What comes first, family or God?

[nobspeople]

The below link is lengthy (about 60 minutes), but speaks, in part, about how one's religious beliefs in a religion can cause families to fracture. We see this happen in families of no religion, Scientologists, Mormons, Catholics, JWs (as in this example) etc.
While this doesn't always happen, at what point does one (or should one) put their belief system before their family?
Does God command such a thing, or is it something the religion dictates only?

[JehovahsWitness]

Jehovahs Witnesses do not have a policy of "protection of the abusers " and have a history of conforming to the law.

JW

The evidence suggests otherwise:

...Jehovah's Witnesses were allegedly told by the organisation not to report it.

Victims from across the UK told the BBC they were routinely abused and that the religion's own rules protected perpetrators.

1) An allegation does not a fact make.

2) which rules [that] protect perpetrators are being referred to?




JW



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To learn more please go to other posts related to...

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES , SHUNNING and ... CHILD ABUSE

[Paul of Tarsus]

Well I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and I can say my family has only been strengthened by the fact that we stick to bible standards.

We have much bible based advice on how to strengthen family bonds and do not tolerate divorce on frivolous gounds.

I've had a Jehovah's Witness tell me that they will destroy a marriage if one of the spouses threatens the faith of the other. I suppose endangering the faith of a spouse is not considered "frivolous grounds" for divorce.

Contrary to popular belief, we are not taught to discontinue contact with family members who do not share our faith or who choose not to continue in our religion as long as such contact does not represent a physical, emotional or spiritual danger.

It is entirely baseless to insinuate JWs teachings break up families.

When I visited a Kingdom Hall, I heard a testimony of a Jehovah's Witness who said his son left the Jehovah's Witnesses. His response to his son's leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses was to kick him out of the house. While his son was leaving, his father stopped him. His son turned to him with happiness assuming his father had changed his mind. His son turned out to be sadly mistaken when he realized that the real reason his father stopped him was to demand that his son return his luggage!

Upon hearing this story, the Jehovah's Witnesses there expressed strong approval of what the man had done to his son.

So JW, need any of you be surprised when you go door-to-door that some people will meet you with loaded guns in their hands?

As I said originally, which JW here seemed to 'over look' it appears, is this may not apply to all sects of their belief system. But from what I've been told and seen, every JW sect has this same, if not very similar, way of handling the situation. If that's what they want to do, fine. But they don't need to lie about it and try to make it out to be something all 'sugar and spice'. Just own in.

I've heard that Jehovah's Witnesses deny the charges brought against them. I know personally that they do in fact break up families, the denial on this thread notwithstanding. I agree that they should own up to what they do to people.

[Paul of Tarsus]

As for personal testimonies, I dont see why anyone elses testimony should carry any more weight than my own, since I am one of Jehovahs Witnesses myself, and know the family history of hundreds of other Witnesses. Unless you are suggesting you can produce 8.5 million testimonies to the contrary, the existing balance supports my own experience, namely that the teachings of Jehovahs Witnesses improve (not destroy) family bonds.

Well, I'm still waiting for your own testimony in response to what I've heard Jehovah's Witnesses say. Do you disagree with the man at the kingdom hall who told me that they will break up marriages? Do you disagree with the Jehovah's Witnesses in the kingdom hall who cheered on the man who disowned his son because his son left the Jehovah's Witnesses? Are those "family bonds" among Jehovah's Witnesses strengthened by fear of being shunned by family members if anybody dares to disagree with the all-mighty Watchtower?

[Tcg]

Unless you are suggesting you can produce 8.5 million testimonies to the contrary, the existing balance supports my own experience, namely that the teachings of Jehovahs Witnesses improve (not destroy) family bonds.

JW

To examine only ten minutes worth of each 8.5 million testimonies would take 161 years. 161 years without sleep or breaks of any kind. Are you seriously suggesting you have examined, even to such a cursory degree, 8.5 million testimonies?

