The unbelievers think we're odd but this we do not mind

by Mysterious 17 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mysterious

  Does anyone else remember that line from the songs? Were you odd? Did you mind?

  I hated standing out in school and I hated it even more knowing that I should like it. I ran away from school for a couple hours on november 11th because I didnt want to explain to the substitute why I couldnt go to the assembly. I used to tell people at bbqs that I was allergic to hotdogs so I wouldn't have to explain the blood issue. I tried to hide my fanny pack when I was skiing with the class so they wouldn't see my no blood card in it, mom was terrified I'd have an accident and not have it on my person, though not as much as the parent who sewed one into a clear holder on her kid's coat where the name label was. I hated being singled out in french class and asked what I did for christmas and having to explain in another language why I don't celebrate holidays. In grade 5 I was the only one that didn't get put on flag raising duties.
• 

  Highlander

  I really hated the questions about holidays. After each holiday I'd get the same question,, what did you do? where did you go? etc. etc.

  When I gave my typcial response of not celebrating holidays, the look of disbelief on the questioner's face got to be too much to handle at times.
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  Fleshybirdfodder

  I started my "double life" in the second grade. My parents had the obligatory chat with the teacher about "my" beliefs but she was nearing retirement and somewhat clueless (or so I remember) so she never took the initiative (I suppose that was my 7 year old responsibility) of telling me what I should or should not participate in. I did the whole gamut of arts and crafts... halloween, christmas, easter... you name it. I just knew I couldn't take it home to my parents so I stuffed it in one of the school yard garbage bins. I thought I'd got away cleanly but one of the conscientious kids in my class noticed all my work in the garbage and brought it to the attention of the teacher. How does a seven year old explain that to his classmates or a teacher? "I threw out all my drawings and work because....." I honestly can't remember what I said. Perhaps I've blocked it. I'm sure they thought I was odd....
• 

  Jeffro

  Mysterious said:

  I used to tell people at bbqs that I was allergic to hotdogs so I wouldn't have to explain the blood issue.

  Huh???
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  Fleshybirdfodder

  I used the allergy excuse too.
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  Mysterious

  Jeffro, JWs don't eat anything with blood in it as well as refusing blood transfusions. Some cheap meats like hotdogs or sausages on the label state they contain "blood or by products". At a bbq you would not be able to check the label and so could not eat it because it might have blood in it.
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  under_believer

  Guess what else contains blood or blood products? PROPERLY BLED MEAT.
  It's impossible to get rid of all the blood. I say--just eat the hotdogs.
• 

  jwfacts

  I had a great principal at infant school, at so at easter one year the easter bunny brought everyone little baskets of easter eggs, whilst we got a basket of smarties. When there was a birthday party the principal took me and my sister to her office and had a special little cake for us, which I refused to eat anyway. Despite it all I still remember as a 6 year old being made to stand up in front of the class and having happy birthday sung to me. My sister told my mum and so that night mum read me the scripture from Revelation about being lukewarm and that Jehovah would vomit me from his mouth.

  I was so embarrased sitting down once year on the 11th of the 11th, with everyone telling me to stand up that from then on I would sneak off to the toilet at 10:55 every 11th November so that I could avoid the shame.

  Another time I was in a stadium in 1977 when the Queen came to Australia for the jubilee, I sat with my mum as 1000's of people stood up as she entered the stadium. The person behind seemed quite irate that we were so disrepectful and kept telling us to stand, and I sat there moritified as a 7 year old. To this day I can not understand why I could not stand. Hebrews says to show respect to authority and that is all it was.
• 

  Jeffro

  Jeffro, JWs don't eat anything with blood in it as well as refusing blood transfusions. Some cheap meats like hotdogs or sausages on the label state they contain "blood or by products". At a bbq you would not be able to check the label and so could not eat it because it might have blood in it.

  Yes I know they don't eat blood. That's why I used to take great delight in telling them that some brands of chocolate had blood in them to make it more rich.

  It seems that food labelling and quality standards are a little higher here in Australia though. Sausages (unless specifically sold as blood sausage or similar) don't generally have blood added. And I've never seen a Witness here baulk at a hotdog.

  Of course, 'properly' bled meat will have a little blood left in it anyway, and from that point of view, the restriction is a bit lame if meat is allowed in the diet at all.

  It also seems that Isaiah either didn't know or didn't care that blood cells are produced in bone marrow (Isaiah 25:6).
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  Mysterious

  I agree the restriction on hotdogs is dumb..but the jws here are fanatical about it. I even knew some that wouldn't eat at macdonald's because they heard there were by products in their burgers, I never heard if that was proven or not. One elder family here was shocked when my parents bought burgers on our way over to their house when we were visiting and boy did her elder dad give me a lecture. I remember thinking they were freaks.

  Anyone else think jws are weird when they claim it's not blood it's "meat juices" just what does your body meat sit in I'm sure you've accidentally cut yourself at least once.