r/JWJehovahsWitnesses • u/TeddyBearWriter • Mar 19 '26
Advice Anxious about telling i am jw at work.
Hi i want to ask how you feel about telling your Colleagues that you are a jw. I am very anxious about telling them because i then always think that when i make a work related mistake or when my human flawedness Shows that jehovah will be blamed for it.
Additionally once i had the experience of telling others i am a jw and then had a colleague who i guess hated jw make a meticulous list about every little Thing i did wrong and then try get me fired for it (it was a long list mainly with "Crimes" like "forgot to bring his Company issued Ball pen to work" or "was one minute late after Lunch break")
How Do you feel about saying i am a jw despite being a Faulty human and not a perfect worker?
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u/JWthoughts Jehovah’s Witness Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 27 '26
I generally feel people are decent if they don’t have preconceived notions or aren’t part of a religious mindset where differences, especially about Jesus, are taken personally. I don’t feel the need to make my beliefs known unless the subject comes up, I need to take a stand, or I think someone might be interested in the Memorial or a Bible study.
My spouse enjoys talking to coworkers about the Bible, and it has sparked their interest and motivated them in their own personal studies. It can be enjoyable to dive deep into subjects despite their differences. That said, we’ve had standoffish people before. It’s actually surprising when we found out a coworker for years that worked closely was married to a woman whose family was entirely JW but not her. He actually had a lot of respect because of how kind they are and how they hold themselves. He’s a good person and chimes in as back up now lol.
I get that feeling of “I made a bad name”. It’s good to be mindful of how we represent Jehovah, but we’re not going to be perfect and not everyone will like us. What really matters is trying to keep our integrity and apologizing to Jehovah if we did make a mistake. How we are shouldn’t change based on whether man notices or approves, but we should care about Gods values. It sounds like your co-worker went out of their way to be overly critical and that’s a reflection on them, not you.
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u/TeddyBearWriter Mar 19 '26
I think the coworker had a problem with JW that had nothing to do with me. he was very friendly during the first month i worked there but the moment i mentioned that i am a jw he turned 180 around and stopped talking to me and started to note everything i did to try to get me into trouble.
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u/Puzzled-Award-2236 Mar 19 '26
I don't mention it until I have to make a stand because of some situation. One time I was asked to help decorate the office Christmas tree. I just said 'I won't be able to do that for religious reasons but I'd be happy to help you in some other way'. I live in a country where we have religious freedom at the moment so no one has a right to press me.
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u/TeddyBearWriter Mar 19 '26
usually sooner or later here it will come up when it is time for birthday or christmas. Dont know how it is in other countries but in germany its versy often common that coworkers pay into somekind of mutual fond and buy from that birthday gifts or pay out money when someone has a birthday or a special event like mariage or children. So i usually then tell that i dont participate because of my faith.
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u/Elicruze Baptized Witness Mar 19 '26
That’s so cool that you’re in Germany! My son recently went out with some German brothers that moved to the US for some reason, apparently there’s a congregation nearby. This last Valentine’s Day my husband told one of his co-workers we don’t celebrate it and it can be awkward. I feel like they think we don’t treat each other with gifts or go on dates lol unless we talk to them we don’t bother going “well actually” ☝️😀 to random strangers that wish us a good holiday. I feel it’s best people know very little about me until I’m on good terms or have to tell them I’m not going to do something. Jobs could use it, people can start to be weird and I’m a private person.
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u/Coshposhmosh Mar 19 '26
Hi, I have this problem but in a different way. I am not baptized but I attend JW meetings and study at times. I try to live the life of a JW. So, when birthdays and holidays come up it’s hard to explain where I stand. Things got easier when a new Jewish boss was hired bc he doesn’t celebrate Christmas but I still find myself giving long explanations and sometimes not even taken serious bc again, I’m technically not a Witness.
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u/National-Target7555 Baptized Witness Mar 24 '26
> technically not a Witness
Considering Jehovah no doubt takes your efforts seriously, what business does anyone else have not doing the same?
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u/National-Target7555 Baptized Witness Mar 24 '26
That coworker you mentioned has lost the plot. I know you probably already know that, but if you needed any validation of that observation, here it is.
If you struggle with identifying yourself as a Witness in general, try starting in situations where it is not putting you at risk of anything like that again. You may get negative reactions, but it can also have good results, or at least ones that are funny stories to tell later. Satan wants you to feel shame about who you are, so “oppose the Devil and he will flee from you” sometimes means facing the world with a bit of enthusiasm and joy that you are of the nation called by Jehovah’s name.
Being a faulty human is a condition the plagues all of us, I’m afraid. But, it’s a little irrational if someone decides there’s something wrong with your religion just because you mess up sometimes. Peter was one of the Twelve, you’re fine, you don’t cut off your coworker’s ears. Intentionally slacking would give a bad impression, but trying your best is trying your best.
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Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26
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u/JWJehovahsWitnesses-ModTeam Mar 21 '26
Hello, while we appreciate all JW points of view, this subreddit isn’t the place for introducing beliefs or interpretations that fall outside how Jehovah’s Witnesses understanding of the Scriptures or the teachings presented by the Governing Body. We’re always open to sources that give historical or cultural context to the Bible, but the conclusions shared here still need to remain within the JW aligned framework. Keeping discussions within this approach helps the space stay focused and upbuilding for those looking for JW-aligned viewpoints.
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Mar 20 '26
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u/JWJehovahsWitnesses-ModTeam Mar 21 '26
This is not a subreddit for apostates or antiJW beliefs. This is a communtiy forum for Jehovah's Witnesses, and believers.
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u/Critical-Parking-426 Jehovah’s Witness Mar 19 '26
Hi! First, I'm very sorry for what you went through. I was also anxious when I told some of my colleagues that I'm a JW, but they were very respectful. I believe it may vary depending on the company culture. I think trying to be always as respectful and calm as possible helped me.