AboutBrenda Martin Expertise I have been one of Jehovah`s Witneses now for over 30 years, in those years I have brought up 4 children, teaching each of them the bible.Being one of Jehovah`s Witnesses has helped me cope with my Epilepsy and bring up a daughter with learning difficulties.I have conducted bible studies with people from nearly every denomination i.e. Muslim. Having used the bible all these years to answer peoples questions, I feel I am qualified to give any answer regarding Jehovah`s Witnesses and the bible.
Experience My experience has been one of attending bible lectures 5 times a week,taking part in these lectures in front of an audience and being with thousands of J.W. at conventions where I have seen the bible at work in peoples lives.It is truly a miracle when you see thousands of people meeting together and not one policeman needed, and not even a piece of litter in sight.It is like another world.
Question Hi Brenda,
You may remember that I sent you an email a couple of weeks ago regarding my relationship with my boyfriend who is a JW. I found your reply to be most helpful, and it also helped me to see it from my boyfriends point of view.
However, we are still together, although things aren't going too well. Today was our 6 months, and I was thinking of getting him a red rose as a friendly gesture to show him that I do love him. Is this wrong, or considered as a gift?
Ummmm...I have been reading about the JW religion and their beliefs more and more on the internet, and i regularly think about it... After I've read it, it seems reasonable to me that it is the right thing to believe in (beliefs such as their jehovah god, issues about pre-marital sex, and so forth).
Does this mean that I have begun to believe in what they do? I don't want it to seem like i'm only believing in it on my boyfriends behalf, because i'm not. My boyfriend and I dont talk about his religious beliefs at all. When I hear about people bad-mouthing the JWs about doorknocking, I feel upset because its something that i have become to believe in gradually.
Recently I have begun to think more and more about becoming a JW [again, not on my boyfriends behalf] and I was wondering if maybe he would be able to help me in doing this, seeing as though he is deeply devoted to being a JW?
If he were to help me in becoming a JW, what would I have to learn, and how long do I study for until I can become baptized?
Sorry if this email has dragged on a bit, and I dont want you to think that i'm only thinking about my myself or boyfriend in this dilemma, because I would really like to become a JW someday.
Thanks a bunch :)
Answer HI there Tina, you said--"REMEMBER THAT I SENT YOU AN EMAIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO?"
Yes I do remember and I'm glad it helped.
"THINGS AREN'T GOING TOO WELL."
I'm afraid that doesn't surprise me, it causes so much inner conflict and pained conscience to carry on with something you know to be wrong,(not you, your boyfriend) He will feel torn all the time.
"THINKING OF GETTING HIM A RED ROSE..IS THIS WRONG, OR CONSIDERED AS A GIFT?"
JW's are not against “gifts” there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving gifts (I love doing it personaly) you may be thinking this way because we don't celebrate things such as christmas, birthdays etc. But that is because of the pagan origin of these holidays, not gift giving in itself.
"IT SEEMS REASONABLE TO ME THAT IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO BELIEVE IN .DOES THIS MEAN THAT I HAVE BEGUN TO BELIEVE IN WHAT THEY DO?"
Well it's the first step, the bible's standards are “reasonable” they make sense, so they appeal to peoples logic, its like when a JW girl called at my door (all those years ago) and said to me; “God is gonna get rid of the wicked people and leave the good to live here on earth” (psalms 37;10,11) To me that made perfect sense, I had just been praying and saying to God; “why do you let all these bad things happen, if I were you, I would do something about it” so when the JW girl explained; that is exactly what God intends to do, I thought it was the most logical thing Id heard.
"I DON'T WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE I'M ONLY BELIEVING IN IT ON MY BOYFRIENDS BEHALF, BECAUSE I'M NOT."
Well that's good, because if you were doing it for the wrong reason believe me, you wouldn't last, because we only manage to stay a Witness if we have become one for the right reason. Its too difficult to stay in it for any other reason.
"I WAS WONDERING IF MAYBE HE WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP ME IN DOING THIS, SEEING AS THOUGH HE IS DEEPLY DEVOTED TO BEING A JW?"
Sorry, he is the last person to ask, first, he is not living his life correctly as a Witness, if he were; “deeply devoted” he would not be going out with a Non witness (no offence)
Secondly, he will not want to discuss his beliefs with you as he knows he is not living by them himself.
If you really want a bible study, then I can do it here with you, or you can ask any one of Jehovah's Witnesses to study it with you.
"WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO LEARN, AND HOW LONG DO I STUDY FOR UNTIL I CAN BECOME BAPTIZED?"
We use a bible study aid called the “knowledge book” and you would have to finish that before applying to be baptised, but you can go to the meetings anytime, I started studying the bible with the Witnesses in the October, went to meetings soon after, and was baptised in the February. (but that was kind of quick) usually 6 months, all depends how long you take to go through the book, and if you were making changes in your life as you went along.
What Witnesses offer when they call is; to come to your home once a week (or more if you wish) and go through the bible study aid bit by bit, and gradually build up knowledge of God's purpose for the earth and mankind. We only teach you what the bible says, what you do or don't do with that knowledge is entirely up to you.
