Do Jehovah's Witnesses recognize the New Year and the new calendar year?

Question

I am a teacher, and I was discussing with my students that we entered a new year, 2007. So, I said "Happy New Year" and we talked about resolutions to do better with the new start. I requested that my students write down their promises to themselves for the new year, and I had a couple Witnesses who informed me that they could not do the assignment because they are not allowed to talk about the new year.

Were they just trying to get out of the work, or is it really a doctrine that does not allow them to mention the New Year and discuss resolutions to better themselves?

To asktbone: part of being a life-long learner is knowing when to ask questions and when to as you put it "do your homework". Having not been around Witnesses in a classroom setting until this year, I am learning a lot and attempting to research a doctrine that is condemnatory and provides little to no answer unless you want to pilferage through endless documentation that gives very little concrete answers, but many religious quotations. If you are unable to answer a question in a matter that is non-judgmental and non-disrespectful, why even bother with answering questions.

THANK YOU to those of you who gave me well-thought, educated answers on a topic that isn't my belief, but requires my understanding. :-)

I, unfortunately, cannot hold an open forum in my classroom on the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses because it is a public elementary school, though, for high school, that would provide some interesting feedback!

Answer 1

Actually - The New Year is significant of the a pagan holiday - here is an excerpt...

It was Julius Caesar who established January 1st as the beginning of the year, when he adobted the Julian Calender in 46 B.C.. January is named after the pagan god, Janus. Janus was a doubled faced god, and was said in pagan tradition, to be able to look upon the past and the future at the same time. During the New Year celebration in Rome, the false god Saturn was honored. Saturnalia as it was called was an eleven day event, beginning usually on December the 25th (the birthday of the sun) and ended on the sixth of January. Saturnalia was celebrated as a time of frolicking, drinking, orgies, and human sacrifice.

As a Jehovah's Witness, I can simply state that anything that remotely has any connection with pagan backgrounds is something to be avoided. We may not always be able to explain it in a manner that sounds so easily logical as the way I have just stated - especially if we are put on the spot to defend ourselves - but we try to make our point, so we can feel that we are doing the right thing for our God, Jehovah, and try to do it in a way that is appropriate. At no point, is anyone trying to also get out of doing work, or being rude either.

When I was younger, it was hard to always try to explain something, when everyone else was in the practice of celebrating, etc...so between peer pressure, and trying to take a stand for our belief; no one comes across as being well versed - maybe a little nervous or shy (after all I was only a kid).

Now at 55, I wish I had the experience when I was a kid that I do now - to present myself in a manner that sounds logical and forthright, in answer to your question.

Our belief goes beyond just practicing by word, but also by deed. Our faith is a part of our lives and not just an occasional visit to a place of worship. We work hard to create a relationship with God that is close and personal - not just by lip service. True, we are all imperfect - and we do not try to act like we're better than anyone. But this part of our faith takes into consideration that God alone should be looked to for answers - and nor does that include practicing something that was once frowned upon by early True Christians - Idolatry was one to be avoided. So was looking into the future, which was part of divination.

What I would recommend is - ask these young witnesses to make a studied presentation to your class explaining their belief, and offer proof through Bible scriptures - this may help you understand more on the matter?

Sincerely,
Juliana Leo
Houston TX

Answer 2

They do not participate in the pagan practice of New Year's resolutions.
As a teacher, how is it you can not do your own homework, are you just trying to get out of the responsibility of being a teacher?

Wow aren't you a peach?
With teachers like you it is no wonder the children are afraid to think independently. If your goal is to create automatons to become enslaved to the lie that the US is the greatest thing since sliced bread, then your not so subtle way of leading questions, bullying and not listening will serve the state well.
Leading question: "were they JUST trying to get out of the work"
Of what necessity is a flippant assignment made on a whim that if you had just researched the history of, would have understood that new years originated in pagan religions?
Bullying; Then when someone challenges you to do your homework, you comeback with a bleeding heart innocent disclaimer,"as a lifelong learner". Really? As a lifelong learner, you can not locate the Jehovah's Witness Website? (I'll bet you didn't even try).
Then you attempt to berate me for calling you out, saying (and judgmentally I might add), that if I will not answer your loaded questions non-judgmentally then I shouldn 't answer.
Look, if you think yourself a teacher, then learn this.
This is an open forum, and the last time I checked I am entitled to my opinion.
If you desire to be a good teacher you would do well to recognize the biases that I see in the way you approach a question, and the way you respond to the answers.
All your students deserve the benefit of the doubt, and what you really should do instead of seeking people to agree with your narrow mindedness, is ask the students for more information on their beliefs, and the reasons why they do or do not participate in different activities.
If they are like any JW's I met, they will be totally into sharing with you, on published literature, the where's and why's.
That is where your research should have started.

