Birthdays, ISOCF

by compound complex 35 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  sacolton

  Now, don't forget that the WTBT$ had to go and ruin the birthday of Jesus by saying the star of Bethlehem was Satan himself to lure the Magi and report to Herod to have Jesus killed. Isn't that a wonderful twist on scriptures?
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  compound complex

  There's so much to be said on this subject, I see! Thanks for your thoughts and for sharing your personal experiences.

  CoCo
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  compound complex

  In all this I am not advocating any of these celebrations. I simply believe that, viewed calmly and factually, they are matters of minor significance, never warranting the sense of superior righteousness produced by Witness abstention, and certainly never justifying the policy of disfellowshipment now in force. The mere fact that something is not condemned does not make it appealing. I am basically repelled by the shallowness and commercialism of many holidays. I have negative feelings about the practice of having a child "make a wish" while blowing out the candles (as is done in this country) since that fosters a superstitious view, or bringing in such fictions as Santa Claus. Yet I believe that for me to attribute such grave seriousness to these matters as though of life-and-death importance and to judge others on that basis would be to go beyond what Christian teaching authorizes. [ibid.]
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  OUTLAW

  Sacolton..I forgot that bit of the WBT$ twist on the story.....Satan uses the Star of Bethlehem,to help everyone find their way to the party!!..Does`nt that make Satan the good guy in all of this?..People and angels are celebrating the birth of Jesus..Satan is the only one giving directions,so people can get there!..LOL!!.......If you give WBT$ BS any thought at all,you can only laugh..LOL!!

  ...OUTLAW
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  OUTLAW

  CoCo..I think this a good thread..Peoples lives are ruined should they happen to celebrate something that is not WBT$ approved..The WBT$ erroneously uses the Bible,to back up they`re outrageous rules and policies..At great cost to the people they enforce them on..

  ...OUTLAW
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  sacolton

  Can't have a party without lights. Yeah, it's ridiculous how they can turn a beautiful scripture into something sinister, but hey, that's the WTBT$ for ya.
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  BabaYaga

  I'm with Outlaw! Sacolton... that is just too much...

  Can anyone who has the WT CD's find that tidbit about the star of Bethlehem being Satan's doing and post it here? I don't remember ever hearing this one at all... it's blowing my mind...
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  compound complex

  STAR, THE "STAR" SEEN BY ASTROLOGERS AFTER JESUS' BIRTH, Aid to Bible Understanding, page 1552:

  [...] None of such bodies [comets, meteors, supernovas] could logically 'have come to a stop where the young child was,' thereby identifying the one house in the village of Bethlehem where the child was found. It is also notable that only these pagan astrologers "saw" the star. Their condemned practice of astrology and the adverse results of their visit, placing in danger the life of the future Messiah, certainly allow for, and even make advisable, the consideration of their having been directed by a source adverse to God's purposes as relating to the promised Messiah.

  The paragraph concludes by declaring that Satan - the angel of light who effects lying signs and powerful works [including his causing a serpent to speak] - was capable of causing the astrologers to 'see' a starlike object that guided them first, not to Bethlehem, but to Jerusalem, where resided a mortal enemy of the promised Messiah.
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  BabaYaga

  Criminey!!! Thank you for that, Dear CoCo.
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  sacolton

  Look at this article in the July 1, 1985 Watchtower. On pages 16 & 17 it says "Who do you think provided the star that moved in the sky to guide the astrologers? Remember, the star did not guide them directly to Jesus in Bethlehem. Rather, they were led to Jerusalem where they came in touch with King Herod, who wanted to kill Jesus. And he would have done so if God had not stepped in and warned the astrologers not to tell Herod. It was God's enemy, Satan the Devil, who wanted Jesus killed, and he used that star to try to accomplish this purpose."

  Also, from "My Book of Bible Stories" (copied verbatim from CD-ROM)

  Who do you think made that new star to shine? Remember, the men first went to Jerusalem after seeing the star. Satan the Devil wanted to kill God's Son, and he knew that King Herod of Jerusalem would try to kill him. So Satan is the one who must have made that star shine.
  Matthew 2:1-23; Micah 5:2.

  There is a very logical explaination as to why the Magi went to Jerusalem first. They were looking for the Jewish Messiah and what better place to find him than Jerusalem ... the most logical choice. It is not because the star led them there. Obviously they knew something about the Jews and their religion because the Bible says that they knew that the star was connected with the long-awaited king of the Jews. If they were aware of the Jew's belief in a coming king, where do you think that they would look to find the king? Jerusalem was the logical choice as it was the capital city and had the throne of king Herod. As to why the Magi had a very important role is they brought expensive gifts to honor Jesus. These gifts were for a purpose (as God knew) to help Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt with Jesus. This was a financial provision given by God.