What are reasons to not be a Jehovah Witness?

Answer 1

being one of Jehovah's Witnesses can be both joyful as well as challenging. But, the blessings in being one of Jehovah's witnesses is very great. there'll always be challenges in everything you do. also, personal conflicts, family, relatives, and friends who mean well, may not want one to become a witness. but it really depends on the individual himself. some people find us too strict, due to the restrictions placed on holidays, birthdays and so on. i was born in the truth, and grew up in it. and one thing for sure, is that being one of Jehovah's witnesses served as a protection. I'll be honest with you, and tell you that sometimes i wanted out really badly. but my thinking was corrected, and I'm more than happy now as a witness.

ANSWERI feel that I am in a unique position to answer this question. Here is why: I was raised in a Jehovah's Witness household, but as a teenager, never 'made the truth my own.'

When I reached adulthood, I went into the world, so to speak. The problem is, even though I gained a fairly prestigious job, established a life of my own, and even got married, I wasn't truly happy. I wasn't satisfied. I had to make a change.

I studied with the witnesses and was baptised on October 9, 1988. While I have seen the people around who are not witnesses have their lives filled with difficulties, I have been spared many of the biggest problems. I have been protected from the marital, health, and financial problems that come with doing things that are not in harmony with Bible principles. Being one of Jehovah's Witnesses has been a real protecton for me.

It has also brought me real happiness, by knowing what the future is going to bring. While the people in the world and the world's leaders have no idea what is on the horizon as regards to political and economic issues, Jehovah's Witnesses know exactly what is coming, because we know what The Bible says about the future. This information helps us make wise decisions in very practical ways, such as in regards to employment, suplimental education, marriage, and other issues.

The biggest reason in favor of being a witness is that we feel that we enjoy a relationship with our creator like no other group of people on earth.

As far as the question that was posed, honestly, I cannot think of any reasons NOT to be a Jehovah's Witness.

ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE BY A CHRISTIANThere is every reason NOT to be a Jehovah's Witness. JWs are not regarded as Christian by any of the world's orthodox Christian churches as they refuse to accept Jesus as Lord, contrary to Biblocal teaching, Paul's letters and gospel accounts. They prefer to regard Jesus as a subservient 'Son' of God despite Jesus never claiming this (he claimed to be God the Son - which is very different).

JWs refuse to accept any Christian denomination (whether Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist etc) regarding them as the work of Satan, and judging all who belong to such organisations as slaves to that very Satan - despite our Lord's command that we should never judge. Though i would accpet a JW with open arms into my church, whether he/she renounced belief of not, a JW would never do the same.

JWs are very skilled in quoting scripture to back up their claims, but they forget that even Satan himself can quote scripture. One simple example of how they put scripture before love and compassion ( just like the pharisee's of Jesus' time - whom Christ regarded as hypocrites):

In my neighbourhood recently a little child entered hospital for a minor operation but there were complications in the procedure, and the child's life could only be saved by a blood transfusion. The parents of the child, both JWs, refused the life-saving transfusion, and watched calmly (and callously) as the child died. The British authorities (as UK authorities are some of the most tolerant in the world) were powerless in law to intervene in a religious decision. How any parent could stand back and not regard the sancitity of a God-given life with utmost respect it deserved is unbelieveable; to stand back and watch your own child die because of one verse, wrongly interpreted in the Old Testament, is contemptible. Shame on them.

JW prefer to let a relative die instead of allowing blood transfusion. JW see Christmas as a pagan celebration but they used to celebrate Christmas. JW accuse the United Nations of being the Great Babylon that the bible describes, but they used to be part of the United Nations until their secret was discovered they requested their withdrawal. For more about the JW read the book Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz former member of the JW governing body. JW is one of the most hypocritical pseudo-Christian sect in existence.

An Answer from a Baptized JWThe reason that the parents of that child allowed the child to die is not because they were calloused. Any parent losing a child is tragic, and just because you don't understand the reasons behind their decision doesn't give you the right to criticize it or them. Shame on you!

The reason that they refused the blood transfusion is because the "eating of blood" is strictly prohibited in the Bible. Blood is sacred, and they knew that it would be displeasing in the eyes of Jehovah God for them to allow a whole-blood transfusion. They would also have explained this to their child so that he/she would understand.

They were able to live through the pain and suffering of this tragic loss only because they had hope in the resurrection mentioned in the Bible. They know that Jehovah will resurrect their child just as he/she was when he/she died. At that time, the child will be given the opportunity to grow up in a world free of suffering, pain, crime, greed, death, and all other plagues of mankind. The knowledge that they would see their child again in a perfect world is the only thing that held them together.

Next time you want to criticize someone's decision, try getting all the facts.

Final comment regarding JW practicesWhilst the above JW s every right to express opinions, this does not mean they are right in God's sight. The stark fact is that life is God-given and is sacred. No one - NO one has the right to take that life away or to be party to a practice that prevents that life to be saved. Scripture makes this very clear:

• Our lives are not our own or our parents to do what they will with but are God's: And God created man in His own image. - Genesis 1:27
• Our lives are God's: And Thy care has preserved my spirit. - Job 10:12
• Our lives are valued by God: Behold I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. - Isaiah 49:16

Life is therefore sacred, and it is not up to us to decide whether or not that life should end. If there is a chance that God can work through the skills of doctors and nurses to protect that life then it should take place. The writer above is very concerned with the rights of the parents - but not the rights of the child nor the professional rights of those who are caring for the child.

The JWs have now new rulings that say in certain circumstances blood transfusions are alllowed (cf http://www.bible.ca/jw-blood.htm). Only hard-line die-harders it seems are still obeying the same rules, despite the new more lax rules still being 'God's will'.

The Levitical law that JWs invoke regarding blood is in the same book that states that no person should wear more than one kind of cloth at the same time - and should be circumcised, that women during their menstrual cycle are spiritually unclean, that sacrifice of animals is necessary for salvation and so on... yet JWs never obey these absurd laws, as they were all superceded by Christ's sacrifice and his desire to bring us life - "and life in its fullness" (to quote Christ himself). Shame on me, possibly, but I believe with my whole heart, that God sees the JW's callous treatment of his gift of life...and weeps.