JW please help me to understand my new friend

[cantthinkofausername26]

I've got a lovely new friend, we have children the same age and they get on fabulously. My friend is a Jehovah's Witness. I understand she will not celebrate Christmas or birthdays but I'm nervous about offending her. For example, would it be weird to invite her to my house that's a Christmas grotto? How do I not leave her children out when DD gives out little gifts to her classmates at Christmas?

@Annony331

Careful, you’ll be attacked for posting correct and balanced info, that is based in fact.

I’ve watched for some time (hence the name change) the concerted efforts by some to mislead others about who JW’s are and how they live, using sensationalising sweeping statements that are untrue and twisting things and lies. Honestly, they seem far more extremist and evangelical than any JW I’ve ever met.

There are batshit unhinged families in all religions so the best thing to do is research them independently not from hearsay, especially if it’s very slanderous of the whole religion.

Aww shucks, do you think they could be a shill? 😂

Yes, they very much consider themselves Christian. The rest of Christianity doesn’t accept them as Christian, however, so they aren’t benefiting from the privilige of being part of established Christianity.

So anyone saying anything positive about the JW’s they know are brainwashed, about to be brainwashed etc and goaded. Nice one.

@Narkacist

They aren’t interested in being approved by other religions, they follow the Bible whereas other Christian’s follow pagan celebrations, fight and kill in wars etc.

I have researched them and other religions thoroughly.

Well since you raise the subject of antisemitism in JW we can talk about the Declaration Of Facts, if you like.

Lovely and JH do not go together. HTH.

@Annony331

Funny how they only changed the 2 wotness rule after being forced after the Royal Commission ruling.

What about the thousands of children who have suffered before they changed the rule. What do you say to those children???

To be fair, there are a lot of genuinely good and caring people who are JWs . My mother is given lots of support and care by her congregation and none of them are unpleasant people. It’s the organisation itself that is rotten.

My in laws are JWs in one of the largest congregations in Britain, and I know quite a few through them. DP left the faith when he left home after a childhood of isolation, and was shunned by literally everyone he'd ever known, for over a decade but has since tentatively resumed occasional contact. Anything else is 'too much' as we're not married, have had children out of wedlock and there are aspects of our -very ordinary- lives which falls outside what they feel comfortable with. There is always a sense from them, despite being friendly and generous, that it's a pity we're living 'outside the truth' and that they're sorry for us, as in the end (which is imminent) we, and their grandchildren, will suffer and miss out on eternal salvation. They're kind, decent people, but some of the most unwavering, steadfast idealogues I've ever encountered, and they're able to evidence every last aspect of their beliefs in scripture ‐there really is no glitch or chink anywhere in their faith. They go on the work, knocking doors every week, and are very alert to opportunities to evangelise in the community: MiL in particular has 'little chats' with lots of people she meets: her hair dresser, podiatrist, gardener, a manager at Iceland etc, and keeps details of their conversations in a little book in her handbag so she can recall them in subsequent chats and reference the Bible in relation to those people's particular situations.
Enjoy this new connection with open eyes and be very wary of being brought into the fold.

@MNHQ , why has my post of 15:31 been deleted?

It was quoting and agreeing with a post that is still up.

Yes to this.
Watch out.

Is the small gifts thing a whole class affair or sanctioned by the school?

They don’t see non believers as people, just as potential converts. My mother was once speaking to a fellow believer who was stuck at an airport. ‘Great ! A load of sitting ducks for you to get to work on’ she said. They are just seen as targets!

The teacher singled the child out for comment?

What kind of a school do your children attend, OP?

Theres no hatred toward JWs as individuals but there is rightful suspicion of the JW cult.

OP, I have no idea why you started this thread about your "lovely new friend" from a position of knowing nothing about the JWs and have then gone on to round on those giving a negative viewpoint from their own experience. I actually have less animus towards them than many because they were one of the few groups to put their faith before allegiance to Hitler, but that does not put them beyond criticism.

How about this testimony about the organisation, OP?

Are you willing to take this on board?

Child abuse is terrible where ever it happens, be that in the Catholic church, the church of England, the JW faith, in any setting or in the home.

Was it connected to the poster that accidentally outed the true nature of their beliefs and has now been removed from the thread?

You're mixing up your apples and your oranges here.

Alleged bigots allegedly hating a religious group isn't the same as hating individual people who happen to be members of that group.

Of course you can respect the choice of adults to believe what they want. You can do this wholeheartedly while at the same time believing deep within your heart of hearts that they are wrong.

Believing something about someone else's religious organisation is an absolute right, as you yourself have said.

There's a chasm of difference between watching and listening closely to avoid being sucked into something that could harm you and shunning people.

The JW aligned themselves with National Socialism on the 30s to try and avoid persecution. It didn't work. I hadn't heard of this until today, when a PP used some odd phrasing and I did a little research.

I should also add that DP definitely carries deep scars from his upbringing -the idea of being part of a chosen, persecuted and misunderstood group is like a blueprint which leaves those who have been brought up to believe this is true open to pathological isolation, depression and anxiety, even if, as in DPs case, he was definitely brought up as if they were all characters from the joyously abundant and colour-saturated front covers of The Watchtower.

There have been multiple suicides among the JW kids he grew up with; they're like these absences which don't get mentioned in the parents' circle.