If Christians believe the Truth, then why do they believe in celebrating Holidays?

Question

I totally believe in finding the truth, but I am with Jehovas on only this, not celebrating Holidays and this is why: They are all wrong. Why do you celebrate the Passover as easter? with stupid bunnies and eggs? has nothing to do with God and what about Christmas, uh oh, I know there are some emotions stirred with this one. Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus and you are blind if you think it does. Jesus was not born in the winter, the pictures are wrong, study your bible. Why do we give presents to family & friends, it isn't our birthday. Should we rather do some kind act toward others to be a gift to Jesus. Wow. I believe in God but I think it is astounding how so many christians are even blind to the Worldly ways.

Answer 1

Yep, I'm sure Jesus is wildly dissapointed when I give my mother the hiking boots she's wanted and my father the wok he's been eyeing. What a thoughtless, unkind thing to do.

Answer 2

The Bible nowhere instructs us to celebrate Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. This leads some to refrain from observing these celebratory days. However, at the same time, the Bible does not speak against participating in holidays. The Bible mentions several “celebrations” that the Israelites observed; Passover, Pentecost, Purim, New Moon, etc. The difference between these Biblical holidays and the modern holidays celebrated today is that our modern holidays have pagan or even anti-Christian origins. Christmas and Easter began as attempts to redefine a pagan holiday with a Christian meaning, i.e., the Easter bunny, the Christmas tree, giving gifts, hunting for eggs, etc.



That leaves us with a difficult decision – should we continue a practice that was started as a pagan religious ritual? Here are a few things to consider: (A) Does the holiday in any way promote false doctrine or immorality (Galatians 5:19-23)? (B) Can we thank God for what we observe on a holiday (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). (C) Will celebrating the holiday detract from your Christian testimony / witness (Philippians 2:15). This is a decision a Christian family needs to make together. Pray to God, asking Him what He would have you to do (James 1:5).

Answer 3

A little judgmental are we? I celebrate Christmas in honor of the birth of Christ. It doesn't matter what date I celebrate, as long as I have one day to celebrate the birth of Christ. People give gifts on birthdays. Jesus isn't physically present on earth now, so we give gifts to our love ones (as He taught us to love each other). I don't have any "Santa" decorations. I don't celebrate Easter with the Easter bunny either - and I don't color eggs or have baskets. I remember it as a time to honor Jesus for His sacrifice and for His teachings. The Passover and Easter are also not the same holidays and are not celebrated at the same time. In John 7:24 Jesus said, "Stop judging by the way things look, but judge by what is really right."

Answer 4

sufferingdaily:

That's like asking why do Atheists use money if they don't believe in God.

Because it's the only game in town, that's why. When you are brought up with celebrating holidays from the time you were born then isn't that what you are going to do because society does it? Why do you believe in Jehovah's Witness? Because you were brought up that way I suppose, right. A lot of people know that Jesus was not born on Dec. 25th but they go along with the national holiday anyway because the rest of the world does mostly and the fact that their work place is probably closed.

After I post this answer and read the other answers I will be surprised if someone has not asked you, Why you ask ridiculous questions? Because you can that's why, because you just can.

Answer 5

You're suggesting that Christians celebrate Easter with bunnies? Do you know many Christians? Christmas is the day we've decided to celebrate Christ's birth. True, it wasn't His actual birthday, but why can't we celebrate it on the day we've chosen? It seems like you're telling people what their own motives are, and that's an immature way of looking at things. That's like telling someone they're happy when they really aren't feeling that way. Jesus gave us a gift, any day that we choose to celebrate that is a good day, even if we do it by showing people we care through gifts.



In the Bible (OT) God commands His people to have regular celebrations. He wants us to relax and enjoy living. What's wrong with holidays?

Answer 6

Thank you, Ebeneezer Scrooge, for your insightful testimony!



Feel free to celebrate Christmas in September from now on.



Easter still falls pretty close to Passover, but you can call it Resurrection Day.



Go ahead an set up your own calendar, with as many holidays as you like ... or none.



Then you can come out with a whole new line of greeting cards for them.



What a refreshing concept!

Answer 7

A simple answer is that Christians are human just like everyone else and as such reconize the value of a good party to breakup the monotany of life and as for christmas in winter, remember thaat 90% of all businesses close that day therefore there is very little reason (at least in the U.S.A.) to go much of anywhere.

Answer 8

You are misusing the word "Christians". Christians accept Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior. However JWs do not accept Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior.



I haven't yet read all of the answers but I saw some very good answers to your question.



It sounds to me like you are generalizing and making mountains out of molehills.



If you are seeking the Truth then read the Bible from cover-to-cover instead of looking at imperfect people.



I dislike the commercialization of religious holidays but life is much too short to spend time fighting battles that you can't win. Find something worthwhile to do with the life your heavenly Father has given you.



Obedience belongs to us - Judging belongs to God.

Answer 9

There is no dictate in the Bible preventing the celebration of holidays. There are plenty of directives to celebrate God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit). A special holiday dedicated to the worship of Christ is in line with the Biblical perspective.



Atheists first proposed the theory that current Christian holidays are leftovers from Judaism or older pagan rituals in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was an attempt to prove a dictate of Social Darwinism that societies evolve. The claims that Christian holidays have nothing to do with Christianity was an attempt to prove that Christianity was not a true religion and Christ never existed. If you support these theories and refuse to celebrate Christian holidays then you are in support of a 100 year old atheist theory that Christianity is bogus.



Early Christians used eggs as an analogy of the tomb. Although an egg looks like an inanimate object there is life inside. A baby chick comes out of it. Although the tomb looks dead, Christ was alive in it and came out. This was an explanation to ancient farmers.



