*** lv chap. 13 pp. 144-159 Celebrations That Displease God ***
"Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord."-EPHESIANS 5:10.
Q1. What kind of people does Jehovah draw to himself, and why must they remain spiritually vigilant?"THE true worshipers," said Jesus, "will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him." (John 4:23) When Jehovah finds such individuals-as he found you-he draws them to himself and to his Son. (John 6:44) What an honor that is! Lovers of Bible truth, however, must "keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord," for Satan is a master of deception.-Ephesians 5:10; Revelation 12:9.
"Lovers of Bible truth, however, must "keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord" - yes only through the publications of the WTS, never questioning or investigating the alternative arguments!
Q2. Explain how Jehovah views those who try to fuse true religion with false.2 Consider what occurred near Mount Sinai when the Israelites asked Aaron to make them a god. Aaron acquiesced and made a golden calf but implied that it represented Jehovah. "There is a festival to Jehovah tomorrow," he said. Was Jehovah indifferent to this fusion of true religion and false? No. He had about three thousand idolaters put to death. (Exodus 32:1-6, 10, 28) The lesson? If we want to keep ourselves in God's love, we must "touch nothing unclean" and jealously guard the truth against any form of corruption.-Isaiah 52:11; Ezekiel 44:23; Galatians 5:9.
"...jealously guard the truth against any form of corruption."? How arrogant are there people? How many thousand JWs have died believing Watchtower "errors" according to present Watchtower "light"? Considering WTS doctrines and practices have been continually changing, how can one know for sure that tomorrows "truth" isn't today's "error"?
Q3, 4. Why should we pay close attention to Bible principles when examining popular customs and celebrations?3 Sadly, after the death of the apostles, who acted as a restraint against apostasy, so-called Christians who had no love of truth began to adopt pagan customs, celebrations, and "holy" days, which they dubbed Christian. (2 Thessalonians 2:7, 10) As you consider some of these celebrations, note how they reflect, not the spirit of God, but that of the world. Generally speaking, worldly celebrations have a common theme: They appeal to fleshly desires, and they promote false religious beliefs and spiritism-the hallmarks of "Babylon the Great." (Revelation 18:2-4, 23) Keep in mind, too, that Jehovah observed firsthand the disgusting pagan religious practices from which many popular customs originated. No doubt he finds such celebrations just as offensive today. Should not his view be what matters most to us?-2 John 6, 7.
[Footnote]
See the box "Should I Join in the Celebration?" on pages 148-9. A number of specific "holy" days and celebrations are listed in the Watch Tower Publications Index, published by Jehovah's Witnesses.
"...so-called Christians who had no love of truth began to adopt pagan customs, celebrations, and "holy" days". How embarrassing and hypocritical that the WTS does not condemn the following things of "pagan" origin:
1) Use of the names of days of the week and months of the year
2) Board games, like backgammon
3) Wedding rings
4) Wedding ring finger = superstition of vein in that finger leading to the heart
5) Bride carrying flowers = bride carrying herbs to ward off evil spirits
6) Wedding anniversaries
7) Bridal veil = veil protected marriage from bad luck so bad spirits couldn't enter the bride
8) Wedding kiss
9) Bridesmaids - meant to fool evil spirits when they came for the bride
10) Cutting of the wedding cake and feeding it to each other and saving the top layer for a year
11) Flower girl
12) Eye make-up - used to ward off evil spirits
13) Wind chimes - used to protect from evil spirits
14) The suit and tie
15) Shaving
16) Bread and wine = cakes and ale used for grounding energy after a pagan ceremony
17) red lip stick (allegedly invented to distinguish prostitutes from non-prostitutes)
18) Tombstones, coffins and "embalming" all have origins with Pagan cultures concerned with passing on to the afterlife
19) Dice - used by shamans and oracles as a fortune-telling device
"No doubt he finds such celebrations just as offensive today." Really? Are they adding to the Bible again? Who really are the "apostates", Christians who read the Bible and believe what it says or JWs who read the Watchtower publications giving the WTS interpretations of what the Bible says?
[Box/Picture on page 148, 149]
SHOULD I JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION?
Principle: "'Get out from among them, and separate yourselves,' says Jehovah, 'and quit touching the unclean thing'; 'and I will take you in.'"-2 Corinthians 6:17.
Some questions to ask yourself about a popular celebration or custom:
Does it clearly have roots in a false religious practice or teaching, including spiritism?-Isaiah 52:11; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Revelation 18:4.
Does it give undue honor or adulation to a human, an organization, or a national symbol?-Jeremiah 17:5-7; Acts 10:25, 26; 1 John 5:21.
Does it elevate one nation or ethnic group over another?-Acts 10:34, 35; 17:26.
Does it reflect "the spirit of the world," which works in opposition to God's holy spirit?-1 Corinthians 2:12; Ephesians 2:2.
Could my participation in it be a cause for stumbling?-Romans 14:21.
If I choose not to participate, how would I respectfully explain my reasons to others?-Romans 12:1, 2; Colossians 4:6.
The following scriptures may shed further light on questions about popular observances:
"[Unfaithful Israelites] went mingling with the nations and took up learning their works."-Psalm 106:35.
"The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much."-Luke 16:10.
"You are no part of the world."-John 15:19.
"You cannot be partaking of 'the table of Jehovah' and the table of demons."-1 Corinthians 10:21.
