What is wrong with celebrating birthdays?

[URAVIP2ME]

And you can figure when it's gone you won't know or be celebrating. It sounds like the voyage on the Titanic. But Jesus said we can live forever. No need to celebrate one day a year by getting gifts just because I'm alive.

To me, is it so much the getting of gifts because a person is alive ( after all what would give gifts to the dead ), but more like the giving of gifts because of: social pressure. I'll give you a gift on your special day and you give me a gift on my special day.
The 'gift exchanging standard' connects to one's birthdays besides the Christmas exchange gifts.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

What a wonderful little fantasy. But it would be silly for me to hope and look forward to such a thing when there is absolutely no evidence that such a place exists beyond people's hopes and fantasies. Instead I'll continue to get as much joy and happiness out of this life that I DO know exists for as long as it happens to last.

Planet Earth is Not a fantasy, as we can observe Earth exists.
If everyone on Earth lived by the Golden Rule, and Jesus' New commandment to have self-sacrificing love for others as he did according to John 13:34-35, then in what shape would our planet Earth be in.
To me, everyone living by the Golden Rule would make the Earth a beautiful paradisical Earth as Eden originally was.
Today, it could be considered as hopes and fantasies because temporary wickedness exists on Earth.
If all the wicked No longer existed on Earth, then humble meek people would be here to inhabit and inherit the Earth.
Kind of like a beautiful house filled with rats, should that beautiful house be destroyed, or rather just call in an exterminator and get rid of the rats. According to scriptural evidence the executional words from Jesus' mouth will rid the Earth of the figurative rat-like people as mentioned at Isaiah 11:3-4; Revelation 19:14-16.
The wicked ones will go according to Proverbs 2:21-22; Psalms 92:7.

As far as, 'as long as it (your life) happens to last ', we are nearing the soon coming ' time of separation ' on Earth as mentioned at Matthew 25:31-33,37. That means those of us classified as those figurative humble 'sheep'-like people can remain alive and exist forever on Earth. That means your life can happen to last forever (everlasting life) on what will become a beautiful paradisical Earth under Christ's millennium-long day of governing over Earth.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

You clearly attempted to reroute this topic to benefit yourself.

At least it's benefiting somebody, then.

 

[QuestioningMind]

To be grateful for your life is different than receiving gifts one day each year because you are alive. But if you like that idea of celebrating one's life (or birth) one day a year by giving and receiving gifts on that day, however it works out as in a leap year, carry on. Life, however, is the gift.

No one said that being grateful for your life isn't different from receiving gifts one day a year because you are alive. Why would you even make the statement? But just because there is a difference between receiving gifts one day a year because you are alive and being grateful for your life, why does it make it WRONG for people who care about you to present you with a gift to celebrate your gift of life? Life IS a wonderful gift... that's why it's worthy of celebration.

 

[QuestioningMind]

And you can figure when it's gone you won't know or be celebrating. It sounds like the voyage on the Titanic. But Jesus said we can live forever. No need to celebrate one day a year by getting gifts just because I'm alive.

That's very interesting. So you're telling me that if you knew that when you die that would be the end, you would be unable to find any joy and happiness and would have no reason to celebrate your life? I find that rather sad. It sounds as if unless you know that you can experience joy and happiness FOREVER that you can't experience joy and happiness at all. Does the fact that you know a rose won't last forever mean that you can't see and appreciate the beauty it has to offer for whatever short time it may exist? I suppose that if that's true then I understand why you cling to your fantasy so tightly. Personally I can find joy and happiness and reason to celebrate my life even if I know it will come to an end some day.

No need to celebrate one day a year by getting gifts just because I'm alive

How many times do I have to tell you that I celebrate my life on a daily basis, NOT just one day a year?

