2006-12-14 02:58:22 · 16 answers · asked by lfriday16 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that no salvation occurs without Christ, that accepting Christ's sacrifice is a requirement for true worship, that every prayer must acknowledge Christ, that Christ is the King of God's Kingdom, that Christ is the head of the Christian congregation, that Christ is immortal and above every creature, even that Christ was the 'master worker' in creating the universe!
Jehovah's Witnesses love and respect and honor Christ. Around the globe, they commemorate the one holiday Christ actually *DID* ask Christians to commemorate (but which is tragically ignored by almost all of Christendom). It is, of course, the Memorial of Christ's death, sometimes called "the Last Supper" or "the Lord's Evening Meal".
(1 Corinthians 11:23-25, NWT) The Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf... Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did likewise respecting the cup.. Keep doing this... in remembrance of me.”
(1 Cor 11:24, 25, NEB) "Do this as a memorial of me.”
Christ Jesus himself personally celebrated and explained the significance of that Last Supper to his followers (see Matthew 26:26-29). Christians who commemorate the Last Supper have done so on the same Jewish calendar date as Jesus did, Nisan 14, which generally falls between late March and mid-April. Interestingly, Christians in the centuries immediately after Christ's impalement were sometimes called "Quartodecimans" which literally mean "Fourteen-ers", because the early Christians were well-known for this true holy day.
How would Jesus feel to learn that the holiday he commanded was widely ignored, while his so-called followers chose to celebrate a pagan false god and their own traditions of men? We don't need to wonder.
(Matthew 15:6-9) You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you when he said, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’”
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/article_08.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20041215/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20011115/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/
2006-12-14 03:34:34 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Witnesses celebrate every day of life. They give gifts for the sake of giving gifts, not at just at pre-conceived special times. They have get togethers, for the sake of doing so. Weddings are a time of celebration, usually with "COME ALL AND BRING FOOD" invitations. Wedding anniversaries are the same way.
They don't wait to the get together with all their fellow believers a couple of times a year, but most every month and sometimes weekly. Three times a year, they get together with everyone in a county, or state. This way everyone knows everyone and can exchange info. This is helpful in the event of disasters, as was evident in New Orleans, when all JWs from there could be found in Texas.
The question is how many people that you see at church on Christmas would you recognize any other time of the year? Would you recognize them if you met them while traveling in the different county, state, or country. Witnesses do.
2006-12-14 08:09:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The only celebration commanded by Jesus is the celebration of his death. Commonly called the Lord's Supper, or The Lord's Evening Meal.
On the Jewish "old" calendar on Nisan 14th after sun down we meet together and pass the wine and the bread just as Jesus did that night.
Since the Law was fulfilled, all the other holidays, true worshipers kept were done away with.
2006-12-14 03:05:13 · answer #3 · answered by TeeM 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
We don't celebrate any holidays. The only religious observance we have is the commemoration of the memorial of Jesus' death, as he instructed his disciples to do at the Lord's Evening Meal. For this memorial, we follow the Jewish calendar so it's on a different date every year - whenever Nisan 14 falls. In 2007, it will be April 2.
2006-12-14 03:05:11 · answer #4 · answered by krobin 2 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Funny how people immediately associate Jehovahs Witnesses with door knocking. You people are ignorant you know that? Oh yea by the way, my grandmother is a Jehovahs Witnesses and doesn't do very much door knocking. They do not try to shove anything down your throat, they are just spreading their word. it's real easy, you're either interested or your not!! There's really no need to insult them for their beliefs.
2006-12-14 03:17:54 · answer #5 · answered by ladivina 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
We do not celebrate religious holidays, we celebrate one particular day, Jesus' death, Memorial.
As holidays for leisure, we have that (here in Austria) when a sister or brother invites us over (get together), we have lots of food and we sing too (karaoke or guitar). In summertime, which is relatively short, we have a lots of picnics, grill days by the lake....
(sidenote: I am Filipino and other Filipinos who see me with the brothers wonder why I am with Austrians, Africans, Japanese and other nationalities....)
For most families, gift-giving is everyday, it is not always materially though, most of the time we give love.
2006-12-14 09:57:59 · answer #6 · answered by Tomoyo K 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They celebrate the Lord's Evening Meal and wedding anniversaries.
2006-12-14 03:09:51 · answer #7 · answered by ♥ terry g ♥ 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
all holidays are man made, pagan holiday. Jesus told us to celebrate his death and Nisan 14, the last supper or passover. since passover is once a year, we celebrate it all around the world in 235 lands. we also celebrate anniversaries. we give gifts all year, we don't wait for a reason to give a gift. you wait for a holiday to give gifts. we also have parties doing the year and get together.
2006-12-14 03:13:11 · answer #8 · answered by lover of Jehovah and Jesus 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Jehovahs don't celebrate any holidays not even birthdays. I forget why.
2006-12-14 03:05:08 · answer #9 · answered by Jailyn 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Aniversaries and they pass the UNleavened bread and wine like Jesus commanded. That is about all.
2006-12-14 03:28:53 · answer #10 · answered by david s 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