Jehovah Witness RNs

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Ok, here I am waving my big "look at me" flag, hopefully not painting a giant target on myself..... :uhoh21:

Im looking for any RNs who are Jehovah's Witnesses. I am one (yes, active), and I have recently come across a work related issue that I have a question about. If anyone reading this is an active JW, please contact me (see email address on profile page) if you are comfortable talking. Thanks!

Specializes in NICU, Telephone Triage.
Some of the comments on this thread seem to be motivated by dislike of the Jehovah Witness religion. I find that a little upsetting. They are a peaceful group of people who seem very devout and sincere. They don't believe in war and are pacifists. Really I think it's time to give it a rest, people don't like to be singled out like this because of their beliefs.

I agree we should respect other's beliefs, however, don't expect me to be really happy when JW's or Mormons are knocking on my door and trying to convince me that their church is the ONLY true church.

I don't like JW's telling me how wrong it is to celebrate birthdays or any holidays for that matter. It is not surprising to me that their aren't a lot of JW members compared to other churches.

The door-to-door churches have a very "holier than thou" attitude.

So, are they really respecting MY religious beliefs when they come kncoking on my door?

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
Sharon, I was raised a JW, I got baptized at 14, I served the WTB&TS as a pioneer, I was a ministerial servant in my congregation, and I gave public talks. Don't presume that you know what cards I'm holding. I have a library of WT publications that go back to the year zero*, and I know what they say. I didn't study the JWs from the comfort of my armchair, I lived it. I refused to salute the flag in school in the 1950s and endured the wrath of teachers and students. I claimed a ministerial draft deferment during the Viet Nam war, and I was granted it: me, alone, with no lawyer or elder by my side speaking for me.. I would have gone to prison as a felon draft resister had I not won my deferment; running scared to Canada was not an option for me. I have friends today who did go to prison as conscientious objectors. They didn't like it.

You admit that you were unable to "pull the trigger*" and actually BECOME one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and you offer defenses based not on accurate knowledge, but on what you think and feel. All I ask is for a simple quote to prove your assertion that "things have changed," and you run from it as if it were a mouse.

Yes, I choose my words carefully. That is a fundemental requirement of communication. That's what I was trained to do in the Theocratic Ministry School.

I am the Golem of Brooklyn.*

*figuratively speaking, of course.

So, we finally know the reasons for your bias. You remind me of several of my other co-religous Catholics. You share a similar distored view.

Woody

Who lived and went to school and worked not to far from the WT Center.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
I agree we should respect other's beliefs, however, don't expect me to be really happy when JW's or Mormons are knocking on my door and trying to convince me that their church is the ONLY true church.

I don't like JW's telling me how wrong it is to celebrate birthdays or any holidays for that matter. It is not surprising to me that their aren't a lot of JW members compared to other churches.

The door-to-door churches have a very "holier than thou" attitude.

So, are they really respecting MY religious beliefs when they come kncoking on my door?

I've never had any problem with JWs. They've never forced their way into my house, they always are respectful. I think it's neat the way they all dress up in formal clothes to go witness. I've observed them in their cars meeting up after they've canvassed the neighborhood, and they really seem to be enjoying one another.

I love living in a country where people can express their religion. I love seeing visable reminders of people's faith in God, and I think the varying customs are interesting. I've never found the JWs to be more self rightous than any other ideological group.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Adolf Hitler, however, disliked this group :(

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/article.php?lang=en&ModuleId=10005394

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THis really isn't the place to try and discredit other members religious choices. As an educated person Nathan (and others) I am sure that you can understand that. Your beliefs obviously have led you on a different paths away from your previous faith. If you feel the need to "expose" JW (for lack of a better term), I am sure that you can find a more suitable place to do so than on a thread started by a JW asking for help. What you are doing on this thread just isn't right.

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And you see these people so nicely dressed, so conservative and polite, and you think, "Aren't they nice? They would never yearn to stone an "apostate" to death, would they?" And you'd be wrong.

.

This is the problem I have with your take. It's all or nothing. I'm willing to bet there is variety among JWs just as there is among followers of every religion. I bet they don't all want to stone me to death.

I could trot out a biblical quote saying we should be stoned for working on the Sabbath, but few Christians seem really eager to enforce that rule. Catholic doctrine absolutely forbids birth control... How many Catholics do you see being excomunicated when they have 2 kids and not 14 though? A lot of religious doctrine isn't followed to the letter.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
This is the problem I have with your take. It's all or nothing. I'm willing to bet there is variety among JWs just as there is among followers of every religion. I bet they don't all want to stone me to death.

I could trot out a biblical quote saying we should be stoned for working on the Sabbath, but few Christians seem really eager to enforce that rule. Catholic doctrine absolutely forbids birth control... How many Catholics do you see being excomunicated when they have 2 kids and not 14 though? A lot of religious doctrine isn't followed to the letter.

Good for you. I once had a priest tell me that there wasn't anything worse then a lasped Catholic. I sure if he knew about our 'friend' he would agree there isn't anything worse then a lasped Catholic and a lasped JW.

Woody:balloons:

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Did I miss a post or something? I thought I read everything but I don't recall the OP ever stating anything specific as to her problem. I'm confused, could you show me where I missed that?

Re-read the post you quoted; no one is claiming that.

Strange, diversionary tactic.

:rolleyes:

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Re-read the post you quoted; no one is claiming that.

Strange, diversionary tactic.

:rolleyes:

Yes, someone already pointed out where I'd missed :) but thanks!

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JW can't accept blood into their own body. It has nothing to do with what they can or cannot do to someone else. They just can't accept blood into their own body.

I'm not sure if you researched this prior to posting, but that happens to be inaccurate. The governing body of jws has put into print rules about pouring blood out on the ground immediately after it leaves the body. They state in writing that to do otherwise is a violation of God's law. Examples can be found in their literature regarding not using blood for other purposes such as dog food or garden fertilizer.

I refer you to http://ajwrb.org/watchtower/data1.shtml, the web site of a group of jws with information about the rules about blood, along with direct quotes from literature. Several quotes about storing blood are found on that page.

Violating any rule in the course of carrying out job duties is not allowed, according to the online elders' manual (though I have read that document in person in a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, so I am certain the online version is the same as the hard copy).

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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

See,this is why we should never discuss religion and politics it gets everyone all fired up! Our beliefs are our beliefs I just don't get into conversations about them but respect the right in a free thinking democracy of others to have thoughts that are at odds with my own. BTW did the OP ever post her question? or did I just miss it.

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I have never known a JW nurse who reported patients to the church.

Fair enough, fergus, but we all know that anecdotes are not a reliable source of data from which to draw sweeping conclusions. The facts have nothing to do with "negative feelings", they just are what they are.

jws have violated confidentiality by reporting things to church elders. It has happened and in fact I personally know of at least one lawsuit as a result.

I am shocked that several posters are claiming there is no requirement to report fellow jws for violating church rules, given the fact that so much of their literature states that loud and clear (recent literature too). Perhaps you should check your elders' manual too; I believe it states that the elders should administer disciplinary action for covering up someone else's wrongdoing.

As I understand it, jws regard their religion as universal, not characterized by local differences and whims of local elders. This would mean that what is in print is the universal practice. I think we could compare this to standards of nursing practice; they are definitely required but some nurses blow them off. The nurses blowing them off doesn't mean it's not a requirement.

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