Question for brides marrying someone of another religion

Have the wedding you want. If they care about the 2 of you, they will be there. If not, you saved money.

Jw have very strict religion, very very strict. Its not that they dont want to come its that they technically by religion can't. Marianne and Abryanna may I say something and please don't take this the wrong way! But must I say in their defense that if they are not invited to the "church" why are they not able to come to the "celebration" its kind of punishing them for their "god" and their "beliefs" and I dunno if thats fair?? I think you ladies should most definitely have your wedding the way you want it. But also keep in mind that the JW that do want to come that do care about you shouldn't be excluded because their beliefs are not like ours. (I am catholic) (FH is baptist) we chose a non religious ceremony in a venue vs a church ceremony. Plus catholic weddings are long and drawn out. But I think you ladies should think about what you want to do. My battle wasn't religion it was race so I can totally see the struggle your having. But anywho hope you guys can work it out

JW's don't believe in parties or holidays of any kind anyway, so it's not likely that they would show up to the reception anyway. Most JW's marry in a very private ceremony in the Kingdom Hall with only immediate family and the church present. There is no reception, wedding gowns, or frils.

It's not an issue of punishing them for their religion. I'm Pentecostal. There are a lot (and I mean a lot) of things I don't believe in that I seperate myself from.

However, there's difference between seperation due to religious beliefs and being plain stubborn and brainwashed. JW's are very unaccepting of those outside their religion.

It sounds to me like his family is trying to force you into doing things their way, and if that's the case, they deserve to be punished for acting so ignorant and mean.

I'm just gonna say this and be done with it, and forgive me if I sound rude, offensive, or mean...

If you refuse to come to a family function because someone who is NOT God Almighty told you that you are not allowed to associate with them (just because they don't fit into your cookie-cutter idea of what the "perfect religious person" should be) then in my mind, you are an ignorant, brainwashed twit who is not worthy of being called a Christian. Last I checked, Christianity is about love, acceptance, and tolerance. If you can't set aside your crazy, whacked out, non-Biblically based, man-made rules for the sake of your family, then to me, you aren't worth me wasting the money on. I speak from experience, because I have some family that has some radical views on the Pentecostal religion.

Here's some scripture for your FH's family to remember:

Galatians 5:22-23 (King James Version)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law

*steps off her religious soap box now*

LOL Kristina! @Jessica, their religion doesn't FORBID them from going, it's their choice to not go. That to me says they can't respect MY religion and sit through a 20 minute ceremony. We're not having a mass so it won't be "long and drawn out" like you mentioned.

Kristina... My cousin had a beautiful wedding that most of the family went to and she is JW. It wasn't in Kingdom Hall. My family that are JW's do come to our family parties, reunions, weddings, baby showers, and get togethers. The problem is just in the fact that if someone is JW and the get dismembered by the JW's, other active JW's can't associate with them. It's like they have been banished, and there lies in the problem.

My point exactly... Why in God's Holy name would you allow a MAN to tell you that you could not associate with family that GOD has given to you?

I'm sorry, but "disassociation," "excommunication," and all other forms of banishment from ANY church who claims to be Christian is of MAN and not GOD.

Christianity is not a religion. It's a chosen way of life. Part of that chosen way of life is LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, and TOLERANCE. How in the world do you expect someone to feel God's love if you shun them? (which mind you, is the exact OPPOSITE of what God tells us we should do in the Bible...)

We are called as followers of Christ to LOVE and NOT JUDGE...period. The Bible tells us to ponder things in our heart, pray about them, and love those whom we feel have trespassed against us. You show me scripture in the Bible (and I don't mean a Bible where half the scriptures have been ripped out and re-written to fit a man-made agenda) that says it's okay to shun anyone, and I will (cont)

Back off of my stance on the stupidity of man-made rules in a man-made church. Until then, my personal opinion will always be based on the Biblical principle that I am to love people no matter what they do, pray that God will change their heart, and show them God's love through me by accepting them for the person they are and never shunning them just because their views do not match my own or because they have stumbled in their walk with God. "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Some people in this world that live in their fantasy ivory towers need to remember this, including many high-ranking Christian leaders (not just those of the JW Church; and I use the term Christian very loosely to describe them.).

Oh man, I really don't want to pi$$ anyone off, but Christianity is a religion, because you choose to follow Christ and what he died for!

Honestly, I don't care what anyone follows in life, as long as they have faith in something, whatever that may be. I don't think we should bad mouth other religion choices on this site. This is not about Holy Wars.

It's about accomodating all people with all different religious beliefs in our families, at our weddings, and the stress it is causing on our families and in our planning.

I didn't mean for this to turn into a religious battle - I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings if something negative is said about their beliefs. One of the best things about being an American is that we have the right to choose what we believe. I'm not saying my religion is better than anyone else's, it's just how I was raised and what I believe. I only made my original post because I was looking for other brides in my same situation - how to deal with JW who won't come to a church for a ceremony. Sorry if any of this thread has offended anyone; it was certainly not my intent for it to become a battle of religions.

I didn't intend for it to become that either. I was merely expressing my personal feelings on someone using religion as a crutch for their really poor decision to not attend a child's wedding (which I thought was the point of the post). I don't mean to offend anyone and I certainly didn't intend to turn it into a religious battle either.

Amen! Let's let it rest..... Thanks for all your feedback and support!!!

It sounds like you're in a tough spot trying to balance your spiritual values and the dynamics with your fiancé’s family. Marriage is a beautiful union, and it’s understandable to want it to reflect your beliefs, but it’s also important to consider the harmony between both of you and your families. While your wish to marry in a church is valid, it’s also clear that your fiancé is trying to navigate a sensitive situation regarding his family's beliefs.

Perhaps a middle ground could be to find a venue or a ceremony that can hold spiritual significance for both of you without causing division. There are many non-denominational ceremonies or places that can be meaningful, even if it's not in a traditional church setting. It's not about sacrificing your wishes but finding a way to honor both your beliefs and family dynamics. What matters most is that you and your fiancé are united in this important step, creating a foundation of mutual respect and understanding, which will help foster harmony in your future together.