I agreed to go to a Jehovah’s Witness service this coming Wednesday. Apparently they celebrate Communion just a year, on the Wednesday before Easter. What can I expect? I’m a high church Episcopalian, active church-goer, one of the lectors in my parish. What’s in store for me? Thanks for your responses.
You’ll be told about how everything you know about Christianity is perverted lies, and that only JW’s know the truth of scripture through their prophetic leaders. Put a smile on that and that’s all there is to JWs.
Assuming you value your membership here, Brian, you’ll have a verifiable citation for your little diatribe.
**Manhattan - **
It’s not intended as a diatribe - it’s a succinct summary of the JWs who frequented my home, and of those whom I’ve met online.
The JW’s are taught the singular "truth"of scripture is only available to JW’s, as revealed through their leaders - originally apocalyptic “prophets” of the 19th century, but continually evolving their concepts. No one is allowed to have an opinion on scriptural matters other than that dictated to by the JW head circle “scholars”.
Many of them can be very pleasant though, which is why I often used to invite them into my home for debates and discussions.
If you’d like some specific experience of JWs in debates then check out this community:
http://groups.msn.com/ChristianDebate
However, manhattan, if you want exact examples of debates and/or video recordings of my experiences then I’m going to disappoint you - and if you have a problem with that then I don’t care if you ban me. I refuse to be threatened for having an informed opinion.
(and after you do, I dare you to find a citation that proves me wrong)
You’ll likely be asked to fill out Jehovas’ accident forms, having been a witness and all… 
The “informed” part is for GQ. The “opinion” part is for GD or the Pit. Hope that helps.
Ok - it was just a little hot-headed, but your original comment took me off-guard.
I’ll try to ensure I keep out unless I’ve got some links handy.
Danke.
Although what I suspect the OP really wants to know is “how, procedurely, will this service be similar to or different from other services I’ve been to?” As in, do people just sit there, or is there a whole “sit, kneel, stand” thing, is there a scripture reading, a sermon, singing, call and response, will s/he get out in under an hour, etc.
Ok - cool head on, and sorry both for causing a fuss, and also for derailing the topic.
**CBCD - **
I’ve been trying to search around Google and the official Watchtower site (and a few besides), but the only reference I’ve been able to find that deals with JW communion to any extent is actually an anti-JW piece.
However, I include the link because it’s the only one I’ve found that actually refers to the actual communion service at a Kingdom Hall in any detail:
From what my friend’s mother told me who was an ex-JW. It is almost like a sales job, they have to go door to door and convert a certain amount of people before they can start some sort of training to get to their next step in their organization, they also urge many of the JWs to talk to their friends and families to get them to come in as well. When you go, it’s going to be just like any other service, I can imagine, but leaving quietly will be tough. I used to be in sales, “never let a lead go away cold.”
-M
As I just came from the kingdom hall maybe I can help- what service are you going to on a wednesday? I have never seen a kingdom hall with wednesday services in my whole life. Oh wait- You are going to the Memorial, forgot it was this week, They sing a song, say a prayer, talk, sing another song, talk, they will pass the unleaved bread and wind(DON’T DRINK OR EAT IT) some more singing praying, badabing badaboom its over.
Deadly Nightlight - why not drink the wine or eat the unleavened bread? Thanks.
Bring some Episcopalian pamphlets, and when you’re there, ask the people around you if they’d be interested in reading them. Well, just a thought.
well with out getting really technical- only certain people drink the wine and eat the bread, They will talk about this there. I am trying to avoid a whole religous debate as I am not good at debating.
I have heard of breaking bread as being another term for communion, but breaking wind…
LMAO I am such a tard, wine darn it wine!
Isn’t there a Spinal Tap song, Break like the Wind?
Brian’s take is, unfortunately, pretty much spot on. I spoke all evening with a group of them once. They were quite down on the mainstream Christian groups. One thing that may also bother you is that they reject the doctrine of the trinity. This is a key difference between them and “orthodox” Christianity. This is, as far as I know, simply fact, and as an agnostic I’m not grinding an axe here.
As for not taking the bread or wine - according to the article linked to, this is reserved for “higher members” of the JWs, who allegedly are the chosen of God to run the earth - the famous 144,000 mentioned in Revelations.
Why am I even back in this thread? They are the annointed class.
How is this different from alot of religions? I went to a christian school, Everybody else was wrong but them and especially those evil evil catholics.
Went to the Catholic church with my friend that was preparing for what I think must have been her first communion, where they told us everyone was wrong except for them and the rest would burn.
I think every religion has its rabid members.