Jehovah's Witness ? Are you 1 ? Know 1 ?

Question

My new neighbours say they are Jehovahs Witnesses .. They dont celebrate anything birthdays Christmas etc... Are they just CheapSkates meanies .. or what .. ?

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate any holidays, it's part of their religion. That's one of the reasons they'll never convert me!

Answer 2

There were several good explanations from Jehovah's Witnesses explaining why we don't celebrate holidays. Let me add, we do believe in giving gifts. The really great thing about not being tied to only giving at holiday time is that we can give gifts whenever we feel like it! If I come across something that I know one of my kids will like, I wrap it up and surprise them. We give gifts because we want to, not because we "have" to. Have you have ever bought a x-mas gift for someone you didn't particularly care for simply because they bought you a gift? Where is the happiness in giving? I would rather receive a gift from someone who bought it or made it for me because they knew it was just what I wanted, and they loved me, not because they felt they had to. Look at the day after, how many people return their gifts?

Answer 3

Jehovah's Witnesses foremost desire is to do what is pleasing to Jehovah God.
Historical information reveals that celebrations such as Christmas,Easter,Valentines Day,New Year's,to name just a few all have their roots in pagan beliefs,customs and celebrations.
Therefore,as worshippers of Jehovah,we shun any practices that honor false gods or promote falsehoods and dishonour the "living and true God",Jehovah.
Bible principles that are applied include-
Eph.5:10,11-"Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord;and quit sharing with them in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness,but,rather,even be reproving them".
2Cor.6:14-18-"What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have?Or,what sharing does light have with darkness?Further,what harmony is there between Christ and Be'lial?Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever?And what agreement does God's temple have with idols?.....'"Therefore get out from among them,and seperate yourselves,"says Jjehovah"and quit touching the unclean thing"';'"and I will take you in,.....and you will be sons and daughters to me,"says Jehovah the Almighty,'"
John 18:36-"Jesus answered [the Roman governor]:'My kingdom is no part of this world.'"
John15:19-""If you [Jesus' followers] were part of the world,the world would be fond of what is its own.Now because you are no part of the world,but I have chosen you out of the world,on this account the world hates you."
1John5:19-"The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one."
Jehovah's Witnesses are anything but cheapskates or meanies.They have a great love for their Creator and an eearnest desire to do what is pleasing in His eyes.They also have a love for their neighbors and spend as much time as they can in talking to others about our great God,Jehovah and the many blessings that are to be bestowed upon obedient mankind.
Do yourself a favor,go and introduce yourself to your new neighbours and instead of asking this website where you are bound to receive alot of negative and inaccurate responces,go and ask your new neighbours whatever it is you want to know.I have only given you a very rough idea as to why we don't involve ourselves in worldly celebrations.They will no doubt be able to give you much more insight.

Answer 4

I went to school with a family of kids that were. They were not cheap, all the girls had to wear the name brand clothes and they had money. One of the girls was a good friend of mine. She could be a little snooty at times, but her mom was a super nice lady. It's just their belief not to celebrate these holidays. I never did understand the birthday thing though, cause that is the day that you are born. And Christmas, that's the day for the Lord. I always felt sorry for the kids at school when they would have to leave the room during the pledge of allegiance, birthday parties, halloween parties and christmas parties. I always felt that they were missing out. My friend and I would still exchange gifts on these holidays though. I guess they are really pushy about getting people to join them, and if your neighbor starts that with you, just tell her nicely that you are not interested. She will understand. I'm sure that they will be good neighbors to you. Good luck!

Answer 5

I worked with a Jehovah's Witness for awhile...it was kind of sad one day she said it was her birthday but they don't celebrate birthdays. They also can't say the Pledge of Allegiance, I've heard. I don't think it's just a cheapskate thing, but I don't know what the basis is for not acknowledging these things.

Answer 6

Wow! I read so many responses and I'm super sure you are now overwhelmed! Ask them to explain to you why they don't celebrate stuff. I know for a fact that JW's are fun and love life. I lived in Germany and found out a lot about the original Christmas origins. I have to admit, the history of Christmas is interesting and explains a whole lot as to why the JW's don't celebrate.

Answer 7

They are a Christian sect founded in 1872 in Pittsburgh by the American clergyman Charles Taze Russell. They were originally known as Russellites. They believe in the second coming of Christ and consider each witness a minister. Their meeting places are called Kingdom Halls. They refuse to salute any flag, vote or perform military service, since their allegiance is to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. They teach that Christ began his invisible reign as King in 1914. and that soon the forces of good led by Christ will defeat the forces of evil led by Satan at the battle of Armageddon. Thereafter Christ will rule the earth for a thousand years, when the dead will rise again, and all people will have a second chance to achieve salvation.At the end of the millennium Satan will return to earth and he and those who support him will finally be destroyed. A perfect humankind will then enjoy eternal life on earth.-- Their periodical is called " The Watchtower ".------ I hope this gives you a rough idea of what they are about.,most of it sounds like wishful thinking to me. I had a manager at, work who was one, he was no better or worse than anyone else. those who come to the door around here are always very nice and polite, it must take some courage as they must expect rejection and some abuse.

Answer 8

Jehovah's witnesses are the most Nice's people you will ever meet and everyone should hope to have them as a neighbour their are very loyal and trust worthy and you will never see witnesses going to war against other witnesses in other countries unlike all the other religions who kill their own fellow believers the world would be a lot safer and peaceful if their were more of them Jesus himself went from village to village town to town door to door preaching the good news they are only following his footsteps their do no harm to anyone so just chill out

Answer 9

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://watchtower.org/library/w/2005/1/1a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm

Answer 10

I am one and the origins of every holiday celebration and even the celebration of birthdays,have pagan roots. Would Jesus or his apostles have anything to do with anything pagan? No!!! Christians shun all worldly holidays. They involve themselves in preaching the good news about God's Kingdom to all meek ones who desire to worship God in the way he approves. They go door to door witnessing just as Jesus instructed his faithful followers to do. Look up the origins of all the holidays and where they came from and you will see why Jehovah hates them.

Answer 11

It is part of their faith not to take part in various celebrations and festivities due to the fact that if you look into these festivals and celebrations they all have their origins in pagan rituals..... (search the scriptures and see if Jesus celebrated anyones birthday ........he didn't, the only two people mentioned celebrating birthdays were both pagans, a Pharoh and Delilah who asked for John the baptist' head, which incidentally she got)........the witnesses are trying to keep their worship to God clean and undefiled......they are not the only people who feel this way but due to their ministry (knocking on doors as you put it) they have a higher profile than others...........It's easy to knock others when they don't conform to our way of thinking but you will find these people are honest and sincere and don't do any harm to anyone as they try to live by the standards the bible lays out.......