Is it inappropriate for a Christian to participate in Black Friday?

[Jack Ryan]

I see Black Friday witnessing is now a thing... and more appropriate for true Christians who aren't out showing materialistic greed.

[Jack Ryan]

This is how TRUE Christian JW's celebrate Black Friday -

 

[Baruq JW]

JW.ORG SPECIAL OFFERT FOR BLACK FRIDAY:

IF YOU GET BAPTISED BEFORE MIDNIGHT, 50% OF ETERNAL LIFE MORE

DO NOT MISS IT

[She]

12 hours ago, Jack Ryan said:

This is how TRUE Christian JW's celebrate Black Friday -

 

 

[The Librarian]

I get your point.... this video I just saw on FB says something similar...

BUT what can a person do? Stop shopping altogether?

Maybe this is why Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

This topic makes one reconsider MANY things:

 

[JW Insider]

1 hour ago, The Librarian said:

This topic makes one reconsider MANY things:

I think that if we really understand the following point in the "Knowledge" book, true Christians need to treat EVERY DAY AS BLACK FRIDAY!!!

*** kl chap. 13 pp. 126-127 par. 17 Why Living a Godly Life Brings Happiness ***

• Of course, godly parents do not await a special day to show their children love. A 13-year-old Christian girl remarked: “My family and I have lots of fun. . . . I’m very close to my parents, and when other kids ask why I don’t celebrate holidays, I tell them that I celebrate every day.” Said a Christian youth aged 17: “In our house, gift-giving is all year long.” Greater happiness results when gifts are given spontaneously.

[JOHN BUTLER]

Looks to me like JW's have anti -holidays, so it's just as bad.  I've known JW's that will not eat a roast dinner on 25th December because they are frightened it will look like a Christmas dinner.   

As for pushing for a special effort on a stupid day, well it seems like a way of actually celebrating that day to me. It's like saying they know that day is special to people. 

And the Christmas day door to door witnessing is not a good thing. It's intrusive and rude. It's not wanted by people outside the JW org.  I did it once just to prove that i wasn't scared to do it, but it does not show love to people, it's just being 'pushy' to the extreme. 

 

[JW Insider]

40 minutes ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

As for pushing for a special effort on a stupid day, well it seems like a way of actually celebrating that day to me. It's like saying they know that day is special to people. 

Spot on! Bingo! Good point. I've always felt the same way about treating one day as all others vs treating one day as more important than others.

• (Romans 14:5) . . .One man judges one day as above another; another judges one day the same as all others;. . .

40 minutes ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

And the Christmas day door to door witnessing is not a good thing. It's intrusive and rude.

But not so much worse than the way Black Friday has already intruded on Thanksgiving dinners by starting it at 5:00pm on Thursday and going until 1AM, so that our local "Best Buy" didn't open up again until 8AM on Friday. (Which also reminds me that "Best Buy" was playing Christmas music for persons on hold as early as October 30th this year.)

[JOHN BUTLER]

34 minutes ago, JW Insider said:

Spot on! Bingo! Good point. I've always felt the same way about treating one day as all others vs treating one day as more important than others.

• (Romans 14:5) . . .One man judges one day as above another; another judges one day the same as all others;. . .

But not so much worse than the way Black Friday has already intruded on Thanksgiving dinners by starting it at 5:00pm on Thursday and going until 1AM, so that our local "Best Buy" didn't open up again until 8AM on Friday. (Which also reminds me that "Best Buy" was playing Christmas music for persons on hold as early as October 30th this year.)

Oh I'm so glad I'm an Englishman in England. Not proud to be English, just happy to have been born here and live here.  And living in the countryside Black Friday means nothing to me. My wife and i went to view an 'in house' auction yesterday, which we would do any day. It's so nice to have a simple life. 

[JW Insider]

54 minutes ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

Oh I'm so glad I'm an Englishman in England.

I hope you at least have a Thanksgiving celebration and a July 4th fireworks celebration!?!?!?

😉

[Evacuated]

2 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

the Christmas day door to door witnessing is not a good thing. It's intrusive and rude.

Probably in some of the more snooty or nationalistic areas of the UK that is quite right. In fact, many city Brits see it as a way of asserting national identity these days

.

Having been inner city most of my ministry time though, the multi-cultural mix makes for a whole different experience. Many don't see Christmas as particularly significant and it is just another day.

 

[JOHN BUTLER]

8 minutes ago, Outta Here said:

Probably in some of the more snooty or nationalistic areas of the UK that is quite right. In fact, many city Brits see it as a way of asserting national identity these days

.

Having been inner city most of my ministry time though, the multi-cultural mix makes for a whole different experience. Many don't see Christmas as particularly significant and it is just another day.

 

I think you have it a bit wrong there. 

British people, the working class ones, have to work almost 24/7 so don't get much rest and don't see their families often. 

The Christmas break is great for many families, as they are not working so can gather together for a big family happy time. 

They don't want to be talking religion on the door, they want to be having fun with their family. Talking religion is a serious matter, not just a casual natter. But they don't want to be serious at that time they want some fun time.  If you cannot see that then you are not showing love and consideration. And you probably don't understand British people either.