Many are surprised to learn that Jehovah’s Witnesses, who come under the grouping of Christian religions, reject holidays that have Christian undertones—Easter and Christmas included. Why?
The main argument of the Witnesses is that the far majority of these holidays—as well as birthdays—have pagan origins, or roots that are not Bible-based or based in Christian teachings. They base their organization around the structure and doctrines of the first-century Christian congregation, a group that also rejected many similar customs.
For instance, the World Book Encyclopedia notes that “the early Christians did not celebrate [Jesus’s] birth because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.” Various scholars and authors have also connected the Christmas tree and such customs as gift giving, putting up Christmas lights, and the use of mistletoe with Roman festivals and Druid practices. It is also a recognized fact that the date of Christ’s birth is not known. December 25 actually correlates to a celebration of the infant god of light by the Cult of Mithras. (See full discussion on Christmas in this Blog)
Examination of such holidays as Easter, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween also reveal similar origins. The Witnesses claim that practices and customs that are directly disapproved by God—or are practiced by people that He does not approve of—merit censure. Thus, even though it has been hundreds or thousands of years since these un-Christian practices originated or mixed in with popular holidays and celebrations, Jehovah’s Witnesses feel that these would displease the God of the Bible.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Sunday, September 1, 2013
The Truth about Halloween
The Truth About Halloween
Is Halloween celebrated where you live? In the United States and Canada, Halloween is widely known and celebrated every year on October 31 each year. Halloween customs, though, can be found in many other parts of the globe. In some places holidays are celebrated that, although named differently, share similar themes: contact with the spirit world involving the spirits of the dead, fairies, witches, and even the devil and demon angels.
PERSONALLY, you may not believe in supernatural spirits. You might simply view taking part in Halloween and similar celebrations as a way to have fun and teach your children to explore their imagination. Many people, though, regard these celebrations as harmful for the following reasons:
1. “Halloween,” explains the Encyclopedia of American Folklore, “is integrally related to the prospect of contact with spiritual forces, many of which threaten or frighten.” Likewise, many celebrations like Halloween have pagan origins and are deeply rooted in ancestor worship. Even today, people around the world use these days to make contact with supposed spirits of the dead.
2. Although Halloween has been viewed mainly as an American holiday, each year people in more and more countries have been adopting it. Many newcomers to the celebration, however, are unaware of the pagan origins of Halloween symbols, decorations, and customs, most of which are related to supernatural beings and occult forces.—See the box “Where Did It Come From?”
3. Thousands of Wiccans, who follow ancient Celtic rituals, still call Halloween by the ancient name Samhain and consider it to be the most sacred night of the year. “Christians ‘don’t realize it, but they’re celebrating our holiday with us. . . . We like it,’” stated the newspaper USA Today when quoting a professed witch.
4. Celebrations like Halloween are in conflict with Bible teachings. The Bible warns: “There must never be anyone among you who . . . practices divination, who is soothsayer, augur or sorcerer, who uses charms, consults ghosts or spirits, or calls up the dead.”—Deuteronomy 18:10, 11, The Jerusalem Bible; see also Leviticus 19:31; Galatians 5:19-21. In view of the foregoing, it is wise for you to know about the dark origins of Halloween and similar celebrations. Having this fuller understanding may move you to join many others who do not participate in these holidays.
VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, WITCHES, ZOMBIES: These creatures have long been associated with the evil spirit world.
COSTUMES: The Celts wore frightening masks so that evil spirits would mistakenly think the wearers were spirits and would leave them alone. The church gradually amalgamated pagan customs with the feasts of All Souls and All Saints. Later, celebrants went from house to house wearing costumes of saints, angels, and devils.
PUMPKINS: Carved, candlelit turnips were displayed to repel evil spirits. To some, the candle in the turnip represented a soul trapped in purgatory. Later, carved pumpkins were more commonly used.
CANDY: The ancient Celts tried to appease wicked spirits with sweets. The church later encouraged celebrants to go from house to house on All Hallows’ Eve, asking for food in return for a prayer for the dead. This custom eventually became Halloween’s trick or treat.
CELEBRATIONS LIKE HALLOWEEN WORLDWIDE:
Halloween has generally been regarded as an American holiday. Yet this celebration has become popular in many parts of the world.
Additionally, there are other festivities that are like Halloween in that they celebrate the existence and activity of spirit creatures. Shown here are some of the popular holidays like Halloween around the globe.
North America - Day of the Dead
South America - Kawsasqanchis
Europe - Day of the Dead and variations of Halloween
Africa - Dance of the Hooded Egunguns
Asia - Bon Festival
HALLOWEEN TIME LINE
FIFTH CENTURY B.C.E. - The Celts observe the festival of Samhain at the end of October, when they believe ghosts and demons roam the earth more so than at other times.
FIRST CENTURY C.E. - The Romans conquer the Celts and adopt the Spiritistic rituals of Samhain.
SEVENTH CENTURY C.E. - Pope Boniface IV is said to have established the annual celebration of All Saints’ Day to honor martyrs. Hallow is an old word meaning “saint.” All Hallows’ Day (also known as All Saints’ Day) is a holiday to honor dead saints. The evening before All Hallows’ Day was called All Hallow Even, later shortened to Halloween.
ELEVENTH CENTURY C.E. The second of November is designated as All Souls’ Day to commemorate the dead. Observances surrounding All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are collectively called Hallowtide.
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY C.E. - The name of the holiday, Hallowe’en (Hallow Evening) appears in print as Halloween.
NINETEENTH CENTURY C.E. - Thousands of people who move from Ireland to the United States bring with them Halloween customs
that, in time, combined with similar customs of emigrants from Britain and Germany, as well as Africa and other parts of the world.
TWENTIETH CENTURY C.E. - Halloween becomes a popular nationwide holiday in the United States.
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY C.E. - Commercial interest in Halloween continues to grow into a worldwide multi-billion dollar industry.
Does Origin Matter?
What do you think? Does the origin of something matter or does time change the meaning of something? Take a Nazi uniform. If you wore a Nazi uniform to a nationalistic party, do you think people in general would think you were wearing just any uniform and give no attention to the fact that it was a Nazi uniform. Don't you think that wearing a Nazi uniform links you to a time period wherein a person named Hitler killed thousands of Jews and people of other religions for whatever reason he chose? Yes, origin does matter. And like the spirit of Halloween, time does not change the fact that Halloween is rooted in demonistic practices that are not pleasing to our creator Jehovah.
This information for the most part was gleaned from the Awake magazine September 2013
Is Halloween celebrated where you live? In the United States and Canada, Halloween is widely known and celebrated every year on October 31 each year. Halloween customs, though, can be found in many other parts of the globe. In some places holidays are celebrated that, although named differently, share similar themes: contact with the spirit world involving the spirits of the dead, fairies, witches, and even the devil and demon angels.
PERSONALLY, you may not believe in supernatural spirits. You might simply view taking part in Halloween and similar celebrations as a way to have fun and teach your children to explore their imagination. Many people, though, regard these celebrations as harmful for the following reasons:
1. “Halloween,” explains the Encyclopedia of American Folklore, “is integrally related to the prospect of contact with spiritual forces, many of which threaten or frighten.” Likewise, many celebrations like Halloween have pagan origins and are deeply rooted in ancestor worship. Even today, people around the world use these days to make contact with supposed spirits of the dead.
2. Although Halloween has been viewed mainly as an American holiday, each year people in more and more countries have been adopting it. Many newcomers to the celebration, however, are unaware of the pagan origins of Halloween symbols, decorations, and customs, most of which are related to supernatural beings and occult forces.—See the box “Where Did It Come From?”
3. Thousands of Wiccans, who follow ancient Celtic rituals, still call Halloween by the ancient name Samhain and consider it to be the most sacred night of the year. “Christians ‘don’t realize it, but they’re celebrating our holiday with us. . . . We like it,’” stated the newspaper USA Today when quoting a professed witch.
