It was even customary to have Christmas dinner at the Brooklyn headquarters. We appreciate it very much when teachers kindly excuse our children from participation in all activities that in any way commemorate these holidays. Indeed, Reasoning from the Scriptures concedes that “wholesome gatherings of family and friends at other times to eat, drink, and rejoice are not objectionable.”8 In other words, the activities accompanying the celebrations are not harmful in themselves, but only on a particular day, just like commemorating Christ’s coming into the world is laudable and encouraged on any day except December 25. . . . I had great relatives that were and died from … Formal mother worship, with ceremonies to Cybele, or Rhea, the Great Mother of the Gods, were performed on the Ides of March throughout Asia Minor.”​—Encyclopædia Britannica (1959), Volume 15, page 849. We don't have to "stop" doing something we do not officially promote in the first place. I have been given a case study where Joseph''s family are Jehovah Witnesses and do not want the service to celebrate Joseph's birthday. As an ex-Jehovah's Witness, I can tell you she will likely see through what you are doing, but won't reject it if it isn't wrapped in the "Pagan" birthday ritual. When learning these facts about Christmas, how have some been affected? Interestingly, we read: “After the Reformation, Protestants rejected this feast along with other important ones such as Christmas and Easter. At least he might if he were me. They provide no specific references except the Bible, not even names of authors or titles, or any indication that better evidence lies behind them. The same Origen who prohibited observing the anniversaries of one’s birth also discountenanced the practice, recent in his time, of designating and maintaining separate buildings exclusively for Christian public worship, be they called “churches” “meeting houses,” or “kingdom halls.”7 Jehovah’s Witnesses should examine the entire scope of Christian antiquity before damning the innocent and community-building gatherings of Christians. (Ecclesiastes 7:1) So you will find that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not share in birthday festivities (the parties, singing, gift giving, and so forth). Perhaps one of Jehovah’s Witnesses might ask, do you suddenly feel a year older? When the class is celebrating a birthday, give the child an alternative task such as a special errand or send the child out of the class with a book, drawing activity or similar option. Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial [a false god]? Origen mentioned the topic in these paragraphs only secondarily to his observation that, for his infant son Isaac, Abraham celebrated not the day of birth or anniversary thereof but the day he was weaned (Gen. 21:8). (Luke 15:22-25; Acts 20:35) Jehovah’s Witnesses enjoy giving gifts and having good times together throughout the year. Valentine’s Day: “Valentine’s Day comes on the feast day of two different Christian martyrs named Valentine. Consider the following examples: Easter: Although this holiday is supposed to commemorate Christ’s resurrection, note what secular authorities say regarding it: “Easter. Birthdays: Enjoying a feast or a party and generous giving to loved ones are certainly not wrong. Originally the spring festival in honor of the Teutonic goddess of light and spring known in Anglo-Saxon as Eastre. … They were a Pharaoh of Egypt and the Roman ruler Herod Antipas, each of whose birthday celebrations had deadly results. "—w98 10/15 pp. The bible only mentions two instances of birthdays. Mother’s Day: “A festival derived from the custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. A co-worker is Jehovah's Witness. We take no part in Christmas parties, plays, singing, exchanging of gifts, or in any other such activity that is associated with Christmas. The following encyclopedias explain: “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of N[ew] T[estament] origin. But the way the Christmas holiday developed shows that there is more to it than that. Though we respect the authorities in whatever country we may reside, for conscientious reasons we do not give them what we view as worshipful honors. The Witness teaching is presented as the only uncontroverted truth, and asks the reader to abandon their present version of Christianity, and condemn whole families of denominations, on the basis of a few lines of uncorroborated text. . . . Fact: We care deeply about families, and we use the Bible to help build stronger families. and What Does the Bible Really Teach? Christmas was outlawed in England and in parts of the English colonies in America.” Since people in the past refused to celebrate Christmas because of its pagan origins, it should be understandable why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate it today. New Year’s Day became a holy day in the Christian church in A.D. 487.”​—The World Book Encyclopedia (1982), Volume 14, page 237. We try to follow the principle stated by the Christian apostle Paul: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays Most witnesses would sincerely appreciate the thought behind your card and would not be offended by this in any way. A Look at Virtue Signaling. The service usually make a special deal of each of the children on their birthday, inviting them to be king or queen for the day and singing 'Happy Birthday' in different languages. Fact: We are Christians.We believe that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.— Acts 4:12.. To avoid error, there is no substitute for examining the original documents from the early centuries, and let the ancients speak for themselves. I'll be giving Christmas cards at work, that'll say "Happy Holidays". Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays because we believe that such celebrations displease God. ‘Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah.”