Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The ridicule is not aimed at religion in the broad sense. The ridicule is more often aimed at ridiculous beliefs. Like a global flood. When religious beliefs fly in the face of reason, ridicule is sure to follow.
Yep.
That, and the rampant bigotry often expressed at the LGBTQ community.
As a Jehovah's Witness it is important to clarify some of what has been said. Family members, for example, sons and daughters, do not always accept the way of their parents that is a given. Therefore they have made no commitment to dedicate their lives to God. Shunning (as is the "popular" term used in these threads) is not a practice that applies in that situation. However, if you have a person that understands the difference between right and wrong and commits a serious sin but is sincerely sorry about what he or she did what do you call that? I'd call it imperfection we all make mistakes, sometimes serious mistakes but the person accepts responsibility and is willing to work at not repeating that error. I'd say such a person merits mercy because all of us in turn commit wrongs at one time or another and we are shown mercy. Wouldn't people agree? Well, you may not but the Bible gives us the answer to that. What about someone who becomes an inactive member of their faith? They may have suffered a calamity, perhaps were hurt by fellow believers, overwhelmed by the demands of day to day life. Have they done anything that would spiritually harm their fellow believers? No. But, what about a person who understands the difference between right and wrong, commits a sin and is unabashedly unrepentant? What do you call that? For example, if you have a husband who should know better yet abandons his wife and children because he wants to pursue a relationship outside of marriage do you think that person continues to be a "Christian" or as he or she in fact disowned their being a Christian.
So then how do you account for the rampant ridicule on the CD forum towards those who are religious?
How does being ridiculed for the sillier beliefs of your religion here at CD equate to a family shunning one of the members because they became a Christian? Supposedly .
As a Jehovah's Witness it is important to clarify some of what has been said. Family members, for example, sons and daughters, do not always accept the way of their parents that is a given. Therefore they have made no commitment to dedicate their lives to God. Shunning (as is the "popular" term used in these threads) is not a practice that applies in that situation. However, if you have a person that understands the difference between right and wrong and commits a serious sin but is sincerely sorry about what he or she did what do you call that? I'd call it imperfection we all make mistakes, sometimes serious mistakes but the person accepts responsibility and is willing to work at not repeating that error. I'd say such a person merits mercy because all of us in turn commit wrongs at one time or another and we are shown mercy. Wouldn't people agree? Well, you may not but the Bible gives us the answer to that. What about someone who becomes an inactive member of their faith? They may have suffered a calamity, perhaps were hurt by fellow believers, overwhelmed by the demands of day to day life. Have they done anything that would spiritually harm their fellow believers? No. But, what about a person who understands the difference between right and wrong, commits a sin and is unabashedly unrepentant? What do you call that? For example, if you have a husband who should know better yet abandons his wife and children because he wants to pursue a relationship outside of marriage do you think that person continues to be a "Christian" or as he or she in fact disowned their being a Christian.
1 Corinthians 5:13.
Apparently smoking is a sin worthy of having a husband and three children shun their own mother....That is what destroyed the family that I mentioned earlier.
Apparently smoking is a sin worthy of having a husband and three children shun their own mother....That is what destroyed the family that I mentioned earlier.
As a Jehovah's Witness it is important to clarify some of what has been said. Family members, for example, sons and daughters, do not always accept the way of their parents that is a given. Therefore they have made no commitment to dedicate their lives to God. Shunning (as is the "popular" term used in these threads) is not a practice that applies in that situation. However, if you have a person that understands the difference between right and wrong and commits a serious sin but is sincerely sorry about what he or she did what do you call that? I'd call it imperfection we all make mistakes, sometimes serious mistakes but the person accepts responsibility and is willing to work at not repeating that error. I'd say such a person merits mercy because all of us in turn commit wrongs at one time or another and we are shown mercy. Wouldn't people agree? Well, you may not but the Bible gives us the answer to that. What about someone who becomes an inactive member of their faith? They may have suffered a calamity, perhaps were hurt by fellow believers, overwhelmed by the demands of day to day life. Have they done anything that would spiritually harm their fellow believers? No. But, what about a person who understands the difference between right and wrong, commits a sin and is unabashedly unrepentant? What do you call that? For example, if you have a husband who should know better yet abandons his wife and children because he wants to pursue a relationship outside of marriage do you think that person continues to be a "Christian" or as he or she in fact disowned their being a Christian.
