Why do people of the Jehovah's witness denomination not celebrate Christ's birth?

Question

Why do they not celebrate the birth of our Savior or birthdays of loved ones? I am just curious because I don't know. Also, there is a little boy at my son's school who comes from a Jehovah's witness family and is not allowed to participate in class parties or educational field trips. Every time I see this boy he walks with his head down and will usually not speak to anyone. I feel sorry for him but this is probably something going on in his household...not necesarily the Jehovah's witness background..right?

Well I just asked an honest question and it seems that I've been fed to the wolves.

It's amazing ...that such a large number of people still follow these teachings even after so many false prophecies by their religion's founders. Peace to you all.

Answer 1

The Jehovah's Witness religion does not discourage school parties or field trips; a Witness parent or child should respect his personal conscience, and something about a party or trip may trouble the Witness.

Regarding the so-called "birthday of Christ", it should be noted that 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

I know a big family of Jehovah's Witnesses and they hardly walk with there head down. They don't celebrate the holidays because they don't believe Jesus was born then and it is full of lies like Santa Clause and evergreen trees.
This little girl is full of spunk and spoiled wrotten. Instead of getting gifts for Christmas on the time off they went to a ski lodge and got her sking lessons and a big family outing. I should have been so lucky. For the other holidays, they take camping trips, she has her own pony and they go on hay rides.
The Witnesses in this area get together and have fishing trips and trips to the lake. They have a cabin at the lake and a boat dock. They had a small BBQ and I was invited it was all witnesses and they were haveing a ball. Their small BBq was about 75 people. All familys, they are very family oriented.

Answer 3

Wow. There normally aren't this many outright lies about us in just one question of Y!A.

I think the best one is about Coffee, I drink coffee. It could be this "friend" does not like coffee and as joking or maybe was of another faith, if so don't tell folgers:).

As to the no TV, Skirts on the Girls Witness, that aint us either. IF it were we would be known for it as their are allot of female Witnesses. They where pants.

We of course Recognise Jesus as the son of Jehovah.

Saying we have NO sound teachings is very funny. Most people agree that most, or all, religions have at least some sound teachings. I notice she realises we are Bible based. Does she think the Bible is not sound, if she does not think that then she should know that by trying to following the Bible according to her we are sound.

As to the one who said that we built Abraham a Mansion, WHAT??? Why would we build a physical place if we did think a spirit was coming back or whatever it is they were trying to say. Total fabrication.

Now that that is out of the way on to the question. We do not Celebrate Christ's birth firstly because, among other things, Bible record. 2 B-Days are mentioned. Both were held by Pagans as part of Pagan festivels and included murder.

We do not Celerate Christmas, which has nothing to do with Jesus aside from the title, because it is Steeped in Pagan rituals and lies.

As to the little boy, it could be a number of things. First off think, is it ALL parties or just parties with ties to Holidays or Birthdays. Same thing for the field trips. IT could also be something at home, we ALL have problems in our lives. HE could be shy. I hated school. I was born a preemie and had some Birth Defects. I was kinda slow at running, round, and smart. Needless to say I was not popular. Plus, I always liked talking to adults more, my brothers were the same somewhat, though they got along better with peers. I have been told I have been a senior citizen my whole life. Just who I relate to. It could be he does not enjoy school or is bashful or any number of things. Plus if he knows you do not approve of what his parents, and most likely, he believes it probably makes him nervous to talk for fear of being made fun of.

Just my $5, wow used to be $0.02, must be inflation.

Answer 4

I'm more curious why, of all the children, not only in your child's class, but in his school, why you are watching this one little boy so close? I hope there is not something untoward going on here, rather than what you seem to be suggesting with your last sentence. I'm dealing with a case right now with a man who was hit with a retroactive child support order to be paid to a woman who molested him 15 years ago when he was 11. She was 27 at the time. So far the child support order has been upheld on appeal.

As for Christ birthday, apparently this boy is more Christlike, in that he is not doing anything that Christ didn't do. Now, the question to ask yourself is do you deny your child the knowledge of Niacin 14, the one and only day Christ did say to keep in Memorial, but which Christendom refuses to teach or promote to its followers? Do you follow them blindly, or do a little research on your own?

