by blondie 52 Replies latest jw friends
I wonder if they will be missing the meeting?
JW's give gifts on the celebration of a birth, hence a birthday present! My JW sister always buys her son a present on his birthday as she has stated to her it is a special day as she gave birth to a son
Did Mary and Joseph accept gifts when they had a son born called Jesus? Is there not a notation in the bible of JOB's special day?
Job and his children made a habit of recognizing and celebrating "his own day" or birthday.Jehovah allowed people to bring gifts to the baby/child because he was born.
So, there are two occasions that birthdays were celebrated by servants of Jehovah.
From Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pg. 319:
When Job's sons "held a banquet at the house of each one on his own day" it should not be supposed that they were celebrating their birthdays. (Job 1:4) "Day" in this verse translates the Hebrew word yohm and refers to a period of time from sunrise to sunset. On the other hand, "birthday" is a compound of the two Hebrew words yohm (day) and hul le' dheth. The distinction between "day" and one's birthday may be noted in Genesis 40:20, where both expressions appear: "Now on the third day [yohm] it turned out to be Pharoah's birthday [literally, "the day (yohm) of the birth (hul le' dheth) of Pharoah"]." So it is certain that Job 1:4 does not refer to a birthday, as is unquestionably the case at Genesis 40:20. It would seem that Job's seven sons held a family gathering (possibly a spring or harvest festival) and as the feasting made the week-long circuit, each son hosted the banquet in his own house "on his own day."
According to the Scriptures, the day the baby was born was usually one of rejoicing and thanksgiving on the part of the parents, and rightly so, for "look! Sons are an inheritance from Jehovah; the fruitage of the belly is a reward." (Ps 127:3; Jer 20:15; Lu 1:57, 58) However, there is no indication in the Scriptures that faithful worshipers of Jehovah ever indulged in the pagan practice of annually celebrating birthdays.
Sorry Lo-ru-hamah, the Borg has spoken.
I just got home from Sunday evening worship services at church. I stopped at Ruby Tuesday's with some friends (real ones; unconditional ones; non-JW's) for supper. One of them is in from his job this weekend. He lives in Clinton, TN and works in the Philadelphia area. He aksed me about Michael Jackson's mother celebrating his birthday and bringing him presents in brown paper bags. He said he couldn't believe that grown people were so afraid of their church that they had to try to hide that they were celebrating their kid's birthday. I told him that the JW's are not a church in the biblical sense. They are a demon cult and twist scriptures, kill people with their blood doctrine, keep people away from Jesus and thoroughly abuse their converts. He and everyone else at the table were a bit shocked that a former member would describe them in such glowing terms.
Kaput,
"There is no indication"
They don't necessarily know so they assume that they did not do it . But you know what happens when someone assumes something, they become the first three letters of the word.
Just because the Isrealites did or did not do something, does or does not make it right for us. They made a practice of worshipping false Gods even though they were God's chosen people. So, since the Isrealites made a practice of that should we follow that? Rachel stole an idol from her fathers house, making stealing and idol worship okay? There were also temple prostitutes, should we make a practice of that, I know quite a few witness sisters that would qualify? I know many JW's that have tattoos, should a person be expelled for that because the Isrealites did not make a practice of that? The Isrealites men made a practice of wearing dresses and beards, would it then be appropriate for JW's to run around in that manner? Also, the Isrealites practiced polygamy. In fact, King David, who was a man after Jehovah's own heart, practiced adultry, polygamy and murder. Do we then imitate his practices? Lot, a righteous man, had incestuous relations with both of his daughters, would that make it appropriate for fathers to impregnate their daughters? They also made the practice of stoning people, do we make a practice of that?
Our wedding ceremonies are steeped in pagan ritual, more so even than birthdays, yet JW's continue to observe many of these traditions. They, JW's, throw baby showers that are just like a birthday party, there are cakes, punch and gifts for the birth of a child. Is that not a birthday party? There are so many double standards for the JW's the hypocrasy is sickening.
Also, the society has translated things so that it suits their purpose. {I have seen other translations that translated the passage in Job as birthday.} As it has been shown over and over again on this sight. And, the Quotes site, that they were so scared of they sued the guy to remove it.
Like I said if it doesn't suit their purpose it isn't right. At least until next watchtower or maybe the next. But then again, they might decide to change it again after they changed it again after they changed it again, etc.etc.etc. So, long as it suits their purpose.
I know a brother who was d/fd for celebrating a birthday. What I don't know was whether it was his, his wife's or one of his children.
He has since been reinstated.
Like I said if it doesn't suit their purpose it isn't right. At least until next watchtower or maybe the next. But then again, they might decide to change it again after they changed it again after they changed it again, etc.etc.etc. So, long as it suits their purpose.
That's why there is "old light" and "new light".
The bottom line for me is where are the Witnesses 'Bible trained conscience(s)'? This is not the Christian freedom spoken of by Paul and other NT writers. They load their oppinions - yes oppinions, on their fellow Christians and weigh them down like the Pharises did in Jesus day. Will they not be judged by Jesus as an individual? Or will the Govening body be present with each witness before Jesus? Its so madening and its making me fume!!
As Atlantis pointed out, the WTS celebrated its 100th with what appears to have been "pomp and circumstances". I remember at the time that I thought it was strange and hypocritical for the Society to bring that kind of attention to its 100 year mark, when we weren't supposed to recognize our own birthdays at all - it was a form of "creature worship" after all.
*** w94 7/15 p. 25 Birthday Celebrations Have Left a Trail of Death ***the Scriptures contain no indication that any of God’s faithful servants celebrated birthdays. The only two birthdays the Bible does mention were for rulers who were enemies of God.
Two = a "trail of death"?? Are they really serious??
They always very conveniently disregard and omit the mention of Job's sons celebrating their own "days" and Job was regarded as a righteous man. Where would his children have learned the custom of observing their "days" and celebrating them, if not from Job himself?
That's why there is "old light" and "new light".
I think that is quite amazing that you think that the holy spirit is so ignorant as to not get it right the first time.
*** w94 7/15 p. 25 Birthday Celebrations Have Left a Trail of Death *** the Scriptures contain no indication that any of God’s faithful servants celebrated birthdays
Ya, there's also "no indication" in the Scriptures that Adam and Eve had sex before they sinned either, or that they ever went to the bathroom. Should we assume then that they didn't do either?
In the Christian Greek Scriptures, which started to be written about 30 - 60 years after Jesus died (so anywhere from 60 C.E. - 90 C.E.), there's "no indication" that Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. that buried the towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii. Does that mean the event never happened? There's also "no indication" in the Scriptures that Julius Caesar landed in Briton in 55 B.C. Does that mean they didn't?
Just because something isn't mentioned in the bible, doesn't mean an event never happened. Just because the bible doesn't say anything about people celebrating their birthdays, doesn't mean they didn't. There's no record that anyone in the bible ever celebrated their wedding anniversary either-----yet Witnesses are allowed to do that today. Oh gee, doesn't that promote giving glory to a person instead of Jehovah?
Their reasoning are so stupid, it's beyond belief sometimes.
