"You need to witness to her about Christmas"

DS211

well thats what my wife said when my grandma stopped by for a visit And invited us to hang out with them Christmas eve. After she left, my wife said i needed to witness to her and remind her that we do nkt celebrate it and that it is the worst holiday to celebrate (actually Halloween is lol). I felt this wasnt the time to argue so i decided to tell her i would look into that. I stayed home from the meeting and she went...my 7th meeting missed.

But i need some help guys how can i counter this? I wish i could go with my loophole approach and say technically its not a bday celebration since christ wasnt born on the day; and ive never offered a gift to Ra and science proves theres no God on the sun lol.

what else is there

joyfulfader

My great grandmother always invited us over for dinner Christmas eve. We always went for dinner but my dad requested no gifts. We received gifts in non Christmas paper a couple of weeks later a visit or 2 after the holidays. It's like we met in the middle. We shared precious family time while respecting each other's beliefs. They didn't force Christmas on us and we didn't insist on keeping our distance. I say "we" since it was my family but it was my dad's decision and he was PO at the time. Maybe it can be discussed to be a time of family spending time together and not focus on the holiday aspect.

Doug Mason

How about celebrating Xmas on December 6 with Krampus and Black Peter? That was the experience of my Jewish mother (born Vienna, Austria 1911) as the kids of all persuasions joined in. (Austria is a Catholic country.) I wonder if December 6 is still be the day in Holland? (Holland is a protestant country).

Research when Xmas was shifted from Dec 6 to Dec 25; who did it; why? Or why Santa now has red clothes instead of the traditional green? Does that sound religious?

In Australia, the traditional Xmas foods - often at a barbecue - are ham and seafoods such as prawns and oysters. Now, would you celebrate a birthday for a Jewish boy with such food? Surely that shows it's not religious.

Maybe go with the Orthodox Calendar.

Doug

jgnat

I notice that Witnesses brush that whole angelic host singing to the new-born King thing under the carpet (Luke 2). No shame in celebrating a birth.

I mention that not all cultures celebrate the birth on the day. Take the Children's Day in Japan.

Hubby mutters about the dangers of materialism (deeply hypocritical by the way) during this season, and I tell him, "Well, I don't celebrate it that way!"

jwfacts

Maybe tell her that it is not bad to spend some nice time with the Grandma. Christmas is celebrated by people of all religious backgrounds, as an important time of the year to appreciate family. JWs used to celebebrate Christmas out of respect for Jesus, as late as 1928, after Jesus inspected the Watchtower in 1919.

"Even though Christmas is not the real anniversary of our Lord's birth, but more properly the annunciation day or the date of his human begetting (Luke 1:28), nevertheless, since the celebration of our Lord's birth is not a matter of divine appointment or injunction, but merely a tribute of respect to him, it is not necessary for us to quibble particularly about the date. We may as well join with the civilized world in celebrating the grand event on the day which the majority celebrate - "Christmas day."" Zion's Watch Tower 1904 Dec 1 p.364

It is Christmas eve, and you don't have to do anything particularly religious, just spend time with family.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

I'm single, so I have no qualifications to respond... but I won't let that stop me...

"Grandma already thinks we have joyless lives and no real respect for Jesus. So why not tell her that Christmas is the worst celebration ever and we have no interest in seeing her on that day? That will remove any remaining doubt in her mind. A fine witness indeed!"

There was an article a long time ago that admitted that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah. Although it wasn't a biblical holiday, Jesus celebrated. And when Jesus instituted the Lord's Evening Meal, why was there wine there at their passover celebration? No scriptures allow for boozing it up during the passover! There were no scriptural prohibitions against any of these, so Jesus celebrated according to the established custom. Similarly with Christmas. It isn't demanded in the bible, neither is it prohibited. Does the bible say not to get a Betsy-Wetsy doll, gift wrap it, and give it to your kid on a special day? So what is the deathly objection to Christmas? Why the condemnation? CT Russell celebrated it even though he believed it wasn't the right day.

ABibleStudent

Hi DS211, Have you and your wife gone to non-JW family Christmas parties before? Has she asked you to witness to your grandma before? Is your wife's cult persona feeling guilty about smoking, watching movies like the Matrix, or having too much fun?

You could tell your wife that your grandma unconditionally loves you and her and cannot understand why JWs say they believe in Jesus Christ, but are not allowed to celebrate his birth like the angels and shepherds did in Luke 2:1-21. Ask your wife if she is willing to help you role play to prepare to witness to your grandma, because standard WTBTS doctrine will not work. Or, you could both just go to your grandma's and spend a good-time with non-JW family.

If your wife is willing to help you, just let her play a JW and you will play your grandma. Just ask your wife simple questions to help your wife realize the falsehoods of the WTBTS's doctrine(s).

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

jamiebowers

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

Colossians 2:16

http://biblehub.com/colossians/2-16.htm

carla

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

Colossians 2:16

Ha, I tried that one and got a "gasp! you mean you think it's ok to celebrate a new moon?!!!" with jaw soundly hitting the floor. I don't think jw's have read this particular scripture.

blondie

jws love to strain out the gnat but gulp down the camel.

"You need to witness to her about Christmas"

Share this