Why can't Jehovah's Witnesses join the YMCA?

Answer 1

Well I'm not so sure about the word 'can't'.

I can't speak for others, but here's how I would look at it:

First: We're so busy with the house-to-house ministry, with our meetings, with our family and our friends, we just don't have time for the Y.

Secondly: We also look at the 'origin' of the Y. The name says it all: Young Mens Christian Association. It all got started with 'young men' gathering (associating) together for Bible Study. That's the origin. We don't like the idea of 'segregating' the 'young men' from the 'older men' from the 'ladies and girls'. We don't even do Sunday School. That's 'segregation'.

Third: We watch our 'association'. We don't just 'associate' with anyone who calls themselves Christian.

Fourth: It's called a 'Christian' association. But what does it really have to do with 'Christianity'? Just like Christmas: --What does it really have to do with Christ? Just because they 'call' something Christian, doesn't mean that it is. We don't celebrate Christmas; likewise we don't necessarily 'associate' with people who CALL THEMSELVES 'Christian'.

Those are some of the things I'd consider. We realize that many people don't give much consideration to the origins of things. For example, Halloween. They don't give much consideration to the implications of thing. People just do what the crowds do without any thought. Well, we are different. We hope that's ok.

A Witness can't join the YMCA and remain a Witness. It is viewed as apostasy.

Watchtower 1st Jan 1979 page 30 says,

Questions From Readers

● Is it true that for religious reasons Jehovah's Witnesses may not become members of the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association)?

Yes, that is so. We have long recognized that the YMCA, though not being a church as such, is definitely aligned with the religious organizations of Christendom in efforts to promote interfaith.

Consequently, there is ample evidence that the YMCA originated with religious objectives and continues to have such to this day.

In joining the YMCA as a member a person accepts or endorses the general objectives and principles of the organization. He is not simply paying for something he receives, such as when buying things being sold to the public at a store. (Compare 1 Corinthians 8:10; 10:25.)

Nor is his membership merely an entry pass, as when a person buys a theater ticket.

Membership means that one has become an integral part of this organization founded with definite religious objectives, including the promotion of interfaith. Hence, for one of Jehovah's Witnesses to become a member of such a so-called "Christian" association would amount to apostasy.

Thus, it is because of their understanding of what God expects of true worshipers, and of what the purposes and direction of the YMCA are, that Jehovah's Witnesses may not become members of that organization.''