I remember hearing parents say they're going out to eat for their child's birthday some years ago, and recently I see a lot of active JWs wishing each other as well as worldly people on Facebook a happy birthday, including emoticons related to partying. Is this a judicial offence, or have you seen anything similar?
Active JWs celebrating birthdays
by neat blue dog 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Iown Mylife
A pioneer son of an elder, sending his sister at Bethel birthday card in the mail; a sister with a pioneer son, telling how she sings happy birthday to her boys on their birthdays - and how it doesn't matter as long as no one knows about it.
That's the main thing you have to remember as a JW: You can do anything you want as long as nobody else knows about it!
Marina
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Saename
Iown Mylife - That's the main thing you have to remember as a JW: You can do anything you want as long as nobody else knows about it!
Yeah, pretty much that's the case. I remember when the elders used to tell my congregation (still probably do), "If you do something wrong, and if you keep it secret, you're trying to fool Jehovah. Jehovah can't be fooled. Your sin will come out. Sooner or later, we'll find out."
It's interesting because that's one thing that got me feeling so guilty over my "sins." Whenever I "sinned" I felt embarrassed because of it, and so I didn't want to tell the elders. And then I'd feel guilty about that. And then it'd turn out that Jehovah doesn't reveal my "sins" to the elders after all...
They keep telling you that Jehovah will reveal the truth if you're not loyal to him. That the elders will know. But that never happens. And then you start to think, "What's going on...?"
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Finkelstein
recently I see a lot of active JWs wishing each other as well as worldly people on Facebook a happy birthday.
A bit of an over exaggeration don't you think ?
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steve2
It's extremely hard to avoid reminders of others' birthdays on FaceBook. Even so, I am not convinced JWs are wishing each other happy birthdays en masse.
That said, does anyone know of any JW anywhere who has been disfellowshipped solely for celebrating birthdays, including their own? I've heard of inactive JWs being accused of celebrating birthdays or being in the company of worldly people celebrating birthdays, though.
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neat blue dog
When I said "a lot", I wasn't exaggerating, but neither did I mean that JWs were doing it "end masse". What I saw was a number of such happy birthday wishes between active JWs from a couple different areas of the US, and one JW even reached out to a worldly relative wishing them the same.
As far as it being judicial, I looked it up in the elder's book and apparently it isn't. Under the list of judicial offences, this is all it has to say about holidays:
"Not all holidays directly involve
false religion and require judicial action."So I guess birthdays are just like Thanksgiving, April Fools Day and some others in that they're discouraged but you can't get disfellowshipped specifically for it. That being said, everyone would be horrified, you wouldn't get any privileges and it might even turn judicial if you flaunt it, thereby falling under the 'brazen conduct' umbrella.
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SouthCentral
I see active witnesses saying Happy BORN Day......
Another interesting point is that I see may elders and pioneers celebrate Sibling Day, but not Mother or Father's Day. Very hypocritical to celebrate your siblings, but NOT the parents who created them.
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hybridous
To the OPs point, I haven't seen the 'Happy Birthday' messages on Facebook, but I have heard credible stories of small groups of JW friends having a 'get-together' or going out to dinner for someone's 'NOT-Birthday'...
If they're willing to toe that line (and in some cases deliberately step over it), it tells me that they know the prohibition is bunk. It's all about maintaining appearances. Small steps, but still positive ones. -
Scully
I used to know a JW family (the father was the PO at the time) where each family member's birthday was observed, on their birthday, by going out to a restaurant that would give the birthday person's meal free. They declined the staff birthday-serenade and cake. If the mother in that family knew it was your birthday, she would go up to you and lip sync the Happy Birthday song to you. No music, no vocals = no birthday wishes.
It never ceases to amaze me the logistical gymnastics that were employed to find these loopholes and work-arounds.
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compound complex
On my FB accounts, there are many JWs and ex-JWs.
The actives may acknowledge the date of birth by writing, 'We're so happy little Suzy has come into our life.' Never, however, have my JWs written the worldly expression. I, a fader, tell little FB friend, Suzy, that I am happy she's a part of my life. She "likes" my comment.
The exes will say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Of course they will. Actives and exes are friends on FB.
Strangely, active Witnesses have every sort of theme party, based largely on popular movies, fantasy characters, etc.
My, my -- getting far too close to the edge . . .
CC