Be honest: Who enjoys fireworks?

[Brother_Bliss]

I did this around New Year's about watching the ball drop and thought I would ask something similar since Monday is Independence Day in the United States, usually marked by massive displays of fireworks.

Locally, there are some local town festivals that happen to be around this time of year. One town has a "___ Fest" named after itself, another has what it called the annual "Fireman's Festival" and the like. Both of which, as well as many more, put on a firework display after sundown.

Personally, I think fireworks are cool, and yes, I will make the effort to see some. Often times, this can mean not going anywhere, as many people in many neighborhoods really splurge on them around this time of year, and they will be going off all night long, terrorizing the dog, and making it difficult to go to sleep.

[Musky]

Bethelites have mentioned how they liked to watch them over the Brooklyn bridge.

I enjoy them also. We can see the ones from "Legoland" every Saturday night, and I imagine they will go all out on the 4th.

[Brother_Bliss]

Bethelites have mentioned how they likied to watch them over the Brooklyn bridge.

I imagine that is a fantastic view too!

[Mrs. Musky]

I did this around New Year's about watching the ball drop and thought I would ask something similar since Monday is Independence Day in the United States' date=' usually marked by massive displays of fireworks. Locally, there are some local town festivals that happen to be around this time of year. One town has a "___ Fest" named after itself, another has what it called the annual "Fireman's Festival" and the like. Both of which, as well as many more, put on a firework display after sundown. Personally, I think fireworks are cool, and yes, I will make the effort to see some. Often times, this can mean not going anywhere, as many people in many neighborhoods really splurge on them around this time of year, and they will be going off all night long, terrorizing the dog, and making it difficult to go to sleep.[/quote'] I do enjoy a really good fireworks display! Not a 'rinky-dink' one, but a really BIG show!!

[shelly]

They sure are pretty. But I will stay home. The mosquitoes are really bad, and I get eaten up all over! If I go sit outside to watch the fireworks I would spend the rest of the night itching and scratching! Last year we were watching them, and at the same time it was lightening, not raining yet, but with the fireworks and lightening in the back ground it made for a really exciting show!

[ava]

I love fireworks too, and I know some friends feel if you watch them on the 4th, you are participating in celebrating it. I really don't agree with that. Plus, usually the only time to watch them is on the 4th. We don't go anywhere to watch them, like city events on that day, but if we see them from our house, I don't think it's a big deal.

Same at Christmas. When I lived in Chicago, they would put lights on these trees in the downtown area, and it was very pretty with the snow. Yes, it was Christmas, but I don't think saying it was pretty was wrong.

[rocket]

Is there any real difference in watching fireworks display on the fourth of July and driving around town looking at Christmas lights on December 25th? They are both pretty in their own way. Both celebrations dishonor Jehovah. Each individual must decide for themselves, as they will have to live with their own conscience.

[Catalyst]

When I lived I England I used to set off fireworks on Bonfire Night ( Nov 5th)

Remember Remember the Fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot

There is no reason why Gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot

Sometimes we got together with other Bro/Sis to enjoy the fireworks.

No one felt we were joining in any celebration.

We just enjoyed them. Setting off fireworks

at another time of year privately, could be a bit annoying for the neighbours.

I guess the principle of whether what we do could stumble anyone or not.

*** w08 3/15 pp. 3-4 pars. 6-7 Be Yielding, Be Balanced ***

In a similar way, our love for Jehovah moves us to dedicate our lives to him and then to live up to our dedication. (Rom. 14:7, 8) “This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome,” wrote the apostle John. (1 John 5:3) This love does not look for its own interests. (1 Cor. 13:4, 5) When we deal with other humans, love of neighbor inclines us to yield and allow them the first place. Instead of allowing selfishness to rule, we consider the interests of others.—Phil. 2:2, 3.

7 Neither our speech nor our actions should stumble others. (Eph. 4:29) Indeed, love will impel us to avoid doing anything that might hinder people of different backgrounds and cultures from progressing toward serving Jehovah. This often involves our being yielding. For example, missionary sisters accustomed to wearing cosmetics or nylons do not insist on using them in localities where that might call their morals into question and stumble others.—1 Cor. 10:31-33.

We all have to make our own judgement taking into consideration our specific circumstances.

[loginphp]

I did this around New Year's about watching the ball drop and thought I would ask something similar since Monday is Independence Day in the United States, usually marked by massive displays of fireworks.

