should we celebrate holidays?

M

mee

Guest
should We Celebrate Holidays?​

THE Bible is not the source of popular religious and secular holidays that are celebrated in many parts of the world today. ​



What, then, is the origin of such celebrations? ​




If you have access to a library, you will find it interesting to note what reference books say about holidays that are popular where you live. ​



Consider a few examples. ​




Easter.​


"There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament," states The Encyclopædia Britannica. ​


How did Easter get started? ​



It is rooted in pagan worship.

While this holiday is supposed to commemorate Jesus’ resurrection, the customs associated with the Easter season are not Christian.
For instance, concerning the popular "Easter bunny," The Catholic Encyclopedia says: "The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been an emblem of fertility." ​









New Year’s 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. ​




Halloween.​


The Encyclopedia Americana says: "Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid [ancient Celtic priesthood] ceremony in pre-Christian times. ​

The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead . . . , whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year.

The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual." ​









other Holidays. It is not possible to discuss all the observances held throughout the world. However, holidays that exalt humans or human organizations are not acceptable to Jehovah. (Jeremiah 17:5-7; Acts 10:25, 26) Keep in mind, too, that the origin of religious celebrations has a bearing on whether they please God or not. (Isaiah 52:11; Revelation 18:4) ​
 
Because it is fun, because it brings people together in celebration. because it drives some folk who don't believe in holidays...crazy, that everyone else is celebrating, and they can't or won't.

Because it has meaning behind it.
 
So, Mee, does this mean that Jehovah doesnt want his "people" to have fun and celebrate things, unless they are strictly about him?
So, would it be ok then to celebrate(bear with me) "jehovah day"? But not, say the birth of a new member of the family, (or old member).
Dont forget, Mee that from my view, if we cancelled out all the "holidays" for family get togethers, people like me would only see their families at events like weddings, or even worse, funerals..............
I think, we need to celebrate life, all of it is beautiful. But actually haveing an "event" at least is practical for people to plan etc. Some of my fondest memories are of the "holidays" I have spent and I expect they are for my family as well, I wouldnt want to deprive them of that.
Whatever the "reason" for the celebration, why wouldnt it include thanking God? So, In my opinion, the more the merrier.
 
greymare said:
So, Mee, does this mean that Jehovah doesnt want his "people" to have fun and celebrate things, unless they are strictly about him?
So, would it be ok then to celebrate(bear with me) "jehovah day"? But not, say the birth of a new member of the family, (or old member).
Dont forget, Mee that from my view, if we cancelled out all the "holidays" for family get togethers, people like me would only see their families at events like weddings, or even worse, funerals..............
I think, we need to celebrate life, all of it is beautiful. But actually haveing an "event" at least is practical for people to plan etc. Some of my fondest memories are of the "holidays" I have spent and I expect they are for my family as well, I wouldnt want to deprive them of that.
Whatever the "reason" for the celebration, why wouldnt it include thanking God? So, In my opinion, the more the merrier.
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yes its good to have good times:)
 
mee said:
should We Celebrate Holidays?
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Psalm 81:2-3
"Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel,
the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed,
on our solemn feast day."

Psa 149:1-4
"Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song,
[and] his praise in the congregation of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him:
let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise his name in the dance:
let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people:
he will beautify the meek with salvation."

Matthew 19:4
"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Children love celebrations and holidays.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a place full of children.

Yes, we should.

Thomas
 
I don't 'do' Haloween or easter (not because they are pagan.) Just not my thing.... I do however celebrate my birthday not because I am a god deserving of worship, but because I celebrate life. Life, is, good. And it is a good way to reflect back on the year passed, and my birthday is in two days!! WOOOOHOOOOOOOO!! *puts on a party hat and pulls some poppers...(the party things not the drug.)*

I also give and receive presents on christmas, and again I hold no religious connection on it.. It's just a time of fun and giving to me. "Oh but you have a christmas tree and that is pagan!!" Oh my! We best destory all tree's!!! *grabs an axe and a mob torch* Get your torches y'all we forming a mob?!

I feel sorry for those that cannot participate in such events... :s
 
Perhaps mee will be turning up for work on all public holiday LOL
 
greymare said:
Whatever the "reason" for the celebration, why wouldnt it include thanking God? So, In my opinion, the more the merrier.
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Wouldn't it be great if every day was a holiday? Yay!

That would be the case if God lived among us.:):D
 
Thomas said:
Psa 149:1-4
"Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song,
[and] his praise in the congregation of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him:
let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise his name in the dance:
let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people:
he will beautify the meek with salvation."



Yes, we should.

Thomas
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very true thats the way to do it , with no pagan things attached :)


Praise Jah, YOU people!
Offer praise, O YOU servants of Jehovah,
Praise the name of Jehovah.​
psalm 113



And they sing a NEW SONG , saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
revelation 5;9




as he says: "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the middle of [the] congregation I will praise you with song. HEBREWS 2;12

Know that Jehovah is God.:)
It is he that has made us, and not we ourselves.
[We are] his people and the sheep of his pasturage PSALM 100;3 ​


For God is King of all the earth;
MAKE melody, acting with discretion. PSALM 47;7 ​











 
Quahom1 said:
no. Mee takes advantage of that little issue.
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Making money when the rest of us are resting, too lazy to work.:) The U.S. economy needs people like that.

