Topic: A question for JW's --- Holidays (hypocritical?)
Topic Posted by: My cousin wants to become a JW
Date Posted: Tue Nov 10 23:33:01 2009
Additional Comments:
My cousin has not been happy with the last religion she joined and so she answered the door when the JW's knocked.
She meets with them for their weekly bible study and attends the meetings at Kingdom Hall. So far they have only taught her about a few of their doctrinal beliefs such as not having transfusions several other small things telling her that they remain in their grave until the Rapture.
She has now been told that they DO CELEBRATE the HOLIDAYS including Birthdays and even Halloween but they are not allowed to celebrate it on the actual date. I find this to be very hypocriticaland would like to know if there are any JW's here that can set the record straight. All others are invited to join in this discussion.
Posted by: sunflowergirl Date posted: Thu Nov 12 13:33:30 2009
Message: I work with a JW and she is very open about talking abour her religion when someone has a question on what they believe. There is no doubt she lives and breathes the church and their beliefs but she doesn't push it on her coworkers. I know that anniversaries are a big deal with their church and are really celebrated. They don't celebrate Christmas, Birthdays and other holidays. I know that they don't give gifts for Chrstimas, but I do know they go out in the days after Christmas for shopping. They still get their gifts, it's just not "Christmas" gifts.
Posted by: C.C. Date posted: Wed Nov 11 16:31:02 2009
Message:
I used to work with a young woman who was known for being superstitious. She went into a severe panic attack when a JW missionary told her that it she did not join their religion then something bad would happen to her husband or children.
I am since read that the JW's are not near a forceful as they used to be. I hope that this is true.
Posted by: Cassies grandma Date posted: Wed Nov 11 16:03:54 2009
Message: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/2001/06/What-Jehovahs-Witnesses-Believe.aspx
Here is what I came up with Google. Of course there are many many sites you can check out. Wiki has a pretty good article on them.
http://www.bible.ca/jw.htm
And this one seems very anti-JW.
My sister in law's sister was a JW. I know it really concerned my sis and she prayed over it daily.
Posted by: Ginger G Date posted: Wed Nov 11 15:51:21 2009
Message:
I don’t wish to offend anyone, but the whole deal about them refusing a potentially life-saving blood transfusion really irritates the crap out of me. A doctor I know, who is a really good, caring doctor, was sued a few years by a patient that he gave a transfusion to that SAVED THE GUY’S LIFE!What kind of world do we live in where someone gets sued for saving your life?
Also, we recently had a situation with a JW employee who needed open heart surgery.Due to this religion's beliefs regarding blood transfusions, he had to stay in the hospital about a week prior to his surgery to ensure he got through it without needing a transfusion.I’m not exactly sure why, maybe he was anemic or something? Anyway, basically this religious belief cost our company A LOT of extra $$ in medical bills (our insurance plan is self-funded).My boss had the same exact surgery a few months before that and his medical costs were about $100,000 less.
Posted by: Elaine Date posted: Wed Nov 11 14:00:30 2009
Message:
I know a few JW's and they are just the nicest people anybody could meet. I always feel I can 'go with the flow' and enjoy church services in any denomination for the most part. I've gone to Mass with my Catholic hubby...not much different from my Lutheran service except more mentioning of Mary and the Saints. No big deal....
That being said, there are 2 religions I don't think I'd feel comfortable with...JW's and Mormons. They say they're following scripture when they refuse blood transfusions but if they follow that OT doctrine, how come they don't keep Kosher kitchens? Isn't that an OT rule? I sure don't think God will rebuke me for celebrating my birthday or my hubby's birthday...we're glad each other were born and like to celebrate that fact. The Mormons, can't get my brain around Joseph Smith and the golden tablets etc. So that's my 2 cents...I'm not the most religious person myself but I believe in my Lutheran upbringing even tho I don't go to church that often.
