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jim1130
Guest
Why do the Jehovah’s Witnesses choose not to celebrate birthdays? What other holidays/events do they not celebrate?
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C
Catholic_Guy
Guest
As far as I can tell all of them.
In Christ,
Catholic Guy
C
catsrus
Guest
They claim;
Only 2 birthdays are mentioned in the Bible.
In Genesis, Pharaoh beheads his baker on his (Pharoah’s) birthday. Genesis 40:20
In the NT we see Herod beheads John the Baptist at the behest of his stepdaughter as a gift for her dancing on his (Herod’s) birthday.
Matthew 14:6
So obviously
rolleyes: ) birthdays are bad.
They celebrate no holidays at all except what they call the Lord’s supper. But no one may partake of the bread (literally) except the 144,000. Who is of the 144,000 is self determined.
Only 2 birthdays are mentioned in the Bible.
In Genesis, Pharaoh beheads his baker on his (Pharoah’s) birthday. Genesis 40:20
In the NT we see Herod beheads John the Baptist at the behest of his stepdaughter as a gift for her dancing on his (Herod’s) birthday.
Matthew 14:6
So obviously
rolleyes: ) birthdays are bad.They celebrate no holidays at all except what they call the Lord’s supper. But no one may partake of the bread (literally) except the 144,000. Who is of the 144,000 is self determined.
M
Marilena
Guest
jw’s consider it to be “paganistic” 
Here is a complete list of what they do not celebrate.
Mother’s Day
Father’s Day Grandparent’s Day Birthdays
Thanksgiving New Year’s Eve or Day
Christmas Halloween Easter Flag Day
Independence Day (Fourth of July) Hanukkah
St. Patrick’s Day Valentine’s Day Other Holidays
There maybe more that I do not know about.
Here is a complete list of what they do not celebrate.Mother’s Day
Father’s Day Grandparent’s Day Birthdays
Thanksgiving New Year’s Eve or Day
Christmas Halloween Easter Flag Day
Independence Day (Fourth of July) Hanukkah
St. Patrick’s Day Valentine’s Day Other Holidays
There maybe more that I do not know about.
C
carol_marie
Guest
The only day that is allowed to be celebrated is one’s wedding anniversary. The other day that is observed (but not celebrated really) is called the “Memorial” which is observed by going to a meeting at the Kingdom Hall in which the wine & the bread is passed but virtually everyone in the congregation is not allowed to partake because communion is only for the 144,000 who are going to heaven. In many congregations there isn’t a single person who believes they are entititled to this heavenly reward so the wine & bread are just passed from person to person & then disposed of. That’s a once a year event around Good Friday. Other than that… no holidays whatsoever… they are all just like any other day.
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jim1130
Guest
carol marie:
Thank you. I guess my real question is this: Why (why do they not celebrate b-days? etc.)?
C
catsrus
Guest
Please see my post #3. Birthdays in the Bible were celebrated only by pagans.
i.e. Pharaoh and Herod.
Jws consider ALL holidays (except the “memorial”) to be rooted in pagan origin and therefore unfit to celebrate. The ones not religiously inspired are nationalistically inspired and so aren’t celebrated either.
J
jim1130
Guest
Thanks.
J
jediliz
Guest
I listed to that Journey Home roundtable and birthdays are also not celebrated because its “creature worship”.
But I thought someone said (in another thread) that they do acknowledge thanksgiving?
You’d think the 4th of July would be allowed - after all, it was what started this country on its way to the Bill of Rights and if it weren’t for that, they could NOT practice their religion.
But I thought someone said (in another thread) that they do acknowledge thanksgiving?
You’d think the 4th of July would be allowed - after all, it was what started this country on its way to the Bill of Rights and if it weren’t for that, they could NOT practice their religion.
