Why JWs don't celebrate Mother's day

by Laika 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Laika
    Laika

    In the UK, this Sunday is mother's day! Though I have made a point of celebrating as many holidays as possible since leaving, this will not be one to add to my list as my mother would be genuinely offended if I sent her a card or something.

    Ask a JW why they don't celebrate holidays and they'll tell you it's because of some nefarious pagan connection. But this is really just a cover. The real reason is that not celebrating holidays is one of the ways in which JWs are set apart and made to feel special. They don't involve themselves in things Jehovah hates like all you pagans! But note, it builds this self worth in a way that's very different to how holidays do the same.

    Celebrating mother's day gives Mum self worth based on her work as a mother, refusing to celebrate it gives her self worth by virtue of her membership in the group. Thus a JWs identity is, as we know, wrapped up very strongly with their group identity.

    This is important, the reason JWs can be so cruel is because anything that threatens their place in the group directly threatens their own identity/ego, and so they push back against it.

    Opposition to holidays are one of the key ways JWs build this identity around the group, and that is the real reason why JWs don't celebrate Mother's day. (or any other holiday)

  • nonjwspouse
    nonjwspouse

    Honor thy Mother and Father....... yet don't you dare celebrate it!

    sick

  • baltar447
    baltar447

    [Andy Samberg:] Oh dang.
    [Justin Timberlake:] What is it dawg?
    [Andy Samberg:] I forgot it's Mothers Day.
    [Justin Timberlake:] Didn't get a gift for her.
    [Andy Samberg:] Other plans got in the way. She'll be so disappointed.
    [Justin Timberlake:] Damn I forgot it too.
    [Andy Samberg:] This could have been avoided.
    [Both:] What the hell are we gonna do?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0DeIqJm4vM

    EDIT: ugh why won't the video imbed??

  • sir82
    sir82

    Short answer is Rutherford and/or one of his cronies wrote up something against it, and Fred Franz agreed with it, and thus it became a JW tradition with no scriptural support.

    Just like no celebration of birthdays, or Thanksgiving day, no organized sports, etc.

  • stuckinarut2
    stuckinarut2

    Ahh...cos it offends god or something?

    didnt he create mothers and tell us to respect and honour them?

    anything at all that the world has reason to celebrate, we have to not only 'uncelebrate it' but go around condemning in a condescending manner!

    cant witnesses see that people are actually trying to do something nice, and show decency to another person? No one is doing it to worship a "mother god" from a pagan background!

  • wisdomfrombelow
    wisdomfrombelow

    I'd like to know WHEN the ban went into effect. There must have been an article which started the change. Sometimes knowing WHEN something happened helps to understand WHY it happened by examining contemporaneous events.

  • clarity
    clarity

    Well.......................................................>

    *

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/4819/1/Tipping-Your-Hat-to-a-Woman-is-SATANIC#.UzLpLG9OVy1

    *

    This is how watchtower views women!

    clarity

  • problemaddict
    problemaddict

    In south america, mothers day is a big deal and is very much based around the virgin mary. I can kind of see that (when I was there is was damn near a religious holiday). But in the US and UK, it is really a hallmark holiday.

    I guess an arguement could be made for unity worldwide regarding the holiday when so many religious traditions still exist surrounding it in high JW population areas.....but really who cares.

    My kids will celebrate mothers day and God willing!......fathers day. Ha.

  • ABibleStudent
    ABibleStudent

    Hi baltar447, Try it without the "http://". You got to love JWN's quirks - it keeps life interesting.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0DeIqJm4vM

    To all the JW mothers out there, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to you.

    Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

    Robert

  • Laika
    Laika

    Wisdomfrombelow,

    I like your username but I don't know the answer to your question about 'when?'

    Re: showing honour to parents, a JW would respond that they don't need a special day to honour their parents, they do it all year round. (Whereas worldly people only care one day of the year, assumingly?)

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