For Jehova's Witnesses

[Heckya]

Do JW cater primarily to hispanics? This might be a stupid question, but when I lived in California, JW missionaries came to my door almost weekly. They were only looking to talk to people that spoke spanish although they spoke perfect english. Sometimes they would ask me who spoke spanish on my street and other times they would just say they were sorry they bothered me. I want to assume that they were working for a JW church (specific location) that only had spanish speaking church sessions however I never asked. I will say that because of the discrimination that it's now a religion that is not on the top of my "to investigate" list. Well, that and I really like holidays.

[MissouriBoiler]

If I am not mistaken. The Jehovah's Witnesses are not considered a Religous faith by the United States Government because it does not support Government and preaches against it. So it doesn't get those government base benefits such as tax breaks etc.

I met a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses on my mission. ONe was a baptized family. They brought us in the home and completely belittled us. We didn't even say anything except hello and How are you?

The other was a women who was the girlfriend of an inactive LDS man. She had been going to the JW church and was working hard on being a baptized member.

We felt inspired to share with her the Plan of Salvation the first time we met her. She loved it and commited to baptism straight way, was attending every activity religously, wished activites at church were longer, became the relief society president and was endowed and sealed to her husband all in the first year. An amazing family!

Both sets were Hispanics.

I do have 2 questions. Why Kingdom Hall? & Why no windows? :)

[Dr T]

If I am not mistaken. The Jehovah's Witnesses are not considered a Religous faith by the United States Government because it does not support Government and preaches against it. So it doesn't get those government base benefits such as tax breaks etc.

I wonder how we could verify if that is true?

[prisonchaplain]

If I am not mistaken. The Jehovah's Witnesses are not considered a Religous faith by the United States Government because it does not support Government and preaches against it. So it doesn't get those government base benefits such as tax breaks etc.

I doubt this, and am 99% sure it's wrong. In fact, Jehovah's Witnesses have been active litigants, winning free speech cases, and conscientious objector ones. JW volunteers come into prisons all the time, and this faith group is recognized as a religious preference.

[Dr T]

That's what I would have thought. Just checking/wondering if that was just info. passed around or true. Thanks for your thoughts PC :)

[Heckya]

I do have 2 questions. Why Kingdom Hall? & Why no windows? :)

I've heard that no windows is to limit distraction, but that could just be rumor. I've always wondered how they pass building safety inspections because of no windows....maybe there are additional doors and I've just never noticed.

[MissouriBoiler]

I doubt this, and am 99% sure it's wrong. In fact, Jehovah's Witnesses have been active litigants, winning free speech cases, and conscientious objector ones. JW volunteers come into prisons all the time, and this faith group is recognized as a religious preference.

Fair enough. I could be wrong. It has been 15 years since I remember learning that.

any one know why on the kingdom hall name?

Heckya, if that is the reason for no windows seems odd to me. I always have appreciated natural lighting in a church building. Recently I saw a new style of lds ward building, where the chapel had a great deal more windows than most other units I have been in. I thought it was quite beautiful.

[beakers]

I know of a Kingdom Hall in the foothills in California that has a big window right behind where the speaker stands. I guess deer walk by sometimes...deer are a great distraction!

[Heckya]

Has anyone ever seen a JW church being built? I saw one in Cache Valley (Utah) about 5 or 10 years ago. It was neat....the church members did it themselves, almost like a barn raising. I think it was built in a week....maybe two.

As for there being no windows in a JW church, I said I thought it was rumor, but it was the only explanation I'd ever heard. I"ve been thinking about where I heard it. I think it came from a guy my hubby used to work with that was an active JW.

[MissouriBoiler]

That is fine. Wasn't stating the validity of your response. just that I find the reasoning they presented to you as odd for me. :)

[Rebky]

What an interesting topic. The Kingdom Hall in our town does not have windows, but I googled around a bit and it seems that many of them do. I know it's a big link but you can see for yourself below. There are also images without them. It does not logically follow then, that this is a 'thing' for them. I would imagine then that it is a cost issue. I read that it saves on air conditioning costs to have no windows. I think they try to be frugal and thats it. They build their buildings with their 'watch tower' funds, so that may be donations?