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carol_marie
Guest
Thanksgiving is not celebrated… the person who said that was mistaken. Thanksgiving is not allowed because they felt it was wrong to set aside a day to give thanks… that being thankful
should be a part of every day. Also, because it’s widely celebrated (in the US) it’s something that the JW’s would avoid - not wanting to be a part of the “world.”
4th of July is a big-time no-no. That holiday is all about being patriotic & the flag - both of which are seen as wrong. JW’s do not pledge their allegience to any government or group other than the Watchtower Society.
And with the Birthday thing… in addition to the examples of the evil people in the Bible who celebrated their “bithdays” - JW also believe that birthdays are connected with astrology and again, the idea of setting aside one special day - for your child for example - somehow translates into you not making them feel special the other days of the year.
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jim1130
Guest
carol marie:
My brother’s wife is a JW. She came to my mom’s b-day dinner at a restuarant, but not at the house for cake-and-ice cream afterwards. I thought that was silly.
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carol_marie
Guest
I’m not suprised… the dinner thing is fine… it’s the cake & candles that are truly evil.
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jim1130
Guest
carol marie:
Can’t pass up a free meal, right?I’m not suprised… the dinner thing is fine… it’s the cake & candles that are truly evil.
O
Other_Eric
Guest
I don’t know that the practice of not celebrating birthdays, at least, is as bad as people make it out to be. Given that the custom of celebrating birthdays in America involves setting aside one child as “special” over something that he cannot reasonably be said to have any control over, this could give rise to a sort of arrogance. Avoiding this practice might teach the child humility and avoiding the birthday parties of other children would teach him both independence from the way everybody else does things (useful for when he becomes a teenager) and provide a lesson on how not to assist in creating the inflated ego of another.
As for the other holidays, I agree that the Watchtower Society’s position does not comport with reality.
As for the other holidays, I agree that the Watchtower Society’s position does not comport with reality.
P
PaulDupre
Guest
Would the JW’s object to this celebration?
When I lived in Taiwan, I was delighted by the way the Chinese celebrate birthdays. The birthday-boy (or girl) spends the day expressing thanks to his parents for bringing him into the world and sheltering and feeding him in infancy. He often brings sweets or gifts to his parents. If his parents are dead, he cleans their graves and longs to be with them in the next life.
This seems to me a beautiful obedience to the commandment to “Honor thy father and thy mother”. Do JW’s object to obeying this commandment?
Paul
When I lived in Taiwan, I was delighted by the way the Chinese celebrate birthdays. The birthday-boy (or girl) spends the day expressing thanks to his parents for bringing him into the world and sheltering and feeding him in infancy. He often brings sweets or gifts to his parents. If his parents are dead, he cleans their graves and longs to be with them in the next life.
This seems to me a beautiful obedience to the commandment to “Honor thy father and thy mother”. Do JW’s object to obeying this commandment?
Paul
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JimG
Guest
carol marie:
How does a person know if they are entitled to partake? How do they know if they are in the 144,000?
J
jcaz
Guest
An Islamic perspective…
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
"I advise you to have consciousness of Allaah, and to hear and obey (your leaders). For verily, those of you who live long will witness much differing. So upon you is (to follow) my Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly guided successors, clamp down onto it with your molars. And be aware of newly invented matters, for verily every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire."
And he, peace be upon him, also said:
"There is nothing good except that i have told you about it, and there is nothing harmful except that i have warned you against it."
As Muslims, we know that the purpose of our life is to worship our Creator, and we should try to increase in those actions which advance this purpose. As from the statement of Prophet Muhammad above, peace be upon him, we know that much differing will take place. We know that Muslims will differ and will try to make different (deviant) explanations of things. And surely, Catholics feel the same way, as you surely believe that it is an incorrect understanding that led the protestants to break away from “the church.”
So what is the answer? Muhammad, peace be upon him, gave us the answer when he said:
"So upon you is (to follow) my Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly guided successors, clamp down onto it with your molars. And be aware of newly invented matters, for verily every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire."
