I feel so sad for JW kids. Not only are they growing up in a cult where they might die if they need a blood transfusion, they don’t even get birthday parties or Christmas presents. The latter, especially if they go to public school as many do, must be really psychologically taxing on a small child when every other kid in school is having birthday parties and talking about what they got for Christmas. I got it a little bit because I’m Jewish and we didn’t celebrate Christmas, so I definitely felt like an outcast at times. But at least I got Hanukkah presents and birthday parties and no one told me the world was going to end any day now (well, maybe by the Soviets nuking us, but that was a different anxiety).
Yeah my best friend was JW and it messed him up a bit. He got out of the church as soon as he could manage. I don’t think it was terribly abusive or anything and there were some nice people in their church, but they were strict on the rules and shunning. His parents did sidestep the no Christmas/birthday restriction by celebrating their wedding anniversary and giving the kids presents on that occasion.
I feel so sad for JW kids. Not only are they growing up in a cult where they might die if they need a blood transfusion, they don’t even get birthday parties or Christmas presents. The latter, especially if they go to public school as many do, must be really psychologically taxing on a small child when every other kid in school is having birthday parties and talking about what they got for Christmas. I got it a little bit because I’m Jewish and we didn’t celebrate Christmas, so I definitely felt like an outcast at times. But at least I got Hanukkah presents and birthday parties and no one told me the world was going to end any day now (well, maybe by the Soviets nuking us, but that was a different anxiety).
Yeah my best friend was JW and it messed him up a bit. He got out of the church as soon as he could manage. I don’t think it was terribly abusive or anything and there were some nice people in their church, but they were strict on the rules and shunning. His parents did sidestep the no Christmas/birthday restriction by celebrating their wedding anniversary and giving the kids presents on that occasion.