JW - "Birthdays have PAGAN origins, (allegedly!) so we have NOTHING to do with them."
Non-JW - "Names of DAYS & MONTHS have pagan origins as well. Do you have anything to do with THEM?"
10 years on and I’m still indoctrinated
by joe134cd 14 Replies latest jw experiences
-
-
TonusOH
I don't think I've ever celebrated my birthday. But when you never did something, you don't really miss it. And since my mom was (and still is) a 100% diehard, the only people we were around was other JWs. So I didn't even see other kids have birthday parties. When you don't know that you are missing something, you never miss it.
But yeah, stuff like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, those are a lot of fun now. I never went trick-or-treating and I am fine with that. I did enjoy getting to give kids candy once or twice, and my only regret about my house is that it's in an area where kids don't come by to trick or treat. The other holidays are really about getting together and having a big family/friends meal, and that is always a treat no matter the occasion.
And I enjoy getting gifts for close friends and receiving whatever oddity or knicknack they get for me. You can keep your once-a-year, watch-someone-else-partake "night of observance" or whatever it is. I'll enjoy myself, instead.
-
HappyDad
Same here Joe134cd,
Birthdays and other Holidays can come and go. They still don't mean much to me, but I abide by my daughter's wishes and buy presents and decorate with her.
I've been out 20 years and still find myself with some deep rooted, JW thinking that determines how I view situations or people. Will it ever be gone? Who knows? At least now, I'm able to recognize when this is happening, and I have to think hard before I open my mouth.
-
punkofnice
Although I don't really bother about Jobot laws anymore, I do forget birthdays and stuff. It's not that I don't want to celebrate, it's just that I never had as a born in.
I just forget is all. I have no childhood memories of these things so they feel a bit meaningless too.
-
DesirousOfChange
IMO, we have gotten too involved with birthdays since becoming POMO. While still PIMI with small kids (and not so small) we recognized their birthdays and did something special. We just didn't have the blow out parties, etc. Now though it seems we must do something "significant". We are all fortunate in our financial/material circumstances. For my wife & I, I think I can truly say there is nothing we desire (reasonable things that can be purchased) that we haven't already gone out and purchased. It's the same for all of our children and their families. So we struggle to find something "special" every birthday. Special and still equitable (can't favor one over the other). Personally, I'd rather go "all out" on those significant ones. THREE -0 FOUR-0 etc
ASFA Christmas, I still don't want any part of it. It's just blatant commercialization. Getting together since most everyone has the day off is great, but no one needs to piss away all that money for shit than no one wants.
As a JW kid, I always had gifts on or near by birthday. Just not "birthday presents". And I do not feel like I missed out on Christmas celebrations or other holidays. Especially since I was taught WHY they were "wrong". Of course I don't have any of those issues now, but the only thing important to me about holidays are 3- or 4-day weekends.