4. Celebrations like Halloween are in conflict with Bible teachings. The Bible warns: “There must never be anyone among you who . . . practices divination, who is soothsayer, augur or sorcerer, who uses charms, consults ghosts or spirits, or calls up the dead.”—Deuteronomy 18:10, 11, The Jerusalem Bible; see also Leviticus 19:31; Galatians 5:19-21. In view of the foregoing, it is wise for you to know about the dark origins of Halloween and similar celebrations. Having this fuller understanding may move you to join many others who do not participate in these holidays.
VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, WITCHES, ZOMBIES: These creatures have long been associated with the evil spirit world.
COSTUMES: The Celts wore frightening masks so that evil spirits would mistakenly think the wearers were spirits and would leave them alone. The church gradually amalgamated pagan customs with the feasts of All Souls and All Saints. Later, celebrants went from house to house wearing costumes of saints, angels, and devils.
PUMPKINS: Carved, candlelit turnips were displayed to repel evil spirits. To some, the candle in the turnip represented a soul trapped in purgatory. Later, carved pumpkins were more commonly used.
CANDY: The ancient Celts tried to appease wicked spirits with sweets. The church later encouraged celebrants to go from house to house on All Hallows’ Eve, asking for food in return for a prayer for the dead. This custom eventually became Halloween’s trick or treat.
CELEBRATIONS LIKE HALLOWEEN WORLDWIDE:
Halloween has generally been regarded as an American holiday. Yet this celebration has become popular in many parts of the world.
Additionally, there are other festivities that are like Halloween in that they celebrate the existence and activity of spirit creatures. Shown here are some of the popular holidays like Halloween around the globe.
North America - Day of the Dead
South America - Kawsasqanchis
Europe - Day of the Dead and variations of Halloween
Africa - Dance of the Hooded Egunguns
Asia - Bon Festival
HALLOWEEN TIME LINE
FIFTH CENTURY B.C.E. - The Celts observe the festival of Samhain at the end of October, when they believe ghosts and demons roam the earth more so than at other times.
FIRST CENTURY C.E. - The Romans conquer the Celts and adopt the Spiritistic rituals of Samhain.
SEVENTH CENTURY C.E. - Pope Boniface IV is said to have established the annual celebration of All Saints’ Day to honor martyrs. Hallow is an old word meaning “saint.” All Hallows’ Day (also known as All Saints’ Day) is a holiday to honor dead saints. The evening before All Hallows’ Day was called All Hallow Even, later shortened to Halloween.
ELEVENTH CENTURY C.E. The second of November is designated as All Souls’ Day to commemorate the dead. Observances surrounding All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are collectively called Hallowtide.
EIGHTEENTH CENTURY C.E. - The name of the holiday, Hallowe’en (Hallow Evening) appears in print as Halloween.
NINETEENTH CENTURY C.E. - Thousands of people who move from Ireland to the United States bring with them Halloween customs
that, in time, combined with similar customs of emigrants from Britain and Germany, as well as Africa and other parts of the world.
TWENTIETH CENTURY C.E. - Halloween becomes a popular nationwide holiday in the United States.
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY C.E. - Commercial interest in Halloween continues to grow into a worldwide multi-billion dollar industry.
Does Origin Matter?
What do you think? Does the origin of something matter or does time change the meaning of something? Take a Nazi uniform. If you wore a Nazi uniform to a nationalistic party, do you think people in general would think you were wearing just any uniform and give no attention to the fact that it was a Nazi uniform. Don't you think that wearing a Nazi uniform links you to a time period wherein a person named Hitler killed thousands of Jews and people of other religions for whatever reason he chose? Yes, origin does matter. And like the spirit of Halloween, time does not change the fact that Halloween is rooted in demonistic practices that are not pleasing to our creator Jehovah.
This information for the most part was gleaned from the Awake magazine September 2013
Thursday, December 27, 2012
The Truth about Christmas
DO YOU care about spiritual truth? If so, then perhaps you have asked these questions:
(1) Was Jesus actually born on December 25?
(2) Who were the “wise men,” and were they really three in number?
(3) What sort of “star” led them to Jesus?
(4) What does Santa Claus have to do with Jesus and his birth?
(5) How does God view the Christmas custom of giving gifts or, to be more precise, exchanging gifts?
Let us now consider these questions in the light of the Bible and historical facts.
(1) Was Jesus Born on December 25?
Actually, Sir Isaac Newton has more in common with December 25 than Jesus. Newton was born on December 25, 1642, in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, United Kingdom. Jesus' date of birth is unknown other than to guess based on the season. Judging from what the Bible says about his birth and the atmosphere surrounding his birth place, it appears that Jesus was born in October sometime.
The custom: According to tradition, it is claimed that Jesus’ birth took place on December 25 and is therefore celebrated on that date. “Christmas,” says the Encyclopedia of Religion, means “‘Christ’s Mass,’ that is, the mass celebrating the feast of Christ’s nativity,” or birth.
Its roots:
“The establishment of December 25 evolved not from biblical precedent,” says The Christmas Encyclopedia, “but from pagan Roman festivals held at year’s end,” about the time of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Those festivals included the Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn, god of agriculture, “and the combined festivals of two sun gods, the Roman Sol and the Persian Mithra,” says the same encyclopedia. Both birthdays were celebrated on December 25, the winter solstice according to the Julian calendar.
Those pagan festivals began to be “Christianized” in the year 350, when Pope Julius I declared December 25 to be Christ’s birthday. “The Nativity gradually absorbed or supplanted all other solstice rites,” says the Encyclopedia of Religion. “Solar imagery came increasingly to be used to portray the risen Christ (who was also called Sol Invictus), and the old solar disk . . . became the halo of Christian saints.”
What the Bible says:
The Bible does not give Jesus’ birth date. But we can safely conclude that he was not born on December 25. How so? The Bible tells us that when Jesus was born, shepherds were “living out of doors” tending their flocks at night in the vicinity of Bethlehem. (Luke 2:8) The cold, rainy season usually began in October, and shepherds—especially in the colder highlands, such as those around Bethlehem—brought their sheep into protected shelters at night. The coldest weather, sometimes accompanied by snow, occurred in December.
Significantly, the early Christians, many of whom had accompanied Jesus in his ministry, never celebrated his birth on any date. Rather, in harmony with his command, they commemorated only his death. (Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) Still, some may say, ‘Does the pagan connection really matter?’ The answer? It does to God. “The true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth,” said Jesus Christ.—John 4:23.
(2) The “Wise Men”—How Many? Who Were They?
The custom: Guided by a “star” from the east, three “wise men” are portrayed as presenting gifts to Jesus in a manger in a stable. Sometimes shepherds are also shown as being present.
Its roots:
Aside from the brief account in the Bible, “everything written about the Wise Men stems principally from legend,” says The Christmas Encyclopedia.
What the Bible says:
The Bible does not say how many “wise men” visited Jesus. There may have been two, or there may have been three, four, or more. Although termed “wise men” in some Bible translations, the original-language word is magoi, which means astrologers or sorcerers—professions that the Bible says are “detestable to Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) By virtue of their long journey from the East, the astrologers did not arrive in time to visit Jesus in the stable. Rather, after perhaps months of travel, they “went into the house” where Jesus was staying. There they saw “the young child with Mary its mother.”—Matthew 2:11.
The number of Magi is not mentioned in the Bible record
Nevertheless, Nativity scenes and Christmas songs espouse the commonly held tradition that there were three. Evidently this springs from the fact that there were three types of gifts. Regarding these, the Bible says: “They also opened their treasures and presented [Jesus] with gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”—Matthew 2:11. Is it sound reasoning to conclude that since the Magi gave three different gifts, there must have been three Magi? Let us consider the account of another notable visitor to Israel. The queen of Sheba once visited King Solomon and presented him with “balsam oil and very much gold and precious stones.” (1 Kings 10:2) Although three different kinds of gifts are spoken of, the only person mentioned as giving them is the queen of Sheba. The number of her presents does not indicate that three people approached Solomon on that occasion. Similarly, the three gifts made to Jesus have little to do with the number of people who brought them. The Catholic Encyclopedia notes: “The Gospel narrative omits to mention the number of the Magi, and there is no certain tradition in this matter. Some Fathers speak of three Magi; they are very likely influenced by the number of gifts.” It goes on to mention that various works of art show two, three, four, and even eight visiting Jesus. Some traditions favor up to 12. There is simply no way to verify the number of the Magi.