 

[QuestioningMind]

Planet Earth is Not a fantasy, as we can observe Earth exists.
If everyone on Earth lived by the Golden Rule, and Jesus' New commandment to have self-sacrificing love for others as he did according to John 13:34-35, then in what shape would our planet Earth be in.
To me, everyone living by the Golden Rule would make the Earth a beautiful paradisical Earth as Eden originally was.
Today, it could be considered as hopes and fantasies because temporary wickedness exists on Earth.
If all the wicked No longer existed on Earth, then humble meek people would be here to inhabit and inherit the Earth.
Kind of like a beautiful house filled with rats, should that beautiful house be destroyed, or rather just call in an exterminator and get rid of the rats. According to scriptural evidence the executional words from Jesus' mouth will rid the Earth of the figurative rat-like people as mentioned at Isaiah 11:3-4; Revelation 19:14-16.
The wicked ones will go according to Proverbs 2:21-22; Psalms 92:7.

As far as, 'as long as it (your life) happens to last ', we are nearing the soon coming ' time of separation ' on Earth as mentioned at Matthew 25:31-33,37. That means those of us classified as those figurative humble 'sheep'-like people can remain alive and exist forever on Earth. That means your life can happen to last forever (everlasting life) on what will become a beautiful paradisical Earth under Christ's millennium-long day of governing over Earth.

That means those of us classified as those figurative humble 'sheep'-like people can remain alive and exist forever on Earth. That means your life can happen to last forever (everlasting life) on what will become a beautiful paradisical Earth under Christ's millennium-long day of governing over Earth.

Like I said, it's a wonderful fantasy and if you want to indulge in it, be my guest. But the fact that someone wrote it down in a book doesn't constitute verifiable evidence. Just like the fact that the Hindu Vedas were written down doesn't constitute verifiable evidence that what's written in them is true. My life is too precious to waste any of it worrying about whether I'm following the right religious text. Should it happen that there IS something beyond this life, then it'll be a wonderful bonus. If it turns out that this life is all we get, then I'll be satisfied that I've lived mine to the fullest and have been grateful for it on a daily basis.

 

[roger1440]

Someone stated that celebrating Birthday is bid'ah (heresy), and they don’t celebrate birthdays. Yes, birthdays can be a bit childish because when people grow up they tend not to celebrate birthdays like they did when they were younger, and early European believers thought that birthdays were pagan rituals. If one were to turn 60 years old that means one went around the sun 60 times, so, what is wrong with celebrating ones 60th turn around the sun, or should I say what is wrong with those people who celebrate their birthdays? Nothing wrong? Or, does this practice have something to do with pride, arrogance, and entitlement?

What is wrong with celebrating birthdays? It depends. Am I invited?

 

[sovietchild]

What is wrong with celebrating birthdays? It depends. Am I invited?

No.

 

[Grandliseur]

Someone stated that celebrating Birthday is bid'ah (heresy), and they don’t celebrate birthdays. Yes, birthdays can be a bit childish because when people grow up they tend not to celebrate birthdays like they did when they were younger, and early European believers thought that birthdays were pagan rituals. If one were to turn 60 years old that means one went around the sun 60 times, so, what is wrong with celebrating ones 60th turn around the sun, or should I say what is wrong with those people who celebrate their birthdays? Nothing wrong? Or, does this practice have something to do with pride, arrogance, and entitlement?

As with all other things, e.g. alcohol, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things.
If birthdays are an excuse for debauchery, then they become evil.
If they are an excuse for families to gather and get closer together, without big gift givings that burden some, where the get-together is for reacquainting all with the newly married, the new grandchildren, nephews and nieces, etc. - then they become a force for good. Thus, they should be mostly alcohol restricted, tobacco restricted so that all can enjoy a good time that doesn't descend into some hell.

When reading the Bible, for those who do, you will realize that in Genesis people got really old. How old? All you need to do to find out is read. This means they kept track of their ages; thus, some form of birthday reckoning was in effect from of old. There is nothing wrong scripturally with birthdays, it is the excess and wickedness some descend into that is wrong. Those who forbid this condemn themselves 'by going beyond what is written.'