When one knows that much differing will take place, and when one knows that people will be innovating new teachings into the message (i.e. into the message of Jesus, peace be upon him), it seems obligatory upon that person to hold fast to all of the original teachings. This is very clear and very strict in Islaam. Every new matter (religious matter) after Muhammad, peace be upon him, is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Hellfire.
Prophet Muhammad told us:
“For the Muslims are two celebrations: the celebration of 'Eid Al-fitr and the celebration of 'Eid Al-Adha.”
And as a Muslim who believes that Muhammad, peace be upon him, was the final messanger who, as mentioned above, taught us everything good that we needed to know and warned us about everything evil, how can one then go and choose to invent celebrations that he (or in this case, “your prophet”) never taught you to celebrate.
And for Christians, this not only applies to birthdays, but moreso, to all of the “Christian” celebrations such as Christmas, Easter, and all the other festivals that Jesus, peace be upon him, NEVER heard of. Don’t you think that if it was a good practice, a practice that would bring one closer to God, that Jesus would have instructed his followers to celebrate his birthday? Don’t you think that if it was a good practice, that Muhammad, peace be upon him, would have commanded his followers to celebrate his birthday?
So when we realize that Jesus, peace be upon him, came and taught us everything, and for Catholics, you believe he was the Lord, your God, it then does not make any sense that he would have lived for 33 years and forgotten to teach you to celebrate his birthday. So we then go research the issue and see the pagan origins of Christmas and other such holidays. And surely, many Catholics, who are unaware of these facts my scream bloody murder. But even the well known writter, Thomas Bookenkotter, who wrote “A Concise History of the Catholic Church”, explains honestly, which I at least appreciate, that the Catholic celebrations did have pagan origins, but then he explains that those origins have nothing to do with what those celebrations mean today.
So perhaps Christmas today is a “good, nice” celebration of “your Lord’s” birth. But the fact remains that this celebration stems from the flood of Gentiles into the Church, and the Church’s desire to make the religion more palatable to them. The fact remains that these celebrations would have been completely foreign to Jesus, peace be upon him. So then it is your choice and who you choose to follow. Do you follow Jesus, your Lord and Savior? Or do you follow every Tom, Dick, and Harry who comes after him inventing new teachings. Because verily, new teachings will be made, and much differing will occur. So it us incumbent upon each of us to be aware of this and take the proper precautions in order to safegaurd our faith and our religion.
Should we observe religious holidays?
Christmas - New Advent.org
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
"I advise you to have consciousness of Allaah, and to hear and obey (your leaders). For verily, those of you who live long will witness much differing. So upon you is (to follow) my Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly guided successors, clamp down onto it with your molars. And be aware of newly invented matters, for verily every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire."
And he, peace be upon him, also said:
"There is nothing good except that i have told you about it, and there is nothing harmful except that i have warned you against it."
As Muslims, we know that the purpose of our life is to worship our Creator, and we should try to increase in those actions which advance this purpose. As from the statement of Prophet Muhammad above, peace be upon him, we know that much differing will take place. We know that Muslims will differ and will try to make different (deviant) explanations of things. And surely, Catholics feel the same way, as you surely believe that it is an incorrect understanding that led the protestants to break away from “the church.”
So what is the answer? Muhammad, peace be upon him, gave us the answer when he said:
"So upon you is (to follow) my Sunnah, and the Sunnah of the rightly guided successors, clamp down onto it with your molars. And be aware of newly invented matters, for verily every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire."
When one knows that much differing will take place, and when one knows that people will be innovating new teachings into the message (i.e. into the message of Jesus, peace be upon him), it seems obligatory upon that person to hold fast to all of the original teachings. This is very clear and very strict in Islaam. Every new matter (religious matter) after Muhammad, peace be upon him, is an innovation, and every innovation is a misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Hellfire.
Prophet Muhammad told us:
“For the Muslims are two celebrations: the celebration of 'Eid Al-fitr and the celebration of 'Eid Al-Adha.”
