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Pat Robertson has something in common with JWs

Pat Robertson has something in common with JWs

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Wow. This could be right out of an elder’s mouth, straight off the pages of the Watchtower Magazine. See my earlier post on the tract “The End of False Religion is Near.”

Robertson Says All Other Religions Worship “Demonic Powers”

Why [do] evangelical Christians tell non-Christians that Jesus (God) is the only way to Heaven? Those who are Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, etc. already know and have a relationship with God. Why is this? It seems disrespectful.

Robertson replied that it is not all disrespectful because all other religions really just worship “demonic powers.”

No. They don’t have a relationship. There is the god of the Bible, who is Jehovah. When you see L-O-R-D in caps, that is the name. It’s not Allah, it’s not Brahma, it’s not Shiva, it’s not Vishnu, it’s not Buddha. It is Jehovah God. They don’t have a relationship with him. He is the God of all Gods.

These others are mostly demonic powers. Sure they’re demons.
There are many demons in the world.

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From Right-Wing Watch

Evangelical Atheists Oppose Christian Nationalism

Evangelical Atheists Oppose Christian Nationalism

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I would like to see more opposition to the (so-called) christian nationalism (or dominionism) movement that has such a destructive effect on the American values of liberty, justice, and freedom.

Opposition from the perspective of atheism(s) is one method:

As an “out atheist,” Collette-Van Deraa said she often feels scorned as the other – “capital O in quotes.”

“There are misconceptions that atheists hate anyone who is in organized religion, or that atheists are baby killers or old-people killers,” she said. “There is a sense that atheists to some extent can’t be sensitive to the spiritual views of others.”

Though theologically not a religious group, the courts have increasingly ruled atheism deserves the same protections.

“And it should,” said Derek H. Davis, a Baptist who has written about atheism and is dean of the college of humanities and graduate school at University of Mary-Hardin Baylor in Texas. “Nonreligion as a worldview needs to be treated like a religious worldview in terms of giving people protections to live out their conscience.”

A cyborg alliance across groups that would suffer should the ideas of dominionist movement gain further traction would be helpful. The issue of net neutrality has shown that there can be unlikely alliances between people and groups who agree on little else, but can work together on a specific issue. Right now, many decent people are being manipulated into giving up many of the central messages of christianity – compassion, forgiveness (and perhaps most importantly) kindness toward others.

I was involved with the JWs for many years; their rule-based authoritarian regime looks less and less “fringy” in American life. Just when it seemed (to me, at least) that we were actually moving toward a society of freedom and justice for all, intolerance and hate went on the upswing.

From within organized religion, spiritual leaders of various paths must raise their voices to oppose fear-hate-control religious movements – and remind their people of the ethical paths of wisdom and compassion within their diverse disciplines. You can’t force spiritual insight or affinity using the methods and ideas that are antithetical to the whole point, just as you just can’t force “democracy” at gunpoint and expect that it will be democracy.

Whether by opposition or better example, the time is now to hold the manipulation up to the light. Atheism is not the only position to take, but the rights of those who do not believe in the God of contemporary hardline right-wing-affiliated Christianity matter just as much as anyone else in America. There is plenty of ammunition to support atheism these days – especially if you actually associate dominionists and other such power-mongers with God. (We’ll leave the issues of hypocrisy and cynicism to the side for the moment. I personally believe that it’s really all about the power and the money.)

There is no “generic” atheist. There are atheists who oppose any notion of God, there are atheists who are just not interested in ideas about God, there are atheists who are more humble toward religious reality than the ones who thump their chests about it, there are atheists who believe God is dead, there are atheists who see atheism as a religious position, there are atheists who really only oppose the views of God to which they have been exposed. There is a diversity of opinion on any given issue, except that – overall – there is some agreement that agenda of the christian nationalists should be opposed on the basis of freedom of (and freedom from) religion. This is something that affects everyone (even christians!). Americans should not be forced to be christian. The particular pseudo-christianity that is being shoved into being is powerful insult upon injury.

