See 5 reasons Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate Christmas
See 5 reasons Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate Christmas
Sunday, December 22, 2019 7:21 am
Santa Claus
By JETHRO IBILEKE
All over the world, Christmas is a celebration that many Christians look forward to. While many go too far in observing the season by indulging in orgies and, in their drinking habits, hold Bacchus high, many religious groups hold their end of year retreats to coincide with the period so that their faithful could “charge their spiritual battery”.
However, Christmas which is celebrated worldwide on 25 December to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, does not hold any appeal to the Jehovah’s Witnesses who are also noted for not singing the national anthems and obtaining blood transfusion.
They have their reasons for not observing Christmas and this is contained in their website,jw.org, under “Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Christmas?
The site noted that a common misconception (myth) among people is that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas because “they do not believe in Jesus.” But, quoting from the Bible book of Acts 4:12, it says the fact is that “we are Christians. We believe that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.”
A session at their ongoing Love Never Fail Regional Convention of Jehovah Witness
The site gives the following as reasons for the refusal of Jehovah’s Witnesses to join other Christians in 25 December celebration of birthday of Jesus Christ.
1. There is no proof that Jesus was born on December 25; his birth date is not recorded in the Bible.
2. We believe that Christmas is not approved by God because it is rooted in pagan customs and rites.—2 Corinthians 6:17.
3. Jesus commanded that we commemorate his death, not his birth.—Luke 22:19, 20.
4. Jesus’ apostles and early disciples did not celebrate Christmas. The New Catholic Encyclopedia says that “the Nativity feast was instituted not earlier than 243 [C.E.],” more than a century after the last of the apostles died.
5. The Bible does not give the date of Jesus’ birth, nor does it say that Christians should celebrate his birthday. As McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia states: “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of NT [New Testament] origin.”
Considering the question, What Does the Bible Say About Christmas? (Bible teachings, Bible questions answered), the jw.org says:
“An examination of the history of Christmas exposes its roots in pagan religious rites. The Bible shows that we offend God if we try to worship him in a way that He does not approve of.—Exodus 32:5-7.
“The early Christians did not celebrate [Jesus’] birth because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”—The World Book Encyclopedia.
“December 25: There is no proof that Jesus was born on that date. Church leaders likely chose this date to coincide with pagan festivals held on or around the winter solstice.”
Popular customs associated with Christmas and why they are wrong:
Gift-giving, feasting, partying: The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Saturnalia, a Roman feast celebrated in mid-December, provided the model for many of the merry-making customs of Christmas. From this celebration, for example, were derived the elaborate feasting, the giving of gifts, and the burning of candles.” The Encyclopædia Britannica notes that “all work and business were suspended” during Saturnalia.
Christmas lights: According to The Encyclopedia of Religion, Europeans decorated their homes “with lights and evergreens of all kinds” to celebrate the winter solstice and to combat evil spirits.
Mistletoe, holly: “The Druids ascribed magical properties to the mistletoe in particular. The evergreen holly was worshiped as a promise of the sun’s return.”—The Encyclopedia Americana.
Christmas tree: “Tree worship, common among the pagan Europeans, survived after their conversion to Christianity.” One of the ways in which tree worship survived is in the custom of “placing a Yule tree at an entrance or inside the house in the midwinter holidays.”—Encyclopædia Britannica.
*All references derived from jw.org, the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses
God is all knowing and gave his son to abolish our sins. Any celebration to remind us of him in a very changed world i know he would approve of. He was about understanding and bringing us to be tolerant and forgiving.. He has given us learning and free will to follow his word. We have learned how to help each other through medicine. If we deny these gifts, we deny him. He works through doctors and technology. He is there to help us in this changing world and gifts us everyday with new challenges and ways to improve ourselves and to be generous to those around us. Be kind to those around you. God loves them too.
Hi, Helena! I enjoyed your comment and I did an extensive study on this on my own and I found out some very interesting facts that came from the Bible itself. Yes, Jesus’ birth was very important to mankind, but he mentioned his death as being more important! He said that we should celebrate his death (Luke 22:19, 20); he never mentioned that we should also remember his birth.
On further study, I found out that the nativity ‘scene’ is a complete lie! The wisemen never saw baby Jesus in the manger it was the shepherds (Luke 2:16, 17). When the wisemen did find Jesus, he was a ‘young child’ in a house (Mt 2:11).
After researching this, I realized that the tradition of Xmas is not Christian at all and there is no truth in any of this ‘Christian’ holiday, which imho (which no one asked for lol) is wrong in God’s eyes, for His Son actually told his followers that God was a Spirit and those worshipping him MUST worship in spirit AND truth. God himself called his own people (the Israelites (before His Son was born)) prostitutes because they mixed his standard of worship with false worship. (1Chronicles 5:25); so this is telling me that God doesn’t want anyone to mix their worship of Him with other customs to other so-callled deities.
