Do Jehovah's Witnesses only associate with Jehovah's Witnesses?

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses exercise caution in their choice of intimate or close friends and indeed do most people.

The Watchtower 2nd February 1994 cautions: ''We must also be on guard against extended association with worldly people. Perhaps it is a neighbor, a school friend, a workmate, or a business associate.''

Kingdom Ministry June 1989

'' We have been counseled to be cautious in our dealings with men of the nations, unbelievers, and ordinary persons. (See the November 15, 1988, issue of The Watchtower, pages 15-16.) Why should we have unnecessary social contact with people who still pursue worldly ways and who have not become worshipers of Jehovah?''

Watchtower 15th April 1993

''Limit your association to spiritually minded Christians who really love Jehovah''

With these things in mind spiritually mature Jehovah's Witnesses try to avoid associating in any meaningful way with non Jehovah's Witnesses.

And yet, Jesus forgave and ministered to a prostitute, laid hands on a leper to cure him, and cast out demons, although none of this affected Him. If you affirm in the faith of your choice, you can be IN the world , but not OF the world.

No, not at all. Jehovah's Witnesses do not isolate themselves from the community in which they live and many Jehovah's Witnesses have marriage mates and and family that do not share their faith; they normally maintain close and loving relationships with such ones.

The first list of statements of Jehovah's Witness official policy describes comprehensively an organization that shuns contact with the 'outside' world, or, at least, limits it a great deal. Jehovah's Witnesses are always upset by accusations from the Christian Church that the organization is cult-like, but practices within the organization, such as the demand that JWs should only really associate with other JWs, fuel this belief a great deal.

However, the Christian Church worldwide operate a different mission - that the members of the Christian Church should follow the teachings and practices of Jesus Christ and to live their lives so that they become more Christ-like. This means that they go out into the world, and minister to the world just as Jesus did; by associating with the outcasts of society. This is why Christian organizations work with the poor, the oppressed, the drug addicted, the prostitutes, the criminals, the alcoholics, the homeless. Loving and working with these people does not make you a criminal or prostitute. But sharing God's love with them is what it is all about, rather than arguing scripture on a doorstep with gullible people who have little real knowledge of God's word and the true message of Jesus Christ. No