PS: check out what heresy means? It means choice! The right to choose what is true worship was condemned by some churches. This is true apostasy. We must all study on our own to make sure what is truth and good worship. (the definition of heresy)

 

[sovietchild]

PS: check out what heresy means? It means choice! The right to choose what is true worship was condemned by some churches. This is true apostasy. We must all study on our own to make sure what is truth and good worship. (the definition of heresy)

Belief that is strongly at variance with established beliefs.

 

[MJFlores]

Someone stated that celebrating Birthday is bid'ah (heresy), and they don’t celebrate birthdays. Yes, birthdays can be a bit childish because when people grow up they tend not to celebrate birthdays like they did when they were younger, and early European believers thought that birthdays were pagan rituals. If one were to turn 60 years old that means one went around the sun 60 times, so, what is wrong with celebrating ones 60th turn around the sun, or should I say what is wrong with those people who celebrate their birthdays? Nothing wrong? Or, does this practice have something to do with pride, arrogance, and entitlement?

Jehovah's Witness do not celebrate their birthdays.
This is acknowledge fact on their website
Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Birthdays? | FAQ

But for me, I love birthdays!

 

[viole]

Someone stated that celebrating Birthday is bid'ah (heresy), and they don’t celebrate birthdays. Yes, birthdays can be a bit childish because when people grow up they tend not to celebrate birthdays like they did when they were younger, and early European believers thought that birthdays were pagan rituals. If one were to turn 60 years old that means one went around the sun 60 times, so, what is wrong with celebrating ones 60th turn around the sun, or should I say what is wrong with those people who celebrate their birthdays? Nothing wrong? Or, does this practice have something to do with pride, arrogance, and entitlement?

Mmh, celebrating birthdays is childish....never thought about that. It might be.

However, when people even manage to replace Santa with Beings sharing the same evidence and plausibility, when they grow older, I guess we should not be so surprised.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Daisies4me]

What a wonderful little fantasy. But it would be silly for me to hope and look forward to such a thing when there is absolutely no evidence that such a place exists beyond people's hopes and fantasies. Instead I'll continue to get as much joy and happiness out of this life that I DO know exists for as long as it happens to last.

(quote)
It certainly does seem surreal to most who have not read the scriptures that promise the paradise regained-- the paradise that was lost when the first humans rebelled against God, and were cast out of the garden paradise that originally was to have been their home forever. Originally, the first human pair were to cultivate the land, and widen out the garden that God had put them in, until the entire earth was a paradise. They were to procreate until the earth was filled with humans who obeyed the Creator, and enjoy life forever upon it.
It may sound far-fetched to some, but after considering all of the Bible prophecies that have been fulfilled, that at the time they were given seemed pretty surreal, it seems more logical. That is what we prayed for every morning at the baeginning of the school day, when I was in school. Called 'the Lord's prayer', most of us at that time, didn't realize what we were actually praying for, when we recited by rote, that prayer. It says in matthew 6:10, in the old KJV of the Bible, (which most people used back then) "thy Kingdom com. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Is God's will done in heaven?
Why should we pray for God's will to be done in the earth, in the same manner?
God's will obviously isn't being done in the earth by the majority, is it?
If everyone did God's will on the earth, would it not become a paradise of peace?
Would Jesus, God's Son, tell us to pray for something that would not bring results?
It is a wonderful thought, and while it seems like an impossibility to many today, considering the way the word is now, some of us believe that it will come to pass.

 

[Daisies4me]

What a bizarre way to look at it. Do you honestly believe that people born in February during a leap year are any less grateful for each year that they live? Personally I can't imagine how that would be a problem for anyone. But I suppose that there might be others like you who actually see them as 'poor souls'.

(quote)

I am pleased to see that people are being referred to as "souls". The person IS a soul, they do not HAVE a soul. The soul is not something that leaves the body, or separates from the person. The person IS the soul.
As it is expressed in Ezekiel 18:4. there is no 'immortal soul'. Many have been taught that erroneous doctrine, but it is not a Bible teaching. The soul that sins will die. plainly stated thusly.
I like that the person was referred to as a 'soul' in the post. rarely seen.

