by behemot 21 Replies latest jw friends
A friend of mine (inactive) is being threatened with a judicial committee because he took his children to schoolmates' birthdays and because he celebrated his wife's birthday.
Do you know if celebrating birthday is sufficient ground for setting a judicial committee?
The ks2010 does not mention birthdays specifically, and I feel like it would be quite a stretch to make it fall under the "apostasy" category (subcategory "celebrating false religion holidays" or "idolatry").
What do you think?
I think it will come under the new disfellowshipping offence of "Brazen Conduct" details of which can be found in chapter 5 paragraph 9 of the secret elders manual of which I have a copy and I'm a girl!!!.
Amelia, ks2010, under "brazen conduct" says that
two elements are involved in brazen conduct: (1) The conduct itself is a serious violation of Jehovah's laws, and (2) the attitude
of the wrongdoer toward God's laws is disrespectful, insolent.
As examples of "brazen conduct", the following are given:
Willful, continued, unnecessary assodation with disfellowshipped nonrelatives despite repeated counsel.-
Child sexual abuse: This would include fondling of breasts, an explidtly ¡mmoral proposal, showing pornography to a child, voyeurism, indecent
exposure, and so forth.
Continuing to date or pursue a romantic relationship with a person though not legally or Scripturally free to marry, despite repeated
counsel and generally after a warning talk to the congregation.
Uhmmm ... I don't see celebrating birthday as falling into this cathegory ...
Imagine the elders faces during an judicial meeting when you ask if celebrating a birthday is on the same level as child sexual abuse?
Oooops. Someone must have made a bound copy!
yes JWs promote the idea that only non christians celebrated birthdays in fact the celebrant is considered a god for the day. Thus by celebrating brithdays the person is engaging in false worship. In addition attending birthdays for worldly people means that you are not obeying the watchtowers advice about bad associations.
The Bible does not dirtectly prohit brithdays but the watchtower argues that the only birthdays recorded are for people who did not worship God therefore they suggest that we can surmise that god does not want us to celebrate. However Jobs children appear to celebrate birthdays and Jesus himself had a pretty spectacular birthday complete with shepherds and angels but they don't count. Makes you wonder how anyone knew how old they were in Bible times.
Seems a bit harsh. Maybe it can be used as evidence of an overall "brazen" pattern of conduct unbecoming a JW if there is other evidence as well.
I know many active JWs who have a meal on their husband / wife's birthday. It all depends just how discreet people are.
Strictly for birthday celebrations? There is no grounds for DF.
If he wanted to fight it, i.e., appeal to the CO or the branch, he could get it overturned.
However, if he were openly "promoting" it, i.e., bragging about it, recommending it to others, etc., it could fall under "brazen conduct".
Not really enough info in the OP.
nugget - "yes JWs promote the idea that only non christians celebrated birthdays in fact the celebrant is considered a god for the day. Thus by celebrating brithdays the person is engaging in false worship."
TV shows about so-rich-they-have-nothing-else-to-do Momzillas spending $50,000 on their daughters' Sweet-16 parties reinforce it; birthday celebrators in general - by implication - are lumped in with these people.
nugget - "In addition attending birthdays for worldly people means that you are not obeying the watchtowers advice about bad associations."This is the actual underlying reason; the limiting of social contact with nonJW acquaintences and relatives who might, through reasoning or conduct, suggest that life outside the WTS is actually worth living.
Everything else - scriptural arguments against, pagan origins, etc. - is gravy.
Imagine the maladjusted brains of these men. Sexual abuse of children is not brazen... it is criminal!
clarity
