Did you know that Jehovah’s Witnesses prefer to call God by His personal name, Jehovah?
This name is derived from the Old Testament Hebrew tradition.
They believe that addressing God by His name fosters a more personal relationship and distinguishes them from other Christian denominations.
Unlike other Christian denominations, Jehovah’s Witnesses adhere to a unique set of traditions and rules. For example, they refuse blood transfusions and maintain a neutral stance on politics.
Jehovah’s Witnesses also place great emphasis on strong family values, leading to the establishment of specific rules for their wives (and women in general).
The rules are based on their beliefs and teachings from the Bible.
They serve to provide guidance within the context of marriage, congregation life, and family settings.
It’s essential to note that adherence to these rules is often guided by individual beliefs and may vary from one family (or region) to another.
For instance, modern families might exhibit a more flexible approach compared to traditional families when it comes to following these guidelines.
Now, let’s delve into some lesser-known rules that Jehovah’s Witness wives commonly follow:
1. Divorce is Discouraged
Jehovah’s Witness wives tend to stick to their marriage since divorce is highly discouraged.
The only time divorce is seen as an option is when there is a case of adultery or extreme spiritual abandonment.
Only these two scenarios permit a divorce and even then, a divorce is seen as the last option.
It is not uncommon to find a Jehovah’s Witness woman married to their first husband their entire life.
2. No Leadership Roles In the Congregation
When it comes to leadership roles in the congregation, Jehovah’s Witness wives tend to take a back seat and allow the men to lead.
Typically, you will not find women serving as church elders or taking up any senior position in the church.
However, Jehovah’s Witness wives will engage in other activities such as door-to-door ministry or other support roles in the church.
Although wives do not take senior positions, they are encouraged to participate in the congregation.
3. Prioritize Religious-Oriented Professions
Most Jehovah Witness wives stay away from secular careers.
Instead, they take up careers that align with their religious beliefs and ways of life.
When they decide to take careers outside homemaking, they stick to traditional careers like teaching.
They might not take high-flying careers like law or journalism because they do not align with their beliefs.
However, most Jehovah’s Witness wives prefer to play the traditional wife and homemaking role.
4. Motherhood, Abortion, and Birth Control
Motherhood ranks among the top life priorities for most Jehovah’s Witness wives.
They take the motherhood role seriously and prefer to be actively engaged in taking care of the children.
The goal of most Jehovah’s Witness wives is to bring up their children in the Christian way of life.
Abortion is not tolerated in the Jehovah’s Witness doctrine, so the women and wives do not consider abortion as an option.
But the doctrine does not prohibit the use of birth control. Members are encouraged to make a decision based on their conscience and Bible study.
5. Modest Dressing
Modest dressing is an important aspect of the Jehovah’s Witness faith.
All members of the congregation including the wives are expected to dress modestly.
Part of modest dressing is dressing according to the occasion, avoiding flashy clothes or accessories, and not wearing tight clothes.
Modest dressing is encouraged, especially when attending places of worship.
6. Traditional Gender Dressing
Jehovah’s Witness wives stick to traditional gender dressing.
Depending on the local culture and beliefs, there are clothes that are considered to be for men and for women.
The wives tend to stick to clothes meant for women and avoid anything that could be considered manly.
From the way they dress to the type of haircuts, they try to remain as traditional as possible.
7. No Military or Political Dressing
Jehovah’s Witness wives, husbands, and their children avoid any clothes that are representatives of military or political affiliations.
They prefer to wear clothes that are as neutral as possible.
Since they prefer to keep neutral stands even during conflict, they make sure that they extend the same in their dressing and how they represent themselves to the world.
8. Dressing for Worship
When dressing for worship, Jehovah’s Witness wives tend to go the extra mile.
They take their time to dress professionally for worship and when doing door-to-door ministries.
Dressing for worship should be modest with a headscarf.
No fancy styles and jewelry during worship.
The clothes should be clean and pressed as a sign of respect for the congregation.
9. Leading Family Worship
The wives do not take any leadership role when in the congregation but it is different at home.
When at home, the wives are responsible for leading the worship.
They lead bible study and encourage the kids to live the Christian way of life.
They are responsible for religious teachings in the home and enhancing discipline in the home.
10. Teaching Children about Christian Conduct and Avoiding Worldly Influence
Jehovah’s Witness wives take the teaching role very seriously.
They are responsible for teaching the children the way of life.
The wives/mothers also encourage the children to avoid worldly influence and focus on the teachings of the bible.
11. Dating and Marriage
Dating is an important step before marriage in Jehovah’s Witness.
During the dating phase, abstaining from sex is encouraged.
Sex is only permitted during marriage, so fornication before marriage is seen as seen.
Marriage is an important aspect and women are expected to go through marriage at some point.
Jehovah’s Witness wives tend to marry members of their congregation.
12. Prioritize Family Life
Family life is a big priority for Jehovah’s Witness wives.
They put their family life first and even sacrifice their career for the sake of the family life.
Most wives prefer to stay at home to contribute to the upbringing and teaching of the children.
They teach their children the ways of the bible and take care of the family’s well-being.
13. Submission in Marriage
Jehovah’s Witness wives believe in the traditional family setting.
The role of the wife is to submit to her husband, and the husband remains the head of the family.
In this marriage arrangement, the husband provides leadership while the wife takes a supportive role.
14. Respect and Love
Respect and love are a big part of the Jehovah’s Witness doctrine.
It is taught among the congregation, and the children learn about it very early in life.
The wives are supposed to act as good examples of love and respect since the children learn from them.
15. Celebration of Events
Celebration of events is not allowed in the Jehovah’s Witness doctrine.
The wives do not get involved in the planning or celebration of family events and birthdays.
Wrap Up
There you have it; Jehovah’s Witness wife rules you probably didn’t know existed.
It’s essential to recognize that these rules can vary from one family (or region) to another due to differences in culture, beliefs, and personal convictions.
The central theme of Jehovah’s Witness faith remains rooted in the encouragement to read the Bible and act based on individual convictions and interpretations.
Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for informational purposes only, aiming to provide insights into the intricacies of the Jehovah’s Witness faith and its impact on family life. We encourage our readers to approach these insights with an open mind and a spirit of understanding, acknowledging the diversity of paths that Jehovah’s Witness wives may choose in their pursuit of spiritual fulfillment and harmonious living. The content does not seek to impose judgments or dictate beliefs but rather fosters a respectful exploration of the subject matter. As with any personal or religious matters, individual interpretations and practices may vary, and we urge readers to be considerate of these differences.
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