QUESTIONS FROM READERS----CHECK THIS OUT! (page 5)

Justitia Themis

I do not see how this scripture supports their claim.

(Exodus 23:2-3) 2 You must not follow after the crowd for evil ends; and you must not testify over a controversy so as to turn aside with the crowd in order to pervert justice. 3. . .

Justitia

LittleToe

They are straining out the gnat and gulping down the camel again, I see...

BrutusMaximus:
I'll see your "BOLLOX" and raise you two

I've thusfar managed to avoid wet and windy Scotland for a whole month. I'll be back on Saturday though, so I hope the wind subsides for the planes

Justitia Themis

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w681/1pp.31-32QuestionsFromReaders***

Questions

FromReaders

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IsitproperforChristiansto"drinkatoast"whentheygettogether?—M.D.,U.S.A.

In some lands, when acquaintances are about to part, they have a parting drink of some alcoholic beverage, with glasses raised and touched together and accompanied with an expression of ‘to your health’ or something similar. At wedding receptions frequently a toast is similarly offered to the health and happiness of the newlyweds. Understandably, some have questioned whether it would be Scripturally proper for Christians to share in such toasts.

Certainly there is nothing wrong with a Christian’s wishing a friend happiness and good health. Nor would it be improper to do so as a group. The spiritually older men in the first century concluded a letter to the Christian congregations with an expression meaning, essentially, "Good health to you!"—Acts 15:29.

But is that all there is to "toasting"? Why do the toasters raise their glasses, or lift their mugs and clink them together? Is it in imitation of some custom? Note what TheEncyclopædiaBritannica, 11 th Ed., Volume 13, page 121, says:

"The custom of drinking ‘health’ to the living is most probably derived from the ancient religious rite of drinking to the gods and the dead. The Greeks and Romans at meals poured out libations to their gods, and at ceremonial banquets drank to them and to the dead." Then, after showing how such pagan customs survived among Scandinavian and Teutonic peoples, this reference work adds: "Intimately associated with these quasi-sacrificial drinking customs must have been the drinking to the health of living men."

When most people join in a "toast" they probably do not imagine that they might be copying the custom of lifting up a libation or liquid sacrifice to pagan gods, yet that could be so. Without question, a faithful Christian would not share in an actual pagan sacrifice, realizing that "you cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons." (1 Cor. 10:21) A mature Christian would also avoid even imitating false religious rituals. This spiritually mature course would please Jehovah. Remember, God specifically warned the Israelites against copying religious practices of the pagan nations round about them.—Lev. 19:27; 21:5.

If a Christian is going to make a request for divine blessing on another, then an appropriate way to do that is through heartfelt prayer to God, not by following traditions based on pagan worship that Jehovah abhors.—Phil. 1:9; 2 Cor. 1:11.

Customs and traditions abound all over the earth. If a mature Christian knew that a particular one was directly based on false religion, obviously he would avoid it. But not all customs are objectionable. Some may simply be local practices or etiquette without a false religious origin, such as greeting by shaking hands or bowing. (Gen. 23:7) Each individual can consider what he knows about a particular custom and his own motive with regard to it. Just why is he doing it? He might also ask himself, ‘Will doing this stumble others, or will people in the community link my actions with false religion?’ (1 Cor. 10:32, 33) No one else can serve as the conscience for a particular Christian; hence each one can think the matter over and make a decision so as to have a clear conscience.—Acts 23:1; 2 Cor. 1:12.

steve2

The JWs are notoriously inconsistent on most of their extreme stands: No to birthdays, but yes to wedding anniversaries (which are, by any other name, birthdays of marriages!); No to whole blood, but yes to parts of blood (which require way more donors!) No to toasting but yes to wedding rings (permanent reminders of paganism's ungodly influence !).

People who take an extreme stand against something eventually paint themselves into a corner: Pride prevents them from taking a less extreme stand - even if there are no compelling reasons for maintaining the extreme stand.

JWs are no different from extremists in other religions when they defend their extreme beliefs: Rationale is less important than reputation.

Mary

steve2 said: People who take an extreme stand against something eventually paint themselves into a corner: Pride prevents them from taking a less extreme stand - even if there are no compelling reasons for maintaining the extreme stand. JWs are no different from extremists in other religions when they defend their extreme beliefs: Rationale is less important than reputation.

It's interesting that you say that Steve, because page 28 of the very same WT has a article called "Why Avoid Extremes?"

steve2

It's interesting that you say that Steve, because page 28 of the very same WT has a article called "Why Avoid Extremes?"

JWs talking about avoiding extremes is a bit like a prostitute talking about avoiding sex: An undoubtedly worthy goal, but probably way too unattainable...

BrentR

I was washing some glasses last night and several of them clinked together, they even were under water so they did have liquid in them. I feel so dirty now. Does this make me one of "the bad people" ?

searching4truth

I couldn't even make it through the whole article without my gag reflex kicking in. Such crap. How do the writers not see the hypocrisy of their own statements.

AK - Jeff

Mary - did you notice the entire last paragraph, leading up to your highlighted portion, seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with the matter at hand - except that it states in so many words that Jehovah's witnesses must be different.

And of course, your WTF fits pretty well the final answer. Good reasons exist - but we will waste two pages not actually mentioning them.

I also wondered why they had to quote the January 1, 1968 Watchtower, quoting the Encyclopedia Britannica. May I insert another WTF there? Why not just quote the reference? Does it seem to add weight in the minds of this ignorant populace they address to know that it was quoted before, and so therefore "No matter how stupid the reasons were then, the fact that we quote ourselves quoting someone else 40 years ago makes this stupidity reasonable."

How in God's name did I subscribe to this drivell for so long?

Jeff

Balsam

LOL Thanks for sharing that I needed a good laugh and that made me laugh out loud. I was a JW for 30 years and don't recall anyone mentioning toasts. I must have been out to lunch. That is too funny apparently it has been a JW policy all the time I was in and didn't know it. LOL Pass me the peach snapps. LOL

QUESTIONS FROM READERS----CHECK THIS OUT!

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