warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Hmmm wanna explain? I'm curious.
I don't understand why people celebrate birthdays
- Thread starter Lotus49
- Start date
Hmmm wanna explain? I'm curious.
Well IANAJW, but they don't celebrate any holidays. The rationale that I got from a JW pamphlet I read was that since there are only two birthdays mentioned in the Bible, and they were both for nonbelievers, that it isn't something a Christian should do.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Ahh.. aren't they also the guys who refuse to have surgery performed on them, even if it will save their life?
No, they just don't accept blood donations (or, of course, donate blood). Christian Scientists are the ones who don't accept medical care in general.
Leeksoup
Pope Lazius
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Look, I'm a Jehovah's Witness, and therefore I don't celebrate birthdays. If you want to know why, we have two reasons. First, the modern american 'birthday' comes ENTIRELY from pagan religious rituals to various spirits and deities, and even if a christian name is put on the whole thing... a rose by any other name, right? That's actually our reason for not celebrating holidays. They're all pagan. Anyway, secondly, there are only two examples of birthdays in the bible, and at both those occasions someone loyal to God was killed. While that might not mean anything, chances are it does, and combined with the first thing, we figure it's best not to celebrate them.
It's not like our children suffer, anyway. Just because they don't get gifts on Christmas or their birthday doesn't mean they don't get gifts. I personally got things given to me on random days for absolutely no reason, and I think gifts actually mean more if they're given like that. On christmas and birthdays, everyone expects you to buy them something, and if you don't you're mean. That isn't giving from the heart, it's giving because you're expected to. But if you give just because you feel like it, it's special.
It's not like our children suffer, anyway. Just because they don't get gifts on Christmas or their birthday doesn't mean they don't get gifts. I personally got things given to me on random days for absolutely no reason, and I think gifts actually mean more if they're given like that. On christmas and birthdays, everyone expects you to buy them something, and if you don't you're mean. That isn't giving from the heart, it's giving because you're expected to. But if you give just because you feel like it, it's special.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Leeksoup, interesting.
I am curious what you guys do during the holidays, for example. Wouldn't not going to work constitute observing Christmas? or Easter? And what about all the other holidays? Do you try to come into work if you can, or is that not really that big of a deal?
I am curious what you guys do during the holidays, for example. Wouldn't not going to work constitute observing Christmas? or Easter? And what about all the other holidays? Do you try to come into work if you can, or is that not really that big of a deal?
That's ********. The origins are irrelevant; what's important is the purpose. Besides, birthdays have nothing to do with Christianity to begin with, nor should they.
...how does that mean that the idea of a birthday is pagan, then?
It's one bloody day in which everyone who care enough treats you special. Not having a special day means you have nothing to look forward to. It doesn't have to be giving from the heart, though it certainly can be, but that's not the point!
@Leeksoup:
Interesting, you should start a thread.
Anyways, I know John the Baptist was killed at Herod's birthday celebration; who was the other?
Interesting, you should start a thread.
Anyways, I know John the Baptist was killed at Herod's birthday celebration; who was the other?
Leeksoup
Pope Lazius
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2006
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- 130
One of Pharaoh's servants who was helping Joseph out. And I can't start a thred. It's generally seen as a good idea not to start a discussion about religion online because it's so easy to lie online, although there is no rule about it. I only replied like I did because a question was asked.
Maybe the origins are irrelevant to you; and that's EXACTLY my point. Brithdays have nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with paganism and Babylonian (and Celtic, and Egyptian, etc etc) gods.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Nowadays they have nothing to do with either.
They have everything to do with having fun, getting presents, and celebrating your life.
No. It has nothing to do with Christianity, or any religion, for that matter. It's a friggin' birthday.
Well, CFC OT is a good place for this kind of discussion; I, as you might be able to tell, have a thread for my religion (I am LDS, ie Mormon, in case it isn't obvious) and others do for theirs.
But then, if you don't want to, that is fine.
NKVD
Cossack
if everyone celebrating their birthdays would die (like the 2 in the bible)there wouldnt be anybody on earth except jehova's witness!!! funny
I also have another question for leeksoup since you wont start a thread
next door is an entire triplex of people devoted to Jehova. I,m wondering how come they never came to ring on my door. wherever I lived before I would have at least one visit per month. Do you have a law forbidden to visit neighboor ?
also I read a bit on wikipedia on jehova witness and that number of people who'll win their sky/heaven if I could say that. with the number of place available and number of witnesses that lived and are alive its like winning the lottery. you still believe you can make it and that all your family can make it?
I also have another question for leeksoup since you wont start a thread
next door is an entire triplex of people devoted to Jehova. I,m wondering how come they never came to ring on my door. wherever I lived before I would have at least one visit per month. Do you have a law forbidden to visit neighboor ?
also I read a bit on wikipedia on jehova witness and that number of people who'll win their sky/heaven if I could say that. with the number of place available and number of witnesses that lived and are alive its like winning the lottery. you still believe you can make it and that all your family can make it?
Jehovah's Witnesses don't use crosses either.
OK, That's something I didn't know.
Leeksoup
Pope Lazius
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2006
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- 130
Sure is pagan alright. Good thing we Jehovah's Witnesses don't use a cross.
Look, just think about it. If you had your hands and feet nailed to a cross, you could pretty much live indefinitely up there (in pain) if you got fed and watered, right? The point of the torture stake was to KILL the criminal, and within a day. With your hands bound above your head and your feet bound below you, you tire very quickly trying to breathe, and if your legs are broken (like what happened to the other criminals with Jesus) you can't breath at all. But, if your arms were at your sides you could hold yourself up with your arms. You really could, people were very strong back then compared to your average person now.
NKVD: I don't know why your neighbors won't go to your door. Maybe your house isn't in their assigned territory? If you ever actually want to talk to them, go over and knock. I guarantee you they'd be delighted.
Also, yeah, only 144,000 people will go to heaven according to the bible (It's not even a metaphor, it flat-out says it. There's no guesswork). But it's not a lottery. I, personally, don't want to go to heaven, and the HUGE, crushing majority of us don't want to as well. We'd rather stay on Earth after Armageddon, when it is transformed into a paradise. The bible promises us a paradise Earth, and moreover an inhabited Earth, after Armageddon at least one hundred times.
Ok, But according to the Bible, God did. He use a curse (cursed is the man who hanged on a tree) to bless the whole world. He turns that which was evil for the good of all.
You'll be dead and in eternal damnation, though. It's one or the other.
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