Pagan Holidays........so what?

by Vachi 8 He Is 3 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Vachi 8 He Is

  So I was thinking about how JWs tie holidays to paganistic roots (birthdays, X-mas, Halloween) and it got me to thinking about these holidays today as opposed to when they were introduced. X-mas may have gotten its start in the Catholic church and been all about jesus' birthday but it's a whole new breed of holiday today. It ain't about jesus or his birthday; it's about gift giving and togetherness with family and friends. Sure it's been turned into a material frenzied free for all for companies and corporations but I'm sure there are people out there who pace themselves during the year to be able to pay for presents.

  Halloween initially was about people dressing up in costumes to SCARE THE EVIL SPIRITS AWAY. Wherein lies the problem? Don't JWs strive to keep the evil spirits away, even at the cost of bastardizing the most simplest thing? What is Halloween about now? Spirits? Not hardly. It's about going to houses and getting candy when you're a kid and going to social parties/events when you get a bit older. So what we really have here is a gradual turn from something Catholic or evil spirited into something else.

  So, how is this different from: "Millions now living WILL never die!" to "Millions now living MAY never die" or "the generation of 1914" to "overlapping generations"? The sayings have morphed into something else and the old sayings are now the orphaned love child between the GB and JWs at the time of it's writing. No, let something be tied to the church of old and it's held over the fact forever but when someone ties old WTB(s)TS doctrine with what is being shoveled today and it's "new light" or "outdated info" Really? REALLY? Really? Really? Really?

  ".....go, and give ze fortune teller zist message: 'Her time.....iz almost.....up."
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  Vachi 8 He Is

  Sorry for double post
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  WTWizard

  It is all about depriving the flock of anything that is fun. I find it fun to put up Halloween and Christmas decorations. Much of the stuff is not blatantly religious--Halloween has its ghosts and witches, but there are bats and pumpkins. It is about tying in scary items with natural things that are common around late fall. I also manage to tie in the candy elements. There is nothing about driving away "evil spirits". And it is easy enough to avoid the worst--the fake crime scenes and realistic looking dismembered body parts. As such, people enjoy the decorations without regard to religion.

  Christmas is similar. There is much religion involved with Christmas. You see the Nativity scenes, angels, and crosses displayed. You hear a few of the classic Christmas carols about Jesus. However, there is now more than Jesus involved with Christmas. Some of the decorations are veiled references to Jesus--the candy canes, stars, and orbs are veiled references to Jesus or the Nativity. However, you see things that are more winter oriented with Christmas that get mixed in. As for the colors, they are also veiled references to Jesus--it took searching online to find out that red means Jesus' blood, green means everlasting life, and white means purification.

  To me, both are occasions to have a little fun. If you put things up that you enjoy, it can be fun. Also, displays of lights (LEDs are most cost effective and reliable, along with being safer) brighten things up just as things are getting their dreariest. It means celebrating material prosperity, time with family, peace, and a chance to relax and enjoy one's time. It also gives one a chance to party (unless you choose to drink and drive, that is), and to share. Usually, this is when you get to see people from out of town, and a good Christmas display is a good way to make a good impression on them while livening up that dreary hallway.

  What I don't see any use for is any old fogeys that have to snatch it all away from everyone. Bad enough that hyperinflation and shortages do this. But, when you install actual fear--you are going to fall into adverse judgment if you so much as look at someone else's Christmas displays, you are robbing others of the enjoyment. Yes, Christmas was once a sun-worship festival. So what. Yes, Jesus was probably born in early October (and I am not going to stake anyone's life on the validity of that). So what. People commonly accept December 25 as the day to observe Jesus' birth, and it is proper to use this to have some fun. It is proper to celebrate, relax, and to brighten things up. It is also proper to share one's material prosperity on this day. If you choose not to, that's your right. However, to make a rule that one must not do it and then back it up with a few out of context scriptures is downright disgusting.
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  ProdigalSon

  Hey, all that glitter and decorating and partying and singing and shopping and good cheer and glad tidings and getting together with friends and family and killing over a parking space at the mall takes away from the glory of Jehoover and his ominous day of reckoning and vengeance....