Greetings all!
While I don't agree with the WT's views on shunning, blood transfusions, or how they conduct themselves, I can honestly say I wouldn't celebrate holidays even if I felt like it. Maybe it's that I've been brought up JW, I dunno. Halloween is sort of fun, but I know of it's pagan origins. Christmas and Easter make me sick, really. So much materialism, and "worldly" people oftem admit that to me. They will ask, "so, are you ready for Christmas?" My response,"Yeah, I'm good and ready for it to be over, I'm sick of Christmas music.." Their response, "Me too, it's gotten so bad this past decade or so, etc, etc, etc." Sometimes I feel like giving an "informal witness" to them, but I'm not alone I don't. I understand JW's beliefs on holidays, and agree with them. What really mystifies me is that they allow wedding and anniversary celebrations, but not b-days. Screw that. I'm celebrating B-days now. I consider myself a "reformed JW", that is, one who still holds the core beliefs to be true and the word to be good, but has remained unbaptized, vocal about ones own beliefs in the face of elders, etc, and one who is free from their mind control. I only read articles I feel like reading, go to meetings when I feel like it. I will raise my child as a new generation of "reformed JW", he will be allowed to play sports if he chooses, will take karate classes and work out with me at the gym. He'll have a B-day every year, as we are giving praise to Jah for us giving us such a blessing as a son. But not Christmas, Easter, etc. Any JW in my congregation who doesn't like it, seems to know better then to say anything to my face, and that's just fine. You see, I guess I'm sort of imposing.....my wife says so. I'm 6'-2" tall, 250lbs of muscle, have a deep voice, and I don't take $hit from anyone, and I think the elders and anyone else with a brain knows it. They have long since given up on trying their mind-control shit on me. Did I mention I have tattoos? Oh well, we aren't under Mosaic law anymore, I can eat shelled fish and have tattoos. I have a goat-tee, big deal, I look better with it. I buy my suits from Jones NY, DKNY, Brooks Brothers. Screw that JC Penny crap. The WT Org doesn't need anymore of my $$$, they have pleny of their own from their investments and real estate.
These are things I consider to be in the face of your "typical" JW, but there it is, for everyone to see. I hope Jah knows the person I am inside, that I love Him and His Son, and really only care what they think of me, and how I live my life, raise my son, treat my wife. In the end, He judges based on the heart set, not on how many time slips I've handed in in my lifetime.
Thanks,
Wing Commander :)