Yes, the 2 witness rule works, but if others are participating it can be hard to point a finger at someone else that was there (take pictues haha). But publicly showing a Christmas tree and other decorations that can be seen by just driving by, hard to hide it and those people were not hiding it, basically told jws to stay away. But don't try to be "secret" and then post pictures of it on Facebook! I always thought, what would stop 2 jws from lying about witnessing the df'in offense? As if the elders don't go to the judicial stage and having made a decision already, not having even talked to the alleged offender...
What would happen to a JW for celebrating Christmas?
by Vanderhoven7 42 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Beth Sarim
Nothing like the 2 witnesses rule..
Something they exploit to catch you in a trivial sin.
And something they exploit to protect pedophiles.
Go figure
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Rattigan350
I, for one, wouldn't listen to Mark Jones because he only attacks JWs but he can't take it when they prove him wrong and he blocks them.
"Shouldn't Christians be encouraged to celebrate Christ's birth every day"
Heck no. His birth was simply a necessity of the time. The Shepherds did the deed at the time. Why would we need to?
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Vanderhoven7
Heck yes! Christians should celebrate the greatest events in history and one yet to come.
The greatest events in history include:
a. Creation: God the Son creates all things, the universe, angels, man in God's image.
b. Incarnation: God the Son is conceived and born of the virgin Mary.
c. Ministry: God the Son lives a Holy and sinless life and ministers the word of God and healing to those in need.
d. Atonement: God the Son is crucified for the sin of the world and the salvation of men
e. Resurrection: God the Son rises from the grave for our justification.
f. Ascension: God the Son ascends to the Father and is enthroned in heaven.
g. Birth of the Church: God the Son baptises believers with the Holy Ghost and fire.
h. Parousia: God the Son returns to judge the world and reward His saints.
These are the greatest events, all worth celebrating daily, the last one in advance.
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Touchofgrey
Vanderhoven7
Can you please provide independently verified evidence that a miracle worker called jesus existed and did the things that the bible says he did ?
The four gospels were written by unknown authors many decades after the so called events.
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Duran
Christians should celebrate the greatest events in history and one yet to come.
d. Atonement:
God the Sonis crucified for the sin of the world and the salvation of menD is the only one said to observe/celebrate.
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jwundubbed
Shouldn't Christians be encouraged to celebrate Christ's birth every day? In fact we should celebrate everything about Christs life and accomplishments... And yet Jehovah’s Witnesses cannot praise him or even thank him for his grace and mercy and sacrifice on our behalf.
Jehovah's Witnesses aren't Christians. They are Christian non-Christians. They think they are Christians... with a ton of cognitive disassociation. It's in the very name of the cult. Jehovah's Witnesses follow Jehovah, not Christ. By the very definition of 'Christian' that makes them 'not Christian'. It never ceases to amaze me at how many people leave the cult but fail to recognize that very important point. JWs don't act like Christians because they aren't Christians.
In answer to the original question... all the responses are correct but there are some exceptions to the rules. People who have one parent in and one parent out, especially if the one that is out is the husband, have some leeway to celebrate holidays.
Also, if you have a congregation with worn out elders they might not do anything to those that celebrate. I was in one congregation where people started celebrating Christmas and even talked about it at the meetings and the elders were too worn down to care. A young overseer came in and livened things up and people just didn't talk about what they celebrated anymore. But the congregation was worn down as well so people got away with a lot more than other congregations I've been a part of. People stopped telling on each other. A lot of the young people left and had no contact with their families. That actually wears pretty hard on people. You have a lot of that and people sometimes stop being so hateful to each other. I'm sure it has changed since then. That was a couple of decades ago.
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NotFormer
jwundubbed, that's an interesting situation, that a congregation got so tired of the constant pressure to perform that they all pretty well gave up on applying the mutual self-enforcement that JW discipline depends upon.
I was going to say that it's a pity that you don't know how things panned out, but then I realised that leaving them and losing contact was probably a part of your own healing process. That they sound like they were a "less bad" congregation still doesn't mean that hanging around with them is better than not. I imagine that Bethel eventually brought its forces to bear. Especially if there was an overseer already sniffing around.
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Beth Sarim
Worn out congregations & eldere hey?
Thats how you do it!!!! ;)
Alll PIMOS do everything they want. Wear out all the overworked & unpaid elders.
Like a snowball effect.
Jwundubbed that's an interesting observation
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LongHairGal
VANDERHOVEN7:
Back when I was ‘in’, I got the impression that if a JW had an unbelieving spouse they couldn’t help it if the person put up a tree and decorations.
I assumed as long as the JW was low key about it and didn’t brag about relatives coming over, there was no problem.. However, if it was a JW alone who had visible decorations outside their house and the ‘friends’ drove by and saw this, somebody would say something to them.
The real key to stopping this problem is to END too much togetherness with Witnesses and telling them your business...You have to stop this crap.. There was a rather unfriendly elder in my hall years ago. I don’t believe he ever had anybody over his home. I’m sure he wasn’t celebrating Christmas but he didn’t want nosey troublemakers over. Very wise.
So, if you’re the type who has the JWs over - you WILL run into a problem at some point - not just about Christmas but OTHER things as well.. Even back then I didn’t really want Witnesses in my home and it was seldom.
I always loved Christmas and so very Glad I am enjoying it again!