(3) What Sort of Star Led the Astrologers?
Clues are provided by what the star actually did. For one thing, it did not lead the men directly to Bethlehem, but to Jerusalem, where their inquiries about Jesus reached the ears of King Herod. Herod then “secretly summoned the astrologers,” who told him about the newborn “king of the Jews.” Herod then said: “Make a careful search for the young child, and when you have found it report back to me.” Herod’s interest in Jesus, however, was anything but noble. Rather, this proud and ruthless ruler was resolved to put Jesus to death!—Matthew 2:1-8, 16. Interestingly, the “star” now led the astrologers south to Bethlehem. There “it came to a stop” above the house where Jesus was.—Matthew 2:9, 10. Clearly this was no ordinary star! And why would God, who had used angels to inform humble shepherds of Jesus’ birth, now employ a star to guide pagan astrologers—first to Jesus’ enemy and then to the child himself? The only reasonable conclusion is that the star was a sinister device of Satan, who is capable of such manifestations. (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10) Ironically, an ornament called the star of Bethlehem is usually seen at the very top of the Christmas tree.
(4) What Does Santa Claus Have to Do With Jesus and His Birth?
The custom: In many lands, Santa Claus is viewed as the one who brings children gifts. Children often write to Santa, asking for presents, which, according to tradition, elves help him to make at his North Pole headquarters.
Its roots: According to the popular view, the Santa Claus myth owes its origin to Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Asia Minor, now Turkey. “Virtually everything written about St. Nicholas is based on legends,” says The Christmas Encyclopedia. The designation “Santa Claus” may owe its origin to the word Sinterklaas, a corruption of the Dutch terms for “Saint Nicholas.” Historically and Biblically, Santa Claus has nothing in common with Jesus Christ.
What the Bible says: “Now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor.” Our closest ‘neighbors’ are our family members. (Ephesians 4:25) The Bible also says that we should “love truth,” “speaking the truth in [our] heart.” (Zechariah 8:19; Psalm 15:2) True, telling children that Santa (or the Christ child) is the bearer of presents at Christmas may seem to be innocent fun, but is it right or wise to deceive little children, even if one’s intentions are not bad? Do you not find it ironic that an occasion that is supposedly meant to honor Jesus becomes a time to deceive children?
(5) How Does God View Christmas Gift-Giving and Merrymaking?
The custom: Christmas giving is unusual in that it largely involves an exchange of gifts, and the Christmas season is marked by partying, feasting, and drinking.
Its roots:
Ancient Roman Saturnalian festivities began on December 17 and concluded on the 24th, when gifts were exchanged. Homes and streets were noisy with banqueting, heavy drinking, and riotous behavior. The Saturnalia was followed by an event celebrating the first day of January. This was also observed by a festival, usually lasting about three days. The Saturnalia and the first day of January likely formed one festive occasion.
What the Bible says:
Joy and generosity characterize true worship. “Be joyful, you righteous ones; and cry out joyfully,” the Bible says. (Psalm 32:11) Such joy is often associated with generosity. (Proverbs 11:25) “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving,” said Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:35) He also said: “Practice giving,” or make it a regular part of your life.—Luke 6:38. Such giving has little in common with ritualized giving or giving that is compelled, perhaps by social custom. Describing the true spirit of generosity, the Bible states: “Each person should give as he has decided for himself; there should be no reluctance, no sense of compulsion; God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, The New English Bible) Those who heed these excellent Bible principles give because their generous heart impels them to do so, which can be at any time of the year. To be sure, this kind of giving has God’s blessing, and it is never burdensome. A Counterfeit!
When examined in the light of the Bible, virtually every facet of Christmas is either pagan in origin or a distortion of the Bible accounts. Hence, Christmas customs are Christian in name only. How did this come about? Centuries after the death of Christ, many false teachers arose, just as the Bible had foretold. (2 Timothy 4:3, 4) Those unprincipled men were more interested in making Christianity fashionable to the pagan masses than they were in teaching truth. Hence, they gradually adopted popular pagan religious festivals and labeled them “Christian.”
Such “false teachers,” the Bible warned, “will exploit you with counterfeit words. But as for them, the judgment from of old is not moving slowly, and the destruction of them is not slumbering.” (2 Peter 2:1-3) Jehovah’s Witnesses take those words seriously—as they do the entire Bible, which they view as the written Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16) Hence, they reject false religious customs or celebrations. Has this stand deprived them of happiness? On the contrary! As we shall now see, they know from experience that Bible truth is liberating!
It appears that Jesus was born during the ancient Jewish month of Ethanim (September-October).—See the reference work Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2, page 56, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
In some European lands, such as Austria, “Santa is still not as eagerly expected as Christkind,” or the Christ child, says a BBC news report. Nevertheless, the visit is still about presents.
SOW WEEDS, REAP WEEDS
At one time, church authorities fought “tooth and nail against [the] relics of heathenism,” says the book Christmas Customs and Traditions—Their History and Significance. But in time, church leaders became more eager to fill pews than teach truth. Hence, they began to “wink at” those pagan practices. Later they embraced them.
‘What you sow you reap,’ the Bible says. (Galatians 6:7) After sowing their fields with the seeds of paganism, the churches should not be surprised that “weeds” proliferate. A celebration allegedly honoring the birth of Jesus becomes an excuse for drunkenness and revelry, the shopping mall becomes more popular than the church, families go deeply into debt buying presents, and children confuse myth with reality and Santa Claus with Jesus Christ. Yes, for good reason, God said: “Quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Corinthians 6:17.
What Kind of Star Led the “Wise Men” to Jesus?
Popular Christmas stories portray the star as a good sign from heaven. Was it really?
▪ The peculiar nature of the star caught the eye of “wise men” from the East,
eventually leading them to young Jesus, relates the Bible writer Matthew. (Matthew 2:1-12, King James Version) Popular Christmas stories portray the star as a good sign from heaven. One reference work refers to the star as part of a “divine pre-arrangement whereby . . . the child Jesus was honored and acknowledged by the Father as his beloved Son.” Even Christmas carols honor that star. What was this star?
Some have suggested that it was a natural celestial phenomenon. A number of scholars have proposed that it was a conjunction of planets. However, as The New Bible Dictionary points out, “such a phenomenon could not naturally be referred to as ‘a star.’” Multiple planets passing close to each other would still appear as individual points of light and not as a single star. Some have suggested other celestial phenomena, such as a comet or a supernova. However, none of these phenomena could maneuver through the sky in a way that would lead the men to a specific city and then stop over a specific house.
Could the star have been a natural event or could it have appeared by divine providence? Consider some facts: The “wise men” were not what we would today call academics; neither were they kings. They were, as most modern English translations read, “astrologers.” They engaged in a practice condemned in the Holy Scriptures. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) Note that only these astrologers were reported to have “seen” the star. If the star had been an actual star, it would have been as visible as a beacon to the public in general. But even King Herod had to ask them about the details of its appearance. This star guided the astrologers first to Jerusalem, to Herod, a mortal enemy of the future Messiah. He intended to kill the child Jesus. Then the star shifted direction and led the astrologers south to Bethlehem where Jesus was, thus placing Jesus’ life in danger.