Oh by the way, I really loved your other question,
It is heartwarming to know the teacher at my kid's school wonders about whether black men prefer shaved or unshaved.

So just in case you missed it, the three links below are, for news history, JWs, and your other q.
Have a nice day.

Wow! You can not have an open forum in the classroom?
What the hell do you call discussing new years resolutions?
Oh I get it, open forums are limited to what you decide can be the topic of open forum. You have a lot to learn!
discussing New Years ( which you will learn from the New years link) is a discussion of pagan babylonish religion.
Why can you openly discuss pagan practices, but not the beliefs of your witness kids?
If those were my kids I would get a lawyer, and pursue the obvious religious prejudice you promote in your class.

Answer 3

You are astonishing. Did you ever stop and think how difficult it is for a child to take a stand for the beliefs their parents are instilling in them?
You say you are a teacher, a lifelong learner, yet you insensitively have an open forum on resolutions, but refuse to include the beliefs of all your students. Why, is it unacceptable to include the witness views on resolutions, but perfectly fine to openly talk with the kids that do have resolutions?
Is this not discrimination?

All the answerers that slammed you were right on track.
I hope you will learn to be more inclusive, and less judgmental for the sake of your students. Your highest responsibility is to provide chidren with a skillset to ensure their success in life. Traditions such as new years, or halloween etc. have nothing to do with this objective. Next time you arbitrarily decide to give your students a flippant assignment (I thank tbone for that one), try to be more sensitive to the different races, creeds and colors of your students.
As one who receives the product of the public school system as persons who are supposed to be equipped to work, ( I am in construction), the readiness of young persons entering the workforce is in poor shape. Your pupils have, for the most part,
no concept of the world we live in, and what it takes to go to work, and excell.
Oh, if only you teachers would stop wasting our children's time with subjects that should be secondary, and concentrate on reading writing and math.

Answer 4

Jehovah's Witnesses do not participate in pagan, false-religious practices. "New Year" commemorations and "New Year's resolutions" both have pagan origins. It would be wrong for any authority figure to insist that any student participate in any religious practice.

Sadly, this questioner insists on indicting the Jehovah's Witness religion as "condemnatory" while she simultaneously acknowledges her near-total ignorance of its beliefs. It is sad when a person who is entrusted with the care of impressionable young minds is so clearly prejudiced and bigotted. Of course, this questioner has almost certainly presented this incident in the most preposterous manner imaginable.

Jehovah's Witnesses are certainly "allowed to talk about the new year".

Jehovah's Witnesses are certainly 'allowed to mention the New Year.'

Jehovah's Witnesses are "allowed" to discuss any matter, including the concept of resolutions to better oneself. However, Witnesses choose to refrain from personally participating in a holiday commemoration or other pagan practice. When Witnesses make vows, they do NOT do so to impress teachers or colleagues.

(Isaiah 1:13-15) New moon and sabbath, the calling of a convention - I [God] cannot put up with the use of uncanny power along with the solemn assembly. 14 Your new moons and your festal seasons my soul has hated. To me they have become a burden; I have become tired of bearing them. 15 And when you spread out your palms, I hide my eyes from you. Even though you make many prayers, I am not listening

http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/

Answer 5

Actually, this could have been a learning matter for you in that instead of asking the question here, you could have asked the witness students to do a short paper on the history of the holiday for the class.

On another note, they will be more familiar with the ancient Jewish calendar than most of today's Jewish students and how to idenetify the day of the one and only observance Christ did say to keep, but Christendom ignores.

Answer 6

Thanks for your honest question.

