anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

*to my friends--no, we're not thinking of converting!*

my DH's close friend converted to Jehovah's Witness when he got married. his wife was already a JW and they are raising their child JW.

i was just curious what it's like to go through your life celebrating holidays/birthdays and then do a complete change of pace. how would you describe your past and why you decided to convert?

this is for discussion only...please don't let this turn to drama! i'm really curious...DH and i have been talking about it for 2 days and we have completely different opinions on it.

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

The Jehovah Witness use to come to my neighborhood weekly. We lived just a block from them.... The nicest people but it's not for me....

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

I worked with a girl that is a JW and she was the nicest person. I often felt so bad when we had birthday cake in the office and she wouldnt participate. But she was also very informative about her religion. One day we were having a party for someone that was leaving and I said to her I dont know if this is something you do celebrate but wanted to let you know that....

and she was so sweet. she smiled and said yes that she will be apart of it. She told me that they do celebrate weddings and anniversaries and going away parties. Just not birthdays or holidays.

Actually she was such a character. She used to joke with all of us because she did not want to be apart of the drama so she would say "hey I dont eat the birthday cake"

As for converting I dont know anyone that has. I wouldnt convert, its not for me.

edited for grammer and spelling

Message edited 8/12/2007 7:28:24 PM.

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

One of my good friends at work is a JW. She kind of compensates for not celebrating bdays but making a REALLY big deal of her anniversary--November is HER MONTH and she frequently brings in food to celebrate or whatever...She's really great and doesn't push her beliefs on anyone. I always think it's kind of sad though that she always offers to stay behind when we go out for our holiday party or luncheon--we are all different religions in my office, so it's not like the emphasis is on the holiday, it's just a time to get together outside of the office, and I feel badly that she never gets to have that with us. She grew up a JW and married a JW. They are very active in the community.

Message edited 8/12/2007 8:09:11 PM.

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

There is a woman who has been coming to my home for almost 5 years now. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She brings me literature, we have Bible discussions and talk in general. She knows I will never convert and that I don't agree with everything she believes in. I do enjoy, however, seeing her. She is, truly, a kind, gracious individual.

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

I grew up in JW household and pretty much abandoned the religion as soon as I turned 18. I did not have a good experience.

I hope I don't offend anyone. They are very nice people, and I do believe that it kept me on the straight and narrow. However it can be a bit "cultish."

As for the holidays - I did feel a little left out during the holidays. Christmas and Halloween were especially rough.

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

I worked with a girl who was JW and I never understood that she didnt celebrate holidays or birthdays and never went to work parties yet when she got married she had a bridal shower

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

Posted by jellybean1420

I worked with a girl who was JW and I never understood that she didnt celebrate holidays or birthdays and never went to work parties yet when she got married she had a bridal shower

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

I work with a woman who is Jehovah's Witness and she was Catholic but converted. I agree with what others have said that she does celebrate weddings and baby showers but not birthdays and holidays. I have talked with her a lot about her beliefs and sometimes it surprises that the JW's are not really as extreme as I thought. I guess it is another one of those cases where there are people who are really extreme in any religion and the others get that reputation.

As far as the conversion process and not celebrating holidays, I think it is gradual thing. I think as they prepare to convert they are taught certain things and it starts to sink in and before long they stop celebrating. It isn't like one day they flip the switch and stop celebrating.

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

I went to school with a boy that grew up, until about the age of I want to say NINE, Catholic.

His Father became a JW and actually told his wife (my friend's Mom) that he was going to leave her if she did not convert along w/ the kids.

Now, of course, not everyone who is a JW is like that! But that was just the specific case I knew about. She confided in my Mother that she did not want to do it but felt that, with two children, it was better "for the kids" to just do what he wanted and not go through a Divorce. Very sad actually.

Anywho, it was just like SNAP one day Michael could no longer celebrate Christmas, his birthday no longer existed and the biggest deal for my school- the Halloween parade- where all the kids dressed up... He had to go and sit in the Library and read a book.

It must have been so hard for him- and he always seemed so sad. Then, in High School many years later- his Dad started to make him come around and try to recruit people door to door. It was hard on him then and he was, by some, teased.

I always knew what really happened behind the scenes with the Father threatening to leave the Mother because my Mom told me-- but I don't think Michael ever knew.

I don't think being a JW is a negative thing- AT ALL- they believe in what they do and as long as a person is a GOOD PERSON that is ALL that matters- regardless of Religion-- I just witnessed firsthand, how hard it was on a CHILD who is just a little boy... He was used to life being a certain way and it pretty much rocked his world.

That, I think, is the hardest part. Being a JW is not for me but I think the "traumatic" part comes when it happens to someone during the course of their life and not really by their choice. Meaning, a 20 year old who decides to convert is different than an 8 or 9 year old who is told "Christmas is done, You have no more birthday" etc.

I think that HAD to have really upset him and shook him to his core a little- I would guess.

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

My mothers 1st cousin's husband converted from Catholic to JW. She would not, nor let her kids convert. The hubby left her. When her oldest son got married, the father and his new wife stood outside the church, IMO he should have just showed up at the reception. At the reception, the priest made a blessing, everyone stood except the father and the new wife.

The father really put a strain on his relationship with his children, nothing short of disowning them

Re: anyone convert to Jehovah's Witness?

One of my sister's friends in HS converted when her mother converted - at about 18 years old. Her mother had just gone through a divorce, and I think the JW community is a very tight knit group that really can give alot of support to its members. I think the support of the community really helped her get through the tough time.

My sister's friend is very happy being a JW. She has since married the nicest guy who she met at a JW convention thing. I think for many people the knowledge that you have a strong religious community behind you is reassuring, and I think that is why she likes the religion so much (and she was always a very moral person on the straight and narrow, so keeping with the JW rules re: Drinking, etc. isn't hard for her).