I used to go to family Christmas dinners, at least when the family was alive. They knew I wasn't into gift-giving and jingle bells and all that. Just spending time with the fam.
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Birthdays. Biblical proof they should be celebrated.
- Thread starter Nomex
- Start date
kenmuldoon55
Well-known member
For me, all holiday celebrations regardless of names are just opportunities to gather with family have a meal and be social, maybe watch a ballgame.
Something becoming more and more difficult these days.
BARNABY THE DOG.
Well-known member
One composite thing I learnt about truth, is that to be effective, it has to be encouraged, reasoned, meaningful and of value. Whilst within the watchtower, it was “encouraged” to be resolute. There is a place for such action yet the bible also includes with that resolution, to be kindly along with it and critically, reasoned. The lie, after all, does not seek to resolve understanding but to partition it from as many people as possible. The truth is a solution, and for a solution to be effective, one has to be needful of and amicable toward it.
After I left watchtower, I remarried outside of the truth. It was pretty pointless to hope to find partner within after all. Fortunately, love desires the fruitage of the spirit naturally, if not the complete understanding of it and so I have been fortunate indeed. Age is also a bringer of contemplation and thus a fertile ground for reflection in values held. In the interim, in answer to your question, I endure the rigmarole of Christmas. In actual fact, though hollow in meaning for me, I quite enjoy the remembrance of it from my innocent youth. It has no meaning otherwise and in general, the occasion is inescapable within the public forum of life and although meaningless, I am pleased for those that enjoy the respite. I enjoy the reflections and familial times of my youth. All my siblings are lost to me because of the truth, and memories and the happiness of my children and step-children howsoever ignorant of its vacuity, are all that is left to me.
We know, emphatically, what is coming. They will want a way out. All these trappings of the world will fall away and expose the hollow pit of ignorance that they are built upon. Terror will consume their daily life, along with deep loss, insecurity fear and hopelessness. Therein, lies the opportunity to stand up without hindrance of this world. The bible says so. It is not a lie to endure a lie. It is not necessarily a compromise to endure ill to gain a brother. The necessary horrors I have endured in my working life to resolve wrongdoing in the lives of others gives balance to any compromise of conscience in something so simplistic as having a meal and giving a gift to a child on a defunct and empty pagan day, when all days of the year are compromised by the evil of others and working with the horrors that they create, not to mention the immoralities of office or work life that we encounter every day. A simple “No! I don’t.” will suffice. Our conduct singles us out. That was always my reward. The value to effective witnessing is in the example of life lived. It is negated, and effectively so, by holding one’s self up as an example because we are inevitably compromised by our own conduct. Our only value is to expound the truth at the time that is right and meaningful to our listener. We can do that without compromising our ethics in this world or offending their sensibilities. It is not difficult to appear a paragon of virtue in this world, considering the values we see in “worldly” people. Jesus ate with sinners and he was perfect. He came to heal the sick. To be there for others at the right time, is incumbent upon us. We do not have to compromise our faith to get our hands dirty. We need to show others how to get them clean. Clearly this is my opinion. Others may disagree and with good reason. That, though, is personal and each person is judged for what they are. For me, as I said, I have had to make do and mend and I am hoping that my learning here will arm me for the day ahead effectively. Eating and giving gifts I do daily. I have just carved a rocking duck for my soon to be born grand child. Is that wrong to celebrate this birth day? What day, makes no difference to me, especially when these holidays are on commercial grounds, and which all Christmas is. As for birthdays, I thank Jehovah for my children every day. I don’t “honour” them on their birthday. I love them and demonstrate it with remembrance.