Different religions, different traditions

Different+religions%2C+different+traditions

Isaia Wilcoxen, Editor-in-Chief

As the holidays begin and people are participating in traditional festivities, a few students are remaining silent for the sake of their beliefs.

Senior Skylar Penyweit is a New Testament Christian, and does not participate in Christmas activities in order to remain true to her beliefs.

“My religion believes in remembering Jesus’s death and not his birth, because we celebrate his death every Sunday with communion,” Penyweit said.

Even in school activities such as choir she doesn’t compromise her religion, and is excused from certain songs that relate to Christmas or other holidays.

“When I was in Bella Voce, I felt kind of left out,” Penyweit said. “But I could work on other school work, so it wasn’t too bad.”

While being disengaged from class may not seem enjoyable, Penyweit isn’t alone.

“When I got into Music-N-Motion, it wasn’t as boring because I had Sheridan who sat out with me,” Penyweit said.

Senior Sheridan Smith is exempt from holiday songs as well.

“I honestly don’t care that I can’t sing most of the songs in Music-N-Motion. I am mostly just happy to be not doing anything in a class for once in my life,” Smith said. “I do enjoy watching the rest of the kids dance and sing Christmas songs.”

Smith is a Jehovah’s Witness, and has his own reasons for not participating in the holiday festivities.

“We believe that Jesus was born in the fall rather than the winter,” Smith said. “You can give gifts to loved ones any time of the year, not just one specific time.”

In addition to Christmas, Smith doesn’t celebrate other holidays as well.

“I also don’t celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter and the Fourth of July,” Smith said. “They each have their own reasoning.”

While Penyweit does not participate in Christmas activities, she does take part in other customs for her religion.

“I can only wear skirts, and I also can’t cut my hair,” Penyweit said.

According to Penyweit, the purpose for these practices is to stay true to her womanhood and purity.

“It tells us to dress like the manner of the women as old, referring to the Old Testament,” Penyweit said. “It also says how women must adorn themselves as women.”

Like Smith, sophomore Paige Morgan doesn’t celebrate holidays because she is a Jehovah’s Witness.

“There have been many recordings of birthday celebrations in the Bible that have ended badly, like someone getting beheaded or killed,” Morgan said. “This is mainly why we don’t celebrate birthdays, but each holiday has its own reasoning.”

Despite being dismissed from the holiday experience, Morgan said she doesn’t miss out.

“I get questioned a lot, ‘don’t you miss out on gifts?’ But I say no, because we can get gifts any time we want,” Paige said.

According to Morgan, her family participates in National Children’s Day where they all receive presents and spend time with each other.

“It’s really fun, and we get gifts just like people who celebrate Christmas,” Morgan said.

Despite not celebrating the holidays, Morgan said the meaning behind the season lives on throughout the year.

“The whole purpose of Christmas and the holidays is to appreciate the people and things around you,” Morgan said. “Why not do that every day?”