The ''dreaded'' birthday cake

by RULES & REGULATIONS 49 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • RULES & REGULATIONS
    RULES & REGULATIONS

    The Watchtower—Study Edition | September 2023

    STUDY ARTICLE 39

    Let Mildness Be Your Strength

    11 If a workmate asks, for example, why we do not celebrate birthdays, consider: Could he be wondering whether we are allowed to have a good time? Or might he feel that our position will dampen the company’s team spirit? We may be able to ease our workmate’s concerns by expressing how much we appreciate his interest in fellow workers and assuring him that we want to enjoy a pleasant environment at work. That might open the way to a relaxed conversation about what the Bible indicates regarding the subject of birthdays.

    A workmate offering a sister a piece of birthday cake at her desk. Others eat, drink, and celebrate in a neighboring office.

    We can better respond if we first consider that there may be reasons why an invitation to a birthday party is being offered (See paragraphs 11-12)

    Look at the eyes of sister ( I'm a Jehovah's Witness and you definitely know that I don't celebrate birthday's).

    The cake looks delicious but she will continue to work and dampen the company's team spirit. Later, she will have a relaxed conversation about what the Bible indicates regarding the subject of birthday's.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Birthdays?

    Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays because we believe that such celebrations displease God. Although the Bible does not explicitly forbid celebrating birthdays, it does help us to reason on key features of these events and understand God’s view of them.

    1. Birthday celebrations have pagan roots.

    2. The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays.

    3. The only commemoration that Christians are required to keep involves, not a birth, but a death​—that of Jesus.

    4. The Bible never refers to a servant of God celebrating a birthday.

      Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate pagan birthday's, but have no problem celebrating wedding anniversaries, baby showers and bridal showers. Why don't these displease God? The Bible never mentions these events!

  • tenyearsafter
    tenyearsafter

    Almost every modern day "holiday" has pagan roots if you dig deeply enough. These holiday "issues" are more a matter of convenience to look different than the rest of the "world". JW's have no problems with wedding rings (definitely pagan) or having a large gathering on Thanksgiving with family and friends (because turkey is cheaper at that time of the year). The answer that the Bible doesn't mention things is a pick and choose answer to justify a specific doctrine...not a matter that is Biblically supported.

  • Beth Sarim
    Beth Sarim

    The Borg has just picked and picked what they deem to be pagan,,this goes back to Rutherford era which has been passed down over generations.

    Actually,,,everything you do, day to day has pagan origins.

    The Borg assigns flimsy,unbiblical, biased arguments against holidays, birthdays and such.

  • MeanMrMustard
    MeanMrMustard
    Internal logical consistency is a huge issue with JWs. If logical consistency is important to you, it's hard to stay JW.
  • was a new boy
    was a new boy
    RULES & REGULATIONS

    Could he be wondering whether we are allowed to have a good time?

    They'd have monthly fire drills, where Max Larson would give a report on output numbers at the Bethel factory. I think it was mentioned there in the 70's, 'no more party's at work!'

    Up until then, usually we'd have snacks and soda celebrating a guy who was leaving after a certain number of years of giving free labor.

  • hoser
    hoser

    The jw birthday ban is all about control of who you associate with and splitting up families.

    It’s all about manipulating cult members and keeping them in the cult

  • Beth Sarim
    Beth Sarim

    The birthday & holiday ban is an isolation tactic

    Which the borg has adopted over the decades to enforce its members isolation techniques from "normal citizens".

    Manipulating members and keeping them in the cult mentality.

    To put the cult in place of family.

    And,,,of notable mention to make more money $$$ flow in to the contribution boxes,,instead of family wholesome things like presents, Xmas gifts & good food.

  • Ding
    Ding

    It would be hard to imagine a stronger pagan connection than eating meat that has just been offered in sacrifice on a pagan god’s altar. But in 1 Corinthians 8, Paul says it’s the person with a weak conscience who is troubled by such things. Why is it okay to eat meat I know a pagan offered on his idol’s altar three hours ago but wrong to celebrate birthdays because of something Pharaoh or Herod did more than 3000 years ago?

  • Diogenesister
    Diogenesister

    Really good point, Ding. Actually the concept of sacrifice itself couldn't be more pagan & superstitious....yet the apostles didn't have an issue.

    I think there were servants of God who celebrated birthdays (Lott's children) but the Borg wiggle out of that one because the translation is 'loose'.

    R&R yes a lot of acceptable celebrations are of recent, American origin - too new to have been banned in the olden days by Rutherford/Knorr/Franz etc

    Beth yes Isolation from society with the bonus of more disposable ca$$h for Witchtower!

  • NotFormer
    NotFormer

    If they can get away with Thanksgiving by calling it "turkey day", why can't they just call a birthday "cake day"? If they can rationalise turkey day with "Well, turkeys are so cheap at this time of year", then they can get away with cake day by saying "Well, the cake was there, anyway".

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