Daughter (15) recently told my wife and I that she has a huge crush on this boy (17) from school who’s hanging out with her friend group a lot these days. She said he can’t date because he’s a Jehovah’s Witness. All wife & I knew before is that they’re some Christian group. From what we read online they seem to be pretty radical & abstract stuff like 144000 (?), Armageddon. They even get called a cult.

  • Em Adespoton@lemmy.ca
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    13 days ago

    Not a Christian group - they’re more like the Mormons. They believe their founder is the most recent prophet, that his rewriting of biblical texts based off his interpretation of the King James bible is the only true interpretation, and that only the elect are going to Heaven, and that they get there by saving other people’s souls (essentially, he who makes the most JWs wins). And yes, it is definitely “he” — the women are saved through childbearing. The group commonly goes by the name The Watchtower Society. They’re famous for distributing tracts door to door. If you turn away from being a JW, all others are required to cease having anything to do with you. If you hear their teachings and then tell them you choose to belong to a different faith, you’re considered a heretic and for the most part they will try to avoid you (no more house calls).

    • paultimate14@lemmy.world
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      13 days ago

      Jehova’s Witneses and Mormons are both Christian. Each would argue they are the TRUE Christians and all the others are misguided. They worship Christ. Jehova’s Witnesses actually started as a Bible study group.

    • MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world
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      13 days ago

      They are Christian in that they accept the Bible and they believe in the redemptive act of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

      They are different than Mormons in that they do not have a new text or a fundamentally different take on the nature of your relationship with God like the LDS do.

      They are very odd and cultish but they are Christians.

      • bluGill@fedia.io
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        13 days ago

        Like Mormons, many christian groups consider the theological differences strong enough to not call them christian. Of course Christian is a label that was applied by outsiders to talk about this new sect and so I guess really what counts could be how outsiders think of them.

        Take your pick. You can argue either way.

        • MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world
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          13 days ago

          Except then you have to make many other denominations not christian. Mormons redefine the relationship with God and have a whole new text which IMO makes them a new branch of the faith

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      13 days ago

      They’re famous for distributing tracts door to door.

      Like the Mormons a large part of that is making members believe outsiders hate them for their religion…

      When really I just hate any random person who knocks on my door.

      It’s less to gain members, and more a way to prevent people from leaving.

      — the women are saved through childbearing.

      That’s how cults grow their numbers.