These facts give evidence that the star was from an evil source, most likely Satan the Devil. The Bible describes him as using “lying signs and portents.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9) It should thus not surprise true Christians that Satan could make only astrologers see a starlike object and could jockey that “star” to lead them to God’s Son, whom he wanted to destroy. Of course, no one can outmaneuver Jehovah God. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Devil’s ploy to bring an early death to Jesus was thwarted.
It is noteworthy, however, that God did in fact announce Jesus’ birth through miraculous means. On the very night of Jesus’ birth, an angel appeared to a group of shepherds and announced the birth of a “Savior.” The angel also provided directions so that the shepherds could visit Jesus. Then a multitude of angels appeared and proceeded to praise God. (Luke 2:8-14) God used these angels and not the star to inform people of Jesus’ birth.
Common misconceptions
Myth: The reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas is that they do not believe in Jesus.
Fact: We are Christians. We believe that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.—Acts 4:12.
Myth: You divide families by teaching members not to celebrate Christmas.
Fact: We care deeply about families, and we use the Bible to help build stronger families.
Myth: You miss out on the “Christmas spirit” of generosity, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men.
Fact: We strive to be generous and peaceable every day. (Proverbs 11:25; Romans 12:18) For example, the way we conduct our meetings and preach is in harmony with Jesus’ instruction: “You received free, give free.” (Matthew 10:8) In addition, we direct attention to God’s Kingdom as the true hope for peace on earth.—Matthew 10:7.
Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate Christmas?
The truth of the matter is that Christmas has no place in Christianity. Jesus commanded that we commemorate his death, not his birth.—Luke 22:19, 20.
Jesus’ apostles and early disciples did not celebrate Christmas. The New Catholic Encyclopedia says that “the Nativity feast was instituted no earlier than 243 [C.E.],” more than a century after the last of the apostles died.
There is no proof that Jesus was born on December 25; his birth date is not recorded in the Bible.
We believe that Christmas is not approved by God because it is rooted in pagan customs and rites.—2 Corinthians 6:17.
Why make Christmas an issue?
Many still celebrate Christmas despite knowing about its pagan roots and lack of support from the Bible. Such persons could ask: Why should Christians take such an unpopular stance? Why make it an issue?
The Bible encourages us to think for ourselves, to use our “power of reason.” (Romans 12:1, 2) It teaches us to value the truth. (John 4:23, 24) So while we are interested in how others view us, we adhere to Bible principles even if it means that we become unpopular.
Although we choose not to celebrate Christmas ourselves, we respect each person’s right to decide for himself in this matter. We do not interfere in the Christmas celebrations of others.
The Christmas Tree—Its Pre-Christian Origin
IN MANY parts of the world, the evergreen Christmas tree is a well-known symbol in holiday celebrations and commerce. The religious origin of the tree runs deep and stretches far back in human history.
This is evident in Bohuslän Province on the west coast of Sweden and in the nearby province of Østfold in Norway. In those areas, more than 75,000 individual rock carvings have been found at some 5,000 different sites. Archaeologists say that many of these rock carvings were made between about 1,800 and 500 B.C.E.
These remarkable carvings reveal something about the beliefs of people who lived a very long time before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. For example, some researchers think that in early times in areas of present-day Sweden and Norway, evergreen trees, such as spruces, were used as sacred symbols.
Why was it that people living in these far northern coastal areas of the world made rock carvings of spruce trees? Some scholars suggest it was partly because of the evident rarity of those trees during the pre-Christian times when the carvings were made. Understandably, a tree that stays permanently green, or “alive,” when other trees seemingly die in cold weather must have been somewhat of a mystery. Trees have been symbols of life, survival, and immortality in many cultures worldwide. This fact may also help explain why tree images that clearly resemble evergreen spruces were carved into rocks in the area of Bohuslän and Østfold many centuries before that tree became a common sight there.
The book Rock Carvings in the Borderlands, published in cooperation with the Swedish National Heritage Board, says: “The images of trees in rock carvings illustrate that as early as the Bronze Age the southern Scandinavian region was part of a larger religious and cultural context that covered the whole of Europe and large parts of Asia. Religion and cosmology were adapted to people whose livelihoods were farming and animal husbandry. They largely worshipped the same gods, although the names of the gods varied.”
The Rock Carving Tour, a booklet published by the Bohusläns Museum, further explains: “It was not the everyday world the rock carvers wanted to portray. We believe that their images perhaps were a form of prayer and invocation to the gods.” The booklet adds: “Beliefs revolved around the eternal circle of life, fertility, death and re-birth.”
Describing a unique collection of symbolic art, created long before the art of writing was introduced into northern Europe, National encyklopedin, the Swedish national reference encyclopedia, notes: “The marked presence of sexually charged depictions shows how important a fertility cult was in the religion of the Bronze Age people in the North.”
Evidently, customs involving evergreen trees spread and became part of life in many places. The Encyclopædia Britannica states regarding the Christmas tree: “Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity.” It did so in various rites and customs, including “the custom . . . of placing a Yule tree at an entrance or inside the house during the midwinter holidays.”
The broad way leading the evergreen tree to modern popularity was paved in 1841 when the British royal family used a decorated spruce for their Christmas celebrations. Today the Christmas tree is recognized all over the world, and the demand for countless millions of natural and artificial Christmas trees seems endless. Meanwhile, Scandinavian rock carvings provide silent testimony, literally set in stone, that the Christmas tree is not of Christian origin.
Now from another angle -
Credits and permission to post the following article from this author are pending approval. This is one writers perspective on the subject.
Pagan Roots? 5 Surprising Facts About Christmas
By Stephanie Pappas, Live Science Senior Writer | LiveScience.com – Sun, Dec 23, 2012.
When you gather around the Christmas tree or stuff goodies into a stocking, you're taking part in traditions that stretch back thousands of years — long before Christianity entered the mix.
Pagan, or non-Christian, traditions show up in this beloved winter holiday, a consequence of early church leaders melding Jesus' nativity celebration with pre-existing midwinter festivals. Since then, Christmas traditions have warped over time, arriving at their current state a little more than a century ago.
Read on for some of the surprising origins of Christmas cheer, and find out why Christmas was once banned in New England.
1. Early Christians had a soft spot for pagans
It's a mistake to say that our modern Christmas traditions come directly from pre-Christian paganism, said Ronald Hutton, a historian at Bristol University in the United Kingdom. However, he said, you'd be equally wrong to believe that Christmas is a modern phenomenon. As Christians spread their religion into Europe in the first centuries A.D., they ran into people living by a variety of local and regional religious creeds.
Christian missionaries lumped all of these people together under the umbrella term "pagan," said Philip Shaw, who researches early Germanic languages and Old English at Leicester University in the U.K. The term is related to the Latin word meaning "field," Shaw told Live Science. The lingual link makes sense, he said, because early European Christianity was an urban phenomenon, while paganism persisted longer in rustic areas.
Early Christians wanted to convert pagans, Shaw said, but they were also fascinated by their traditions.
"Christians of that period are quite interested in paganism," he said. "It's obviously something they think is a bad thing, but it's also something they think is worth remembering. It's what their ancestors did." [In Photos: Early Christian Rome]
Perhaps that's why pagan traditions remained even as Christianity took hold. The Christmas tree is a 17th-century German invention, University of Bristol's Hutton told Live Science, but it clearly derives from the pagan practice of bringing greenery indoors to decorate in midwinter. The modern Santa Claus is a direct descendent of England's Father Christmas, who was not originally a gift-giver. However, Father Christmas and his other European variations are modern incarnations of old pagan ideas about spirits who traveled the sky in midwinter, Hutton said.
2. We all want that warm Christmas glow
But why this fixation on partying in midwinter, anyway? According to historians, it's a natural time for a feast. In an agricultural society, the harvest work is done for the year, and there's nothing left to be done in the fields.
"It's a time when you have some time to devote to your religious life," said Shaw. "But also it's a period when, frankly, everyone needs cheering up."
