I was watching a video and it got me thinking about this. We all know the type. The Jewish friend who comes over every year to ask if you have any leftover Easter ham. The Buddhist who everyone will brag saved them in the war. The Bahai who adheres to reincarnation instead of Heaven. The other day, I met a Muslim walking his pet pig. A match made in Heaven.
What’s the biggest deviation from the norm you’ve seen in someone of a certain religion who otherwise would show they genuinely believe in it?
Jehovah’s Witnesses tend to care a lot about the origins of certain social customs. Holding up your drink and doing a toast is forbidden, because it supposedly comes from ancient Greek religious customs.
They also don’t do yoga, because it comes from another ancient religious custom. However, acupuncture is allowed. You might find this puzzling, since that practice is just as rooted in ancient religious customs as yoga or any number of other things. Not only that, but yoga has some scientifically proven benefits (broadly speaking; it depends on the specific stretch you’re talking about, and some are dangerous) while acupuncture is no better than randomly sticking needles in people. In general, they are very hesitant to call out health care woo, and it’s led to a curious contradiction in this case.
Mind you, before I left over a decade ago, I knew quite a few JWs who were quietly doing yoga, anyway.