And as a Muslim who believes that Muhammad, peace be upon him, was the final messanger who, as mentioned above, taught us everything good that we needed to know and warned us about everything evil, how can one then go and choose to invent celebrations that he (or in this case, “your prophet”) never taught you to celebrate.
And for Christians, this not only applies to birthdays, but moreso, to all of the “Christian” celebrations such as Christmas, Easter, and all the other festivals that Jesus, peace be upon him, NEVER heard of. Don’t you think that if it was a good practice, a practice that would bring one closer to God, that Jesus would have instructed his followers to celebrate his birthday? Don’t you think that if it was a good practice, that Muhammad, peace be upon him, would have commanded his followers to celebrate his birthday?
So when we realize that Jesus, peace be upon him, came and taught us everything, and for Catholics, you believe he was the Lord, your God, it then does not make any sense that he would have lived for 33 years and forgotten to teach you to celebrate his birthday. So we then go research the issue and see the pagan origins of Christmas and other such holidays. And surely, many Catholics, who are unaware of these facts my scream bloody murder. But even the well known writter, Thomas Bookenkotter, who wrote “A Concise History of the Catholic Church”, explains honestly, which I at least appreciate, that the Catholic celebrations did have pagan origins, but then he explains that those origins have nothing to do with what those celebrations mean today.
So perhaps Christmas today is a “good, nice” celebration of “your Lord’s” birth. But the fact remains that this celebration stems from the flood of Gentiles into the Church, and the Church’s desire to make the religion more palatable to them. The fact remains that these celebrations would have been completely foreign to Jesus, peace be upon him. So then it is your choice and who you choose to follow. Do you follow Jesus, your Lord and Savior? Or do you follow every Tom, Dick, and Harry who comes after him inventing new teachings. Because verily, new teachings will be made, and much differing will occur. So it us incumbent upon each of us to be aware of this and take the proper precautions in order to safegaurd our faith and our religion.
Should we observe religious holidays?
Christmas - New Advent.org
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carol_marie
Guest
Well, for starters you needed to be born prior to 1935 because that’s when all the seats in heaven were filled. Now supposedly there are some who were of the 144,000 who “fell away” (left the witnesses) so some of their places have become available… but those are VERY few & far between.
How do you know you know you are one of the chosen ones? They say they just know. But think about it… if it were you, only YOU would get to go to heaven. Everyone else you know & love will be left on the Earth so you would’nt spend eternity with them. I know of one family where the Mom decided that she was to replace one of the 144,000 who fell away… she decided she was of the heavenly class and it was so very sad for her husband & children because they didn’t want her to go to heaven & spend eternity apart from them.
In all my years as a witness, she was the only person in all of the congregations I attended who claimed to be of that heavenly class.
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Your_Brother
Guest
These are two pretty good Biblical reasons not to celebrate a birthday because of the orgins cited here. Jesus asked we remember him by his death. If we follow the Bible closely, where does it say in the Bible to celebrate someones birthday? Peace, tommyThey claim;
Only 2 birthdays are mentioned in the Bible.
In Genesis, Pharaoh beheads his baker on his (Pharoah’s) birthday. Genesis 40:20
In the NT we see Herod beheads John the Baptist at the behest of his stepdaughter as a gift for her dancing on his (Herod’s) birthday.
Matthew 14:6
So obviously
They celebrate no holidays at all except what they call the Lord’s supper. But no one may partake of the bread (literally) except the 144,000. Who is of the 144,000 is self determined.
Y
Your_Brother
Guest
Try and picture this one: Twelve apostles sitting in a circle by the River Jordan singing happy birthday to John on his birthday and blowing out candles. I think even John wouldn’t want that praise? I do believe it’s the orgin why its not celebrated and if we read about an example of Jesus’ followers celebrating birthdays in the Bible rather than the two horrible times it comes up in the Bible it may not seem like a non-Godly holiday to Jehovah’s people. tommy
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