The dark days that culminate with the shortest day of the year — the winter solstice — could be lightened with feasts and decorations, Hutton said. "If you happen to live in a region in which midwinter brings striking darkness and cold and hunger, then the urge to have a celebration at the very heart of it to avoid going mad or falling into deep depression is very, very strong," he said.
Stephen Nissenbaum, author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist "The Battle for Christmas" (Vintage, 1997), agreed.
"Even now when solstice means not all that much because you can get rid of the darkness with the flick of an electric light switch, even now, it's a very powerful season," he told LIveScience.
3. The Church was slow to embrace Christmas
Despite the spread of Christianity, midwinter festivals did not become Christmas for hundreds of years. The Bible gives no reference to when Jesus was born, which wasn't a problem for early Christians, Nissenbaum said.
"It never occurred to them that they needed to celebrate his birthday," he said.
With no Biblical directive to do so and no mention in the Gospels of the correct date, it wasn't until the fourth century that church leaders in Rome embraced the holiday. At this time, Nissenbaum said, many people had turned to a belief the Church found heretical: That Jesus had never existed as a man, but as a sort of spiritual entity.
"If you want to show that Jesus was a real human being just like every other human being, not just somebody who appeared like a hologram, then what better way to think of him being born in a normal, humble human way than to celebrate his birth?" Nissenbaum said. [Religious Mysteries: 8 Alleged Relics of Jesus]
Midwinter festivals, with their pagan roots, were already widely celebrated, Nissenbaum said. And the date had a pleasing philosophical fit with festivals celebrating the lengthening days after the winter solstice (which fell on Dec. 21 this year). "O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born … Christ should be born," one Cyprian text read.
4. The Puritans hated the holiday
But if the Catholic Church gradually came to embrace Christmas, the Protestant Reformation gave the holiday a good knock on the chin. In the 16th century, Christmas became a casualty of this church schism, with reformist-minded Protestants considering it little better than paganism, Nissenbaum said. This likely had something to do with the "raucous, rowdy and sometimes bawdy fashion" in which Christmas was celebrated, he added.
In England under Oliver Cromwell, Christmas and other saints' days were banned, and in New England it was illegal to celebrate Christmas for about 25 years in the 1600s, Nissenbaum said. Forget people saying, "Happy holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," he said.
"If you want to look at a real 'War on Christmas,' you've got to look at the Puritans," he said. "They banned it!"
5. Gifts are a new (and surprisingly controversial) tradition
While gift-giving may seem inextricably tied to Christmas, it used to be that people looked forward to opening presents on New Year's Day.
"They were a blessing for people to make them feel good as the year ends," Hutton said. It wasn't until the Victorian era of the 1800s that gift-giving shifted to Christmas. According to the Royal Collection, Queen Victoria's children got Christmas Eve gifts in 1850, including a sword and armor. In 1841, Victoria gave her husband, Prince Albert, a miniature portrait of her as a 7-year-old; in 1859, she gave him a book of poetry by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
All of this gift-giving, along with the secular embrace of Christmas, now has some religious groups steamed, Nissenbaum said. The consumerism of Christmas shopping seems, to some, to contradict the religious goal of celebrating Jesus Christ's birth. In some ways, Nissenbaum said, excessive spending is the modern equivalent of the revelry and drunkenness that made the Puritans frown.
"There's always been a push and pull, and it's taken different forms," he said. "It might have been alcohol then, and now it's these glittering toys."
Credits and permission to post from the author are pending approval.
However as a rebuttal-1or a second opinion to one part of this article, in item #3 in pp3 this writer quotes Nissenbaum, "At this time, Nissenbaum said, many people had turned to a belief the Church found heretical: That Jesus had never existed as a man, but as a sort of spiritual entity." In my opinion, according to my research, it is difficult if not impossible to come to this conclusion as Nissenbaum states with the entire Greek scriptures focusing on his (Jesus') life. Any number of scriptures could easily prove that not only was Jesus on earth during his ministry, he was in fact God's son.
Anyone who laments the excesses of Christmas might consider the Puritans of colonial Massachusetts: they simply outlawed the holiday. The Puritans had their reasons, since Christmas was once an occasion for drunkenness and riot, when poor "wassailers" extorted food and drink from the well-to-do. In this intriguing and innovative work of social history, Nissenbaum rediscovers Christmas' carnival origins and shows how it was transformed, during the nineteenth century, into a festival of domesticity and consumerism.
As this author states that Credits for some of the information gained by reference another author Stephen Nissenbaum where on his back cover of his publication "The Battle for Christmas" he states in part: Drawing on a wealth of period documents and illustrations, Nissenbaum charts the invention of our current yuletide tradition, from St. Nicholas to the Christmas tree and, perhaps most radically, the practice of giving gifts to children. Bursting with detail, filled with subversive readings of such seasonal classics as "A Visit from St. Nicholas" and A Christmas Carol, The Battle for Christmas captures the glorious strangeness of the past even as i helps us better understand the present.
The Books contents by subject matter chapter by chapter are:
Table of Contents
Preface
1. New England's War on Christmas
2. Revisiting "A Visit from St. Nicholas"
3. The Parlor and the Street
4. Affection's Gift:
Toward a History of Christmas Presents
5. Under the Christmas Tree:
A Battle of Generations
6. Tiny Tim and Other Charity Cases
7. Wassailing Across the Color Line:
Christmas in the Antebellum South
Epilogue:
The Ghosts of Christmas Past.
Either way, this article and the book cited does offer both writers opinion to the fact that the holiday commonly known to all as Christmas has no scriptural origin, that it has pagan roots and therefore, is not a day to be celebrated by true Christians. I cited both this commentator as well as an known author to show that my opinions on the matter are not prejudiced by any one religious belief but that the information contained herein is supported by others.
Here is an interesting YouTube clip I recently found which you might enjoy. The video itself seems to have merit but since it is not from a known source, parts of it may be challenged. Also the comments that follow may or may not be appropriate reading since again, their source and their motive to me is unknown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDY1jX-LJqw
This project is still under construction
(1) Was Jesus actually born on December 25?
(2) Who were the “wise men,” and were they really three in number?
(3) What sort of “star” led them to Jesus?
(4) What does Santa Claus have to do with Jesus and his birth?
(5) How does God view the Christmas custom of giving gifts or, to be more precise, exchanging gifts?
Let us now consider these questions in the light of the Bible and historical facts.
(1) Was Jesus Born on December 25?
Actually, Sir Isaac Newton has more in common with December 25 than Jesus. Newton was born on December 25, 1642, in Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth, United Kingdom. Jesus' date of birth is unknown other than to guess based on the season. Judging from what the Bible says about his birth and the atmosphere surrounding his birth place, it appears that Jesus was born in October sometime.
The custom: According to tradition, it is claimed that Jesus’ birth took place on December 25 and is therefore celebrated on that date. “Christmas,” says the Encyclopedia of Religion, means “‘Christ’s Mass,’ that is, the mass celebrating the feast of Christ’s nativity,” or birth.
Its roots:
“The establishment of December 25 evolved not from biblical precedent,” says The Christmas Encyclopedia, “but from pagan Roman festivals held at year’s end,” about the time of the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Those festivals included the Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn, god of agriculture, “and the combined festivals of two sun gods, the Roman Sol and the Persian Mithra,” says the same encyclopedia. Both birthdays were celebrated on December 25, the winter solstice according to the Julian calendar.
Those pagan festivals began to be “Christianized” in the year 350, when Pope Julius I declared December 25 to be Christ’s birthday. “The Nativity gradually absorbed or supplanted all other solstice rites,” says the Encyclopedia of Religion. “Solar imagery came increasingly to be used to portray the risen Christ (who was also called Sol Invictus), and the old solar disk . . . became the halo of Christian saints.”
What the Bible says:
The Bible does not give Jesus’ birth date. But we can safely conclude that he was not born on December 25. How so? The Bible tells us that when Jesus was born, shepherds were “living out of doors” tending their flocks at night in the vicinity of Bethlehem. (Luke 2:8) The cold, rainy season usually began in October, and shepherds—especially in the colder highlands, such as those around Bethlehem—brought their sheep into protected shelters at night. The coldest weather, sometimes accompanied by snow, occurred in December.
