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.

  • Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org
    282·
    15 days ago

    They are an Evangelical cult, and unless he is going to leave the group, get your daughter away from him. Otherwise he will try to convert her and manipulate her

    • m0darn@lemmy.ca
      131·
      15 days ago

      This is my concern. Not that he wants to manipulate her to harm her, but that he wants to “save her”. Her being subjected to that pressure could seriously damage her relationship with her family.

      • Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org
        92·
        15 days ago

        It will end up harmful though. Their beliefs about the “place” of women are harmful. That, and their general social isolation, are reasons why I tell people to get away from that cult and deprogram anyone they can.

      • baldingpudenda@lemmy.world
        21·
        15 days ago

        Cousin of my wife was in a serious relationship with a JW. I told her it was basically a cult, will isolate you from your fam, and make you dress and behave a certain way( wife said she already changed her dress style to what he wanted). Two years later we get invited to the wedding. No music or booze, we split after eating and congratulating the couple. I haven’t heard mention or news from them. Parents never talk about it so I assume the worst.

        Hope they keep the kid away!

    • Glitterbomb@lemmy.world
      41·
      15 days ago

      Agreed, but just to expand on your point - he’s almost 18 and able to make his own choices soon. If he chooses to leave the church his entire immediate family disowns him, that’s for certain. That’s what they do. If he isn’t drinking the kool-aid, having someone there to help could make a huge difference in which direction his life goes.

      My sister dated an ex JW at around 18. He stayed on our couch for a few weeks after his family disowned him.

    • Diplomjodler@lemmy.world
      31·
      15 days ago

      A lot of cults deliberately send it out their members to recruit new converts by feigning love. I don’t know if the JW do this but it’s a possibility I’d keep in mind.