They say they don't celebrate Xmas, but...??? (page 2)

XQsThaiPoes

WHat is with JWs lately they seem to be celebrating every holiday, but in a muted bland version?

Every major holiday (including birthdays) seems to be celebrated in a traditional jw method. Go eat and drink to excess while not having fun, or go to an amusment park. THey celebrate holidays like most atheist do. I am suprise the wts has not said anything. They must be enjoysing xmas dinner at bethel too.

I also notice this. JW celebrate holidays like poor southerners do. Because they cant afford gifts and trimings they tend to throw big dinners larger than or more fattening most americans. JWs do the same. I am wondering if it is economics. Maybe JWs celebrate like this because they can't afford to buy X-mas gifts for everyone in the hall. Think of it. Imagine the economic horror if the wts endorse Xmas. To be considered a good JW you would have to bribe the entire elder body and probally your book study. THink of all the after xmas catfights elders wives would have. I am sorta glad we don't give gifts.

Pole

At least in Poland same goes for the New Year's Eve celebrations.

Pole

one

They say they don't celebrate Xmas, but...???

I was out and a few years back i went to 12/31 year end party, out of town. An elder and his wife were there, i guess thinking no 'One' would see them. I pretended didn' see him.

He was and elder to whom i "teached the truth" while in my teens.

It all a game they play, if you dont know how to play the game you are out .

TresHappy

I jokingly told my son he was having a JW birthday party this year - a cupcake with a Watchtower underneath!

Sweetp0985

I don't quite remember exactly how the conversation went, but years ago when i was a young little rebellious JW..( i think around 9 or 10) i was upset because my mother wouldn't let me go by fireworks for July 4th. And she went on and on about fireworks are wrong and the bible says we shouldn't celebrate July 4th. Well to show her how much I pay attention at all the numerous bible studies/meetings i replied something to the terms of "you're lying because the bible doesn't say anything about not celebrating July 4th or popping firecrackers because they weren't even invented then when Moses wrote the bible"....she getting very pissed is all i vaguley remember and my non-JW laughing his ass off the rest of the night because i said it in front of everyone.....needless to say....my brother and i were always allowed to pop fireworks "THE DAY AFTER" the major holiday.....

i hope i don't get my dad in trouble by any lurkers in here but he showed up saturday to partake of all the christmas fixings at my aunts house...even took home a few plates...he even talked to me...because i was surely thinking in my head..if he can come in here to eat this xmas food and talk to everybody else and still play that shunning *hit with me...he's got to be kidding....but it was still awkward...but maybe he's coming around...been hearing about alot of un-JW like things he's been doing lately...next time imma go ahead and let him know i don't appreciate him still playing that shunning game with me...

Agnes

The JW's I know celebrate the holidays as as much as anyone else, but usually not with their "worldy relatives", but with their "new family". Agnes

undercover

Celebrating a false religious holiday would be similar to performing any other act of false worship. (Jer. 7:16-19)

So, in theory and if you are careful, you can get away with a lot. You can have a holiday on Xmas and Thanksgiving day, so that's not a problem. Then there is the question what is celebrating a religious holiday? To me to celebrate Xmas as a religious holiday, you would really have to go to church and celebrate midnight mass or go to church on Xmas day.

Since I've faded, I've met and made friends with several people who have no religious affliation or care about religion. A couple of them are confirmed athiests. Yet, they look forward to Christmas. As I observed them the last couple of years, I see that they celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday. It has no religious meaning to them whatsoever. They look forward to the holiday cheer, the parties, the gifts, the time with family. They have adapted a religious holiday to fit their own lifestyles.

Much like the Christians who adapted a pagan ritual to their fit own ideals, people today adapt holidays to fit their ideals. It's fundamentalists like the JWs who like to find fault with everything and pretend that somehow that "celebrating" a holiday with pagan history is somehow sinful and demonic.

Jez

I find this thread very interesting. I too think most JW "celebrate" Christmas in a muted way. I remember getting a huge group together and going tobaganning, snowmobiling, skiing etc. Turkey dinner was always done. Drinking eggnog with rum, etc...

I think this is why when we come out of JW life, we think WOW some big bang will happen for Christmas when really all we are doing is adding a few things to the season, tree and presents. We all have celebrated Christmas all our lives to some extent and JW's (ex and current) fall into a trap of thinking that Christmas is just about presents and decorations. It is difficult for us to learn that not much has changed, there is not a huge awestruck moment that WOW I now celebrate Christmas.

We just now celebrate it fully and understand that 'them' 'us', well we are not so different after all.

I just do it now, without guilt or hiding who I really am.

Cheers, Jez

jwbot

On christmas day, a bunch of us JW kids would either go snowboarding or to the movies (or both), several years in a row, I think a bunch still do too.

They say they don't celebrate Xmas, but...???

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