why do JWs gather on holidays

[Nicea325]

Holidays with pagan origins.
2 Cor. 6:14-17 warns against being involved in false and pagan worship. The early Christians were surrounded by it in the Roman world. That’s why vs 17 instructs them to have nothing to do with it.
Any encyclopedia will tell you the roots and customs of many popular celebrations and holidays have their roots in pagan festivals. Festivals of the very cultures God instructed his followers to separate themselves from.

Patriotic or nationalistc festivals, or ones that celebrate war.
We know Jesus stand on that. At John 18:36, when questioned on his political stand by Pilate: “Jesus answered: “My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews.”
Elsewhere he said his followers were also “no part of the world”.

Here’s a chapter in our “What does the Bible really teach” book that explains it further if you want a more professional answer:
watchtower.org/e/bh/article_16.htm

Enjoy.

I am sorry,but I do not agree with JW’s exegesis. 2 Cor: 14-16 is not a direct reference to pagan holidays. More important, it is about a call to holiness and that Christianity is not compatible to paganism.These verses are a powerful statement of God’s holiness and the exclusiveness of his claims.

 

[Regardless]

I am sorry,but I do not agree with JW’s exegesis. 2 Cor: 14-16 is not a direct reference to pagan holidays. More important, it is about a call to holiness and that Christianity is not compatible to paganism.These verses are a powerful statement of God’s holiness and the exclusiveness of his claims.

That’s OK.
So do you think the disciples of Jesus would have celebrated the Greek and Roman festivals around them in the first century?

 

[PRmerger]

That’s OK.
So do you think the disciples of Jesus would have celebrated the Greek and Roman festivals around them in the first century?

This is non-biblical speculation, Regardless. How does anyone know the answer to this?

Saying, “do you think the disciples of Jesus would have __________” seems to be contrary to a Bible-only mentality, don’t you think?

At any rate, Christmas is not a pagan holiday. It is a Christian holiday.

Dec 25 is not a celebration of a day, but a celebration of the Incarnation. It doesn’t really matter if Jesus was or wasn’t really born in December. (He probably wasn’t. Doesn’t matter. The Church does not profess this as a truth.)

And, just like Jesus came into a pagan world and sanctified it; Christians come into a pagan holiday and sanctify it with their holy celebrations.

 

[Nicea325]

That’s OK.
So do you think the disciples of Jesus would have celebrated the Greek and Roman festivals around them in the first century?

Was Paul a Roman citizen? Does that make him a pagan according to JW’s? Did Paul celebrate Greek and Roman festivals? He had a Latin name (Paulus) and Greek name (Saul).

With all due respect,but that is one of the many errors of the Bible-Only belief JW’s adhere to that everything must be an absolute.

 

[Regardless]

This is non-biblical speculation, Regardless. How does anyone know the answer to this?

Saying, “do you think the disciples of Jesus would have __________” seems to be contrary to a Bible-only mentality, don’t you think?

I was trying to appeal to logic. Never mind.

I see you didn’t quote scripture to support your opinion, but insist I should. OK.
Rom. 15.4 tells us “the things written aforetime were for our instruction…” So consider how God viewed dressing up pagan celebrations as true worship in pre-Christian times.

Consider how Jehovah reacted to the Israelites making a golden calf to worship. At Exodus 32:1-6. They made an idol to worship. And notice in vs. 4,5 they said: “This is your God who lead you out of Egypt…” and “…There is a festival to Jehovah tomorrow.”
So they took pagan customs and idol worship and effectively said: “We are worshipping Jehovah!” Or as you might put it:

Christians come into a pagan holiday and sanctify it with their holy celebrations.

Vs. 7-10. Records God’s feelings about this. - He was not pleased.

At any rate, Christmas is not a pagan holiday. It is a Christian holiday.

Dec 25 is not a celebration of a day, but a celebration of the Incarnation. It doesn’t really matter if Jesus was or wasn’t really born in December. (He probably wasn’t. Doesn’t matter. The Church does not profess this as a truth.)

They know it is not the truth. The Catholic encyclopedia says the date was chosen to fit in with pagan festivals 300 years later.
The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”

And, just like Jesus came into a pagan world and sanctified it; Christians come into a pagan holiday and sanctify it with their holy celebrations.

If you pour a bucket of clean water into a bath of dirty water, it doesn’t become clean.

If you are fine bathing in it afterwards, fine. But please excuse me if I decide not to.

Here is a more proffesional explaination if anyone is interested: watchtower.org/e/bh/article_16.htm

Thanks.

 

[PRmerger]

I was trying to appeal to logic.

