Your experiences with JWs

[John Goddard]

but they are not Christian. You can ask them. To them "Christendom" as they call it, is corrupt and only they have the true restored church.

Yeah, Christianity is the Whore for them. My paternal side of the family is mostly JW.

[NathanDavid]

John, that's a little twisted. I know what you mean, but that's almost rude. Shouldn't capitalize the word whore. It makes it look like you agree with the philosophy of which you wrote. Surely you didn't mean it that way?

[NathanDavid]

John, is your mother a Christian?

[Silver Hand]

John, that's a little twisted. I know what you mean, but that's almost rude. Shouldn't capitalize the word whore. It makes it look like you agree with the philosophy of which you wrote. Surely you didn't mean it that way?

Hey Nate,

He meant Whore as in Whore of Babylon (Revelation 17-18). The JW's do have a strange interpretation of who that "Whore" is (by the way, the biblical interpretation is that the Whore of Babylon is none other than Jerusalem).

He wasn't calling anyone in his family a whore, and you know it. His comment was not in any way "almost rude." But your insinuation about his comment was.

You owe John an immediate apology!

[John Goddard]

John, is your mother a Christian?

She's dead. But she was raised Pentecostal.

The Bible tells us who the Whore of Babylon is.

Ezekiel 23:17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them.

Ezekiel 23:22 Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;

[NathanDavid]

John, I am sorry that you're mother is gone. If she was Christian, she is not dead, but sleepeth.

Silver Hand, I don't know the JW's doctrines. I do believe that many of the people in the world who are deceived by the anti-Christ will be folks who are regular attenders in their churches. You see it all the time, churches allowing the Red Cross in to suck the blood out of their congregations (what the Bible calls getting drunk on the blood of the saints, in addition to being drunk on the "highs" of war etc...). Most protestants call the Catholic church the "whore church," so what does that say about the JW's? That almost casts them into the mainstream. Hmm. Still don't know much about the JW's. I know what I believe about the anti-Christ, and to me, any doctrine that makes no room for that is probably a deceived bunch.

[TiaMarsha]

I became a JW in my 9th year of high school (1965-1966) b/c my dad invited them to study with them and he was a JW, but not 'practicing'. I began having doubts about what I thought was "the truth" of what I had believed in 1977. I was disfellowshiped in 1981, then reinstated (which entailed going back to the K.Hall for approx. 3 mos, arriving late and leaving early, so nobody would feel 'uncomfortable' b/c they are not allowed to talk to me until I'm reinstated. Within the next year, I decided to divorce my husband and leave the JW organization.
At that time I wasn't disfellowshiped, but later, when I informed them (at their request) of my 'intimacy' with my fiance, it was announced at the K.Hall where my kids attended with their dad when they were visiting him (one of them lived with him, the other two were with me) that I was disfellowshiped.
I came to Christ in 1983 through God's grace. He used friends from a Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA to witness to me and I began attending church with them.
In 1985 I married a Christian and we had a child. When my 3 children with my ex (who, of course, was a JW) turned 18 (1990, 1991 & 1995) they informed me that would no longer be associated with me, because it bothered their consciences too much that I was disfellowshiped.
It has been a painful road since then. God has blessed me in many other ways, but this loss is like a death...other things don't replace the lost, it's just a matter of living with it.
My oldest child did, by the grace of God, visit with me a few times with his children when they were little, but nothing since 2002! Why he did that, God only knows! But I thank God for those few visits!
Well, that's a very condensed version of my experience with JW's!

[Sparko]

I became a JW in my 9th year of high school (1965-1966) b/c my dad invited them to study with them and he was a JW, but not 'practicing'. I began having doubts about what I thought was "the truth" of what I had believed in 1977. I was disfellowshiped in 1981, then reinstated (which entailed going back to the K.Hall for approx. 3 mos, arriving late and leaving early, so nobody would feel 'uncomfortable' b/c they are not allowed to talk to me until I'm reinstated. Within the next year, I decided to divorce my husband and leave the JW organization.
At that time I wasn't disfellowshiped, but later, when I informed them (at their request) of my 'intimacy' with my fiance, it was announced at the K.Hall where my kids attended with their dad when they were visiting him (one of them lived with him, the other two were with me) that I was disfellowshiped.
I came to Christ in 1983 through God's grace. He used friends from a Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA to witness to me and I began attending church with them.
In 1985 I married a Christian and we had a child. When my 3 children with my ex (who, of course, was a JW) turned 18 (1990, 1991 & 1995) they informed me that would no longer be associated with me, because it bothered their consciences too much that I was disfellowshiped.
It has been a painful road since then. God has blessed me in many other ways, but this loss is like a death...other things don't replace the lost, it's just a matter of living with it.
My oldest child did, by the grace of God, visit with me a few times with his children when they were little, but nothing since 2002! Why he did that, God only knows! But I thank God for those few visits!
Well, that's a very condensed version of my experience with JW's!

