Assistance needed on issue of birthdays

by Peacekeeper 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Honesty

  The Bible mentions only two birthdays, one of Pharaoh and the other of Herod Antipas. Each celebration was marred by an execution. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays because these observances have pagan origins and tend to exalt the ones having a birthday.—Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21-28.

  Gen 40:20-21 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a feast for all his servants. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker: he restored the chief cupbearer to his position as cupbearer, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand

  The Watchtower Society conveniently leaves out the part about the cupbearer being restored to his position because it would mess up their dogma.
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  Lady Liberty

  Dear Peacekeeper,

  WELCOME to the forum. This is a previous thread regarding birthdays. You may find some info here that helps you.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/119521/1.ashx

  Sincerely,

  Lady Liberty
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  AllAlongTheWatchtower

  From a slightly different perspective:

  http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Library.show/CT/ARTB/k/290

  http://www.thercg.org/articles/abcc.html

  Hopefully I haven't bored folks to death with the comparisons I often make between the WWCG and JWs. I can't help but see parallels between the two organizations though, and hopefully some lurkers might see those parallels as well, and realize the JWs are not the only ones with these authoritarian beliefs. So often the defense of 'the truth' is "we are the only ones with this message". Obviously not, the above links are to sites sponsored by various splinter sects of the WWCG, and the wording on the pages could practically be straight out of an Awake! pamphlet, minus the mentions of Armstrong, WWCG, etc.

  To those who can't be bothered to read them, I can summarize pretty well: Don't celebrate birthdays because they are pagan in origin, and promote self centeredness, and may lead to a lack of humility. I make no claims to know whether its done on purpose or not, but the end result and message is: be meek. And meek people are likely to do as they're told. Why, if you celebrate a birthday, you might get a little self-esteem...next thing you know, you won't want to listen to anybody. It certainly helps keep the rank and file downtrodden and obedient. On one of the above links, (the first one) the article actually mentions the concept of self esteem, and derides it, saying that instilling such a quality in children only serves to make them selfish.

  "Yet, is that not what is being pushed in our society today? A central premise in education and childrearing is instilling self-esteem in our youth, supposedly to give them confidence and motivation to succeed in life. There is no surer method to produce competition and strife!"...

  ..."A birthday party places all the attention on one individual, upon whom is bestowed attention, praise, honor and gifts. What a boost to the self-esteem! A young child, without wisdom and maturity, might come to expect—even demand—such attention, which could evolve into self-centeredness. Obviously, this could lead to grave, eternal consequences."
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  LovesDubs

  When Jehovah "CHOSE" the JWs as his "people" supposedly in 1918, they were CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS and they were CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS and they were SMOKING and they were GETTING DRUNK and doing all sorts of debauchery. So since all of the REST of humanity were also doing those same things, why would Jehovah have picked this particular group above all others? Well He didnt. Because then came the crusade by the Organization to vilify everything that made them the SAME as the rest of Christianity and a total debunking of all things that make Christians Christian. They took the scriptures and pulled them, as I like to say, like a condom over a bowling ball, to make them fit THEIR dogma, and thus eliminated ALL holidays, birthdays, smoking, (they conveniently left out drinking in excess...probably because of Drunk Judge Rutherford) and point the accusing finger at paganism and oh yeah "new light" having been given to them. Also down the toilet went Heaven, Hell, Souls, and the Trinity. whooooooooooooooooooooosh....the sound of toilets flushing in Brooklyn Heights.

  However they cannot justify celebrating WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES which are EXACTLY the same thing as BIRTHDAYS only they involve TWO people and condemn birthdays. And they cant say that the Bible "doesnt say anything about anniversaries and therefore they are ok" because the Bible doesnt say anything about the 4th of July either..or mothers day, in fact it says to HONOR your father and mother. Their logic is twisted and turned in on itself like a snake eating its tail.

  When they point to the DEATHS at those two birthday parties in the Bible as being the direct result of the BIRTHDAYS perhaps they are overlooking the fact that when the cupbearer died it proved he could prophesy and when John died it was the marking of the beginning of Jesus' coming into his position as Christ. But no..they just pull out of those scriptures like they always do, the SNIPPET that they could use to support their wacky position on holidays. Out of context.

  Also FYI, I dont thinking pointing at Jesus BIRTH gives credence to celebrating his birthday which is the ANNIVERSARY of his birth. The JWs dont have a problem with birth..they do baby showers and stuff...its the ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH they have a problem with. They do do anniversaries and they do do the anniversary of the Last Supper...so that whole annual celebration thing isnt past them either. However by the time the "wise men" got to where jesus was ...jesus was a CHILD and they STILL GAVE HIM GIFTS to CELEBRATE HIS BIRTH.

  So there.