Happy Fathers Day

by joannadandy 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  joannadandy

  I just got done reading the thread on Birthdays...it was very well written. I especially liked the part about being careful not to have a narrow joyless existance.

  Today is Fathers Day. I had several people ask me what I was getting my Dad, and I replied, nothing, this isn't because I don't love him. My Dad rocks the casbah, but I know if I were to get him a simple Fathers Day card he would be very sad and not glad. My sister has been out of the borg for much longer than I have and she always sends my parents mothers and fathers day cards, to which they open them in shock and horror. (She honestly forgot JW's don't do that-and this year has sent nothing after they asked her to stop)

  So today I was trying to tell a friend that a card would not be appreciated, and he just couldn't understand, and frankly neither do I. I told him I thought JW's didn't celebrate Mothers and Fathers day because it wasn't in the christian practices and you should honor your parents everyday not just one day a year...am I remembering this right? In any case, as I said this to him it dawned on me how stupid this sounded.

  His theory, and one my sister held for a long time was that the JW's were started by a joyless group of old farts who were too cheap to buy christmas, birthday, presents, etc.

  And then I got to thinking about anniversaries. How can those be celebrated. Those aren't in the christian practices of the new testament, and shouldn't people honor their marriages EVERYDAY...I dunno, just wondering if anyone else had thoughts on that
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  Jim_TX

  Joanna,

  I don't have an answer to your questions. Your observations are sound. The JWs seem to 'pick' and 'choose' what they want to do - and what they don't to do.

  Today, I was invited over to a good friends' home for supper. It was a Father's Day get-together. I went. I had fun. No scandalous celebrating or satanic rituals - just family.

  I enjoy doing things like this. These folks are nice. Their kids are nice too.

  I don't get to hang out with many folks these days, and it is good to go 'out' and see what others are like.

  The kids even made me a 'Happy Father's Day' card - and gave it to me. They are really good kids.

  I think that the JWs are too hung up on their "don't celebrate" shit. They really need to git a life.

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  ashitaka

  Hey Jo,

  I was told that if a couple made too big a deal over their anniversary that they would get a talking to. An elder told me that.

  I think that the holiday-fear in JWs has everything to 'being separate from the world', and nothing to do with origins of holidays. Almost everything in the universe can be said to have pagan origins. People used to worship the sun....should we avoid tans? Are they christian?

  My wife has a book called The Origins of Everyday things. Very interesting. Most things we use, celebrate, or remedies we have were at one time 'pagan'. Yet, it doesn't matter too much now, does it? That's what makes the witnesses different. Their terrible need to be different.

  ashi
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  joannadandy

  A talking to? Wild!

  When it was my parents 25th anniversary...the whole congregation threw them a party. It was a pretty common occurance actually...I guess it's another one of those things where it is up to the individuals conscience.

  Jim glad you had a good time!

  Edited by - joannadandy on 16 June 2002 22:37:53