Tia, I am so sorry to hear about your family. Cults like the JWs and the Mormons use family and disfellowship as a means to control their members. It is very hard for someone to leave a cult like that knowing that their own family and friends won't associate with them any more. I am glad you got out, but sad that your children are still caught in that web.

[the copt]

i am an Egyptian Coptic Christian

i have an experience with JW

there is a christian mechanic near us who actually told me that some people come to him every Sunday and told him that hell does not exist

i went several times to talk to them .. actually .. they think we Christians have nothing to say or to tell them and they have all the truth and they are always not ready to hear anything from us ... now .. they still visit the shop of the christian mechanic and when i come in .. they say they want to go and step away from his shop

by the way here in Egypt we dont have sunday as a dayoff from the job

[Cal_Minian]

i am an Egyptian Coptic Christian

i have an experience with JW

there is a christian mechanic near us who actually told me that some people come to him every Sunday and told him that hell does not exist

i went several times to talk to them .. actually .. they think we Christians have nothing to say or to tell them and they have all the truth and they are always not ready to hear anything from us ... now .. they still visit the shop of the christian mechanic and when i come in .. they say they want to go and step away from his shop

by the way here in Egypt we dont have sunday as a dayoff from the job

There must be a miss-communication. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the Greek word HADES (Hebrew Sheol) is used for the literal place where the dead go when they die, the grave. As such we do believe in the biblical hell. Ironically many in Christendom who say JWS don't believe in hell teach that hell is symbolic for separation from God and not a real place. The reformers and Catholics teach this.

So it is really others who don't believe in hell. What Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe is that the dead are consciously tormented after death in hell. (Ps 146:4; Eccl 9:5)

-Cal

[the copt]

There must be a miss-communication. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that the Greek word HADES (Hebrew Sheol) is used for the literal place where the dead go when they die, the grave. As such we do believe in the biblical hell. Ironically many in Christendom who say JWS don't believe in hell teach that hell is symbolic for separation from God and not a real place. The reformers and Catholics teach this.

So it is really others who don't believe in hell. What Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe is that the dead are consciously tormented after death in hell. (Ps 146:4; Eccl 9:5)

-Cal

let me laugh please ...

let us see ... you say that people are not consciously tormented after death ..... so would you please tell that to jesus ?!! may be he will join your cult ? i think he dont know what you just say .. you know why .. because he said that people are tourmented after death !!!

luke 16 : 19 - 31 ( NWT) ... read it from your TRANSLATION jehovah witness !!


"19 “But a certain man was rich, and he used to deck himself with purple and linen, enjoying himself from day to day with magnificence. 20 But a certain beggar named Laz´a·rus used to be put at his gate, full of ulcers 21 and desiring to be filled with the things dropping from the table of the rich man. Yes, too, the dogs would come and lick his ulcers. 22 Now in course of time the beggar died and he was carried off by the angels to the bosom [position] of Abraham.

“Also, the rich man died and was buried. 23 And in Ha´des he lifted up his eyes, he existing in torments, and he saw Abraham afar off and Laz´a·rus in the bosom [position] with him. 24 So he called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Laz´a·rus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this blazing fire.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you received in full your good things in your lifetime, but Laz´a·rus correspondingly the injurious things. Now, however, he is having comfort here but you are in anguish. 26 And besides all these things, a great chasm has been fixed between us and YOU people, so that those wanting to go over from here to YOU people cannot, neither may people cross over from there to us.’ 27 Then he said, ‘In that event I ask you, father, to send him to the house of my father, 28 for I have five brothers, in order that he may give them a thorough witness, that they also should not get into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these.’ 30 Then he said, ‘No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”



so would you tell me ... how can be lazarus and the rich man dead .. and talk to each other ?? and talk to abraham ??? and isnt the rich man here is tourmented after his death ? and concerning the word "hades" ... did the rich man left up his eyes while he was DEAD in the GRAVE !!


read ... Revelation 6 : 9 - 10 ( NWT)

"9 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the witness work that they used to have. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying: “Until when, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?



they are already dead .. slaughterd ... and yet they still CRY !! ... if they cease to exist .... how can they cry ?!! and ask god things ??

