To be upset with dd1 teacher.

[lisad123]

I know this is likely to kick off because it's about religion, but hopefully it won't.

We a family we don't celebrate Xmas or birthdays ect. Both dds have been brought up this way and it's never been an issue to anyone (beside PIL but that's another thread)!

Dd1 is 9 and at Xmas her teacher kept making comments about Xmas being the most wonderful time ever, if you don't celebrate your missing out on something special and wonderful and no child should miss xmas. I let it wash as we were taking girls away over Xmas so dd1 wasn't fussed.

Yesterday, someone in her class was giving out birthday sweets. Dd1 refused as she knows we don't join in celebrating bdays. It's never been an issue, we have plently of sweets. Her teacher made a comment and told her it was ok, she should have one and I would never know! dd1 still refused and told me what teacher had said.
When she came out today she told me her teacher had put sweets in her tray, and told her they weren't bday sweets so she could eat them.
Now Friday is the only day we have sweets because she is a sugar addict and gets ratty and obsessive if we allow too many sweets.

So I spoke to the teacher and he said he felt sorry for her and didn't think it was fair. I explained that I understand that but this is our choice and he told me in future he would try not to say anything but he did feel sorry for her
She wants for nothing and I'm very proud of her for standing up so well to her beliefs.

I'm wondering if she was a religion that didn't eat meat if he would have such a problem.

So am I unreasonable to be upset with him?

I really want a Witness to answer the question I put earlier. Your child needs a blood transfusion or she will die. No question- she will die. Do you let her die?

I believe that the Dr's would over rule now as they have the duty of care and the courts would be on their side.

No, you do not let her die.

You tell the doctors you are a JW and that from your knowledge of the Bible, taking blood would be wrong.

You tell them though that any bloodless intervention would be allowed and you do NOT want your child to die.

The doctors would then either

1. Make the child a ward of court and give them a blood transfusion

or

1. Give the child bloodless transfusion or a blood expander and the child would survive.

It is not as simple as saying 'You let your children die because you do not give them blood. You make a stand for what you believe in.

seeker, I know my parents had discussed this (alone, with elders and with me) prior to me having major surgery at 12. Thankfully we never found out if they really would've let me die rather than give the transfusion, but I went in for that operation in the firm belief that if blood was my only chance I was a goner! I accepted it without question too, and don't remember feeling afraid at all. Receiving blood really is that unacceptable to them.

These days however, there are so many alternatives to blood products that the likelihood of a JW dying because of this issue is rare, although it does happen. Although I now have nothing to do with the faith, in my job I often come into contact with JWs who may need an alternative in an emergency, and also with junior doctors who try to bully them into blood because of a lack of understanding of both the JW stance and the alternatives. I've undertaken extra training to help me advocate for the JWs who find themselves in this position, although I never tell them I used to be a JW myself.

seeker One of my late mother's distant relatives who married into a JW family and took on the faith was in that position talking thirty years ago and his wife born and bred JW would have let her child die rather than accept blood. He though signed the consent forms and the child lived but the marriage didn't survive although I don't think they ever divorced but the lived apart.

The reason that cults discourage education is because knowledge is power. Pretty much the same reason as to why cult members shouldn't post on internet forums. It is much harder to control you when you encounter outsiders.

JWs may comfort themselves with their door-knocking, but they very politely withdraw when they are requested to be apologists.

The reason that cults discourage education is because knowledge is power.

More rubbish spouted Davida

JW's do not discourage further education. I know teachers, doctors, lawyers, brain surgeons, company directors who are all JW's.

And a few famous musicians!!

"Diddl, they go door to door as they believe it is their responsibility to give each and every person the information they need to make an informed decision, the outcome of which will determine whether they have everlasting life in an earthly paradise (as they see it). They know this is largely unpopular, and expect and accept ridicule and villification, seeing it as worth enduring to prevent anyone not getting the information they need to choose everlasting life."

Wonder why they don´t advertise/hold meetings so that people who are interested can go if they wish.

I hate the intrusiveness of doorknocking and the insistance when you say no thanks.

Gossip- so you make a stand for what you believe in secure in the knowledge thwt the system will take the decision out of your hands and your child will survive.

That's what I was wondering seeker

I wonder how many JW parents are sat there praying their child will be made a ward of court rather than being left to die because they don't have the bollocks to give permission for a transfusion themselves.

A lot of men worked as window cleaners in our congregation, a few of them ran a window round together. It meant they could also earn money while ensuring their hours of work never intefered with the needs of the congregation

It gives them a good excuse to knock on the door too I expect..

"that will be £5 for the windows love, and heres a free copy of the Watchtower"

diddl, they do hold meeetings etc and anyone is welcome.

If the OP used the real canon of scripture rather than the one made up in recent times, she would know that 'when you fast' (ie not eating sweets when they are given because of an innocent child's birthday), you do so privately and without fuss.

Anything people don't do because of religious prohibition is between them an God, not between them and other people. They have to keep any offense or pain to themselves and deal with it through prayer.

That is what the bible teaches.

There are similar teachings for when you are persecuted because of your faith.

Practically a definition of hypocracy!

Davida, do you think you could explain that a different way, I didn't really understand your point? Not being facetious, I'm genuinely interested in the debate!

The numbers of JWs are small, and therefore then number of JW children requiring blood transfusions is mercifully small, but there are plenty of news reports of these children becoming wards of court. Just like Abraham and Isaac, God intervened, and the courts were his hands and feet :). Thanks be to God.

"diddl, they do hold meetings etc and anyone is welcome."

Well, I never knew that.

I certainly have never seen anything about them.

Which point, feather. I have made several :). I am very happy to clarify. :)

In your post at 19.14?

Right. So it's against your religion to have a blood transfusion. God doesn't approve. Your child will die without a blood transfusion. You pray. Your child is made a ward of court through Divine Intervention. Has blood transfusion and survives. God made this happen by answering your prayer. Praise be to God.

See Seeker thar's my point. Im agreeing with you, its the side-stepping and self-imposed exemption clauses that i take issue with.

i know of a situ where family member needed blood transfusion. JW member stepped back to enable non-JW give authority for transfusion. Therefore removing possibility of decision being attributed to JW member.

I also know (ssame family) where members would buy newer versions of same car, in same colour - to reduce likelhood of being rumbled for being lavish.

I could go on and on, but wont. Have problem with behaviours in name of religion, when its individual action and not 'set in religion' at all.

x-post with Seeker 19:31 - LOLOLOL! but that's about it in a nutshell, it seems.

Just like when God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, then at the last minute, just before the boy died, god said "Hang on a minute, that was just a test- I didn't mean it- sacrifice this ram instead".Hallelujah, God saved isaac's life. A blessed miracle. Pah!

diddl, find where your local kingdom hall is, and what times the meetings are. from memory, either sunday morning or afternoon, depending if its a shared hall with another congreation.

there are other meetings midweek but i cant recall when/where they would be, as i left 14 years ago.

Fascinating thread.

Can somebody tell me how JW's view homosexuality, please?