Jehovah's Witnesses?

I was just wondering what you all thought about them. I did a quick search and found some interesting things. But I didn't find my answers. What do the ATS members think about Jehovah's Witnesses?

I've heard some people think that their a cult.
www.youtube.com...

Heres a Article I found, Interesting
contenderministries.org...

I would really want to know what you all think about them. Later today I'll post some more videos, articles

Those that I know, and have known, have been quiet, hardworking, peaceful people. When they've visited my door, I have politely told them I ascribe to a different set of beliefs and they have just as politely handed me a copy of Watchtower, wished me well, and moved on.

Overall, the denomination doesn't appear to be making waves, disrupting lives, or thrusting themselves into the limelight. Pretty much a benign group of humans who want to worship in their own way.

There strange I will give you that much. I attended there church a few times, then I went to a bible study at one of the members homes. I had a bad feeling all the time I was there. I came home and saw something so evil that I never went back to that church again. A cult? Yeah I would say a cult. When you sit in there home and know something may attack you, something evil and your skin gets cold, and yet you can feel fear thru your whole body like needles. Yep I would call it a cult.

One of my friends went to that church and she had children by her husband and by another man, since her husband couldnt make children any more the church made another one of the men live with them to produce more children. To me that is a cult.

Hilda

A cult pure and simple.. without a deep apologetic explanation you read.
www.information-entertainment.com...

I knew a exchange student who was brought over here to introduce to a JW young man..she fell in love and was married. When her parents found out they screamed - cult. She was daily indoctrinated into this mess. the cult told her to stay away from noncult members including her family. When this girl a friend of my daughter had me explain why they are seriously messed up. I pointed to many incongruities. Everything from "who Christ is, was ect" to the error of the whole 144000 thing..When she took my answers to "one more knowledgeable" they said that is just another interpretation. Maybe so but one that uses the bible as the comentary on other passages...whereas they canned responce comes fron some cult leader. The common guy can think some of them are knowledgable of scripture..that because they have not read/studied scripture themselves.

MrPenny, very well stated and much as the experiences I have with them.

I have found them to be dependable, honest, and a hard-working people. Never heard any of them curse, even on construction sites. I would and actually do business with several companies owned by or sub out work with people of this branch of Christian Faith.

On the negative side, I do feel their religion is a cult. I would never join in their services or enter a conversation about their brand of Christianity. Did so more than several years ago and it was a lost cause on both sides.

I was raised a Witness and know first hand they are not a cult. Just with everyother belief system rumors abound. Witnesses are law abidding, respectful people that keep to themselves. I was involved in the building of a kingdom hall outside of Cleveland. It went up in about 48 hours and everyone chipped in with none of the usual difficulties that should occur with so many people working so hard. They are a good bunch of people... I just do not agree with their beliefs.

While I agree those I have met do appear to be wonderful people, the rest of your response is not the case where I live. the door knockers are extremely persistent and disruptive, showing up at bad times and not leaving if you don't come to the door. There is a whole thread related to the problems people are having with them on my city's local board. We are considering going to their hall during services to knock on their doors at a bad time to see how they like it.

Why don't you do that? I would like to see what the reaction would be. Though I already know. You would be invited in and treated hospitably. I was raised JW. I just can't live that strict a lifestyle. Cult? That's a toughie. It depends on what one considers a cult. I don't think they are. As to marriage, ask the parents of Catholic kids or Jewish kids who want to marry outside of their respective religions and I'm sure the parents won't be too happy.

The ones who come door to door here are also very persistant and also dont leave if you dont come to the door. They will stand there and knock or ring the bell until somebody finally comes. Once you tell them you're not interested they will then try to persuade you into being interested, no matter how many times you tell them you're simply not. We once had one who told us we were disgusting people because we didnt share his beliefs. I do believe they're a cult, like someone said they often tell thier members not to associate with people outside of thier beliefs, even if that includes thier family. I just dont understand them, and I probably never will.

What actually cinches it for me is that ANY religion who insists they are the only ones to be saved are NOT christians.

I understand that they feel they have a mission to try and bring more people in for the sake of saving them, but this is a violation of my right to my religious freedom if they come on my property to do it, especially when it is clear that the person they are harrassing (yes harassing) is clearly not interested.

No posting will stop them from knocking on the door in my city. They consider themselves exempt from the definition of "soliciting" and even if the sign says no JW's they still knock. This is just rude, obtuse and unchristian if you ask me, and I can't reconcile it any other way. They have NO respect and no room for anyone else's beliefs to the point where they seem to feel a right to intrude on the lives of others.

I have total respect for their right to practice what they choose, but no respect for them attempting to shove it in my face on my doorstep.

I cannot keep Mormons And JW's apart to save my life and constantly confuse the two. However, I agree with you. We have both a Mormon and JW church only about four buildings down on the left from our house and they come by constantly. My family warns each other of their approach by shouting out, 'Boys on Bicycles!' so we can hide. We finally put a No Soliciting sign on our door but it didn't stop. Then I made the mistake of getting into a debate with a team one time. They would collect my arguments for the day, return the next day, and have all of their rebuttals written down on yellow legal tablets.

