 years and now I am a chritian. They are a cult.
http://www.rickross.com/groups/witness.html
http://carm.org/