by will_the_apostate 25 Replies latest jw friends
Anger issues.....
Being kind doesn't mean you don't have a backbone..and sometimes for some on here the price of "going off" is too great to pay.
People have to judge what is best for their situation..
Don't judge a man till you walked in his shoes...
I too have no need to nurse the JW's but then I am not in the situation a lot on here are with family members..
Snoozy..who's heart goes out to those with family still in..
Will...
you would have been safer if he had seen you buying porn at the newsagent.
expect a visit!
oz
I totally agree! Buying porn is a lesser offence than participating in a pagan celebration. Buying porn would be discussed in private, at the discretion of just one elder, if no one else saw you. But buying a Christmas tree in broad daylight is apostasy.
This is not a "Grow a backbone" issue. What's next is that some snitching is going to happen. The witless seeing you buy the "sun-worship" tree is going to snitch to Brother Hounder, because they are programmed to believe that if they don't, they also as good as bought one themselves. At this point, Brother Hounder is probably going to have a little meeting with the other hounders about this--it is riskier if you are still active or were within the past 6 months, but even inactive witlesses out 10 years or more are still bound to be hounded. Sometime later, the hounders are bound to show up at your door or start calling you up.
It is then that you need to "grow a backbone". Your options are to blow them off (not answering the door or the phone) and hope they get tired of wasting their time, tell them point-blank that you intend to keep the sun-worship tree no matter what, or cave in and throw it away and "repent". If you blow them off, you are going to be hounded but have the hope of wasting their time and resources that otherwise could have been used to tend to other matters. If you are point-blank, you will end the hounding but will probably be disfellowshipped quickly with a minimum of wasted time. Either way, you are not giving into their demands that you get rid of that Christmas tree. The only "caving in" option is to listen to whatever the hounders tell you, do as they tell you, and return to the boasting sessions. That will give them the control they seek, and you will probably be reproved.
Or, you could (in lieu of just telling them that you intend to keep the tree) simply announce your disassociation. That will probably be the end of the matter, they will not be able to control you, and you get to keep the Christmas tree. You will be cut off from all association, and it will prevent you from wasting any more of their time. Either way, I don't recommend complying with the hounders.
Note to those still in wanting to buy Christmas stuff and not be seen by active JW's........do your Christmas shopping during meeting hours to lessen the chances.
Think About It
And what the hell was HE doing out on Black Friday? Witnessing to the pagans?
WTWizard I'm not that worried because it was just one person who saw me and my wife has never been a Dub so if pressed I can just say 'my wife wanted a Christmas tree and I can't force my on her and quote Awake July 2009 page 29. "No one should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and his family."
You know, Moshe, I'm not sure the oldest boy in that pic looks too impressed ;).
Snoozy Loved what you said.
Tammy
christmas is not a pagan holiday because Jesus is not a pagan god. the other junk is just local celebrations that imprinted on the actual observance of the visit of the magi.
I've always loved the rationale in the Awake! article regarding piñatas. Apparently if "local custom" dictates that there is no longer religious significance to a practice, it is no longer considered Pagan™ or an act of False Worship™, it very conveniently joins the Conscience Matter™ realm of wedding bands, wedding gowns, bridesmaids and groomsmen.
