The Real Reason Jehovah's Witnesses Don't Celebrate Christmas

[DonCameron]

Jaded27 has answered several posts about why Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate Christmas. But she (I think Jaded27 is a she) has not mentioned the most fundamental reason why. This is because she is not aware of the real reason. In order to see this reason it is necessary to understand how things work within the Watchtower religion.

One of the Watchtower’s ‘rules’ is stated on page 31 of the April 1, 1986 Watchtower where it’s Governing Body explained…

“Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of…those [teachings] that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

Witnesses who do not accept all the Society’s “unique” teachings (including the one about Christmas) will be disfellowshipped for apostasy.

But what Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t notice is that the above rule applies even to the Society’s teachings that are not true. For example…

One of their “unique teachings” in 1986 was their teaching that it was…

“The Creator’s promise of a peaceful new system of things before the generation of 1914 passes away.”

NOTE: It wasn’t until November of 1995 that the Governing Body finally realized that that “unique” teaching was not true. And yet Jehovah’s Witnesses were “required” to believe it as long as the Society was teaching it (or be disfellowshipped). Once they stopped teaching it in 1995 all Witnesses were “required” to stop believing it (or be disfellowshipped).

If prior to 1995 you had asked Witnesses why they believed the above teaching they would have said that it was “because it was based on the Bible.” But they never actually saw that teaching in the Bible. They believed it because “God’s organization” (the Watchtower Society) was teaching it. The reason they stopped believing it in 1995 was because “God’s organization” stopped teaching it.

The same is true about their teaching about Christmas. They believe it because “God’s organization” teaches it.

Witnesses will deny that this is true. Not because it isn’t true, but because they just don’t realize that it is true. Jehovah’s Witnesses are unable to notice that they are forced to believe whatever the Society is currently teaching unless they personally notice a teaching that isn’t true and it bothers them. Only then are they able to see that that the Bible is not the final authority for what they believe about anything - including Christmas.

They are instructed that even in the remote possibility that the Society is teaching something that is not true, it is their obligation to “wait on God to correct his organization.” Those who cannot wait will be disfellowshipped for apostasy.

If the Society ever gets “new light” about the celebrating of Christmas that leaves this matter up to individual conscience, then that’s what Jehovah’s Witnesses must then start teaching – or else!

And so, Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate Christmas? Although they sincerely believe it is because of what the Bible says about not having anything to do with pagan customs, they don’t celebrate it because “God’s organization” says they must not celebrate it.

Again, they will deny such a thing. But the followers of this religion for over one hundred years have shown over and over again that they will willingly change what they believe whenever “God’s organization” changes what it teaches. There is no reason to believe it would be any different if the Society ever changes its teaching about Christmas.

– See Chapter 11, “The Final Authority of Watchtower Teachings” (“Captives of a Concept”)

Don

 

[Jaded27]

DonCameron:

If the Society ever gets “new light” about the celebrating of Christmas that leaves this matter up to individual conscience, then that’s what Jehovah’s Witnesses must then start teaching – or else!

And so, Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate Christmas? Although they sincerely believe it is because of what the Bible says about not having anything to do with pagan customs, they don’t celebrate it because “God’s organization” says they must not celebrate it.

– See Chapter 11, “The Final Authority of Watchtower Teachings” (“Captives of a Concept”)

Don

Um, could we have a bit of proof about that? The bible clearly states matters about xmas.

Simply saying “alakazam, witnesses don’t celebrate xmas cuz they’re told not to” does not make it true.

Also, please refrain from posting info as “fact” from that publication. I have looked it over and it has “we hate JWs” written all over it.

Proof please.

 

[Saint_Andrew]

Hello Don

That seems a interesting article.

God Bless
Saint Andrew.

 

[scylla]

Actually I don’t see anywhere where it even implies that they hate Jehovah’s Witnesses. They just disagree with the assertion that the Watchtower has the authority it claims to have.

So it might be anti-watchtower but not Anti-Jehovah’s Witnesses. The people in Jehovah’s Witnesses are not being attacked at all, rather it contests the validity of the Watchtower organization by it’s actions.

