Holiday questions

searchingforfriends

Hello everyone, I have been thinking about some things, and realized I can't remember ever being given good reasons for not celebrating certain holidays... I was wondering if anyone here can help out with this. JW's like to complain about origins of certain holidays and have come up with a bunch of reasons why they are bad, (such as birthday's and christmas) but there are others that all I've ever heard is just not to take part, or that Jehovah doesn't like it. Even though I was "raised in the truth" I can't remember ever hearing why..... So, My question is, does anyone know the "reasons" why they can't celebrate the following holidays? I just don't understand why they are supposedly bad. The only thing I can come up with is that they are fun.... lol New Years Mothers Day Fathers Day Thanksgiving

easyreader1970

The reasons for not celebrating Christmas and Halloween are logical and can be easily explained if you are going to stick with their pagan roots.

When explaining Mother's Day and Father's Day, the Society really reaches on tying them to paganism.

Birthdays have no legitimate explanation at all. The basis is that they are mentioned (in passing) twice in the Bible and on those two occasions something bad happened (oh no!). So if they had mentioned the color red JW's would be disfellowshipped for wearing red in their ties or shoes.

Never mind that pagans also used wedding rings but JWs think those are okay.

They just make up rules (like the Pharisees and Sadducees they are) as they go along.

er

searchingforfriends

Thanks, that's about the gist of what I remember being told, it just doesn't make a ton of sense to me anymore...... and I can't remember why we couldn't celebrate new years eve.... any ideas?

easyreader1970

The

Bible’sView

The Bible admonishes Christians to "walk decently, not in revelries and drunken bouts." (Romans 13:12-14; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:3) Since New Year’s festivities are often characterized by the very excesses that the Bible condemns, Christians do not participate in them. This does not mean that Christians are killjoys. On the contrary, they know that the Bible repeatedly tells worshipers of the true God to rejoice—and that for a number of reasons. (Deuteronomy 26:10, 11; Psalm 32:11; Proverbs 5:15-19; Ecclesiastes 3:22; 11:9) The Bible also acknowledges that food and drink often accompany rejoicing.—Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 9:7a.

As we have seen, however, New Year’s celebrations are rooted in pagan customs. False worship is unclean and detestable in the eyes of Jehovah God, and Christians reject practices that have such origins. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Ezekiel 22:3, 4) The apostle Paul wrote: "What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?" For good reason, Paul added: "Quit touching the unclean thing."—2 Corinthians 6:14-17a.

Christians also realize that taking part in superstitious rituals does not guarantee happiness and prosperity—especially since participating in such festivities can result in God’s disfavor. (Ecclesiastes 9:11; Isaiah 65:11, 12) Furthermore, the Bible admonishes Christians to be moderate and self-controlled in their conduct. (1 Timothy 3:2, 11) Clearly, it would be improper for one who professes to follow Christ’s teachings to be part of a celebration that is characterized by riotous excess.

As eye-catching and appealing to the senses as New Year’s festivities may be, the Bible tells us to "quit touching the unclean thing" and to "cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit." To those who comply, Jehovah extends the heartwarming guarantee: "I will take you in. . . . I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me." (2 Corinthians 6:17b–7:1) Indeed, he promises eternal blessings and prosperity to those who are loyal to him.—Psalm 37:18, 28

no more kool aid

Thanksgiving- We thank god everyday not just one day. Mothers/Fathers day- too much attention on one person. Worship should go to Jehovah not Mother or Father. It's funny the only celebration I ever had was parents anniversary. Not much fun for friends who are not married or for the kids.

sacolton

Colossians 2:16

16 therefore Do Not Let Anyone Judge You By What You Eat Or Drink, Or With Regard To A Religious Festival, A New Moon Celebration Or A Sabbath Day. 17 these Are A Shadow Of The Things That Were To Come; The Reality, However, Is Found In Christ.

In other words, no one should judge anyone what they eat or drink or what religious traditions they celebrate (Christmas, Birthdays, Easter, etc.) ... these mean nothing. Our reality is in Christ. We live now by the New Covenant, which means we live by an utter dependence upon our relationship to Christ, not upon rules and regulations. We have been set free to live for Christ.

