Inside Serena Williams’ Jehovah’s Witness religion: no oral sex, no birthday presents, forbidden from making friends with ‘others’ and believing Satan runs the world.
After the tennis star announced she won’t be celebrating her daughter’s birthday due to her faith, we take a closer look at the religion which bans oral sex and encourages members to make friends with only Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Recently, tennis ace Serena Williams stunned reporters at a press conference when she said she won’t be celebrating her daughter Olympia’s first birthday due to her Jehovah’s Witness faith.
“Olympia doesn’t celebrate birthdays,” the 39-year-old said, The Sun reports. “We’re Jehovah’s Witnesses, we don’t do that.” While for most of us our knowledge of Jehovah’s Witnesses is their frequent doorknocking to try and convert you, a surprising number of celebs — including Serena’s sister Venus and model Naomi Campbell — are followers or were raised in the faith.
And there are unusual rules members have to follow: They can’t have lifesaving blood transfusions, are unable to vote or date without chaperones being present — and are forbidden from having oral sex both in and out of marriage.
CELEBRITY FOLLOWERS GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR: Serena and sister Venus were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses by their mother Oracene Price, who converted to the religion in the 1980s. Serena has been more outspoken about the religion — which was started in the 1870s in the US — constantly thanking “Jehovah God” for her success as a tennis player.
In a recent Vogue interview she said: “Being a Jehovah’s Witness is important to me, but I’ve never really practised it and have been wanting to get into it. “Alexis [Serena’s husband] didn’t grow up going to any church, but he’s really receptive and even takes the lead. He puts my needs first.”
Legendary singer Prince, who passed away in April 2016, converted to the faith in 2001 following the death of his mother. He described his conversion as “a realisation. It’s like Morpheus and Neo in The Matrix”.
A committed Jehovah’s Witness to the end, a memorial for the star took place at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses near his Minnesota home to commemorate his life.
Canadian model Coco Rocha has opened up about her life as a devout Jehovah’s Witness saying “faith is everything” and despite her fame, she still preaches door-to-door.
“The whole purpose is to inform people. Some people think we’re a pushy religion, but if you’re not interested, just say so,” she told magazine Dujour.
Naomi Campbell’s mum Valerie is also a follower, telling Vogue: “I brought up Naomi as a Jehovah’s Witness, but she must choose her faith for herself. I do give her literature on the subject though when she asks for it.”
However, the model has not followed in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a believer.
Other A-list celebs, including Janet Jackson, Ja Rule and actor Michelle Rodriguez were raised in the faith as children, but no longer practise it.
