Venus and Serena William's mother in a Mother's Day commercial

Expanded-Mind

I think this is such a cute commercial! (link below) However, if Venus and Serena's mother is a loyal Witness, I am surprised that she would consent to do a Mother's Day commercial. We all know what they teach about celebrating this and so many other holidays. From the Reasoning from the Scriptures book:

"What is the origin of the practice of setting aside a day to honor mothers?

The Encyclopædia Britannica says: “A festival derived from the custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Formal mother worship, with ceremonies to Cybele, or Rhea, the Great Mother of the Gods, were performed on the Ides of March throughout Asia Minor.”—(1959), Vol. 15, p. 849.

I wonder if she would have been counseled about this. Or maybe it explains, to a degree, why Venus and Serena haven’t always adhered strictly to Watchtower precepts.

Has anyone heard anything?

ExpandedMind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MST1CBFotw

john.prestor

Serena Williams isn't a Jehovah's Witness in the sense that she never got baptized. So she can't get deprived or disfellowshipped no matter what she does.

ShirleyW

I haven't been to a mtg since the 80's so maybe things have changed, but if a sister consistently showed up at the meetings where an orange fright wig and heavy red lipstick wouldn't she be pulled into the back room for a little talk? OR maybe she would be left alone and just considered one of the crazy ones.

stillin

But this is the Mother that's in the Mother's Day commercial?! I am shocked! Absolutely SHOCKED!

Expanded-Mind

I also think I have read that Venus and Serena are not baptized and that their father was never a JW, but thought I had heard that their mother was an active JW. That's why I find it strange that she would do this type of ad.

Diogenesister

It’s the mother that’s the issue. Being a JW, how can she celebrate publicly an event witnesses believe is pagan, and at the same time her non-baptised daughter publicly claims they DO NOT celebrate a similarly non religious event also considered pagan.

what a confused family. Typical dubs imho.

sparky1

Maybe Michael Jackson's mother Katherine advised her that it was OK. The larger the check sent to Warwick, the less chance that any Elders in her hall will call her to account.

careful

"she be pulled into the back room for a little talk"—not to mention the bit o' cleavage! If anything, that would merit some "counsel", at least back in the days I was in. Maybe that's changed now too?

blondie

Serena's mother is a baptized jw and goes to meetings and out "in service" last I knew.

Listener

It's possible that she is no longer a JW. I imagine she has had a hard time over the years in regards to the activities of her daughters and something may have woken her up. I think Serena made it known that she wouldn't be having a birthday party for her daughter but then celebrated a 'special day' for her a little later. If so, it's a fantastic bit of activism since not celebrating Mothers Day is more ridiculous than not celebrating birthdays.

Venus and Serena William's mother in a Mother's Day commercial

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