Birthdays Okay -- if done by Fractions (page 2)

sacolton

I'm sure most mothers never forget the day you made her crown. You don't just forget pain like that.

"Oh, I remember the day you were born ... felt like I was giving birth to a basketball, but you were so beautiful!"

ItAintTrue: I feel honored that your 2nd post ever is on my thread. We all wish you the best and look forward to many more.

WtWizard: Amen on those Xmas things. Looks like Talmud (WatchtowerMud) will have to further define all these fractional elements to satisfy the masses, "I wonder what the WT says about that?"

Sir82: And they will have to consult with your wonderful fractional definitions. Very clever.

GaryNeal: I've been following your story and that upcoming event. Her baptism this coming Saturday? My heart goes out to you.

Sd7: Excellent sub-definitions. Indeed, where does it stop?

Sacolton: Good research on those versions of Job 1:4: Here is the NWT version . . .And his sons went and held a banquet at the house of each one on his own day; and they sent and invited their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

MrsJones5: "You know you're not (whatever age I'm to be that year) until 7:32pm". As they say in that commercial -- Priceless!

Mad Sweeney: I think they must reason that since they're not throwing a party, they're not beheading anyone ... I haven't heard that one before.

Sacolton: "Oh, I remember the day you were born ... felt like I was giving birth to a basketball, but you were so beautiful!" No, I didn't have the pain of that day but I remember what G looked like for the first 48 hours. He was purple and blue and we worried that the blood transfusion issue would rear its ugly head.

Oh, how evil and wicked we are, talking about these in fractions . And we must not forget, celebrating birthdays is a disfellowshipping offense.

Len

carla

I'm sorry for your situation with your son but I really like the idea of celebrating b-days as 'fractions'! Think I will borrow that sometime if I can manage to work it in a conversation somehow.

Jim_TX

I don't have an answer for you - other than a story that I can relate - from about 20 or so years ago.

I had faded - and quit going to JW meetings of any sort. The company that I worked at, hired a JW that was about my age - I had known him since we were both pre-teenagers. We were about the same age. Anyway - he was mister 'gungho JW'.

Where we worked would acknowledge birthdays - of those who wanted to - once a month - like on the second Wednesday of every month - for those that had a birthday for that month. Cake would be bought and brought into the conference room, where it was cut - and employees could get a slice. (Even tho I had faded, I never ate any... )

One Wednesday, I saw him beebopping out of the conference room - cake in hand - stuffing his gullet. I said "Oh. Is it okay to celebrate birthdays now?'

He - without missing a beat - replied, 'It's not birthday cake - it's just 'good cake'.' - and kept going on his way.

Sooooooo... Jws are able to justify what they want to do - no matter what they are told.

I suppose I could have made a point out of it - saying that he had 'stumbled' me... but I preferred to leave him - and those like him - alone. He was pretty annoying - if that makes sense.

Regards,

Jim TX

FatFreek 2005

Hi Jim,

BTW, I think I met you once at a fest in Dallas. Glad to hear your experience here. Your timing at meeting the "brother" was great and it created an unforgettable event -- indelible as a tattoo for you. Frankly, although he wouldn't admit it to you, I don't think he'll ever forget it either, placing it on his back burner of growing doctrinal contradictions.

I think we'd all be laughing at all this if the Society had placed it as a "conscience matter", no-beheadings level -- you know, a venial sin. Instead, the punitive measure is disallows, therefore a mortal sin.

Len

Jim_TX

"BTW, I think I met you once at a fest in Dallas. Glad to hear your experience here. Your timing at meeting the "brother" was great and it created an unforgettable event -- indelible as a tattoo for you. Frankly, although he wouldn't admit it to you, I don't think he'll ever forget it either, placing it on his back burner of growing doctrinal contradictions."

RE: We met in Dallas -

Hey there! I don't remember who you were - if we met - I know that I went to one of those fests in Dallas... lots of good folks there.

RE: I don't think he'll ever forget it either, placing it on his back burner of growing doctrinal contradictions.

Ummm... I don't think that he gave it much thought. He is still a JW. Interesting fella. He _wuz_ married to a JW gal way back then. Somewhere along the way, he ditched her... ummm, I mean divorced her... and was able to still remain in good standing - as he was a 'special pioneer' or somesuch when my daughter was a 'pioneer' - they were in that 'school' at the same time (and he was 'single').

I saw him just recently - one Sunday - when my wife and I went out to eat around noon. He was there with a bunch of other JWs - and a 'new' wife. He didn't notice me (which is okay).

I almost... I mean I figured it'd be good for a laugh... I almost - went over to him - and said something like, "Hey Dxxx! How ya doin? Still eating that birthday cake?"

I figured that right there in front of all his JW buddies - it might cause him to 'miss a beat' - and put him on the spot - but I didn't do it. I'm not that outgoing of a person.

(It would've been really funny - cause I think that he was the 'visiting speaker' - and was being 'treated' to his dinner by all his adoring fans).

Sorry - didn't mean to hijack your thread - which is a good one.

Regards,

Jim TX

BluesBrother

He - without missing a beat - replied, 'It's not birthday cake - it's just 'good cake'.'

That is exactly what my dubb family would say if they succombed to temptation and accepted a cake from a work mate on the work mate's birthday. You can weasel around anything.

Actually things like family birthdays are a matter of conscience as to how far they will go. The old non dubs in the family still get seen regularly at Christmas for a nice meal and so on. Is it celebrating ? or a family duty of love? I can remember arguing about issues (although not the Christmas care of relatives) when I was a newly married Witness from a different family background..

dissed

Fractions, smactions. As long as they don't get caught doing it, its ok.

My sister in law did the same thing for her kids. Making it a special day. Special breakfast, special dinner, special out to the movies, and of course they got tp pick the movie, because...they were special. Gifts were exceptable, if they were not specially wrapped. But they were told not tell other JW's, because they might be ........especially stumbled.

FatFreek 2005

From the 1950's through our day, the Society has not relaxed their stance on birthdays one iota.

*** Watchtower, 1951 10/1 p. 607 Questions From Readers ***
Questions From Readers
Is it proper to have or attend celebrations of birthday anniversaries?—F. K., Nevada.
Such celebrations have their roots in pagan religions, and not Scriptural grounds.
...
The celebration of birthday anniversaries centers the mind on the creature and exalts the creature, giving him and his birth undue importance. Romans 1:25 (NW) warns of those who “venerated and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the One who created”. Birthday celebrations could tend to take on this objectionable quality

*** Watchtower, 2003 11/15 p. 27 Questions From Readers ***
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays . This is because such celebrations focus too much attention on the individual and the only birthdays of Bible record are those of rulers who did not serve God.

*** Watchtower, 2006 2/15 p. 29 par. 13 Walking in the Path of Increasing Light ***
Then in 1927/28, God’s people recognized that Christmas and birthday celebrations are unscriptural, and they discontinued observing such .

Not many months ago, one poster revealed how he and his wife were disfellowshipped because their child's birthday party pics were posted on some web site -- and they weren't about to "repent" for such "wrongdoing".

Len

aniron

This is because such celebrations focus too much attention on the individual

So how come its OK to celebrate Wedding Anniversaries?

Don't they focus attention on the individual, in that case two individuals.

Could never understand that.

Birthdays Okay -- if done by Fractions

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