Why do jehovah's witnesses not celebrate birthdays? in fact what is the deal with the whole religion?

Question

Who is jehovah? why can't you have christmas? Why can't you have blood transfusions? Why do they door knock?

Answer 1

"Jehovah" is the English translation of the Hebrew "YHWH", which is the personal name of Almighty God. The name appears in the bible nearly SEVEN THOUSAND times, more than any other personal name. The bible refers to Him more often as "Jehovah"/"YHWH" than as "God", "Lord", and "Father" combined.
http://watchtower.org/e/na/

JWs preach and avoid the misuse of blood because the bible plainly instructs them to do so.
...(Matthew 28:19,20) Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded
...(Acts 15:20,28,29) [The apostles instructed] to write [Christians] to abstain from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled [and thus is likely to contain blood] and from blood. ...For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you, except these necessary things, to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols [which are likely to contain blood] and from blood and from things strangled [which are likely to contain blood] and from fornication. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper.


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

Answer 2

As maximum human beings on right here mentioned, we don't celebrate something that has a pagan beginning. ““touch no longer something unclean” (Isaiah fifty two:11). We do celebrate different issues, yet like I mentioned, we make confident that the customs linked with the party don’t have a pagan beginning. so a approaches as birthdays, the Bible doesn’t positioned birthdays under a advantageous gentle. the only birthdays suggested interior the Bible are from 2 people who did no longer worship God, and in the two, somebody became killed (Gen. 40:20-22; Matt. 14:6-10). additionally, the early Jews and Christians of Bible situations did no longer view those celebrations as something sturdy. “the extremely some customs with which persons right this moment celebrate their birthdays have an prolonged history. Their origins lie interior the area of magic and faith. The customs of offering congratulations, providing presents and celebrating—finished with lighted candles—in historic situations have been meant to guard the birthday celebrant from the demons and to make particular his risk-free practices for the arrival 300 and sixty 5 days. . . . all the way down to the fourth century Christianity rejected the party as a pagan custom.”—Schwäbische Zeitung (magazine supplement Zeit und Welt), April 3/4, 1981, p. 4. we don't prefer to insult God by making use of celebrating something that has a pagan beginning. So simply by fact of this we don't celebrate birthdays or comparable holidays. in case you have from now on questions, be happy to e mail me :)

Answer 3

Jehovah is god's name= Psalms 83:18 That people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah,
You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

Christmas is a pagan holiday.. It is the celebration of the Sun god, not the Son of God. Jesus was not born in december neither did he tell us to celebrate his birth. Christmas pre-date the birth of Jesus Christ, and a study of this would reveal that Christmas in our day is a collection of traditions and practices taken from many cultures and nations. The date of December 25th comes from Rome and was a celebration of the Italic god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god.

Blood Transfusion. Jehovah told us not to eat "Genesis 9:3-6" and acts 15:19 says that we should Abstain from it.
so if you go to the doctor and he tells you that you should ABSTAIN from alcohol, he doesnt want you to only not drink it but stay away from it. so would it be wise to inject it through your vains?

We go door to door because Jesus instruct it us to do so in Matthew 28:19-20
And why havnt we stopped going door to door...
Mathew 24: 14 And this good news (which is what we go door to door for) of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.

BTW ambergail1 JW's know that Jesus is the son of jehovah. Its in the scriptures since we are bible readers we know this.

Answer 4

>Who is Jehovah?

The most High Almighty God.

Exd 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Psa 83:18 That [men] may know that thou, whose name alone [is] JEHOVAH, [art] the most high over all the earth.

>why can't you have christmas?

Pagan.

Ex 8:14 - Then He brought me to the entrance of the gate of the LORD'S house which {was} toward the north; and behold, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.

Jeremiah 10:2-4 describes going into the forest and selecting a tree, cutting it with an axe, using hammer and nails to fasten it so that it stands upright, and decorating it with silver and gold.

>Why can't you have blood transfusions?

Bible says to abtain from blood.

Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood.

>Why do they door knock?

Jesus gave instructions to preach about the kingdom.

Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Answer 5

don't miss celebrating birthdays. just makes you another year older. we worship Jehovah God and we follow Jesus Christ the son of Jehovah, his command at Matthew 28 verse 19 and 20. Jehovah is the name of God. read ps 83 verse 18. even if I was not a Jehovah Witness, I would never take of blood. if you want to learn about the religion please see the website at www.watchtower.org. it will tell you everything that you need to know

Answer 6

Who is jehovah? Try reading Psalms 83:18:

Psa 83:18

(ASV) That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth.

(BBE) So that men may see that you only, whose name is Yahweh, are Most High over all the earth.

(KJV+) That men may know3045 that3588 thou,859 whose name8034 alone905 is JEHOVAH,3068 art the most high5945 over5921 all3605 the earth.776

(KJVA) That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

(LITV) And let them know Your name is Jehovah, that You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

"why can't you have christmas?"

