by Beans 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Now as we know the Jehovahs Witnesses don`t celebrate the "BIRTHDAY"! Now when a baby is born that is the BIRTHDAY and if you bring a gift to the new baby, that is a BIRTHDAY gift hence the BIRTHDAY is celebrated. As we know the BIBLE does not instruct that the BIRTHDAY should NOT be celebrated so why not continue celebrating the BIRTHDAY every year instead of the first one as the Jehovahs Witnesses do?
http://www.Quotes.JehovahsWitnesses.com
Beans
That reminds me...one time my co-workers threw me a birthday lunch and one of the JW's came. There were about 15 of us sitting around a table at lunch time, no gifts, but just a birthday toast,,,etc., no big deal....just a reason for a group of people to go out to lunch together, in fact the birthday was hardly mention. WELL, all hell broke loose. This person acted funny all afternoon and wouldn't speak to me for days. I later found out they had to go to one of their Elders for whatever 'absolution' JW's offer. I couldn't believe it... this person knew that it was a birthday lunch, but I guess felt like they had been hood winked when the toast was made...whatever - it just opened my eyes wider.
well, don't tell anyone but...we always said happy birthday to eachother. My whole life.
depending on the birth day we may have even gone out to a nice dinner.
My sweet-sixteen My dad and mom took me and the choice of two friends out to a very nice dinner anything I wanted. I ordered a "shirley Temple" so I could at least fake I was having a real drink. Had Stuffed Crab. and chololate mouse for desert.
No big celebrations or anything no presents just a little recognition.
I was raised a JW and am 3rd generation JW as many of us are.
I am glad that we didn't make a big deal out of Birth days one way or the other.
I think it was proper.
Love is one of life's mysteries, like lightning, it never strikes. For others, like lightning, it strikes several times. So wear a rubber crash helmet
edited because my spelling sucks
btw...i lost my birthday party virginity this past weekend.
and wasn't struck by lightening or anything! in fact, i didn't even feel bad about it *gasp*. it wuz fun to "honour" a friend that way.
excellent point Beans. i've never considered that b4.
i guess i've been to more bday parties than i thought.
DoubleEdgei guess they didn't mind bday parties but TOASTING was a little over the top for them. i mean toasting wards off the demons right...hehehe
SPAZ
At work, there was always a collection for birthdays. I never refused to contribute despite being a witness, how could I be so mean?
Well, a little way along there was this new "brother" that started in the same section as I worked, I didn't know him as he was from a different congregation, but I was told that he was "laying down the law" in typical hardcore JW style.
A week or two later he was asked to put a pound in for a birthday collection. He refused, saying Jehovah's Witnesses do not do such things. When it was mentioned that I put money in and that I was a Jehovah's Witness he said this to the lady who was taking the collection: "He must be a very immoral person then, no decent Jehovah's Witness would do that".
Fancy saying that to a lady who only wants to do something nice for someone! She couldn't believe her ears. Lets just say he "shunned" me from that day on.
Beans,
Yes,
Every witness who was ever born should now be disfellowshipped!
Pagan wicked people being born.
What were they thinking.
plmkrzy,
Those are the cutest little humming birds!!!
You are so creative!
Matty: Well, I hope you 'shunned' him back...what a pig!
naughty naughty plm heehee
come to think of it...my father always called me on my bday just to say "you know what day this is!?" and proceed to tell me how much i matter to him
um...yes, that is the same father that isn't talking to me now.
hehe
SPAZ
Double Edge, I never got the chance to speak to him again - he never gave me any eye contact. I suppose I was lucky he didn't try and find out what congregation I was in so he could grass me up to my parents! I have to be grateful for these small mercies.
This is my answer to the birthday question and any other "pagan origins" argument by JWs.
JW: We don't do that because it's pagan.
ME: Oh, I see. But you're Christian right?
JW: Of course .. we are the TRUE Christians.
ME: Hmmm. Do you believe in following Christ's example?
JW: Yes WE are the only ones who follow his example.
ME: Well, not when it comes to the previously pagan things you don't.
JW: Say what?
ME: Didnt' Jesus go into the waters and have himself baptized?
JW: Yes.
ME: Isn't baptism an initiation into Christianity?
JE: Yes when practiced properly....Which JWs are the ONLY ones who do...
ME: Well, Jesus took the pagan initiation right and transferred it to Christianity. And now it is principally a Christian tradition. It's pagan-ness is dead. So Christianity triumphed over paganism.
JW: Stupid look on their face.
ME: So Christians who take practices that were once pagan (i.e., Christmas) and Christianize them are only following in the Lord's footsteps. And Christianity triumphs every time. It actually brings glory to God.
JW: (Well, my husband anyways) Cool, let's celebrate MY birthday then.
This really happened with my husband BTW. Doesn't it sound just like a Theocratic Ministry School talk? And it works like a charm every time just like the theocratic talks -- yeah right.
But I can vouch that at least once it did work for me.
