The history of six popular Christmas customs may surprise you. Nauruz (Nowruz). Jehovah's Witnesses Holidays One of the more well-known practices of the Jehovah's Witnesses is their non-celebration of holidays. Say Sorry's submission to the Australian Government21 June 2020 UPDATE: Shortly after the publishing of this article, and prior to the deadline of 30 June 2020 for joining the National Redress Scheme, the Jehovah's Witnesses institution informed the Australian Government that they will not be joining the Scheme. (1 Peter 3:1, 2, 7) Of course, when one of Jehovah’s Witnesses stops sharing in certain celebrations, some of his or her relatives may feel upset, hurt, or even betrayed. 2 This article does not list all holidays that Jehovah’s Witnesses refrain from celebrating, nor does it mention all Bible principles that may apply. Save on year text supplies and assembly supplies. Rosh Hashanah. [It] is a judgment that the Church has made.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia. Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Birthdays. The Bible states: “Anyone who employs divination, anyone practicing magic, anyone who looks for omens, a sorcerer, anyone binding others with a spell, anyone who consults a spirit medium or a fortune-teller, or anyone who inquires of the dead . “This is the holiest of Buddhist holy days, celebrating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death, or attaining of Nirvana.”—Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World Dictionary. If you should serve their gods, it would surely become a snare to you.” (Exodus 23:32, 33) Therefore, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not share in such holidays as the following. The same is true of Easter customs, such as the use of eggs and rabbits. Although many of Jehovah’s Witnesses are fond of their homeland, they avoid celebrations that elevate nations or ethnic groups in the ways described in the following list. Faith can give people hope, purpose, understanding, and even direction in this world. Mass Searches and Raids in July 2020 On July 12, 2020, FSB officers raided at least three homes of Witnesses in Prokopievsk, Kemerovo Region. This is “a day of national celebration and commemoration [of] the failed attempt by Guy Fawkes and other Catholic sympathizers to blow up both King James I and [England’s] Parliament in 1605.”—A Dictionary of English Folklore. Before deciding whether to celebrate a particular holiday, Jehovah’s Witnesses consult the Bible. Share on Twitter. Jessica Carney-Perks. . Holidays and Traditions Rules One Should Follow. Regarding his followers, Jesus said: “They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.” (John 17:16) Although they are pleased to learn about a nation’s history, Jehovah’s Witnesses remain separate from such events as the following: Australia Day. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Jehovah’s Witnesses announced that they will be hosting their annual conventions online via a streaming platform. . Bible principle: “‘Get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing.’”—2 Corinthians 6:15-17. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are a growing religion with nearly 8.3 million members, as of reporting in 2016. *. include carrying out certain activities at astrologically determined auspicious times.”—Encyclopedia of Sri Lanka. True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times during the year. “A feast in honor of all the saints . Jehovah’s Witnesses take the same position of total nonparticipation in other religious or semireligious holidays that occur during the school year. Do Jehovah’s Witnesses tell others not to celebrate certain holidays? . Guy Fawkes Day. This is the first day of the Jewish year. While Jehovah’s Witnesses endeavor to live peaceably with their neighbors and respect the right of each person to choose what to believe, they avoid celebrations that promote interfaith in the following ways. Jump to Comments. “The New Year’s holiday originates with a number of pagan holidays from ancient Rome. To separate themselves completely from teachings that are spiritually unclean, that is, contrary to what the Bible states, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate holidays that include the following characteristics. Mon 10 Aug 2020 14.05 EDT. 10 Mithra, Mithraism, Christmas Day & Yalda, by K. E. Eduljee, pages 31-33. An electronic copy is currently available on-line in over 300 languages on the official web site of Jehovah’s Witnesses at JW.org beneath the library, magazine part. {2}, © 2004-2021 ReligionFacts. Vesak. This is a day for “commemorating all the faithful departed,” according to the New Catholic Encyclopedia. These include Christmas, Easter, and even birthdays. Date of the Memorial 2020 from Jehovah’s