Jehovah's Witnesses-did they formerly celebrate Christmas?

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I remember hearing or reading somewhere that Jehovah’s Witnesses used to celebrate Christmas(Did they celebrate other holidays also?).

I think that the reason why JWs don’t celebrate holidays is because they consider them to be “pagan”.

But why did JWs used to celebrate Christmas(and other holidays?), and when did they stop celebrating such holidays?

Thanks.🙂
 
GoLatin said:
I remember hearing or reading somewhere that Jehovah’s Witnesses used to celebrate Christmas(Did they celebrate other holidays also?).

I think that the reason why JWs don’t celebrate holidays is because they consider them to be “pagan”.

But why did JWs used to celebrate Christmas(and other holidays?), and when did they stop celebrating such holidays?

Thanks.🙂
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Yes they did celebrate holidays in the past. You can probably search on internet for a picture of Christmas at Brooklyn Bethel.

Yep, the “pagan origins” is the reason they give for not celebrating it or any other holiday now.

I would say they used to celebrate Christmas for the same reasons most of Christianity still does (remember the birth of Christ). I believe they stopped celebrating Christmas in the late 1920’s.

Why did they stop? --short answer in my own words - because Judge Rutherford (president at that time) said so.
 
In fact, they once advertised that giving watchtower books as gifts for christmas.
 
Their reasons are always lame. My DH says that because the birth of Jesus is not important, and because he wasn’t born on 12/25. Also because on 12/25 there used to be a celebration to the sun.

See these links I found: JWs and Christmas &
Holidays

As for the other holidays, they are all pagan, remember? lol

They have excuses of pagan festivities for most holidays… Halloween, Valentine’s, New Year’s, Christmas, All Saints day…

Remember that Catholics are “worshipers” so we worship the sun, statues, witches, demons, etc… PLEASE!!
 
Well, they certainly have no problem with banging at your door at 8:00am on Christmas morning as they did once to mine in my old neighborhood.
 
DShreffler said:
Well, they certainly have no problem with banging at your door at 8:00am on Christmas morning as they did once to mine in my old neighborhood.
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Ugh!!! They use that date as an excuse to go door to door since they know EVERYONE is home. My DH’s sister actually went out that day to do it… it sickens me how they cannot respect this day. Gosh, they do it all year long, can’t they leave us REAL CHRISTIANS alone at least for this one day? :confused:
 
When I awoke on Christmas day I looked at my local newspaper and saw on the front page (thankfully at least below the fold) an article about religions that don’t celebrate Christmas. About 90% of the article was an interview with an elder about why JWs don’t celebrate Christmas.

I had to have a chuckle about it because the only time they make news in the paper all year was on the day they don’t celebrate. Its no wonder most people only know about them for things they are against.

Personally, I thought that space that the article used up could have been devoted to some organization that was out working to do something good for the holiday for the benefit of others. I guess it was a slow news day.
 
dawgfan said:
When I awoke on Christmas day I looked at my local newspaper and saw on the front page (thankfully at least below the fold) an article about religions that don’t celebrate Christmas. About 90% of the article was an interview with an elder about why JWs don’t celebrate Christmas.

I had to have a chuckle about it because the only time they make news in the paper all year was on the day they don’t celebrate. Its no wonder most people only know about them for things they are against.

Personally, I thought that space that the article used up could have been devoted to some organization that was out working to do something good for the holiday for the benefit of others. I guess it was a slow news day.
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:rotfl: Bad for the JWs to be on the newspaper on Christmas day 😃 But I agree, the paper could’ve devoted that space for something else such as charities and Christmas…
 
yessisan said:
Ugh!!! They use that date as an excuse to go door to door since they know EVERYONE is home. My DH’s sister actually went out that day to do it… it sickens me how they cannot respect this day. Gosh, they do it all year long, can’t they leave us REAL CHRISTIANS alone at least for this one day? :confused:
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Heck, I wish some WOULD come to my door… on Christmas or any other day. I’d invite 'em in and give 'em a good dose of Christianity for their trouble. They’d spend so much time in my house they wouldn’t be out there suckering in any weaklings! Trouble is, they don’t come to my door anymore. I think they got the message the last time, and so now they and the Mormons just don’t show up here anymore. I see them out on the streets, the JWs and the Mormons, so I know they’re out there and active. But, they don’t bother ME. I’m so sad…
 
I had to have a chuckle about it because the only time they make news in the paper all year was on the day they don’t celebrate. Its no wonder most people only know about them for things they are against.
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Yes…the JWs are mostly known for what they deny or what they do NOT believe in. One author refers to them as “The Apostles of Denial”. Compare this to the statements of belief which are positively formulated that Catholics and other Christians confess in the Apostles’ and Nicean Creeds.

In addition, Rutherford got the JWs into this mindset of removing anything and everything that may have a pagan background out of their lives starting in the 1920’s. Prior to this the JWs had no problem with Christmas or other holidays.

The JWs even went so far as to develop their own calendar since most of the days of the week and months of the year are named for false gods of pagans. It created such a practical mess that Rutherford killed the calendar. Also, many of the traditions that the JWs have kept in their wedding celebrations are from pagan traditions (including the wedding ring and the wedding cake) but the JWs say that these do not matter. They really do pick and choose and there is no systematic way for them to make theological decisions.

I am of the opinion that the reason why Rutherford started rooting out the celebration of Christmas and other holidays is because he wanted the JWs to be different from all other religious groups and because it limits the association of JWs with their non-JW relatives. In other words, it makes the JWs the new family of the prospective JW convert as this person continues to cut their close ties with their non-JW family and begins associating more and more with their new JW family. I saw this happen in my own family as my mother became a JW.

Jeff S.

www.catholicxjw.com
 
jschwehm said:
I am of the opinion that the reason why Rutherford started rooting out the celebration of Christmas and other holidays is because he wanted the JWs to be different from all other religious groups and because it limits the association of JWs with their non-JW relatives.
Jeff S.
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I think this is a marketing tactic used by false religions as well as just about everything else being sold. A brand has to have something that sets itself apart as distinct, otherwise there is no particular reason to buy it. For the Mormons, it appears to be things like no coffee or hot beverages (I’m still confused by that one), for the Adventists, it is that whole thing about the Sabbath. For JWs it is things like pacifism and the Name of God. All these sects are in hot competition for converts, so their marketing campaigns need brand identification.
 
Allweather said:
I think this is a marketing tactic used by false religions as well as just about everything else being sold. A brand has to have something that sets itself apart as distinct, otherwise there is no particular reason to buy it. For the Mormons, it appears to be things like no coffee or hot beverages (I’m still confused by that one), for the Adventists, it is that whole thing about the Sabbath. For JWs it is things like pacifism and the Name of God. All these sects are in hot competition for converts, so their marketing campaigns need brand identification.
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Well said!! 👍
 
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