Not celebrating birthdays or Christmas?

There are many, many reasons to object to the Witnesses. Lack of Christmas and birthday celebrations are the least of it.

If your work colleague is a Pioneer, she will spend substantial time on evangelism every month. It’s a weird pastime to those of us not involved in evangelical religions/cults, but it’s a huge part of their lives.

Going against the grain, I also think this is cruel.
Poor kids.
But then there’s lots about the JW religion that upsets me tbh - may not be nice of me to say that but letting loved ones die for lack of a blood transfusion is so sad.

@ErrolTheDragon

Sorry, I am here to speak up against some of the lies being spouted. You believe they’re a cult, that’s fine. I also think by your standards most religions would be classed as cults.

@ErrolTheDragon

Youre basically saying they’re a cult for believing in the Bible. You’re also saying Jesus was sus because he preached and told his followers to. He was hated and put to death for being different and actually following gods word and said in the Bible his followers would be different and gated too because actually being a true Christian and loving others, preaching and using the Bible as a guide to living is very unusual now.

You obviously don’t believe the Bible but it’s nice to respect others beliefs I think.

Theres something like 9 million JW’s worldwide, all living peacefully

Of course. Members (as opposed to founders and leaders) of cults/cultish groups are typically genuine good people, who sincerely believe they're helping make the world a better place or following the wishes of a higher power.

@Green777

Are you a JW by any chance???

I was raised JW and baptised in my teens due to parental and peer pressure. Got out in my early 20s. Parents still in.
Shunned by all my friends.

Maybe you should look up the Australian Royal Commission on child abuse in the JW religion where you can watch, yes watch one of the covering body lie under oath about their child abuse policy

Yes

I believe on behalf of kids though the hospitals will take the matter to court to force through treatment if it’s in the child’s best interests. Shame this use of resources is necessary because parents won’t do the right thing

Their cult status comes not from the basis of their religious beliefs (many cults are rooted in Christianity) but on the governing structure of their organisation.
Outsourcing the agency and decisions to the "anointed brothers still on earth" i.e. the guys at the top of the organisation, qualifies them as a cult. The leaders of the orgnisation dictate aspects of the follower's lives and monitor obedience to the extent that no other mainstream organised religion does. I am secular but I am still allowed contact with my Christian mother. JW practice shunning (albeit their denial of the fact, we have many accounts of people who were shunned).

@M340
Again you’re slandering.

No one gets shunned for opting out that’s a bare faced lie, I should know 😂

Shunned is when a baptised witness is sinning unrepentantly over and over, they’re removed from the congregation until they want to repent and come back. It’s a choice the person is making to not be a JW anymore.

Again the definition of cult doesn’t apply.

Abstaining from blood in their view is a direct command from God, as with other religions. Other religions also prohibit pork, alcohol, drugs. It would be extremely extremely rare nowadays for someone to die without blood, due to amazing medical advances.

They also don’t go away. I’ve sat in my house ignoring them and they stand at the door for 10/15 minutes. Sometimes they have kids with them, young boys being trailed around the doors dressed up in a suit and tie. I find it very sad, not least of all because I bet some people are nasty to them.

Jeaus was hated for following Gods word and said his follower would be hated for it too

That's a bit of a cultish trait too, of course, it's often quite illuminating which Christians quote it and which dont.

That's heartbreaking.. a 'good boy' present?

I've no words..

Families work in lots of different ways, it is not down to you to judge.

Lots of cultures don’t celebrate Christmas and Birthdays it doesn’t mean that the children are loosing out.

Yes, I've acquired quite a lot of knowledge of the Bible over 6 decades. Sheer arrogance of you to assume I haven't!

There’s no obligation to celebrate birthdays or Christmas but I feel sorry for any kids indoctrinated into an awful cult like JW

I worked in education for over 30 years and have had may JW children in the schools I have worked in. The last child was allowed to have a ‘good boy’ present, wrapped in plain paper, on the day we visited a farm for our Christmas trip. He could do all the activities except see Father Christmas, and had a great day.

Well shunning people who opt out, and forcing children to abide until they're 18 is being a cult.

Denying a child a life saving blood transfusion is down and out child abuse and neglect.

Cult definition; a group of people having beliefs or practices that are regarded by others as strange or sinister or as imposing excessive control over other members.

How is the above NOT that?

Lots of faiths don't celebrate Christmas tbh. Don't see the difference in that regard. Shame about birthdays, maybe they mark the occasion in other ways?

There are a lot of what I consider extreme in faiths, but it's not up to me to decide I'm right over someone else. As long as the children are safe and loved.

Er, as if anybody can't do that in addition to birthdays and Xmas.

@ErrolTheDragon

Im not sure if you have knowledge of the Bible, but what they do is follow it on preaching, abstaining from blood is a command, removing unrepentant sinners like adulterers from the congregation. All of those things are from the Bible and they endeavour to follow it

Jeaus was hated for following Gods word and said his follower would be hated for it too

Your opinions aren’t fact they’re based on your dislike and misunderstanding

@AreThereSomewhereIslands you are fabulous, thank you for sharing that.

I think it’s a shame from my perspective too, but you also don’t know what sources of joy and celebration people from other religions and cultures are experiencing because they aren’t things one experiences oneself. Children who celebrate Eid or Hanukkah probably find it sad that kids from other cultures don’t get to share those celebrations. Kids raised in the JW tradition perhaps find great joy and contentment in their religious affiliation and feel no loss of birthdays and Christmas.

I do really struggle with JWs not accepting certain medical care for their children on the basis of religion, for me that is a very grave and distressing concern.