# Would it be evil for me to give Jehovah Witnesses handouts from JWFacts.com when they come here? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774 "2014-08-17T20:41:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/41 "2014-08-18T15:35:18Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > I notice that several posters criticize the Witnesses because of their policy of "shunning, " as it’s usually called on this board, practiced against former members. > Why any person should object to this–it’s plainly expressed in Pauline letters–is beyond me, unless your philosophy is that all people are good and right and it’s wrong to shun anyone. > Unless, of course, the person is someone like Johnny Hart, whom you feel perfectly justified in calling a “douchebag.”:rolleyes: That you would even attempt to defend ‘disfellowship’ is disappointing. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/42 "2014-08-18T15:47:48Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > That you would even attempt to defend ‘disfellowship’ is disappointing. :Sigh: You didn’t pick up anything from my second sentence that you quoted…as I see it, it makes sense to get rid of a bad apple. From what you and others say, you couldn’t care less. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/43 "2014-08-18T15:50:18Z")
People aren’t apples. JW’s view of a bad person is anyone who questions anything about their faith. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/44 "2014-08-18T15:54:44Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > :Sigh: You didn’t pick up anything from my second sentence that you quoted…as I see it, it makes sense to get rid of a bad apple. From what you and others say, you couldn’t care less. The christianity I learned at my mother’s knee rejects that as anathema to Jesus’ example. He sat and ate with the sinners and prostitutes. Who are we to think we deserve better company than Jesus? If your faith is so delicate you must shrink from all who question it, have you faith at all? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/45 "2014-08-18T16:00:40Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > :Sigh: You didn’t pick up anything from my second sentence that you quoted…as I see it,\*\* it makes sense to get rid of a bad apple\*\*. From what you and others say, you couldn’t care less. Damn but that’s cold-blooded. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/46 "2014-08-18T16:04:51Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Evil is the wrong word. It’s more boring and unoriginal. I assure you that they’re very aware of all of it. That’s my opinion on it. I wouldn’t harass someone ringing my doorbell to sell newspapers or asking me to sign a petition or offering a quote on a new driveway even though each of those people would be bothering me to answer the door just the same. So why reserve some special “treatment” for another guy asking me about stuff I’m not interested in? Just say “no” nicely and close the door. It’s called manners. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/47 "2014-08-18T16:06:52Z")
No – evil would be answering the door wearing a breechclout and holding a tomahawk covered in what looks like blood. (In my defense, I had just returned from the re-enactment of the Battle of Kittanning) (And it worked — haven’t see one since) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/48 "2014-08-18T16:11:07Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > as I see it, it makes sense to get rid of a bad apple. [QUOTE= Donny Osmond] One Bad Apple don’t spoil the whole darn bunch Oh I don’t care what they say I don’t care what you’ve heard [/QUOTE] You question Donny? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/49 "2014-08-18T16:30:52Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > :Sigh: You didn’t pick up anything from my second sentence that you quoted…as I see it, it makes sense to get rid of a bad apple. From what you and others say, you couldn’t care less. First you try to compare shunning to discontinuing the reading of Johnny Hart comic strips(like he would even know or care if he were still alive), and now it’s like getting rid of a bad apple? ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/50 "2014-08-18T16:36:14Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > People aren’t apples. JW’s view of a bad person is anyone who questions anything about their faith. Documentation, if you please. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/51 "2014-08-18T16:40:25Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > The christianity I learned at my mother’s knee rejects that as anathema to Jesus’ example. He sat and ate with the sinners and prostitutes. Who are we to think we deserve better company than Jesus? If your faith is so delicate you must shrink from all who question it, have you faith at all? Compare Titus 3:10: “A man that is an heretick after a first and second admonition reject.” (KJV) ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/52 "2014-08-18T16:42:56Z")
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/53 "2014-08-18T16:48:44Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Damn but that’s cold-blooded. Let me put it this way: If I’ve had a close friend for years, and this person suddenly takes up some serious vice–heavy drinking, stealing, reckless driving, compulsive gambling, for example, and I don’t consider myself capable of reforming him/her, I would properly call an end to my relationship with that person, because of my own sense of right and wrong and my effort to avoid being tainted by such vice myself. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/54 "2014-08-18T17:00:07Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Let me put it this way: If I’ve had a close friend for years, and this person suddenly takes up some serious vice–heavy drinking, stealing, reckless driving, compulsive gambling, for example, and I don’t consider myself capable of reforming him/her, I would properly call an end to my relationship with that person, because of my own sense of right and wrong and my effort to avoid being tainted by such vice myself. So the entire Church feels they’re unable to return the person to the “proper path”? And you feel you’re so weak that mere contact will turn around an entire life of faith. