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Jehovah witness friend

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    #32
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,456 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    Loveinapril wrote: »
    This isn't true.

    People are people. If the OP's friend is a fanatic, that's a different story but to say a statement like the above is just a lie.

    In your opinion.


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    #33
    Mam of 4
    Registered Users Posts: 21,823 ✭✭✭✭Mam of 4


    SouthWesterly wrote: »
    I knew people who were ex jw. Even family members who were still involved were forbidden to have anything to do with them. They all eventually got out.

    I know that ex JW's are shunned and cut of by their families and those in "The Truth" . I never said I agree with their beliefs or practices , I just said it is possible to have friendships with them without Religion playing a role in that friendship .


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    #34
    Loveinapril
    Registered Users Posts: 2,326 ✭✭✭Loveinapril


    SouthWesterly wrote: »
    In your opinion.

    My opinion is based on first hand knowledge of very close family members and acquaintances who were witnesses. They still maintained lives outside of the religion, including friendships, relationships and marriages. I personally knew a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses and don't know any who were shunned or excluded from families. To me, they just seemed like typical people but had a strong faith in their religion. Maybe it differs from place to place but the ones I knew in Dublin weren't fanatics.


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    #35
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,456 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    Loveinapril wrote: »
    My opinion is based on first hand knowledge of very close family members and acquaintances who were witnesses. They still maintained lives outside of the religion, including friendships, relationships and marriages. I personally knew a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses and don't know any who were shunned or excluded from families. To me, they just seemed like typical people but had a strong faith in their religion. Maybe it differs from place to place but the ones I knew in Dublin weren't fanatics.

    See my post above. I also have personal experience.


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    #36
    MEGA BRO WOLF 5000
    Registered Users Posts: 17,394 ✭✭✭✭MEGA BRO WOLF 5000


    Away With The Fairies wrote: »
    I done a course last year and still keep in touch with others that were on the course. Mostly because we progressed to a higher level and are on the same course again this year.

    There is one that didn't progress and I have no issue with staying in touch. Messages were mostly just checking up on me because they knew how crap I felt with the pandemic.

    However, lately alot of messages contains Jehovah witnesses material. The course we done wasn't religious and I'm not interested in this type of thing.

    While I am a catholic, a non-practicing catholic, is it a bit hypocritical of me to ask her to stop sending me Jehovah things? She can practice Jehovah witness but not through me.

    I would stop interacting with this person full stop. JWs are a cult, not a religion. Your "friends" only intent here is to convert you. Those in the religion are actively encouraged not to have friends outside the faith, when she talks to you she has alterior motive. It will not matter what you say to this person. They're brainwashed and will absolutely persist in trying to convert you no matter what. This is a dangerous cult, avoid avoid avoid.


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    #37
    MEGA BRO WOLF 5000
    Registered Users Posts: 17,394 ✭✭✭✭MEGA BRO WOLF 5000


    Loveinapril wrote: »
    This isn't true.

    People are people. If the OP's friend is a fanatic, that's a different story but to say a statement like the above is just a lie.

    You are wrong. They believe at armageddon you will all die. They're told every week how they'll be stepping over your dead body at judgement day. They do not care to be your friend one bit. It's just a conversion technique.

    Please do not tell me otherwise. I know this cult inside out. I was raised as one since I was a child. It's dangerous. Stay as far away as possible. It will ruin your life.


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    #38
    JustAThought
    Registered Users Posts: 5,323 ✭✭✭JustAThought


    I had a colleague who I used meet weekly - great guy, totally normal, went out for drinks, had the craic - after about 3 years I mentioned the JW’s going door to door & made some quip and he roared laughing at me & said he was one too! You’d never have guessed! Of course I said that and he roared laughing at that too - we are normal people too and don’t come with Jehovah stamped across our forehead or horns!! I was
    mortified but insisted - you can’t be a JW you drink! And party! More laughter... he’s never mentioned religion or tried to convert me - I know him years now and he’s ‘just’ another person & ‘just’ another religion.