 

[Daisies4me]

As with all other things, e.g. alcohol, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things.
If birthdays are an excuse for debauchery, then they become evil.
If they are an excuse for families to gather and get closer together, without big gift givings that burden some, where the get-together is for reacquainting all with the newly married, the new grandchildren, nephews and nieces, etc. - then they become a force for good. Thus, they should be mostly alcohol restricted, tobacco restricted so that all can enjoy a good time that doesn't descend into some hell.

When reading the Bible, for those who do, you will realize that in Genesis people got really old. How old? All you need to do to find out is read. This means they kept track of their ages; thus, some form of birthday reckoning was in effect from of old. There is nothing wrong scripturally with birthdays, it is the excess and wickedness some descend into that is wrong. Those who forbid this condemn themselves 'by going beyond what is written.'

PS: check out what heresy means? It means choice! The right to choose what is true worship was condemned by some churches. This is true apostasy. We must all study on our own to make sure what is truth and good worship. (the definition of heresy)

(quote)

I thought the definition of 'heresy' to be the adherence to a religious opinion that is contrary to the accepted church dogma...or a denial of a revealed 'truth' upheld by the religious organization adhered to. ....

 

[QuestioningMind]

(quote)
It certainly does seem surreal to most who have not read the scriptures that promise the paradise regained-- the paradise that was lost when the first humans rebelled against God, and were cast out of the garden paradise that originally was to have been their home forever. Originally, the first human pair were to cultivate the land, and widen out the garden that God had put them in, until the entire earth was a paradise. They were to procreate until the earth was filled with humans who obeyed the Creator, and enjoy life forever upon it.
It may sound far-fetched to some, but after considering all of the Bible prophecies that have been fulfilled, that at the time they were given seemed pretty surreal, it seems more logical. That is what we prayed for every morning at the baeginning of the school day, when I was in school. Called 'the Lord's prayer', most of us at that time, didn't realize what we were actually praying for, when we recited by rote, that prayer. It says in matthew 6:10, in the old KJV of the Bible, (which most people used back then) "thy Kingdom com. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
Is God's will done in heaven?
Why should we pray for God's will to be done in the earth, in the same manner?
God's will obviously isn't being done in the earth by the majority, is it?
If everyone did God's will on the earth, would it not become a paradise of peace?
Would Jesus, God's Son, tell us to pray for something that would not bring results?
It is a wonderful thought, and while it seems like an impossibility to many today, considering the way the word is now, some of us believe that it will come to pass.

It certainly does seem surreal to most who have not read the scriptures that promise the paradise regained-

Well, I HAVE read the scriptures from the bible - read both the Roman Catholic bible cover-to-cover and the King James version (always thought it was BIZARRE that God's Word has more than one version). STILL seems just as surreal as what I read in the Koran as well as the Hindu Vedas. Have you read the Koran or the Hindi Vedas? What makes the Christian bible 'real' and all other religious texts fakes?

 

[Daisies4me]

It certainly does seem surreal to most who have not read the scriptures that promise the paradise regained-

Well, I HAVE read the scriptures from the bible - read both the Roman Catholic bible cover-to-cover and the King James version (always thought it was BIZARRE that God's Word has more than one version). STILL seems just as surreal as what I read in the Koran as well as the Hindu Vedas. Have you read the Koran or the Hindi Vedas? What makes the Christian bible 'real' and all other religious texts fakes?

(quote)
The Bible is not a Book that simply reading from cover to cover can be understood. Simply reading the words as if it was a novel will not get you much understanding of its teachings, imo.