"The time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have worked out the will of the nations when you proceeded in deeds of loose conduct, lusts, excesses with wine, revelries, drinking matches, and illegal idolatries."-1 Peter 4:3.
4 As true Christians, we know that certain celebrations are not pleasing to Jehovah. But we need to be firmly determined in our heart to have absolutely nothing to do with them. A review of why Jehovah is displeased with such celebrations will strengthen our resolve to avoid anything that might hinder us from remaining in God's love.
How does the WTS know that "certain celebrations are not pleasing to Jehovah"? Where is the proof?
There are only two laws that Jesus left Christians with: Love God with a whole soul and your neighbour as yourself. That's it!
[Box on page 158, 159]
MAKING WISE DECISIONS
At times, situations may arise that test our love for Jehovah and our grasp of Bible principles. For example, a Christian's unbelieving marriage mate may invite him or her to have a meal with relatives on a worldly holiday. Some Christians may in good conscience accept; others may not. If a Christian does accept such an offer, his conduct should make it plain that he is not celebrating the holiday and that his visit is purely to enjoy a meal with relatives.
It would be prudent for a Christian to speak respectfully to his marriage mate in advance, explaining the embarrassment that might occur if the relatives share in holiday activities and the Witness declines. The unbelieving mate might decide to visit on another day.-1 Peter 3:15.
After hearing his wife's explanation, what if the husband of a Christian woman still insists that she accompany him? She might conclude that as head of the household, he has the responsibility to provide food for the family. (Colossians 3:18) In this case, the meal is at the home of his relatives. She may even be able to give a fine witness on that occasion. The food is not contaminated just because it is eaten on a worldly holiday. (1 Corinthians 8:8) The Christian might view it as a common meal and not join in any holiday greetings, songs, toasts, and so forth.
Another factor to be considered is the effect that sharing in such a meal might have on others. A Christian wife should take into account the possibility that others who learn of her visit with worldly relatives on that day might be stumbled.-1 Corinthians 8:9; 10:23, 24.
In addition, will the family pressure the Christian wife to compromise? The desire to avoid any embarrassment can exert a powerful influence! So it would be important to think the matter through in advance, taking all these factors into consideration, including, of course, her own Christian conscience.-Acts 24:16.
Should I Accept a Christmas Bonus?
During the Christmas season, a Christian's employer may offer a present or a bonus. Should the Christian reject such? Not necessarily. The employer may not even be thinking that by accepting the bonus the receiver is celebrating Christmas. The employer may simply be giving all his workers a share of the company's profits. Or the bonus may be evidence of his gratitude for services rendered all year long as well as a stimulus to continued good work. The employer may give a gift to all employees-Jews, Muslims, or others-regardless of whether they celebrate Christmas or not. So the mere timing of the gift or the name that may be associated with it does not necessarily rule out its acceptance by one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Even if the gift is given because of a religious holiday, that does not mean that the recipient is thought to share the religious view. A fellow worker or a relative may tell a Witness, "I know that you do not celebrate this holiday, but I still want you to have this as a gift from me." If the Christian's conscience would be at rest, he might choose to accept the gift and express thanks without any reference to the holiday. (Acts 23:1) Perhaps at a time when there will be less likelihood of causing offense, the Christian can tactfully explain his stand.
However, what if the one offering the gift has the clear intention of showing that the Christian is not firm in his beliefs or will compromise for material gain? Then it is definitely best to decline. To be sure, we want to render Jehovah God exclusive devotion.-Matthew 4:8-10.
Congregation "Bible Study" Comments - Week Commencing 23 November 2009
by LUKEWARM 3 Replies latest watchtower bible
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LUKEWARM
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WTWizard
They tell me not to celebrate Christmas--I will if I feel like it. And I do not give a f*** if it displeases that Almighty Lowlife Scumbag Jehovah. In fact, I have my apartment decorated, along with the hallway leading to the apartment. I also have more than 400 Christmas songs, many of them bought from iTunes, burned onto CD-Rs, and put onto mini discs so I can listen to them at work.
They can take their REJECT Jesus Party, the only "celebration(??)" they do, and shove it.
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sd-7
Does it give undue honor or adulation to a human, an organization, or a national symbol?-
Has it occurred to them that Witnesses give undue honor and adulation to 'the visible part of Jehovah's organization and its faithful slave'? Doesn't that pose far more of a threat than worrying about whether I should accept a Christmas bonus?
The problem with creating rules like this is that it inevitably requires you to create MORE rules to further define the rules you already created. And then you get scared to repeal these new rules because you'll look like an idiot for making them in the first place. Such is their dilemma.
Oh, did they mention that ex-communication used to be considered pagan? January 8, 1947 Awake, was it? And the spiritually freed captives of Babylon the Great continued practicing Babylonish Christmas for several years after being chosen by Christ. But in typical 1984 style, no past agreement with one's enemies can be acknowledged.
But....whatever. After all the preaching to 236 lands, the only thing most people know about JWs is what they don't celebrate. That's the only good news they seem to have--we're different and therefore better, peon Christian imitations. Prepare to die at Armageddon for not reading this magazine.
Keep yourselves in the ark, people. We are in the final part of the end of the last days.
SD-7
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insearchoftruth
Very well stated sd-7 and thanks again so much lukewarm.....my wife's study night is on Thursday, will be interesting to see if she goes.....at least due to this, I know what to expect!