A Catholic and a Jehovahs Witness

[Dmendoza]

A warm hello to all.
I have a close friend who is a JW, and whle many times she tried to conert me, I have gone back to my home, the Catholic church after many years of not practicing.
Im trying very hard to really get involved in my church and get my children involved, and so far I have been succesful. My children look forward to going to church and praying. I thought they would put up a fight, but they are following my lead.
My issue is this, while my friend is a JW, she is not practicing right now. She has confided in me a sin that would get her disfellowshipped from her church, possibly divorced and very likely shunned by her friends and family. She committed this same sin before and confessed to her elders and her husband. She was forgiven. The thing is she afraid of the consequences she will face if she confesses. And she has not repented. I asked her if she could maybe talk to a spiritual counselor, but her church forbids it she said. Im not sure how to help her given that im also just restarting my spiritual path.How can i help her?
And is it a sin to associate with her if she continues her behavior? What should i do?

 

[ProdglArchitect]

First off, it is not a sin to associate with sinners. Christ himself ate with them, defended then, and comforted them. Hate the sin, not the sinner ^^ Now, if she were to start dragging you into sin with her, then yes, you should definitely cut off ties to preserve your own soul; but if that is not the case, then by all means keep in contact and keep trying to help her~!

I would say that you should pose this question to her:

Her ‘church’ is willing to toss her out on the street for this sin? It also won’t let her try to get help to deal with and control whatever it is that is causing her to sin… It does not offer forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation and a renewed devotion to our lord. Why is she there?

Invite her to speak with the priest at your church, I’m sure he’d be happy to have a non-confrontation talk with her about what’s leading her to sin, and how to avoid it. If she accepts, and comes to realize that to the Catholic church there is no such thing as being beyond forgiveness, no transgression that will get you booted out for life, she may begin a journey towards to the truth.

If she does not accept, perhaps ask her if you could speak to a priest on her behalf, purely so you could come up with some sound advice for her. That would probably come off better than talking to teh priest beforehand and just showing up with random suggestions.

 

[Nan_S]

She may be able to keep her sin a secret from the elders, but God knows. If it is truly a sin and she has not repented nor ceased doing it, God has already judged her guilty whether the fellowship knows about it or not. And because she refuses to stop sinning and repent, God (who is forever just) will let her bear the consequences and punishment for that sin.

Too often JWs who have secret sins decide that if they are already condemned in the next life with no forgiveness possible, they might as well just keep sinning and enjoy what little pleasure they have left. It’s very sad, and it’s one of the worst aspects of the JW cult. Former JWs often become atheists for exactly that reason; they shake off the cult, but can’t quite believe that God really DOES want to forgive them.

Without knowing what she did (and I am not asking) I will say that it is possible that whatever she did is not really a sin, but only considered a sin within the circle of JW belief.

One of the great things about being Catholic is that we know the Good Shepherd seeks out the lost sheep and welcomes those sheep back with joy. Confession of sin and repentance is a time of rejoicing, a time of being welcomed home, and not a time of dread or fear that we will be cut off from our families.

 

[JRKH]

First, it is not a sin to associate with her…

Second…If she has not repented of this sin…there isn’t a lot that you can do.
She would be right to not confess something that she has not repented of…so that would be the place to start…why has she not repented?

Your goal needs to be to help her get her spiritual life on track. Living with an unrepented known sin is a big roadblock to that.
Approach her in Love, and let her talk. Ask questions that will help her (and you) to understand better where she is in her spiritual life and also in her relationship with her husband and her faith.

Do you think that she still desires to be a dedicated JW?
If so, how can she reconcile that desire with having an unrepentant sin on her soul?

I mean - it’s one thing to fear confessing to her husband and elders (again!!)…even if she was genuinely sorry…but as it stands, she cannot make a valid confession before God and the church due to her lack of repentance…

Peace
James

 

[Dmendoza]

Thank you so much for your (name removed by moderator)ut. She was to the point that she couldnt even pray becuase she felt unworthy and unloved by God. I assured her that God loved her no matter what, and today she told me that she was able to pray this morning for strength. Baby steps i know but im very happy shes headed in the right direction. Ive been praying endlessly for her to find her way back to God.

 

[Nan_S]

Please sit with her and open your bible to Luke Chapter 15. None of us are worthy of God’s love, yet God still loves us even when the whole world despises us, and even when we can not manage to love ourselves. To receive God’s mercy we need only to ask with a sincere heart, and God will bless us far more than we can imagine.

**Luke 15:1-10 **(Keep reading the rest of the chapter; it’s the Prodigal Son parable.)

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So to them he addressed this parable. "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.

"Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’

In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

I truly wish the JWs understood God’s great mercy. I have read horror stories about JW elders who pump sinners for voyeuristic details, then take great glee in purging their flocks of those same sinners. Brother JW Holier-Than-Thou treats penitents like the demon-possessed swine who were driven off the cliff, instead of like sheep who went astray and needed to be rescued.

I understand the difficulty your friend is in. If the JW elders learn of her sin, and that she’s a repeat offender, she seriously risks being cut off from her family and driven out. The JWs are fond of this next verse; the great irony is that the ones doing the hateful handing over are the JWs themselves. Yet if your friend courageously stands up and gives witness for God’s mercy and against the elders, she may save her whole family in addition to herself.

Mark 13:11-13

When they lead you away and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say. But say whatever will be given to you at that hour. For it will not be you who are speaking but the holy Spirit. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.