Significantly, the early Christians, many of whom had accompanied Jesus in his ministry, never celebrated his birth on any date. Rather, in harmony with his command, they commemorated only his death. (Luke 22:17-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) Still, some may say, ‘Does the pagan connection really matter?’ The answer? It does to God. “The true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth,” said Jesus Christ.—John 4:23.
(2) The “Wise Men”—How Many? Who Were They?
The custom: Guided by a “star” from the east, three “wise men” are portrayed as presenting gifts to Jesus in a manger in a stable. Sometimes shepherds are also shown as being present.
Its roots:
Aside from the brief account in the Bible, “everything written about the Wise Men stems principally from legend,” says The Christmas Encyclopedia.
What the Bible says:
The Bible does not say how many “wise men” visited Jesus. There may have been two, or there may have been three, four, or more. Although termed “wise men” in some Bible translations, the original-language word is magoi, which means astrologers or sorcerers—professions that the Bible says are “detestable to Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) By virtue of their long journey from the East, the astrologers did not arrive in time to visit Jesus in the stable. Rather, after perhaps months of travel, they “went into the house” where Jesus was staying. There they saw “the young child with Mary its mother.”—Matthew 2:11.
The number of Magi is not mentioned in the Bible record
Nevertheless, Nativity scenes and Christmas songs espouse the commonly held tradition that there were three. Evidently this springs from the fact that there were three types of gifts. Regarding these, the Bible says: “They also opened their treasures and presented [Jesus] with gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.”—Matthew 2:11. Is it sound reasoning to conclude that since the Magi gave three different gifts, there must have been three Magi? Let us consider the account of another notable visitor to Israel. The queen of Sheba once visited King Solomon and presented him with “balsam oil and very much gold and precious stones.” (1 Kings 10:2) Although three different kinds of gifts are spoken of, the only person mentioned as giving them is the queen of Sheba. The number of her presents does not indicate that three people approached Solomon on that occasion. Similarly, the three gifts made to Jesus have little to do with the number of people who brought them. The Catholic Encyclopedia notes: “The Gospel narrative omits to mention the number of the Magi, and there is no certain tradition in this matter. Some Fathers speak of three Magi; they are very likely influenced by the number of gifts.” It goes on to mention that various works of art show two, three, four, and even eight visiting Jesus. Some traditions favor up to 12. There is simply no way to verify the number of the Magi.
(3) What Sort of Star Led the Astrologers?
Clues are provided by what the star actually did. For one thing, it did not lead the men directly to Bethlehem, but to Jerusalem, where their inquiries about Jesus reached the ears of King Herod. Herod then “secretly summoned the astrologers,” who told him about the newborn “king of the Jews.” Herod then said: “Make a careful search for the young child, and when you have found it report back to me.” Herod’s interest in Jesus, however, was anything but noble. Rather, this proud and ruthless ruler was resolved to put Jesus to death!—Matthew 2:1-8, 16. Interestingly, the “star” now led the astrologers south to Bethlehem. There “it came to a stop” above the house where Jesus was.—Matthew 2:9, 10. Clearly this was no ordinary star! And why would God, who had used angels to inform humble shepherds of Jesus’ birth, now employ a star to guide pagan astrologers—first to Jesus’ enemy and then to the child himself? The only reasonable conclusion is that the star was a sinister device of Satan, who is capable of such manifestations. (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10) Ironically, an ornament called the star of Bethlehem is usually seen at the very top of the Christmas tree.
(4) What Does Santa Claus Have to Do With Jesus and His Birth?
The custom: In many lands, Santa Claus is viewed as the one who brings children gifts. Children often write to Santa, asking for presents, which, according to tradition, elves help him to make at his North Pole headquarters.
Its roots: According to the popular view, the Santa Claus myth owes its origin to Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Asia Minor, now Turkey. “Virtually everything written about St. Nicholas is based on legends,” says The Christmas Encyclopedia. The designation “Santa Claus” may owe its origin to the word Sinterklaas, a corruption of the Dutch terms for “Saint Nicholas.” Historically and Biblically, Santa Claus has nothing in common with Jesus Christ.
What the Bible says: “Now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor.” Our closest ‘neighbors’ are our family members. (Ephesians 4:25) The Bible also says that we should “love truth,” “speaking the truth in [our] heart.” (Zechariah 8:19; Psalm 15:2) True, telling children that Santa (or the Christ child) is the bearer of presents at Christmas may seem to be innocent fun, but is it right or wise to deceive little children, even if one’s intentions are not bad? Do you not find it ironic that an occasion that is supposedly meant to honor Jesus becomes a time to deceive children?
(5) How Does God View Christmas Gift-Giving and Merrymaking?
The custom: Christmas giving is unusual in that it largely involves an exchange of gifts, and the Christmas season is marked by partying, feasting, and drinking.
Its roots:
Ancient Roman Saturnalian festivities began on December 17 and concluded on the 24th, when gifts were exchanged. Homes and streets were noisy with banqueting, heavy drinking, and riotous behavior. The Saturnalia was followed by an event celebrating the first day of January. This was also observed by a festival, usually lasting about three days. The Saturnalia and the first day of January likely formed one festive occasion.
What the Bible says:
Joy and generosity characterize true worship. “Be joyful, you righteous ones; and cry out joyfully,” the Bible says. (Psalm 32:11) Such joy is often associated with generosity. (Proverbs 11:25) “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving,” said Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:35) He also said: “Practice giving,” or make it a regular part of your life.—Luke 6:38. Such giving has little in common with ritualized giving or giving that is compelled, perhaps by social custom. Describing the true spirit of generosity, the Bible states: “Each person should give as he has decided for himself; there should be no reluctance, no sense of compulsion; God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, The New English Bible) Those who heed these excellent Bible principles give because their generous heart impels them to do so, which can be at any time of the year. To be sure, this kind of giving has God’s blessing, and it is never burdensome. A Counterfeit!
When examined in the light of the Bible, virtually every facet of Christmas is either pagan in origin or a distortion of the Bible accounts. Hence, Christmas customs are Christian in name only. How did this come about? Centuries after the death of Christ, many false teachers arose, just as the Bible had foretold. (2 Timothy 4:3, 4) Those unprincipled men were more interested in making Christianity fashionable to the pagan masses than they were in teaching truth. Hence, they gradually adopted popular pagan religious festivals and labeled them “Christian.”
Such “false teachers,” the Bible warned, “will exploit you with counterfeit words. But as for them, the judgment from of old is not moving slowly, and the destruction of them is not slumbering.” (2 Peter 2:1-3) Jehovah’s Witnesses take those words seriously—as they do the entire Bible, which they view as the written Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16) Hence, they reject false religious customs or celebrations. Has this stand deprived them of happiness? On the contrary! As we shall now see, they know from experience that Bible truth is liberating!
It appears that Jesus was born during the ancient Jewish month of Ethanim (September-October).—See the reference work Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2, page 56, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
In some European lands, such as Austria, “Santa is still not as eagerly expected as Christkind,” or the Christ child, says a BBC news report. Nevertheless, the visit is still about presents.
SOW WEEDS, REAP WEEDS
At one time, church authorities fought “tooth and nail against [the] relics of heathenism,” says the book Christmas Customs and Traditions—Their History and Significance. But in time, church leaders became more eager to fill pews than teach truth. Hence, they began to “wink at” those pagan practices. Later they embraced them.
‘What you sow you reap,’ the Bible says. (Galatians 6:7) After sowing their fields with the seeds of paganism, the churches should not be surprised that “weeds” proliferate. A celebration allegedly honoring the birth of Jesus becomes an excuse for drunkenness and revelry, the shopping mall becomes more popular than the church, families go deeply into debt buying presents, and children confuse myth with reality and Santa Claus with Jesus Christ. Yes, for good reason, God said: “Quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Corinthians 6:17.