Additionally, how many testimonies of those who have left the JW branch of Christianity have you examined?

You have presented only one, your own. Even if your testimony is accurate you've provided nothing to cause one to reach the conclusion it is related to JW policies. As I have documented, JWs maintain policies that do the exact opposite.


Tcg

[nobspeople]

Well I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and I can say my family has only been strengthened by the fact that we stick to bible standards.

We have much bible based advice on how to strengthen family bonds and do not tolerate divorce on frivolous gounds.

I've had a Jehovah's Witness tell me that they will destroy a marriage if one of the spouses threatens the faith of the other. I suppose endangering the faith of a spouse is not considered "frivolous grounds" for divorce.

Contrary to popular belief, we are not taught to discontinue contact with family members who do not share our faith or who choose not to continue in our religion as long as such contact does not represent a physical, emotional or spiritual danger.

It is entirely baseless to insinuate JWs teachings break up families.

When I visited a Kingdom Hall, I heard a testimony of a Jehovah's Witness who said his son left the Jehovah's Witnesses. His response to his son's leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses was to kick him out of the house. While his son was leaving, his father stopped him. His son turned to him with happiness assuming his father had changed his mind. His son turned out to be sadly mistaken when he realized that the real reason his father stopped him was to demand that his son return his luggage!

Upon hearing this story, the Jehovah's Witnesses there expressed strong approval of what the man had done to his son.

So JW, need any of you be surprised when you go door-to-door that some people will meet you with loaded guns in their hands?

As I said originally, which JW here seemed to 'over look' it appears, is this may not apply to all sects of their belief system. But from what I've been told and seen, every JW sect has this same, if not very similar, way of handling the situation. If that's what they want to do, fine. But they don't need to lie about it and try to make it out to be something all 'sugar and spice'. Just own in.

I've heard that Jehovah's Witnesses deny the charges brought against them. I know personally that they do in fact break up families, the denial on this thread notwithstanding. I agree that they should own up to what they do to people.

Most people would deny such charges if brought up against them. Within a religious system, those doing so show nothing but weak faith in their religion and god, IMO. If they're so right - so just - they'd stand with their decisions, no matter how distasteful it may be to others.
You don't do that when you're fearful and doubtful, weak in your faith. What you DO do ( ) is deny deny deny, just like a less-than-honest politician.

So what we have here is God comes before family with an aside that, with perhaps a few exceptions, Jehovah Witnesses act like Scientologists when it comes to cutting out family members that don't align with theirs.

[William]

The below link is lengthy (about 60 minutes), but speaks, in part, about how one's religious beliefs in a religion can cause families to fracture. We see this happen in families of no religion, Scientologists, Mormons, Catholics, JWs (as in this example) etc.
While this doesn't always happen, at what point does one (or should one) put their belief system before their family?
Does God command such a thing, or is it something the religion dictates only?

What comes first, family or God?

I suppose it is a bit like tax. If one stopped paying tax, ones family would soon suffer. So does this mean tax comes 'first'?

It appears rather, to show that one without the other and both are the lesser for it.

Personally I think Friendship is far more the valuable asset that family because familiarity breeds contempt largely due to family members thinking they can treat you worse than they would dare consider treating their friends...but in saying that, I do realize I have a different take of "What if Friendship?" than a lot of folk.

In relation to the video and subsequent arguments, I think it is more a question of "What comes first, family or the [________] church policy? Why drag 'God' into it?

[nobspeople]

The below link is lengthy (about 60 minutes), but speaks, in part, about how one's religious beliefs in a religion can cause families to fracture. We see this happen in families of no religion, Scientologists, Mormons, Catholics, JWs (as in this example) etc.
While this doesn't always happen, at what point does one (or should one) put their belief system before their family?
Does God command such a thing, or is it something the religion dictates only?

What comes first, family or God?