Yes, I owned a copy of the Qu'ran that I received from the Mosque near me, until recently when I donated it to a friend's personal library.
Haven't read the Vedas in full, have looked at portions in the past, but it is not of interest other than historical, or for the benefit of knowing what others believe and why. I am interested mainly in monotheistic beliefs. I believe there is only One True God. I have, however, investigated the basic beliefs of many faiths from around the globe. I only mention this because you seem to think that JW's are ignorant and unlearned people. Far from true. I do not find it pleasant or advantageous to simply debate for the purpose of trying to win a debate. A total waste of my time.
I do, however, enjoy a good indepth conversation with those who are seeking answers, or have an honest desire to know things that I may have some insight into. Or who have something beneficial to offer to the conversation.
My choice of 'religious' Books, obviously, is the Bible.
Now, why is that important to you?

 

[QuestioningMind]

(quote)
The Bible is not a Book that simply reading from cover to cover can be understood. Simply reading the words as if it was a novel will not get you much understanding of its teachings, imo.

Yes, I owned a copy of the Qu'ran that I received from the Mosque near me, until recently when I donated it to a friend's personal library.
Haven't read the Vedas in full, have looked at portions in the past, but it is not of interest other than historical, or for the benefit of knowing what others believe and why. I am interested mainly in monotheistic beliefs. I believe there is only One True God. I have, however, investigated the basic beliefs of many faiths from around the globe. I only mention this because you seem to think that JW's are ignorant and unlearned people. Far from true. I do not find it pleasant or advantageous to simply debate for the purpose of trying to win a debate. A total waste of my time.
I do, however, enjoy a good indepth conversation with those who are seeking answers, or have an honest desire to know things that I may have some insight into. Or who have something beneficial to offer to the conversation.
My choice of 'religious' Books, obviously, is the Bible.
Now, why is that important to you?

I find this terribly confusing. I'm told that if I just read the scriptures I will find evidence that the bible is the Word of God. I read the bible, but still can't find any evidence that it is the Word of God. So then I'm told that I can't just READ the bible, but I have to read it in the 'right way'. But when I ask what's the 'right way' to read it, I'm basically told that if I'm not finding the evidence then I'm obviously not reading it the right way and that I have to keep reading it until I do. But then, I'm told the same thing about reading the Koran or the Vedas.

Since you never even read all of the Vedas, how can you know that you should only have interest in a monolithic God? Perhaps the Vedas provide evidence (when read the proper way) that you should believe in multiple gods.

 

[Daisies4me]

I find this terribly confusing. I'm told that if I just read the scriptures I will find evidence that the bible is the Word of God. I read the bible, but still can't find any evidence that it is the Word of God. So then I'm told that I can't just READ the bible, but I have to read it in the 'right way'. But when I ask what's the 'right way' to read it, I'm basically told that if I'm not finding the evidence then I'm obviously not reading it the right way and that I have to keep reading it until I do. But then, I'm told the same thing about reading the Koran or the Vedas.

Since you never even read all of the Vedas, how can you know that you should only have interest in a monolithic God? Perhaps the Vedas provide evidence (when read the proper way) that you should believe in multiple gods.

(quote)
I would appreciate it if you would not try to twist my words into your own desired 'sentences' attempting to make it say things that I have not stated.
If you pick up an encyclopaedia and briskly read it from cover to cover, how much of what you read will you retain or be able to apply readily?
Never mind.
It appears that you may not be actually interested in any comments that don't stroke your ego. Forgive me, but I don't find this sort of thing appealing.
I hope you find what you are looking for without further resorting to feeding the need to crush others on your journey.

 

[QuestioningMind]

(quote)
I would appreciate it if you would not try to twist my words into your own desired 'sentences' attempting to make it say things that I have not stated.
If you pick up an encyclopaedia and briskly read it from cover to cover, how much of what you read will you retain or be able to apply readily?
Never mind.
It appears that you may not be actually interested in any comments that don't stroke your ego. Forgive me, but I don't find this sort of thing appealing.
I hope you find what you are looking for without further resorting to feeding the need to crush others on your journey.

So sorry that you feel my asking questions about your beliefs is an attempt to 'crush' you. I won't assume in the future that you're on this site to share and debate your views.