Once when Jesus and His disciples were traveling to Jerusalem, they were refused lodging in a Samaritan village. “And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?’ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village” (Luke 9:54-56).

The results of the recent election give me hope, but when you consider the wide range of Republican offenses, the numbers were still very close. Too close. It should have been a landslide in every race. Now is the time for Democrats to show what they can do – and there is a lot to do. If they are successful across many fronts, perhaps this country can begin to reorient itself, to recover and thrive. The damage to our system of government and to our citizens has been great. The next several weeks will be very dangerous as the last session of the current Congress tries to push through whatever it can while Republicans still hold the majority.

Americans shouldn’t be traveling with people who want to regulate the whole country under one theology, especially this theology of power and control. The power-hungry manipulators (of any religion) who use religion as a tool to control the masses have missed the central messages of faith. This reality resonates with people of deeper and kinder and more loving faith – in American, in the Middle East, and all over the world. If a messiah or prophet showed up, for the first or second or thousandth time, these would be the first in line to scapegoat, jail, institutionalize, behead, hang, or stone her/him to death. And in the name of God, too.

If there really is a God of Love, I say that God weeps to see what is said and done in God’s name.

“I pray you, Lord, make me taste by love what I taste by knowledge; let me know by love what I know by understanding”
— Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109)

“What is hateful unto you, do not do unto your neighbor. The rest is commentary” –Hillel the Elder

atheism

JW Family Refuse to Communicate

JW Family Refuse to Communicate

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On the topic of how Jehovah’s Witnesses divide families, from the “Ask a Former JW” mailbag:

Basically, the whole of my mothers side of my family are JW’s. She was disfellowshipped when she was around 18-19 but wasn’t told then that she was not supposed to talk to people who were still members of the religion. Since then she was married to my father who was not a JW, had me and my brother and sister, then was divorced from my father.

Around 3-4 years ago my mother was approached by my aunt, who is still a member, and was told then that she was no longer allowed to see or have any communication with my cousins and the rest of the family who were still members.

I was just wandering if, what had happened, was right to have happened? if these JW “rules of life” permit such things? My mother has had difficulty speaking to ANY of her family since that day, and it doesn’t feel like any sort of religion should warrant that sort of treatment. Any info you may have would be extremely helpful.

– Sami

Dear Sami –

I completely agree with you that the dynamic here is wrong, unethical, and lacking in compassion, kindness, or family love.

Unfortunately for former-JWs (and for non-JW family members who are affected by it), this treatment is very common and even encouraged. Former JWs are considered to be even worse than “worldly associations.” Disfellowshipped Jehovah’s Witnesses are described in the harshest of terms, no matter what the reasons were for leaving the group. The same treatment applies to anyone who is disfellowshipped, whether it was for murder, rape, homosexual acts, being a whistleblower, asking pointed questions, having a less than submissive attitude toward elders and policies, or even smoking a cigarette.

Jehovah’s Witnesses are strongly encouraged, using several methods of “spiritual guidance,” to be loyal to the organization first. For some, that loyalty is even stronger than their feeling for God. The Watchtower Society and its affiliated corporations are very controlling and authoritarian – even totalitarian. They motivate with fear.

Unfortunately, your family members (like many, many others) prioritize the shaky biblical interpretations of a dozen men in New York over their connection to your mother. She has been demonized in their regard; they hold her in contempt. Her family may even fear that she is somehow contagious, or a contaminant or toxin (actually, this whole view of otherness and evil, along with their views on blood transfusions, first got me interested in the topics of my PhD dissertation).

The bottom line is that JWs will tend to err on the side of caution when following the directives of the Watchtower Society. Anything that they believe may potentially interfere with their reward of “everlasting life on paradise earth” (once the Jehovah-God very shortly destroys this “system of things”) is to be avoided… at all costs. They entirely miss the Christian message.