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/55 "2014-08-18T17:03:59Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Let me put it this way: If I’ve had a close friend for years, and this person suddenly takes up some serious vice–heavy drinking, stealing, reckless driving, compulsive gambling, for example, and I don’t consider myself capable of reforming him/her, I would properly call an end to my relationship with that person, because of my own sense of right and wrong and my effort to avoid being tainted by such vice myself. So having a different interpretation of religion is a vice equivalent to horrible self-destructive behaviors such as out of control gambling and drinking and other illegal activities? Someone who’s heart leads them to find truth in a way that’s different from the path you’ve chosen is thought to be so tainted and vile that you need to exorcise them from your life? You really don’t see how people who embrace a pluralistic society would find that reprehensible? > [@dougie\_monty](#): > > :Sigh: You didn’t pick up anything from my second sentence that you quoted…as I see it, it makes sense to get rid of a bad apple. From what you and others say, you couldn’t care less. FWIW I do believe there are people who are so toxic that it makes sense to remove them from your life. However, your threshold for what makes some one a bad apple worth removing is so horribly low, that it’s almost laughable. Laughable, except for the people who are cut off from the people they love love for the singular crime of finding faith in a different way. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/56 "2014-08-18T17:18:59Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Let me put it this way: If I’ve had a close friend for years, and this person suddenly takes up some serious vice–heavy drinking, stealing, reckless driving, compulsive gambling, for example, and I don’t consider myself capable of reforming him/her, I would properly call an end to my relationship with that person, because of my own sense of right and wrong and my effort to avoid being tainted by such vice myself. You always head for the “worst of the worst” types of offenses - yet we’ve discussed before the full range of offenses that are disfellowshipping offenses - Including even contact with ones family that might be disfellowshipped. Are you truly prepared to discuss this at any reasonable level? Would you disfellowship someone that had repeatedly lied to you? ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/57 "2014-08-18T17:42:11Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > :Sigh: You didn’t pick up anything from my second sentence that you quoted…as I see it, it makes sense to get rid of a bad apple. From what you and others say, you couldn’t care less. No, we caught your second sentence. It’s just that it wasn’t any better than your first. I know a lot of people–even people in my family–who have a different religion from me. I am not usually tempted to shun them. That requires a level of hubris I am seldom able to muster. It is distressing how often theists conclude that God is infallible, and then quickly infer they they, themselves, must therefore be infallible on theological matters. And as for those who disagree with them, well…I suppose they should count their blessings if they are only shunned. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/58 "2014-08-18T18:25:33Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > […] > FWIW I do believe there are people who are so toxic that it makes sense to remove them from your life. However, your threshold for what makes some one a bad apple worth removing is so horribly low, that it’s almost laughable. Laughable, except for the people who are cut off from the people they love love for the singular crime of finding faith in a different way. Your first and third sentences express mutually exclusive concepts. The first alludes to offensive people no one would want around; the other refers to an apostate person. I guess it would be like trying to be a practicing Catholic in a synagogue. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/59 "2014-08-18T18:30:45Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Your first and third sentences express mutually exclusive concepts. The first alludes to offensive people no one would want around; the other refers to an apostate person. I guess it would be like trying to be a practicing Catholic in a synagogue. If a practicing Catholic came to my synagogue they would be more than welcome. If they chose to not stand at parts of the service, or wear a kippot etc, that’s their choice. If they wanted to take communion in my synagogue (not sure why, but I’ll run with it), they’d be politely told that we can’t do that here. At no point would they be shunned from my life. If they kicked up a fuss, started using ethnic slurs, and punched the Rabbi, then their behavior would cause me to cut them out. You simply need to accept that becoming apostate is reason enough for _you_ to cut someone out, but most people do not see it that way and find the harm that action causes reprehensible. You are entitled to live by your fait and its principles, but don’t act like you don’t understand why outsiders would find your reasons and explanations less than compelling. And any of my Jewish brethren were to cut someone out of their life for converting to another religion or marrying outside of the faith, I would find that equally reprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774/60 "2014-08-18T18:32:30Z")
> [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](#): > > No, we caught your second sentence. It’s just that it wasn’t any better than your first. I know a lot of people–even people in my family–who have a different religion from me. I am not usually tempted to shun them. That requires a level of hubris I am seldom able to muster. > > It is distressing how often theists conclude that God is infallible, and then quickly infer they they, themselves, must therefore be infallible on theological matters. And as for those who disagree with them, well…I suppose they should count their blessings if they are only shunned. In the congregation I knew a divided family: The mother was a Witness, the father was a dyed-in-the-wool Baptist. (Their kids attended both services.) I was an Amway distributor at the time, and the mother ordered some goods from me, which I was to deliver to their home–when the father, an off - duty firefighter, would be home. I did so. I was cordial, so was he; the delivery went just fine; religion was not mentioned. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-it-be-evil-for-me-to-give-jehovah-witnesses-handouts-from-jwfacts-com-when-they-come-here/695774.md?page=4)