Celebrating Birthdays--Disfellowshipping Offense--Where stated in WT pubs? (page 4)

Sweetp0985

Farket said,"What freakin' "pointed indications?" That the Bible only gives TWO cases of birthday celebrations that ended in tragedy out of MILLIONS of birthday celebrations that didn't?"

I agree....Just because at 2 cases of a birthday celebration that the JW's always talk about(I never really knew about the b-day celebrations done by Job while a dub...I wonder why) something bad happened. I'm quite sure there were many other birthday celebrations held too but they aren't mentioned because NOTHING HAPPENED at them...

Just like the wedding Jesus turned water into wine, it was put into the bible because of the miracle that happened. But there are hardly any other mentioning of weddings held (correct me if I'm wrong) because nothing spectacular happened at them...So does this mean that this was the only wedding held...Of course not....but because Jesus went to a wedding celebration/reception they are OK but how do we know he never went to a uneventful birthday celebration???

blondie

Summing up the direct responses to my question

BDs--DFing offense per any WT pubs open to the public or not

1. BDs are not a DFing offense officially per WTS publications/elders manual/BOE letters/questioning COs/DOs/direct response to questions to Bethel

2. BOEs have and will still DF people for celebrating BDs

3. JWs have challenged this with the official authoritities COS/DOs and those at Bethel who have confirmed that it is not a DFing offense

4. Being public and confrontational about celebrating BDs can lead to DFing

Conclusion: Celebrate privately and do not try to be confrontational about it with JWs. If BOE makes a challenge, get the CO/DO and Bethel staff involved asap before a JC is formed.

Blondie

XQsThaiPoes

Minimus has wondered when the WTS receives notice of such DFings for birthday-related crimes, why they don't nullify the DFing, since it is not official policy to DF for those "crimes." I wonder the same thing. The only conclusion I can reach is CONTROL and FEAR of the membership.

THe reason is the watchtower legally does not want to be liable for anything jw related. Every letter they write tells you to make peace with the locals because they cant help you. At most they will you a vague letter saying it is your dicision. The local cong is the highest court in the land of jwdom. The watchtower has no say for legal reasons.

amac

I recently let our children go to a b-day party and one JW found out. The news spread like wildfire and that JW actually said that they would no longer associate with us (although they have since then.) We got lots of tearful phone calls (everyone knows we are inactive but this was sort of icing on the cake.) Not long afterwards we had an elder's visit. That was one of the first questions they asked...but oddly enough they moved onto other things and never really reprimanded us for the b-day. I think a lot of it will depend on how hardline your local elders are.

I never realized that about the Job account. Is there anything that definitely indicates it is referring to b-days?

Badger

Interesting, again...

The WTS says they "Follow the Bible"...

yet, as exhaustive as the Mosaic Law is, there is no law against birthdays!

The Mosaic Law included diet, cooking oil, treatment of animals, provisions for manslaughter...but this widespread activity in the ancient world was not even addressed in Leviticus!

As one loyal dub I wnet to the hall with said: "When in doubt...cut it out"

blondie

One thing to remember, even if they do decide to DF you, they cannot announce it for 7 days during which you can appeal it. That gives you time to contact the CO/DO and Bethel to get confirmation on celebrating BDs not being a DFing offense. Of course, you can do this before even meeting with a JC. Also, not many JWs realize it, but even if the appeal committee confirms the DFing for celebrating BDs, you can still appeal it higher to Bethel itself. I have seen it done and seen the person succeed. You just have to keep your comments to the issue of celebrating BDs, keep quiet about it, not dragging others in the congregation into it, and stay respectful. Screaming at the elders and running around badmouthing them will not help your cause.

Blondie

minimus

Cyberguy, I hate to admit it but I was in over 100 JC meetings and on a few occasions we were written to by the Service Dept. and were questioned why we took the action.

minimus

I was involved in 2 appeals before I resigned as an elder. The appeal com. told the elders that the persons could appeal to the Society but should NOT be told this!!

cyberguy

minimus,

I guess those DF-cards are looked at sometimes (2 out of 100?). I recall being questioned about not waiting long enough to reinstate someone. In one case we waited 5 months before reinstating someone for immorality, and the Society questioned us at to whether we waited long enough! However, I suppose all this depends on who gets assigned to look at the stuff.

Tyre

If Birthdays are prohibited by the Watchtower

First, why did the The Watchtower magazine celebrate its own 100th Birthday? The July 1,1979, Watchtower was a "special issue" titled "Keeping Watch For 100 Years," commemorating the magazine's birth in July of 1879. And that is not all! When the Pennsylvanie Corporation publishing the magazine became 100 years old in 1984, it too had a celebration: "A special occassion indeed!...it was appropriate that Jehovah's Witnesses should mark this centennial of the Watch Tower Society by a special gathering." (The Watchtoweer, January 1, 1985, page 16)

My second question is:

Do the sect's leaders who partied on their own centennial have sound biblical reasons for denying children such parties on their birthdays?

Celebrating Birthdays--Disfellowshipping Offense--Where stated in WT pubs?

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