Just a sampling of some of the messages the family would have received (instead of ones which might emphasize love and forgiveness and grace):

“We must hate [the disfellowshipped person] in the truest sense, which is to regard with extreme active aversion, to consider [the disfellowshipped person] as loathsome, odious, filthy, to detest.”
Watchtower 10/1/1952 (p 599)

“In the case of the disfellowshipped relative who does not live in the same home, contact with him is also kept to what is absolutely necessary. As with secular employment, this contact is limited and even curtailed completely if at all possible. We should not see how close we can get to relatives who are disfellowshipped from Jehovah’s organization, but we should ‘quit mixing in company’ with them.

What if a person cut off from God’s congregation unexpectedly visits dedicated relatives? What should the Christian do then? If this is the first occurrence of such visit, the dedicated Christian can, if his conscience permits, carry on family courtesies on that particular occasion. However, if his conscience does not permit, he is under no obligation to do so. If courtesies are extended, though, the Christian should make it clear that this will not be made a regular practice. . . . The excommunicated relative should be made to realize that his visits are not now welcomed as they were previously when he was walking correctly with Jehovah.”
Watchtower 7/15/63 (pp.443-44)

“And we all know from our experience over the years that a simple “Hello” to someone can be the first step that develops into a conversation and maybe even a friendship. Would we want to take that first step with a disfellowshipped person?”
Watchtower 1/15/81 (“If a Relative is Disfellowshipped,” p. 26-31)

“Such ones willfully abandoning the Christian congregation thereby become part of the ‘antichrist.’ (1 John 2:18,19)”
Watchtower 7/15/85

“Former friends and relatives might hope that a disfellowshipped one would return; yet out of respect for the command at 1 Corinthians 5:11, they do not associate with an expelled person.”
Watchtower 4/15/91

“Why is it loving to expel an unrepentant wrongdoer from the congregation? Doing so is an expression of love for Jehovah and his ways. (Psalm 97:10) This action shows love for those pursuing a righteous course because it removes from their midst one who could exercise a bad influence on them. It also protects the purity of the congregation.”
Watchtower 7/15/95

“Sometimes Christian parents have accepted back into their home for a time a disfellowshipped child who has become physically or emotionally ill. But in each case the parents can weigh the individual circumstances. Will he bring ‘leaven’ into the home?”
Our Kingdom Ministry 2/2002

The destructive ways that JWs affect the larger dynamics of family are evident in testimonies, divorce case papers, and the news. Google some likely phrases, and you will have no problem finding material (see my JW-related links page). Here are just a handful:

Couple’s faith tested
The Yarmouth Mercury, UK/September 28, 2006
By Miles Jermy


Witnesses cost me my family
Halifax Herald (Canada), February 13, 2000
By Susan LeBlanc

Cast out: Religious shunning provides an unusual background in the Longo and Bryant slayings
The Register-Guard/March 2, 2003
By Karen McCowan

Jehovah’s Witnesses: A Threat To The Social Family Fabric by Victor Escalante

Non-JWs in a JW Family

Non-JWs in a JW Family

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From the “Ask a Former JW” mailbag…

I’ve been reading your dialogue with JWs. I have no advice, though I have experience being married to a JW.

I have been told I have a distorted view of the Bible, that I am part of the great (?) Babylon. My parents haven’t seen my son in 1 year – they also are part of Babylon – and they live only 1 hour away.

I’ve been told that God doesn’t hear my prayers because I don’t use his real name, not to have a cross in the house as it may be a roost for some sort of demon. When she and my son are reading their watchtower stuff, she closes the door so I can’t hear the discussion ( we just don’t want to bother you.).

I have been screamed at when my mother sent my son a Christmas card with a cardinal in the snow, and only the words ‘happy holidays’ on the inside (don’t you know he may not survive Armageddon if he celebrates Christmas?). My mother walked through many aisles looking for a non offending Christmas card. I could go on and on.

Am I being critical ? Of course ….but this is just an “eye of the camera” report. I’m afraid to go where my real feelings have been shoved down for some 12 years….