God Bless
Scylla

 

[Jaded27]

Saint Andrew:

Hello Don

That seems a interesting article.

God Bless
Saint Andrew.

It’s a book. Written by some angry ex witness no doubt, who couldn’t follow rules set out by bible standards and so got angry and wrote a novel about it. Way to be.

We just had a very interesting talk this past sunday about living by Bible standards and why the rest of the world is so unhappy - they don’t live by them.

 

[Jaded27]

scylla:

Actually I don’t see anywhere where it even implies that they hate Jehovah’s Witnesses. They just disagree with the assertion that the Watchtower has the authority it claims to have.

So it might be anti-watchtower but not Anti-Jehovah’s Witnesses. The people in Jehovah’s Witnesses are not being attacked at all, rather it contests the validity of the Watchtower organization by it’s actions.

God Bless
Scylla

But that IS us. That is our organization. An attack on it IS an attack on JWs. Anything that says “captive” of a concept is probably not a great idea to be reading. It promotes false teachings about Witnesses.

 

[scylla]

I would disagree as you do not make the beliefs of the Watchtower. You are part of the organization but do not determine the beliefs. Those are decided upon initially from Charles Taze Russels interpretation and now the Organization that is the Watchtower. So a disagreement with the teachings is not a disagreement with you but rather the Watchtower.

If anything is untrue then it would be simple to refute just by looking back at the teachings of the Watchtower pointed out by this book and seeing if it is mis-representation. The truth is very easy to check out. I do this with anti-catholic material I find all the time. I just check the references of the anti-catholic material and find the mis-representation.

Everytime I have looked into it the truth has made me firmer in my faith and made me more knowledgable. If anything is untrue then it should be simple to refute, that is what I have found, and if I have a question I just can ask and there is a pretty good answer out there.

God Bless
Scylla

 

[DonCameron]

Hello Jaded27,

You said…

“Captives of a Concept”] is a book written by some angry ex-witness no doubt, who couldn’t follow rules set out by Bible standards."

The “Bible standard” I had a problem with is the one that has to do with honesty. I made the mistake of assuming that the men of the Governing Body actually do what they say about what it means to be honest.

Here is what they say:

“To be honest means to be truthful. Honesty requires that you be straight-forward, not deceptive or misleading. Reasonably, only truthful men qualify to represent God.”

But I (and tens of thousands of other former Witnesses) discovered that these men do not always do what they say about what it means to be honest. Although we were willing to allow for the Society to have made mistakes in the past, we were not so willing to allow for them to be dishonest***.***

---

A former elder from Ireland, Martin Merriman, expressed his reaction this way…

*"What really shocked me to the core was this: We were so convinced that the Governing Body would never tell one lie. They would always speak the truth no matter what the truth was."That is a fabrication; it is a lie.

“They have lied to us. They have deceived us. And we have the documented evidence. And because we have spoken about it, we were silenced. And that’s what will happen to any Jehovah’s Witness listening to this program. And he knows it in his heart.”

*That “documented evidence” is not in any so-called “apostate literature.” It is found in the Society’s own literature.

The reason there are still 6.5 million Jehovah’s Witnesses today is because they don’t realize this - yet. But the Internet is making it much easier for those Witnesses who are ready to face the truth about their religion to be able to notice the truth about their religion…

But for those who are not yet ready, no amount of evidence will matter to them because they are captives of the illusionary concept that “the Watchtower Society is God’s organization.” And that concept will not allow them to notice anything that suggests that the Society isn’t what they believe it to be; what they want it to be - i.e. God’s organization…

In a private e-mail to you I had asked you to take a look at the following webpage that provides an example of the Governing Body’s dishonesty. But you refused to look at it at that time…

geocities.com/captives_of_a_concept/TheWorldMagazine.html

What it shows is that on page 60 of their “Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom” (1993) book, the Governing Body misleads Jehovah’s Witnesses to believe that Russell had correctly foretold the beginning of World War I 25 years ahead of time.

