It’s amazing how JW’s operate. When I was an active JW in Florida (USA), many JW families had a turkey dinner with friends and family on Thanksgiving Day! In fact, a number of elders participated in these family get-togethers, they just happened to have a turkey dinner on the same day as the Thanksgiving Holiday (USA). Of the few meals I got invited to over the years, there was plenty of justification. “The turkey was on sale,” was a common statement! "We can't it go bad, and must cook it on this day!" Christmas is another holiday celebrated on the sly. I would often get “friendship” cards form JW’s around Christmas time! Funny isn't it?
How many JWs do you know do the turkey-thing (Thanksgiving) each year?
by cyberguy 19 Replies latest jw friends
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serendipity
My extended JW family gathered together on Tday for years. They also used the "turkey was on sale" and "we all have the day off". My pioneer aunt would say her unbelieving husband wanted her to cook turkey and invite everyone over. I'm glad they did that. I have fond memories of those meals.
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cindylouhou
There is nothing in the bible specifically prohibiting celebrating Thanksgiving. It is basically just another way the organization promotes being seperate from the world.
Turkey is good. MMMM...with gravy and mash potatoes.
Yeah it is cheap to buy that time of year and everyone has time off work/school so it gives familes/friends a chance to get together.
It would be silly to forbid gathering together on the holiday.
It would be silly to forbid eating turkey or pumpkin pie and other traditional Thanksgiving foods.
You know what, think for yourself. It it bothers you then dont eat the turkey.
If not then, who cares. And who cares what other people are doing.
There is alot more important things to be concerned with than what brother elder is eating for dinner on Thanksgiving.
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juni
Majority if not all.
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blondie
It only works if everyone is a JW. When non-JWs start being added to the mix, they suffer from cognitive dissonance and start wondering how JWs can be "celebrating" T-day and they spend the rest of the day trying to justify it to the non-JWs and feeling uncomfortable.
I think JWs are more comfortable with T-day because there are no apparent "pagan" customs and no outward patriotic traditions. And if no non-JWs are invited, they might even manage not to stumble anyone.....haha.
*** g76 11/22 p. 13 A National "Day of Thanks"—The Dream and the Reality ***
Naturally, many dedicated Christians will not be working secularly on that day. Some may choose to take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy fellowship with family and friends. Yet, what "spirit" will a Christian manifest? It is true that God created turkeys and other foods, so these are not in themselves objectionable. But undoubtedly one who is a true Christian will want to be careful not to stumble others.
Blondie
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cyberguy
Good point Blondie! When I was in Brooklyn Bethel (circa 1979), I recall a young brother at my “table” expressing his guilt at going to a Thanksgiving Dinner, where the wife was an active JW, but husband was not. Anyway, he said he still went and the food was great! I was jealous!
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free2beme
We did it, we just called it Dinner. We celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas when I was a child. As my father was not a Witness and it was a compromise thing. I loved it, still do and missed it for the six years I took the Witness stuff serious and got baptized.
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carla
I think JWs are more comfortable with T-day because there are no apparent "pagan" customs and no outward patriotic traditions. And if no non-JWs are invited, they might even manage not to stumble anyone.....haha.
Don't they consider that the were Indians pagan? The jw's like to look at the origins of things right? It sure feels somewhat patriotic to me especially if you go to the little kids plays at school! If an entire county celebrates together the first Thanksgiving I think it would be safe to say it is a patriotic holiday.
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jaguarbass
When I was a Jw, many times we had turkey on thanksgiving with many jws present.
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Haereticus
As we do not celebrate Thanksgiving, turkey is not problem here. The actual problem for dubs here is our traditional ham and I have heard these same lame excuses about availlability and price around xmas time.
While I was still in speaking terms with my dub mother, I paid attention to her yearly urge for specific explanations as to why she had ham at xmas time. It started with the seasonal availlability and after few years the reason was low price, which would not mean a thing for her economy anyway.
Mark