So – that’s your ‘eye witness’ on JWs in the household —–I guess the love comes out at the Kingdom Hall.

Speaking of being visited in prison …..I’d like one of those loving and concerned JWs to come visit me in this one.

– Juree

Hi Juree!

“Babylon the Great” or “the Whore of Babylon” is based on the book of Revelation (esp. ch. 17-18). It is usually identified with whatever (corrupt) superpower reigns at the time (biblically, it’s probably Rome), but JWs see it as representing the worldwide empire of false religion (and most especially Christendom). They are, of course, interpreting themselves as being the only true religion. Many groups have interpretations of the Whore of Babylon and Babylon the Great – but JWs seem to refer to it more than other groups do.

On the issue of the Christmas card, they believe that the holiday is too pagan-affiliated in its customs and history to be celebrated, even if Jesus has not said to celebrate his death rather than his birth. I’ve not heard of any but the most fanatical JW invoke Armageddon at the sight of a holiday card, but it doesn’t surprise me either. Their sense of priorities is seriously skewed at times, and some are incapable of receiving the good wishes in the spirit in which they were meant. They might at least have explained their reasons – they will normally take any opportunity to do so.

On the cross issue, I have to say I haven’t heard the “demon roost” theory before (grin). Sounds like your family took some messages and cross-wired them in their fear. They do believe in demon attacks, and there is a lot of urban lore about smurfs and such, but that’s not the problem with the cross. JWs believe that Jesus was tortured on a stake, not a cross, so they don’t even use the word “crucifixion.” The other thing is that the symbol links the household, however distantly, to the above-mentioned “Babylon the Great.” One thing that we were told to explain out in service is that to wear a cross would be like wearing a gun when the person you loved most in the world had been shot with one. It has a certain appeal as an argument, but there are problems with the analogy.

Love and kindness are often reserved for members, as you have experienced. Family, especially non-JW family, are often treated worse than strangers (i.e., potential converts).

If there is a God, he/she/they/it hears your prayers. God is there for all, according to the central message of Christianity. I don’t know why you are in prison, but I do feel – always – that while there is life, there is hope. Find your freedom within, with curiosity and humor and forgiveness of yourself and others. Face your anger and hurt, talk with others, accept what you can accept, and move on to the next stage for you.

Don’t wait around for JWs to come and visit (lol), but do talk to the spiritual and psychological counselors that might be available to you. You can write to me privately too, if you need to rant someplace safe.

WebRing Transitioning

WebRing Transitioning

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In light of the recent changes at WebRing, I’ve decided to offer my ring members an alternative join-up at RingSurf. Those who want to leave Webring, or limit their participation to the terms of a free account, are welcome to use the RingSurf option. New members are welcome, too!

VC-BDI Small Logo Virtual Church of Benevolent Deities, Inc.

For those who approach the topic of religion with joy and humor – and maybe just a touch of irony.

Join VirtuBene at RingSurf

Forward, You Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses Forward, You Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses

For former Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Join Forward, You ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses at RingSurf

Women of Academe Women of Academe

For all female academics.

Join at Women of Academe at RingSurf

Not in Our Arms, Forever in Our Hearts Not in Our Arms, Forever in Our Hearts

For those who have lost a pregnancy, infant or child.

Join Not in Our Arms at RingSurf

Another JW Joke page

Another JW Joke page

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Some of the Jehovah’s Witnesses jokes have been translated into Swedish. Very fun.

Du vet att du är ett Jehovas vittne om…

1. Om din reaktion inför ett kors är densamma som en vampyrs, kan du vara ett JV.

2. Om du tror att demoner kan krympa sig själva för att komma in i smycken, möbler, böcker eller blå smurfar, då kan du vara ett JV.

