A different spin on birthdays

by FatFreek 2005 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  FatFreek 2005

  About birthdays. Several days ago I was waiting at the deli for the next batch of fried chicken when a man in his sixties came in. He had called in his order two days earlier. We started talking and I learned that it was his granddaughter's first birthday.

  He said, "She probably won't remember this day for long but there are some 5 grandparents and great grandparents that will. Plus a bunch of others."

  He placed the 3 boxes in his basket, some 75 pieces of chicken that will put a dent in the budget of most people where I live. However, he walked away beaming with pride with a mile wide smile.

  I've been out of the cult for 42 years but had never looked at birthdays from that perspective. That birthday, which would be soon forgotten by a one-year-old, would be a catalyst for bringing an entire family and friends together -- not tearing them apart. Photos to be later seen by that birthday girl in years to come will contribute to her self esteem in ways that cannot be measured, making strong family bonds and making her heart happy.

  Are you listening, Watchtower?
  
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  Anders Andersen

  And that's exactly why birthdays and all other common occasions that bring families together are forbidden. New recruits stop being with their families. This creates a rift and resentment in the family. Watchtower blames this on the family of course.

  And this separation from supportive family is exactly what cults want to achieve. They want the cult to be the only support and social circle to the members, so it's harder for them to leave.
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  ScenicViewer

  And that's exactly why birthdays and all other common occasions that bring families together are forbidden. New recruits stop being with their families. This creates a rift and resentment in the family.

  Bingo!

  JWs often claim the main reason they are not a cult is because they are not isolated from others by living in a commune. They may not live in a commune but they are as isolated as anybody on earth via no birthdays, no mother's day, no father's day, no Thanksgiving, etc. These are the very things that bring most families together.
  
  
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  FatFreek 2005

  
  

  
  

  They may not live in a commune but they are as isolated as anybody on earth via no birthdays, no mother's day, no father's day, no Thanksgiving, etc.
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  just fine

  Now that I celebrate birthdays I see them more as a day to tell someone I am glad they were born and I get to be part of their life.
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  Tenacious

  It all comes down to the leaders having control over the lives of members. While they've had to scale back on their control like the idiotic 60s and 70s bedroom laws, they will attempt to maintain control over everything else.

  Heck they even insert the word "relative" in Romans for the higher authorities.

  They don't want members believing they should obey anyone else before them first.

  The leaders are no different than Satan. They want people to worship them and obey them.
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  blondie

  I was surprised when in researching birthdays in the WTS publications after 2001, that there is nothing about being disfellowshipped for celebrating one; I checked for all the listed disfellowshipping. I supposed it was in the elders manual that only elders had access to. Internet is wonderful, but I can't find the quote at this time.
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  Room 215

  • The only two scriptures have have remotely any relevance to birthdays are:

    Job 1:4: "His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on HIS DAY, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them."

    and Romans 14:5,6: " 5One man regards a certain day above the others, whilesomeone elseconsiders every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced inhis own mind. 6He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.…"

    Link
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  jwfacts

  Excellent point that I haven’t properly thought about before. A celebration of life, not of death as Watchtower wants to make followers believe.
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  LV101

  I recall something about birthdays in a publication (a small little blurb) sometime between '97 and 2,000 (?) that they were left to a Christian's conscience. I was shocked and may have misinterpreted but I was still reading the mags so not long after '97/'98.