Why don't Jehovah witness's celebrate birthdays?

Originally posted by menace71
I don't care or condemn those who celebrate Christmas but we're being intellectually dishonest if we don't recognize some pagan elements in the holiday. I think the modern holiday is fairly godless it's more about materialism and how much money we can spend. it's a sad time of year for many also.

Damn I'm scaring myself I sound like a J-Dub now

Manny

this is the greatest post evah, an honest man, honest enough to face the reality and brave enough to tell it! thumbs up for that.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
why? because i respect the conscience of others that is why, i would never dream of imposing my conscience on them nor deprive them of the joy of giving, if they want to celebrate Christmas its up to them.

I noticed that you could not provide a single example of an instance where you have put scriptural principles above self concern yet deem qua ...[text shortened]... to call others out for failing to do so in your opinion, interesting, when you can, let us know.

He always answers our questions with other questions, never answering or explaining from the sciptures why he justifies what he does in God's eyes and from God's word the Bible. Ever!!!!!!

Originally posted by galveston75
He always answers our questions with other questions, never answering or explaining from the sciptures why he justifies what he does in God's eyes and from God's word the Bible. Ever!!!!!!

Who me? i don't even know you? And show me this question you and Mr sensitive have for me today!.

Originally posted by tim88
Who me? i don't even know you? And show me this question you and Mr sensitive have for me today!.

Nope. It's about geester dude.

Originally posted by menace71
I don't care or condemn those who celebrate Christmas but we're being intellectually dishonest if we don't recognize some pagan elements in the holiday. I think the modern holiday is fairly godless it's more about materialism and how much money we can spend. it's a sad time of year for many also.

Damn I'm scaring myself I sound like a J-Dub now

Manny

Kind of..Lol. Many do not like the truth of these holidays or customs but would rather go along and do them for mostly selfish reasons or from pressure the world puts on them. If one is a friend of the world, they all like you....

Originally posted by galveston75
He always answers our questions with other questions, never answering or explaining from the sciptures why he justifies what he does in God's eyes and from God's word the Bible. Ever!!!!!!

Ok, show me in the bible where it says you should not celebrate Christmas but it's ok for grandparent to give your kids Christmas presents. You are full of it Galveston; you bleat endlessly on and on about how you and robbie live your lives according to gods word, but actually what you do is live your life according to the watchtower interpretation of God's. There is a big difference.

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
The bottom line is this ... did Jesus celebrate Birthdays? did the Apostles celebrate Birthdays?

Is that it? That's your "bottom line" and reasoning for depriving your children of birthdays and Christians? Ridiculous.

Did Jesus or the apostles watch sport, drive cars, eat burgers, go to the cinema or theatre? Did they have a central place of worship called Kingdom Hall, did they have a huge head office?

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Four things, we have love among ourselves, we preach the Good news of Gods Kingdom, we make manifest Gods name and we are no part of the world, if you do all of these things you are a true Christian.

Doesn't the word "Christian" imply something of a belief in Christ? or Jesus as supreme? Why not call a J. W. a Jehovahain???

As far as J.W.'s celebrating birthdays, who cares!

Originally posted by divegeester
Ok, show me in the bible where it says you should not celebrate Christmas but it's ok for grandparent to give your kids Christmas presents. You are full of it Galveston; you bleat endlessly on and on about how you and robbie live your lives according to gods word, but actually what you do is live your life according to the watchtower interpretation of God's. There is a big difference.

Are you really serious? It could be written a thousand times in the Bible in black and white and you'd still not believe.
Don't bother asking again.....
And for your info my kids grandparents are also JW's.

Bleat, bleat!!!!!!

BIBLICAL LIGHT ON BIRTHDAYS

Even though the birth of a baby has always been a cause for much joy, the Bible makes no reference to a birthday celebration for a servant of God. (Psalm 127:3)

Was this simply an oversight? No, for two birthday celebrations are mentioned—that of a Pharaoh of Egypt and that of Herod Antipas. (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21-29) Both events, however, are presented in a bad light—especially the latter, which saw John the Baptizer beheaded.

