Anybody recall where the Society said not to "celebrate" your baptism?

AlmostAtheist

My wife recently asked me out of the blue why the Society said we're not supposed to celebrate baptism. I told her that was a good question, I couldn't think of any scripture that forbids it, why don't we look it up? I remember reading that article, a Questions From Readers, I thought. But wouldn't you know it, I can't find that article. I really need to get it and discuss it with her, since this might be a decent ice-breaker into a further discussion about unscriptural rules, changing "truth", etc.

Do any of you folks recall where that article is? My CD is only back to 2001, so if it's after that, and you have it handy, could you pm me the text?

Thanks!

Dave

Mulan

All I know is they are still doing it. My friend told me they have parties with presents and take them out to dinner to celebrate after the assemblies, and other things too, so if they said that, it rolled off their backs.

ezekiel3

*** w95 4/1 p. 30 Questions From Readers ***
We, as observers at a public baptism, share in the joy of the occasion, especially if the one getting baptized is a relative or someone with whom we studied the Bible. To share fully, however, we ought to listen to the entire discourse with the candidates, hear them publicly answer the questions presented to them, and join in the prayer. Doing so will help us to keep the actual baptism in perspective; we will have God?s view of it. After the act of baptism, our joy does not require a victory parade, a bouquet of flowers, or a party honoring the one baptized. But we could approach our new brother or sister to express pleasure over the wonderful step taken and to extend a very warm welcome into our Christian brotherhood.
In summary, then, all of us, including those who submit to water immersion, ought to treat baptism with appropriate seriousness. It is not a time for outbursts, for partying, or for hilarity. But neither is it a somber or grim time. We can rightly be glad that new ones have joined us on the way to everlasting life. And we can joyfully welcome our new brothers and sisters.

Of course JWs took the counsel too far and thus:

*** w96 9/1 p. 21 Living by the Law of the Christ ***
Similarly, the article "Questions From Readers" in the April 1, 1995, issue of The Watchtower cautioned against detracting from the dignity of the occasion of baptism by going to extremes, such as wild partying or staging victory parades. Some have carried this mature counsel to extremes, even making a rule that sending an encouraging card on this occasion would be wrong!

candidlynuts

when i was dunked it was bad form to celebrate.

so one more event in life where a jw MIGHT get some attn and PRESENTS just passed me by.

loveis

This too:

*** w85 6/1 pp. 30-31 Subjecting Ourselves to Jehovah by Dedication ***

In the past, some have gone to extremes in giving costly gifts and holding large parties for newly baptized persons. Baptism is an occasion for great joy that can be shared, but perhaps a word of caution is appropriate here. The Bible states: "Better is the end afterward of a matter than its beginning." (Ecclesiastes 7:8) Baptism is a beginning?the beginning of the Christian race for salvation to life. Certainly no lengthy record of faithful service has yet been established. So why cause the newly converted ones to feel unduly self-important??Compare 1 Timothy 3:6.