Locally, there are some local town festivals that happen to be around this time of year. One town has a "___ Fest" named after itself, another has what it called the annual "Fireman's Festival" and the like. Both of which, as well as many more, put on a firework display after sundown.

Personally, I think fireworks are cool, and yes, I will make the effort to see some. Often times, this can mean not going anywhere, as many people in many neighborhoods really splurge on them around this time of year, and they will be going off all night long, terrorizing the dog, and making it difficult to go to sleep.

I really love the natural beauty of the fireworks. Of course not the meaning of the celebration itself, but we were created to enjoy the beauties of the universe, for example if you're into space like I am, you can see all the colors and it makes you wonder what Jehovah really is like. When I see fireworks I see the colors and the sound and the beauty of them and that's as far as it goes. My answer is a clear yes! One can enjoy the natural appearance of things because it's 'normal' to enjoy in that sense without getting involved. Christmas lights I ain't so hyped over, but I see nothing wrong with "pretty lights" My conscience wouldn't let me make it a point to go to a stadium to see the fireworks though, but i've always enjoyed seeing them from where I'm at

It's like where I'm at there's Churches all over that have giant gold crosses in the front and I always tell myself "man that gold is beautiful!", because I realize beauty and gold have nothing to do with that cross. I couldn't sit here and say "Gold is bad! I don't want to have any association with gold now" because that would be silly Same with the fireworks, I'm sure Jehovah won't condemn anyone for loving beautiful colors.

[DLM]

I do enjoy a really good fireworks display! Not a 'rinky-dink' one' date=' but a really BIG show!!

[/quote'] I love to watch a good display. Up here in Alaska on July 4th it is light all night so it's sort of a moot point, but on New Years they have a big blow. One year, we watched a really big show!! They accidently caught the fireworks on fire and they all went up at once. We thought "What a great display!" but it was all over in minutes.>< I love big bang at the end of the ones that go very high.

[DLM]

Where did my reply go to?

[Wren]

In our town there is a 3 day agricultural show/fair each year that has entertainment, usually police dog demo, precision driving and motorbike daredevils then at the end of the night fireworks!!! It's pretty much the same program each year, lots from our meeting go. It's not associated with anything religious or political. And I do love fireworks. I have been to the New Year fireworks on Sydney Harbour in the past, the crowds are so large and I'm short so unless the fireworks were directly overhead I didn't get to see much. I wouldn't go now, I feel that would constitute taking part in the celebration, however if I was in there incidentally for some other reason watching them wouldn't bother me. Another reason why I wouldn't go is a distaste for drunks especially en masse.

[larry]

I like them but we wont go watch them on on the 4th of July.We just came back from vacation spent the first week in Myrtle beach sc.and they did fire works off the pier (they do it every wensday)and we watched them.Then we spent 5 nights on a disney cruise and they are the only cruise line who can shoot fireworks off the ship and again we watched them.

[vjohzon]

Jehovah is the God of celestial lights so it stands to reason we would love to see the lights, however can Satan use this love as he does other loves to stumble us. No one ever said that the tree of life was ugly yet Jehovah said not to even look at it. Might it stumble us in the future or one of our brothers. Just a thought.

[neenie217]

I think for someone to say we are "celebrating" something just because we enjoy the light display would be equivelant to saying if you look up into the night sky to appreciate the stars then you must be an astrologist, or believe in astrology. I think Jehovah gives us beauty in a multitude of different ways, light being one of them. If I look at the night sky and see Jehovah's love through the beauty of it isn't much different that seeing the beauty that comes from someone using science and putting certain components together to make explosions in the air. I love fireworks. I would just never make a special effort to go hang out at the lake with a bunch of worldly people in order to watch, but I would watch from my home. Also, in the area where I live there are other occasions to see them, high school graduations, weddings, and we have the biggest east indian population in the US, so when they have celebrations at the temple you can see the fireworks from here. That doesn't mean I am partaking or agreeing with their celebration. It just means, plain and simple, I like the lights. What it all boils down to is that Jehovah sees our heart and knows our motivations. We are all answerable to him only for ourselves. We shouldn't judge others for what they like or dislike. Jehovah gets to do that.

[stuagu]

i love em... we live in a very flat area and on bonfire night here in the uk you can see all the displays around. we dont celebrate bonfire night and for those of you who dont know what it is, its a celebration here in the uk of the death of "guy fawkes" who tried to blow up the house of lords in the 1600's.

anyway... so the answer is a great big yes bob!)'>

[byronebula]

<---- pyromaniac right here. . . LOL. . .

