by Beanie 5 Replies latest jw experiences
I have never understood why jw's cannot celebrate their birthday but can celebrate the anniversary of their wedding date? I am somewhat resentful that my 18th and 21st birthdays came and went like any other day. The only consolation I have is that my kid's birthdays are going to KICK ASS.
Beanie
Absolutely Beanie - I know what you mean.
Its our oldests birthday in three weeks and we are in the middle of organising him a party with all his school friends.He is so excited, everyday I'm getting asked how many more days!
I'm so glad we got out before the kids noticed that something was different and missed out.
Welcome to the board BTW
Well the reason they celebrate anniversaries ,,,Is -A birthday YOU dont do anything it is God who gives you breath-but marriage is something YOU & Mate have to manage+= Only if you have a threefold cord( the borg says) will it work(((( Funny I know so many JWs who proffesed to have the threefold cord> wife-hubby- Jah....Yet their marriage broke up????
I don't care much about celebrations. I don't like structure & I think most celebration is just structured sociableness. Those who want to celebrate something should be free to do so. And those of us who don't like participating shouldn't be condemned as anti-social.
There is a difference between "helpful" giving and "gifting". Gifts seem to carry a lot of ulterior motives. The quality of gifts a person receives depends on their social status and the status of their group of friends. Rich kids get the nicest Christmas presents. Poor people can barely afford to have a meal out for their wedding anniversary whereas the rich are sent on elaborate holidays by their kids.
I've been to huge anniversary parties thrown in behalf of certain "special" elders & their wives. It is a kind of class distinction. What about the sister with an unbelieving husband and 6 kids? How does that make HER feel? What is SHE supposed to celebrate?
I never celebrated much of anything as a JW. And I think there is some merit to just telling someone "I turned 40 today" and having them say "Congratulations You just wasted half your life, let me buy you a drink."
Wedding anniversaries: You reach a certain milestone together, it's okay to celebrate (say the leaders of the JW's).
Birthdays: You reach a milestone by yourself, it's NOT okay to celebrate.
Man-made hogwash -- designed to build an artificial wall between JW kids and other kids.
Like ex-Pharisee Paul wrote, "One man views one day as above all others, another man views one day the same as all others. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind."
Even rule-maker Paul would see the foolishness and arbitrariness of the JW's allowing one thing (out of one side of their mouth) while simultaneously disallowing the other.
Birthdays because some bloke had his head cut off at a birthday party so because it is bad then they dont celebrate - jeez I cant believe I used to tell people that !!!!!
