what do jehovas witnesses tell their children about christmas?

Answer 1

In many lands, there is no need for Jehovah's Witnesses to discuss so-called "Christmas" at all. For those Witnesses, it is simply one among dozens or hundreds of pagan celebrations commemorated in another part of the world.

By contrast, Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians. True Christians (such as 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/index.htm?article=article_08.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=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 grew up as a JW and we were told that it was a pagan celebration and that Christmas could not actually have been Jesus birthday. Believe me, we did not suffer from not celebrating Christmas, my parents made their wedding anniversary our special family day every year and we exchanged gifts then, we did not miss out on anything. I do not practise as a witness anymore, but Christmas is not a big thing in my married family, all they do is get together for lunch, people think that JW's kids are deprived, but I can tell you first hand they are not deprived.

Answer 3

Simply that it is what it is. I was raised with the understanding that it was a Pagan holiday that some celebrated but that Christians didn't/shouldn't.

If I ever have children I will probably explain it the same way.

I was never encouraged to ruin other children's fun, though at times it was hard listening to children telling of how Santa was bringing them something, knowing full well that their parents had lied to them.

Answer 4

I will personally tell you I have a 3 year old and this year birthdays and Christmas are coming up for the first time. I simply tell him that Jehovah doesn't like Christmas; other people celibrate it because they don't know Jehovah yet.

Answer 5

jehovahs witnesses shouldnt tell time, or observe the days of the weeks either
the turning of a day into hours was a pagan ritual and the days of the weeks are contrived from pagan roots, i bet JW's dont even realize that the wearing of the wedding band was an Egyptian pagan ritual, its not where the thing originated but your intention and motivation for celebrating that date

Answer 6

i replace into raised interior the relgion (i'm now no longer one, I disassociated myself and my kinfolk disowned me for it) and what you pronounced is all real. yet you should understand that those human beings one hundred ten% have faith that they are real. And the unlucky element is that there is a lot of "examine" accomplished by using their "governing physique of elders" it fairly is fairly persuasive. while i replace into interior the religion and thinking it that they had articles for me to study. they could say issues like, in case you're thinking the religion you should choose greater...yada yada yada. yet you cant blame human beings for desirous to do what they suspect is robust. maximum individuals of people in that faith have very sturdy intentions. i think of that its an upstanding element to no longer help conflict of any type, simply by fact could an all-loving god desire his creation killed? additionally, they dont have faith in hellfire, yet another element that an exceptionally loving God could never stand for. In end, sure they seem to be a constrained human beings. sure, i've got faith they seem to be a splash brainwashed. yet they do what they think of is robust with the better of intentions.

Answer 7

Probably nothing because it means nothing to them. I'm sure eventually they explain their religion to the child and why they aren't getting presents like other kids. My best friend is a Jehovah's Witness and she never felt deprived at all. She gets presents throughout the year, not just on one specific day.

Answer 8

That they simply don't celebrate Christmas because its pagan and its a celebration of Jesus birthday, but that December 25 can't really be Jesus birthday, and they go on and on and on to prove their point until their children fall asleep from boredom....

EDIT: My point was proven a few posts down... :-)

Answer 9

They tell them it is a pagan holiday

Answer 10

NEVER Had that Problem