....on little pay....cheap workers....:D....It'll help America compete against China and India.

Robots....lesser life forms.:eek: Ready to be used at your will. Highly deployable.

At a time when the U.S. is facing a recession, someone may have to institute a cheap labour scheme. Circumvent the unions. I'm sure the homeless wouldn't mind. Getting paid is better than not getting paid or living on food stamps.

....and yeah, if the U.S. economy is competitive, it helps the military-industrial complex. That's the big picture of people working on holidays. More productivity.

Conspiracy theories....that's why you better be suspicious when someone advocates these things. Some guy somewhere in the government is trying to find a way to increase the power of the military.

But hush......shhhhh!!!!!! Don't say a word! We never talked about this. Stay away from the journalists.

Quahom1 said:
He doesn't? :eek:
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Depends on what you believe.....:):eek::D
 
Maybe you should look harder at the stats. Of all the industrialized world, the US worker takes the least time off (10 days a year average). Lazy is not in the US mindset. Stupid, might be though. Because we die sooner than most.
 
I celebrate often as I can! Life is good.

Especially the Holydays....even if they aren't mine but that of a friends, honoring their traditions.

Heck mee, we'd even recognize your birthday round these parts, for shame of us.
 
would it be right to mix false religion with true religion ?


How, then, was it possible for a pagan holiday to be celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ?

Does this not reveal that there must have been some weakening in the position of Christians toward paganism?

What might have caused this?

Pointing to one strong factor, the Encyclopædia Britannica states: "Christmas, the festival of the birth of Jesus Christ, was established in connection with a fading of the expectation of Christ’s imminent return."—Macropædia, Vol. 4, p. 499, 1974 edition.


From the second century onward, many professed Christians failed to heed Jesus’ counsel.
His coming in Kingdom power with angelic hosts ceased to be of immediate concern to them.

So the time came when they no longer appreciated the vital need to maintain a clean and unblemished appearance before their Lord.

This "fading of the expectation of Christ’s imminent return" weakened their resistance to involvement with paganism, resulting in the adoption of pagan holidays, which were then given a "Christian" label.:(
 
Quahom1 said:
Because it has meaning behind it.
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CHRISTMAS-NOT CELEBRATED BY EARLY CHRISTIANS​

A person’s worship could be contaminated by false religion as it relates to popular holidays. ​




Consider Christmas, for example. Christmas supposedly commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, and nearly every religion that claims to be Christian celebrates it. ​



Yet, there is no evidence that the first-century disciples of Jesus observed such a holiday. ​



The book Sacred Origins of Profound Things states: "For two centuries after Christ’s birth, no one knew, and few people cared, exactly when he was born." ​




Even if Jesus’ disciples had known the exact date of his birth, they would not have celebrated it. Why? Because, as The World Book Encyclopedia says, the early Christians "considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom." ​




The only birthday observances mentioned in the Bible are those of two rulers who did not worship Jehovah. (Genesis 40:20; Mark 6:21) ​



Birthday celebrations were also held in honor of pagan deities. ​



For example, on May 24 the Romans celebrated the birthday of the goddess Diana. On the following day, they observed the birthday of their sun-god, Apollo. Hence, birthday celebrations were associated with paganism, not with Christianity. ​





There is another reason why first-century Christians would not have celebrated Jesus’ birthday. ​



His disciples likely knew that birthday celebrations were connected with superstition. For instance, many Greeks and Romans of ancient times believed that a spirit attended the birth of each human and protected that one throughout life. "This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born," says the book The Lore of Birthdays. ​



Jehovah certainly would not be pleased with any observance that would link Jesus with superstition. (Isaiah 65:11, 12) ​
 
mee said:
would it be right to mix false religion with true religion ?


How, then, was it possible for a pagan holiday to be celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ?
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What is false religion?

1.a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.2.a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion. 3.the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices: a world council of religions. 4.the life or state of a monk, nun, etc.: to enter religion. 5.the practice of religious beliefs; ritual observance of faith.6.something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience: to make a religion of fighting prejudice. 7.religions, Archaic. religious rites.8.Archaic. strict faithfulness; devotion: a religion to one's vow.
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So what is a false one?? Anyone but yours?? And what is a false denomination, anyone but yours? I'm sorry mee, the bible is full of mixtures of other religions, both the old and new testament. You can find numerology, astrology, egyptian, sun god all referenced in there.

We celebrate, you sit in the corner and pout, if it suits you and yours it is fine. I'll dance, put up a tree, hang a wreath, light the yule log and set out some cookies for st. nick and carrots for the reindeer whilst you pray for my soul.
 
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