Jehovas witness?

Question

Why Dont jehovas witness believe in celebrating christs birth when they claim to be a christian religion

Answer 1

I have no particular problem with someone who chooses not to celebrate holidays, if they believe that that is what is necessary to honor God. But I would mildly point out that Saint Paul said that all things are lawful for us, but not all things are expedient. Anything (except sin) if offered as praise and worship to God, becomes exactly that, whatever the origin or the ancient history may be, or however other people may use it. The intention behind how I personally use it is what matters, provided I don't place a stumblingblock in the path of others by doing so. In the case of Christmas, I know of few people who regard it as anything except a Christian holiday, so I cannot imagine them being shaken in their faith by seeing me celebrate it. Therefore, because of those two Scriptural conditions, I'm free to do so if I like. The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. Our liberty and freedom as Christians is the liberty of love, and we ought not to criticise one another's concience in matters of that kind.

Answer 2

Christmas is NOT a celebration based on the Bible; it has pagan origins. Jehovah's Witnesses, as Christians, refrain from involving in practices which are not Biblical.

Regarding the Date of the celebration:

M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia says: “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of N[ew] T[estament] origin. The day of Christ’s birth cannot be ascertained from the N[ew] T[estament], or, indeed, from any other source.”—(New York, 1871), Vol. II, p. 276.

Luke 2:8-11 shows that shepherds were in the fields at night at the time of Jesus’ birth. The book Daily Life in the Time of Jesus states: “The flocks . . . passed the winter under cover; and from this alone it may be seen that the traditional date for Christmas, in the winter, is unlikely to be right, since the Gospel says that the shepherds were in the fields.”—(New York, 1962), Henri Daniel-Rops, p. 228.

The Encyclopedia Americana informs us: “The reason for establishing December 25 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.’ . . . The Roman Saturnalia (a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, and to the renewed power of the sun), also took place at this time, and some Christmas customs are thought to be rooted in this ancient pagan celebration.”—(1977), Vol. 6, p. 666.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges: “The date of Christ’s birth is not known. The Gospels indicate neither the day nor the month . . . According to the hypothesis suggested by H. Usener . . . and accepted by most scholars today, the birth of Christ was assigned the date of the winter solstice (December 25 in the Julian calendar, January 6 in the Egyptian), because on this day, as the sun began its return to northern skies, the pagan devotees of Mithra celebrated the dies natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the invincible sun). On December 25, 274, Aurelian had proclaimed the sun-god principal patron of the empire and dedicated a temple to him in the Campus Martius. Christmas originated at a time when the cult of the sun was particularly strong at Rome.”—(1967), Vol. III, p. 656.

The Bible does not tell us when Jesus was born.

The Memorial-or Lord’s Evening Meal-is the only event that the Lord Jesus Christ commanded his disciples to memorialize. It is also known as the Lord’s Supper, or the Lord’s Evening Meal.—1 Cor. 11:20. A meal commemorating the death of Jesus Christ; hence, a memorial of his death, the death that has had effects that are more far reaching than that of any other person.

Thus, Jehovah's Witnesses observe Jesus' most important celebration.

If you would like further information or a free home Bible study, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit their official web site - http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 3

When Christ was born, the Bible account at Luke 2:8-14 reports that there was great happiness and rejoicing among the angels and the shepherds in the fields. Jehovah's Witnesses too rejoice that Christ was born.

Subsequent to that, there is absolutely no reference whatsoever in the Bible of Christians celebrating the "anniversary" of Christ's birth. The Bible itself is deliberately silent on the actual date of his birth and indeed, the tradition known as Christmas did not even come into existence until centuries later.

Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians but after learning the history of Christmas and further details above, we have no Biblical reason to participate in the religious festival commonly known as Christmas. Have you yourself found any scriptural reference whatsoever which reports that any Christians in the first century celebrated the birth of Christ or anyone else? Other than the initial mention of happiness at Luke? Can you help me understand why a celebration which admittedly traces its origins to something pagan should be viewed as showing honor to God or to Christ?

Hannah J Paul

Answer 4

Jesus told us to remember his death, not his birth. The early Christians did not celebrate his birth or any birth. Jesus was not born Dec. 25th. He was in all likelyhood born in late fall. We do not contaminate our worship with pagan customs, which you have to admit most of the Christmas customs have nothing to do with Christ. Christmas is a worldly holiday.

1John 2: 15-17: "Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; 16 because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. 17 Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever."

Answer 5

Jesus said the celebrate his death, not his birth. Jesus died on Nisan 14 and he was 33 1/2 years old. since he died in April, count six months forward and you get Oct. so why would I celebrate a lie in DEC 25. . since Nisan 14 the last supper is once a year, we as Jehovah Witnesses celebrate it in 236 land all around the world once a year.

Answer 6

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/