That’s fine, Regardless. It’s not in Scripture but it’s logical. I’m with that, to be sure!

I would hope that you would allow Catholics the same right. It’s not in Scripture (at least, not explicitly) that Mary was Immaculately Conceived, but it does “appeal to logic”, eh?

I see you didn’t quote scripture to support your opinion, but insist I should.

Well, it’s not* my* paradigm that all things religious must be found in Scripture. Isn’t it yours though? Shouldn’t you abide by your paradigm and quote Scripture for everything you profess?

 

[Regardless]

That’s fine, Regardless. It’s not in Scripture but it’s logical. I’m with that, to be sure!

I would hope that you would allow Catholics the same right. It’s not in Scripture (at least, not explicitly) that Mary was Immaculately Conceived, but it does “appeal to logic”, eh?

Well, it’s not* my* paradigm that all things religious must be found in Scripture. Isn’t it yours though? Shouldn’t you abide by your paradigm and quote Scripture for everything you profess?

Yeah, I think it’s safer. But fair comment.

I love the view from your front door! All the best.

 

[PRmerger]

Consider how Jehovah reacted to the Israelites making a golden calf to worship.

Indeed! God condemns the worship of idols!

There is no idol-worshipping going on, though, at Christmas, Regardless. (At least, not in Catholic society. Modern society–arguable, to be sure!)

 

[PRmerger]

So they took pagan customs and idol worship and effectively said: “We are worshipping Jehovah!” Or as you might put it:
Vs. 7-10. Records God’s feelings about this. - He was not pleased.

Indeed. God condemns idol-worship. As does the Catholic Church.

You just haven’t shown how celebrating Christmas is the same as worshipping a molten calf.

The Catholic encyclopedia says the date was chosen to fit in with pagan festivals 300 years later.

Yes. Doesn’t matter. The CC does not proclaim that Jesus was actually born on this day. It’s only a day that we celebrate the miracle of the Incarnation.

The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”

Do you have a source from the Catholic Church that states that they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom?

If you pour a bucket of clean water into a bath of dirty water, it doesn’t become clean.

But *holy *water cleans it up quite nicely, eh?

 

[Nicea325]

Quote:Regardless
The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians “considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”

Key word: considered.

That is not a confirming a conclusive fact.Just as there exist ignorant Christians today,the early church also consisted of ignorant Christians.

By the way,it is God alone who gave you life and the only reason you even exist is because God wills it. So tell me how celebrating a God- given GIFT is pagan in origin?

 

[ohioszo]

If you pour a bucket of clean water into a bath of dirty water, it doesn’t become clean.

If you are fine bathing in it afterwards, fine. But please excuse me if I decide not to.

Here is a more proffesional explaination if anyone is interested: watchtower.org/e/bh/article_16.htm

Thanks.

PS. Check out C.S Lewis, “Mere Christiamity!”. Book written by an atheist to Roman Catholic convert!

To have read your last statement about cleanliness, is just the best! Reminds me of my Father, who said that he bathed after his sisters did, using their tub of water … Dad was born in 1917. If we were as picky about cleanliness, my Mother would have died some years ago, when she had a loss of blood, and my Father would be deceased as well, as he takes coumarin. It is to our delight that they have lived to the ages of 94 and 92, because of the gifts bestowed on humans, to learn about the human body, and, because He is answering my prayers, during those trying times. I guess the quote in the Bible of which speaks of keeping the outside clean to the neglect of your soul does not bother you. Understanding the seeming contradictions in the Bible, I.e. From the Lord’s words, will help you to find the truth, and it will be with Catholicism, in which God promised that the gates of hell will not prevail!

We are not afraid to take over the pagan holidays, to return God’s creation back to the way he had wished it to be! When everything was good!

Wash your hands, my dear fella, and remember that Pilate did the same!

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

=Regardless;7429730]Holidays with pagan origins.
2 Cor. 6:14-17 warns against being involved in false and pagan worship. The early Christians were surrounded by it in the Roman world. That’s why vs 17 instructs them to have nothing to do with it.
Any encyclopedia will tell you the roots and customs of many popular celebrations and holidays have their roots in pagan festivals. Festivals of the very cultures God instructed his followers to separate themselves from.

But this does not forbid Holidays. So what the early Church did is exactly what you say JW’s are doing now, when the Pagans gathered for their celebrations the Christians came together to worship God and celebrate Christ birth in the instance of Christmas. As more and more of the people became christian and fewere and fewer were Pagan the Christian Holiday replaced the pagan celebration, It did not incorperated it. The only thing that they share is time of year.

Enjoy.