    I happen to know 4 JW ( found out by accident as I ket one giving out leaflets one day!). I’m a happy relatively lapsed Catholic and their line is that their mission for some of them may be to spread the word or create dialogue between different religions but that (so far) dosn’t make them a cult or evil or dangerous - just different to ‘us’. Lots of them do go every week to ‘the hall’ and take their religion seriously and place it at the centre of their life but I wouldn’t stamp someone out of my life for having their beliefs or occasionally putting their god ( I think we share the same one!) in the conversation. I used the line that I was happy with my religion & was worried they might try and convert me - again - to much laughter. We are still friends years later & no sneeky conversion! They’re just into their religion the way some people like horseracing or football or gaa or chocolate - and enjoy sharing it - dosn’t mean if you are honest with them that you are going to wake up milking a cow or with a rake in your hand or wearing an apron! Just be nice & be honest.

    People also need friends and different perspectives to balance themselves out - we complain if they stick together because they are clannish and a cult Nd we complain when they falk to us because they are trying to turn us into little Jehovahs! I’d say its hard to win sometimes!


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    #39
    tara73
    Registered Users Posts: 2,342 ✭✭✭tara73


    this is starting to become a general discussion. there might be some JW who are friends with non JW.

    the OP got, unasked for, mails or whatever with infos about the JW believes. So it's safe to assume this person doesn't only want to be friends but has motives for converting the OP to this believes.
    Therefore advise to cut contact with them is well suited.


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    #40
    eviltwin
    Registered Users Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    I’d advise to tell the friend no more religion talk and see if they respect that. If so grand. If they continue to go on about it then cut ties. No point ending a friendship unless you have to.


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    #41
    lazygal
    Registered Users Posts: 12,644 ✭✭✭✭lazygal


    Hi OP.
    I'm a militant atheist. Our children's minder is a very devout JW. Does the door to door stuff etc. Its never been an issue because she simply never brings it up, apart from the first year she was with us when I asked what time off she needed over Christmas and she told me she doesn't celebrate it and explained she's JW. I dont think its unreasonable to tell your friend while you want to maintain the friendship the religious stuff isn't something you're interested in and is a waste of their time. I'm sure they'll understand and if they don't you wouldn't want to keep up the friendship anyway.


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    #42
    Neyite
    Administrators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,947 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Neyite


    Mod note:


    I've deleted off topic posts.

    Can everyone get back to giving the OP advise on their specific issue please?


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    #43
    Away With The Fairies
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭Away With The Fairies


    Neyite wrote: »
    Mod note:


    I've deleted off topic posts.

    Can everyone get back to giving the OP advise on their specific issue please?

    I think I got enough advice. So the thread can be locked.


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    #44
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Mam of 4 wrote: »
    To say JW's only interact with non JW people only as a way to try to convert them isn't true ime . I know lots of JW's and we just don't discuss religion at all .

    OP , just be honest and let her know you don't appreciate her sending you unwanted links/pamphlets, whatever , and you dont want to receive any more from her , that would be my advice .

    Exactly. But in this case that has not been the case?


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    #45
    Away With The Fairies
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭Away With The Fairies


    Graces7 wrote: »
    Exactly. But in this case that has not been the case?

    I forgot to say she did ask me at first can she send me a helpful link. Not telling me it was jehovah witness material that she was going to send me. So she probably thought me accepting the her friendly advice, not knowing what she was going to send me was ok and kept it up. But it's not ok, it was very sneakily done. Had she asked me, can I send you jehovah witness material in the first place, I would have said no.

    With her further links, I have ignored them. But when she starts her friendly chats again, she will send me another link or two.

    But I'll let her know that I don't want to receive this kind of information with her next link that she sends me.


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    #46
    Mam of 4
    Registered Users Posts: 21,823 ✭✭✭✭Mam of 4


    Graces7 wrote: »
    Exactly. But in this case that has not been the case?

    That is why the second paragraph of my post contained my advice in what to do .


This discussion has been closed.
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