​—2 Corinthians 6:14-17. Sorry, there was an error loading the video. Christmas: As you are probably aware, December 25 was not the birthday of Jesus Christ. Of the forty-some works that have come down to us, only four of Origen’s Bible commentaries and collections of sermons even mention birthday celebrations. The reason is that these holidays, too, are connected with non-Christian worship; in fact, certain features of such worship often dominate the celebrations. Significant new insights of the ancient church are provided by such recent discoveries as the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus and the Toura Manuscript in our own time. Although the Bible does not explicitly forbid celebrating birthdays, it does help us to reason on key features of these events and understand God’s view of them. J.W. May Day: “May Day festivals probably stem from the rites practiced in honor of a Roman goddess, Maia, who was worshiped as the source of human and natural fertility. The question to consider is whether these extre… Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays due to viewing it as elevating an individual. So my question is to Jehovah Witnesses, why is it bad to celebrate birthdays and holidays, could you please provide some … Perhaps to a greater extent than you may have realized, many holidays and the customs associated with them have a non-Christian religious background. Actually, the Reasoning book is scholarly and well documented in comparison to What Does God Require of Us? However, neither were standard birthday parties, but that of kings. Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrated birthdays and Christmas until the 1920’s. There is no proof that Jesus was born on December 25; his birth date is not recorded in the Bible. The … According to Origen’s Commentary on Matthew 10.22, Christians should not observe birthdays because the only individuals in Scripture who did so also put people to death on that day: the Pharaoh of Joseph executed his chief baker (Gen. 40:20–22), and King Herod had John the Baptist killed because of Herod’s rash oath to reward the dancer who provided entertainment at the festivities (Matt. The question you ask was explained by the Society in the issue of The Watchtower, October 15, 1998, Questions From Readers: "Many of Jehovah’s Witnesses observe wedding anniversaries.A birthday is an anniversary of when you were born. Jehovah's Witnesses commemorate Christ's death as a ransom or "propitiatory sacrifice" by observing the Lord's Evening Meal, or Memorial. May grace and strength be given me to do with my might what my hands find to do." Is the Incarnation Logically Incoherent ? Most Watchtower publications state merely “early Christians did…” without citing specific ancient Christian authors or other supporting references. Thank you for your help. These are just a sampling of holidays that are commonly observed, and in which schoolchildren often are expected to participate by sharing in certain activities. Ask a Witness why they cannot celebrate a birthday and the first reason given will most likely go something like this: This is based on comments such as the following: It is correct that two birthday parties are specifically mentioned in the Bible, neither was for worshippers of Jehovah, and someone was killed at both. Mt 14:1-12). Other Witnesses will live in an eternal earthly paradise. However, it contains a few distasteful surprises for Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is this that makes them objectionable to Jehovah’s Witnesses. paragraph 7. You can't save your friends with a blood transfusion. David W. T. Brattston, J.D., is a retired lawyer residing in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. U.S. Catholic of December 1981, page 32, notes: “It is impossible to separate Christmas from its pagan origins.” The magazine explains: “The Romans’ favorite festival was Saturnalia, which began on December 17 and ended with the ‘birthday of the unconquered sun’ (Natalis solis invicti) on December 25. At present, this contains about five hundred works by about one hundred authors. They believe sins require two witnesses. The full text of this article in PDF format can be obtained by clicking here. In the mid-1990s, the U.S. There is no proof that Jesus was born on December 25; his birth date is not recorded in the Bible. . . . Jehovah’s Witnesses also respectfully refrain from participating in such national holidays. Watchtower 1940 Jan 1 p.16 In 1951, that the Watchtower stated the Witnesses were no longer to celebrate birthdays. In conclusion, both Origen and the Witnesses purport to root their opposition to birthday celebrations in their interpretation of the Bible, yet no Bible passage can be found forbidding it. 2 and What Does the Bible Really Teach? Homilies on Leviticus 8.3.2 presents several lines of text on the unchristian nature of celebrating one’s own birthday or that of one’s child. They observe it on Nisan 14 according to the ancient Jewish lunisolar calendar. The fathers of the first three centuries do not speak of any special observance of the nativity.”​—Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981 reprint), by John McClintock and James Strong, Volume II, page 276. “Most of the Christmas customs now prevailing in Europe, or recorded from former times, are not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been absorbed or tolerated by the Church. The festival honored Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, the god of nature.”​—The World Book Encyclopedia (1973), Volume 20, page 204. Halloween: Though celebrated as a Christian holiday, Halloween finds its origins in pre-Christian festivals that propagate false ideas about life after death. The Witnesses cite (incompletely) Augustus Neander. Another problem is that the non-Witness sources it cites are too old to still be authoritative or available. : Thinking About Religion in The Mandalorian, The Origin of the Islamic Dajjal in False Christian Apocalyptic Literature, How to Have a Civil Discussion about Abortion, Why Do I Call Myself Good? Jehovah’s Witnesses, for instance, believe that doing so is a sin. Serena Williams' daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian turns 1 this week but her mother will not celebrate her birthday. 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