Membership and Organization
If you click this link, another window will open, (that you can hide, and then close later) titled: Beliefs - Membership and Organization Again, I will attempt to explain what the Witnesses really teach regarding this.
1. When they talk about baptising those who have made an "informed decision", what really happens, is the baptism 'candidate', is given a book to read, about all of JW's beliefs, and study it. Then, they are sat down in front of 3 different elders, at three seperate occasions and questioned about what JW's actually believe. They are not allowed to get baptised unless they do this, and the elders have decided that they have a good knowledge of what they have been taught.
2. Elders and Ministerial Servants, are not voted upon or decided upon by the congregation. They are appointed by other Elders, or by Circuit or District Overseers. Members have no say in this matter, and are supposed to rely on the so-called 'devine appointment' from 'God's faithful and discreet slave' and not question their decisions.
3. JW's "avoid making rules and regulations beyond those provided in the Scriptures". This is a complete LIE. JW's are always coming up with new information about things we should or should not do, and then say that it is up to our 'conscious'. If its really up to our own conscious, then why are they bringing it up in the first place? Some examples:
-Women are only supposed to wear skirts or dresses to meetings. Men should only wear suits, or slacks and dress shirts. This is a RULE. As a JW it was understood that if you showed up in other clothes, and you were not a new recruit, it was looked down upon, and you would likely end up getting counseled about it.
- You must go out in the 'field service' (door-to-door preaching) regularly or at least a couple times a month at the very least. This is why they are called Jehovah's WITNESSES in the first place. JW's keep track of the actual hours they spend in this activity, and must meet certain quotas to be considered 'active' or 'in good standing'. Records are kept on everyone in the congregation, keeping track of their monthly hours, and any 'sheparding' calls Elders make to certain members' homes, or any 'disciplinary actions' taken also.
-Parents are not supposed to let their children get involved in afterschool sports, or any extracuricular clubs, due to 'bad association'. That is how they describe anyone who is not a JW. Seriously. Without even knowing anything about the people their children would be associating with, they decide that ahead of time.
-JWs teach that the Internet is, as a whole, mostly an instrument of Satan. Many Witnesses will deny this, because they are so brainwashed into believing everything they are told by the Organization. But I remember when the Internet first became popular, all the stupid articles about the "dangers of the Internet' and how it would undermine our faith. That most of the ideas out there was just nonsense anyways. Now, of course, they have a website, because they realized the usefulness of the Internet, after all. What they are really afraid of, are sites like this one, and many others, who will expose them for the frauds and mind-controllers they are. They are afraid of their members becoming disillusioned with their religion, and finding other ways of thinking.