by Cappuccino OC 12 Replies latest jw friends
Hi everyone,
I've been busy attending graduate school, recovering from surgery and my child's strep throat; but I managed to survive.
I need help explaining to my mama (JW-but not attending meetings) that it's okay to celebrate x-mas. How do I start with the explanation? Any good web-sites, articles, anything that would help?
Please help; my e-mail is open.
Thank you all,
Capp
It is OK because the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society is guilty of "spiritual fraud," and has NO AUTHORITY in your life.
That's all it takes.
Is Xmas "unchristian"? That's a moot point.
The fact is that you are a member of 21st century Anglo-American culture and you wish to participate with your neighbors in an overcommercialized winter solistice celebration, and there's nothng wrong with that.
I hate christmas.
You probably want to speak to Nancee "Barks", he/she bangs on about Christmas being a lovely Christian celebration often. I got accused of being a Troll or somethin' for suggesting that Christmas has little to do with the Christian faith.
Unfortunately you are on to a loser with this particular issue.
Just make your own mind up and listen to what Nathan Natas has to say.
Maybe you could liken it to the Queen of Englands birthday.
She has an ' official ' birthday ' because it falls at a convenient time.
searcher.
Just ask her if it is harming anyone and that no one is worshiping anything pagan by celebrating a holiday, it's just a way to enjoy a get together with the family.
Personally I would rather forget the decorations, gifts and any religious connotations and just have a good meal with the whole family.
Ken P.
For me, I started to "not" feel guilty when I realized what I personally was celebrating. When I made it personal it became meaningful.
OR.........
Go and get her a gift......wrap it up pretty! Christmas wrapping and bows and such. Who can resist?
Cappu,
There was a Tower article some time back that was posted on this board and pertaining to things of pagan origin and what the proper Christian viewpoint should be.
I think the subject was wall decorations, pagan wallpaper patterns of all things if I remember correctly. Anyway, the point of the article was to the effect that is was not important what the origin of said decorations were but rather how it is perceived in the local community. The jist was that it didnt matter if it was somehow linked to false worship long ago, but rather what it means now to the local community. One poster used this argument to quite effectively debunk the anti-Xmass sentiments put forward by the Tower, this may work for you.
Sorry I dont remember the poster or the exact subject line but I would use the boards search function and try looking under Christmas or Xmass etc.
Good Luck
Freeman
Edited by - freeman on 10 November 2002 10:7:40
Here's the scripture that made me realize that what I celebrate or do not celebrate is nobody else's business:Romans 14:1-13 (note vs 5, 10, 12 - I also wanted to include the context here)
Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.
2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.
3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.
4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
6He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.
7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one of us dies for himself ;
8 For if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11 For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God."
12So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.13Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this -- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.
Once I realized that it was my business what days I observed or didn't observe, I also realized that when JWs judge one another (and everybody else) over such petty trifling matters it showed them for what they really were: false Christians.
The passage in Romans 14 was a truly liberating one for me. It made me realize that as long as I wasn't harming anyone else, that nobody had the right to judge me for observing any holiday that I wanted to observe.
Love, Scully
Actually, last year there was "new light" regarding the fact that a JW wife could participate in holiday gatherings, shopping, cooking etc if her non-JW husband requested it of her. It made it a matter of conscience in her case. So, then, why can't everyone else exercise their consciences when it comes to holidays?? Why the double standard??
I'll see if I can find the article... I know I posted it here last year.
Love, Scully
