Seriously, almost everything has a pagan origin.
There is a list of a few pagan things that JWs can and cannot do at jwfacts.com/watchtower/quotes/pagan-practices.php.
Pagan Origins
by tinker 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Godsendconspirator
The calendar and wedding rings are definitely an easy one to use. I was told by a brother once that at one point in the organization's history they considered using a different calendar but worried that people might think they were too strange. Looking back, it was a really messed up reasoning. They claim to not use/see anything pagan in origin but are excused when they do unlike every other religion. -
coalize
Many wedding customs have pagan origins from what I understand.
Yes, let me tell you a funny story :
It was two young people, very sympatics, french JW's, who wanted to avoid all the pagans thing in the wedding ceremony.
That's why, they choose to not go at the catholic roman church, pagan place and false religion building. They asked too to the guest to not throw the traditionnal handful of rice .
Everything went fine. The bride was very pretty under the white veil and the beribonned bouquet of flower she had in hands was sumptuous. And the bridesmaids was very pretty too.
After they said "Yes", they put tenderly the wedding ring at the left ring finger. The day after they jump in a plane for a great honeymoon.
Arrived at the hotel, the young husband, very courteous, take his new wife in the arms to enter in the honeymoon suite, where they do what they had to do (it's no more our concern)!
It sounds very classical, isn'it ?
But they forgot some détails :1) The veil : It was, even before the wedding dress was used, designed to mask the face of the bride to the evil spirits, meant to be attrcted by the happiness of the other people
2) The bouquet : this bouquet is meant to guarantee the marital ecstasy, because the flowers are a symbol of love and fecondity.
3) The ribbon : the ribbon of the bouquet are meant to be a luck symbol.
4) The bridesmaids : They are here to protect the bride from the demons and other surnatural power beast and to empeach his kidnapping.
5) The ring at the left ring finger : It comes from an ancient greek believing, who states that a blood vein, called the "vein of love" comes from this finger to the heart.
6) The honeymoon : It comes from the time of weddings by rapt. The guy was taking the wife very far from her family until the parents cancel the research. And in the same time it was useful to escape from all the evil spirits who wanted to destruct the happiness of the new couple.
7) To carry the wife to enter the honeymoon suite : it's a tradition meant to thwart the misfortune. It empeachs the bride to stumble and to war off bad luck
-
blondie
The editor of the Awake/Golden Age/Consolation came up with a nonpagan calendar but got slapped down by Rutherford.
Note the WTS weasel words why the WTS can use a calendar about pagan gods.
*** it-2 p. 1065 Tammuz, II ***
The Gregorian calendar used today has months named after the gods Janus and Mars, and the goddess Juno, as well as for Julius and Augustus Caesar, yet it continues to be used by Christians who are subject to “the superior authorities.”—Ro 13:1.
-
bittersweet2K
All I can say is who can keep track of all of this BS? If we have to think about everything that may have a possible 'non-godly' or Pagan origin on a daily basis??????? Should all of us women wear burkhas and cook and be pregnant all day? Should all the men be heavily bearded and wearing sandals? This is 2015. We've advancded beyond all of that. -
stumbledbyothers
I don't think JW's realize that Jehovah used pagans to carry out his will. Babylonians, Assyrians, Medes-Persians! -
EnlightenedEphesian
Finials are an interesting subject. I've never brought it up, but one day I was researching finials and learned they originally have a pagan/spiritistic origin. Yet, most everyone has one in their home. (Consider lamps, curtain rods, pottery, etc.) Not much different than wind chimes, here's what I found:
-
bittersweet2K
Does anybody have a sense of humor on this website or is this all hardcore serious research? -
kaik
WT could try French Revolutionary Calendar which attempted to erase any traces of Christianity in the I. French Republic. JWs would use Mesidor, Thermidor for months, days of weeks and other by the season...At least they would not have to invent anything new. -
bittersweet2K
Nice Devil Horns Kaik.
Do you suggest we all go back to school and learn some ancient calendar for no reason? Maybe, if you're in the US, learn the metric system for no reason? Or perhaps, go back to school and learn geometry and calculus for something you will never use in your adult life?