Six months ago I took a new job and have a new co-worker that I work very closely with because our duties overlap. I have gotten to know her pretty well and although she is a very sweet person, she is extremely religious. She is a member of a fundamentalist christian religion that has many similarities to the dubs. For example, the other day at lunch we saw some people reading the bible. She made a comment about the "sign of the times' and how we really need to study the bible because all of it's prophecies were coming true...etc. Fortunately my mouth was full of chicken so I just kept my head down.
However the most ridiculous thing happened the week of Halloween. Her church does not celebrate Halloween and she has never allowed her daughter to celebrate. A couple of months before Halloween I told her that my son was dressing up and we were taking him trick or treating. She told me very primly that her daughter would be going to a Fall Festival at their church. She told me that she had trained her daughter to tell the kids at school that they were all worshipping the Devil if they did Halloween. I just laughed and shrugged. The week of Halloween her daughter starts crying about not getting to go trick or treating. So my workmate decides to run to Wal-mart at lunch and by her some treats and put them in a nice bag and give them to her as a gift. She invites me to go along.
So get this..she does not want the bag to look like Halloween. No witches, pumpkins etc. I am standing in the middle of a Walmart looking for a gift bag with no occult-like images for a pseudo Halloween gift and I am no longer a JW. "Can I get a price tag on this seasonal, autumnal themed gift bag?" How the hell I got to that point in my life - I will never know. It was really funny, when I got home it hit me and I laughed hysterically!
One thing I have to say, knowing this lady, she is very smart - has a college degree and a fair amount of common sense - yet her religion is very real to her. I personally think her religion is about as wacko as the one I left behind and watching her has actually made me feel pretty good about myself. It's made me proud that I have changed so much and don't sound like her anymore, and it has also helped my self esteem as a reminder that even smart and balanced people can be pulled in by fanatical ideals. We are all just trying to find answers.
Not sure how our relationship will end up, we have already had some heated discussions related to our differing beliefs. However, she is willing to let me have my opinion even if it doesn't agree with hers, unlike the so called friends I have left behind. And fortunately she celebrates all other holidays!