ChristianFreedo:
This post will help many have a good response to Jehovah's Witnesses, as they try to show superior righteousness and try to make others feel guilty for a celebration that God himself never forbade. It is also meant to educate Witnesses, as they will have to avoid anything paganic, since our everyday life is filled with it, that is if they really want to practice "True Christianity", the way the Jews practice.

I am tagging a lot of people since this may never make front page. Try to be patient while reading it, it may be enlightened, as they almost everything around is paganic.

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ChristianFreedo:
CONCLUSION

Perception: Positive or Negative perception can play a major role on how we view event around us, whether we choose to participate in an event or not. Let me give 3 real life example.

Example 1: I know of a man that has never wore a Jean. His perception has always been, Jean is mostly used by tout and criminals, in an event where policemen need to effect an arrest, they would most certainly arrest a man wearing Jean, than a person with normal corporate wears. I grew with that perception, never thought of Jean wears in good light, I can remember repeating same line of reasoning to friends.

Example 2: Secondly, I knew of a late Jehovah’s Witness sister that never eat meats. She grew up with the perception that lowly people, servant girls cannot eat meats, that meat is meant for big men and women. Why? She happened to be a servant girl for an unkind woman. She will serve the woman, prepare everything for her, fish, meats and other things for preparing a nice, delicious meal. However, when the meal is finished, the woman will then give them things to use in preparing meal for the servants and meat was never included. So, she grew with the negative impression and when she was later blessed her with a good husband, nice children, houses…she still never would eat meat, because of the negative impressions she had about meat. However, it wouldn’t stop her from preparing delicious meal for her children, visitors and others where meat was included. But she would not eat the meat.

Example 3: Or a situation where a woman has been married for several years without the fruit of the womb. Then, God bless her with a son, the birthday of her Son being the greatest and happiest her life. As written in page 277 of In Search of Christian Freedom, “One of my wife’s sisters has a son, an only child conceived fairly late in the marriage and born with a heart defect. The parents were warned that he might not live beyond the age of two, but surgery performed when he reached that age corrected the problem. As the mother said, “Some people celebrate wedding anniversaries, but to my husband and me the day that our son was born is more precious to our memory even than the day of our wedding.” On that day in each year that passes, she remembers the day as certainly worth celebrating. Can she not celebrate this day, giving glory and praises to God simply because some people thousands of years ago, she does not know and frankly does not matter to her celebrated their birthday and kill someone?

As can been observed, the Jews not celebrating birthday was simply a case of perception, not because God forbade it. The early Christian were mostly Jews, having Jewish custom and therefore would not celebrate birthday. Many today have one or two things they abstain from, simply because of perception, not because it is morally wrong.

Pagan Origin

If we are to go into origin of all that happens around us today, then we will really be out of this world in the name of practicing ‘True Christianity’. God’s law given to the Israelite never forbade birthday celebration in a time the Israelite had moral codes governing almost all aspect of their lives. Surely, Jehovah, the all wise creator could have given such if celebration of birthday was offensive to him. Or did Jehovah forget?
The watchtower places emphasis on the “pagan origin” factor on certain celebrations while glossing over this factors in other areas, such as wedding rings, anniversaries, Pinjatas and names. They also present a negative one-sided view of considerations on birthday/Christmas. This simple amount to double, hypocritical standard.

Bad Event Occurring in Birthday and Idolizing Oneself

One of watchtower’s core argument against birth celebration is based on the principle of guilty by association - that because only Pharaoh and Herod are mentioned in Scripture as celebrating birthdays, and because these were wicked men, therefore the celebration of a birthday is necessarily wicked also. This is certainly a forced conclusion. If, as an illustration, the Scriptures held no reference to marriage feasts other than marriage feasts held by two pagans or non-Christians (perhaps even with some coincidental drunkenness or immorality occurring)—would that make marriage feasts something wrong, unfit for Christians?

The Watch Tower employs quotations about the absence of birthday celebrations by Jews or by professed Christians in early centuries. Is that really a substantial reason for taking a rigid stand? Did the Jews or the professed Christians in early centuries celebrate wedding anniversaries? Would the fact that they did not rule out our doing so today? Jehovah’s Witnesses in many countries regularly do celebrate wedding anniversaries. The idea advanced that birthday celebrations are intrinsically an ‘idolizing’ of the person is an unrealistic categorization. Couples who celebrate a wedding anniversary are not idolizing themselves nor idolizing their marriage.

Like so many other things, it is the way in which things are done, the spirit shown, and this can vary widely. Nowhere in the Scriptures is there any indication of God’s disapproval of birthday celebrations per se. The watchtower is silent in that respect, neither is it mentioned when arguing for or against birthday. It is a case of men presuming to know God’s thinking and making judgments and rulings that God himself has not made.