Witnesses: why on Tuesday, April 7, 2020? Is the holiday characterized by unrestrained or lewd behavior? I’m not calling Jehovah’s Witnesses “Muslims,” nor am I suggesting they have any religious or cultural connection to Islam. Celebrations of a religious figure or events that encourage united worship among people with different religious beliefs. Nor is mother's day or father's day. Rather, he told his disciples to memorialize, or remember, his death. Finally, Jehovah’s Witnesses reject all other religions, so being represented as a group alongside them in the album is offensive, to say the least. The site noted that a common misconception (myth) among people is that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas because “they do not believe in Jesus.” But, quoting from the Bible book of Acts 4:12, it says the fact is that “we are Christians. Robert Hendriks, the U.S. Jehovah’s Witnesses spokesman, said they have a special edition of their magazine, Watchtower, out this month. I was visited this morning by a pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses, doing the door-to-door ministry for which they’re most-famous, and I was reminded of an interesting quirk in the practices of the WTS.If you know anything at all about their beliefs, you’re probably aware that Jehovah’s Witnesses … Last modified on Mon 10 Aug 2020 16.04 EDT . (Numbers 29:1-6) However, Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, caused “sacrifice and gift offering to cease,” making them invalid in God’s eyes.—Daniel 9:26, 27. For the same reason, they do not join in Emancipation Day or similar celebrations. This celebration of the winter solstice is “definitely connected to the worship of Mithra,” the god of light, according to the book Sufism in the Secret History of Persia. . Those who participate in this event “agree [to] the fundamentals of Christian faith,” according to a government official quoted in The National, a Papua New Guinean newspaper. (Joshua 24:15) Jehovah’s Witnesses “honor men of all sorts,” regardless of their religious beliefs.—1 Peter 2:17. Meskel (or, Maskal). Holidays or celebrations that exalt a saint. See more ideas about jehovah's witnesses, jehovah, jehovah's witnesses beliefs. Over time, “these ancient folk traditions were taken over by the Christian church.”—A Great and Godly Adventure—The Pilgrims and the Myth of the First Thanksgiving. Does the holiday elevate one nation or ethnic group above others? Below are 10 facts about this group which branched off from orthodox Christianity in the late 1800's. During Ch’ing Ming, says the book Celebrating Life Customs Around the World—From Baby Showers to Funerals, “food, drink, and paper money are burned in order to ensure the dead do not go hungry or thirsty and are not lacking money.” The book also states that “during Hungry Ghost Month, most particularly on the night of the full moon, [celebrants believe] there is a greater connection between the dead and the living than on any other night, so it is important to take precautions to placate the dead as well as to honor ancestors.”, Chuseok. Copyright © 2021 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. However, what it is they do instead is, celebrate the feast day of the Saint whom they are named after. But for a time, certain holidays were not given the careful scrutiny that they needed. This festival, says The Korean Tradition of Religion, Society, and Ethics, includes “offering food and wine to the souls of the dead.” The offerings reflect “a belief in the soul’s continued existence after the body’s death.”. Holidays that are based on the idea that the soul is immortal. Nov. 10, 2020 The Jehovah's Witnesses religious group has been banned in Russia as an "extremist" organization since April 2017. Celebrations of a nation’s history or independence. All holidays, including birthdays, are considered "pagan holidays" and may not be observed by Witnesses. See more ideas about Jehovah's witnesses, Jehovah, Jehovah witness quotes. These holidays honor “veterans of the armed forces and those killed in the country’s wars.”—Encyclopædia Britannica. Jehovah’s Witnesses refrain from celebrating national political holidays such as the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The name of this Asian festival “is derived from the Sanskrit word . (No coupon necessary.) Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year or Korean New Year). . Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate most holidays or events that honour people who aren’t Jesus. Why should he be taken into account?” (Isaiah 2:22) Thus, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not, for example, celebrate a sovereign’s birthday. It has also been suggested that the holiday may be related to the worship of the Roman and Greek sun gods. Online Library produced by Jehovah's Witnesses will help you to find and read Bible, publications and daily texts in various languages . Rather than advocating war, Jesus told his followers: “Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) Therefore, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not observe celebrations that honor soldiers, including the holidays that follow: Anzac Day. In Messiah’s name: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1Jn.4: 1) Over the years I’ve had Jehovah’s Witnesses approach me and wanted to discuss their religious beliefs with me. Protect Yourself From Disease . This festival commemorates the rededication of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Jehovah's Witnesses' practices are based on the biblical interpretations of Charles Taze Russell (1852–1916), founder (c. 1881) of the Bible Student movement, and of successive presidents of the Watch Tower Society, Joseph Franklin Rutherford and Nathan Homer Knorr.Since 1976 practices have also been based on decisions made at closed meetings of the group's Governing Body. Holidays that are linked to the occult. We answer the questions of how they got their start, what their core beliefs are, and how many people ascribe to this faith in the world today below. . Lent. Like Kwanzaa, this holiday is rooted in ancient harvest celebrations that honored various gods. “This belief,” says Religion and Society—Encyclopedia of Fundamentalism, “was unknown in the early church and there is no reference to it in Scripture.”. The religious group estimates that more than 400 of its followers have been charged or convicted in Russia between 2017 and late October 2020. The 1st of January was a holiday dedicated to the pagan god Janus, and the name of the month comes from his name. This festival honors “the patron saint of Mexico,” believed by some to be Mary, the mother of Jesus. Sabbath Day (Gen.2: 1 -3 & Ex.20: 8 -11)——-By r. a. The 1st of January was a holiday dedicated to the pagan god Janus, and the name of the month comes from his name. They believe that each person must make his own decision. The Memorial is the one time during the year in which the Lord's Supper is observed. ReligionFacts provides free, objective information on religion, world religions, comparative religion and religious topics. Sabbath Day (Gen.2: 1 -3 & Ex.20: 8 -11)——-By r. a. National Repentance Day. What happened when a God-fearing man bowed to the apostle Peter? In several lands, this is “a day set aside for public celebration of an anniversary connected with the beginnings of national independence.”—Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary. Nigeria Pletes 3 000 Kingdom Halls. Shab-e Yalda. This lesson discusses elements of the Jehovah’s Witness church, including their holidays, rules, and worship. Every year the date for the Memorial from Jehovah’s Witnesses corresponds to the 14th of the months Nisan (biblical calendar). “It is better to take refuge in Jehovah,” the Bible states, “than to trust in humans.” (Psalm 118:8, 9) To avoid implying that they trust humans rather than God to solve the world’s problems, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not join in Youth Day or Women’s Day celebrations that support political or social campaigns. “The New Year’s holiday originates with a number of pagan holidays from ancient Rome. They began in the late nineteenth […] For the official information on JWs' beliefs, please visit: www.jw.org. Observances related to worship under the Mosaic Law, which ended with Jesus’ sacrifice. RUSSIA. It’s the culmination of a nearly three-month legal battle between the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania (which oversees the Witnesses) and Truth & Transparency (which posted the content). Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate most holidays or events that honour people who aren’t Jesus. (Luke 22:19, 20) Christmas and its customs come from ancient false religions. Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses? Super 8 by Wyndham Rantoul. Search This Blog . This lesson discusses elements of the Jehovah’s Witness church, including their holidays, rules, and worship. Jehovah's Witnesses are directed by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, a group of … Bible principle: “God is not partial, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”—Acts 10:34, 35. “Throughout the Middle Ages it was popular belief that the souls in purgatory could appear on this day as will-o’-the-wisps, witches, toads, etc., to persons who had wronged them during their life.”, Qingming Festival (Ch’ing Ming) and Hungry Ghost Festival. | *. These include Christmas, Easter, and even birthdays. 1 You cannot celebrate holidays. Learn the origins of five Easter holiday customs. Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.58 million adherents involved in evangelism and an annual Memorial attendance of over 20 million. Name Day. The early Christians did not celebrate Christmas or Easter, nor do true Christians today. TERMS OF USE Jehovah S Witnesses Holidays Rules Worship Lesson Transcript Study. Retail Price: US$3.99 . One of these was Christmas. Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Practice Interfaith? When that is the case, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not participate. 6:14-17) Like the early Christians,* they do not even celebrate birthdays. “Anzac stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps,” and “Anzac Day has gradually evolved into a day of remembrance for those killed in war.”—Historical Dictionary of Australia. Re: Top 5 Pagan Practices Of Jehovah's Witnesses by MaxInDHouse(m): 2:52pm On Dec 24, 2020 He thought JWs are condemning others simply because we refuse to participate in certain holidays! We are not associated with any religion or organization. Why don't Jehovah witnesses celebrate birthdays or holidays: Comments: Why don't Jehovah witnesses celebrate birthdays or holidays: Author: CLEf11: Subreddit: r/religion: Posted On: Wed Dec 30 02:36:06 UTC 2020: Score: 1: as of Fri Jan 01 02:36:07 UTC 2021: Total Comments: 19 The Bible clearly states that the soul can die. Therefore, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not participate in carnivals or similar festivals that promote indecent conduct condemned in the Bible. It describes our beliefs and organization. . Jesus told religious leaders: “You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition.” He also stated about them that their worship was in vain because they taught “commands of men as doctrines.” (Matthew 15:6, 9) Because they take this warning to heart, there are many religious events that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not use the cross in their worship. Is the holiday based on an unscriptural teaching? Jehovah's Witnesses are a people of faith that many of us likely don't know that much about. Finally, Jehovah’s Witnesses reject all other religions, so being represented as a group alongside them in the album is offensive, to say the least. Jehovah’s Witnesses — with 1.3 million members in the U.S. who hand out brochures on sidewalks and subway platforms and ring doorbells — are one of … {1}, Witnesses do celebrate the "Memorial of Christ's Death," which occurs at roughly the same time as Christian Easter and the Jewish Passover. Aug 29, 2020 - Explore Arijana Jazic's board "JW" on Pinterest. Jehovah’s Witnesses enjoy getting together with their friends, and they might choose to drink alcoholic beverages moderately, if at all. Jehovah’s Witnesses refrain from celebrating national political holidays such as the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The Bible clearly states that the soul can die. Jehovah's witness and blood transfusions are a well-known issue, and there is established case law that the religious beliefs of the parent does not mean they can enforce the religious belief on the child - they are not acting in the child's best interest, they are acting in their religion/religious belief's best interest. This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. Second, the religious group doesn’t allow its works to be exploited commercially, as per its own interpretation of the bible. Jehovah's Witness Holidays Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate holidays that they believe do not fit true Christianity. Songkran. The festival “Christianized certain pagan spring festivals, which honored the gods of running water, rivers, and streams.” (The Christmas Encyclopedia) Timkat, a related festival, “has deep roots in tradition.”—Encyclopedia of Society and Culture in the Ancient World. How Russia Is Ping Up Cution Of Jehovah S Witnesses Time. Why not? In harmony with that principle, Jehovah’s Witnesses avoid celebrations that feature overdrinking and wild partying. 23rd November 2020. Regarding other holidays, each Witness makes his or her own choice, striving “to maintain a clear conscience before God and men.”—Acts 24:16. The official website of the Jehovah's Witnesses explains: Jesus never commanded Christians to celebrate his birth. Regarding the first day of Lent, the encyclopedia states: “The practice of the faithful receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday has been universal since the Synod of Benevento in 1091.”. . Instead, they look to God’s Kingdom to solve the problems of racism and inequality.—Romans 2:11; 8:21. Some holidays and celebrations clearly violate Bible principles. The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas, believing that the festival has pagan origins. 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