I actually look forward though to the day we can develop fireworks with minimal noise pollution, so as not to harm the animals having more sensitive hearing, as well as not pollute the atmosphere with green house gases or the like harming the ozone layer and contaminating rain clouds. We'll probably only get there in the New World. . . I'll be on the fireworks team. . . LOL. . .

[Musky]

Jehovah is the God of celestial lights so it stands to reason we would love to see the lights, however can Satan use this love as he does other loves to stumble us. No one ever said that the tree of life was ugly yet Jehovah said not to even look at it. Might it stumble us in the future or one of our brothers. Just a thought.

Where did Jehovah say not to "look at" the tree of life?

If you meant the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, he didn't say not to look at that either, it fact it was "desirable to look upon".

[Mrs. Musky]

I think for someone to say we are "celebrating" something just because we enjoy the light display would be equivelant to saying if you look up into the night sky to appreciate the stars then you must be an astrologist, or believe in astrology. I think Jehovah gives us beauty in a multitude of different ways, light being one of them. If I look at the night sky and see Jehovah's love through the beauty of it isn't much different that seeing the beauty that comes from someone using science and putting certain components together to make explosions in the air. I love fireworks. I would just never make a special effort to go hang out at the lake with a bunch of worldly people in order to watch, but I would watch from my home. Also, in the area where I live there are other occasions to see them, high school graduations, weddings, and we have the biggest east indian population in the US, so when they have celebrations at the temple you can see the fireworks from here. That doesn't mean I am partaking or agreeing with their celebration. It just means, plain and simple, I like the lights. What it all boils down to is that Jehovah sees our heart and knows our motivations. We are all answerable to him only for ourselves. We shouldn't judge others for what they like or dislike. Jehovah gets to do that.

Very well put, Jean....my sentiments precisely!

[Brother_Bliss]

Very well put, Jean....my sentiments precisely!

I agree. In fact, I think all of you in this thread made very well balanced comments regarding the display of fireworks. I could ask this same question over in a facebook jw group and watch all the responses condemn "the evils of fireworks" and say how we shouldn't even look at them. I am glad that our community here at JWTalk has some balanced-thinking reasonable brothers and sisters here, just like the brothers and sisters I know in real life.

We did go down to the local heritage festival Saturday night, just in time to see the display and grab some carnival food, and then promptly made our escape.

Today we are going to Cedar Point to ride some roller coasters. Right before closing time, they will have a display over Lake Erie. I'll be sure to watch it before I head home.

[Micah]

We moved into a house over this weekend. One with a covered front porch, a block away from a park. We (wife, 2 kids, my dog, and I) sat on the front porch for almost 2 hrs watching numerous shows. As soon as one ended, another started 2 houses from the previous. I was told nothing is wrong with watching the fireworks, but it is inappropriate to seek out the shows.

However, there is one show we do seek out in November called November Rain. It is in Niles, OH at the Eastwood Mall. The firework show is run by the biggest firework manufacturer in the world based out of Youngstown, OH called Phantom Fireworks. The show last just under an hour. It's complete NONSTOP!!! There is no break... And the finale... BREATHTAKING!!! I took some video on my phone, but need a bluetooth adapter for my puter to put it on. Dunno how that works.

Anxiously awaiting the absolute best firework show in mankind's history, and that is gonna be Armegeddon, IMO.

[retroHelen]

