Outlaw, what would we do without your humor to make a good point!
Why do Ex-JWs start celebrating pagan Christmas?
by DubR 221 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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TheSilence
Someone once started a thread asking for people's favorite Christmas memories. The following was the memory I shared and if you can read it and still not understand why I celebrate Christmas then I could not possibly explain it to you.
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My dad became a jw when I was 5, so I don't really remember before that. In my house since my dad was a witness and my mom was not, although we had to go to all the meetings do family study, etc., the choice was, in theory, ours as to whether we believed what we were taught and didn't celebrate or didn't believe and celebrated. In reality mom loved you no matter what you believed and dad's love was withheld if you didn't follow him. Not to mention as a kid 5 meetings a week is pretty good indoctrination. So I didn't celebrate until I was 13 when I told my dad I no longer believed in what the jw's taught (a very traumatic blowup occurred, it was great).
Anywho, that year I celebrated Christmas for the first time I could remember. In my family we do Christmas eve at my dad's parent's house, Christmas day with each other, and Christmas night with my mom's side of the family. So the first step for me was Christmas at my grandparents house where there were my grandparents, 5 aunts, 5 uncles, 18 grandchildren, and a few assorted step-grandchildren. So, quite a big to do.
My grandparents are devout Catholics and once my dad became a witness the relationship was always rocky. I seldom saw either side of my family as a witness, but especially not this one. And, as a witness and from my father, I was always told how judgemental worldly people were and all the other yadda yadda yadda that goes along with it.
I was terrified walking up the steps. Here I had stood all my life up until then saying that Christmas was wrong. And now here I was coming to celebrate. I just knew everyone was going to be secretly, or maybe not so secretly, judging me. I felt like a hypocrite. There was lead in my stomach walking up the stairs to go inside. Surely these people didn't want me intruding on their Christmas after I had refused to participate for so long. Fear and self loathing that I can't begin to put into words was all I felt, it was a really long walk up those stairs.
And then I walked in.
The atmosphere was the polar opposite of the fear I was feeling. It was warm and loving, happy and cheerful. Everyone hugged me and loved me and told me how happy they were I was there. I felt safe and accepted and loved. This was my family and, despite what I'd been taught and told, they loved me and wanted me to be happy no matter what I believed. I had so much fun opening gifts and, even more, watching the younger kids open gifts. And everyone just had fun together and laughed sang Christmas carols and... I don't know... they were a family.
It meant more to me than I can ever express and I wouldn't give up my family for anything.
I have great Christmas memories since then. Those where I've given a special gift, or the first Christmas I had nieces and nephews to spoil, or just sitting down to Christmas breakfast with my mom and my brother... but that first Christmas was the most powerful for me. To feel and see the love that my family was for the first time. That is my greatest Christmas memory.
Merry Christmas, everyone!!!
Jackie -
DubR
Outlaw again you are ANNOYING and have to have the last word. And your humor is not funny!!! When I first asked this question, it was to help me come to a choice of can I personally justify celebrating Christmas since im no longer a JW or not (even if I dont believe in the Bible anymore) . After reading over 20 posts that were justifications from people that were actually offended that someone asked why they celebrate a pagan religion....YOU ARE DARN RIGHT MY REASON FOR STARTING THIS THREAD CHANGED!! Like I said in an earlier post (you can find that post and repost it in quotes like you always do) I completely understand ones who said they dont care if its pagan or not, they are free to do it and its fun. That appealed to me. Then, there was post darn near condemning me of asking the question and that was not kool with me!! Or you can continue to take my post out of context if you have no life !!
So again your sarcasm is not funny, you are annoying; you will not get the last word!
Gayle, please stop lying to this guy lol!!!
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PSacramento
Pastor Russell had no issues with Christmas celebrations, nor did anyone in the WT up untill the 30's when Rutherford decided to "play God".
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jookbeard
dUBr , Outlaw is funny has has been making people laugh for far longer then you have
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DubR
PSacramento, do you not read the posts on previous pages before you make a blind point that doesn't need to be made? Pastor Russell was a false prophet, who cares what he thought!!! Who cares what JWs think!! They are a cult, you know that!! Take the time out to read ALL previous posts (at least by the originator of the thread) before you make a post!! Please
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OUTLAW
After reading over 20 posts that were justifications from people that were actually offended that someone asked why they celebrate a pagan religion....YOU ARE DARN RIGHT MY REASON FOR STARTING THIS
THREAD CHANGED!!
This is what you wrote after reading 6 posts..Not Over 20
Also do any go on and share the lie of Santa Clause to their little ones? That just seems messed up. This is the expression of most kids when they find out thats a lie..
DubR
Your caught in another Lie..
....................... ...OUTLAW
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Finally-Free
Pastor Russell was a false prophet, who cares what he thought!!! Who cares what JWs think!!
We can enlarge on this. Who cares what you think?
W
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DubR
This is MY THREAD that I started. Like I said before, I was looking for a way to justify celebrating Christmas (my wife asked me a couple of weeks ago to celebrate it with her family). Why the heck can't u accept that!! I dont win any presents (lol) lying to anyone!! There wasnt anything wrong with me asking about their kids being mad about Santa being real! This is a open forum I can ask whatever I want! Why cant you accept that I needed justification for celebrating Christmas and started a thread to convince MYSELF!!! Im sure you wouldn't call me a "lier" or say that Im "hiding behind bullshit" if you saw me in person, and THAT IS A FACT!! So I will continue to not take you seriously!!
jookbeard- I DONT CARE!! WTF do I care how long he has been making you laugh? Yall dating? He isn't funny to me. That dumb 1970's dog laughing he posts on all his dumb nonfunny (lol) post isnt funny and he is annoying TO ME!! Actually, if you aren't answering the question I started this thread for, you shouldnt even waste your time posting on this. Their were great answers to it as well as people who were offended because they celebrate a pagan holiday and tried to justify it!
DubR