JWs Celebrating Brithdays (page 2)

MeanMrMustard

I don't know... around these parts, if you celebrate a birthday (with gifts, party, cake, candles, etc.), then you're heading for a JC. Franklin Massey, you must live in a very liberal area....

Vidiot

wobble - "...Sure looks as though the control of thought is loosening its grip on some at least..."

GB2.0 is not loosening its grip.

However, it is arguably losing its grip...

I have yet to hear of anyone throwing a full blown birthday bash with all the trimmings. My area is not liberal. More middle of the road. I think it is conservative here but when compared to some of the stories I read here I would have to say my area is more balanced. The couple quoted above that have started to celebrate their kids birthdays are from a more liberal area. Here it is more like going out for drinks with friends on your birthday, a "Special Day" for the kids, small gifts, a phone call or text from a few people wishing a "Happy Birthday!" I think Mr. Mustard brings out a good point, that being the extent of the party. It seems like there is a rationalization process that allows some to carry on birthday-ish activites without going full force. This is different from when I was growing up. It was frowned upon if you said, "Happy Birthday" even in jest.

So, don't expect to get an invitation to a kid in your hall's birthday party - and don't be surprised when you visit their house and find out that little Joey just got an XBox around the same time as his birthday.

mrquik

The society used to celebrate birthdays. My father-in-law gave his wife a copy of the Studies in the Scriptures as a birthday present. The Society currently uses the "principle" that because there were two unrelated events that had a bad outcome this event must be condemned by Jehovah. As a "principle", it now has to be used unilaterally to be valid. So taking this to its logical conclusion, any two events which had a bad outcome must be condemned by Jehovah. Let's see... Lot's children had a large dinner party & they all died. Jesus Christ had a large dinner party & was cruficied. So consequently, all large dinner parties are condemned by Jehovah. Also, the Society points to the bad practice of bringing undo attention to oneself. Then, as mentioned by others, anniversaries are twice as bad since you have two humans celebrating their accomplishments together. So for everyone out there today....... HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!

carla

They just re-define things to justify going against the org, just like the word 'lie' they redefined it so they don't have to feel guilty when they lie to people.

straightshooter

Just like a vasectomy done in secret is fine, but if it is publicly broadcasted then ones privileges could be taken away. The same with birthday celebrations that are done on purpose and what the elders and c.o. feel about it.

mindmelda

Anyone who hates a celebration with cake is crazy and stupid...that's all. How can you hate CAKE? Ultimate proof of brainwashing, I say.

I knew an elder's wife, former Catholic who found a really sneaky way to give her kids birthdays, Christmas and Easter. LOL She'd tell everyone her relatives were giving the gifties after or before the holidays and she didn't want to offend them by refusing.

Later when she left off being a Witness, she confessed to someone she bought the stuff, took it to her mom's and sister's and had them send them to the kids. LOL

BluesBrother

The last congregation that I served in, we "marked " a sister for buying a birthday present for her granddaughter.

As recently as 2008 the book "Keep Yourself In Gods Love" said some pretty strong stuff ( Page 151)

Celebrations that Displease God

"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.........................................

[First discussed Christmas ]

Birthdays .

............................

Besides rejecting birthday customs on account of pagan and spiritistic roots, God’s servants of old likely rejected them on principle as well. Why? These were humble, modest men and women who did not view their arrival in the world as so important that it should be celebrated. (Micah 6:8; Luke 9:48) Rather, they glorified Jehovah and thanked him for the precious gift of life."

steve2

The first cracks in their nutty anti-birthday diatribes occurred when they "allowed" couples to celebrate wedding anniversaries - anniversaries are "birthdays" of marriages by any other name.

All the selective reasoning they use against birthdays can also be used against wedding anniversaries (e.g., pagan origin, glorifies people, was never practised by early Christians, you don't need a special day, etc.).

Franklin Massey

Lot's children had a large dinner party & they all died. Jesus Christ had a large dinner party & was cruficied. So consequently, all large dinner parties are condemned by Jehovah.

Great. My evening is ruined.

JWs Celebrating Brithdays

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