Jehovah's Witnesses don't understand that. They are still trying to live by the rules and regulations. And some people get pretty upset when you preach that we are not to live by rules and regulations because they think, if you do, people are going to go out and live like the devil. They think that you have to put laws on people to restrain them. But here we are talking about a relationship that is spiritual in nature and enables us to live by a higher principle of life. We've been set free to live for Christ. We are free to do anything and everything that we can do in Christ. So, don't let the Pharisee spirit of some judge you by their so-called righteousness. We have been set free from the judgmental spirit of legalism. Therefore, let no man act as your judge.

It matters not what we eat or drink or what festivals we participate. Let no one judge us concerning these matters.

yknot

***w682/15p.119par.12WorkingWhatIsGoodTowardThoseintheFaith***

True Christians do not need "Mother’s Day," "Father’s Day," "Christmas Day," "Easter Day" or other holidays that are outlined by the world because, while it is true that some persons might in all sincerity give on these occasions out of love, when they become Christians they refrain from having their giving marred by association with any holidays of pagan origin.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____

NewYear’sDay: "In ancient Rome, the first day of the year was given over to honoring Janus, the god of gates and doors and of beginnings and endings. . . . New Year’s Day became a holy day in the Christian church in A.D. 487."—TheWorldBookEncyclopedia (1982), Volume 14, page 237.

Mother’s

Day: "A festival derived from the custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Formal mother worship, with ceremonies to Cybele, or Rhea, the Great Mother of the Gods, were performed on the Ides of March throughout Asia Minor."—EncyclopædiaBritannica (1959), Volume 15, page 849.

Thanksgiving: Reference Awake Nov 22, 1976 p 9 "ANational"DayofThanks"—TheDreamandtheReality",

Here are the concluding paragraphs....

On the contrary, the idea of a single day of thanks undoubtedly would have reminded the early Christians of the pagan Romans, who held an annual thanksgiving celebration in December. A writer of the second century noted: "We [Christians] are accused of a lower sacrilege, because we do not celebrate along with you the holidays of the Cæsars in a manner forbidden alike by modesty, decency, and purity."

What, then, is the modern-day Christian likely to conclude as he views this national holiday? Looking at many of the present practices, he may be reminded of Second Corinthians 6:14, where we read: "Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have?"

Naturally, many dedicated Christians will not be working secularly on that day. Some may choose to take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy fellowship with family and friends. Yet, what "spirit" will a Christian manifest? It is true that God created turkeys and other foods, so these are not in themselves objectionable. But undoubtedly one who is a true Christian will want to be careful not to stumble others.

Consider what the apostle Paul says, as recorded in First Corinthians, chapter ten. He reasons that Christians should wisely avoid eating before others a perfectly acceptable food if doing so would stumble them. ‘Respect your brother’s conscience’ is the message.

So on November 25, the declared "day of thanks" in 1976, personal decisions need to be made. Dedicated Christians certainly will not want to convey to others the idea that they believe in one-day-a-year gratitude. Really, should not all who profess Christianity encourage a spontaneous spirit of thanksgiving—from the heart—the year around?

IMHO the article basically says.....only the spiritually immature and weak really would consider eating turkey with family on National Football Day, the strong are out in FS!

Father's Day: The CD say to reference Awake May 8, 1956 page 25-26, of course the CD only has Awakes from 1970 onward.

jwfacts

Generally 2 lines of reasoning are used:

It has a PAGAN parallel
It glorifies a human

Both arguments make no sense. Everything has a pagan parallel. There is nothing wrong with appreciating each other.

AudeSapere

Regarding New Year's - How do people celebrate New Years Eve? Generally with lots of alcohol and wild abandon. Immorality might ensue.

Plus, how can you get up early on Jan 1st for service if you've been partying all night?

-Aude.

carla

I have forgotten, why are anniversaries ok and not birthdays? Is the jw answer that we are not commanded to celebrate b-days and the bible shows a negative light on b-days but anniversaries are ok because marriage was intituted by God? I think that was my jw's answer but it still does not answer the question. Is there more to it?

Holiday questions

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