Posted by ANDY [ANDY] on November 27, 1999 at 13:08:29 {nwG7wj0NI.qTvkv3njLwxhvS/hG.LU}:
In Reply to: MuskRat Love posted by Tantalus on November 27, 1999 at 12:33:02:
Hi Tantalus;
Excellent post. It made me stop and think about the years I was a JW, and wouldn't associate with my family on holidays, and such. I did draw the line at not attending funerals. I couldn't stay away when my grandmother died. I was told it was a conscience matter, but that MOST JW's wouldn't attend a funeral in another church. I felt that God wouldn't disown me for going, so I went.
I know that my wife, and here two JW brothers went to a funeral before I met her. It was shortly after she was babtized. It was the funeral of their uncles wife. They stayed in the car, and convinced my wife to do the same. She said it was very confusing, but she figured they knew what was right.
I missed my grandfaters 95th birthday, it was his last one before dying, because of the stupid rules about not celebrating brithdays. I missed the weddings of several relatives because they were in "worldly" churches.
The problem I have with all of this is that Jesus didn't stay away from the celebrations when was doing his preaching work. He didn't avoid "worldly" people. He didn't turn people away because they thought different than he did.
This practice doesn't show "LOVE" it doesn't do anything except isolate you from non-JW's. So what does it really prove? Nothing! It just shows how much power the society has on the lives of the rank and file.
I am sorry about your daughter, and pray that someday she will see what the society is really doing to her.
Take care.
ANDY: