Celebrating Christmas?????

by DATA-DOG 54 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  featherimiss

  I love Christmas and I celebrate because its wonderful to get together with family and friends and have a special time to just give to each other and just have a wonderful time. To see my son, daughter in law and grandson from NC. To see my youngest son face because I still make sure he gets gifts from Santa (he's 18)...he always say, mom you know that gift came from you and dad.

  It's wonderful to buy gifts for others. And not have the JW thinking...why don't you give all year long (yeah...like the JW ever give to charity ....sheesh) I love Angel Trees, love showing the mailman, hairdresser, school teacher, my pastor, etc how I much I appreciate them.

  Most Worldly people are not aware of the pagan origins and don't really care. But I love this part...that it has pagan origins...but those who had other beliefs decided to turn it something loving and kind. That why people only know about great things about Christmas.

  I am a Christian and I love reflecting about my Saviour being born and just celebrating life!!! It's just a wonderful Holiday as well as most Holiday's for me. I love Christmas musicals at my church. I go to a black non denomication church with the best gospel signing. Can you tell I just love Christmas.

  It's just so wonderful to be free from the JW religion and enjoy what I really Love without worrying about conforming to others thoughts. I think I will go and wrap another gift to put under the tree right now!!!

  Merry Christmas!!!!
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  trujw

  Robert7 exactly right. When I die I know I did the right thing for me and my family. As a born in we just did nothing on Christmas but talk bad about the worldly people it was a negative now my life is so much better and we enjoy each other not judge. I feel sorry for my mom no contact with me or my son or my wife ( What did they do?). What a horriable life to live. I go to my wife's parents on Christmas and their are 4 generations of mothers loving their children all in front of me. What a great time I was excluded from cause of a cult.
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  jwfacts

  "Even though Christmas is not the real anniversary of our Lord's birth, but more properly the annunciation day or the date of his human begetting (Luke 1:28), nevertheless, since the celebration of our Lord's birth is not a matter of divine appointment or injunction, but merely a tribute of respect to him, it is not necessary for us to quibble particularly about the date. We may as well join with the civilized world in celebrating the grand event on the day which the majority celebrate - "Christmas day."" Zion's Watch Tower 1904 Dec 1 p.364
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  jwfacts

  DD, would you wear a wedding ring, knowing it is pagan?

  I think the argument around pagan practices is one of the Watchtower's most stupid.
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  GLTirebiter

  If you are a Christian and you KNOW that December 25th is not Jesus' birthday, and may have pagan roots, then why celebrate it?

  Yes, I know that December 25th is not Christ's actual birthday (though researchers place his birth in autumn, which means the Annunciation would have been around that time). Besides, the dates differ slightly between Julian and Gregorian calendars. Pliny's writings place the solstice on December 25 of the Julian calendar.

  Early Christians used that date so they would not be conspicuous by not celebrating. Being a conspicuous Christian during the Roman persecutions was hazardous, so it was best to be festive--while worshipping the Christian God instead of the pagan gods.

  It is also symbolic of the coming of Christ, "the light of the world", to lead us out of darkness.

  It also aligns, more or less, with 25 Kislev: Hannukah, the Festival of Lights. This day marks the re-dedication of the temple following the victories of Judah Maccabbee. To Christians Christ is the temple of the New Covenant, another reason for celebrating Jesus' coming during the darkest days of the year.

  But mostly, as others have said, when He came is less important than the fact that He did come. That is why we celebrate; the date makes no difference.
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  DATA-DOG

  Alright! Great answers! I am just interested in how people feel about it. I have zero experience with Christmas except for a very hollow and lonely feeling every year. For years I have always felt very alone during this time of the year. Also please note that I said Christmas " may have pagan roots" I only know what I have been told my entire life. I wonder if my loneliness was due in part to KNOWING something was missing in my life. TTATT has helped somewhat...

  jwfacts, I will check that link asap. Thanks.
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  WTWizard

  Suppose you don't even believe in Jesus? Either he didn't exist, or he wasn't our savior. So what.

