Reason fo asking this - is - My Daughter (5) has a wee friend in her class who is a Jehovas Witness ... and My wife & I - and a few of the other parents ..dont know if the family will be offended if we send cards - presents etc...etc... Anyone have friends who are Jehovas ? what is the done thing..?
2006-12-06 02:05:46 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
** Thank You to you all - for your Very helpful Answers... I am going to find it difficult to pick the best.. but you have turned a delicate issue into what I hope will be a happy Christmas - .Compliments of the Season to you all..**
2006-12-06 20:59:34 · update #1
Generally, if it was not decorated with Christmas wrapping paper and no Christmas card or anything linked to Christmas and you say, I know you do not celebrate Christmas and this is just a gift I wanted to give anyway.
JW do not mind receiving gifts providing it is not so in the name of the holidays that they consciously object participating in.
It would be best to have permission first of the parents of the child so then then you will not risk any upset and have their parents approval.
JW are quite respectful and understanding if the intention is good and it doesn't violate their faith.
Some people will do this with devious intent to make the child look like she is doing something against her faith and the parents have a right to protect their child. I know you are not doing it for bad motives but kindness but in such a world we live in it would be proper to do this with respectful discretion.
2006-12-06 02:12:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Jehovah's witnesses do not celebrate Christmas because they know that December 25th is not the actual birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ, but has its origin with ancient pagan worship. In order to Honor their God, and my God, Jehovah, we do not partake in this Christian celebration, and we teach our children to abstain from it also. Don't be surprised if the 5 year old child refuses the gift and thanks you anyway, and then gives you the reason why he or she refused it. On the other hand their children are taught to be respect full of others and might accept the gift out of respect and still offer a thank you as not to offend anyone. My opinion is that the child already knows enough about the bible at his age that he won't be offended if a gift were not offered to him. Aim almost sure that the parents would prefer that you did not give the child the gift, but if you did they would not make too much of an issue out of it, since the child is young and is still reaching Christian maturity and might not be able to grasp the whole picture......Keck
2006-12-06 02:27:51 · answer #2 · answered by Tneciter 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are valid motives that the Jehovah's Witnesses evaluate Christmas a pagan social gathering. very much of the customs are in fact from comparable wintertime non Christian festivities. however those could be real celebrating the observe made flesh isn't incorrect. it quite is extra constructive to no longer get caught up in the debate without know-how. so which you're asking a real sturdy question. Jesus replaced into born in the final week of September. it quite is shown biblically. many human beings of the Judaic faith do no longer think of of someone's existence from the 1st breath at beginning yet evaluate someone as turning out to be a residing soul at concept. If Jesus replaced into born in the final week of September consistent with time of concept what replaced into the week of the three hundred and sixty 5 days Jesus replaced into conceived? Is it an blunders to have fun the terrific present God Almighty has given guy the very beginning of this present? No, of direction no longer.
2016-10-17 21:35:58 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These people do not celebrate Christmas or birthdays. However I think the child at 5 years would be extremely hurt and feel left out if the others in the class got cards and gifts and they didn't. I think I would send the gift and card. Maybe wrap it in generic wrap and make the card a thinking of you instead of Christmas card. All children love presents! Talk to the teacher unless the parents have already spoken with her about their wishes for class parties I would say treat this child like everyone else.
2006-12-06 02:15:30 · answer #4 · answered by bramblerock 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Holidays: Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, or any other holidays (save one). They believe these celebrations grew out of ancient false religions. Also, because early Christians did not celebrate these occasions, they believe they should not either. The one day they do celebrate, however, is the Memorial of Christ's Death during Passover.
Although this is what I found on the net, I don't think that you'd offend the family of the little girl by offering her a generic card and gift. Maybe a friendship gift instead of a Christmas gift...? It's what I do with my muslim/jewish mates. Alternatively, ask the family - I think they'd much rather you asked than felt awkward :)
2006-12-06 02:12:53 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
One thing that is offensive to Jehovah's Witnesses is when others use the personal name of God as a slang term for any human. The Tetragrammaton occurs nearly seven thousand times in the bible, and is typically translated as "Jehovah" in English. The devout Christians who work tirelessly to magnify the divine name are known as the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses"; the religion's name can be acceptably shortened to "Jehovah's Witnesses", "Witnesses", or even "JWs".
(Deuteronomy 6:4) Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.
(Mark 12:29) Jehovah our God is one Jehovah
Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas, largely because Christmas does not celebrate Christ. Witnesses do not celebrate other winter "holidays" such as Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or Festivus.
Generally, however, Jehovah's Witnesses well-appreciate the sincere good wishes of others. It would be an unexpected kindness for a non-Witness to acknowledge a Jehovah's Witness child with a general, secular card such as "Winter Greetings" or simply "Thinking of You".
A few Jehovah's Witness families might be comfortable accepting a gift near Christmastime, but most would feel that it would bother their consciences or be perceived as compromising their religious beliefs. If a non-Witness sincerely wanted to give a gift to a Witness, it would be best for the giver to clearly acknowledge that his gift is not part of any Christmas celebration, but merely expresses his friendship in a time and manner convenient to the giver.
Jehovah's Witness parents would be highly offended if neighbors or acquaintances encouraged their children to disrespect the family's religious beliefs.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/article_08.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20041215/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20011115/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/
2006-12-06 16:35:22 · answer #6 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have a friend who is a jehovah witness. What I do give her a winter present. She can accept it that way. They can't accept a gift if it's for christ's birthday because they do not celebrate birthdays. They do however celebrate things like anniversaries etc... You could even write " Wishing you a good new year" on the card & not mention christmas at all.
2006-12-06 02:16:12 · answer #7 · answered by pritigrl 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Send a present with a thank you card. Make it more of an appreciation gift for the year. My friend in high school used to not accept Christmas gifts. But another kind of gift would be fine.
2006-12-06 02:08:29 · answer #8 · answered by CH 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I had a Jehovas Witness friend and she was never offended by receiving a gift, even though she never celebrated xmas! We were both teens at the time. Not seen her since leaving school...
2006-12-06 02:14:41 · answer #9 · answered by Heffy 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I had a boyfriend who's parents were jehovas witnesses and on xmas I rang him at 12 o clock and he was still in bed! they don't do xmas! The ones I know take their religion VERY seriously. If their child needed a blood transfusion they would refuse one and let them die. This has happened in the town where I live. If they don't want to save their child with a blood transfusion it is probable that they would be offended by a xmas present.
2006-12-06 02:18:50 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