Why do you use the expression: 'the friends'?

[Rose94]

Let me know if this is already a topic.

I'm from England and no one says that here (as far as I've come across). Why is it not just brothers/sisters?

[Hope]

It's shorter? More inclusive/ less cumbersome than saying brothers and sisters in every sentence? 

 

I don't know.. 🤔

[MCTDonna]

3 John 14: The friends send you their greetings. Give my greetings to the friends by name.

I like this expression better then brother & sisters

[Bek]

1 hour ago, Rose94 said:

Let me know if this is already a topic.

I'm from England and no one says that here (as far as I've come across). Why is it not just brothers/sisters?

It is an American thing. I only hear it on this forum and sometimes in videos of cong meetings from the US. I guess American brothers try to justify it because Paul or one of the apostles used it to address the congs in their territory, but reading the letters you could say that they were truly friends with them.

 

Also, "friends" is a gender neutral term, which would be more appropriate than "brothers" in the super feminist gender-conscious US. 

 

Personally I think it is inappropriate to use the term to address fellow believers when you are not friends. 

 

I hear only "brothers" or " brothers and sisters" used where I Iive. 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by Bek

[Tortuga]

3 minutes ago, Bek said:

Also, "friends" is a gender neutral term, which would be more appropriate than "brothers" in the super feminist gender-conscious US.

The term is typically used within the congregation so "super feminist gender conscious" terms are not typically an issue...

[Guri]

Today many people use word “friends” but they either don’t know the meaning of it or they use it to substitute the word acquaintance. I know lots around me who does so. 

Edited November 11, 2019 by Guri
Clarification

[EccentricM]

1 hour ago, Guri said:

Today many people use word “friends” but they either don’t know the meaning of it or they use it to substitute the word acquaintance. I know lots around me who does so. 

Blame social networking, such as Facebook for that, lol

[EccentricM]

1 hour ago, Bek said:

It is an American thing. I only hear it on this forum and sometimes in videos of cong meetings from the US. I guess American brothers try to justify it because Paul or one of the apostles used it to address the congs in their territory, but reading the letters you could say that they were truly friends with them.

 

Also, "friends" is a gender neutral term, which would be more appropriate than "brothers" in the super feminist gender-conscious US. 

 

Personally I think it is inappropriate to use the term to address fellow believers when you are not friends. 

 

I hear only "brothers" or " brothers and sisters" used where I Iive. 

 

 

I do think it's s US thing as people don't use it where I am, but I highly doubt it has 'anything' to do with feminism, it may pre-date such politics. Sounds like a bit of a silly/extreme conclusion to reach. I think it's just an alternate way of saying "brothers and sisters". I don't think any "justifying" is going on.

[ijsvogel]

We also don't use the expression 'friends' overhere. For some reason it sound more 'close' to me than 'brothers and sisters'. Maybe because of Prov. 18:24 'But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother' 😂. 

[Thesauron]

“The friends send you their greetings. Give my greetings to the friends by name.” (3Jo 14)

“You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, because I have made known to you all the things I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me, but I chose you...” (Joh 15:14-16)

“I say to you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body...” (Lu 12:4)

[Thesauron]

1 hour ago, Bek said:

It is an American thing. I only hear it on this forum and sometimes in videos of cong meetings from the US. I guess American brothers try to justify it because Paul or one of the apostles used it to address the congs in their territory, but reading the letters you could say that they were truly friends with them.

It’s a common expression here as well, so it’s not an American thing, nor is it because it’s gender neutral in many languages.

[jwhess]

The Greek seems to translate well.  Perhaps in other languages it does not.  Have there never been references in published literature that you found inappropriate to call fellow believers “friends”?

 

*** w08 12/15 p. 29 par. 2 Highlights From the Letters of John and of Jude ***

14—Who are referred to as “friends”? The term “friends” here includes more than those enjoying close relationships with one another. John uses it to refer to fellow believers in general.

 

*** it-1 p. 873 Friend ***

First-century Christians referred to fellow believers in general as “friends.” (3Jo 14) Yet this does not rule out one’s being closer to some in the Christian congregation than to others,

 

*** w85 5/15 p. 7 True Friends—How to Find Them ***

A Friendship That Unites

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses are not only spiritual brothers and sisters but also friends. And since their friendship is based on mutual obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ, it is not limited by national boundaries. (John 15:14)

 

[Guri]

33 minutes ago, EccentricM said:

Blame social networking, such as Facebook for that, lol

Its easy option to blame some one or something. — Genesis 3:13. 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by Guri
Spelling

[ijsvogel]

2 hours ago, MCTDonna said:

I like this expression better then brother & sisters

Me too. In Dutch the words brother or sister sounds a bit like a title. There are two words in Dutch for brother: 'broer' and 'broeder'. You wouldn't call your flesly brother 'broeder', but 'broer' (=informal, a bit like bro). The word 'broeder' (very formal) is only common in old Dutch or in churches and abbeys. It's exactly the same for sister: 'zuster' or 'zus' (like sis). In the congregation we use the formal 'broeder' and 'zuster'. I guess that's why I like the expression 'friends' more. 

