Any Jehovah's witnesses?

Question

Hi! I am curious as to how school parties and holiday celebrations affect you and your children in the classroom? I do respect your spirituality/religion. I am wondering how it is dealt with since holidays are getting longer and almost becoming the full length of the season. Like Christmas seems to be coming earlier and earlier every year, and you see it everywhere you go...including classrooms. How is it avoided. I know it is just like any other day for you. The way I would explain it is that some people do not recognise other religous holidays that may be from other countries. Am I wrong? But when it is more than visible, how is it dealt with and how does it make you feel? Please do not take offence to this,...no offence is intended AT ALL! Thanks for all answers!

Answer 1

I had to deal with the holidays in the classrooms when I was younger and now have to deal with them at work.

Knowing how these holidays got started, that they originate with pagans, it does bother me, but I will never disrespect my coworkers or those around me celebrating the holidays the same way I wouldn't want them to disrespect me for not celebrating. Matthew 22:39 says "You must love your neighbor as yourself."

But if I do get asked questions about I will give them details as to why I don't participate. Some think I'm wierd and others agree but still celebrate it anyway. Lol. That's just the way it is. However, I know JW are known for witnessing door to door. We follow the words of Matthew 24:14 where it says the "good knews of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations." Usually when we preach around that time we will talk about the subject of holidays.

And it is hard sometimes because the Christmas songs start playing in late November, people start decorating, and people are just happy (I wish people could be loving all year round)! Sometimes I'll get a song stuck in my head or when somebody says Merry Christmas to me at the supermarket, instead of saying thank you, I'll say it back to them by accident. I'm imperfect. But when I find myself doing those things I remember the words written in Luke 16:10 "The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much."

Also, it was always explained to me when I was younger why we didn't participate, so I didn't have a problem if there was a birthday and had to leave the classroom. Remaining faithful is what's most important.

Answer 2

nicely the comparable way that we've a private call and can desire to be referred to as by skill of our call extremely of guy, woman, Boy & so forth is the comparable way that God feels. Psalms 80 3:18 says "might human beings understand which you, whose call is Jehovah,You on my own are the main extreme over each and every of the earth." the actual undeniable fact that his call is reported in the Bible shows God needs his call to be ordinary & on account that we are his witnesses or followers, we are referred to as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Answer 3

well when I was a catholic I celebrated all the holidays, I had the biggest christmas tree etc. But when I learned the TRUTH I didn't want to celebrate anything that would offend God you see you are giving worship to traditions of other Gods here's what Jehovah said about the 1st of the 10 comandments

(Exodus 20:2-3) 2 “I am Jehovah your God, who have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slaves. 3 You must not have any other gods against my face.

Our children don't mind they have an accurate knowledge of the bible & feel the same way. we have parties (yes even with alcohol) & other get toghethers, we don't feel cheated but we do feel sorrow for those in spiritual darkness who do things offencive to To God & who will suffer his wrath

Answer 4

Individuals and family heads among Jehovah's Witnesses decide for themselves how they will handle details surrounding so-called "holidays". Witness parents appreciate it very much if teachers and school officials keep them involved in deciding the best way to respect the family's religious and conscientious sensibilities while recognizing that theirs is a minority view.

It does seem odd that these blatantly religious events have a featured place within a secular taxpayer-supported governmental institution, but Witnesses have (for the most part) simply worked around the dominant community intention.

Witnesses themselves note that a preferred "citizenship is in heaven" (see Philippians 3:20), so they would never object to a more literal metaphor being used to describe their neutrality with regard to holidays involving nationalism.

Please be careful to recognize that Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians (or "describe themselves as Christians", if you insist). Depending on the ages of the students and the diversity of the school, the class should identify with the fact that different religions observe different holidays. Witnesses themselves are relatively unique in commemorating "the Last Supper" each year!

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/article_01.htm

Answer 5

Can't you notice that the ACLU is going to eventually defeat Christmas in general. We won't be seeing anything Christmas in public when all the lawsuits are done. :P
BTW, I am not JW but another religion that does not celebrate Christmas. It kinda bothers us when we are children when Christmas is in the classroom and other kids do not understand why we do not participate in the holiday. When I was young, they gave me a Thanksgiving turkey to color rather than a Santa Claus. :P We stick out like sore thumbs. As we get older we get stronger about it and start understanding why we do what we do.

Answer 6

I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and I can tell you, all of these Witnesses saying that it does not affect their children being left out of all of the parties and celebrations isn't true for most. I felt awful having to go to the library every time something was going on. Kids would ask me why I didn't celebrate and I never really knew why even though my parents told me time and time again. I felt left out and hurt and alone. Being a Witness kid is a very lonely experience, which still affects me to this day.

Answer 7

when my children went to school, they either stayed home or they went to the library or another class. they don't miss out on anything. we give our children gifts all during the year. they feel the same way that we do. we also have parties during the year. one time I was in the store with my children and a child was asking her mother for a toy, and the mother said wait for xmas. our children don't have to wait for a reason to give them a toy or a gift. people who celebrate the holidays are always saying they are broke and paying off bills until the next xmas and we don't have that problem. our children are happy.

Answer 8

I am an Atheist and I enjoy Christmas very much.I also like Easter, Halloween and Valentines day. Most all Christian holidays are fun. As far as school I just finished high school and I hardly noticed them at all in school. We had no party's for Christian holidays in school where are you from? Kisses BB

Answer 9

even our small children avoid holidays...my youngest was given a pumpkin to color in first grade..he went to the teacher and asked for a different picture. She asked why..he said this is too close to Thanksgiving to color that and God might get sad.
So she gave him a whole color book to color during the season....everyone was happy.

when they start putting the toys and games out in the summer for xmas..we buy the toys and give them to our children..no reason to give it later..our kids always get the newest gadgets first.

Most of us have money after your holidays are gone and you are thousands in debt...we fel sorry for you all getting so caught up in satans devices.

We feel we have to stay in the pure worship of Jehovah and cannot take the chance of being on the fence like jews during xmas....we know the fence belongs to satan.
we are aware that even the ones trying their hardest will have some trouble being saved so where do the rest fare?**

Answer 10

Why is it that people choose not to have any backbone and they just follow the world in the un-holy days?

How do school parties affect us. We realize how immature these ones are glad that we are not like them because we follow the Christ as the district conventions teach.

We invite you all to the conventions to learn from them yourselves.