I do not celebrate birthday, yet I recognized that an exaggerated importance has been attached to them, with celebration or non-celebration being viewed as evidence of superior righteousness, determining whether one is a practicer of pure worship or not.

In all this, I am not advocating these celebrations. I had never celebrated, neither will I start now. I had a negative perception built into me as I grew up a Jehovah's Witness. I simply believe that, viewed calmly and factually, they are matters of minor significance, matters that should be left to the consciences of fellow believers, never warranting the sense of superior righteousness produced by Jehovah's Witness abstention, and certainly never justifying the double standard it has produced in the lives of Jehovah’s witnesses.

Contributing Sources for Further Reading:

1. http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/birthdays.php

2. http://www.cogwriter.com/birthdays.htm

3. In Search of Christian Freedom, pages 274-276 {Download PDF with this link https://www.google.com.ng/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjxysjvrrfRAhXCLMAKHZKwBWoQFggYMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fchretien.et.homo.free.fr%2Ffichiers%2Frl_rf_2002_en.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGmz_RsULtFUWOtMSMTcKfoKGe-Ng&sig2=kTL6Do0QsfXESWTwMkbmsQ&bvm=bv.143423383,d.d24}

olaolaking:

Call the elders in your congregation and table your arguement before them. At least, let them know your view and opinion.
You cant be hiding and claim you are preaching to them.Nobody recognizes an unseen face. Are you an hypocrites?

ChristianFreedo:


You mean call them and get yourself kicked out and shunned for disagreeing with watchtower line of reasoning? Nice try, but I think I'll pass

olaolaking:
What business do you have with them? Are you for real? You claim they are set of wrong people and you still belong to them. Is that how God should be served? You mean you agree with them even though you know they are wrong? worshipping God in disguise?

ChristianFreedo:


Ok. Let's Just cut to the chase.

Firstly:

This is what you are trying to achieve, you have used these lines of reasoning before in my other post.

1. You want to me to go out to the public, probably the congregation, meet the elders face to face, argue with them.

2. Of course, you know too well that they will try to make me submit to watchtower reasoning, they will "try to readjust my thought" to align with the watchtower thinking

3. Of course, i will not accept it

4. Then, i will be charged with apostasy

5. Then Judicial committee (religious court) will be formed against me for not accept any of Watchtower's teaching (you know the greatest sin any JW can commit is disagree with watchtower teaching, i am assuming you are an elder, because it is the best kept secret)

6. Then I am disfellowship or disassociated

7. Then shunned

OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED:
This is the whole objective of all you argument. Because, you know too well that immediately I am disfellowship or disassociated, shunning kicks in. Then no one will hear what I have to say (whether i am right or not). No one will even say a greeting to me, they will simply pretend I am dead. This way, even if my information can prove life saving, no one pays attention.

Thanks, but no thanks. I know you thought. Your thought are like that of the devil, cunning devising schemes. I am not falling for that trap.

Secondly:
My worship is between me and my God. In the Judgment, it will be between me and Jesus. You cannot mediate, neither will the watchtower organization. So allow God to judge my worship, for it is before his judgment sit I will stand, not yours or the organization. Thanks.

Thirdly:

The bolded statement is entirely yours and yours only. I never claimed nor made the allegation that Jehovah's Witnesses are a set of wrong people. If there is anywhere I have made such a post, I challenged you to show me. My believe is that Jehovah's Witnesses, "the rank and files", are sincere people, they want to do what the bible said (as interpreted by the watchtower). The same is true of many Christians in other religious organization. They are sincere people too.

I bear them witness that Jehovah's Witnesses, like other Christians adherent, have a zeal for righteousness, but only according to what the watchtower says and teaches, not according to accurate knowledge.

There is where the danger lies. The watchtower has been proven time again to be untruthful, dishonest and maintain a double standard, especially where money is involved. As a result, the watchtower has been providing a one sided, dishonest view of matters to Jehovah's Witnesses (the rank and files), thereby leading to imprisonment, hardship and in some cases dead of sincere people that trust their leaders with their lives. Most of the time, watchtower takes advantage of the trust the rank and files have for them to present information that is at best intellectually dishonest.

Please, my problem is not with the rank and files (Jehovah's witnesses). My problem is only with the inaccurate, misleading information and sometimes, outright lies the watchtower teaches. You may what to check my profile picture.Thanks

olaolaking:
Can you judge yourself? Just look at your argument. You don't want to be kicked out? So you prefer to play along? I am sure you always do what they prefer and always obey them. You also agree with them in all questionable matters you have raised. Now, how do you think God will feel about you. Give you a thumbs up? When you do according to Jehovah's witnesses doctrine which you see as falsehood but come at the back to discredit same doctrine?

