Why is it that Jehovah Witnesses do not celebrate holidays? And why, in this religion, is it considered wrong to celebrate holidays? Celebrating holidays brings family and friends together, and in this world, where people get so busy, isn't it nice to just relax and celebrate with the ones you love? I'm Roman Catholic, not a practicing Catholic. I used to study with a Witness, but it caused problems in my marriage ( my hubby is Catholic) and besides the whole thing against holidays, I think that religion is right on.
2006-08-06 08:41:25 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
we Jehovah's witnesses. believe in giving god full hearted attention and devotion, we don't serve any other gods. which means any holiday not said to celebrate in the bible, or which has a pagan or otherwise in proper history can't be used. for example.
Halloween, originated as a ancient Celtic holiday to worship the god of death.
because of that, we as god's people, wont partake in it.
Christmas, Jesus never was born on this date, and he never said for us to remember his birth, he wouldn't want to be recalled as a weak baby in a box, he wants us to remember him as the fact he died for us. not to mention Christmas as a whole, with the tree, and the star, and everything has been proven pagan.
Easter as well is pagan. the eggs and chicks and the rabbit all symbolize fertility and the god of it. all the customs of this holiday are infected with false gods and ways of doing things.
fourth of july- jesus told his followers to be 'no part of the world' and so, as his followers, we refrain from partaking in something that is to celebrate a government or country that isn't god's kindgom in heaven. our service to god is more important than any country. and doign his will is first priority to us.
if you have any other questions on why we don't celebrate certain holidays, feel free to I.m me.
so what I'm saying is, as Good's people we wont partake in anything that originated or consists of things from other god's and ways contrary to god and jesus's will.
even holidays that are questionable are avoided, celebrating these were never required by god or jesus, so it's better to be safe than sorry, besides without the distractions of these holidays, wittneses can focus on more important things, like spiritual growth, and the preaching work. as god's followers we make sure that no matter what, god comes before our own pleasures and ideas, and that is no diffrent with hoildays.
i hope that answered your question,
2006-08-06 08:52:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 10⤊ 4⤋
I'm not a jehovah's witness, I'm an atheist, but I think I know the reason.
Christianity at it's heart is an apocalyptic religion, as such it originally had no festival days. Why plan a big party if the world is supposed to end at any time? All christian holidays, and I do mean ALL of them, are pagan holidays the were assigned christian meanings for the purpose of converting non christians.
Jehovah's witnesses likely believe that celebrating any pagan holiday, however christianized, is sinful and that such festivals are very worldly in nature. Worldly in the sense of being distracting from otherworldly goals by encouraging a seductive interest in material things, earthly deeds and the pleasures of the flesh and such.
2006-08-06 15:59:02 · answer #2 · answered by corvis_9 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses practice strict political and nationalistic neutrality, so they do not celebrate nationalistic holidays such as Independence Day and Memorial Day.
Other holidays derive from false religion, and so are incompatible with pure worship as adulterating interfaith. For example, Easter derives from the pagan god Oestre and celebrates "rebirth" and "fertility" instead of commemorating Christ's Last Supper and death as Jesus commanded:
(Luke 22:1-22) [Jesus] dispatched Peter and John, saying: “Go and get the passover ready for us to eat.” ...14 At length when the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them: “I have greatly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it becomes fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ... Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”
Seemingly innocuous holidays may have only a tangential connection with false worship, such as Mother's Day and Father's Day (although arguably derived from ancestor worship). Understated observance of these is not generally considered interfaith by Jehovah's Witnesses, but it is too easily misunderstood in some cultures.
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://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2005/1/1a/article_01.htm
2006-08-06 19:31:00 · answer #3 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
holidays are man made. Jesus was not born on DEC 25. we know when he died, on the passover of Nisan 14. the last supper. since passover is celebrate once a year we celebrate his death. we only worship Jehovah God, not flags. Jesus Christ is the son of Jehovah God. we have parties anytime of the year and we all are family. we see our family all year long. the holidays make stores richer. if you want more information please see www.watchtower.org. it will tell you more about Jehovah Witnesses. we all do the same things in 235 lands. we are a world wide family. we don't go to war, because we are family all around the world. we are told by Jesus that the world is our family and we are to love each other. we are not a cult, I am tired of people saying that we are a cult. a cult worships man, we worship Jehovah God and Jesus Christ. a cult lives in one place. we are in 235 lands and live and work in your business. we live next door to you. we pay bills. a cult does what a mere man wants you to do and say. they live all together in one state. look at jim jones. or charles manson. they worship those men. we don't worship man.
2006-08-06 15:59:28 · answer #4 · answered by lover of Jehovah and Jesus 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because they don't want to fight and die for the freedom they enjoy
that was purchased with blood by other Americans.
As a matter of a fact they don't want anything to do with you unless they are trying to drag you in their cult.
In Christ in Love,
TJ57
2006-08-06 16:04:49 · answer #5 · answered by TJ 57 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
when you get an answer can yuo let me know. I have never got a clear answer about this either and want to understand
2006-08-06 15:49:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