JW's Give Go Ahead for Birthdays???w/t 22/9/03 (page 5)

willy_think

When considering whether to include a pinata at a social gathering, Christians should be sensitive to the conscience of others. (1Cor 10:31-33)
A main concern is, not what it 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 above is unadulterated Awake material - what do you think?
I reckon it should be party time!!

Here is what i read this to mean........

Althowgh we are not changing our policy about birthdays etc. ( opinions may vary from one place to another)

Should you find yourself at a party with worldy people you may see pagan symblos, ( When considering whether to include a pinata at a social gathering) Don't spaz out about it they are thinking we are nuts ( Christians should be sensitive to the conscience of others.)

we are going to down play the issue in the future ( Hence, it is wise to avoid turning such matters into big issues. ) here is what you are to say, " the main concern is, not what it meant hundreds of years ago, but how it is viewed today."

Latte

Willy-think,

I quite agree........makes absolute sense to me..........

however, having just made another search on this subject, I feel that it is clear that Jah would not want us to have anything to do with such a clearly related pastime of False religion. See following.....

At the beginning of the 16th century the Spanish missionaries to North America used the piñata to attract converts to their ceremonies. However indigenous peoples already had a similar tradition. To celebrate the birthday of the Aztec god of war, Huitzilopochtli, priests placed a clay pot on a pole in the temple at year's end. Colorful feathers adorned the richly decorated pot, filled with tiny treasures.. When broken with a stick or club, the treasures fell to the feet of the god's image as an offering. The Mayans, great lovers of sport played a game where the player?s eyes were covered while hitting a clay pot suspended by string. The missionaries ingeniously transformed these games for religious instruction. They covered the traditional pot with colored paper, giving it an extraordinary, perhaps fearful appearance.

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/wdevlin/wdpinatahistory.html

Could we perhaps unwittingly be inviting the God of War into our children party?? NO!! We want no part of such pleasure!!!

alamb

I don't call them birthdays. I call them annual anniversaries of the baby shower (which were both OK, right?).

XQsThaiPoes

"Could we perhaps unwittingly be inviting the God of War into our children party??"

But then we could not pray for Jehovah's Kingdom to come before they eat their cake and ice cream

ab.ortega

anyone ever seen a pinata at a witness gathering? my wife said she wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole when we saw one at a store. I told her there was nothing wrong with them according to cited article. she still said she would never agree with using one. 😔

blondie

Not really, it is a Hispanic? custom in this area.

Look up Luau and see how the WTS explains how a festival to false gods is okay now.

JW's Give Go Ahead for Birthdays???w/t 22/9/03