by RayPublisher 56 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
This birthday article was so important it pre-empted the planned article for this month that was weeks in the making:
"The Mexican Sombrero- Harmless Straw Hat, or a Tool of Satan?"
Certainly, JWs are receiving "meat in due season" in these final days of the last days.
I agree with Prologos about people, ex-witnesses, never witnesses, dying on their birthday because they're broken hearted and sad because particular family members could care less and won't celebrate with them. Makes sense to me.
My grandma died on my birthday in 2006, and my aunt died on my birthday in 2007. Neither of them were dubs though.
Citations? It is easy enough to say something on the order of 14% higher risk of dying on one's birthday than on other days. Where is the evidence? Where can I start researching this? Of course, error can bias this--error such as fitting the agenda.
And we are referring to those who are already 60 and up, not children eating a damn cupcake. For those who are 60 and up, birthdays are stressful events that remind them that they are getting older. They are reminded that they don't have that much more time left--and especially when they are 70, 80, or 90. Unlike when you turn 30 or 40, they just don't have the ability to stand that momentary stress. Thus, it is not surprising a few actually die from it. But, most survive. And most of them do quite fine, only to die later of cancer or pneumonia.
As for children, when do they get sick on their birthdays? A few do, but generally children are less likely to be sick on their birthdays, or Christmas, than on other days. Maybe they need this "stress"? Besides, children enjoy the "stress" coming from a disruption in their routine. Whether it be a birthday, having an abusive parent in the hospital or laid up with a real bad cold, Christmas, or any other positive event, these times are actually good for children (and young adults). Older adults (and I mean those who are old enough to have other health issues and are frail) are less able to take the stress. Of course, they are going to be more likely to die on a birthday (theirs or their children's) or Christmas than on other random days. But, they are even more likely to die soon after a spouse dies, if they get in the hospital even if the issue putting them there is not itself life threatening, or suffer major losses in some area.
Besides this, what is the point of a longer life if it is sterile? Is it worth taking a slight risk of dying having fun? I think most people would rather live a few months less and actually enjoy the time than extend their lives that extra few months and live miserable. And most of those witlesses that would have died on their birthday usually end up dying a few months later while getting ready for field circus, at a Grand Boasting Session or REJECT Astaroth Party or soon after, or if they are pious-sneering and fall a few hours short. Nothing gained--you might just as well have the damn birthday party and enjoy it.
I wonder what the percentage is of dubs who die at the Memorial.
It's gotta be pretty high, considering all the great food, celebration, and music that accompany that joyous holiday.
Or maybe they just die of boredom.
Well actually an old custom of hiding a coin in the cake,
may be the cause of a higher rate of choking to death !
clarity
JWs are NOT off the hook. Notice the claimed research simply says there's an increase in the statistical likelihood of death on one's birthday. It does not - repeat does not - say this increased risk is correlated with celebrating one's birthday. Since all living people have birthdays - whether they celebrate them or not - this bleak statistic includes everyone who, ahem, has a birthday. Having said that, in my nearly 60 years of life, I have never heard of anyone dying on their birthday, although I do know of millions who cry on their birthdays. Birthdays, celebrated or not, remind us of how our lives are turning out - for some, they'd rather not be reminded. Even so, no research that I'm aware of suggests an increased risk of suicide on the day of one's birth.
Btw, this slice of statistical trivia closes with its most revealing sentence: The findings are questioned by other researchers who appear to attribute the statistical findings to what are called "artifacts" of the research design. It is likely the actual research design is flawed and the researchers were careless or worse deceptive with data entry.
steve2 " Notice the claimed research simply says there's an increase in the statistical likelihood of death on one's birthday. It does not - repeat does not - say this increased risk is correlated with celebrating one's birthday."
Exactly right, was coming here to say just that.
For the implication that any good JW will draw from that article, that celebrating your birthday risks death, they would need to have studied a control group of people wh celebrate their birthdays against people who d not celebrate, assess the birthday death rates of the two groups, allow for stats error and then see if there is a corrolation.
This article is futile for their purpose.
