My friend's Mum is becoming a Jehovah's Witness and wants her to become one too. She never even spoke about the religion until she became engaged to her fiancé, who is a Jehovah's Witness.

She doesn't want to but her Mum isn't listening and wants them to read about it for an hour everyday together.

She's been asking me for advice on what to say to her Mum to explain why she thinks it's wrong but how the hell am i meant to help her?

I don't understand the religion at all.

dialetic explanations are probably a waste of time. how old is your friend? and what are the laws where you are?

most european countries a child over the age of 14 can not be forced to subscribe to a religion ...which of course is extremely difficult in a family situation.

however courts do recognise that in the case of JW's a child should be protected (because of their prohibition of blood transfusions).

actually that might be a good argument for your friend ,ie

" soooo mum ,you are prepared to let me die if i needed a blood transfusion??!! is that really what a loving parent does??"

don't attack her faith directly...you have neither the knowledge nor i doubt the skill.

hit her with the blood thing every timne there's news of a car crash/train crash/bombing etc on the tv.

"so if that was me lying there, mum ..you be happy to see me die because your faith forbids the giving of blood??"

[This message has been edited by jackketch (edited 07-12-2005).]

your friend should also have a talk to her maternal grandparents..if nothing else so she can celebrate xmas and birthdays with them.

She just turned 13 and this is in England.

your friend needs to be prepared to phone social services sorry but thats the stone cold truth.

if she can't convince her mother then she has to get outside help/protection.

this sin't a game or just a family affair.

if your friend isn't convinced of the faith herself THEN HER LIFE WILL BECOME HELL!



[This message has been edited by jackketch (edited 07-12-2005).]

I don't get how it will "become hell", there are plenty of kids here who have to become catholic or christian to get into a half decent senior school.

She doesn't have grandparents and she and her mum celebrate christmas with us anyway.

It's just plain stupid.

quote:Originally posted by Isobutane:

My friend's Mum is becoming a Jehovah's Witness and wants her to become one too. She never even spoke about the religion until she became engaged to her fiancé, who is a Jehovah's Witness.

She doesn't want to but her Mum isn't listening and wants them to read about it for an hour everyday together.

She's been asking me for advice on what to say to her Mum to explain why she thinks it's wrong but how the hell am i meant to help her?

I don't understand the religion at all.

Its all upto you what you want to do with your life, religion is only a group of historians explaining facts of life and facts of history, Even you your self can practice what the gods practiced in the bible, its called alchemy, every religion is based off of it. Because that is what prophets and gods practiced. Even you can practice it and become very wise. So that means you could take jesus's path into eternal life, and then you could teach them a thing or two.

quote:Originally posted by Isobutane:

I don't get how it will "become hell", there are plenty of kids here who have to become catholic or christian to get into a half decent senior school.

She doesn't have grandparents and she and her mum celebrate christmas with us anyway.

It's just plain stupid.



are you really that stupid or are you just trying to act cool?

the difference between JW's and most other denominations is that they will put the mother of your friend under intense pressure to get her daughter to convert or at the very least take full part in the life of their community.

that means the almost daily bible and WT lit studies, the services and even 'field duty'.

JW's take over the whole of family life. this isn't a problem for children who have grown up in a JW household but it is a massive problem for children whose parents have converted when the children are teenagers.

don't get me wrong, i quite like the JW's and have had many good friends in their church (although they are now forbidden to talk to me ).

btw i 'studied' with the JW's on an almost daily basis for nearly 2 years,in 2 countries to try and really get to understand their faith so i have a good idea what i'm talking about.

I didn't say i knew jack shit about JW. I said i didn't even understand it at all so i'm not acting like i know what i'm talkign about.

The fact that i don't know about JW is what made me ask for advice in the first place.

But yeh, thanks for explaining about how it would be "hell" for her.

quote:Originally posted by Isobutane:

I didn't say i knew jack shit about JW. I said i didn't even understand it at all so i'm not acting like i know what i'm talkign about.

The fact that i don't know about JW is what made me ask for advice in the first place.

But yeh, thanks for explaining about how it would be "hell" for her.

sorry i misunderstood. i'm a bad tempered old git most of the time.

and i didn't explain all the ways it could be 'hell for her' but suffice to say that JW's believe strongly in 'personal holiness' which means your friend is not going to be allowed to dress, act or even think in certain 'ungodly' ways....you know?