We don't celebrate holidays because ........ (page 2)

Mary

We don't celebrate holidays because ..........Rutherford was a miserable, paranoid, drunken old tosspot who didn't like to see anyone having fun and put a ban on all these celebrations. It certainly wasn't because he somehow found out they were from "pagan origin". Charles Russell knew all along that December 25th wasn't Jesus' birthday, but he saw no problem in celebrating it.

I noticed a couple of outright lies on what Gene Smalley said in that video. He said that there's no record of anyone celebrating the birth of Jesus in the bible. Hmmm....I remember a scripture that clearly stated that the angels rejoiced at his birth when they told the shepperds in the field. (Luke 2:13-14) In Matthew 2:9-11, the wise men rejoiced.

Brother Smalley also made the claim that Jesus and his followers went preaching "from house to house". This is simply not true. They went 'village to village' but there is absolutely no record of any early Christians, or even Jesus himself, knocking on people's doors Saturday morning. The scripture in Acts 20:20 that they like to use is actually referring to the Christians gathering together in each others' homes----it most certainly is not referring to any door to door ministry.

Mary

freydi said: No, it's commercialism keeping people on one of those tread mills that you can't get off of that keeps people in debt and distracted.

Freydi, no one's saying that every single person must celebrate holidays. If you don't want to---don't bother. The point is, Witnesses are not allowed to make that decision on their own or follow their own conscience. It's been decided for them at the top and you have no choice in the matter. That is where the problem lies. If they made these celebrations a "conscience matter", there would no doubt be many Witnesses who would stick to the old ways and not celebrate anything. However, there would also be those who would celebrate birthdays and holidays because of the sheer enjoyment of it. You refer to these things as a "tread mill", but there is no worse example of keeping people on a treadmill, than the ritualistic, mind-numbing treadmill of 5 meetings a week plus Service, plus family studies, plus assemblies, every week for the rest of your life.

It' not about keeping up contributions to the borg which I opted out of. They aren't wrong about everything.

Are you kidding? After reading the last WT study about all the things that are "valueless" (which includes anything done outside the KH walls), I'd have to say I disagree. The only thing they want you to do is attend all the meeetings, show up at the Memorial and leave your inheritence to the WTS. Pretty sick mentality they have.

freydi

I agree Mary, the problem is that the wt makes all the decisions. It should be left up to a person's conscience. But on a day like Easter when Jesus was resurrected, running around having an egg hunt in honor of a fertility goddess has to be an affront to anyone who considers themselves a disciple. As for the meetings, if you don't want to go, don't go.

OUTLAW

No Easter..Because:Bunnies have Sex!.. Bunny (Pink) .....No Christmas..Because:Rutherford stole Christmas!.. Guillotine 3 ..Thats a long time to hold a Grudge!.....No Valentines Day..Because:More sex!..And..Smootching!.. All Praise ........If theres anything else you want to celebrate,Forget about it!.. Hit Over Head 2 .....Now go wash some Windows!!.. Window Cleaning ................... Laughing Mutley ...OUTLAW

Gopher

But on a day like Easter when Jesus was resurrected, running around having an egg hunt in honor of a fertility goddess has to be an affront to anyone who considers themselves a disciple.

I don't know that the majority of people who consider themselves disciples would share your view.

Do little kids looking for eggs in the grass chant the name of a fertility goddess? I rather doubt it. They're just having some innocent fun. I would suggest that the churches uses the "fun" part of Easter to try to attract attention to whatever it is they are doing. Easter is the biggest holiday of the year for a lot of churches.

pbr

The reason that witnesses don't celebrate holidays is in order to keep them seperate. This is what cults do to isolate themselves from society in general. It also serves to keep the individual person from having a sense of themselves i.e. we all have that sense of who we are for example: when we say things like 'i'm not feeling myself today' or it's not like me to...' cult's break down that sense of self, distroys the individual spirit if you like.

One of the typical understanding of cults is that they segregate themselves from society and a rational/ critical thought proceses. most people consider cults therefore to live in communes, however J W's are just sophisticated in their approach.

any how that's my take on it

p.s. yal all have to over look spelling .....I'm dyslexic!

freetosee

The reason that witnesses don't celebrate holidays is in order to keep them seperate.

Yes, thats the main reason! It is done in order to keep control, because the more you are seperate from other people, wich is the result of not celebrating, the more you are dependant of the org.

Without this seperation from relatives, family and other non-jws we share the community with, the threat of disfellowshipping would not be as effective.

The wt leadership fully knows and counts on this!

Rutherford was a miserable, paranoid, drunken old tosspot who didn't like to see anyone having fun and put a ban on all these celebrations. It certainly wasn't because he somehow found out they were from "pagan origin".

He certainly didn't mind celebrating Christmas during Prohibition, when whiskey from Canada was ~~smuggled in for~~ given to him as a Christmas gift.

BTW, didn't that picture of the Bethel Family on Christmas Morning 1926 include JF Rutherford??

We don't celebrate holidays because ........

Mary

Mary

freydi

OUTLAW

Gopher

pbr

freetosee

4mylove

freydi

Scully

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