Personally I think Friendship is far more the valuable asset that family because familiarity breeds contempt largely due to family members thinking they can treat you worse than they would dare consider treating their friends...but in saying that, I do realize I have a different take of "What if Friendship?" than a lot of folk.

In relation to the video and subsequent arguments, I think it is more a question of "What comes first, family or the [________] church policy? Why drag 'God' into it?

Why indeed. I suspect it's because people claim 'God says' this or that, and church policy then follows. Normally.

You're born with your family, and you can't change that (though you can change whom you associate with). Friends are mutually picked. For many, friends become their preferred family.

[William]

The below link is lengthy (about 60 minutes), but speaks, in part, about how one's religious beliefs in a religion can cause families to fracture. We see this happen in families of no religion, Scientologists, Mormons, Catholics, JWs (as in this example) etc.
While this doesn't always happen, at what point does one (or should one) put their belief system before their family?
Does God command such a thing, or is it something the religion dictates only?

What comes first, family or God?

Personally I think Friendship is far more the valuable asset that family because familiarity breeds contempt largely due to family members thinking they can treat you worse than they would dare consider treating their friends...but in saying that, I do realize I have a different take of "What if Friendship?" than a lot of folk.

In relation to the video and subsequent arguments, I think it is more a question of "What comes first, family or the [________] church policy? Why drag 'God' into it?

Why indeed. I suspect it's because people claim 'God says' this or that, and church policy then follows. Normally.

The first to do this was The House Of Culture. It took something that people naturally were drawn to and pasted [superimposed] its authority all over that in order to created The House of Religion.

You're born with your family, and you can't change that (though you can change whom you associate with). Friends are mutually picked. For many, friends become their preferred family.

Actually you can change that in relation to whom in your [blood related] family you associate with - correct. You can even change the name you were given after you were born. That in itself can help you to overcome any power these ones might have over you.

I for one would not be interested in associating with such churches as would excommunicate me and separate me from family. Good riddance to bad company!

[nobspeople]

[Replying to William in post #49]

Actually you can change that in relation to whom in your [blood related] family you associate with - correct. You can even change the name you were given after you were born. That in itself can help you to overcome any power these ones might have over you.

Yes this could help, but ultimately, your family is your family, biologically speaking. You can change your name, social security number, move, get plastic surgery, disown whomever, maybe even get a sex change. But none of that changes who your parents are, your siblings, kids, yadda yadda yadda.

I for one would not be interested in associating with such churches as would excommunicate me and separate me from family. Good riddance to bad company!

Agreed. Though I would hope I would see this before I commit to such a vile group presently.
That hasn't always been the case. Fortunately, I was able to get out before it got too cray cray.

[William]

[Replying to William in post #49]

Actually you can change that in relation to whom in your [blood related] family you associate with - correct. You can even change the name you were given after you were born. That in itself can help you to overcome any power these ones might have over you.

Yes this could help, but ultimately, your family is your family, biologically speaking.

Biologically speaking, every human being shares the same DNA which is traced back to a woman who lived in what is today called Africa.
[Mitochondrial Eve] so ultimately bloodlines are a Cultural hangover which has nothing to do with Reality.

You can change your name, social security number, move, get plastic surgery, disown whomever, maybe even get a sex change. But none of that changes who your parents are, your siblings, kids, yadda yadda yadda.

Which is Culture. A cult you are obviously influenced by.

Your beliefs about this are not backed up by science. "Parents" [for me] are those who love me for who I am and help me find true direction. "Siblings" are Friends and "Kids" are those who have yet to become either, but in which I can invest myself in being a "Parent" and a "sibling" toward.

I for one would not be interested in associating with such churches as would excommunicate me and separate me from family. Good riddance to bad company!

Agreed. Though I would hope I would see this before I commit to such a vile group presently.
That hasn't always been the case. Fortunately, I was able to get out before it got too cray cray.

Indeed. I offer thanks to The Creator for making me aware of those dangers...by having me dabble in them to see what would result. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.