[Cal_Minian]

let me laugh please ...

let us see ... you say that people are not consciously tormented after death ..... so would you please tell that to jesus ?!! may be he will join your cult ? i think he dont know what you just say .. you know why .. because he said that people are tourmented after death !!!

luke 16 : 19 - 31 ( NWT) ... read it from your TRANSLATION jehovah witness !!


"19 “But a certain man was rich, and he used to deck himself with purple and linen, enjoying himself from day to day with magnificence. 20 But a certain beggar named Laz´a·rus used to be put at his gate, full of ulcers 21 and desiring to be filled with the things dropping from the table of the rich man. Yes, too, the dogs would come and lick his ulcers. 22 Now in course of time the beggar died and he was carried off by the angels to the bosom [position] of Abraham.

“Also, the rich man died and was buried. 23 And in Ha´des he lifted up his eyes, he existing in torments, and he saw Abraham afar off and Laz´a·rus in the bosom [position] with him. 24 So he called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Laz´a·rus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in anguish in this blazing fire.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you received in full your good things in your lifetime, but Laz´a·rus correspondingly the injurious things. Now, however, he is having comfort here but you are in anguish. 26 And besides all these things, a great chasm has been fixed between us and YOU people, so that those wanting to go over from here to YOU people cannot, neither may people cross over from there to us.’ 27 Then he said, ‘In that event I ask you, father, to send him to the house of my father, 28 for I have five brothers, in order that he may give them a thorough witness, that they also should not get into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these.’ 30 Then he said, ‘No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”



so would you tell me ... how can be lazarus and the rich man dead .. and talk to each other ?? and talk to abraham ??? and isnt the rich man here is tourmented after his death ? and concerning the word "hades" ... did the rich man left up his eyes while he was DEAD in the GRAVE !!


read ... Revelation 6 : 9 - 10 ( NWT)

"9 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the witness work that they used to have. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying: “Until when, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?



they are already dead .. slaughterd ... and yet they still CRY !! ... if they cease to exist .... how can they cry ?!! and ask god things ??

s

Many scholars consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to be just that... a parable. If you look at passages that teach about death that are not parables and/or full of symbolisms, bible writers teach that the dead are not conscious.

As for the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, it is full of symbolisms that even proponents of the doctrine of eternal torment do not consider literal. Could a single drop of water be of any benefit to something engulfed in flames? No. Can all the righteous who are dead fit into the bosom of one man, Abraham? No.

Back to my original point. JWs consider Hades to be a literal place. Many in Christendom now teach that there is no fire in Hell, and that it is symbolic. So JWs are the ones who really believe in Hell.

Even Billy Graham before he died, admitted that whether there was fire in Hell or not, he did not know. He switched from being a Fire and Brimstone Gospel preacher to teaching that Hell was symbolic of separation from God.

-Cal

[timspong]

My secretary is a JW and I have a "word of faith" pastor that also works for me and most mornings we sit about in my office arguing about various aspects of the faith. I am about as orthodox a protestant as you can get.

I tell you that the vast majority of the time I side with the JW on various issues against the word of faith guy. I tell you we should spend more of our energy on these "word of faith/prosperity" cults as they are a far greater threat to christianity than Mormans, JW's and muslims put together.

It is absolutely frightening that the fastest growing christian group in the world is essentially "heretical" in any objective use of that term.

[timspong]

Even Billy Graham before he died, admitted that whether there was fire in Hell or not, he did not know. He switched from being a Fire and Brimstone Gospel preacher to teaching that Hell was symbolic of separation from God.

-Cal

Billy Graham is still alive he is 91. I had to make sure when I read your post.

[Cal_Minian]

Billy Graham is still alive he is 91. I had to make sure when I read your post.

My apologies. It seems he had a heart attack and I assumed he had passed.