 

 

 

 

[EccentricM]

3 minutes ago, Guri said:

Its easy option to blame some one or something. — Genesis 3:13. 

 

 

I don't think anyone said anything wrong and is trying to blame shift, like the context in that scripture. What I meant was the change in terminology, since people "add friends" online, though they don't even know them, whilst saying "I have x number of friends", and I figure this has slipped into the daily definition of what a "friend" is.

[Dages]

In France, we don't use "friends" either, it's more "brothers and sisters". But thank you for the Biblical references, makes sense.

[RNGuzman]

I've only heard the term "the friends" used here by the brothers and sisters in the English congregation.  I am in a Spanish congregation and the term "amigos" is not used that way.  It is always "brothers and sisters".  In fact, many times during a meeting references to "the brothers (including sisters) and to friends who are visiting us" which refers to Bible students and people attending the meeting for the first time.  This has lead to misunderstandings sometimes when the three congregations are together for KH cleaning/maintenance activities.

[Ahuvah]

5 hours ago, Bek said:

t is an American thing. I only hear it on this forum and sometimes in videos of cong meetings from the US. I guess American brothers try to justify it because Paul or one of the apostles used it to address the congs in their territory, but reading the letters you could say that they were truly friends with them.

I agree - I only hear that expression here too - it's not used at all in NZ. (MAY have heard one or two casually use it - but certainly not widespread).

Can't agree about the gender neutral issue - as this term 'friends' has been used in America long before the gender neutral debacle  was even the issue it is today.

 

Love the term brothers and sisters ... over 'friends' it's more family orientated which endears me. But that's personal.

Edited November 11, 2019 by Stormswift

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

In Australia we rarely use 'friends'. It's usually 'brothers'.
There was one District Overseer who liked the term, and a couple of new CO have recently started to use 'friends' when referring to the brotherhood.
We seem to follow the British model, and 'friends' us seen as a US thing here.
We will see if it changes...

Just Older

[Luigi62]

No I don’t use “The Friends” to refer the organisation. 

[Hope]

How interesting!  🤔

 

I *will* say that my friends are much closer than my fleshly sister or brothers so personally, "friend" is more meaningful to me.

[Shawnster]

4 hours ago, EccentricM said:

Blame social networking, such as Facebook for that, lol

 

6 hours ago, Bro Richard said:

The term is typically used within the congregation so "super feminist gender conscious" terms are not typically an issue...

While many a truth is said in jest, the term has been used in the United State long, long before social media and gender neutrality ever came to be.  

 

The first few times I heard it, I was puzzled.  I thought it was silly and made us sound like Quakers.

 

 

[AH173]

I went over this point for my weekly oclamm research from wtlib.

 

 

(3 John 14) “However, I am hoping to see you soon, and we will speak face-to-face. May you have peace. The friends send you their greetings. Give my greetings to the friends by name.”

 

*** it-1 p. 873 Friend ***

First-century Christians referred to fellow believers in general as “friends.” (3Jo 14) Yet this does not rule out one’s being closer to some in the Christian congregation than to others, either because of family relationships, closer association by reason of circumstances, similar backgrounds or interests, simple compatibility of personalities, or because of fine Christian qualities that one has discerned by experiencing association with them.

 

*** w08 12/15 p. 29 par. 2 Highlights From the Letters of John and of Jude ***

14—Who are referred to as “friends”? The term “friends” here includes more than those enjoying close relationships with one another. John uses it to refer to fellow believers in general.

[kejedo]

When I am inviting Bible Students to Kingdom Hall, it is generic to mention that I would like them to meet some more of My/Our/The Friends. It may be too early to explain the spiritual connotation of Sisters/ Brothers. At least for me, it is more conversational. 

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

When I am inviting Bible Students to Kingdom Hall, it is generic to mention that I would like them to meet some more of My/Our/The Friends. It may be too early to explain the spiritual connotation of Sisters/ Brothers. At least for me, it is more conversational. 

We use something similar here, but inverse. We show how they now have a 'spiritual' family: We call each other brother and sister.

Just Older