Never, ever have I been rude to them but I have leveled with them and told them, "Listen, Guys. I am a non denominational Christian and that will never change. I also have my own ministry. There is nothing you can say or do that will change my mind." Yet they still come by. After about a year (and this required me having a lot of guts because I cannot hurt someone's feelings for the world) even I got so tired of it that I begged them to not come back anymore even though I appreciate their effort and it was nice debating with them. They still come by about once a week and ask for me by name. My husband now answers the door and has told them repeatedly to please, please leave me alone but they still come by.

I have to say, though, they are some of the sweetest and gentlest people. Never have they been 'rude-' just irritatingly persistent and have not respected my wishes for peace. It is frustrating and sometimes I want to scream but at the end I can still see they are good (albeit irritating) folks who are pestering me because they care. It would just be nice for them to take 'No' for an answer. I do not agree with their religion, though, nor their tactics. However, they are decent people.

Rant over. lol

That is one of my main problems with them... I have no objection to anybody having thier own faith or system of beliefs, but I dont agree with shoving it down peoples throats. I would never INSIST somebody agree with my own beliefs, everyone is unique and not everyone is going to agree with each other. Apparently they dont believe this should be, they think every one should have the same system of belief.

It's the same way here, nothing can stop them from trying to come onto your property to give you thier faith. They'll go to businesses, homes, anywhere that they think they'll be able to get somebody to listen to them and pick up thier belief.

I stay in a two bedroom flat which is right next door to a rather pleasant (and busy) looking witness church, some have chapped my door and seemed like perfectly pleasant people - even though I am not religious at all, they understood this all good

The one place you won't see witnesses shoving their belifs down your throat is in politics, the appointments of Supreme Court Justices, schools, radio and T.V shows. I did some knocking when I was young. It is made clear to us not to knock if a No Solicitation sign has been placed on the door and to be polite. The witnesses I have come into contact since those days have always been well mannered. All of you that can not stand to open your door to them try placing a sign specically stating NO JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES. I'll bet you never see them again.

[edit on 19-4-2008 by Witness2008]

This is the problem in certain cities, those signs dont phase them. I'm sure there are groups that are polite and well mannered and all of that, but there are also some that just arent. It's not that I cant stand to open my door to them, if they were polite and they actually accepted the fact that we're not interested then it would be no problem, I'm not that self righteous that I cant even open my door and give them two minutes of my time, it's the fact that once I tell them we arent interested they continue to push and attempt to pursuede. If you read in my post above we actually had a man tell us we were disgusting for not agreeing with him or wanting his materials.

reply to post by MissValentine

---

I'm sorry to hear that someone called you disquisting. That would be very rude. He certainly does not represent their overall nature. Just like Rush Limbaugh does not represent the nature of all other christians.

My Ex-Boss of 5yrs and still my great friend is JW. So is his entire family and everyone of them are great people. There is no cult level to this religion. No more than catholicism or judaism(sp?).

I even went to the easter meeting one time just to experience for myself how they are. They are great people that interpret the bible differently, just like other religions. We have sat down and had many great debates about his information and sometimes corollated into existing Topics that get discussed on this board. I would have to venture to say they are one of the most studious groups as a whole than alot of the religious IMHO. Even if they do interpret some of it different than others.

And all of the JW halls around here were built and paid for by the entire congregations. Most members contribute to the building of it which IMHO is pretty devoted if you ask me. Instead of some christians I know picking their church because the building was big and architectually beautiful.

Just my .02 on the matter.

Silver

Edited to break up the big paragraph a bit for easy reading

[edit on 19-4-2008 by S1LV3R4D0]

I attended a Kingdom Hall while I was a student of religion. I attended for many months and had quite a few observations.

I was apalled at the age of children who were called upon to stand up and recite scripture.

I found it cruel to do that to children, as they do not have an understanding of the world yet, and then to be called upon to speak for God, was in my opinion, wrong.

Also, there were rooms at the side of the service hall, and children were taken there, and corrected immediately if they made a mistake.

Yes, I would call Jehova Wittnesses a cult.

edit to add

These room of the side, I could hear children getting spanked for getting a scripture wrong.

This Kingdom Hall was in Zion, Illinois


[edit on 19-4-2008 by Enthralled Fan]

Those little side rooms are for children that are fussey as to not disrupt the services. If children are being treated badly the rest of the congrigation sees to it that it does not happen again. There were many young mothers in the many different Kingdom Halls I attended and it was obvious they would have difficulties. Raising children has a villiage mentallity with Witnesses. I had never seen anyone being mistreated

I've never had an issue with JW's coming to my house. I tell them I'm not interested; when they ask me to read Watchtower I tell them I'll be happy to if they will read my literature which is a newspaper from the Spokane Diocese; there was a group who would go to the principals and teachers homes from the Catholic schools on Easter and Christmas to try and convert them but a conversation between their Pastor and our Priest ended that with no hard feelings on either side.