  What we are actually celebrating is the rebirth of the sun. And that is a worthy cause of celebration. What is it that makes life possible? What if the sun were to simply keep going south? Eventually it would leave the whole planet as, once it reaches the South Pole, it would gradually recede and become the South Star. We are celebrating that this doesn't happen, but that the sun is coming back north. And we are celebrating what this represents for our souls--there is good reason why pagans celebrated this. Hey, if the pagan religions survived without the modern technology we take for granted, there must be something about their religions.

  Regardless, what not to celebrate? Christmas means so much more than just Jesus' birth. It means celebrating our material prosperity, joyous colors and lights, cooking and baking, family time, peace, joy, time off from work, relaxation, and yes, that allegory about someone that supposedly goes down chimney openings no bigger than a compact disc. It is all about fun, enjoyment, and trying to learn about how the soul actually works. Those who believe that Jesus was born in October may also, if they choose to honor Jesus, celebrate his conception which would have been around December 25.
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  trillaz

  Growing up "in the world" and being a part of Christmas celebrations until my Adult life, I stopped celebrating it long before I joined the WTB&TS.

  It started with the lie that parents tell their kids about Santa Claus.

  Then evolved into adolescence in knowing that was untrue. Sprinkle in a little Christ into it to keep the ship going during this time

  Then I learned that Christ was not born on the day.

  Later learning it was probably rooted other traditions.

  Then I learned about spending money you don't have under compulsion just because it was a day that people "got together" on.

  Then I finally had it with the Church in college. I was by then learning about the Council of Nicea, the questionable authority of the teachings of Paul, and I generally despised the hypocritical nature of some churchgoers.

  Years passed by and the WTB&TS seemed to be thinking strait to me because they DO NOT celebrate it, and I got baptised and became a company man for a time and times...

  The fact that so many different types of people, in many types of religions.. or not, could share and celebrate Christmas in good faith, proved to me that it was in the same class as a broad road talked about in Matt 7:13

  13 “Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it;

  So, no I will never go back to celebrating it. I didn't miss it going in, while I was in and now while unassociated with the (b)org. I was already brought up "in the world", so I sympathize with those who are out but now want to experience different things.

  DATA-DOG, you know that for many people, this time of year is depressing, especially those who have heavy deaths on their minds. I feel more powerful when I am not involved in the hoopla. My pockets are fatter. I also feel more secure that I am aware of robbers, con artists, con stores, pocket thieves, and won't be crushed like so many stories you see on the news because a family's christmas gifts got stolen - as if that is a bigger tragedy because it is Christmas. It's the "Season for Stealing" is what a wise man told me.
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  clarity

  I can understand that 'born ins' might not get xmas .... but guys...

  it is all about "Miracle On 42nd Street," it's the feeling of "It's Wonderful Life!"

  It's the fairyland of coloured lites and the smell of mince & gingerbread,

  of roasting turkey & sagey dressing & luscious gravy poured over mashed potatoes!

  The smell of a real pine tree with tinsel & friends dropping by the house...

  The quiet of the walking thru the snow after dark ... the lovely notes

  of Silent Night around you ... and there's you singing the words too.

  >

  There is a specialness about christmas ... not in a religious way...

  but in a peaceful, awesome & a life affirming way.

  >

  So love all of you, thanks for being on here...thanks for the help and

  wishing a wonderful holiday time to each and every one ... be kind to one another

  clarity
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  Cold Steel

  Well, I celebrate Christmas because it's fun, I love the beauty of the lights, the wonderful music and the memories of Christmases past! Just recently the pope admitted in an interview that Christmas was a pagan holiday that had crept into the canon. Didn't bother him a bit. Oh, and best of all, I love smelling the food part of the day and then eating it the rest of the day. It's a day a feller can have three pieces of pumpkin pie and no one will think anything about it.

  The gifts ain't too bad, neither. Seeing family members you haven't seen in ages also is nice.