Birthdays, ISOCF

by compound complex 35 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  compound complex

  Persons among the Witnesses have been disfellowshiped for holding birthday celebrations. The core of the Watch Tower argument seems to be based upon the principle of guilt by association - that because only Pharaoh and Herod are mentioned in Scripture as celebrating birthdays, and because these were wicked men, therefore the celebration of a birthday is necessarily wicked also. [53] This is certainly a forced conclusion. If, as an illustration, the Scriptures had no reference to marriage feasts other than marriage feasts held by two pagans or non-Christians (perhaps with some coincidental drunkenness or immorality occur[r]ing) - would that make marriage feasts something wrong, unfit for Christians? [IN SEARCH OF CHRISTIAN FREEDOM, page 275.]

  footnote:

  53 See REASONING FROM THE SCRIPTURES (1985), pages 68, 69;
  
  SCHOOL AND JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, pages 17, 18.
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  BurnTheShips

  It's my birfday. 35.
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  compound complex

  BTS:

  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

  CoCo
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  compound complex

  The Watch Tower employs quotations about the absence of birthday celebrations by Jews or by professed Christians in early centuries. Is that really a substantial reason for taking a rigid stand? Did the Jews or the professed Christians in early centuries celebrate wedding anniversaries? Would the fact that they did not rule out our doing so today? Jehovah's Witnesses in many countries regularly DO celebrate wedding anniversaries. The idea advanced that birthday celebrations are intrinsically an 'idolizing' of the person is an unrealistic categorization. Couples who celebrate a wedding anniversary are not idolizing themselves nor idolizing their marriage. Like so many other things, it is the way in which things are done, the SPIRIT shown, and this can vary widely. [54] Nowhere in the Scriptures is there any indication of God's disapproval of birthday celebrations PER SE. They are silent in that respect. It is a case of men presuming to know God's thinking and making judgments and rulings that God himself has not made. [ibid., page 276; emphasis: RF.]

  footnote:

  54 One of my wife's sisters has a son, an only child conceived
  
  fairly late in the marriage and born with a heart defect. The
  
  parents were warned that he might not live beyond the age
  
  of two, but surgery performed when he reached that age
  
  corrected the problem. As the mother said, "Some people
  
  celebrate wedding anniversaries, but to my husband and
  
  me the day that our son was born is more precious to our
  
  memory even than the day of our wedding."
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  civicsi00

  I've personally stated to my mom that neither God nor Jesus ever made a statement that birthdays should not be celebrated. She just stared at me in confusion.

  JW's are just trying to be "different", hence the reason for still not celebrating birthdays. They can accept wedding rings, baby showers, wedding cake, and even buy buildings with gargoyle's on them.. but HELL if a JW decides to celebrate his own freakin' birthday.
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  oompa

  and what about wedding rings and many other things like toasting glasses?...WT says that if the practice is no longer thought of as being pagan then some things are ok...why not EVERYTHING that is no longer thougt of this way???....damm inconsistant!...there could be a lot more fun stuff dubs would be allowed to do.............................oompa
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  Cautious Dove

  When a baby is born in the congregation everyone sends cards and presents. Surely that is THE birthday so they shouldn't do it ?
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  OUTLAW

  The Bible says..The Angels rejoiced when Jesus was born..The angels celebrated the Birth of Jesus.....The WBT$ would disfellowship God`s own Angels if given the chance..LOL!!.............Jehovah`s Witness`s do not follow the Bible..Jehovah`s Witness`s follow the interpretations of the WBT$,about the Bible......................With the Exception of the 144,000 the WBT$ is the mediator for mankind..The WBT$ said so!!..LOL!!..............Jesus is out of a job and you better not celebrate his birthday or anyone elses!!...........And..God does as he`s told by the WBT$!!..The WBT$ made God cancel Armageddon in 1925 and 1975!!.......God would`nt have a job without the WBT$!!.........LOL!!.........................OUTLAW
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  choosing life

  They actually do celebrate the birthday of a baby. It is the anniversity of that day that they refuse to allow people to celebrate.

  Job's children celebrated their birthdays. They like to leave that part out.
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  compound complex

  Thank you, Friends, for your fine comments. They're much appreciated.

  CoCo