If the WTBTS were to let this slide and celebrating b-days was to become the norm,,, just think of all of the then adults out there that would be sooo pissed at how many of their own childhood b-days they missed out on!
After I left the JW's on my 21st b-day my grandmother gave me this huge box as a gift. Each layer of box held a b-day gift from age 1 to 21, so I kinda got to celebrate all the ones I had missed. hg
at a pioneer's birthday party... YEAH THAT'S RIGHT!
by in a new york bethel minute 31 Replies latest jw experiences
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heatherg
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Nellie
I started studying with the witnesses when I was 8 - my parents were divorced and neither was a witness. I lived with my mother who stopped celebrating anything because I was studying and then baptized (at 13). My dad continued celebrating with his new family, but never pressured me to join them.
When I was 14, I went over my bestfriend's house (who's family was witnesses - Dad a MS) and saw on the kitchen table a birthday card. I was shocked! Actually, I was scandalized! They tried to blow it off like it wasn't really anything, but I can still remember how I was blown away by it. Her mother told me they weren't "celebrating" the kids birthdays, but they were just acknowledging it! I remember thinking - Huh???
But the biggest shock was a story my husband told me about. At a district convention about 10 years ago, he was behind the stage when an elder in our congregation gave another elder in our congregation (who was the convention overseer) a birthday card! They laughed and showed it around and continued on with the program like it happenned all the time! I remember thinking THESE are the ones setting the example for the flock! Yikes!