What Kind of Star Led the “Wise Men” to Jesus?
Popular Christmas stories portray the star as a good sign from heaven. Was it really?
▪ The peculiar nature of the star caught the eye of “wise men” from the East,
eventually leading them to young Jesus, relates the Bible writer Matthew. (Matthew 2:1-12, King James Version) Popular Christmas stories portray the star as a good sign from heaven. One reference work refers to the star as part of a “divine pre-arrangement whereby . . . the child Jesus was honored and acknowledged by the Father as his beloved Son.” Even Christmas carols honor that star. What was this star?
Some have suggested that it was a natural celestial phenomenon. A number of scholars have proposed that it was a conjunction of planets. However, as The New Bible Dictionary points out, “such a phenomenon could not naturally be referred to as ‘a star.’” Multiple planets passing close to each other would still appear as individual points of light and not as a single star. Some have suggested other celestial phenomena, such as a comet or a supernova. However, none of these phenomena could maneuver through the sky in a way that would lead the men to a specific city and then stop over a specific house.
Could the star have been a natural event or could it have appeared by divine providence? Consider some facts: The “wise men” were not what we would today call academics; neither were they kings. They were, as most modern English translations read, “astrologers.” They engaged in a practice condemned in the Holy Scriptures. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) Note that only these astrologers were reported to have “seen” the star. If the star had been an actual star, it would have been as visible as a beacon to the public in general. But even King Herod had to ask them about the details of its appearance. This star guided the astrologers first to Jerusalem, to Herod, a mortal enemy of the future Messiah. He intended to kill the child Jesus. Then the star shifted direction and led the astrologers south to Bethlehem where Jesus was, thus placing Jesus’ life in danger.
These facts give evidence that the star was from an evil source, most likely Satan the Devil. The Bible describes him as using “lying signs and portents.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9) It should thus not surprise true Christians that Satan could make only astrologers see a starlike object and could jockey that “star” to lead them to God’s Son, whom he wanted to destroy. Of course, no one can outmaneuver Jehovah God. Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Devil’s ploy to bring an early death to Jesus was thwarted.
It is noteworthy, however, that God did in fact announce Jesus’ birth through miraculous means. On the very night of Jesus’ birth, an angel appeared to a group of shepherds and announced the birth of a “Savior.” The angel also provided directions so that the shepherds could visit Jesus. Then a multitude of angels appeared and proceeded to praise God. (Luke 2:8-14) God used these angels and not the star to inform people of Jesus’ birth.
Common misconceptions
Myth: The reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas is that they do not believe in Jesus.
Fact: We are Christians. We believe that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.—Acts 4:12.
Myth: You divide families by teaching members not to celebrate Christmas.
Fact: We care deeply about families, and we use the Bible to help build stronger families.
Myth: You miss out on the “Christmas spirit” of generosity, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men.
Fact: We strive to be generous and peaceable every day. (Proverbs 11:25; Romans 12:18) For example, the way we conduct our meetings and preach is in harmony with Jesus’ instruction: “You received free, give free.” (Matthew 10:8) In addition, we direct attention to God’s Kingdom as the true hope for peace on earth.—Matthew 10:7.
Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate Christmas?
The truth of the matter is that Christmas has no place in Christianity. Jesus commanded that we commemorate his death, not his birth.—Luke 22:19, 20.
Jesus’ apostles and early disciples did not celebrate Christmas. The New Catholic Encyclopedia says that “the Nativity feast was instituted no earlier than 243 [C.E.],” more than a century after the last of the apostles died.
There is no proof that Jesus was born on December 25; his birth date is not recorded in the Bible.
We believe that Christmas is not approved by God because it is rooted in pagan customs and rites.—2 Corinthians 6:17.
Why make Christmas an issue?
Many still celebrate Christmas despite knowing about its pagan roots and lack of support from the Bible. Such persons could ask: Why should Christians take such an unpopular stance? Why make it an issue?
The Bible encourages us to think for ourselves, to use our “power of reason.” (Romans 12:1, 2) It teaches us to value the truth. (John 4:23, 24) So while we are interested in how others view us, we adhere to Bible principles even if it means that we become unpopular.
Although we choose not to celebrate Christmas ourselves, we respect each person’s right to decide for himself in this matter. We do not interfere in the Christmas celebrations of others.
The Christmas Tree—Its Pre-Christian Origin
IN MANY parts of the world, the evergreen Christmas tree is a well-known symbol in holiday celebrations and commerce. The religious origin of the tree runs deep and stretches far back in human history.
This is evident in Bohuslän Province on the west coast of Sweden and in the nearby province of Østfold in Norway. In those areas, more than 75,000 individual rock carvings have been found at some 5,000 different sites. Archaeologists say that many of these rock carvings were made between about 1,800 and 500 B.C.E.
These remarkable carvings reveal something about the beliefs of people who lived a very long time before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. For example, some researchers think that in early times in areas of present-day Sweden and Norway, evergreen trees, such as spruces, were used as sacred symbols.
Why was it that people living in these far northern coastal areas of the world made rock carvings of spruce trees? Some scholars suggest it was partly because of the evident rarity of those trees during the pre-Christian times when the carvings were made. Understandably, a tree that stays permanently green, or “alive,” when other trees seemingly die in cold weather must have been somewhat of a mystery. Trees have been symbols of life, survival, and immortality in many cultures worldwide. This fact may also help explain why tree images that clearly resemble evergreen spruces were carved into rocks in the area of Bohuslän and Østfold many centuries before that tree became a common sight there.
The book Rock Carvings in the Borderlands, published in cooperation with the Swedish National Heritage Board, says: “The images of trees in rock carvings illustrate that as early as the Bronze Age the southern Scandinavian region was part of a larger religious and cultural context that covered the whole of Europe and large parts of Asia. Religion and cosmology were adapted to people whose livelihoods were farming and animal husbandry. They largely worshipped the same gods, although the names of the gods varied.”
The Rock Carving Tour, a booklet published by the Bohusläns Museum, further explains: “It was not the everyday world the rock carvers wanted to portray. We believe that their images perhaps were a form of prayer and invocation to the gods.” The booklet adds: “Beliefs revolved around the eternal circle of life, fertility, death and re-birth.”
Describing a unique collection of symbolic art, created long before the art of writing was introduced into northern Europe, National encyklopedin, the Swedish national reference encyclopedia, notes: “The marked presence of sexually charged depictions shows how important a fertility cult was in the religion of the Bronze Age people in the North.”
Evidently, customs involving evergreen trees spread and became part of life in many places. The Encyclopædia Britannica states regarding the Christmas tree: “Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity.” It did so in various rites and customs, including “the custom . . . of placing a Yule tree at an entrance or inside the house during the midwinter holidays.”
The broad way leading the evergreen tree to modern popularity was paved in 1841 when the British royal family used a decorated spruce for their Christmas celebrations. Today the Christmas tree is recognized all over the world, and the demand for countless millions of natural and artificial Christmas trees seems endless. Meanwhile, Scandinavian rock carvings provide silent testimony, literally set in stone, that the Christmas tree is not of Christian origin.
Now from another angle -
Credits and permission to post the following article from this author are pending approval. This is one writers perspective on the subject.
Pagan Roots? 5 Surprising Facts About Christmas
By Stephanie Pappas, Live Science Senior Writer | LiveScience.com – Sun, Dec 23, 2012.
When you gather around the Christmas tree or stuff goodies into a stocking, you're taking part in traditions that stretch back thousands of years — long before Christianity entered the mix.
Pagan, or non-Christian, traditions show up in this beloved winter holiday, a consequence of early church leaders melding Jesus' nativity celebration with pre-existing midwinter festivals. Since then, Christmas traditions have warped over time, arriving at their current state a little more than a century ago.
Read on for some of the surprising origins of Christmas cheer, and find out why Christmas was once banned in New England.