JWs can write an article or essay about the New Year, for example the history of the celebration or what's the Bible's viewpoint of the New Year. See articles in Awake 1980 12/22, Awake 1986 12/22, etc What we don't do is "write New Year's resolution" which reflects the spirit of the New Year and part of the celebration of that occassion.

We don't have to write our own Christian resolution, it is between us and our God, Jehovah. Writing their own Christian resolution I think is a conscience matter, and if they are bothered by writing it, we can just respect that. We also do not blow our own trumpet and let our left hand know what our right hand is doing (Matthew 6) when doing God's will.

Here's a short explanation on why we don't celebrate New Year.

Where do we find the earliest record of a New Year’s celebration? “The earliest description of a New Year festival known to us comes from ancient Mesopotamia,” answers Theodor Gaster in his book New Year—Its History, Customs and Superstitions. The clay tablets describing the New Year festival record “a program of ceremonies performed at Babylon since the remote days of the second millennium B.C.”

where do we find the earliest record of a New Year’s celebration? “The earliest description of a New Year festival known to us comes from ancient Mesopotamia,” answers Theodor Gaster in his book New Year—Its History, Customs and Superstitions. The clay tablets describing the New Year festival record “a program of ceremonies performed at Babylon since the remote days of the second millennium B.C.”

God sees the religious practices originating in Babylon as POLLUTED. He refers to the world empire of false religion, with its customs rooted in ancient Babylon, as “Babylon the Great” and warns: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:2, 4)

New Year’s celebrations are rooted in pagan customs. False worship is unclean and detestable in the eyes of Jehovah God, and Christians reject practices that have such origins. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Ezekiel 22:3, 4) The apostle Paul wrote: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?” For good reason, Paul added: “Quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Corinthians 6:14-17a.

Furthermore, the Bible admonishes Christians to be moderate and self-controlled in their conduct. (1 Timothy 3:2, 11)

Paul’s reference to “revelries and drunken bouts” may have included those that took place during New Year’s festivities, since these were popular in Rome during the first century

Thanks.

Answer 7

Jehovah witnesses are very strict religious Christians. They regard holidays not as a celebration but as a form of worship and they think they should only worship God. So they do not recognize any holidays. They are of course aware of them and they use the calender to keep track of the date just like anyone. OO

Answer 8

The Bible’s View

The Bible admonishes Christians to “walk decently, not in revelries and drunken bouts.” (Romans 13:12-14; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:3) Since New Year’s festivities are often characterized by the very excesses that the Bible condemns, Christians do not participate in them. This does not mean that Christians are killjoys. On the contrary, they know that the Bible repeatedly tells worshipers of the true God to rejoice—and that for a number of reasons. (Deuteronomy 26:10, 11; Psalm 32:11; Proverbs 5:15-19; Ecclesiastes 3:22; 11:9) The Bible also acknowledges that food and drink often accompany rejoicing.—Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 9:7a.

As we have seen, however, New Year’s celebrations are rooted in pagan customs. False worship is unclean and detestable in the eyes of Jehovah God, and Christians reject practices that have such origins. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Ezekiel 22:3, 4) The apostle Paul wrote: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?” For good reason, Paul added: “Quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Corinthians 6:14-17a.

Christians also realize that taking part in superstitious rituals does not guarantee happiness and prosperity—especially since participating in such festivities can result in God’s disfavor. (Ecclesiastes 9:11; Isaiah 65:11, 12) Furthermore, the Bible admonishes Christians to be moderate and self-controlled in their conduct. (1 Timothy 3:2, 11) Clearly, it would be improper for one who professes to follow Christ’s teachings to be part of a celebration that is characterized by riotous excess.

As eye-catching and appealing to the senses as New Year’s festivities may be, the Bible tells us to “quit touching the unclean thing” and to “cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” To those who comply, Jehovah extends the heartwarming guarantee: “I will take you in. . . . I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me.” (2 Corinthians 6:17b–7:1) Indeed, he promises eternal blessings and prosperity to those who are loyal to him.—Psalm 37:18, 28; Revelation 21:3, 4, 7.

Answer 9

They are not suppose to celebrate the New Year so your students were not just trying to get out of an assignment.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 10

I am rather surprised that the Witnesses reject New Year's resolutions. It would be best if you simply give these students some other sort of extra-credit assignment.