The WTS and Holidays

by Maverick 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  Maverick

  It's that time of year again and the age old problem of conflict between the WTS and the worldly family emerges once more. So to all you lurkers and newbees let me just say this. Forget the religious aspect of the pagan origins of these times. Forget the rhetoic of how God will feel if you succumb to the spirit of the Holidays. The WTS pick and choose what God gets angry about and what He is cool with. And they pick it based on their need to get YOU to alienate YOURSELF from anyone who is not a JW. This time of year is not a test of your loyalty to GOD, but a test of your loyalty to the commands of the WTS! This holiday time is important to the WTS to reinforce the pain and insults and shame caused by your not sharing this time with those who, if not for the WTS, would be the ones you would count on in troubled times. I can attest that inspite of how you treat your family they will be the ones to help you and not the WTS when you need help the most. The WTS is a jealous, petty, selfish god who takes great joy in the suffering its slaves do for it.

  Happy holidays! Maverick
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  lonelysheep

  So well put, Maverick! I enjoyed my thanksgiving dinner yesterday with my husband's 'worldy' family. It felt so good to be relaxed and not feel guilty for enjoying myself with those who are not jw's.
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  I have read so much about not being able to celebrate Thanksgiving as a witness.

  We have had family dinners at Thanksgiving for over forty years, and there has never been a problem from the elders. We don't necessarily say it is Thanksgiving, we just let our family know that dinner will be at our house on that day (it's a day off of work). We always have turkey and all the trimmings (turkey is always on sale this time of year).

  Of course, Christmas is another matter. We wouldn't dare.
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  Maverick

  Most of the people who come here know all this stuff already but I posted it for the new ones that are in conflict over the Holidays. They need to start realizing that all the WTS has told them may be true about the origins of celebrations but so is the calendar and wedding rings, and a hundred other things we say and do everyday. The difference is the WTS needs to find things that will cause the most problems with those who will influence your thinking and keep you from falling for their mind control.
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  M@el5trom

  My grandparents invited my wife and I to their house this year for Thanksgiving, and we accepted. I had told them that we would at a previous meeting earlier in the fall. My parents and all 3 brothers did not show, despite being invited. One of my uncles and his family were there, the other was having dinner with his wife's family.

  We had a good time - we ate dinner, played cards, and talked and caught up on things. Never once did I feel like anything we did was even remotely pagan or even religous in nature, even the short thanksgiving prayer (grace?) that was said was not "pagan" and was about the same as a short prayer a brother might say over a meal at a Witness get-together.

  Of course, this week was the CO visit, and we had a visit from the elders to make sure we knew about it (and my parents also). Unfortunately, we got home a little late for the Thursday meeting - darn. Actually, we haven't been to a meeting/assembly in over a year now, so that's not really new.

  I'm just glad I let my grandparents know that we would be happy to come over if invited directly, as they probably would have invited us through my parents, and they would have declined for us. I'm still waiting to see if anything happens from this, as I'm sure that eventually my parents will know we went over there for Thanksgiving, and will want to know why.

  Mael
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  codeblue

  Great thread Maverick

  I have been thinking about this a lot in the last few days.

  I can't post much, because I am "fading"....but yesterday I got in a conversation with a relative about "pagan customs". I mentioned how the wedding dress, veil, a and ring all are pagan.........they agreed!!! Yet that is allowed by the WTBS.

  So much picking and choosing by the WTBS in deciding for us which pagan customs are allowable.

  interesting.....
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  LDH

  Hey MAV! Hoo-AH!