3. Om du förknippar siffrorna 1 till 5 med timmar på en rapportblankett, kan du vara ett JV (men inte speciellt duktig).

4. Om du tycker att döden är mycket viktigare än födelsen, kan du vara ett JV.

5. Om du tycker att Jesus inte har åstadkommit mycket alls de senaste 89 åren, är du inte det enda JV som tycker så.

6. Om du tror att tjänst på fältet är något annat än att arbeta med jordbruk, kan du vara ett JV.

7. Om du tror att äldre män är något annat än gamla gubbar, kan du vara ett JV.

8. Om du inte kan prata med en annan människa utan att höra en inre röst i ditt huvud säga: ”OMVÄND HONOM ELLER DÖ!”, är du troligen ett JV.

9. Om du är man och sitter på Rikets sal när en mycket vacker ung kvinna kommer in klädd i minikjol, och din första tanke är, ”Åh, den systern var verkligen inte blygsamt klädd!” snarare än ”Wow!”, då är du troligen ett mycket hängivet JV.

10. Om du äter julskinka på julafton och har dåligt samvete för det men insisterar på att det är bara för att den är så billig just vid jul, då är du ett JV.

11. Om du ordnar kalas för barnen inom en månad från deras födelsedagar, och om du köper presenter för att dela ut på ”Familjens presentdag” strax efter jul, då är du inte bara ett JV, utan ett som längtar till ”världen”, och du lurar ingen.

12. Drömmer du mardrömmar om att bli tagen på bar gärning med någon annans cigaretter i handen och att ingen tror på dig när du säger att de inte är dina, är du troligen ett JV.

13. Om du inte kan köpa ett par skor utan att tänka på att de måste vara bekväma att gå i långa sträckor upp och nedför stadsgator i den värsta sommarhettan, då är du ett JV.

14. Om du tänker på en ark som en organisation, måste du vara ett JV.

15. Om du tror att Gud struntade i varenda människa i nära 2000 år och sedan plötsligt uppenbarade sin sanning för en man som satt och ritade bilder och diagram av pyramider, måste du vara ett JV.

16. Om du inte kan ta upp en bok eller något annat att läsa utan att också ta fram något att stryka under med, kan du vara ett JV.

17. Om du plötsligt känner dig härligt självbelåten och överlägsen när du kör förbi en kyrka, kan du vara ett JV

18. Om du kör förbi en Rikets sal och plötsligt känner dig alldeles varm och yr, kan du vara ett JV eller berusad, eller både och.

19. Om du tillbringat flera dagar på ett stort fotbollsstadium men aldrig såg till någon boll och inte ens fick dig en öl, är du troligen ett JV.

20. Om du är rädd att någon ska se dig med en öl i handen, kan du vara ett JV.

21. Om du alltid är rädd för att någon ska se eller höra dig när du äntligen helt enkelt är ”normal”, kan du vara ett JV.

22. Om förnamnet på de flesta av dina bästa vänner är antingen ”broder” eller ”syster”, kan du vara ett JV.

23. Om din kyrka är en ”sal” och en predikan är ett ”offentligt föredrag”, är du ett JV.

24. Om du envisas med att kalla Nya Testamentet för ”de grekiska skrifterna”, är du troligen ett JV.

25. Om du tvättar bilar eller fönster för att försörja dig, men ändå äger fem kostymer, kan du vara ett JV.

26. Om du aldrig har haft bekväma kläder på dig i hela ditt liv, kan du ha varit ett JV från födelsen.

27. Om du kan ha ett bibelstudium utan någon bibel, kan du vara ett JV.

28. Om du är 25 år gammal och aldrig har kysst någon utom din mamma, kan du vara ett troget JV.

29. Om du tycker att första kafferasten på morgonen är det perfekta tillfället att predika för någon, är du antagligen ett nitiskt JV.

30. Om du tror att tjänst för Gud mäts i timmar, är du ett JV.

31. Om du tror att det är illojalt mot Gud att skaffa dig en utbildning eller ett bra betalt jobb, är du kanske ett JV.

32. Om du kollar Vakttornets Index varje gång du har en fråga om någonting, är du ett JV.

33. Om du får veta att din arbetskamrats mamma har dött, och din första tanke inte är, ”Åh så tråkigt”, utan, ”Det här är ett fint tillfälle att tala om Riket!” är du ett fulländat JV.