Also, eggs were very expensive at that time. Remember they didn't have refrigeration. Eggs only lasted a couple of days. People would boil them to make them last a little longer. They were so expensive that people would paint them with elaborate decorations and give them as presents.



Since eggs were used to explain the Resurrection and they were commonly given as gifts, Christians began giving decorated eggs as a reminder of the gift of eternal life given by Christ at the Resurrection. Given this history, I think Easter eggs are a wonderful way of both celebrating Christ and remembering the early Christians.



Why do we give gifts at Christmas time? It's a kindness to others in the name of Christ. Christ bid us to "Love you neighbor as yourself." Giving gifts of appreciation once a year is a nice way to pay tribute to Christ's words.



Christian holidays have become commercialized in the last century. They have been hi-jacked by merchants looking to make a buck. I say it’s about time that Christians reclaimed their holidays. They are a wonderful celebration of Christ. Nowhere in the Bible is this prohibited.



If you want to be an atheist and believe that Christian holidays evolved from earlier pagan rituals, you have that right. If you want to denounce Christianity as a bogus religion, you have that right. If you want to tear down and verbally persecute Christians who are celebrating Christ, you have that right.



However, "As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord."

Answer 10

Christmas and Easter ate to rember our Lord. There are lots of pagen things out there . But we must rember our love for our Lord and his love for us.

On the other hand Oct 31 is another story. The only thing selebrated then is the devil. Teaches our kids to beg , pr to trick. They get so much candy they can't eat it all. So this teaches greed. Soaping windows Huh ! This is a good thing to be taught. Glass in candy oh yes good teaching. The devil sure has fun that day. Dress up like one of his disciples , makes the divle smile. Now I made you mad ! See the devil wins again ! Wake up and stay at home and pray all that day and night.

Answer 11

I was a pastor and one Sunday I spoke a sermon on the evils of Christmas, something I think that Christians need to know. A couple in my church used to be JW's and had converted to Christianity.After wards they came to me and asked since I knew the history of Christmas and its pagan roots why did I not deal with it in the church and get rid of it. My only answer is that if I spent my entire life on a campaign against Christmas and eventually eradicated it from off the face of the earth, what would I have accomplished? There are so many more important issues to deal with in the Church and I personally have not been called to do that. I would rather spend my time teaching truth than trying to dispel evil.

Answer 12

Colossians 2:16-17 (New International Version)

16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.



Romans 14:4-6 (NIV)

4Who 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.



5One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.



If we love God and believe Jesus is Messiah, God will save us whether we celebrate certain holidays or not. Before God, you have the right not to celebrate certain holidays, and before God, I have the right to celebrate them.



That said, you do have some points concerning the origins and practices of some holidays. I for one believe God can redeem and use nearly anything and anyone for his purposes.

Answer 13

Jehovah's Witnesses practice strict political and nationalistic neutrality, so they do not celebrate nationalistic holidays such as Independence Day and Memorial Day.



Other holidays derive from false religion, and so are incompatible with pure worship as adulterating interfaith. For example, Easter derives from the pagan god Oestre and celebrates "rebirth" and "fertility" instead of commemorating Christ's Last Supper and death as Jesus commanded:

(Luke 22:1-22) [Jesus] dispatched Peter and John, saying: “Go and get the passover ready for us to eat.” ...14 At length when the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them: “I have greatly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it becomes fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ... Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”



Seemingly innocuous holidays may have only a tangential connection with false worship, such as Mother's Day and Father's Day (although arguably derived from ancestor worship). Understated observance of these is not generally considered interfaith by Jehovah's Witnesses, but it is too easily misunderstood in some cultures.



Since such celebrations are not required in true worship, and can easily become a distraction, so Jehovah's Witnesses focus their attention elsewhere. In particular, they are focussed on the preaching work which *IS* a requirement for Christians:



(Luke 10:1-17) [Jesus] the Lord designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of him into every city and place to which he himself was going to come. 2 Then he began to say to them: “The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.



Learn more:

http://watchtower.org/library/w/2005/1/1a/article_01.htm

http://watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm

Answer 14

Anything you can do, do for God. If you are worshipping God on ANY day, it is worship to God. If you celebrate by worshiping someone else, then thats a bad idea. If I am not praising a false god in my heart or mind, I am not praising a false god period. If I am not praising God in my heart or mind, I am not praising God. If it offends you to celebrate such things then by all means dont. God judges the intentions of the heart, not the package it comes in.

Answer 15

i'm not a very traditional person when it comes to christmas, i didnt even put a tree up last year, but when i have kids, i will start putting christmas trees up, framing my house with christmas lights, and putting santa on the roof. why would you rob your kids of that 'christmas fun' stuff? and im also gonna bring them trick er treating, hide easter eggs, its just mean not to. and, christmas isnt Jesus' birthday but it is Symbollically? so you dont care to celebrate Jesus' birthday? too lazy or what?

Answer 16

You believe in birthdays but did Jesus teach about celebrating birthdays?

Answer 17

There are plenty of Christian's who shun pagan holidays, besides the Jehovah's Witnesses. I know many, and I am one myself.



You are right; it borders on blasphemous to substitute Passover with a celebration of "Ishtar", and Yahshua was born in the fall. ;)

Answer 18

I am agnostic. To me, holidays are more of a good reason to celebrate and appreciate family. You can thank Hallmark for the "commercialization" of certain holidays though.

Answer 19

Most everyone wants to celebrate on occasion for something that they feel is important. I feel football is important, therefore I celebrate the superbowl

Answer 20

You know, there is this rare quantity in the world called 'fun'.

Answer 21

the guy who did supersize me is doing a new film on exactly this

Answer 22

Please tell your friends at the Jehovah's to stop knocking on my door, I get sick of them coming around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!