i was out to lunch with my wife today and she was telling me how our child did not want to go to school that day because they were doing a bunch of st patricks day stuff.
our child really can't stand being different and left out.
i feel so bad for my child.
Well, I don't have the references in front of me right now, but apparently the Society quotes some first century writers that claim the Christians specifically avoided birthdays, or that there was some stigma about birthdays, or something.
I'll poke around when I get home tonight.
--thinkisee
is jesus god?
front page of april 222nd awake magazine.
i will post more when i have read all the magazine - but should be good for all you lovely trinitarians out there - and i hate trinitarian threads although i always post to them - and now i am starting one - god help me!
This should be a fun one.
I am starting to look at articles like this as opportunities as an excuse to do some research on the "pseudo-research" done by the society.
Thanks for the heads-up.
-ithinkisee
i was out to lunch with my wife today and she was telling me how our child did not want to go to school that day because they were doing a bunch of st patricks day stuff.
our child really can't stand being different and left out.
i feel so bad for my child.
So I printed out those references. The thing that bothers me is that these lines of reasoning are COMPLETELY NEW to the Society, but they are introduced to the reader's through the AWAKE! and also through FOOTNOTES instead of formally addressing it in a proper article.
I am assuming maybe this way they can say in a couple of years that "the Society has always maintained the view that you need to look at how the celebration is viewed today, and not hundreds of years ago. YOU PUBLISHERS read too much into our literature in the past and took it literally and banned everything." (Following their typical line of blaming the publishers.)
*** g03 9/22 pp. 23-24 The Piñata?An Ancient Tradition ***
The Piñata Today
Later, the piñata became part of the festivities of the posadas during the Christmas season and continues as such to this day. (A star-shaped piñata is used to represent the star that guided the astrologers to Bethlehem.) Breaking the piñata is also considered indispensable at birthday parties. Indeed, piñatas have become so traditionally Mexican that Mexico even exports them to other countries.
We found that for many people in Mexico, the piñata has lost its religious significance and is considered by most to be just harmless fun. In fact, piñatas are used in Mexico on many festive occasions, not just for the posadas or for birthdays. And piñatas can be purchased in many forms other than the traditional star shape. They are sometimes made to resemble animals, flowers, clowns.
When considering whether to include a piñata at a social gathering, Christians should be sensitive to the consciences of others. (1 Corinthians 10:31-33) A main concern is, not what the practice meant hundreds of years ago, but how it is viewed today in your area. Understandably, opinions may vary from one place to another. Hence, it is wise to avoid turning such matters into big issues. The Bible says: "Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person."?1 Corinthians 10:24.
*** g03 4/8 p. 30 From Our Readers ***
Luaus I read with interest your article "Let?s Have a Hawaiian Luau." (June 8, 2002) Several years ago I attended a luau in Hawaii. I felt there were strong religious and spiritistic overtones. Even if luaus today do not involve religious or spiritistic aspects, how are they different from other celebrations that have pagan origins but simply have been adopted by modern cultures to be a family fun gathering?
L. F., United States
"Awake!" responds: As noted there in our footnote on page 24, while the luau may at one time have had a connection with false religious practices, the word now has simply come to refer to a Hawaiian banquet. A specific gathering to which the word "luau" is applied may or may not be appropriate for a Christian to attend. As in all aspects of life, Christians should make decisions that will leave them with a clear conscience before Jehovah God.?1 Timothy 1:5, 19; see also the January 8, 2000, issue of "Awake!" pages 26-7.
*** g02 6/8 Let?s Have a Hawaiian Luau ***
[Footnote]
Although the luau may originally have had some connection with false religious practices, the word has simply come to refer to a Hawaiian banquet. Many Christians may therefore conscientiously feel that they can participate.
and when they say they keep knocking on the same doors in case peoples circumstances have changed.
they are looking for something in that persons life so they can build them up.
so why search out weak ones?
And how we are led to believe that loss of meeting attendance will deminish our love and relationship with Jehovah. I felt very insulted and angry at this thought. I remember someone asking me how do you know you won't lose the love? I said, Just as I know I won't murder someone. I don't need daily reminders to not commit murder.
Phenomenal. Love it. Thanks for that. That is going into my toolbox of reasoning. . .
-ithinkisee
i have read on here over the past few years many threads pertaining to "the fall of the wt" most recently the "divided branch" one and also if jwish will become more mainstream.
i think that jw's today are vastly different than several to a few decades ago.
for instance, i am an active jw and i go through the motions and i can probably acurately assume that i am not alone... in fact there are many like me i am sure.
Do you think the WT will continue to adapt to the times despite their claim that Jah never changes so neither do they?
They will adapt but disguise it as simplification.
Personally I feel there will have to be a big purge - actual decreases for awhile.
This is the time they will choose to either become more moderate or they will become even more controlling. It depends which kind of people they want to keep around. If they want to keep around the delusional ones that believe anything they spew from Brooklyn they will become more controlling. If they want progressive thoughtful people they will have to be more moderate - but this would cause more headaches with people questioning and thinking for themselves and everything.
So ultimately they will change, but probably not for the better - they will get more controlling.
I personally know many many hardcore JWs that would leave in an instant if the WT went mainstream. The Society would have to do alot of "poisoning the well" for years for people to bite onto that one.
It's only my opinion though.
Man, you post good questions XBHERE.
-ithinkisee
.
if you were baptized as a minor, i'm told there is a legal recourse to refuse the action of a judicial commitee.
any info on this?
There have been numerous threads on this in the past, you may want to click on SEARCH at the top of the page and then choose GOOGLE SEARCH and type in a phrase like:
baptism legal
Here is one link from that search result :
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/34266/1.ashx
-ithinkisee
i am visiting my dad in fl.
with my kids for a few days.
he wanted to bring one of my sons to the meeting tonight and i said no.
If you want to blow your father's cross argument out of the water, check out the references here:
Fairly easy reading
Did Jesus die on a stake or a cross
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7831/cross.html
-ithinkisee
my soon to be baptised friend has started talking to me since i said i might study with jws.
he tells me some people really believe jws have let their kids die over the blood issue.
i suggested that may have been the case in the past but he says it is all lies.
The cover of the May 22, 1994 Awake! magazine showing photos of 26 children, with the caption: "Youths Who Put God First." Inside the magazine glorifies Witness children who died supporting WTS policy.
(From the same site I previously posted)
-ithinkisee
my soon to be baptised friend has started talking to me since i said i might study with jws.
he tells me some people really believe jws have let their kids die over the blood issue.
i suggested that may have been the case in the past but he says it is all lies.
oh boy. This is a sad topic (no fault of yours Jaffacake),.
Go here for starters:
Here is the WT Blood Victims Memorial:
http://www.ajwrb.org/victims/index.shtml
-ithinkisee
someone sent these state motto's to me and i was curious to know if any of us could make some up for the jw's?
i personally will have to think on it for days, but i know some are very quick witted and this could be fun!
i posted the state mottos to get us started.
Jehovah's Witness
"Thousands of microchips implanted at the base of the brain daily."
-ithinkisee
