Why is it so wrong to do this....(to believers and non-believers alike) I bet I wont get a smart answer...?

Question

Why do people think it is so offensive to celebrate holidays like Christmas, Halloween, Easter....and not only that, but why are so many "Christians" against celebrating Christmas just as a birthday, and against celebrating ordinary birthdays as well?

Now, this is not an attack on Jehovas, because they're not the only Christians who believe it is against God to celebrate birthdays...

Answer 1

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

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

That's a good question, and I don't necessarily know what a smart answer would be, that all depends on the reader... but what i've seen, heard, or learned over the years has told me that the reason behind that all is basically because it's all the devil's doing to get us to believe that we should celebrate or worship someone else (another entity or symbol) like the easter bunny or santa (or I suppose the great pumpkin if you must)... beside our Lord without thinking about it at all. But it really makes you wonder when you sit back and think about it, in our country, or world, its just something that has always been around us... birthdays and christmas and even halloween, unless you've been raised otherwise your whole life, it just becomes normal to you. You celebrate because you want to, you choose to, or you don't. It means different things to dfferent people, and the same goes for birthdays, I know many people, both of Faith and not, who don't care for birthdays so much. We all celebrate in our own way somehow, whether it be each day or a few times a year. =)

In fact, the question caught my attention becuase I had recently seen a tv show or commercial about a new book that had all the answers as to why it was all a pagan belief to idolize so many other things aside from the Lord... I don't know if I answered, but honestly, it all had me thinking for a while and when I saw this, I just had to respond. :)

Answer 3

Christmas and Easter: Jesus was not born on December 25. He was born about October 1, a time of year when shepherds kept their flocks out-of-doors at night. (Luke 2:8-12) Jesus never commanded Christians to celebrate his birth. Rather, he told his disciples to memorialize, or remember, his death. (Luke 22:19, 20) Christmas and its customs come from ancient false religions. The same is true of Easter customs, such as the use of eggs and rabbits. The early Christians did not celebrate Christmas or Easter, nor do true Christians today.
You also ask about Birthdays,The only two birthday celebrations spoken of in the Bible were held by persons who did not worship The True God. (Genesis 40:20-22 ; Mark 6:21, 22, 24-27) The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays. The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions. True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times during the year.

Answer 4

The answer that I always got about birthdays had to do with John the Baptist being beheaded on Herod Antipas's birthday. As for Halloween, it has a lot to do with the paganism that is behind the holiday. But if they really want to go there, most Christian holidays take place around old pagan holidays.

For example, Christmas has a lot of traditions and takes place at the same time of year as the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia honoring the god Saturn. Early Christians celebrated the birth of Christ at this time because it was safe to celebrate since everyone else was too.

Answer 5

Genuine believers in the Lord Do remember the Lord's Incarnation, death and resurrection. We are asked by the Lord to remember Him in this way each time we break the bread and drink the Wine when we meet together. Remember all His attainments and what He has done for us.

The seasons of Christmas and Easter we all know was not observed by the Believers in the early Church and was not something that the Lord had anything to do with.

I realize that you are not attacking any believers or JW's for that matter. And for many who partake of these celebrations they do it because it means something to them and because it was handed down to them as a religious family tradition.
I grew up celebrating christmas and easter but even as a 17 year old i was curious as to the origin. Did some bible research and found that it really had nothing to do with the Lord's actual Incarnation and Death or Resurrection. So i started personally pulling myself away from it all.. This is a personal choice and i am 35 years old now and have not remembered the Lord THROUGH these celebrations but RATHER, i remember Him through the communion at the Lord's Table and Supper.

Halloween was not something that i Grew up with in the Caribbean and as such it was never in my heart to be a part of it. Its really a very North american tradition. As far as Christians celebrating and participating in it that is between them and the Lord. It actually boils down to this.. What is the Lord speaking to you regarding all these observations. Are you willing to pay the price to follow what He is saying or not.

I made my choice.. and NO i am not a JW ...
I have had the Peace of the Lord in that decision and am glad that the Lord has empowered me to stick it out after all these years.


In Christ
sandy

Answer 6

Christmas was originally a pagan festivity, the Church hated it but later decided to celebrate Christ's birthday on it. As the Church also decided to celebrate Holy Week during the festivities held on the Spring Equinox. Why? Because on all of them there was a lot of partying going on (just like today) and to make sure the only things to be celebrated were religious, they placed the religious festivities on top of the older ones.
Anyone against celebrating birthdays is crazy in the head.

Answer 7

I'm a Christian, and I celebrate birthdays. Just because John the Baptist's head was offered as a birthday present does not mean all birthday celebrations are sinful. I think people who use this as a reason to not celebrate birthdays are taking things to extremes, and reading "into" the Bible something that is not there.

My son enjoys dressing up like spider-man or a Power-Ranger, and getting goodies on Halloween. We do not worship the devil, or call out to evil spirits, anymore than atheist who give Christmas gifts celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

A holiday is what you make of it. Veteran's Day is supposed to be a time to recognize the people who sacrificed their lives in order to protect our freedom. Yet many merely spend this day lounging around, or shopping sales, not giving pause to think of this holidays significance.

God Bless.

Answer 8

I think the tradition of Christmas has worn off. And most kids do not know the REAL reason it is celebrated. Only that some fat, white bearded guy slips down a chimney and "gives" you presents. But if you really think deep about it, it's because we let tradition fade away like a memory. I celebrate the holidays anyway, and i'm believer...

Answer 9

Because more often than not, society and government will declare these holidays as legal holidays. These holidays are not absolute truth either. Businesses, schools, and government buildings shut down. Not everyone celebrates christmas, some christians don't celebrate halloween. Especially in the U.S., people are upset, because we don't have a national religion that truly can dictate what day is a holiday.

Answer 10

I don't believe it is wrong to celebrate Christmas. I told my children that there was not a santa clause, that everything comes from God. Easter also, but forget the Easter bunny. Halloween is a satanic holiday, which no Christian should celebrate, I know alot that do. Birthdays are great!!!

Answer 11

This is a two part question.
1. People only actually get offended by other people's holidays if they're terribly self centered. More often, they *act* offended to get attention because they aren't charismatic or talented enough to draw attention to themselves any other way.
2. Some Christians believe in not celebrating birthdays because it's a tradition. A lame fanatical one built by people who want to live in a fantasy afterlife so bad that they try to justify it by taking all the fun out of life.