What Excuses Did You Make Up For Being a Witness?

minimus

Remember, how on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we never saw that TV program everyone was always talking about at work, the next day? And the reason was because we had to go to the meeting. People would talk about Seinfeld and die laughing because of the episodes. When perfect strangers would ask you what you thought of the show, what would you say? I'd lie and say, "I just don't think he's that funny".....and then try to change the subject. When someone wanted to have EVERYONE wish their best friend a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY", we would always try to find a way to cough (or sneeze if need be).........Were their times when you had to make excuses to cover the fact that you were a Jehovah's Witness?

undercover

Why, minimus! You say that as if we were ashamed to be Jehovah's Witnesses. I thought we all wore our religion as a badge of honor, informally witnessing to everyone and anyone that would listen. Didn't you preach to people about God's kingdom and what you learned at the meeting the night before when everyone else was watching Seinfeld? Didn't you explain to everyone singing Happy Birthday just why it was displeasing to God that they were doing so? Being a Witness meant witnessing about God. If you didn't do that, well then, you weren't one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

blondie

Hey, just tape Seinfeld or whatever and watch it when you get home. I do that all the time...it cuts down on the ads. (not every non-JW liked Seinfeld, you know).

As to "Happy Birthday," just congratulate them on being a year older, can't be wishing people had dropped dead.

It has been very easy over the last 13 years to avoid bringing religion into the conversation. It is frowned upon at work.

At work, I have gone to retirement and going-away parties, baby and wedding showers, thank you parties from the brass, had a beer or two and tried to sit down wind from the smokers who try hard not to bother the non-smokers (non-JWs don't smoke too).

But remember that I grew up in a "divided" household and had contact often with my father's friends. A nice group of people, helped us out during many a tight spot. So I learned not to demonize "worldly" people.

I do remember missing the original Star Trek when they moved it to a meeting night. I had gobs of homework on that night or got sick. Thank God for VCRs.

Blondie

minimus

It's just weird that you can never go to a concert, play or watch a certain tv show like everyone else does. I hate taping something I want to see if I could see it live. We've cancelled vacations because it fell on the Memorial. What do you do---call up the travel agent and tell them to scrap 8 people's vacations because we can't miss the Lord's Supper?

gumby

First of all......Minimus........why isn't your lazy arse out there making a living today......ya lazy worthless little bastard? Don't tell me you have become a pothead now and your sweet little wife is out there husslin while your getting loaded and making posts all day.

Now......as for your question.

I never made an excuse for being a witness when confronted. I DID however, become vauge if an issue came up I didn't want to talk about or was ashamed of, such as birthdays and thanksgiving. I never felt our reason for abstinence from these things was convincing enough......so I slid around the subject.

Gumby

blondie

We've cancelled vacations because it fell on the Memorial. What do you do---call up the travel agent and tell them to scrap 8 people's vacations because we can't miss the Lord's Supper

The WTS tells JWs the date a year in advance in the KM so that congregations that share can rent a facility if need be. How far out did you book that trip? We used to schedule ski trips around the CO's visit. We would call him and find out. I would have called the WTS to find out when the LEM was before booking a trip.

I can remember going to meetings at other congregations to go to concerts, etc. I can remember just missing them. The CO visit was even negotiable (even for elders I observed).

I love taping shows and watching them later. I hate commercials. I can stop it to answer the phone and not put people off saying, "Can't talk, my show is on." If I have to pee, I can go when I want, not wait for a commercial.

I can remember the gyrations we went through to avoid answering the door on Halloween. Turning off the lights, hiding in the basement, ignoring the doorbells...sounds like HBH because the JWs are coming.

Blondie

minimus

Last year, I totally stopped making excuses for the religion. When someone asked why JWs don't celebrate birthdays, I'd say, "It's because only PAGANS celebrated and in the Bible it says 'the day of one's death is better than one's birth' and besides 2 innocent people got killed because of birthday celebrations. So that's why Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate birthdays".

gumby

When someone asked why JWs don't celebrate birthdays, I'd say, "It's because only PAGANS celebrated and in the Bible it says 'the day of one's death is better than one's birth' and besides 2 innocent people got killed because of birthday celebrations. So that's why Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate birthdays".

LOL,

I also do the same now that I'm out. It's intresting to give 'the readers digest' version of a dub belief to a person as it makes it sound just that more ridiculous. Without a dub pre-conditioning a persons thinking while explaining their doctrines, then these teaching sound even more absurd but to a greater degree.

Gumby

houdini

I never made excuses, there is never a need, even though I am not a JW anymore I still don't celebrate christmas, or birthdays.

Whats the point after all it's just another day in year. I am or they are just another day older in reality.

As for Christmas, very few people who say they clebrate it don't do it to celebrate the supposed birth of Christ, it's just an excuse to get p***ed and party and act silly.

Houdini

minimus

I guess there's really no excuse for being a Witness, huh?

What Excuses Did You Make Up For Being a Witness?

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