Surprise Birthday Party for a Jehovah's witness?

Question

My co-worker is a Jehovah's Witness who doesn't celebrate birthdays. Wouldn't it be fun if I organize a surprise birthday party at work and invite other co-workers and big bosses? Aren't you curious to what her reaction would be? Will she be like "oh I don't celebrate birthdays, all of you get out of my face!" or will she turn her back to her beliefs in order to satisfy the efforts of the party organizers and her guests? If you are a Jehovah's witness, what do you think? and what will you do given that situation? Just curious?

ok the answers are one sided as expected. Yes I know that it is rude to do that knowing that the person is a Jehovah's witness. But let us say for arguments sake that I didn't know that he/she doesn't celebrate birthdays? like for example: a new employee at my work. I wouldn't normally ask: oh I am throwing a surprise party for you, do you celebrate birthdays? So, will I still be considered rude just wanting him/her to celebrate with him/her on his/her birthday?

ok Achtung. Wow. You're really taking my question seriously huh? But harassment? c'mon? What If I honestly didn't know that a person doesn't celebrate birthdays? Should I be judged towards a deed that is good in nature? Imagine myself being embarassed for setting up the whole thing and then being sued for harassment? Wow. I believe harassment is being overly used these days.

Answer 1

More cake for everyone else.

Answer 2

I would see clearly that all there who clearly knew my beliefs had little to NO respect for me.

I would be polite but say NO.

I ain't psychic, but I bet I can tell you how "the Big Bosses" would react, if they didn't know it was a Witness, when they realised what you had done. That might be fun to see.

EDIT

As for your new question. Is it rude for someone not knowing the opinions of others to try to be nice? No. However most often when I've filled out an application it asks about any religious observances the bosses should no, which would include the fact that I am a Witness.

Also, in general it doesn't make sense, to me anyway, to have Birthday parties at work. I see work as that, work.

When someone makes an honest mistake, I always try to be polite, and find it nice when others are adult enough to do the same.

Answer 3

My sister and friend Vot Anarx is awesomely right. She also won't be rude in return and be like "get up outta my face." she has more dignity and taste than that. Say that you are a vegetarian, would I openly say here eat some chicken if I knew you were a vegetarian? NO, I would not, because I know that those are your beliefs and I would respect you for those. If you throw some "birthday" party for someone who doesn't want anything to do with it, that is outright rude and incredibly disrespectful. That would also be like offering sugar to a diabetic. Please don't do it. My sister will NOT cave just to make you happy. It only matters that Jehovah is happy that she would choose to not cave in to a ridiculous request. Do you feel like wasting some money? It would be better spent if you flushed it down the toilet. I hope the ocean needs some money!

EDIT: You can't change your question.

Answer 4

Princess, I hate to tell you this, but Heaven's Gate is not with us any longer. I am certain you would've liked to have them join in the festivities, but alas, they've hopped on the Hale-Bopp Comet and bopped into another dimension. I, on the other hand, would be delighted to attend your party. Don't expect anything from Ambercrombie and Fitch from me, though. I'm thinking a gift certificate from Puritan's Pride so you can remain healthy.

Answer 5

Some called Jehovah withness will stay to the birthday party but if your cooworker is a real jehovah withness, will tell you with respect to enjoy your party and will go away. There are new people into the congregation whom don't know how to tell NO to some celebrations but they are learning to love jehovah and will be a great withness

Answer 6

The questioner seems to describe intolerant bigotry and religiously-motivated harassment. Neither of those is funny, and in fact both company managers and potential jurors would likely understand the company's legal exposure.

Perhaps the questioner should review some material from such websites as that of the EEOC.
http://www.eeoc.gov/types/harassment.html
[quote]
Harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, and/or age. Harassment becomes unlawful where...the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.
[unquote]

Regarding birthday celebrations, bible students are encouraged to consider:
: 0% of faithful biblical Jews celebrated birthdays
: 0% of first century Christians celebrated birthdays
: 100% of birthdays celebrated in the bible were by debauched enemies of God (See Mark 6:17-29; Gen 40:19-22)

Bible historians (M'Clintock, Strong, and others) have noted that faithful Jews of the bible did not celebrate birthdays, and that ancient pagan birthday celebrations were at least partially intended to honor the patron gods of the particular day.

By comparison with such paganisms, the bible does not even tell us the birthdates of Jesus or ANY of his apostles!

Since such celebrations are not required in true worship, and can easily become a distraction, so Jehovah's Witnesses focus their attention elsewhere. In particular, they are focussed on the preaching work which *IS* a requirement for Christians:

(Luke 10:1-17) [Jesus] the Lord designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of him into every city and place to which he himself was going to come. 2 Then he began to say to them: “The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/article_01.htm

Answer 7

First of all, that would be very rude, a sign of disrespect for her beliefs.

I would never celebrate a birthday, I was once invited to someone's place while a birthday party was in sway. Once I realized, I excused myself and told the host I'd visit later. They all knew my beliefs beforehand, so why should anyone be offended?

You'd just be wasting a lot of time and money, and be committing a great badness against a co-worker who has done nothing bad to you. Do you know who is REALLY setting you up to this?

Answer 8

several years ago, my neighbor who knew that I was a Jehovah Witness said she was having a birthday party for her grandchildren and if we would like to come. I told her thank you for inviting us and told her that we don't celebrate birthdays. but I did tell her that we eat cake but since the cake was for a birthday I would not eat of it. I think that would be very rude. I am sure your co worker would tell u thank you and leave.

Answer 9

You sound more concerned with finding out the results of this sort of blind social experiment than with actually doing something good for someone you care about. That fact, along with the fact that YOU KNOW your coworker doesn't celebrate birthdays because of religious beliefs, makes you pretty inconsiderate of her feelings and disrespectful of her wishes and beliefs. I highly recommend you re-think your plan; chances are, the outcome will be less than fun.

Answer 10

Well it seems to me that it is common knowledge that you co-worker is a Jehovah's witness since you know, what makes you think others do not know? And it will only look bad you on if you do this and others are just aware as you are that she is a Jehovah's witness.

Answer 11

Would you offer a ham sandwich to a Jewish person that you KNEW would not want it? You know JWs don't celebrate birthdays. So why would you throw a surprise party for her?