Religious club caters to Witnesses
Catherine Kaiman / Contributing Writer
Issue date: 10/8/07 Section: At the Bay
When a traveling Jehovah's Witnesses club overseer suggested to Anthony Muthra, a construction management major, to start a club chapter at FIU in December 2006, Muthra thought it was a great idea.
A month later, the Jehovah's Witnesses club was formed at the Biscayne Bay Campus and it currently has 10 members.
"I really enjoy being a part of this organization because we help clear up misconceptions about what [Jehovah's] Witnesses are, how we organize and what we believe in," said Muthra, the club's vice president.
The club wanted to share their beliefs with each other and the rest of the student body, according to Voltaire Lysius, an FIU alum and the club's advisor.
"The club is a way for students who are Jehovah's Witnesses to express their concern for their fellow students and educators by providing Bible -based literature that encourages moral values and answers some of life's most serious questions," Lysius said.
The Jehovah's Witnesses religion was founded in 1870. It interprets the Bible to be God's word and is historically accurate. People practicing the religion believe that Jesus Christ was God's son and try to live in accordance with Jesus' life. The religion currently has 7 million members across the world.
The club's mission statement, written by Lysius, is "Moral instruction and education are inseparable. This was the conclusion of [Russian author and philosopher] Leo Tolstoy's lifetime of reflection and experience. The purpose of the student organization is to distribute literature that helps one to appreciate that there needs to be the [teaching] of moral values if education is to be beneficial."
Club members provide any student who is interested in becoming a Jehovah's Witness with home Bible studies, free of charge. These individual lessons teach the religion's interpretations and analyze particular passages of the Bible.
The club recruits members through tabling, which is set up in the Wolfe University Center at various times during the week. Students can pick up information on the religion and the club as well as talk to club members.
A month later, the Jehovah's Witnesses club was formed at the Biscayne Bay Campus and it currently has 10 members.
"I really enjoy being a part of this organization because we help clear up misconceptions about what [Jehovah's] Witnesses are, how we organize and what we believe in," said Muthra, the club's vice president.
The club wanted to share their beliefs with each other and the rest of the student body, according to Voltaire Lysius, an FIU alum and the club's advisor.
"The club is a way for students who are Jehovah's Witnesses to express their concern for their fellow students and educators by providing Bible -based literature that encourages moral values and answers some of life's most serious questions," Lysius said.
The Jehovah's Witnesses religion was founded in 1870. It interprets the Bible to be God's word and is historically accurate. People practicing the religion believe that Jesus Christ was God's son and try to live in accordance with Jesus' life. The religion currently has 7 million members across the world.
The club's mission statement, written by Lysius, is "Moral instruction and education are inseparable. This was the conclusion of [Russian author and philosopher] Leo Tolstoy's lifetime of reflection and experience. The purpose of the student organization is to distribute literature that helps one to appreciate that there needs to be the [teaching] of moral values if education is to be beneficial."
Club members provide any student who is interested in becoming a Jehovah's Witness with home Bible studies, free of charge. These individual lessons teach the religion's interpretations and analyze particular passages of the Bible.
The club recruits members through tabling, which is set up in the Wolfe University Center at various times during the week. Students can pick up information on the religion and the club as well as talk to club members.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 54
Bryan Lee McGlothin
posted 10/08/07 @ 12:08 PM EST
It's very sad that before the Witnesses start thier "free" bible study with new ones, they don't tell them that will have to shun their non-Witness family. (Continued…)
Heidi Nordberg
posted 10/08/07 @ 12:16 PM EST
It is astounding to see a campus club of Jehovah's Witnesses. When I was growing up, I was sternly discouraged from going to college. It was considered a distraction from service in these "last days" and any study outside the Watchtower publications was frowned upon. (Continued…)
J Mason Emerson
posted 10/08/07 @ 12:23 PM EST
To remain a Jehovah's Witness in good standing a baptized JW must refuse whole blood transfusions even to save his/her life (or that of any child they may have), will be disfellowshipped meaning shunned by other JWs including any JW friends and family if become a JW and then openly disagreeing with JW doctrinal views, will be denied family-strengthening holiday celebrations, and will be sent door to door with other JWs who are known by JW elders to be pedophiles even though they won't tell that to the other JWs. (Continued…)
Suzanne
posted 10/08/07 @ 1:33 PM EST
Jehovah's witnesses are a religion spawned by the hostile corporate takeover of a religious publishing house. They are indoctrinated to beleive that serving as their free, and tax-free distribution system is "serving God. (Continued…)
Lucy
posted 10/08/07 @ 2:28 PM EST
I guess they didn't read their Question Box in their Kingdom Ministry.... Side meetings that might discuss the Bible not allowed by the "organization. (Continued…)
Simon P.
posted 10/08/07 @ 3:30 PM EST
Sounds like yet another propaganda machine for the Watch Tower Society, this time, so that they might infiltrate colleges. The only misconception about JWs is that, while they give lip service to the idea of considering the Bible to be the infallible word of God, the fact is that they only hold to their own corrupted New World Translation and the interpretations that stem from its perverted text. (Continued…)
Don Cameron
posted 10/08/07 @ 3:37 PM EST
"You?ll never get sick. You will never grow old.
And you will never die."
Although the above words come from the movie "Cocoon," they could have come from the Watchtower Society because this is the same thing they have been proclaiming for decades as part of "the Creator?s promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked lawless system of things. (Continued…)
vinny
posted 10/08/07 @ 3:41 PM EST
Wondering Why People Call The Jehovah's Witnesse Religion A Cult?
Cults Are High Control Groups. So One Has To Ask,"Is The Jehovah Witness Religion A High Control Group?"
Here Is some of The Evidence On It. (Continued…)
Michael Henley
posted 10/08/07 @ 5:35 PM EST
I'm always amazed at how articles like this obviously bring out the jealousy in so many! JW's have what so many wish they could have but for their own selfish self-centered ambitions are unable. (Continued…)
Jerry Jones
posted 10/08/07 @ 5:53 PM EST
Discussing pro and con "opinions" about the Jehovah's Witnesses is okay, but if you want to know what goes on in the "JW Real World" nothing beats looking at real-life scenarios as reported in official court documents, etc. (Continued…)
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