Examining Watchtower Basic Teachings -- Take Your Stand for True Worship #16

Examining Watchtower Basic Teachings
Take Your Stand for True Worship  
Chapter 16
The book says;
False religion is compared with a contaminated water supply. The student is encouraged to “get out of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion”.
Images and traces of false worship, such as shrines to ancestors or religious pictures, should be removed from our homes. They should be destroyed because they are detestable to Jehovah.
The pagan origins of Christmas are discussed and the student is shown in the Bible, that only two pagans celebrated birthday, so these activities are forbidden to “true worshipers”.
Although Jehovah wants us to have good relations with our relatives, we must take a stand against false worship even if it offends them. “Do origins really matter? Yes!” An illustration is given; would we eat “candy that we found “lying in the gutter? Of course not! …. Holidays may seem sweet, but they have been picked up from unclean places”.
Next follows a discussion of “what to do about holiday activities” and accepting Christmas gifts from work colleagues. As for your family members, you should “avoid any actions that would make you a participant in the holiday” while being “reasonable” and keeping a “good conscience”.
Our children need not be neglected. The best gifts we can give them are our “time and loving attention”. Taking a stand for true worship also requires our attendance at “Christian meetings" and preaching the message of Jehovah’s Witnesses .
Page 163 (English language edition) shows three photos of a young boy, dressed in a suit, being encouraged by his parents at meetings and going door-to door, promoting Watchtower literature.. One picture shows him receiving presents with his sister - “practising true worship brings happiness”.

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My response:





In case you hadn’t noticed, the final strands of your normal life before your indoctrination by Jehovah’s Witnesses, are finally being stripped away.
It’s true that Christmas has pagan origins and many of the commercial customs come much later, from the Victorian era. Personally, I don’t celebrate Christmas and I don’t think it's just because I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. Like many Christians, I detest the secularism of the season, which has been hijacked for commercial purposes. Many Christians believe that the incarnation of Jesus Christ is so important to humanity, that it should be observed, but modestly, by attendance at church and with moderate gift giving.
As for birthdays, I suspect that the Watchtower simply does not want its members diverted from giving attention to the Watchtower organisation, who want your money and devotion. Can you imagine how much time would be devoted to birthday parties in a congregation of 90 people? 
Another point is the passing of time. If we observe annual celebrations, we may be more likely to notice the passing of time and the fact that Armageddon and the promised "new world soon" has not arrived. I didn't have children, so the first time I really noticed the passing of real time was when a ten year insurance policy matured, then another, five years later.
The fact that two pagans are mentioned as celebrating their birthdays is simply a way to identify the actual date or time of the events recorded, just as Luke mentions several events to pinpoint the time of the birth of Jesus. Also, notice in the story of Joseph, that a good event happens on Pharaoh’s birthday - the release and pardon of a prisoner. 
The curious thing is this; on the actual day of birth of a new child, Jehovah’s Witnesses rejoice over that birth, like any other parents, but forever afterwards, they pretend it doesn’t matter. 
This avoiding of celebrations, and the hurting of our families which ensues, is behaviour contrary to our natural compassion and social instincts.
Finally, regular attendance at meetings is now filling your life and what leisure time is left, is given to preaching the Watchtower message. One hallmark of cults is that they like to keep people busy, so that they do not have time for themselves or to think.
As for the child in the photos, I am reminded of my own childhood experiences, which you can hear about on my Youtube videos, by searching under Witness Aid.