A Question For All The Jw's Out There!
Decorating By munecaneni Updated 6 Jan 2015 , 7:09pm by Ascencio100
Hi Jw's,
I apoligize if this seems if I am excluding people. I really am not meaning to, This is a very important personal question and I feel I cannot elaborate on what JW means. If you are one, you know. I really need to know if any sisters out there do cakes for celebrations. (Birthdays, holidays, etc.) I am going to be starting in a new bakery and I know I am going to have to do these cakes. My feeling is if I am not taking part in the celebration that it will be okay. It is a job and thats it. Am I right in thinking this way? Please sisters I really need advice and I am so embarrassed to go to the elders. I plan on opening my own bakery in about a year and I know the business wont survive without these potential clients. I really would like to know what your feelings are about this and if you do these cakes. Thank you so so so very much!!!!!
I am not myself JW, but I have a friend who is and I asked her (so I hope you don't mind hearing it from me or feel I'm intruding). She agrees with you that you are not celebrating these occasions, and as you said, it is just work. Therefore it really shouldn't be a problem and doesn't go against your faith.
Hope this helps, and I wish you good luck with your new business.
Thank you very much Pinkziab! That was very kind of you! I appreciate your kindness in asking some one this question for me!
I really would like to hear from others as well to get their opinion and see what they do in this situation.
Thank you!!! 
Im going to bump this to see if any others will help me with this.
TIA!
Please teach us members from other country what you mean by JW, maybe we have them here with another name
I'm not a JW, but here's my 2 cents...If this is something that you're really worried about, I'd just go to the elders and ask someone who can give you a definitive answer. I would think that it's a job like you said, but if it still makes you worried you should check.
I sent you a private message with my 2 cents... I felt more comfortable that way.
I was raised a JW so have some insight.
NOT a JW now...Christian, but that is beside the point.
I would think that the Elders would say you can't or shouldn't make any cakes that are holiday/birthday cakes...even if it is for a job. and your employer isn't going to say that is alright to only decorate the baby showers or anniversary cakes but you can be excused when it comes to all birthday cakes, Halloween cakes, Christmas cakes, ect. they pay you to decorate all the cakes.
And as a business owner, it is hard enough to be a small business and make enough to break even the first few years doing any and all cake order that comes in....if you eliminate over 90% of the orders because of religious beliefs, you can't make it.
As a business owner, and a Christian, there are times when in an instant I have to decide if I can morally do a cake that is being requested. I don't consult my pastor, but have to make a split decision based on my personal morals, beliefs, ect. If you own a bakery, and are producing Birthday cakes for example, it would look like you condoned celebrating birthdays.
I know that you were asking only for JW's insight, but hopefully this will help some way.
I was raised a JW so have some insight.
NOT a JW now...Christian, but that is beside the point.
I would think that the Elders would say you can't or shouldn't make any cakes that are holiday/birthday cakes...even if it is for a job. and your employer isn't going to say that is alright to only decorate the baby showers or anniversary cakes but you can be excused when it comes to all birthday cakes, Halloween cakes, Christmas cakes, ect. they pay you to decorate all the cakes.
And as a business owner, it is hard enough to be a small business and make enough to break even the first few years doing any and all cake order that comes in....if you eliminate over 90% of the orders because of religious beliefs, you can't make it.
As a business owner, and a Christian, there are times when in an instant I have to decide if I can morally do a cake that is being requested. I don't consult my pastor, but have to make a split decision based on my personal morals, beliefs, ect. If you own a bakery, and are producing Birthday cakes for example, it would look like you condoned celebrating birthdays.
I know that you were asking only for JW's insight, but hopefully this will help some way.
I was also raised as a JW. I'm not one anymore either. But I agree with the above. I'm fairly certain that they wouldn't condone making cakes like that because they would consider the cakes to be pagan.
I was raised a JW so have some insight.
NOT a JW now...Christian, but that is beside the point.
I would think that the Elders would say you can't or shouldn't make any cakes that are holiday/birthday cakes...even if it is for a job. and your employer isn't going to say that is alright to only decorate the baby showers or anniversary cakes but you can be excused when it comes to all birthday cakes, Halloween cakes, Christmas cakes, ect. they pay you to decorate all the cakes.
And as a business owner, it is hard enough to be a small business and make enough to break even the first few years doing any and all cake order that comes in....if you eliminate over 90% of the orders because of religious beliefs, you can't make it.
As a business owner, and a Christian, there are times when in an instant I have to decide if I can morally do a cake that is being requested. I don't consult my pastor, but have to make a split decision based on my personal morals, beliefs, ect. If you own a bakery, and are producing Birthday cakes for example, it would look like you condoned celebrating birthdays.
I know that you were asking only for JW's insight, but hopefully this will help some way.
I was also raised as a JW. I'm not one anymore either. But I agree with the above. I'm fairly certain that they wouldn't condone making cakes like that because they would consider the cakes to be pagan.
I was raised a JW and I'm currently a JW....the elders can't tell you what type of cakes you're able to make, it's a consious decision. My father is an elder and he doesn't have a problem w/it, he actually gives out my business card to his clients and people he meets. I've been baking cakes for years, but decided to learn how to decorate them, 97% of my business comes from non JW's. Which means I make all kinds of cakes..birthdays, showers and of course holiday cakes. But I can say the only one I won't make are Holloween cakes (to demonic).
If I was concerned w/what people say, I would've started, actually I had someone at the hall come up to me and ask me if I do the cakes above, I said yes, her response was "you really need to reconsider your hobby", my response was "If I opened a bakery, 100% of my business will be from non JW's, so do you really think I'm going to go out of business because of your consious?,needless to say she didn't have a response and left. This is something I've enjoy doing.
I'm very happy w/my new found hobby and frankly I don't care about what people thinks.
I just spoke to my future mother-in-law...A practicing JW (my fiance is no longer a JW but was raised as one). She says that if it is your job, it is perfectly acceptable! It is a conscious decision. Since you aren't celebrating it yourself, you are just providing a service then it is A-OK!
I am not a JW. However I do have a strange question. If you are opening your own bakery with a storefront/window have you considered the marketing aspect of it. If you have/choose to decorate based on that season/holiday/celebration will that affect your beliefs in any way. Your own bakery is definitely a wonderful step and I wish you the best of luck I was just curious if this would have any effect, or give you yet something else to worry about, in which case I truly appologize.
What if you were working in a department store or party store. Are you going to ring up the holiday items that are being sold? Of course you would! You wouldn't ring up the toilet paper but not the christmas tree lights! I agree that you should speak to the elders if at all concerned about this...........
Well, if you are questioning this, then there has to be some doubt to it. I do think it's a little double standard for your religion. Either practice celebrating birthdays or don't. You are a part of the celebration of the birthday no matter how you rationalize.
I work in a bakery. The owner is a Scientologist, the wedding consultant is Muslim, the 2 cake decorater's is Christian, and JW. I am Catholic.
Well, I asked my JW coworker and she said it does not bother her at all. She decorates Christmas cakes, Birthday cakes, wedding cakes, etc.
We even sell rum balls and rum cake. and it does not bother my Muslim coworker.
It is up to you.
I had a hard time to decide too, but it is different I do my business from my house, so I decide not to do any birthday cakes or holiday cakes. but if I had my own bakery that would be different, its a customer satisfaction, and you have to pay bills. I hope you make the right decision there is a article in the watchtower about it, ill find it and send it to you.
Veronica Ascencio
La Quinta CA
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