Why Don't Jehovah's Witnesses participate in New Year Celebrations?

The date and customs associated with New Year’s celebrations vary from one country to another. Regarding the origin of this celebration, The World Book Encyclopedia states: “The Roman ruler Julius Caesar established January 1 as New Year’s Day in 46 B.C. The Romans dedicated this day to Janus, the god of gates, doors, and beginnings. The month of January was named after Janus, who had two faces​—one looking forward and the other looking backward.” So New Year’s celebrations are founded on pagan traditions.

Do origins really matter? Yes! To illustrate: Suppose you saw a piece of candy lying in the gutter. Would you pick up that candy and eat it? Of course not! That candy is unclean. Like that candy, holidays may seem sweet, but they have been picked up from unclean places. To take a stand for true worship, we need to have a viewpoint like that of the prophet Isaiah, who told true worshippers: “Touch nothing unclean!”​—Isaiah 52:11.

What if you consider yourself to be a Christian​—would this affect your view of New Year’s celebrations? Well, can you imagine the apostle Peter’s going to a New Year’s party? Notice what he wrote in his first letter, 1 Peter chapter four, verse 3: “You spent quite long enough in the past living the sort of life that pagans live, behaving indecently, giving way to your passions, drinking all the time, having wild parties and drunken orgies and degrading yourselves by following false gods.”​—The Jerusalem Bible.

It should be noted that Christians are not governed by any sacred or religious calendar specifying certain holy days or festivals, a point that is clearly stated by the apostle Paul at Galatians 4:9-11 and Colossians 2:16, 17. The one event that they are required to observe annually, the Lord’s Evening Meal, at Passover time, is governed by the lunar calendar.​—Mt 26:2, 26-29; 1Co 11:23-26

The Bible’s View

The Bible admonishes Christians to “walk decently, not in revelries and drunken bouts.” (Romans 13:12-14; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:3) Since New Year’s festivities are often characterized by the very excesses that the Bible condemns, Christians do not participate in them. This does not mean that Christians are killjoys. On the contrary, they know that the Bible repeatedly tells worshipers of the true God to rejoice—and that for a number of reasons. (Deuteronomy 26:10, 11; Psalm 32:11; Proverbs 5:15-19; Ecclesiastes 3:22; 11:9) The Bible also acknowledges that food and drink often accompany rejoicing.—Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 9:7a.

As we have seen, however, New Year’s celebrations are rooted in pagan customs. False worship is unclean and detestable in the eyes of Jehovah God, and Christians reject practices that have such origins. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12; Ezekiel 22:3, 4) The apostle Paul wrote: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial?” For good reason, Paul added: “Quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Corinthians 6:14-17a.

Christians also realize that taking part in superstitious rituals does not guarantee happiness and prosperity—especially since participating in such festivities can result in God’s disfavor. (Ecclesiastes 9:11; Isaiah 65:11, 12) Furthermore, the Bible admonishes Christians to be moderate and self-controlled in their conduct. (1 Timothy 3:2, 11) Clearly, it would be improper for one who professes to follow Christ’s teachings to be part of a celebration that is characterized by riotous excess.

As eye-catching and appealing to the senses as New Year’s festivities may be, the Bible tells us to “quit touching the unclean thing” and to “cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” To those who comply, Jehovah extends the heartwarming guarantee: “I will take you in. . . . I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me.” (2 Corinthians 6:17b–7:1) Indeed, he promises eternal blessings and prosperity to those who are loyal to him.—Psalm 37:18, 28; Revelation 21:3, 4, 7.

Read more https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/g20020108/Should-Christians-Share-in-New-Years-Festivities/

Their faith, their problem

Your analogy relating New year celebration to a pagan practice clearly exposes your level of reasoning. Have you ever thought of the origin of the phone you're using? The cars and motorbikes you board to kingdom hall? These devices/machines were invented by technologists who don't either thread the line of religion, or do believe in their gods like budha(the Chinese, Japanese), yet low IQ religious fellows like you and others accept their inventions as necessities of life.

I love JWs for their strongwill and adamance to conform.
They understand that they only have Jehovah to please and not mere mortals who are mostly led astray.

I love JWs for their strongwill and adamance to wrongly conform.
They understand that they only have Jehovah to please and not mere mortals who have been mostly led astray.

They are very grounded biblically and have no shame in preaching the gospel just like Christ instructed.

However what I find intriguingly confusing is the zeal in which their members struggle for Christmas gifts, Xmas Bonuses and souvenirs from events they do not endorse.

I also am aware of how easily their ladies easily spread their legs to be pummeled by the pendulums of unbelievers who they sought out to preach the gospel of redemption to.

Most importantly is the known notion of how terrible they are when they serve as landlords.

Our lives will be a lot better if only we practiced what we preach.
Better still, if we truly understood what we practice.

NwaAmaikpe:



I love JWs for their strongwill and adamance to wrongly conform.
They understand that they only have Jehovah to please and not mere mortals who have been mostly led astray.

They are very grounded biblically and have no shame in preaching the gospel just like Christ instructed.

However what I find intriguingly confusing is the zeal in which their members struggle for Christmas gifts, Xmas Bonuses and souvenirs from events they do not endorse.

