by Stealth 18 Replies latest jw friends
After all, it's a secular holiday not a religious holiday.
If I was still an active member, I think I would start a new tradition of celebrating Festivus. Most likely no JWs would come, but that's okay, it's a famiily holiday anyway.
What grounds would the elders have to disfellowship you?
As has been stated on this forum a number of times:
You an be disfellowshipped for (literally) anything that 3 elders agree on.
You'd have to be regarded as a complete & utter nuisance, or threat, for the elders to DF you for "celebrating Festivus". But if they wanted you gone, that would be as good an excuse as any.
"Brazen conduct" is a pretty good catch-all "scriptural" reason if it is nothing explictly anti-Biblical.
They can DF you for anything they damn well like, and they don't have to justify it really. O.K, you can appeal, but you are on dodgy ground by then.
How exactly do you want to "celebrate" ? for years when active JW's we had all our JW family round for a slap up meal, lots of booze, and the odd present given, we never thought of that as wrong in any way. My JW mum always brought Christmas Crackers for the kids !
Of course, if you want to go the whole hog, have a Chrissy Tree festooned with baubles and lights and stuck up the arse of a fairy, etc etc then you may be in trouble.
I don't want to tempt them to have a go at me but, I have wondered what the hell they could do if I said I am not celebrating any festival, Christian or Pagan, I just like trees with a fairy on top this time of year.
I don't believe in Jesus or Pagan god's so I am not taking part in anything like that, whatever it looks like. Of course, I cannot tell them I don't believe in Jesus, that is instant Chop Chop !
JWs don't celebrate any worldly holidays... secular, religious, or otherwise.
So celebrating Xmas, Festivus, your birthday, or even Talk Like a Pirate Day, can get you hot water with the elders, if they so choose to make a case of it (see preceeding comments about 'anything 3 elders agree on')
Memorial Day, MLK Day, July 4 (US), Veterans Day, Labor Day are not religious holidays but represent a lack of neutrality regarding governments (but for every rule? there is a congregation that sneaks out for the fireworks.
3 elders in agreement can DF you for anything.
JWs don't need an excuse - how many of them have big turkey dinners with all the family over the holidays? The hypocrisy was astonishing, especially when they'd turn around and criticize you for doing something like decorating inside the house with paper snowflakes and snowman figurines to counteract the dreariness of winter.
Oh I love Talk Like A Pirate Day!
Marina
They don't need a reason, as stated before. I'm pretty sure Holidays aren't a disfellowshipping offense though.
Depends on the BOE....I have seen a family df'd for celebrating Halloween and 2 other congregations df'd a couple for celebrating Christmas.
Festivus for the rest of us!
