@ Robbie & Galveston: Merry Christmas

Originally posted by divegeester
Are you saying you don't answer questions put to in this forum because I (or others) don't agree with you?

I'm saying I get tired of repeating myself. Do you understand that?

Originally posted by RJHinds
That Christians will be NO part of this world is a misunderstanding of the distorted translation in the NWT by your god, the Watchtower Society. We Christians must remain in the world to fight against the evil intentions of the devil to kill, steal, and destroy. That, not only means spreading the good news of salvation by faith and trust in christ Jesus, b istian example. That appears to me like someone that is working on behalf of Satan the devil.

I don't think the scriptures I posted came from ther NWT did they? Nope.... Such a waist of time answering anything to you.

Originally posted by galveston75
I don't think the scriptures I posted came from ther NWT did they? Nope.... Such a waist of time answering anything to you.

You are already wasting your time with the Watchtower Society.

Originally posted by galveston75
Read your bible and you could learn.

Well I am asking you what you think the bible says. You seem to think that celebrating Christmas is not really the correct thing for Christians to do. And yet the practice is widespread and long standing: billions of people for centuries and centuries. Does the Bible predict this phenomenon? Do you have any quotes?

Originally posted by FMF
Well I am asking you what you think the bible says. You seem to think that celebrating Christmas is not really the correct thing for Christians to do. And yet the practice is widespread and long standing: billions of people for centuries and centuries. Does the Bible predict this phenomenon? Do you have any quotes?

The Bible predicted nothing about Christmas. But the Bible condemns such an observance. It has nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity and is full of paganistic issues.
No Christian should have anything to do with it but even for the ones who do know is paganistic still do it because it's the accepted thing to do as even their churches embrace it.
The bible gives more then enough warnings and reasons why a Christian should never be involved in this and most other pagainistic observances.

Originally posted by galveston75
The Bible predicted nothing about Christmas. But the Bible condemns such an observance.

Where? What is the citation? The "observance" is of Jesus' birth. Where is it condemned in the Bible?

[Christmas] has nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity and is full of paganistic issues. [...] The bible gives more then enough warnings and reasons why a Christian should never be involved in this and most other pagainistic observances.

But Christmas is not a "pagan observance" for Christians. It is a celebration of Christ's birth. The Christians I live amongst are not pagans and they don't practise any pagan rites or rituals. What gives you the impression that Christians celebrating Christmas are involved in "pagan observance"?

Billions of Christians celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas time. If it is an error, then it is a massive one. You're big on what you claim the bible predicts. How could the bible - as you claim - predict a relatively small number of people setting up the JW organisation, and yet not predict billions of Christ's followers allegedly getting involved in "paganism"?

Originally posted by FMF
Where? What is the citation? The "observance" is of Jesus' birth. Where is it condemned in the Bible?

[b][Christmas] has nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity and is full of paganistic issues. [...] The bible gives more then enough warnings and reasons why a Christian should never be involved in this and most other pagainistic observances.

But Chri ...[text shortened]... ot predict billions of Christ's followers allegedly getting involved in "paganism"?[/b]

The JWs don't believe anybody's birthday should be celebrated because the Pagans did it. I guess Job's children must have been Pagans since they celebrated their day. The Watchtower believes the Israelites celebrated deaths and not births for some reason unknown to me. So to them celebrating birthdays is not Biblical and is a Pagan custom.

But nearly all Christians that I am aware of, celebrate Christmas to honor the Son of God. Jesus said that he who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Even though it might be a Pagan and gentile custom to honor Kings on their birthday, apparently the Christians, believing Jesus was born to be a King, thought it was appropriate to celebrate the birthday of King Jesus, just as the wise men came bringing gifts due to the birth of one they believed to be born King of the Jews.

Since the exact date of His birth was not clear at the time, the consensus of opinion picked the already celebrated time of the winter solstice as birth of the sun or sun god. This occurred on December 25 on the Julian calendar at that time and therefore that became the date to celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus, the Son of God, for Christians. The Catholic church then named that time Christmas.

Originally posted by galveston75
I'm saying I get tired of repeating myself. Do you understand that?

I follow most JW posts on this board and I've never seen you or robbie be asked if you have any different activities during the festive period to what your normal day during the rest of the year is (i.e. giving of gifts, a special meal with family etc); in fact you still haven't answered that specific question in this thread.

Originally posted by FMF
Where? What is the citation? The "observance" is of Jesus' birth. Where is it condemned in the Bible?

[b][Christmas] has nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity and is full of paganistic issues. [...] The bible gives more then enough warnings and reasons why a Christian should never be involved in this and most other pagainistic observances.