Explain yourself to sincere people who are not Jehovah's witnesses and see how they will feel about you

ChristianFreedo:


My brother, that was my last response to you on that subject. If you do not nor like it that way. That's the way it is going to be.

olaolaking:

Keep deceiving yourself and continue to cry. Who wants to take you seriously? You can rant. But it is good for you that way because you will soon develop hypertension. Those people you are castigating are free with you, but you have a skeleton in your cupboard which will eventually do more harm to you.

I am already following you here. LIER, PRETENDER, HYPOCRITE.
People like you don't end well in life

Hairyrapunzel:


Are you God? He doesn't agree with watchtower line of reasoning. Don't bully anybody here. People like him will end very well in life. His generation will be free of the cult you are in.
Christians can celebrate birthdays Christmas and easter

olaolaking:
Can you judge yourself? Just look at your argument. You don't want to be kicked out? So you prefer to play along? I am sure you always do what they prefer and always obey them. You also agree with them in all questionable matters you have raised. Now, how do you think God will feel about you. Give you a thumbs up? When you do according to Jehovah's witnesses doctrine which you see as falsehood but come at the back to discredit same doctrine?

Explain yourself to sincere people who are not Jehovah's witnesses and see how they will feel about you

olaolaking:


So what is he still doing in their midst? He still goes to the kingdom Hall and joins them in doing all those things that he detests. He only comes to Nairaland to complain. Yet he associates with them. And you think there is nothing wrong with him? why not pull out? Why still joining them to do those things?

He has the right to oppose them. But you can be a member of PDP and continue to against the party that they are not good and yet you choose to remain with them and still follow them and participate in all the things you complain about. What do you call that?

People that do that have no moral value and no one value them. They are cults, but he remains with them. and you think God will spear him and gives him a good nod?

Hairyrapunzel:


People who are not jehovah's witnesses don't see anything wrong with what he says. In fact the way you reason is what will make them shocked. You have not said if there is anything wrong in what he is saying. He is saying there is nothing wrong in christians celebrating birthdays Christmas and easter and he has his reasons don't try to bully the op. He is making people unaware of this you doctrine aware and that is a very good move he his reasoning is sound and authentic. He is trying to say that your doctrine about those celebrations aren't in the bible.

olaolaking:
We can not all agree on the same thing. That is normal. But it is abnormal if I agree with you and at the back detest it bitterly.
Not even you will want someone to do it to you

Hairyrapunzel:


He has a reason for staying. He cannot loose his family and friends still in your cult. You know they will disfellowship him for oposing them. Don't use PDP bullshit here it is not the matter on ground. You know leaving your church breaks up families. God will spare him. The last time I checked you ain't God. You are not even God's mouthpiece. If this is only way he can make people aware of your doctrines then he is free people need to be educated about it. He is free to test anything. Acts 17: 11 1 thessalonians 5:21
Bible even encourages us to test and check scriptures if it is not there don't bother preaching it and forcing people to abide by what isn't in the bible

Hairyrapunzel:

It is not abnormal if I detest something at your back when I know you will kill me if I detest it at your front. I would not want to die.

olaolaking:

Imagine! At least nobody killed me during my time though. I still don't understand how they do that. You can manufacture defense. But I have deep knowledge of what I am saying. So not what one person manufactured will shift me. But I still maintain it. I have so many things confusing and I distanced myself, my conscience will not even allow me to cover up not to his level. He is doing more damaging to himself because he would continue to do something that he himself against and that is enough punishment.

olaolaking:
Keep telling lies upon lies of what you don't know. Breaking families you mean? At least my own family didn't break.

I never argued against his position to the doctrines. But he still practices the doctrines even when knows they are wrong and you said it is OK?
I am just amazed.

olaolaking:


So what is he still doing in their midst? He still goes to the kingdom Hall and joins them in doing all those things that he detests. He only comes to Nairaland to complain. Yet he associates with them. And you think there is nothing wrong with him? why not pull out? Why still joining them to do those things?

He has the right to oppose them. But you can be a member of PDP and continue to against the party that they are not good and yet you choose to remain with them and still follow them and participate in all the things you complain about. What do you call that?

People that do that have no moral value and no one value them. They are cults, but he remains with them. and you think God will spear him and gives him a good nod?

olaolaking:

Imagine! At least nobody killed me during my time though. I still don't understand how they do that. You can manufacture defense. But I have deep knowledge of what I am saying. So not what one person manufactured will shift me. But I still maintain it. I have so many things confusing and I distanced myself, my conscience will not even allow me to cover up not to his level. He is doing more damaging to himself because he would continue to do something that he himself against and that is enough punishment.

plus7:





@OP:
I have only one question for you: If someone you meet while preaching asks you a question about birthday/christmas celebrations, what response will you give. Your own view or the watchtower's view?

Kindly answer my question.....

P.S. please check the bolded sentences above and think about them.