The “Proclaimers” book quotes the August 30, 1914 “The World Magazine” (shown on the above webpage) where it said…

“The terrific war outbreak in Europe has fulfilled an extraordinary prophecy.”

The problem is, there was no such prophecy. That magazine was mistaken. Although the Society correctly quotes the magazine, they mislead the reader to believe something that isn’t true. That is dishonest.

Or - if this is just an honest mistake because the men of the Governing Body have forgotten what Russell foretold about 1914, then perhaps they should not be governing anyone.

Don

P.S. What many of us discovered is that we were not being misled by those we distrusted the most outside our religion (so-called “apostates),” but rather by those we trusted the most inside our religion - “the Governing Body.”

 

[carol_marie]

Jaded27:

It’s a book. Written by some angry ex witness no doubt, who couldn’t follow rules set out by bible standards and so got angry and wrote a novel about it. Way to be.

We just had a very interesting talk this past sunday about living by Bible standards and why the rest of the world is so unhappy - they don’t live by them.

Are you implying that only Jehovah’s Witnesses live by Bible standards? That is simply not true. My family lives by Bible standards, as do the families we associate with.

When I became Catholic I was especially impressed with the emphasis put on the Bible’s standards of feeding the hungry, clothing the sick, helping the needy. The Catholic Church has done more of that work than any other organization of the face of the earth. And this is what I find MOST impressive - the Catholic Church doesn’t preach that only those who share our faith are worthy of being helped - anyone in need - despite their religion is deserving of help. It’s what Jesus would have us do.

CM

 

[carol_marie]

Jaded27:

But that IS us. That is our organization. An attack on it IS an attack on JWs. Anything that says “captive” of a concept is probably not a great idea to be reading. It promotes false teachings about Witnesses.

Jaded,
Would you please state the specific “false teachings about the Witnesses” it promotes? I was thinking of ordering this book and I would very much like to know if the things stated are not true.

Thanks!
CM

 

[the_phoenix]

Dear Don Cameron,

Thank you for spelling out so clearly, and helping me put into words, the frustration I’ve been feeling as I wonder how to handle the situation with my JW friend.

My JW friend (if we still have a friendship that can be considered genuine) lives in Florida and I live in Ohio. We started out as pen pals and ended up moving to telephone conversations, but have never met in person. Which explains why she was able to keep her religion secret from me for 13 years !!! To me, this is a huge example of a JW being deceitful and misleading.

When the topic of religion first came up between us, I forthrightly, straightforwardly, and clearly stated that I was a practicing Catholic. My JW friend stated only that she was an “ex-Catholic Bible Christian”.

Now I could understand if she’d been hesitant about confiding her religion to me when we were in the early stages of friendship. But come on … given the passage of time in which our friendship grew into intimate mutual-confidante status, including conversations in which she stated to me that she considered me “more than a friend, a member of the family”, she’s definitely known me long enough and well enough to trust me with the knowledge of her religious affiliation long before now. Unless there’s some sort of problem on her end of things, that is?

I mean, she should know me well enough by now to understand that my response towards her beliefs would be … and still is, “Oh, so you’re a Jehovah’s Witness and I’m a Catholic? Well hey, why don’t we simply agree to disagree, respect each other, and continue on with our awesome friendship?” In fact, she should have known this about me years ago, while she was claiming the closeness of our friendship.

Meanwhile, I’ve started wondering whether the “friendship” has been a hoax, as in, maybe this JW has primarily been trying to convert me all these years without my full knowledge and consent? Who knows? During a recent phone conversation, she tried to read to me out of an unnamed “magazine” in an evasive manner. (I politely declined when a sudden thunderstorm spared me from having to confront her just then when I was on the verge of asking her whether the magazine was the Watchtower or Awake.) Strange that even now, when I finally know the honest truth about who I’m dealing with, she still can’t bring herself to say aloud the words “Jehovah’s Witness”. It’s like she’s in denial? She told me her secret (not verbally mind you, she sent me a JW website link in an otherwise blank message) and now wants to downplay it? Or maybe she thinks I’ve never heard of the Watchtower and Awake magazines, and she’s still trying to manipulate or deceive me?