Posted by: ingyandbert Date posted: Wed Nov 11 11:16:14 2009
Message:
I have a dear friend who is a lifelong JW. They do not celebrate birthdays or holidays, I don't know why that person would have said they do. My friend has many non-JW friends and has never pushed her views on me in any way. She's always respected my non-belief and I've always respected her beliefs. She does witness and give out literature but only to those who are interested. She's no more interested in wasting her time on people who are not receptive than others are in hearing about a religion they are not interested in. She's not one of those who will push, argue, or try to tell anyone else how to live.
Years ago, I had just moved to a new house and someone knocked on the door. When I opened it, there stood my friend with her literature in hand. She and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. She said, ''I didn't know this was your house! I'm guessing you're not going to convert anytime soon so I'll just say hello and move on.'' We both got a big kick out of that. Very funny!
Posted by: Liz Date posted: Wed Nov 11 9:46:41 2009
Message: I know absolutely nothing about the religion but I do know a few Witnesses & the wedding anniversary seems to be a pretty big celebration. The non-witness friends say that's when they give them gifts to kind of cover all the holidays since they don't celebrate any of the other holidays.
Posted by: Cassies grandma Date posted: Wed Nov 11 7:40:19 2009
Message: I really can't answer your question but I do find if odd that JW's can celebrate a wedding anniversary but not the anniversary of your birth.
Posted by: CleoJ Date posted: Wed Nov 11 7:34:13 2009
Message: I was raised as a JW and my mother is still a practicing JW or a "nut" as some of you would define her. They do not celebrate Christmas, Halloween, or birthdays in any form or fashion, period. The person who told your cousin that is wrong.
Posted by: OLDTIMER Date posted: Wed Nov 11 3:00:22 2009
Message:
I just wanted to say I have a friend I dearly love who is a JW. I met her 8 years ago when I moved next door to her. She has never pushed her beliefs on me and has only invited me to meetings twice [which I declined]. It's like we have a mutual respect for each other as human beings and we just enjoy each others company and don't push or bump up against one another's personal spiritual beliefs. She doesn't celebrate holidays but I always give her a birthday card as do other people. She's one of the wisest, most loving human beings I've ever known. The love she has shown me has actually helped me to love myself more.
On the other hand... I have met some JW's that make my teeth hurt! Go figure. LOL
Posted by: Pronoun Date posted: Wed Nov 11 1:20:08 2009
Message: My husband grew up in that religion at least til he was old enough to lock himself in the bathroom so he couldnt be dragged there anymore,lol. No they dont celebrate any holidays at all, they dont pledge allegiance to the flag or anything like that. They practice shunning and all that kind of crap. They arent supposed to associate much with people who arent JW's like them. They believe the end is near and have predicted the date several times.There is a lot more, your cousin should google it or go read some books about them. They are nuts in my opinion and I'd advise your cousin to run away as fast as she can. But then I think a lot of religions are nuts.
Posted by: Cherry Date posted: Wed Nov 11 0:34:01 2009
Message: I grew up with a JW, and his family would have parties and give gifts, but not on birthdays and usually not around the same time or in any way acknowledging birth. His parents would get him "big" gifts out of nowhere, things that many kids would get for birthdays, so he still got the same sorts of things. The parties were at random times and no gifts from attendees were necessarily expected, but most brought one, more as a host gift I guess. He never seemed to have a problem with it, he still got parties and all the goodies from mom and dad. He was a very mellow easy going guy, and his family was incredibly loving and generous. With his family, it didn't seem like a restriction so much as it was an expression of a philosophy that they all understood and believed in.
It seems as though the people at your cousin's church are attempting to sweeten the appeal of the religion to outsiders. People get accustomed to tradition, and hearing that they have to "give up" something they are used to or enjoy might be a deal breaker. I would think the "official" stance would be, it is okay to have parties and give gifts, but not in celebration of Pagan holidays. This is the way my friend explained it to me growing up. Of course that was nearing 20 years ago, so something could've changed! I would agree that saying "you can celebrate it, but not on that day" is hypocritical and something of a technical work-around. Either you're celebrating it or you're not. If you have a Halloween party the week before Halloween, it's still a Halloween party!