I also am aware of how easily their ladies easily spread their legs to be pummeled by the pendulums of unbelievers who they sought out to preach the gospel of redemption to.

Most importantly is the known notion of how terrible they are when they serve as landlords.

Our lives will be a lot better if only we practiced what we preach.
Better still, if we truly understood what we practice.

You're are a honest hearted and sincere observer Sir.

Everything you typed up there is exactly what some amongst Jehovah's Witnesses do.

Well that's exactly what made me convert to the faith, i'm so touch at the sincerity and honesty in the organization.

I wouldn't have believed they're not under a spell had it not been that way!
What they're preaching and teaching (though beneficial) is totally strange before the normal humans in our neighborhood!
It's difficult to see someone just wake up, dress well, pick up his/her bag, fill it with religious books and go straight to visit neighbours in their homes "uninvited", and that's exactly what Jesus commanded his followers to do! Matthew 10:3-15, Luke 10:1-12
Moreover it's not easy preaching and teaching what is totally different from the ideologies of everyone around you!

If they're all PERFECTLY doing all these without some of them been hypocritical about the whole thing, then it won't seem natural to me anymore!

Jesus was accused of casting a powerful spell on those loyally following him {John 10:20, Mark 3:22} but the case of Judah Iscariot who betrayed him for money (despite all what Jesus taught and his warnings against the love of riches) proved those accusing Jesus wrong!

There's no way anyone can convince me that normal humans like me can perfectly carry out all those things the JWs are preaching and teaching without any flaws if they're not under a powerful spell. No wonder most people today are saying "they're a cult group" as those in the religion always strive to remain in it despite the vilification from all sides. Jesus said his true followers will also be accused of cultism just as he himself was falsely accused! Matthew 10:25 compared to Matthew 5:11-12

That's why i believe that they're normal humans just like me, but striving really hard to put on the PERSONALITY that doesn't belong to normal sinful humans! Ephesians 4:24, Colossians 3:10 compared to Roman 7:13-25

NwaAmaikpe:



I love JWs for their strongwill and adamance to wrongly conform.
They understand that they only have Jehovah to please and not mere mortals who have been mostly led astray.

They are very grounded biblically and have no shame in preaching the gospel just like Christ instructed.

However what I find intriguingly confusing is the zeal in which their members struggle for Christmas gifts, Xmas Bonuses and souvenirs from events they do not endorse.

I also am aware of how easily their ladies easily spread their legs to be pummeled by the pendulums of unbelievers who they sought out to preach the gospel of redemption to.

Most importantly is the known notion of how terrible they are when they serve as landlords.

Our lives will be a lot better if only we practiced what we preach.
Better still, if we truly understood what we practice.

You need to understand that it's members are also imperfect humans who struggle to live a life that is pleasing to Almighty God.many of them also struggle to throw away their old personalities and put on the new personalities.

Their own headache.

NwaAmaikpe:



I love JWs for their strongwill and adamance to wrongly conform.
They understand that they only have Jehovah to please and not mere mortals who have been mostly led astray.

They are very grounded biblically and have no shame in preaching the gospel just like Christ instructed.
However what I find intriguingly confusing is the zeal in which their members struggle for Christmas gifts, Xmas Bonuses and souvenirs from events they do not endorse.


I also am aware of how easily their ladies easily spread their legs to be pummeled by the pendulums of unbelievers who they sought out to preach the gospel of redemption to.

Most importantly is the known notion of how terrible they are when they serve as landlords.

Our lives will be a lot better if only we practiced what we preach.
Better still, if we truly understood what we practice.

JWs have never claimed to be perfect...
The Bible Proverb says "the righteous one will fall seven times" but he will strive to rise above his/her failings like Apostle Peter and king David.

We help our fellow JWs to readjust their ways through Counsel and Scriptural discipline when anyone commits serious wrongdoing.
1Cor5:1-13. James 5:14-15.
Christmas gifts, Xmas Bonuses are actually NOT "Christmas gifts, Xmas Bonuses" rather are Corporate Gifts or Incentives usually from The Heads/Management of Corporations or Big Businesses as a mark of appreciation for the loyalty and dedication of Staff & Customers.
They are often wrongly labeled "Xmas bonuses" etc because Corporate bodies don't usually gift such stuff at the start of the business/financial year..

Janosky:


JWs have never claimed to be perfect...
The Bible Proverb says "the righteous one will fall seven times" but he will strive to rise above his/her failings like Apostle Peter and king David.

Christmas gifts, Xmas Bonuses are actually NOT "Christmas gifts, Xmas Bonuses" rather are Corporate Gifts or Incentives usually from The Heads/Management of Corporations or Big Businesses as a mark of appreciation for the loyalty and dedication of Staff & Customers.
They are often wrongly labeled "Xmas bonuses" etc because Corporate bodies don't usually gift such stuff at the start of the business/financial year..

That's just a kiddies play nah!

Why has corporate firms such as Chevron, Dangote, Eleganza never offered me any Christmas bonus?

Did i work for them?

Abegi most people out there just think Jehovah's Witnesses are credulous or stupid religionists!