[Rebky]

Oh, I forgot the link:

Google Image Result for http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/74238041_aa49c54268.jpg

[Abraham]

I am LDS, my mohter is agnosic, my father (divorced from my mother) and my step-mother (my father's new wife) are Lutherans, my Aunt and Uncle are JWs, and my other Aunt and Uncle are Catholic, and my brother is a monger - if you know what I mean.

Anyway, we have some intersting disucssions. As far as JWs go there are harder to pin down than a greesed pig in a rain storm. From our LDS perspective there seems like a lot of evidence that they are at the very least incomplete as they have changed many scriptures to conveniently fit their dogma and liturgy. For example, their founder 'prohecied' the Messiah's would come in 1914. When it did not happen he claimed that since Archduke Ferdinand was assasinated in Austria and touched off WWI that was the beginning of the Russell's fulfillment. It seems strange to us but in some ways we justify certain claims that anits make against us in a similar manner - it just seems like we are justifed, because we have the truth.

On my mission we had some discussions with JW and they claim that Jesus is not the Messiah nor the Savior, but that Jehovah is and will come to 'save' the world and 144K of them. We carefully outlined the statemens by nearly all the OT prophets that Christ was the Creator as was Jehovah, the Redeemer was Christ and Jehovah, and on and on and on, but it does not budge them, they have heard it all before. And much like the Phairsees when they argue. BTW - we were careful not to lose the Spirit but to attempt to teach them and be kind.

Also, whenever, the JW come to my door I quote scripture and never let them leave without leaving them with at least one principle of the true and fulness of the Gospel. I wind their doctrine back on themselves agreeing with me until they are agreeing that Mormon doctrine is theirs. Someday it may sink in.

One strategy to use is to smile. You cannot be contentious while smiling (but keep the sinister smiles away also). hee hee.

All you can do is share. Oh, did you know none of their buildings/sancturaires have any windows. I wonder how they get codes to build them. I asked the JWs once about this and they said it was to for safety reasons - now does that sound like a typical JW answer or what.

Best of luck, but remember, Saints are supposed to use reason and the spiirt, and not be tossed about by every wind of doctrine, especially if it has been changed to meet to expectations of their preachment.

Abraham

[Abraham]

Don't think for a minute the lack of windows has anythihng to do wtih a limited budget. That is naive. (don't mean to sound rude :-))

A

[Rebky]

but some of their buildings DO have windows Abraham.... (click on my link in my other post to see)

So... since you seem to have connections I have a lil question: A couple JW Lady Missionaries came by. I had a lovely 'superficial' conversation with them, and took their watch tower. They came back and remember'd my name (must have written it down) they knew I was LDS and came back anyway so we chatted some more. They wouldn't come in (is that a thing with them?) we chatted pleasantly they mentioned a girl in their congregation knowing a girl with my last name and it was of course my daughter... I recalled being told that she'd had doctrinal type discussions with her so I mentioned that. The lady looked shocked! I said "Isn't that great that they can share and learn from each other without debating... just dispelling curiosities and rumors." (both religions seem to be riddled with both eh?) She had a hard time recovering visibly from her shock... but we went back to pleasantries and they said they'd come back. Sadly they never have. I studied their book and had questions!! (It seems they don't believe it was ever God's plan for man to die.) So did I get that lil girl in trouble? I read somewhere that they have to report indiscretions to the Elders. Her look of shock is haunting me now.

[Abraham]

Hi,

Yes some do have windows, but we can dismiss that as a mute point, the details are not going to go anywhere.

Somehow you hit a nerve like you related. Whether someone was in 'trouble' I don't know. I do know that the JW are much more important than family, and I assume you know they do not celebrate any kind of holiday be-it birthdays, etc. Also, they do not believe in having pictures as they are vain images and support woshiping idols. No blood products as drinking blood is tabeau in the Bible.

I was impressed with your maintaining the spirit and appreciating the fact that we can learnn from others. I am a convert (1970) so I appreciate it when someone takes the time to learn the truth and from the proper source. Of course the fullness of the Gospel has so much work growing the kingdom we don't have the luxury to criticize or pursue or attack other faiths.

In my mind if you have the truth you better share it. If one does not belive their's is the fullness and only true church then they better keep looking. God is cannot be the author of the contradictory, and diametrically opposed doctrines of the 32,400 Christian denominations around the globe. At the same time, those faiths can prepare people to recognize the truth when it is presented.

