My aunt is a Jehovah's Witness and she doesn't celebrate Christmas. I never understood why but if I ask her she's gonna get all preachy - so in detail but plain english - please tell me why y'all don't do Christmas? I know you believe in Jesus - so why not celebrate the birth of our Savior?
2007-12-20 00:35:00 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Lover of Jesus and Jehovah
I know he was 33 when he died, how do you know he was 33 and a half?
2007-12-20 00:57:58 · update #1
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/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/
2007-12-20 05:36:19 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Jehovah witness commemorate the Memorial of Christ's death, the most important religious event of the year for Jehovah's Witnesses. Throughout the year, Jehovah's Witnesses enjoy parties, picnics, and other events without feeling bound to obligations or to a fixed date. They may also celebrate special events such as weddings and anniversaries. However, Jehovah witnesses do not celebrate holidays that have non-Christian religious origins or those that promote nationalism. They are not opposed to celebrations in general or to the giving of gifts. It should be noted that Jehovah witnesses do not believe Jesus is the Messiah but only the son of God just as they believe that Satan is the son of God which makes them brothers. I had a family member that was a Jehovah witness and this person was a mess. The birthday of Jesus the Christ is not certain but was celebrated by the Bishop of Rome as early as the year 354 on the 25th of December. The celebration of our Lord Jesus' birth has turned into a materialistic holiday (Holyday) and pagan if you look at what some people do but the true celebration is in worship, praise and thankgiving for our Lord and savior who shed His precious blood so that we all might be cleansed if we truly repent of ours sins and accept Jesus as our personal savior. Remember, what you allow yourself to think, see, hear, say and do literally directs the path you will walk in this life so Lord willing if you know this, focus you mind, eyes, ears, tongue and deeds on that which is positive and good. In Jesus' Love Robert
2016-05-25 03:55:58 · answer #2 · answered by jeniffer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No matter what anybody wants to preach to you about the pagan origins of Christmas, the bottom line is that JW's will do anything, and I mean anything that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society tells them to do. If the "society" came out with a article tomorrow that said it had recieved "new light from God" and that it is now ok to celebrate Christmas, the rank and file JW's would be right at Lowes buying a tree. That is a fact. No matter what they tell you, that's the way it works.
Sure, they come up with all these biblical reasons why not to celebrate, just like they say it's ok to let your child die instead of letting them have a blood transfusion. It's all control. All these other detailed explanations are just propaganda that they have been taught to believe. It's all CRAP. Remember, these puritans and what not spoken of in the above posts are the same ones who came over here and burned women alive because the owned a black cat and they thought they were witches.
2007-12-23 17:33:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You have received some very good answers as to why Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas. In a nutshell, there's nothing Christian about it. The pagan origin of the customs related to Christmas are widely known and well documented by secular history. One needs only to check a good online encyclopedia to become informed of these.
Although aware of the origin of Christmas, many have convinced themselves that if they put "Jesus" into the celebration, it will be acceptable to God. Sadly, no matter how much you wash the outside of the cup, the inside is still unclean.
Consider this illustration: If a conscientious mother saw her child pick up candy from a sewage-filled gutter, she would insist that he get rid of it immediately. The thought of his eating it—even touching it—repels her. Christmas, though sweet to many, has been picked up from unsavory places. Jesus’ sentiments match those of the prophet Isaiah, who urged true worshipers of his day: “Turn away, turn away, get out of there, touch nothing unclean.” Isaiah 52:11.
Therefore, true Christians today do not celebrate Christmas. While their position may seem strange to others, they view traditions as did Jesus. When asked: “Why is it your disciples overstep the tradition of the men of former times?” he replied: “Why is it you also overstep the commandment of God because of your tradition?” And he added: “You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition.” Matthew 15:2, 3, 6.
For this reason there are those (most notably Jehovah's Witnesses), who have come to realize that the way to truly honor God and Christ is by NOT celebrating Christmas.
2007-12-23 06:58:05 · answer #4 · answered by Jill 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Several reasons. Christmas is a pagan celebration, or was originally. Christ wasn't born in December. The only 2 birthdays listed in the Bible involved pagan worship and murder. No where does the Bible show Jesus giving approval or command for others to celebrate his Birth.
Ultimately the reason why, I, as a Christian, don't celebrate Christmas, is the same reason Jews don't eat pork, Mormons don't drink alcohol, etc. It would go against my beliefs.
Hope this helps, and please bear with your Aunt. We all have that Aunt that's a bit over bearing, but I'm sure she means well.
2007-12-20 07:00:44 · answer #5 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The Bible also does not make mention of celebrating our own birthdays. If we do are we going to hell? Do you seriously think that if our intentions are to celebrate his birth that he would hold us accountable? Why you would only focus on his death is beyond me. I think there is a lot in the Bible that can be taken both ways. There are many parts of the Bible that contradict each other. Many passages that people above referenced are from the old testament, we don't slaughter sheep anymore either.
2007-12-21 11:43:52 · answer #6 · answered by jason b 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am Christian, and I don't celebrate Christmas because it is a manmade holiday that pretends to be a holyday. Only God can make a day holy. Man can't. No where in the bible did the apostles or disciples celebrate the birth of Christ. The church in the Acts of the Apostles, and the epistles did not. So I turn the question back on you, why do you celebrate Christmas?
2007-12-20 01:49:10 · answer #7 · answered by Capri 1230 3 · 8⤊ 2⤋
I am not a JW, but I used to work with a JW, and without getting "all preachy" she told me that Christmas is a Pagan holiday, and that is why they don't celebrate it.
There is no biblical support that Jesus was born on Dec 25th. The church picked that date and incorporated many of the existing Pagan customs into it, in order to make the holiday more palatable to Pagans. So she's right, it started out Pagan, and most of the of Pagan elements are still part of it. Adding a Nativity scene to a Pagan holiday, doesn't neccessarily "de-Paganize" the holiday.
2007-12-20 00:42:07 · answer #8 · answered by queenthesbian 5 · 7⤊ 2⤋
the watchtower leaders don't tell us what to do. we listen to Jehovah God. Jesus was not born on the 25th of dec. Jesus commanded us to celebrate his death not his birth. since Jesus died on Nisan 14, the last supper or passover. we celebrate all around the world in 236 lands. if you want to learn about Jehovah Witnesses see the website at www.watchtower.org. also the shepards where out in the field and dec is the cold and rainy season. when Jesus died in april he was 33 1/2 years old and you count six months forward and you get Oct. not dec.
2007-12-20 00:48:46 · answer #9 · answered by lover of Jehovah and Jesus 7 · 7⤊ 2⤋
Christmas has nothing to do with the birth of Christ.
It is a pagan Roman celebration that was fused in with apostate Christanity in the fourth century CE.
2007-12-20 01:42:03 · answer #10 · answered by lillie 6 · 8⤊ 1⤋