Best wishes to those still struggling

by rebel8 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  rebel8

  The holidays can be tough for a few years while you're adjusting. The guilt of participating in, and enjoying anything related to the holidays can be overwhelming.

  You don't have to celebrate any holiday to be a non-jw. That is entirely up to you.

  You may feel like Xmas could never have any meaning to you because of your history and Pagan roots. All that means is it might be different for you, not necessarily permanently meaningless.

  I am an atheist and fully enjoy it. I do nothing Xian-related. To me this is just the season of lights and a celebration of nature/end of year. I listen to Xmas music and enjoy it all--regardless of what it's about (to me Santa and Jesus are equally fairy tales so neither bothers me more than the other).

  You can make it whatever you want it to be. It can be done. It doesn't have to be painful or sad.

  Best wishes to those who are still adjusting to life outside The Village. (( ))
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  Legolas

  Well said Rebel...Happy Holidays!
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  Coffee House Girl

  Thanks for your perspective- this is my first year celebrating (I did feel too guilty last year-leaving the JWs was just too fresh) I liked how you said to make it what ever you want it to be...I hope to create some good holiday memories in the years to come :)

  Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!

  CHG
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  3dogs1husband

  Hi!

  Thanks, one thing I have been looking into is what was a pagan. As a Jw's all things pagan where in the same catagory as the devil, and false religion. And learning how pagans where just your comman villagers, figuring out life as they went with no science, and no holy scrolls to give them rules, behaiviours, or beliefs. It has been very freeing. This was not a group of people trying to worship the devil instead of God. And when word of Jesus spread, a lot of pagans became believers incorperating their traditions and celebrations. Not so scary.
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  THE GLADIATOR

  Well said rebel8

  It can take time to adjust to being free to celebrate as we wish.

  Christmas has a special meaning to people of many faiths. Many Indian families in the UK celebrate Christmas and add elements of their own particular belief system to the festival.

  Just as Saturnalia evolved into Christmas it has become a universal celebration to life, regardless of ones persuasion or faith as some prefer to call it.

  Wishing you a happy Santa-fest.
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  chickpea

  very thoughful, rebel8

  i came into the cult as an adult,
  having grown up in the traditional
  xmas practices of an irish catholic
  "broken family's" alcoholic dysfunction,
  so the complete break from holidays
  (thanks to the cult's insistence to abstain)
  actually was not a bad thing for me, which
  is why i think now, i really have no sort
  of attachment or attraction to the furor
  of the holidays post-cult.... i DO however
  respect and accommodate others in their
  attachment to same...

  my best advice and worth what is paid for it:
  figure out what is comfortable and find your
  own meaning for attachment to the season....

  (being in a cold frozen north american winter
  environment, i tend to favor the promise of the
  sun's return as observed on the winter solstice!)
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  mentallyfree31

  Well said, Rebel8. Thumbs up!

  -MF31-
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  LongHairGal

  REBEL8: Good post. To me Christmas is about being with family who were never JWs. It is about me recapturing some of the good feelings of childhood. It is also about the good sights and decorations, good food. I love the smell of natural Christmas trees. As far as I am concerned, the religion has self-serving reasons for not wanting JWs to celebrate with non-JW relatives. They are afraid of the unconditional love your family gives you and how you might not want to remain a JW once you are reminded. Best Wishes Everybody for the New Year!
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  Violia

  Nice to see you again Rebel8. Your advice is always good. I could just not get "into" christmas this year. I am listening to the music but did not put up a tree. The kids are not here this year so we feel a sad about that.
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  MrFreeze

  Sadly I have nobody to celebrate with or I definitely would. Best wishes to all!