I'm not sure I understand this, can someone explain to me the reason behind why a person who is a Jehovah's witness is not allowed to observe holidays or birthdays or sing Christmas songs?
And please, I don't want a person from this church trying to contact me.
2006-12-28 19:34:27 · 9 answers · asked by Searcher 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jehovah's Witnesses believe strongly in God Jehovah and in his Son Jesus Christ.
Regarding birthday celebrations, bible students are encouraged to consider:
: 0% of faithful biblical Jews celebrated birthdays
: 0% of first century Christians celebrated birthdays
: 100% of birthdays celebrated in the bible were by debauched enemies of God (See Mark 6:17-29; Gen 40:19-22)
Bible historians (M'Clintock, Strong, and others) have noted that faithful Jews of the bible did not celebrate birthdays, and that ancient pagan birthday celebrations were at least partially intended to honor the patron gods of the particular day.
By comparison with such paganisms, the bible does not even tell us the birthdates of Jesus or ANY of his apostles!
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/e/20050101a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/rq/article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm
2006-12-29 03:08:21 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 6⤊ 1⤋
It's no problem if you don't want any of Jehovah's Witnesses to contact you. I am more than happy to answer your question.
Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate any holiday that conflicts with Bible principles or promotes customs displeasing to God. Christmas is not a Christian holdiay. Bible chronology (Luke 3:1,2 et al.) places Jesus' birth near early October of the year 2 B.C.E., although the exact date cannot be determined. There is no scriptural basis for celebrating Jesus' birth. The customs of Christmas and its date, December 25, originate in a Roman holiday called Saturnalia, which celebrated the birth of the unconquered sun. The "Christianitization" of this pagan holiday occured in the fourth century, C.E. when Roman Emperor Augustine wanted to religiously unite his empire. The Bible, however, clearly states that "the things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God," and, "You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of 'the table of Jehovah' and the table of demons." --Ephesians 10:20,21
Birthday celebrations likewise conflict with Bible principles. Many birthday customs are based on the unscriptural superstitious belief of "good luck" for the day or the coming year. (Isaiah 65:11,12) Birthday celebrations give undue honor to humans, and history shows that the birthday celebration has long been rejected as a pagan custom by both Jews and first-century Christians. (The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries, Augustus Neander, New York; and The Imperial Bible-Dictionary, London) The Holy Scriptures only mention birthday celebrations in connection with the atrocities of their pagan rulers. --Genesis 40:20-22; Matthew 14:1-11; Mark 6:21-28.
I hope that this information helps to answer your questions. Authoritive information about Jehovah's Witnesses can always be found at our website: http://www.watchtower.org/
2006-12-29 07:37:58 · answer #2 · answered by Ben-Bethdaathel 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
hi um well Jehovah witnesses believe on what the bible says they only teach the bible but in view of ur question they ask wether birthdays are in a favorable light in the bible. There are only two accounts of birthdays in the bible. The 1st one is in Genesis 40:20-22" Now on the third day it turned out to be Pharaoh's birthday, and he proceeded to make a feast ... Accordingly he returned the chief of the cupbearers to his post of cupbearer...but the chief of the bakers he hung up" the other account of a birthday is simirlar. Jehovah wittnesses take note that God's Word reports unfavorably about birthday celebrations and so shun these.
U also ask about christmas. Well one encyclopedia informs us " the reason for establishing December 25th as Christmas is somewhat obscure, but it is usually held that the day was chosen to correspond to pagan festivals that took place around the time of the winter solstice, when the days begin to lengthen to celebrate the rebirth of the sun.
Therefore Jehovah wittnesses would not want to celebrate a pagan festival also Luke 2:8-11 shows that shepards were in the fields at night at the time of Jesus' birth. The book Daily Life in time of Jesus states" the flocks.... passed winter undercover; and from this alone it may be seen that the traditional date for christmas in the winter, is unlikely to be right.
And back to the reason about not celebrating birthdays then they would not celebrate Jesus' birth as Jesus even said to remember his death but said nothing about his birth.
Hope this help
dan
2006-12-29 05:27:21 · answer #3 · answered by dursleydecorators 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, they strive to be like the Christians of Jesus's times, and they use the bible as their guidebook to help them determine if something is really 'Christian' or has roots of a Pagan origin
Only two birthdays are mentioned in the bible and both depict sinning and even murder. On the birthday of King Herod (the bad guy who tried to have all the baby boys killed when Jesus was born) ...he called for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. John was the 'good guy' who had baptised Jesus in the river. So Witnesses dont want to get involved with birthdays.
Christmas actually does have its origin in pagan religion. It was originally called Saturnalia and was a week long celebration of the Winter Solstice where people feasted, gave gifts, decorated with evergreens, ect. It was a big big holiday in Roman times. When the emporer Constantine converted to Christianity, he declared Christianity the official religion of Rome...and he just couldnt stop the people from celebrating the biggest event of the year, so he changed the name to Chirstmas and declared it to be Jesus's birthday (uh oh another birthday...lol) So it became a celebration of the 'son' rather than the 'sun'.
In all actuality, any serious student of the bible (not just witnesses) will agree that Jesus would have been born in the spring or summer. There are many reasons for this...too long to mention here.
As for other holidays, each one also has been 'inspected' and deemed non-christain or pagan for similar reasons
Hope that helps. Witnesses are actually quite nice people who do try hard to live their faith and try to do good. I think they just annoy people who dont care to hear them....ding dong....lol
........sorry spell check not working right now :(
2006-12-29 03:48:29 · answer #4 · answered by paradox is interesting 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Disfellowshipped JW
1982 Corning, CA Congregation
For cause, but not the ones some ex-JWs who want to put themselves on a pedestal, want you to believe, and know you will without question.
None are Bible based, and the Apostle Paul said to avoid man made holidays. In fact, he became disappointed with Christians returning to the observances of holiday.
The main thing you need to ask yourself is what did Christ say? No, he didn't say not to, but than when your child does something that they know is wrong, but which you did not specifically say not to, does that mean it is okay?
Don't go to any witness materials, but instead to the Catholic Encyclopedia. You will learn that the holidays are based on pagan beliefs. The Eastern Orthodox Church broke from Rome over this practice.
Now, ask yourself why doesn't the Church allow you to observe the day Christ did say to remember, the Memorial on Niacin 14? Don't know what that is? That's the point. Any JW, above the age of 12, can tell you, but most in Christendom, even the adults with decades in the church, cannot. Why is a teaching of Christ ignored while promoting one that he did not endorse?
2006-12-29 03:39:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
I studied alittle with the Witnesses so I could learn about them. The reason why they don't celebrate christmas or birthdays is because in the Bible it said to remember Jesus' death but it doesn't say anything about remembering his birthday.
2006-12-29 03:59:45 · answer #6 · answered by julie 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not Jehova's witness, but they do not celebrate christmas because they don't believe it's Christ's b-day. I have to agree with them there. They believe it's in April, I do to when you read in what month Mary concieved and count nine 9mnths later it's April.
2006-12-29 03:40:00 · answer #7 · answered by SuperSkinny 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because their watch tower slaves to a mans religion.
2006-12-29 05:09:32 · answer #8 · answered by don_steele54 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
because they've been told by their religion that it's a pagan practice.
2006-12-29 03:39:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