Am I wrong?

Question

On Friday, a coworker, who is a jehovah's witness, began putting a group of us down for celebrating Christmas, she was making some really insulting comments, telling us we don't know the "truth" and badgering us for our beliefs(she's done this many times) everyone was getting mad , so I said "if you feel that strongly about it, give your Christmas bonus back to the boss". She said if we get it, she should too. I asked "why, if you don't believe in Christmas and don't celebrate it and its so wrong, then you are a hypocrite to accept the bonus, and as a matter of fact, you are a hypocrite to accept our holiday pay since you don't celebrate our holidays". She said if we get those perks, she should too, and that she shouldn't be singled out or penalized for her beliefs, So I said its like a vegetarian accepting meat, even though they don't eat it, even though they don't agree with it, taking it simply because everyone else got some. Should I have just shut up and let her put us down?

Answer 1

Yes
(to the first question in bold).

A typical Jehovah's Witness would understand his brother or sister's decision to be his or her own, to make according to his or her conscientious and actual understanding of the "bonus". It is well-known that Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate pagan holidays, but they also do not superstitiously reject something merely because it has been tagged by someone else with a holiday nickname. For example, fruitcake does not become unacceptable simply because it is sometimes called Christmas cake.

Of course, Jehovah's Witnesses work to please God and Christ, and understand that no seeming "loophole" could ever deceive the divine judges who can read the heart.
...(1 Samuel 16:7) Mere man sees what appears to the eyes; but as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart is.
...(Jeremiah 17:10) I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, examining the kidneys, even to give to each one according to his ways
...(Mark 2:8) Jesus, having discerned immediately by his spirit that they were reasoning that way in themselves, said to them: “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?
...(Genesis 18:25) Is the Judge of all the earth not going to do what is right?


A Jehovah's Witness may choose to accept a bonus or a gift if he sincerely believes that the giver intends it to be something other than an aspect of a pagan celebration. It would seem that a critic who pretends some special insight into the conscientious thoughts of another may benefit from professional counseling and the bible's practical advice.
...(Psalm 119:69,70,78) The presumptuous have smeared me with falsehood. As for me, with all my heart I shall observe [God's] orders. Their heart has become unfeeling... Let the presumptuous ones be ashamed
...(Proverbs 11:27) He that is looking for good will keep seeking goodwill; but as for the one searching for bad, it will come upon him.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/

Answer 2

Wrongs can be different between cultures and can change over time. Some cultures believe that certain food must be prepared in a certain way and it is wrong to do otherwise. That wrong my have evolved before refrigeration was available and so may no longer be applicable. Even so, there will be some who follow the tradition just because it worked for prior generations. For people who believed in the necessity for racial purity some people it was wrong to have integrated schools, shared restaurants and bathrooms. For people who believed in male superiority, it used to be wrong for women to expect equal pay. For populations that were dying because of disease or loss of life in war and natural disaster, one can imagine that homosexuality was discouraged because it diverted sexual energy from reproduction. I suspect that if you check the 10 Commandments you will find that each was described to discourage actions that tended to have bad results for those societies at that time and probably still does. In many cases, just as you have described and to the developed world of the 21st century, these bad results appear quite logical. In Biblical times, only a few understood the logic or had the wisdom. Moses was very wise indeed and knew that the long suffering Tribes would never have believed he could personally have such wisdom but if he described these as the words of God, well . . . . . .

Answer 3

Try asking just one darn question per "Question".
Thanks.

1) She is probably more accurate about the scriptural truth than you are.
I'm not a Christian, but I find that Witnesses know more about the original intent of the scriptures than do any other christians.

2) It is called a christmas bonus, even if you are working for atheists, as I have done in the past. So, it isn't necessarily about christmas, but about employee compensation.
Witnesses deserve the bonus as much as the folks of other superstition systems.

3) The coworker probably shouldn't have been mean about the issue, if she actually was (and you aren't exaggerating.)

4) Try enjoying the debate. Debating Witnesses is great fun.

Answer 4

Hi, I'm one of Jehovah's. And she knows she shouldn't have insulted you guys just because you celebrate christmas. She has to respect you, and must not force you into our beliefs. In name of all our association, please forgive her. We can accept certain gifts only from people we really know and that person must be willing to give you that present not because it's Christmas, but because they care about you. Tell her to look in the book "What does the bible really teach?" in chapter 16, paragraph 13. and she might understand what she did. It wasn't wrong what you did.

Answer 5

You were not wrong in standing up for yourself. Depends on the attitude you had when you questioned her about the bonus whether you were in the right or not. If it was a calm questioning attitude then no you were in the right completely. But if you were angry and just putting her beliefs down then yes you were in the wrong. .

I am not suggesting that you get into a biblical debate with your coworker but sometime calmly and in a questioning way ask her why she believes it wrong to take gifts on a birthday when Jesus himself took gifts from the wise men of frankincense, gold, and mirth. That is in their bible as well as yours.

Answer 6

No I think you were totally right for saying what you did. If she is going to continually put you and you other coworkers down for your beliefs and she says that you are wrong for believing what you do, then you are right. She is being hypocritical by accepting all of the perks that you get for holidays she doesn't celebrate.

Answer 7

no you should of not shut up i think you had a really good point if she dosen't believe in our holidays and feels that strongly about it then return the gift she's a hypocrite and just because she benefits from our beliefs she's just a phoney she shouldn't receive the bonus for some thing that she dosen't appreciate where it comes from.

Answer 8

She wasn't putting you down although that is what it felt like to you. There are a lot of good reasons for not celebrating Christmas. I suspect she only wanted to explain why she is abstaining from the celebration.

Regarding accepting a bonus, it is usually regarded as a year end bonus for work well done, rather than a religious gift. She can accept it or not depending on her conscience. Some Jehovah's Witnesses refuse the bonus solely because of people who think like you do. She has holy days too, but because they are not recognized she wouldn't receive anything, even days off.

Answer 9

Whoever said everyone has a right to say what they want is full of crap.

First Amendment rights stop at the office.

First, do not ever debate with someone like this. You only sacrifice your rights under law when you do this.

Second, Ask her once politely to not discuss her religous beliefs around you. No other words. No snotty tone in your voice. No sarcastic looks. Just a pleasant request as if you were asking your grandma to pass the salt at dinner. Notify your employer in a nice and NOT complaining tone. Tell him/her that you just wanted to inform them of the request you've made.

Third, if she EVER speaks of her beliefs around you again, you must notify your employer immediately. Again, nice, cordial presence. Do not ever tell the person you are complaining to the boss. Don't even let them wonder if you are. Explain to your boss that you have asked once and now you feel harassed. It is their obligation to prevent this from happening to you. You are protected under law. If you ask someone once to not be offensive and they do it again, whether on purpose or accident, it is harassment.

Stand up for yourself now or be forever walked upon.

Answer 10

I am a very religious person, but I don't believe you should shove your religion down others throats! I think that you had a great response to her comments! I mean it's true, if you think the holiday is so horrible why take the benefits. It's not like she'd be penalized for her beliefs, she'd be giving them up freely. And if she wants those benefits, then she shouldn't say anything about the holiday at all because she's receiving free money from it!!