Answer 5

you know this is a funny question. I drink coffee every morning for breakfast. when my kids went to school, they went on field trips with the class. many times I went with the class and helped out. we even watch TV and listen to the radio. many of the witnesses have computers. I am a woman and when I am not going to a meeting or going door to door, I wear pants and a pretty blouse, if it is summer I wear shorts with a top. our children get gifts all year long, we don't have to wait for a pagan holiday and besides Jesus was not born in DEC. Jesus told us to celebrate his death not his birth. since Jesus died on Nisan 14 the last supper or the passover and it once a year we celebrate it in 236 lands. also our children are not spoiled rotten. we also have parties during the course of the year and get together with each other. sometimes in small groups also.

Answer 6

Contrary to many the of the misquotes, half truths, or out right lies.

Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Christ's birth, because there is nothing Christian about it.

As a school teacher look in any reference book you want and find out how Christmas came about.

Do you know it was against the law to celebrate Christmas in Mass. USA, and in England in the 1700's.

Did you know that Christ was born in late Sept, early October and not Dec.

Jesus was 33 1/2 years old when he died in March / April in our calendar. Add or subtract 6 months gets you to Sept. / Oct.

My children went on field trips, shared in Year End Parties and are happy adults continuing to serve Jehovah.

They did not join in "holiday" parties.

Check out:

http://www.watchtower.org/e/archives/index.htm

for more info

Answer 7

We do not celebrate christmas for one, the bible didn't say that we should celebrate his birth.... as christians/followers of christ, we follow the example of Jesus... We don't make up our own holidays and present it as a form of worship and expect it to be accepted by Jehovah. Our beliefs are strictly bible based... we do not follow trends as most 'so called' christians do (by adopting pagan holidays and try to pass it off as christian).

I was brought up in a Witness home, and I never felt deprived of anything, if I wanted a gift, all I had to say was, 'Mom can I get a present?' I would, as often as I asked for it (even w/o me asking).... no special occasion neccessary.

Answer 8

We dont celebrate christmas because Jesus christ was not born on christmas. now regarding school activities.. if it has to do with celebrating the holidays like christmas, hanukka, birthdays,thanksgiving, holoween etc. then no, Jw's do not participate in those parties. the reason being is that they are all considered pagan. what i dont understand is that school's are alowed to celebrate "holy days" but they cant talk about god? hypocrites? anywho thats another subject. now that lil boy might just be shy.. it might not have anything to do with being a JW.

Answer 9

I know a bunch of them and those kids are spoiled rotten.
They have everything and take trips to the city several times a year and camping trips and BBQ's.
They are open and friendly I don't see them as sad or unhappy they are anything but.
I don't think you need to lie to kids to make them have a complete child hood. I mean let's face it Santa Clause is a lie.
What does and evergreen tree have to do with Christ.
Everyone knows he wasn't born then. So what's the fuss.
Maybe if they beat on them or starved them that is a different story. But they chose not to lie to them. That is hardly child abuse. Those kids are anything but abused.
Here most children are taken out of classes it is so rural they are taught by computers. No one in town ever thought of that as child abuse. After reading some of the stuff by good christians on this web site, if I had a kid I wouldn't send them to school with these people.

Answer 10

Jehovah'sWitnesses deny the incarnation of Jesus Christ so they don't celebrate Christmas. They don't celebrate Resurrection Sunday or Easter because they deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Their founder C.T. Russell was proven a false prophet. Their next leader JF Rutherford made the Watchtower Org. what it is today, but Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were to return between 1925 and 1929 so he built them a mansion. When they didn't return he moved into the mansion. Also proven a false prophet.
They believe they are God's government and refuse to salute the flag, Pledge of Allegiance and serve in armed forces of any nation. They believe all governments are satanic, except the true government of God, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. N.H. Knorr took over in 1942 and the JW's did their own translation of the Bible, which they call The New World Translation. Five Greek Scholars in the organization did the translation. Knorr began to prophesy that 1975 would be Armageddon. When this did not come true, the religion lost over a million followers. The continuation is under Franz, Henschel and Larson. Knorr died in 1977.

They believe Jesus is actually Michael the Archangel and He returned invisibly in 1914 secretly to the Organization. And many other untruths of which some I consider the fundamentals of Christianity.