1 Corinthians 5:13.
Let's just say, as an example, that my husband and I were both Jehovah's Witnesses and had two children. At some point, let's say while they were in their teens, my children both decided to be Witnesses, too. I don't know exactly what that involves, but assume that they are baptized or whatever else is required and are devout for ten or twelve years. But then, when they are in their 30s, they both decide that they no longer believe in the Jehovah's Witnesses doctrines and choose voluntarily to leave the group. One converts to Catholicism and the other just remains a believer in Jesus Christ but no longer affiliates with any religion. How would this decision on their part impact our interaction with them? To what extent would their change of beliefs affect our family dynamic? How much leeway would we be given to include them in our lives as if they'd never left the church?
I believe that you know nothing about the damage that shunning does to a person. Many are raised in these religions, and if they grow up and disagree with the teachings, they are shunned. The psychological damage can be as bad as this person committing suicide. Also, even if a person is aware of these teachings, they often join thinking that it cannot happen to them because they wouldn't do such a thing. Then circumstances change. Also, people in these religions are taught that those who are kicked out are evil, when in fact, they are not. For example, in the Jehovah's Witnesses you can do very little and get kicked out. If you are a woman and are raped, if you can't prove that you screamed, then out you go. If you go to college, out you go. One elderly man gave clothing to a charity, Salvation Army, and after all his years of service, he was kicked out. A pregnant woman fell off her horse, and the baby died. She was kicked out and called a murderer. The list is long.
Those are the consequences of acting out of conscience. They aren't a secret. They ARE terrible. The consequences of not acting acting out of conscience can also be terrible, as you point out. Thanks for the information. I was not totally aware of the rules under which some people must live.
Let's just say, as an example, that my husband and I were both Jehovah's Witnesses and had two children. At some point, let's say while they were in their teens, my children both decided to be Witnesses, too. I don't know exactly what that involves, but assume that they are baptized or whatever else is required and are devout for ten or twelve years. But then, when they are in their 30s, they both decide that they no longer believe in the Jehovah's Witnesses doctrines and choose voluntarily to leave the group. One converts to Catholicism and the other just remains a believer in Jesus Christ but no longer affiliates with any religion. How would this decision on their part impact our interaction with them? To what extent would their change of beliefs affect our family dynamic? How much leeway would we be given to include them in our lives as if they'd never left the church?
Let me briefly state that before a person commits to dedicating their life to God as a JW there is no ambiguity about what he/she is committing to. Membership is voluntary, the rules of behavior are very clear, there is a thorough study of the Bible and the person is asked to do careful self examination and express their understanding of what the Bible teaches and doesn't teach. The person then agrees to and practices those behaviors prior to becoming a member.
A great deal of effort is made to help someone going astray and disfellowshipping is not a matter that is taken lightly.
The scenario you pose appears to fall in one or the other below (and by the way I don't mean to sound "sterile" or devoid of emotion because when a member of our faith leaves, whether they are related to us in the flesh or not, it cuts deep and is devastating):
Any who are disfellowshipped are welcome to attend our services. They can even seek help from those with more experience if they wish. The goal is always that they restore their proper relationship with God. However, interaction is kept to what would be considered essential only. The Bible makes it clear that those who formerly had true understanding of God but later return to falsehoods are no longer part of the Christian congregation.
For those who become inactive (i.e no longer associate with their fellow believers, attend services, engage in door to door activity etc) there are continued attempts to rekindle their spiritual interests and certainly family members may engage inactive ones to provide encouragement.
So then how do you account for the rampant ridicule on the CD forum towards those who are religious?
TZaph....I'd respectfully suggest to you that given your troublesome upbringing experiences with parents who prioritized their beliefs over everything else.....that perhaps you've also (perhaps subconsciously) adopted that behavior for your own beliefs?
Meaning....if I ridiculed your driving and said "gee you drive like you're in a race" or ridiculed your choice of pizza such as "deep dish is not pizza....it's just a thick pie of dough".....I suspect you wouldn't take offense to that and likely would jab back at my own behaviors and opinions.
And if you told me "gee, how could you suppose there is no creator....do you really think this all got here without any intelligence behind it?".....I would disagree with the ridicule and insinuation that I must be lacking intellectually but it certainly wouldn't shatter my world. And that's really at the heart of why ridicule bothers anybody....because you are assigning undue power on the person making the statement, or the idea which is being ridiculed....or both.
I'm hoping you take my post for what I intended it to be. None of us are brilliant about everything in life and we can learn from others even when we are brilliant about a particular thing....because they have a perspective we don't have of ourselves.
Shows who has the love of God and who does not , as believers who has the love of God has Gods spirit who keeps His own out of sin , and helps them obey the commandments of Christ into which to love their neighbor , and to love God ...............Some churches produce bad fruit , and cannot produce good fruit , as they lack the spirit of God , who only inbred to produce good fruit
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
