22nd December, 2019
A Christian sect, the Jehovah’s Witnesses is shunning worldwide frenetic preparations for Christmas, meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
The group banned in Russia dismisses Christmas as a pagan celebration and trashed the widely held belief Jesus was born on 25 December. It says emphatically that the Bible does not give the birthday of Jesus.
Besides, the group argues that Jesus commanded that Christians commemorate his death, not his birth.—Luke 22:19, 20.
“Jesus’ apostles and early disciples did not celebrate Christmas. The New Catholic Encyclopaedia says that “the Nativity feast was instituted no earlier than 243 [C.E.],” more than a century after the last of the apostles died”, it says.
It’s 8.5million members worldwide will thus be shunning the celebration this year as it has done for more than a century since its foundation in 1870 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States.
It says the celebration violates the teachings of the Bible.
In a recent article, What Does the Bible Say about Christmas, published on its website, jw.org, it says in justification of its stand: The Bible does not give the date of Jesus’ birth, nor does it say that we should celebrate his birthday. As McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopaedia states: “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of NT [New Testament] origin.”
“Instead, an examination of the history of Christmas exposes its roots in pagan religious rites. The Bible shows that we offend God if we try to worship him in a way that he does not approve of.—Exodus 32:5-7.”
The article gives six reasons the JW will not be part of the celebration:
1. History of Christmas customs
Celebrating Jesus’ birthday: “The early Christians did not celebrate [Jesus’] birth because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”—The World Book Encyclopaedia.
2.December 25: There is no proof that Jesus was born on that date. Church leaders likely chose this date to coincide with pagan festivals held on or around the winter solstice.
3.Gift-giving, feasting, partying: The Encyclopaedia Americana says: “Saturnalia, a Roman feast celebrated in mid-December, provided the model for many of the merry-making customs of Christmas. From this celebration, for example, were derived the elaborate feasting, the giving of gifts, and the burning of candles.” The Encyclopaedia Britannica notes that “all work and business were suspended” during Saturnalia.
4. Christmas lights: According to The Encyclopaedia of Religion, Europeans decorated their homes “with lights and evergreens of all kinds” to celebrate the winter solstice and to combat evil spirits.
5.Mistletoe, holly: “The Druids ascribed magical properties to the mistletoe in particular. The evergreen holly was worshipped as a promise of the sun’s return.” — The Encyclopaedia Americana.
6.Christmas tree: “Tree worship, common among the pagan Europeans, survived after their conversion to Christianity.” One of the ways in which tree worship survived is in the custom of “placing a Yule tree at an entrance or inside the house in the midwinter holidays.” — Encyclopaedia Britannica.
The group wonders why many people still celebrate Christmas despite its unedifying origin and explained that its anti-Christmas stance does not subtract from its belief in Christ as the saviour.
“We believe that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.—Acts 4:12. We care deeply about families, and we use the Bible to help build stronger families. We strive to be generous and peaceable every day.
“We believe that Christmas is not approved by God because it is rooted in pagan customs and rites. — 2 Corinthians 6:17.”