But Chri ...[text shortened]... ot predict billions of Christ's followers allegedly getting involved in "paganism"?[/b]

All one has to do is do a simple little research on the web and see where Christmas came from.
Also there are only 2 birthdays mentioned in the Bible and on both they were observed by ones who did not worship God but were paganistic in their beliefs and on both occasions a true worshiper of God was executed.

So does that in itself condemn Chrsitmas or birthdays?

CHRISTMAS—NOT CELEBRATED BY EARLY CHRISTIANS

A person’s worship could be contaminated by false religion as it relates to popular holidays. Consider Christmas, for example. Christmas supposedly commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, and nearly every religion that claims to be Christian celebrates it. Yet, there is no evidence that the first-century disciples of Jesus observed such a holiday. The book Sacred Origins of Profound Things states: “For two centuries after Christ’s birth, no one knew, and few people cared, exactly when he was born.”
Even if Jesus’ disciples had known the exact date of his birth, they would not have celebrated it. Why? Because, as The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.” The only birthday observances mentioned in the Bible are those of two rulers who did not worship Jehovah. (Genesis 40:20; Mark 6:21) Birthday celebrations were also held in honor of pagan deities. For example, on May 24 the Romans celebrated the birthday of the goddess Diana. On the following day, they observed the birthday of their sun-god, Apollo. Hence, birthday celebrations were associated with paganism, not with Christianity.
There is another reason why first-century Christians would not have celebrated Jesus’ birthday. His disciples likely knew that birthday celebrations were connected with superstition. For instance, many Greeks and Romans of ancient times believed that a spirit attended the birth of each human and protected that one throughout life. “This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born,” says the book The Lore of Birthdays. Jehovah certainly would not be pleased with any observance that would link Jesus with superstition. (Isaiah 65:11, 12)

So I can post a lot more info on this if you truly want to know. Like I said if you are really interested do some basic research on the web about these two subjects.

Originally posted by divegeester
I follow most JW posts on this board and I've never seen you or robbie be asked if you have any different activities during the festive period to what your normal day during the rest of the year is (i.e. giving of gifts, a special meal with family etc); in fact you still haven't answered that specific question in this thread.

They are days just like any other day on the calendar to us. So that would suggest that we do what we normally do everyday of the year on those days.
Now understanding that most people that do work at jobs do get those days off, and it would not be out of the ordinary that if a JW has those days off that they may travel, go camping, go to a movie or even visit other JW's for whatever reason they may normally visit a friend or family that also does not observe those holidays.
Most JW's would not visit someone that does observe those holidays as that would be an uncomfortable and an disrespectful thing to do for all involved.

Mr RJH has clamed without any proof at all that he "thinks" most JW's actually do observe these holidays in secret.
Well I can attest to the falseness of his claim and that he is a complete and utter lier on this. He continues to make foolish and stupid comments with only the intent to discredit the JW's with his bigotry and hateful heart and mind.

Originally posted by galveston75

They are days just like any other day on the calendar to us. So that would suggest that we do what we normally do everyday of the year on those days.
Now understanding that most people that do work at jobs do get those days off, and it would not be out of the ordinary that if a JW has those days off that they may travel, go camping, go to a movie or eve ...[text shortened]... mments with only the intent to discredit the JW's with his bigotry and hateful heart and mind.

Your good natured forbearance astounds me.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
Your good natured forbearance astounds me.

And your missing the point astounds me.

Originally posted by galveston75
They are days just like any other day on the calendar to us. So that would suggest that we do what we normally do everyday of the year on those days.
Now understanding that most people that do work at jobs do get those days off, and it would not be out of the ordinary that if a JW has those days off that they may travel, go camping, go to a movie or ev ts with only the intent to discredit the JW's with his bigotry and hateful heart and mind.

You see Galveston, I'm not (as you very well know) suggesting that you personally observe the Christmas in secret; what I am asking is if the boundaries are for you, black and white, if you enjoy season without indulging the meaning, if you partake of the opportunity to bring a little (albeit controlled) festive excitement into the hearts of your Children and enjoy the occasion of general specialness from a distant orbit.

You know what I mean; pretending not to just distances us further.

Originally posted by divegeester

And your missing the point astounds me.

As with most things, there are major points and minor points. Seems dumb to waste your life majoring on minor

things, especially when doing so involves social badgering of another belief system and one of its adherents.
.

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby
As with most things, there are major points and minor points. Seems dumb to waste your life majoring on minor

things, especially when doing so involves social badgering of another belief system and one of its adherents.
.

I resent you using the term "badgering" and I see through your game playing once again.