Why do Jehovah's witnesses not celebrate holidays?

Question

So, the Jehovah's witnesses would be all alone at a corporation tapping away at the keyboard along with the crickets. churp. tap-tap. churp. churp. tap-tap. churp. Sounds fun ...

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses believe strongly in God Jehovah and in his Son Jesus Christ.

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

Answer 2

Because we were set free from pagan worship and pagan beliefs. Birthdays, Xmas, Easter, etc all have pagan origin and we don't mix pure worship with pagan traditions.

yes, as pamela stated, in earlier days, dedicated Christians (JW) commemorated birthdays and Christmas was celebrated at the old Bible House in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.

But because of advancement in understanding God’s Word, necessary changes were made.

After all, just becuase you've been doing a certain thing for a long time doesn't mean is right. Jehovah's Witnesses back then stopped celebrating these pagan events when they had a better understanding of what these holidays were for and it's origin. It came to their understanding that it was bringing reproach to God and it was not part of pure worship.

Today, we continue to learn the Bible. That is why we are encouraged to read the Bible day and night and meditate on it no matter how long you've been in the truth.

Answer 3

JW's do not celebrate holidays because of their pagan origins.

Christmas
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 Dec. 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.

Easter
The Encyclopædia Britannica comments: “There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament, or in the writings of the apostolic Fathers. The sanctity of special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians.”—(1910), Vol. VIII, p. 828.

The Catholic Encyclopedia tells us: “A great many pagan customs, celebrating the return of spring, gravitated to Easter. The egg is the emblem of the germinating life of early spring. . . . The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been an emblem of fertility.”—(1913), Vol. V, p. 227.

Halloween
The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead (called Samhain), whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”—(1977), Vol. 13, p. 725.

Valentine's Day
The World Book Encyclopedia informs us: “Valentine’s Day comes on the feast day of two different Christian martyrs named Valentine. But the customs connected with the day . . . probably come from an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia which took place every February 15. The festival honored Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, the god of nature.”—(1973), Vol. 20, p. 204.

Answer 4

Well it of course is not a blanket thing as there are MANY holidays in existence, but often it is because they have Pagan origins.

I personally never minded catching up on work while others did there thing. Just as when I am a convention I doubt others are feeling resentful that they are not doing my thing.
Example, Many Jews keep Kosher. I doubt many, if any, are bothered at work because others get to eat something they feel is inappropriate.

Answer 5

The companies observe holidays as this is law, but I dont know if everyone celebrates a holiday. I mean you could have the day off at the office, but still do housework

As for Jehovah witnesses, I think they do not observe birthdays and christmas.

Answer 6

Because the holidays are not scriptual, or any scriptual note about the holiday is tied to paganism.

If the holiday engulfs paganism, they will stay away in respects to "fleeing from the unclean thing" that the Bible instructs.

Answer 7

they don't celebrate pagan holidays. some Christians here won't celebrate xmas, easter or b-days either, they are strict Christians, rejecting anything pagan. I'm glad to see people like Jehovah Witness that understand God did not intend us to glorify our birthday, or pagan celebrations. Glorification should be reserved for God and God only.

Answer 8

Its due to the pagan origins of the holiday or the glorification it could bring to a person instead of giving glory to God. For example, Mothers Day, birthdays etc.

Interestingly enough when the religon was first founded these holidays were observed. Including Christmas. But the leaders claim since then Jehovah has given them 'new light' on the matter. (Interesting that they weren't given the correct light in the first place!)

Answer 9

Unless the company was mostly JWs working there.

Question, did you celebrate May Day? It's a fun day, yet people ignored it. We did when I was young.

Answer 10

I'm sorry sir, is that a joke?
A good 99.9% of the holidays out there are rooted in paganism and are merely thinly disguised as "Christian"(Christmas, Easter). The rest of them are unscriptural in nature because they assign undue honor to people or nations (independence days, mother's/father's day, etc.).
Why don't we celebrate them? Well, I would imagine that such things would offend God. If you disagree please enlighten me as to why.