“The early Christians,” notes The World Book Encyclopedia, “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.” The ancient Greeks, for instance, believed that each person had a protective spirit that attended the person’s birth and thereafter watched over him. That spirit “had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born,” says the book The Lore of Birthdays. Birthdays also have a long-standing and an intimate link with astrology and the horoscope.

Besides rejecting birthday customs on account of pagan and spiritistic roots, God’s servants of old likely rejected them on principle as well. Why? These were humble, modest men and women who did not view their arrival in the world as so important that it should be celebrated.* (Micah 6:8; Luke 9:48) Rather, they glorified Jehovah and thanked him for the precious gift of life.*—Psalm 8:3, 4; 36:9; Revelation 4:11.

At death, all integrity-keepers are safe in God’s memory, and their future life is guaranteed. (Job 14:14, 15) Says Ecclesiastes 7:1: “A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s being born.” Our “name” is the good reputation we have gained with God through faithful service. Significantly, the only commemoration commanded for Christians involves, not a birth, but a death—that of Jesus, whose excellent “name” is the key to our salvation.—Luke 22:17-20; Hebrews 1:3, 4.

Originally posted by galveston75
Are you really serious? It could be written a thousand times in the Bible in black and white and you'd still not believe.
Don't bother asking again.....
And for your info my kids grandparents are also JW's.

Bleat, bleat!!!!!!

I wasn't talking about your grandparents, I was talking about Robbie's parents who he allows to give Christmas presents to his kids. It's hypocritical.

And as to your "hundreds of times in black and white" comment. If your stupid, ridiculous, nasty, dangerous doctrines and beliefs were in the bible AT ALL... I would NOT be a Christian. Fortunately they aren't, so I am.

Got that lamb chop?

Originally posted by galveston75
BIBLICAL LIGHT ON BIRTHDAYS

Even though the birth of a baby has always been a cause for much joy, the Bible makes no reference to a birthday celebration for a servant of God. (Psalm 127:3)

Was this simply an oversight? No, for two birthday celebrations are mentioned—that of a Pharaoh of Egypt and that of Herod Antipas. (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6: ...[text shortened]... hat of Jesus, whose excellent “name” is the key to our salvation.—Luke 22:17-20; Hebrews 1:3, 4.

Hilarious. You now have to go to the world encyclopaedia as a reason to not allow your children and you family to celebrate the day your kids were born. If your organisation told you to boil a turd every Sunday you would do it.

Edit: ... And they'd find you a Mickey Mouse scripture for doing it.

tim88,
Did you type that you don't or Jehovah's witnesses don't celebrate a birthday because of what Herod did? If so, why does it matter what Herod did?

Originally posted by menace71
I don't care or condemn those who celebrate Christmas but we're being intellectually dishonest if we don't recognize some pagan elements in the holiday. I think the modern holiday is fairly godless it's more about materialism and how much money we can spend. it's a sad time of year for many also.

Damn I'm scaring myself I sound like a J-Dub now

Manny

I don't think anyone would disagree with you, or course Christmas originates in paganism, so do the days of the week, the months of the year and a host of other iconic elements of our society.

But then no one else but the JWs makes a doctrine out of it, no one else denies themselves the joy of giving and receiving gifts, no one else denies their children birthday parties and no one else browbeats everyone about the righteousness of doing this.

We should be balanced. Paul said "why should my liberty be restricted by another's conscience?" The JW corporation builds a temple of fear and weak conscience around its members who rely of this for a form of righteousness. It is this fear that drives the doctrines that stop parents allowing their children birthday parties and Christmas presents. The solution is freedom in Christ and proper education of the children.

Originally posted by galveston75
BIBLICAL LIGHT ON BIRTHDAYS

Even though the birth of a baby has always been a cause for much joy, the Bible makes no reference to a birthday celebration for a servant of God. (Psalm 127:3)

Was this simply an oversight? No, for two birthday celebrations are mentioned—that of a Pharaoh of Egypt and that of Herod Antipas. (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6: ...[text shortened]... hat of Jesus, whose excellent “name” is the key to our salvation.—Luke 22:17-20; Hebrews 1:3, 4.

This is just throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Yeah. See what I did there?