The gun power plot was an attempt by an group of aristocratic and military trained Catholics to kill the Protestant King James and his parliament at the State Opening of Parliament November 5th 1605.When the plot failed Catholics within the British Isles were punished with a number of punitive laws being passed to ensure no Catholic could ever gain a position of power (effectively reducing Catholic to 2nd class citizens).Originally Guy Fawkes night was more a celebration of the final victory of Protestants over Catholics, (because after 1605 Catholics never got close to power again, and GB never again came close to going back to Catholicism, as it had nearly done on a number of occasions since Henry VIII). King James passed a law that the foiling of the plot be celebrated in perpetuity on November 5th by sermons and bell-ringing in Protestant Churches and bonfires burning effigies of Guy Fawkes - the one of the plotters who was found guarding the 36 barrels of gunpowder under Parliament. He was tortured 3 days, then hung drawn and quartered - nasty!! Other plotters were too including a Jesuit.Hence Guy Fawke night became very popular among Protestants across the country, Guy Fawke nights even up to a 120 years ago would on occasion be accompanied by random drunken mobs attacking Catholic homes and businesses not just in Scotland but also in England. While for the most part people have now left these sectarian roots behind, certain sections of Southern Scotland and Ireland still persist with the sectarian element, to everyone else it is simply a tradition that they grew up with and in turn wish their children to grow up with.Some Protestant areas of Northern Ireland will have bonfires were an effigy of the pope is burnt instead of a guy).Because of its religious roots and because Catholics ended on the losing side and were to suffer a lot of hardship because of it, it is not something that ever caught on in Catholic Ireland (which I think is understandable). We live near 'Little Ireland, a town in our terrirory called Cleator Moor that is mainly Catholic. A few years ago there was a Protestant Orange Lodge that insisted marching through the town, there was a riot and a man was shot. Sectarianism simmers here under the surface between what they call derogatorially 'Rednecks/Papists' and 'Proddy dogs'! So celebrating Guy Fawkes night with fireworks has its detractors here seeing it as Religious sectarianism, so we have personally decided to have nothing to do with it. We do love the harbour fireworks display at the Whitehaven Maritime Festival though (see the fireworks there on Youtube).

[vjohzon]

sorry, I did mean the tree of knowledge and Jehovah said not to look at unclean things and although the tree was not unclean the principle is not to look at something that could temp us or stumble anyone, after all could you see Jesus having any part of a false governments celebration. Would you go to a Christmas celebration not to celebrate but to see the pretty packages? Whats the difference, even if no one sees you watching, Jehovah does. This is the one holiday, (do to the laws because of dangers), that we can't do any other time of year, Christmas is no big deal we can give gifts anytime same goes with valentines day, mothers day and all the other holidays that we can do anytime. What would you do if your mate kept staring at another person of the opposite sex stating "they were just admiring their beauty" what would you do? Would you understand or would you feel that that might lead to immorality. This is a very patriotic holiday it's a way of showing nationalism anyway you look at it. Most people celebrate it the same way your speaking of, sitting back and watching what is the difference and is that what you think Jehovah would want us to do? It seams like a little thing until you try to explain the difference to a study or your children. It has to go something like this "(study)what did you do last night (witness) oh I watched the fireworks last night (study )so did I, I thought you were not political(witness)oh were not we just like the lights (study)well I just like getting gifts at Christmas time." From experience that will change the way you feel about something that seems innocent.

[Hammerhead]

Just my .02 but something to think about. This holiday is called Independence day. This govt that the United States is under was founded on rebellion. In fact every one of mans govts ate founded on rebellion. Many today believe its the birthday of the united states. So how is that in harmony with Romans 13? We dont need to be told about birthdays. Watching fireworks on July 4 is to me the same as watching a Christmas parade. Judge for yourselves im not going to tell you what to do but that is just my conclusion

[Mrs. Musky]

sorry, I did mean the tree of knowledge and Jehovah said not to look at unclean things and although the tree was not unclean the principle is not to look at something that could temp us or stumble anyone, after all could you see Jesus having any part of a false governments celebration. Would you go to a Christmas celebration not to celebrate but to see the pretty packages? Whats the difference, even if no one sees you watching, Jehovah does. This is the one holiday, (do to the laws because of dangers), that we can't do any other time of year, Christmas is no big deal we can give gifts anytime same goes with valentines day, mothers day and all the other holidays that we can do anytime. What would you do if your mate kept staring at another person of the opposite sex stating "they were just admiring their beauty" what would you do? Would you understand or would you feel that that might lead to immorality. This is a very patriotic holiday it's a way of showing nationalism anyway you look at it. Most people celebrate it the same way your speaking of, sitting back and watching what is the difference and is that what you think Jehovah would want us to do? It seams like a little thing until you try to explain the difference to a study or your children. It has to go something like this "(study)what did you do last night (witness) oh I watched the fireworks last night (study )so did I, I thought you were not political(witness)oh were not we just like the lights (study)well I just like getting gifts at Christmas time." From experience that will change the way you feel about something that seems innocent.

WOW---that's quite a stretch: to equate watching fireworks with a man looking lustfully at a woman. Jesus did say that anyone looking at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart....but to compare this with watching fireworks to me just isn't logical. I realize you're entitled to your opinion, of course, but fortunately so are the rest of us...If you're going to reach that conclusion, one might ask themselves 'Can you imagine Jesus watching TV?!?!" I think NOT! You could take this even further and apply this to just about anything we do in modern life...This is were balance comes to the fore.