1. Early Christians had a soft spot for pagans
It's a mistake to say that our modern Christmas traditions come directly from pre-Christian paganism, said Ronald Hutton, a historian at Bristol University in the United Kingdom. However, he said, you'd be equally wrong to believe that Christmas is a modern phenomenon. As Christians spread their religion into Europe in the first centuries A.D., they ran into people living by a variety of local and regional religious creeds.
Christian missionaries lumped all of these people together under the umbrella term "pagan," said Philip Shaw, who researches early Germanic languages and Old English at Leicester University in the U.K. The term is related to the Latin word meaning "field," Shaw told Live Science. The lingual link makes sense, he said, because early European Christianity was an urban phenomenon, while paganism persisted longer in rustic areas.
Early Christians wanted to convert pagans, Shaw said, but they were also fascinated by their traditions.
"Christians of that period are quite interested in paganism," he said. "It's obviously something they think is a bad thing, but it's also something they think is worth remembering. It's what their ancestors did." [In Photos: Early Christian Rome]
Perhaps that's why pagan traditions remained even as Christianity took hold. The Christmas tree is a 17th-century German invention, University of Bristol's Hutton told Live Science, but it clearly derives from the pagan practice of bringing greenery indoors to decorate in midwinter. The modern Santa Claus is a direct descendent of England's Father Christmas, who was not originally a gift-giver. However, Father Christmas and his other European variations are modern incarnations of old pagan ideas about spirits who traveled the sky in midwinter, Hutton said.
2. We all want that warm Christmas glow
But why this fixation on partying in midwinter, anyway? According to historians, it's a natural time for a feast. In an agricultural society, the harvest work is done for the year, and there's nothing left to be done in the fields.
"It's a time when you have some time to devote to your religious life," said Shaw. "But also it's a period when, frankly, everyone needs cheering up."
The dark days that culminate with the shortest day of the year — the winter solstice — could be lightened with feasts and decorations, Hutton said. "If you happen to live in a region in which midwinter brings striking darkness and cold and hunger, then the urge to have a celebration at the very heart of it to avoid going mad or falling into deep depression is very, very strong," he said.
Stephen Nissenbaum, author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist "The Battle for Christmas" (Vintage, 1997), agreed.
"Even now when solstice means not all that much because you can get rid of the darkness with the flick of an electric light switch, even now, it's a very powerful season," he told LIveScience.
3. The Church was slow to embrace Christmas
Despite the spread of Christianity, midwinter festivals did not become Christmas for hundreds of years. The Bible gives no reference to when Jesus was born, which wasn't a problem for early Christians, Nissenbaum said.
"It never occurred to them that they needed to celebrate his birthday," he said.
With no Biblical directive to do so and no mention in the Gospels of the correct date, it wasn't until the fourth century that church leaders in Rome embraced the holiday. At this time, Nissenbaum said, many people had turned to a belief the Church found heretical: That Jesus had never existed as a man, but as a sort of spiritual entity.
"If you want to show that Jesus was a real human being just like every other human being, not just somebody who appeared like a hologram, then what better way to think of him being born in a normal, humble human way than to celebrate his birth?" Nissenbaum said. [Religious Mysteries: 8 Alleged Relics of Jesus]
Midwinter festivals, with their pagan roots, were already widely celebrated, Nissenbaum said. And the date had a pleasing philosophical fit with festivals celebrating the lengthening days after the winter solstice (which fell on Dec. 21 this year). "O, how wonderfully acted Providence that on that day on which that Sun was born … Christ should be born," one Cyprian text read.
4. The Puritans hated the holiday
But if the Catholic Church gradually came to embrace Christmas, the Protestant Reformation gave the holiday a good knock on the chin. In the 16th century, Christmas became a casualty of this church schism, with reformist-minded Protestants considering it little better than paganism, Nissenbaum said. This likely had something to do with the "raucous, rowdy and sometimes bawdy fashion" in which Christmas was celebrated, he added.
In England under Oliver Cromwell, Christmas and other saints' days were banned, and in New England it was illegal to celebrate Christmas for about 25 years in the 1600s, Nissenbaum said. Forget people saying, "Happy holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," he said.
"If you want to look at a real 'War on Christmas,' you've got to look at the Puritans," he said. "They banned it!"
5. Gifts are a new (and surprisingly controversial) tradition
While gift-giving may seem inextricably tied to Christmas, it used to be that people looked forward to opening presents on New Year's Day.
"They were a blessing for people to make them feel good as the year ends," Hutton said. It wasn't until the Victorian era of the 1800s that gift-giving shifted to Christmas. According to the Royal Collection, Queen Victoria's children got Christmas Eve gifts in 1850, including a sword and armor. In 1841, Victoria gave her husband, Prince Albert, a miniature portrait of her as a 7-year-old; in 1859, she gave him a book of poetry by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
All of this gift-giving, along with the secular embrace of Christmas, now has some religious groups steamed, Nissenbaum said. The consumerism of Christmas shopping seems, to some, to contradict the religious goal of celebrating Jesus Christ's birth. In some ways, Nissenbaum said, excessive spending is the modern equivalent of the revelry and drunkenness that made the Puritans frown.
"There's always been a push and pull, and it's taken different forms," he said. "It might have been alcohol then, and now it's these glittering toys."
Credits and permission to post from the author are pending approval.
However as a rebuttal-1or a second opinion to one part of this article, in item #3 in pp3 this writer quotes Nissenbaum, "At this time, Nissenbaum said, many people had turned to a belief the Church found heretical: That Jesus had never existed as a man, but as a sort of spiritual entity." In my opinion, according to my research, it is difficult if not impossible to come to this conclusion as Nissenbaum states with the entire Greek scriptures focusing on his (Jesus') life. Any number of scriptures could easily prove that not only was Jesus on earth during his ministry, he was in fact God's son.
Anyone who laments the excesses of Christmas might consider the Puritans of colonial Massachusetts: they simply outlawed the holiday. The Puritans had their reasons, since Christmas was once an occasion for drunkenness and riot, when poor "wassailers" extorted food and drink from the well-to-do. In this intriguing and innovative work of social history, Nissenbaum rediscovers Christmas' carnival origins and shows how it was transformed, during the nineteenth century, into a festival of domesticity and consumerism.
As this author states that Credits for some of the information gained by reference another author Stephen Nissenbaum where on his back cover of his publication "The Battle for Christmas" he states in part: Drawing on a wealth of period documents and illustrations, Nissenbaum charts the invention of our current yuletide tradition, from St. Nicholas to the Christmas tree and, perhaps most radically, the practice of giving gifts to children. Bursting with detail, filled with subversive readings of such seasonal classics as "A Visit from St. Nicholas" and A Christmas Carol, The Battle for Christmas captures the glorious strangeness of the past even as i helps us better understand the present.
The Books contents by subject matter chapter by chapter are:
Table of Contents
Preface
1. New England's War on Christmas
2. Revisiting "A Visit from St. Nicholas"
3. The Parlor and the Street
4. Affection's Gift:
Toward a History of Christmas Presents
5. Under the Christmas Tree:
A Battle of Generations
6. Tiny Tim and Other Charity Cases
7. Wassailing Across the Color Line:
Christmas in the Antebellum South
Epilogue:
The Ghosts of Christmas Past.
Either way, this article and the book cited does offer both writers opinion to the fact that the holiday commonly known to all as Christmas has no scriptural origin, that it has pagan roots and therefore, is not a day to be celebrated by true Christians. I cited both this commentator as well as an known author to show that my opinions on the matter are not prejudiced by any one religious belief but that the information contained herein is supported by others.
Here is an interesting YouTube clip I recently found which you might enjoy. The video itself seems to have merit but since it is not from a known source, parts of it may be challenged. Also the comments that follow may or may not be appropriate reading since again, their source and their motive to me is unknown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDY1jX-LJqw
This project is still under construction
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