Birthday celebrations and customs - Are they for Christians?

by AlmostAtheist 173 Replies latest jw friends

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  RU Saved

  ss,

  Could you do me a favour and "cut and paste" Almost's questions like he does yours so we do not have to go back and forth to the other post; the pages are starting to get pretty long. Please answer the questions like he has asked you to (1-5 etc) after you have pasted Almost's questions above your answer. If you think you already have answered the questions he has asked, then it should be fairly quick for you to cut and paste your answers for each of his questions. I'm not as smart as you guys so organizing bit-by-bit makes it much easier to follow. Plus it addresses the each point directly without each side thinking the other is trying to spin the anwer. Thanks guys for not acting like jerks...at least not to much; it makes it much more enjoyable to read and doesn't waste our time.
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  MerryMagdalene

  I'm just a simple girl with a few simple questions hoping for some simple answers (forgive me if this has already been addressed, I missed it):

  *Is it wrong for a Christian to celebrate birthday anniversaries without the "pagan trappings"? with trappings of one's own design, perhaps, or even none at all?

  *If not wrong w/o the trappings, is there an approved list of trappings? Pinatas would be ok, right?

  *If wrong w/o the trappings, why exactly? Creature worship?

  *Then why isn't it wrong to celebrate the original birth with a "baby shower" or what have you?

  *And, if it is wrong even minus the pagan customs, then am I sinning if I celebrate the birth of my daughter in my heart (just as it is possible to commit adultery in one's heart)?

  When her birthday comes around I can't help but remember all that transpired on the day she was born, give thanks for how she has enriched my life every day since then, and I want to celebrate. All that love and joy and gratitude I feel internally just longs to be expressed externally. I'm pretty sure pagans aren't the only folks to be glad they were born and glad their loved ones were born and feel comfortable showing it. I know that in my family (5 generations' worth of JWs now) even many of them can't let that date slide by completely unacknowledged. Why should they?

  ~Merry
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  LittleToe

  The day of your death is much better than the day of your birth. You can do all your celebrating then! Or do what Job's children did and combine the two!!!
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  MerryMagdalene

  I s'pose somebody'll be celebrating the day I die, but I don't think it'll be me...unless I'm
  struck down on my birthday while I'm celebrating
  

  And I don't think Happy Deathday is going to catch on too big as a party song nor
  a greeting card sentiment any time soon...

  ~Merry