One of the defining traits of JW’s is their refusal to celebrate holidays, birthdays, and other special days like mother’s and father’s day. Therefore, when someone becomes a newly baptized JW they are immediately taught about the “pagan origins” of modern day celebrations. The WT points to each “day's pagan origins” as the reason to not celebrate those special days.
And if a JW does take part in a birthday celebration, that person can be disfellowshipped. And according to JW teachings, a disfellowshipped one will not be saved at Armageddon and until that great battle they will be shunned by all other JW’s.
The official website of the WT explains their position on celebrating holidays:
“Jesus never commanded Christians to celebrate his birth. Rather, he told his disciples to memorialize, or remember, his death. Christmas and its customs come from ancient false religions. The same is true of Easter customs, such as the use of eggs and rabbits. The early Christians did not celebrate Christmas or Easter, nor do true Christians today.”
“The only two birthday celebrations spoken of in the Bible were held by persons who did not worship Jehovah. The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays. The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions. True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times during the year.”
“JW’s do celebrate one holiday—the “Memorial of Christ’s Death,” which occurs at roughly the same time as Christian Easter and the Jewish Passover. This holiday is acceptable because Christ himself instituted it. The Memorial is the one time during the year in which the Lord’s Supper is observed.”
It would seem that the WT has overlooked Romans 14:4-6, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord."
However, it needs to be pointed out that it is the Governing Body that has determined that celebrating holidays is wrong. Individual JW’s are not allowed to read the Bible and come up with this conclusion on their own.
If the Governing Body came out tomorrow and allowed birthdays, JW’s world-wide would not rise up and ask, “but what about what the Bible teaches.” Individual JW’s are told to “meekly go along with the Lord's theocratic organization and wait for further clarification, rather than balk at the first mention of a thought unpalatable to them and proceed to quibble and mouth their criticisms and opinions as though they were worth more than the slave's provision of spiritual food. Theocratic ones will appreciate the Lord's visible organization and not be so foolish as to put against Jehovah's channel their own human reasoning and sentiment and personal feelings." WT, February 1, 1952, pgs. 79-80.
Here, in Part 2, I will look at the verses they use to support their special day celebration ban and those verses that are relevant but they never mention.
And if a JW does take part in a birthday celebration, that person can be disfellowshipped. And according to JW teachings, a disfellowshipped one will not be saved at Armageddon and until that great battle they will be shunned by all other JW’s.
The official website of the WT explains their position on celebrating holidays:
“Jesus never commanded Christians to celebrate his birth. Rather, he told his disciples to memorialize, or remember, his death. Christmas and its customs come from ancient false religions. The same is true of Easter customs, such as the use of eggs and rabbits. The early Christians did not celebrate Christmas or Easter, nor do true Christians today.”
“The only two birthday celebrations spoken of in the Bible were held by persons who did not worship Jehovah. The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays. The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions. True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times during the year.”
“JW’s do celebrate one holiday—the “Memorial of Christ’s Death,” which occurs at roughly the same time as Christian Easter and the Jewish Passover. This holiday is acceptable because Christ himself instituted it. The Memorial is the one time during the year in which the Lord’s Supper is observed.”
It would seem that the WT has overlooked Romans 14:4-6, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord."
However, it needs to be pointed out that it is the Governing Body that has determined that celebrating holidays is wrong. Individual JW’s are not allowed to read the Bible and come up with this conclusion on their own.
If the Governing Body came out tomorrow and allowed birthdays, JW’s world-wide would not rise up and ask, “but what about what the Bible teaches.” Individual JW’s are told to “meekly go along with the Lord's theocratic organization and wait for further clarification, rather than balk at the first mention of a thought unpalatable to them and proceed to quibble and mouth their criticisms and opinions as though they were worth more than the slave's provision of spiritual food. Theocratic ones will appreciate the Lord's visible organization and not be so foolish as to put against Jehovah's channel their own human reasoning and sentiment and personal feelings." WT, February 1, 1952, pgs. 79-80.
Here, in Part 2, I will look at the verses they use to support their special day celebration ban and those verses that are relevant but they never mention.
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