Happy Birthday to me!

by awake!watcher 18 Replies latest jw friends

  • MarkofCane
    MarkofCane
    The reason the bOrg detests birthdays is because it takes worship away from them. The Rank & File are worthless sinners and deserve nothing of the sort. The bOrg showers you with blessing, Fear, Obligation and Guilt. Rejoice you ungrateful sinner!
  • flipper
    flipper
    Happy Birthday Awake Watcher ! Hope you have a great one and many more to come ! Take care, Peace out, Mr. Flipper
  • Alive!
    Alive!

    The spin is that Birthday celebrations make it all about the 'created' and not the 'creator' - - so we don't follow the way of the world with big, self centred celebrations.

    At one time - I could reason on this - but over the years, I have seen the most decadent bridal showers, baby showers with gifts that went way beyond the norm.

    I'm not being sour grapes here - but I remember attending a young sisters bridal shower, over 50 were there....traditionally it's meant to be a intimate gathering of womenfolk, with a little anonymously given item for the kitchen, like a ladle, tea towels etc.....

    This party was 'the norm' amongst young witness sisters - incredibly expensive lingerie and beautiful things wrapped up like something out of a movie ....nothing practical for a new home ;-)

    And that's fine, really, but I noticed her couple of non-witness ( grandmother etc) family members were visibly shocked, and utterly embarrassed by their humble gifts of tea towels....

    The same close relatives that never got a birthday card or gift, a Mother's Day card, flowers etc.

    I wonder what they quietly thought about this event, where champagne flowed from midday to early evening..... If the 'outside' could see 'in' .......I'm not being bitter, or a humbug ( I had a great time!) it's just such a strange and weird contrast to our proclamation of every witness bring an ordained minister....our proclaimed simple way of life, the discreet turning away from 'living it up' like the 'world'......

  • dbq407
    dbq407
    Beheadings happen at all birthday parties remember? I went to my first one in twenty years a few months ago and had a great time. Then i remembered what i missed the most about going to birthdays and holidays.....spending time with family. Its a shame that is taken away from people in the borg.
  • Listener
    Listener

    It was a brilliant idea for the organisation to ban birthdays, it provided a number of benefits for them. Along with the ones already mentioned, these are some more-

    Free advertising. Not celebrating gets the JWs noticed.

    Control. I he org has been able to weild it's own strength by imposing rules that aren't even biblical.

    Individual unworthiness. This is important in a cult

    It gets children trained from a young age to be identified as someone weird and different.

  • just fine
    just fine
    Happy Birthday. I could never understand what was wrong with telling someone - I am glad you were born today. I hope you make many more happy birthday memories.
  • awake!watcher
    awake!watcher
    Thanks for the comments and well wishes. I know the result of not being "allowed" to celebrate birthdays results in the many problems you all stated. Do you guys think this was done intentionally, or the GB really thinks birthdays are evil and the problems are just a side issue?
  • smiddy
    smiddy

    Happy birthday awake!watcher ,

    Have a great day and don`t worry about what the W.T./J.W.`s think.They are irrelevant .

    smiddy

  • disillusioned 2
    disillusioned 2

    Hope you have a great day Awake Watcher.

    I have noticed in recent years people giving cards and presents for baptisms, which is something that never happened years ago. They all go out for a celebration baptism meal too. I remember my mum was asked why she never got a card for her grandson when he got baptised. She said they had never done that and she didn't think it right to make a big celebration out of it, it was between him and Jehovah.

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