All roads do not lead to Rome, but they will lead sincere seekers to the strait and narrow path. Perhaps we have these encounters to see if we will truly love our neighbor and serve them. Of course we have the fullness of the truth, but if it makes us proud, presumptuous, or petty then we may be less than our enemies.

You post we well written,

Abraham of the Chaldeas

[Rebky]

Thank you for responding to my question Abraham. I just want to add to what you said by saying, that I believe anyone seeking God's presence in their life has Truth in them... God is Truth after all. So there IS no reason to argue and be critical of another's belief but every reason in the world to keep searching that Truth which is in you. I believe this is WHY our church doesn't spend any time at the pulpit dismissing other churches or challenging their doctrine.

[Abraham]

The best way to put it is to say, is there are no degrees of darkness just light. I think you can figure that one out.

A

[Abraham]

Sorry that sounded condescending - it was just meant that the meaning was pretty clear. I did not mean to sound like you were slow. Pardon me.

A

[Rebky]

S'okay I understood :)

[rayhale]

Remember that all faiths will look bad, or weird, from a different point of view. You could say that our church 'compels' young men to go on missions, get married, have a lot of kids, and so on. Like most everyone here has said, find out from the source and not from someone that is angry at the faith. There are a lot of people that don't think it is wrong to say lies about what they think is the 'Church of the Devil' so beware of where you get your information.

[Andrew777]

I dated a woman that was disfellowshipped from the JW church at a young age. My GF's mother didn't have any contact with her at all. Me, being an agnostic and never a JW I was able to speak with my GF's mother, I ended up going to see her mother at some point while my GF and I were living together to talk with her mother about her daughter and I possibly getting married. My GF's Mother ended up steering the conversation to try and convert me to the JW faith. Her zeal was really amazing, I'm not sure she really had any feelings left towards her daughter.

[madjen38]

I am an active member of my ward and am married to my best friend from high school, (7 years ago, 2nd marriage for both) who is an active Witness. His father was (died of cancer in 2000) an elder in his congregation (sort of like the bishop/bishopric member). We have an active and lively family study period, but find much more common ground than differences and agree that its hard enough to do the basics than to argue doctrine. He supports me in my callings and in raising my children within the church, attending Stake Conference with us, special sacrament meetings, watching conference, social activities within the family and is even taking my son to Priesthood Session on Saturday. He is loved and respected by the entire ward family and his contributions to meetings/discussions because of his scriptural knowledge have been valuable. we have always had the missionaries over regularly and our home teachers enjoy his contributions, prayers and leadership. I am not restricted in praying and he has always encouraged our children (male and female) to pray as well. I attend special talks with him, his conventions, and support him in his meeting schedules and his going out in service (tracting). We have friends over from his congregation and I have been treated very respectfully and as a member of the family by his mother, her husband, his brother and his daughter. I have never encountered a zeal or push to have me join. They know of my faith and I am just as respected in his circle, as he is in mine.

I showed him this forum and he would be happy to correct some misinformation disseminated here, as well as answer any further questions that anyone has. He is not interested in engaging in any argumentative discussions, but likes being able to acurately disseminate his beliefs, as we like to with our own. So ask away!

[jadams_4040]

I always thought it was interesting that JW would come to my door. Why would they want to convert anyone and lower their chances of they themselves being one of the 144,000 who go to heaven? I remember them coming around when I was around 15 or so and telling me that it was okay to drink wine. All in all they seemed pretty friendly and weren't pushy.

And one thing that has facinated me was about two years ago a couple of young woman j.w,s came walking down our driveway walked over to me {outside} and started talking about ther beleife, I didnt tell them we were l.d.s and i was puposefully being very cordial to them and trying to be respectfull , but what really amazed me was that i felt a little spiritual presence about them, which i had not felt from any j.w before. And unfortunately they missunderstood my niceness towards them and came back a couple days later declaring they thought i was interested. So they obviously felt spirtual presence as well. I have felt presence from born agains, ev,s before but never j.ws. So this was a first for me. And this event can only tell me that all whom worship God in whatever manner, are condoned of him. its just too bad non others have all the blessings and knowledge we enjoy.:)

[PinkPanther]

Is there a website with a JW message board out there? I can't find one. I belong to a Catholic message board and to this LDS one. I would like to join others as I learn more about other beliefs. I have always been curious about Catholic teachings and JW teachings. I just need to find a good JW message board!! Thanks.