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Jehovah's Witness

Discussion in 'Coming Out Advice' started by CoconutOilLady, Aug 17, 2017.

  1. CoconutOilLady

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    My dad is a Jehovah's Witness, married to another Jehovah's Witness. I don't speak with him much - text now and again.

    Despite everyone being different, and that no one here knows him, does anyone know how Jehovah's Witnesses think about homosexuality and how one might react to his daughter being gay and how she might be treated afterwards? I can't imagine coming out to him but I know my mum could very well tell him when I cut her off. It will get out somehow.

    I'm asking for suggestions because I don't know whether I should expect his support in general at all.
     
  2. PennyT

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    I don't think someone's religion necessarily dictates their reaction. I think that their actions in their religion can. My dad, for example, is Catholic and does not support gay marriage. However, when I came out to him, he was supportive and did not push his opinions on me, because he knew that that was not what I needed from him. My grandmother is part of a religion - episcopalian I think? - that is generally pro-LGBT+ but she is more on the angry homophobic side.

    Basically what I'm trying to say is you should look more into how your dad treats other people than what his religion says about people. At least that's been what's worked for me.

    Hope that helps! :slight_smile:
     
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  3. quebec

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    CoconutOilLady....The JW Church is seriously anti-LGBTQ. How your father reacts would depend a lot on just how serious he is about his JW beliefs. There are quite a few instances of people being "disfellowshipped" from the JW Church because they were gay. Go to youtube.com and search for Gay, Jehovah's Witness. You will find several videos....David
     
  4. Quantumreality

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    Hey CoconutOilLady,

    I have to agree with quebec. In my experience, JW's are extremely uncompromsing and completely ahering to their Church doctrine. That is a hallmark of Jehova's Witnesses. They accept neither change nor variances to their doctrinally-imposed 'morals' and 'values.'

    My Mom used to invite Jehova's Witnesses into our home when they came around our neighborhood. She never accepted their extreme religious beliefs, but she loved to interact with them and argue (to real depth) about those 'Christian' beliefs. What I took away from many of those discussions over, literally, decades, was the rigid beliefs and complete unwillingness to compromise in the face of modern realities by hardcore people of this faith.

    While each of us are individuals and you can never know in advance how anyone will react when you Come Out to them, Coming Out to someone who is a Jehova's Witness seems like an experience in which you should expect a denial and disownment at least 98% of the time.
     
  5. KaylaRCray

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    I am a bisexual Jehovah's witness myself. Your father would (or at least should) not harm you in any way. He may be slightly upset and try to force you to be abstinent until the "new system" comes. If you were baptized you could be disfellowshipped from the congregation, but if you are not you will be alright. I am in a similar situation and i am not going to come out until i am financially stable.
     
  6. JaimeGaye

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    Brainwashing and mental manipulation is a terrible waste of the capability of the human mind.
    Question everything and reject all what does not appeal to you is my mantra.
    That said you should probably wait until you are an adult and capable of supporting yourself before you disclose if there is the slightest possibility that doing so may put you at risk.
     
  7. CoconutOilLady

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    Thanks for your replies, but I will clarify I myself am not a Jehovah's Witness.
     
  8. Quantumreality

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    Hey CoconutOilLady,

    I thought it was pretty clear from your posts that you aren't a Jehova's Witness yourself. Rather you are concerned about your dad's reaction if/when you Come Out to him. I made my post based on that.

    I also think that KaylaRCray adds a very interesting perspective, given that she says that she is a bisexual JW herself....
     
  9. StarRunner

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    My brother is a Jehovah's Witness. I've always been an atheist so, needless to say, we've had some very heated discussiins about religion. I have serious reservations about the fundamemtal beliefs of JW's, but I can say my brother was very supportive of me when he found out I was gay. He was worried about my safety, notably the possibilty of being a victim of gaybashing or co tracting AIDS/HIV. We had avery heartfelt talk so that I could address his concerns. I don't think the conversation was much different than what the most supportive people in my life had discussed with me.

    He is your father. There are a lot of varibles about how he will feel if you were to open up about being gay to him, of which religion is certainly a factor. If your relationship with him was strong and healthy before, then coming out should have little bearing on it.
     
  10. EmH25

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    there are a few closeted witnesses, i was raised a witness but my views are much more flexible than my mom's or my uncles, i often keep much to myself, my mom is very judgy, i try not to judge anyone, cept pedophiles, but that is another story.....some of us witnesses my older brother included are pretty relaxed, i too am bi