Thank you for your help. Perhaps one of Jehovah’s Witnesses might ask, do you suddenly feel a year older? ‘Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah.”​—2 Corinthians 6:14-17. The fathers of the first three centuries do not speak of any special observance of the nativity.”​—Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981 reprint), by John McClintock and James Strong, Volume II, page 276. “Most of the Christmas customs now prevailing in Europe, or recorded from former times, are not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been absorbed or tolerated by the Church. Curiously, Reasoning from the Scriptures contains no entry on alcohol or drunkenness. At least he might if he were me. Even he stands alone in his opposition, which would indicate that other Christians did not consider birthdays to be the issue or sin that Witnesses do. The World Book Encyclopedia (1982) observes under “Christmas”: “During the 1600’s . . . We appreciate it very much when teachers kindly excuse our children from participation in all activities that in any way commemorate these holidays. For this reason, said Origen, the church baptizes infants—something Witnesses roundly oppose. I have been given a case study where Joseph''s family are Jehovah Witnesses and do not want the service to celebrate Joseph's birthday. Mt 14:1-12). Ethical objections in early church history to celebrating one’s birthday are found in only one of these hundred-odd Christian authors. (Luke 15:22-25; Acts 20:35) Jehovah’s Witnesses enjoy giving gifts and having good times together throughout the year. Yet this is not advocated in their publications. The question to consider is whether these extre… Christmas was outlawed in England and in parts of the English colonies in America.” Since people in the past refused to celebrate Christmas because of its pagan origins, it should be understandable why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate it today. For example, there may be national days of thanksgiving. Citing the examples of Jeremiah, Job, and believers in his own day, Origen preached that the proper Christian activity for one’s birthday is to curse it, but I doubt that Witnesses pass the day in this activity. 14:6–10). The Witnesses cite (incompletely) Augustus Neander. I had great relatives that were and died from … Is the Incarnation Logically Incoherent ? 1. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays because we believe that such celebrations displease God. Valentine’s Day: “Valentine’s Day comes on the feast day of two different Christian martyrs named Valentine. When learning these facts about Christmas, how have some been affected? So why celebrate wedding anniversaries and not birthday anniversaries? … Another problem is that the non-Witness sources it cites are too old to still be authoritative or available. Significant new insights of the ancient church are provided by such recent discoveries as the Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus and the Toura Manuscript in our own time. U.S. Catholic of December 1981, page 32, notes: “It is impossible to separate Christmas from its pagan origins.” The magazine explains: “The Romans’ favorite festival was Saturnalia, which began on December 17 and ended with the ‘birthday of the unconquered sun’ (Natalis solis invicti) on December 25. Activities that Jehovah’s Witnesses are prohibited from participating in are as follows: All Holiday and Birthday Celebrations All Patriotic Activities, Including Singing the National Anthem and Saluting the Flag After-School Activities that Conflict with Evening Commitments at the Kingdom Hall Fact: We are Christians.We believe that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ.— Acts 4:12.. Christmas: As you are probably aware, December 25 was not the birthday of Jesus Christ. 3. Somewhere in the second quarter of the fourth century, savvy officials of the church of Rome decided December 25 would make a dandy day to celebrate the birthday of the ‘sun of righteousness.’ Christmas was born.”. 1. The day of Christ’s birth cannot be ascertained from the N[ew] T[estament], or, indeed, from any other source. , there may be national days of thanksgiving roundly oppose my might what my hands to. Protestants rejected this feast along with other important ones such as Christmas and Easter are. 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