Can't or don't? It isn't a matter of can or cannot but a matter of why would one observe something that isn't in keeping with Bible teachings.

"Why can't you have blood transfusions?"

Consider Acts 15:28,29,"28 For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to YOU, except these necessary things, 29 to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If YOU carefully keep yourselves from these things, YOU will prosper. Good health to YOU!”


"Why do they door knock?"

Matthew 28:19,20, " Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU. And, look! I am with YOU all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”

Answer 7

It seems most have covered why we don't celebrate birthdays or christmas, due to their pagan origins and the early christians whose example we follow, did not celebrate them.

Concerning blood transfusions. The scriptural basis for our refusing blood are found at Acts 15: 20 & 29 "to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things you will prosper. Good health to you."

Lev. 17: 10 &11 & 13 - 16"...who eats any sort of blood, ...I shall indeed cut him off...For the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have put it upon the altar for you to make atonement for your souls, because it is the blood that makes atonement by the soul.."

Gen. 9: 3 - 5 "Only flesh with its soul - it's blood - you must not eat. And, beside that your blood of your souls shall I ask back..."

Blood is very sacred to God, it is the pouring out of Christ blood that our sins can be forgiven.

Eph. 1: 7 "By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our transpasses, according to th riches of his underserved kindness."

We feel that having a blood transfusion is in violation of God's laws on blood. Of course, some will say a blood transfusion is not eating blood. However, if someone cannot eat on their own, how are they fed? Through their veins. It is the taking of blood into the blood, whether it be by mouth or veins, we feel it is a violation of his laws, and does not honor the sacredness of blood in God's eyes.

We do accept almost any other type of medical treatment, which is up to the individual. There are so many advancements in the medical field, those who are up to date, know the steps that can be taken to avoid blood lose, or how to build up the blood prior to surgery.

Hope this helps!

Answer 8

I am not a Jehovah's Witness; however I studied as one for 2 years. Christmas is not celebrated because they do not believe Jesus was born in December. Also your death is more important than your birth. only 2 mentions of birthday celebrations which are "evil" men. (according to them)..blood transfusions are frowned upon because it states (somewhere in acts) that it is unholy. Taking someone else's blood puts their imperfections in your body. It is all complicated. Like all religion. Just read the bible for yourself. See what is meant for you to see. Find your own way!

Answer 9

Jehovah is the Abrahamic god. I think the original name is Yahweh (actually some Hebrew letters reading Yhwh) but I'm not too clear on the issue myself. (In the English Bible, they just translated his name to God, but if you've read it, didn't you ever wonder if he had a name?)

Christmas is a pagan Winter Solstice observation, the Catholic Church doubled the birthday celebration up with it to attract pagans (think about it... do you herd sheep in winter?). I don't know what the deal with blood transfusions is. Someone already mentioned earlier they door knock in imitation of the early Christians because they believe it's the only valid way to convert/"spread the Good News."

I think the birthday thing is because celebrating birthdays is of pagan origin. I find this logic flawed. Are all things of pagan origin undesirable? Would this include all discoveries made by non-Christians? They don't seem to exclude those things.

Answer 10

Jehovah is the transliterated name of God, adopted from the hebrew Yehovah.

The only times any birthdays are mentioned in the bible, something artocious happens, so they view birthday celebration as unacceptable. John was beheaded at a birthday, and I forgot the other example.

No Christmas because they believe that Christ was born on a different date alltogether. Their view is the only celebration is what they call the "memorial", where Jesus told his apostles to break bread and drink wine in remembrance of him, the night before he was crucified. Oh that reminds me they also believe he was hung on a regular stake not a cross. Blood transfusions are considered highly unclean because of a few bible verses I cannot recall.

They knock on peoples door to evangelize. They think it is their duty to inform the world about their ways so that everyone can be given a chance.

They also do NOT believe in hell, and that death is the end of everything, so soul, no afterlife, and only 144,000 specially chosen elders will enter the realm of heaven to reign at the right hand of god after armageddon.

Their founder calculated at one point that the world would end, i think it may have been 1914 or somewhere around there i dont remember, but of course nothing happened so they figured theyd just wait around and spread their word.

those are the major differences i can think of as of now, my parents and the rest of my family are all jehovah witnesses and i was rasied as one but i left because it was very very restrictive and contradictory, and hypocritical, like the rest of christianity.

EDIT: and YES, they do believe Jesus is the direct son of God, (and no trinity teachings either) but they do not directly worship him just Jehovah God, thats why they dont use any graven images, crosses, crucifixes ,or anything else.

and to anyone who says it is a cult: So is your religion. ALL organized religions are cults. Just bigger in number doing crazy things that people have just plain gotten used to. They all have their ways of evangelizing whether direct or not, they all have their ways of directing their herd of "SHEEP." Most pander for money and most are also scam artists getting paid for the faith of people who cannot think for themselves. So get off your high horse.