Since XMAS has Pagan origins, should Christians refrain from practicing it like the Jehovah's Witness do?

Answer 1

Please do not pretend that the term "Christians" excludes Jehovah's Witnesses. In fact, Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians; they teach that Christ was and is Divine and of the same nature as God.

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. They do NOT celebrate so-called "Christmas" because "Christmas" does NOT celebrate Christ; "Christmas" celebrates the pagan Saturnalia. Jesus was not even born in December. Nearly all so-called Christmas customs dishonor Christ.

(Jeremiah 10:2-5) This is what Jehovah has said: "Do not learn the way of the nations at all... 3 For the customs of the peoples are just an exhalation, because it is a mere tree out of the forest that one has cut down, the work of the hands of the craftsman with the billhook. 4 With silver and with gold one makes it pretty. With nails and with hammers they fasten them down, that none may reel. ...the doing of any good is not with them."

http://watchtower.org/e/19981215/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/
http://watchtower.org/e/20041215/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19981215/
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm


By contrast, it's tragic that the one holiday Christ actually *DID* ask Christians to commemorate is entirely 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/

Answer 2

The pagan roots of Christmas have long been recognized. Because of its unscriptural origin, Christmas was banned in England and in some of the American colonies during the 17th century. Anyone who even stayed home from work on Christmas day had to pay a penalty. Soon, though, the old customs were back, and some new ones were added. Christmas once again became a big holiday, and that is what it still is in many lands. Because of the connections that Christmas has with false religion, however, THOSE WHO WANT TO PLEASE GOD DO NOT CELEBRATE IT OR ANY OTHER HOLIDAY THAT HAS ITS ROOTS IN PAGAN WORSHIP. Concerning the Christmas celebration as it is generally known all over the world, The Encyclopedia Americana says: "Most of the customs now associated with Christmas were not originally Christmas customs but rather were pre-Christian and non-Christian customs taken up by the Christian church. Saturnalia, a Roman feast celebrated in mid-December, provided the model for many of the merry-making customs of Christmas. From this celebration, for example, were derived the elaborate feasting, the giving of gifts, and the burning of candles."

Answer 3

*laff* at all of you. The history of christmas goes way beyond the birth of Jesus and the advent of Christianity. It was a solstice festival celebrating the returning of the light to earth. That idea (light back to earth) dovetails nicely into the Christian mythos and so it was decided that the birth of Jesus would be moved to better suit the need to attract the pagans to the religion. This is a pretty common move by the Christians. Most of the major religious holidays fall on or near some pagan celebration. It's just manipulation of the dates.

It's pretty easy to see proof of this if you look at the calendar and history. Take, for instance, King Herod. According to the story he decided to kill all the babies born right around christmas because he had heard that Jesus would bring an end to his reign. So Jesus was born in either 1 BCE or 1 AD/CE depending on who you listen to. In either dating scheme Herod had died 3 or 4 years earlier sometime between 3-5 BCE.

Now... to actually answer the question, should Christians refrain from celebrating it. I say yes and no. If that's the day you want to choose to celebrate the birth of the Lord then go ahead. It's pretty much been arbitrarily chosen anyway. Just try to avoid the glut of commercialism. I don't think that's really what Christmas is all about. The commercial aspect mostly seems to be an amalgamation of xmas with Saint Nick's day which falls on Dec. 6th. Uncharitable people like to sell us things. I was always under the impression that Easter and Pentecost were more important holidays anyway.

Answer 4

Not if they wish to be obedient to God. I remember years ago they used to Always show the Ten Commandments on TV during this season. IF you remember when Moses came down with the commandments the people were worshiping the golden calf. Were Moses and God happy to see these people worshiping "HIM" in an unnchristian way because supposedly the spirit of what they were doing was right?? No. Niether is Jehovah made glad by people purporting to celebrate the birth of his Son, something that we are never encouraged to do in the Bible, through unchristian means. BTW I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and I know for a fact that we Dance and Sing if we so choose. I personally can't Dance worth anything and have a voice that could peel paint. Does not always stop me from trying :)

Answer 5

Hello there! I am a Jehovahs Witness.
Here is a few articles that talk about why Christians should not celebrate Christmas. Enjoy!

http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm

http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/1998/12/15/article_01.htm

http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2004/12/15/article_02.htm

Oh and by the way... We do enjoy dancing LOL We are very normal people, just like everyone else! We enjoy getting together and enjoying each others association. We are not perfect, we make mistakes like everyone else, but we are moral and upright people and try very hard to live by the Bible. :)

Learn More!
www.watchtower.org

Answer 6

Christians should not lie, so they should not say that Dec 25th is Jesus birthday, since the date of Jesus' birth is not known.

As to whether they choose to observe the holiday in some manner - whether religious or merely as a traditional custom - should be a matter of personal decision.

Romans chapter 14 gives good advice concerning the observance of non-required "holidays". Basically, Paul says that it is a matter of one's own conscience and not a matter for "group" decision.

Jehovah's Witnesses at one time took a different view of Christmas themselves. Their founder, Charles Taze Russell, wrote in the Watchtower magazine his view that Christmas, although not the birth of Christ, was nevertheless a day to honor Christ and the date was not important. (JW"s have a similar view today concerning God's name - they feel it is important to use a personal name for God, even though the exact name (like Jesus' birth date) is not known and - according to them - is not the important thing anyway.)

It was Mr. Russell's successor, Judge Joseph Rutherford, who forbid the celebrating of Christmas.

Answer 7

Well every year I as a Christian and my family at this time we celebrate the birth of Jesus. I have no idea what the pagans celebrate this day but I do now the Early Church made the celebration of Jesus's birthday coincide with the winter solstice to help new Christians formerly pagans abstain from the pagan celebrations. As a Christian I have no problem with this as I believe that God made/makes all the days. Every day is Holy. But if you are Christian and it bothers you to celebrate it this day then you should not. Also I think that Dec. 25 is not necessarily the date the pagans always celebrated whatever they celebrate. I think that it was more a Solar cycle thing. Having to do with days getting longer and that it may not have always fallen on the same day. But I don't really know or care as I said in the beginning what I celebrate is different from what they celebrate. I mean it is like changing the day of your anniversary because someone you don't agree with has theirs the same day.
Obviously the Jehovah's Witness have problems but they don't even like dancing and the bible says we should dance and sing to the Lord.

Answer 8

At John 4:24, the bible tells us that God should be worshiped with "spirit and truth" not spirit alone. While many feel that the spirit of the holiday "christmas" outweighs its origins, the Bible is very clear. You must not participate in anything that promotes a lie about God or His son. So, to answer your question, if you believe what the Bible says you won't celebrate christmas.

Answer 9

At varying times in the last 1700 years, most every church and/or government has condemned the observance of Christmas from one time or another. Steadily, their objections were put down or suppressed. There's a good program on the History Channel right now.

Answer 10

The common misconception about christmas' pagan origins are mostly false. The truth of the matter is not that early christians adopted a pagan holiday but that the used the same day of the year. It is common among persecuted religions to celebrate their holy days at the same time as the religion of the majority. That way you appear to be conforming to their practices, but in reality you are celebrating your own holiday. Ya dig?