Alexis Olympia Ohanian turns 1 this week but there won’t be a party, according to mum Serena Williams.
According to METRO, Serena who is gearing up for her US Open revealed during a press conference that due to her religious beliefs, there won’t be a birthday celebration for Olympia.
She shared: “Olympia doesn’t celebrate birthdays. We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, so we don’t do that.”
The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a religious organisation who practice a non-trinitarian worship and avoid the celebration of certain “religious holidays” including Christmas, Easter as well as birthdays.
The belief is that these celebrations have pagan origin and practicing them is not an act of wholesome worship to God.
According to a Huffington Post report, Serena Williams and her sisters joined the faith after their mother converted in the early 1980s.
Your choice
I can understand when people say they don’t want to celebrate Christmas and Easter because of the pagan origins (although my stance is every day is a good day to thank God, regardless of how it started)… but I don’t understand when people don’t celebrate birthdays. Every new day should be a celebration of one’s existence. Every new week, every new month, quarter; half and full year, decade, silver, gold, platinum jubilee, etc….
anyway, we have enough denominations and rules in Christianity that working them out requires grace. Just as long as we all keep our eyes focussed on the cross, we will be okay.
“… I don’t understand why people don’t celebrate birthdays…”
Maybe you should have just googled the reason for the doctrine? Instead of all this pontification 😅
no pontification here. I am fully aware of why Jehovah’s witnesses don’t celebrate birthdays. Doesn’t mean I need to agree with (which is obviously what I meant by “understand”) it.
Serena the Ajeri! 😁
Hmmn! The day my friend who’s a witness celebrated her birthday back in secondary school, the school authorities called the police on us and arrested her and a couple of guys for being rowdy… and it was all made up! Chai! That’s the day I knew never to break the traditions of your doctrine! Very spooky stuff 😅😅
But it allows shaking booty in beyounce concert. Ok
To each their own jare Serena. Her baby is such a cutie patootie!!!
Okay. So no blood transfusion as well?
Serena, does your doctrine also encourage the type of wedding gown you wore during your wedding?
Wow!! I had no idea that Serena is Jehovah’s Witness. Truthfully I didn’t even think that she practiced any “religion”. I always assumed she was an atheist🤦🏾♀️ Nevertheless her daughter her choice!