In any case, for an adherent of a religion to keep her religion secret for 13 years from a supposed “close friend considered part of the family” and trying to pretend we have more in common than we really do by calling herself a “Bible Christian” without being able to bring herself to admit upfront to being a Jehovah’s Witness … it smells very fishy to me.

~~ the phoenix

DonCameron:

The “Bible standard” I had a problem with is the one that has to do with honesty. I made the mistake of assuming that the men of the Governing Body actually do what they say about what it means to be honest.

Here is what they say:

“To be honest means to be truthful. Honesty requires that you be straight-forward, not deceptive or misleading. Reasonably, only truthful men qualify to represent God.”

But I (and tens of thousands of other former Witnesses) discovered that these men do not always do what they say about what it means to be honest. Although we were willing to allow for the Society to have made mistakes in the past, we were not so willing to allow for them to be dishonest***.***

---

Don

 

[carol_marie]

Phoenix,

How do you know she’s been a witness the entire time? Is it possible that she’s only recently become interested in the JW’s??

I could be totally off base here… but in my opinion the fact that she never brought it up means that she DID value your friendship. She didn’t want to lose you as a friend. When I became a JW, I tried very hard to “convert” all of my close friends. We were told that “Bad associations spoil useful habits” and a “bad association” by definition was anyone who wasn’t a JW. So I took it upon myself to try to make all of my friends JW. None of them wanted to… so I broke off ties with them. I had my witness friends and that was good enough. That fact that she hasn’t blatantly tried to win you over to the Watchtower (mail you a free subscription - etc.) tells me that she didn’t want to lose you. How did she handle holidays- Christmas & your birthday? If she was a strict witness she would not have ackowledged these days.

 

[the_phoenix]

Dear carole marie,

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Your commentary is already so very helpful. You’re giving me a fresh perspective.

I believe that this person has been a Witness before I ever made her acquaintance based on the fact that things she’s said in the past now make a whole lot of sense ever since I’ve done internet research on the JWs, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle all suddenly falling into place.

What’s helped maintain the secrecy is that both she and I are eccentric, ultra-creative Star Trek fans. (Well, my interest in Star Trek has really waned over the years, being replaced by, most recently, Lord of the Rings.) So when she would say something that struck me as bizarre, I just chalked it up to her being a super-passionately ex-Catholic “Bible Christian” and on top of that, an imaginative science fiction fan.

There are, after all, plenty of armageddon plots in science fiction tales where the world gets destroyed and a select few handful of survivors has to start all over again like Noah after the flood. I just figured that her never-too-detailed suggestions of a “paradise earth” were some sort of ultra-Protestant view of heaven kind of like the “rapture” worldview presented in the fictional “Left Behind” book series (which admittedly I don’t know much about).

To my mind, Heaven is where Jesus is, so if Jesus were to be present in a Biblical “new heavens and a new earth” I would accept that just as easily as accepting that in Heaven, Jesus would allow me to visit Mars, explore the Milky Way Galaxy, follow comets around, and maybe He would also allow me to have thousands of parakeets for pets to fly around with among the angels in whatever sort of Heaven the Good Lord pleased. Of course the most important part about Heaven for me as a Catholic has always been the Beatific Vision, seeing God face to face, living with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for all eternity. Finding out through my own research that paradise earth does not include Jesus and that JWs do not believe in the divinity of Jesus was an eye-opener to me.

I think you’re right, as a matter of fact, that this woman from Florida did and likely still does value my friendship. What you’re seeing is some questioning of motives due to the shock of learning a secret that’s taken 13 years to be revealed.

As for how she handled holidays, her life situation helped keep that a secret. You see, my friend was born with major congenital heart problems which have led to her being chronically ill and struggling to stay financially afloat due to medical bills. Therefore, I never expected any Christmas present or birthday gift because I always understood that she could not afford it. And when her health deteroriated to the point where she no longer had the energy to write pen pal letters, of course I didn’t expect to receive any cards for my birthday or Christmas! As for her health, I do believe her on that, because among other things, I once called her while she was at a hospital and definitely heard hospital noises in the background.