34. Om du förväntar dig att få julklappar men inte räknar med att ge några, kan du vara ett JV.

35. Om du fylls av vördnad när du hör uttrycket ”styrande krets”, är du nog ett JV.

36. Om du tror att uttrycket ”pionjär” handlar om någon annan än Davy Crockett, kan du vara ett JV.

37. Om du tror att fönsterputsning är ett lyft för karriären, kan du vara ett JV.

38. Blir du knäsvag när du hör uttrycket ”avfälling”, kan du vara ett JV.

39. Om du tror att din verkliga ”moder” bor i New York, är du nog ett JV.

40. Om du känner skuld över att ha fullt normala känslor, kan du vara ett JV.

41. Om du tror att 1914 var året framför alla andra år, är du säkert ett JV.

42. Om du tror att det var DU som gissade på året 1975 (som året då slutet skulle komma), och inte Sällskapet, är du ett lojalt JV.

43. Om din garderob är full av billiga polyesterkostymer eller dräkter, kan du vara ett JV.

44. Har du aldrig någonsin haft en julgran i ditt hus, kan du vara ett JV.

45. Om du tycker att ljudet av en dörr som slår igen är kännetecknande för förföljelse av kristna, kan du vara ett JV.

46. Om du har en tendens att hänvisa till böcker med deras färg i stället för titel, kan du vara ett JV.

47. Om du hör ”All along the Watchtower” med Jimi Hendrix eller ”Walk of life” med Dire Straits och du känner dig andligt vederkvickt, är du troligen ett JV (med god musiksmak).

48. Om du tror att det tog 1 935 år att få ihop 144 000 sanna kristna, då är du ett JV.

49. Om du tror att ändens tid började 1799, att Kristus återvände 1874, och att 1914 markerar avslutningen på Harmageddon, måste du vara ett mycket gammalt, uteslutet JV.

50. Om du tycker att ”Den fullbordade hemligheten” som gavs ut år 1917 var ”mat i rätt tid”, kan du vara ett JV som aldrig har läst boken.

51. Om du tror att Jerusalems förstöring inträffade år 607 f. Kr. och att detta stöds av tillförlitliga historiska bevis, är du säkert ett JV.

52. Om Bibeln slår fast en sak och Vakttornet säger, ”Logiskt sett kan inte detta betyda vad det står” och du tror att Vakttornet har rätt, är du ett JV.

53. Om du ser jobbet att städa upp en skitig bakgård som en övning för livet i den nya ordningen, är du nog ett JV.

54. Om du ser på ”Oprah Winfrey Show” och du ser folk som går omkring med mikrofoner och det får dig att tänka på ett möte, är du nog ett JV.

55. Om du tror att Nytt Ljus som blir Gammalt Ljus och sedan blir Nytt Ljus igen är Guds sätt att sköta saker och ting, är du ett JV.

56. Om du är på byggvaruhuset och går till avdelningen för ytterdörrar och du känner dig manad att knacka på dem, är du kanske ett rutinerat JV.

57. Om att slinka in på Pressbyrån är någonting du ser fram emot, kan du vara ett JV ute i tjänsten.

58. Om du inte har några som helst kunskaper om hur man bygger hus och du ändå är med på alla snabbyggen av Rikets salar i närheten, kan du vara ett JV som försöker smita undan tjänsten.

59. Om Sällskapet Vakttornet predikade en speciell lära för åratal sedan och du förnekar att de någonsin gjort det, är du ett lojalt JV.

60. Om du läst ända hit, och inte skrattat en enda gÃ¥ng … är du definitivt ett troget JV.

Funna på och fritt översatta från: http://www.virushead.net/jwhumor.html där du också hittar mer humor med JV-anknytning, på engelska.