I believe that the JW have it spot on about this after doing some heavy research into this! (Acts 17:11) I learned things!
Although there was maybe no mention of the Date of Jesus Birth, in the Bible, the most important thing was that Jesus was Born. If Jesus had not been Born the sadly we would not have had His Death. Why was the Lord Jesus Born? He was Born for our Salvation, born that everyone who puts their trust in Christ will have their Sins forgiven an the Promise of Eternal life with God when the pass from Earth to Heaven one day. For God So Loved The World He sent His, Only Begotton Son that Who Soever Belives in Jesus Shall Not Perish but Have Eternal life. Would you like to be sure of you’re Salvation? Well you can be my Friend through giving you’re Heart to Jesus Christ now if you have not done so. He loves you so much an longs for you to come to Himself, give Him you’re all you’re rast the New Life Christ has to offer you Dear one you’re Name to can be written down in the Lambs Book of Life. At The End Of our Life when we all stand before God at His throne God won’t as us how many Good Deeds we have done while we lived on Earth, No God wont ask us that the only question He will ask us is, What did you do with my Son Jesus Christ? Did you accept Him,as you’re Saviour, or Reject Him? Yes Good Works are important, but we must come to accept Jesus, first as Lord Of All, then we can go on and live the Glorious Life He has planned for each and everyone of us.
None None But Christ Can Satisfy None Other Name for Me, There’s Love, and Joy,an Lasting Peace, Lord Jesus, Found In Thee.
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God is all knowing and gave his son to abolish our sins. Any celebration to remind us of him in a very changed world i know he would approve of. He was about understanding and bringing us to be tolerant and forgiving.. He has given us learning and free will to follow his word. We have learned how to help each other through medicine. If we deny these gifts, we deny him. He works through doctors and technology. He is there to help us in this changing world and gifts us everyday with new challenges and ways to improve ourselves and to be generous to those around us. Be kind to those around you. God loves them too.
Hi, Helena! I enjoyed your comment and I did an extensive study on this on my own and I found out some very interesting facts that came from the Bible itself. Yes, Jesus’ birth was very important to mankind, but he mentioned his death as being more important! He said that we should celebrate his death (Luke 22:19, 20); he never mentioned that we should also remember his birth.
On further study, I found out that the nativity ‘scene’ is a complete lie! The wisemen never saw baby Jesus in the manger it was the shepherds (Luke 2:16, 17). When the wisemen did find Jesus, he was a ‘young child’ in a house (Mt 2:11).
After researching this, I realized that the tradition of Xmas is not Christian at all and there is no truth in any of this ‘Christian’ holiday, which imho (which no one asked for lol) is wrong in God’s eyes, for His Son actually told his followers that God was a Spirit and those worshipping him MUST worship in spirit AND truth. God himself called his own people (the Israelites (before His Son was born)) prostitutes because they mixed his standard of worship with false worship. (1Chronicles 5:25); so this is telling me that God doesn’t want anyone to mix their worship of Him with other customs to other so-callled deities.
I believe that the JW have it spot on about this after doing some heavy research into this! (Acts 17:11) I learned things!
Although there was maybe no mention of the Date of Jesus Birth, in the Bible, the most important thing was that Jesus was Born. If Jesus had not been Born the sadly we would not have had His Death. Why was the Lord Jesus Born? He was Born for our Salvation, born that everyone who puts their trust in Christ will have their Sins forgiven an the Promise of Eternal life with God when the pass from Earth to Heaven one day. For God So Loved The World He sent His, Only Begotton Son that Who Soever Belives in Jesus Shall Not Perish but Have Eternal life. Would you like to be sure of you’re Salvation? Well you can be my Friend through giving you’re Heart to Jesus Christ now if you have not done so. He loves you so much an longs for you to come to Himself, give Him you’re all you’re rast the New Life Christ has to offer you Dear one you’re Name to can be written down in the Lambs Book of Life. At The End Of our Life when we all stand before God at His throne God won’t as us how many Good Deeds we have done while we lived on Earth, No God wont ask us that the only question He will ask us is, What did you do with my Son Jesus Christ? Did you accept Him,as you’re Saviour, or Reject Him? Yes Good Works are important, but we must come to accept Jesus, first as Lord Of All, then we can go on and live the Glorious Life He has planned for each and everyone of us.
None None But Christ Can Satisfy None Other Name for Me, There’s Love, and Joy,an Lasting Peace, Lord Jesus, Found In Thee.
Helena.