For many years, she’s apparently accepted any Christmas or birthday cards and accompanying gifts I cared to send and has not forbidden me to send them to her. As for whether she would welcome any more such cards in the future, I really couldn’t say.

~~ the phoenix

 

[carol_marie]

Hi Phoenix,
I can understand totally why you’d be upset if she wasn’t up front all along about her religious beliefs… I suppose I would feel like, didn’t you trust me with that information??? Maybe now that the cat’s out of the bag… you could ask her why she didn’t tell you more directly?

But it does sound like a lovely friendship that’s withstood the test of time & distance. I can’t say that for many friends I’ve had throughout the years. At least you know now… so you can read up on the JW’s and if the conversation does come up, you’ll be better prepared to defend our faith. And with regards to the cards on holidays… I would just keep doing what you’ve been doing. If she doesn’t want the cards, she should have to step up & say so. And who knows… maybe all these years you’ve made her think a thing or two about your faith?

Blessings,
CM

p.s. I’ve had a pen pal (now an email friend) for the past 5 years… I’ve only met her one time but in many respects I think I’m more open with her than with most of my other friends… it’s just so easy to say things on paper (computer?). I would be very sad if I lost her friendship. I hope your friendship with your friend remains the same…

 

[b_justb]

carol marie ~ I am liking your style more and more

 

[the_phoenix]

Dear carol marie,

I must agree with b_justb about liking your style!

Your advice continues to be of assistance. This is exactly why I came out of the woodwork to vote to keep the JW sub-forum. Because I’m an actual real person (not just words on a screen or a statistic who contributes to a total post activity count) looking for help in dealing with another real person according to God’s will as I am best able to understand it.

One bright spot in my relationship to this person is that having recently read some guidelines on how to deal with a person who is in a cult, apparently I have been handling the situation the way the experts recommend. The Holy Spirit must have helped me here, because since I knew she was an ex-Catholic, I’ve always done my best over the years to discern when it was proper to speak up and defend the Catholic faith, when it was proper to give witness to the goodness and beauty of the Catholic Church through personal examples in my own life, and when to just listen the better to wait on the Lord and respond according to His Will and timetable.

Along the way, I have shared with this person such things as my firm belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, my devotion to the Blessed Mother and Ever Virgin Mary as seen through Catholic Bible interpretation, the proper role of statues, forgiveness, and the immense value of offering up one’s sufferings in unity with Christ on the Cross, with St. Faustina as an excellent example of a victim soul.

But now? Somehow, now that “the cat’s out of the bag” as you say, I’ve been second-guessing myself about knowing what to say and how to say it. And therefore, I’ve hesitated to make another phone call.

So your encouraging me to keep on doing what I’ve been doing and keep sending holiday and birthday cards as usual unless told otherwise, is greatly appreciated!

~~ the phoenix

 

[TobyLue]

I found the following from a book (it was not a Catholic but had nothing that Catholics would object to) that had quotations from official JW publications. I think it was called something like “Watchtower errors” or something like that. I dont have that book in easy access at the moment, however I did print somethings down and when some JW’s came to my house I tried to give it to them. They would not take it but I insisted telling them that all that was written down was nothing but JW publications so they should not object to reading it. One would not take it but another finally did. This was about 7years ago and since then I have had only one visit or so from them. They pass by my house and look at some notes and keep walking away. Anyway, here are just a few things from that book that I found. It quotes the dates and the passages and whether its from the Watchtower, Awake, or another JW publication.

CAN WE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS? YES!

   ** WT 12/15/1903 PG 3290**

It is quite immaterial the day Christmas is celebrated; we may properly join.

WT 12/1/1904 PG 3468

Don’t quibble about the date; join in with the world and celebrate Christmas.

WT 11/15/1907 PG 4904

The Studies in the Scriptures suggested as Christmas gifts.

