To find this a little disturbing

[nonewnamesagain]

I appreciate I might be flamed for this, but a friend of mine from school is a Jehovah's Witness, and she has a very little boy. This popped up on my Facebook today that she had liked it, and it made me feel a little uneasy. For anyone that doesn't know it's a badge for her small child when attending the district conventions.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm fully accepting and appreciative of other's beliefs, but the 'indoctrination' of small children at these conventions is a little worrying to me. Or Aibu?

My friend and her family go to Spring Harvest every year. No special ties, but plenty of indoctrination!

Hmmm. Just taken my two (and their non-Unitarian friend!) to a 3 day Unitarian juniors weekend. Parents do what they think is the right thing for their kids. Your friend doesn't see "a very restricted lifestyle which cuts them off from society", but the best way to live a rewarding and moral life...

OP, this is no different to any other religious nonsense, it's all a load of rubbish when all is said and done. I'm v against the indoctrination of children into their parents' religion, it's all manner of wrong.

My best friend was raised as a JW and it's messed with her head no end.

I think any religion which cuts off those who leave, is very damaging.

Won't comment on indoctrination views other than to say you're not wrong!

However, almost all attendees of these conventions wear these badges. It's to show what area of the country/world they're from and can be used as conversation starters. They are also used to determine who is a witness (official badge, theme different every year) and who is just visiting (no badge, or not one that's official). They are given out for free by the congregations, and can be picked up for free at the convention itself, along with a plain plastic holder.
It's also a safety thing for the kids - the name and phone number of their parent is usually written on there, in case the child gets lost.
The tie and coloured badge holders are gimmicky things, not sold by the JW organisation itself. This will be a niche market the seller has copped on to. She may be a witness herself, although that's unlikely.

The convention itself will be very boring for children. However, they tend to spend the time sleeping, drawing, colouring in, playing with sticker books, eating sweets and walking up and down the corridors with their parents when they get too restless.

Trust me, the conventions are the least worrying aspect of the whole religion.

Compared with someone taking their child to church or mosque regularly but them being still able to participate in society with free will

But Muslims can't drink alcohol. And Catholics can't have sex before marriage. Those both interfere with living freely in modern society more than not celebrating birthdays, in my opinion!

etc.

Sorry OP but you are being discriminatory.

And it differs how from little skullcaps worn by Jewish boys?

Well, Jews don't go from door to door trying to convert people to their religion.

It is also a traditional religion, while JW are a Christian sect with a very particular interpretation of the bible.

But Muslims can't drink alcohol. And Catholics can't have sex before marriage. Those both interfere with living freely in modern society more than not celebrating birthdays, in my opinion!

Only in your opinion, though.

To a child who cannot decide to get out of the religion, birthday cakes and presents matter a lot more than alcohol and sex, both things in which a child should not be engaging anyway.

As an adult, I'd never again drink alcohol rather than not have birthdays.

Also, are they not also against blood transfusions? That ... interferes with continuing to stay alive a lot more than not drinking alcohol or having extramarital sex.

My point was really that restriction is part and parcel of growing up with religion. Moaning about one particular religion just because it's less ubiquitous doesn't make it okay.

I'm not religious myself, but don't see selling these items as any different from selling skull caps to Jewish boys or white dresses for Catholic girls First Holy Communion. Live and let live...It's a tie and name badge , not crack cocaine

*They always look fabulous when attending conventions locally. Very smart! And, I've never seen anyone looking oppressed as they leave the conference halls...To an outside observer, it looks like a whole load of people getting together with those of like mind and having a great time.

oh well if they look smart......

They always look fabulous when attending conventions locally. Very smart! And, I've never seen anyone looking oppressed as they leave the conference halls...

Looking opressed? What does that even mean? Bruises? Shackles? A Kippah? Sheitel? Tichel? Hijab?

Anyhow, I don't see why saying that one considers a certain cult (and therefore the indoctrination of children for it) to be especially problematic is "discriminatory". Religions are basically ideological concepts/ideas. As long as the OP doesn't discriminate against people because of their religion I don't see the issue...

I don't think going with a child to Unitarian Universalist services is the same as raising a child in the JW religion/cult.

Looking opressed? What does that even mean
Never seen anyone look miserable in any way. Everyone is happy. Its fine.

I dislike the JW religion for its evangelical stance, but the insistence that children miss out because of their beliefs around birthdays is crazy.

Personally I'm an atheist. But these aren't strange or offensive to me, i don't get why they bother you? They aren't harming the child and we all have our own choice of beliefs. We sometimes get JW giving us leaflets through the door, they posted me a great one once that although was religious made a lot of sense about coping with our feelings and life changes etc. I've always found them lovely too.

The only thing that bothers me about it is putting a kids name on them for all to see at a convention with lots of people they don't know!

Oh and JW's are allowed to dance, my Nan is a right mover!

It's a hideously damaging manipulative religion which destroys natural human relationships and wastes entire lives. And someone somewhere is making money...the society is very very rich. Check their land ownership in Pennsylvania and the treatment of the Spanish bethel when pension laws in Spain changed.

The ties and holders are kinda cute though.

Don't see the issue here.