  **THEN AGAIN, NO!**

   ** WT 12/15/1979 PG 5**

“Jesus was not born on December 25th …Hence, celebrating his birthday through Christmas observance on December 25 is total inappropriate for those guided by the Holy Scriptures.”

WT 12/15/1983 PG 7

“We all need to face up to the fact that Christmas and its music are not from Jehovah, the God of truth. Then what is their source?..Satan the Devil.”

WT 12/15/1983 PG 7

Yes, Satan the Devil can ingeniously make Christmas music appear to be of God and the singing of it a Christian duty that honors Him and his Son. In reality, it does not the opposite.”

So it seems like JW were allowed to celebrate Christmas until 1979.

 

[soccermom]

I have some bits & pieces just off the top of my head:

The Phoenix made mention of the “rapture.” That concept is 150 years old or so. It’s misinterpretation of scripture, I think started with the Millerites (1850’s or so). We have trees in the Vatican Gardens way older than that - over 500 years old. Just think how many thousands of sects & denominations have come down the pike since those trees were planted! JW’s are just one of 37,000+ (I heard quoted on TV this summer) denominations & sects. (Now remember the Catholic Church is not a denomination.)

Also, we are commanded to love God with all our heart, mind, soul & strength. As Catholics we know Jesus is God - God made Man, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity and we are all ***commanded ***to love God - and this means to LOVE HIM AND CELEBRATE HIM as the Newborn King, toddler, young adult to His proclamation of the Gospel, His death on the Cross and Ascension into Heaven. We are commanded to love Christ at every stage of His earthly and heavenly existence and this includes Christmas (“Christ Mass”). Even John leapt for joy in his mother’s womb when Mary went to see her cousin Elizabeth. He knew as an unborn baby that Christ was here! We need to “leap for joy too”; does it sound reasonable to do less than John did?

The gifts of the Magi have special prophetic meaning: Gold for the King - Christ the King, Frankincense for God - Christ the 2nd Person of the Trinity (the GodMan) and Myrrh for the Crucified Christ -when He was laid in the tomb.

The Christmas tree came from the Druids & festival of Lights & was “Christianized”. Lots of things have been switched over. Even some of our best hymns were former bar songs that had the lyrics changed as people were uneducated musically & otherwise but at least they could hum the tune they knew from the local tavern!

So to me the failure to recognize the Birth of Our Savior by JW’s or any other group is sad & lacks sound reason especially in light of Sacred Scriptures; misses the point all the way around.

 

[jediliz]

Just curious -

Does your religion object to donating a toy or $ to a program that helps the less fortunate so that they could have a nice Christmas?

For example:

There are two programs that collect toys and donations for buying toys here in my city. Not sure if one is a national program, but I know the other is. One is Toys for Tots by the Salvation Army and the other is Operation Santa Claus, sponsered by a local radio station. Both help out families who aren’t able to give their children any presents to open because they are too poor to afford them.

Would you be allowed to donate $? After all, this is helping your fellow human being - but it is acknowledging Christmas in a way, even if it is the secular form (Santa). But it is giving a child a chance to have a nice christmas - when they might not have had one at all.

 

[Jaded27]

jediliz:

One is Toys for Tots by the Salvation Army and the other is Operation Santa Claus, sponsered by a local radio station. Both help out families who aren’t able to give their children any presents to open because they are too poor to afford them.

Would you be allowed to donate $? After all, this is helping your fellow human being - but it is acknowledging Christmas in a way, even if it is the secular form (Santa). But it is giving a child a chance to have a nice christmas - when they might not have had one at all.

I personally as a regular JW just passing by on the street or something would not donate. I would donate at another time of year.

However, as a member of the 501st (a star wars costume group who raises money for charity) I will occasionally do events such as these. The only difference is, I do not go to the xmas events, but I might go to a sci-fi con around xmas time that happens to be raising money for toys for tots. I will help out in my own way by dressing up and taking pictures with people for toys or money for the kids.

But were I passing by a santa claus with a red bucket and bell - no, I would probably not. Just my personal preference. JWs have no problem with giving to charity, though.