Holidays and Birthdays

What Jehovah’s Witnesses Need To Know About Christmas

WHAT JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHRISTMAS

There is a historical basis for the December 25th date of Christ’s birth. Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.) wrote Marcus Aurelius that Jesus was born at Bethlehem ‘‘as you can ascertain also from the registers of the taxing.” (Apologia I, 34). Tertullian (160-250) noted “the census of Augustus—that most faithful witness of the Lord’s nativity, kept in the archives of Rome” (Against Marcion, Bk. 4, 7). Cyril of Jerusalem (348-386) asked Julius to assign Christ’s birth date “from census documents brought by Titus to Rome” from which Julius assigned the date of December 25th. Likewise, John Chrysostom who lived about 347-407 wrote that Christ’s December 25th birthday was supported by the tax or census records still existing in his day that showed their registration at Bethlehem. Continue reading

Preparing Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses for Child Custody

.:I’M FIGHTING MY JEHOVAH’S WITNESS EX-SPOUSE FOR CHILD CUSTODY. Do You Have Any Literature I Can Present to the Court to Help My Case?

“My wife started studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses five years ago and recently left me, taking our children with her. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are not encouraging her to go back to me even though according to their policies, she doesn’t have Scriptural grounds for a divorce because there was no fornication involved. She filed for divorce and is dragging me into a custody battle over our children. Watchtower lawyers are assisting her free of charge while I am spending thousands of dollarswith a lawyer who knows little to nothing of how destructive and deceptive the Jehovah’s Witnesses are. I am worried that if she gains full custody of our children, the Jehovah’s Witness belief system will alienate them from me, just as it did to my now ex-wife.

For example, the other day, my five-year old daughter told me that she is afraid that I will ‘die’ when Armageddon comes because I am not a Jehovah’s Witness. When I asked her where she got this idea, she told me that the people at the Kingdom Hall have been telling her that I am ‘bad’ because I ‘don’t serve Jehovah’ and that only Jehovah’s Witnesses will be ‘saved’ when Jehovah kills all the ‘bad’ people at the end of this system. I am concerned how being exposed to this kind of teaching will affect my relationship with my kids, and I think this religion is indeed a destructive cult. Do you have any literature that I can present to the court to help me show the dangers of this religion and gain legal custody of our children?” Continue reading “Preparing Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses for Child Custody”

WHO WE ARE – Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses for Jehovah

.:OUR RESPONSE TO A LETTER FROM A JEHOVAH’S WITNESS ASKING: “WHO ARE YOU? – Are You a Bunch of Apostates Who Don’t Believe Bible Teachings?”

“I’m one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When I read some of your statements on the website, it made me upset to think that there are really people out there like all of you who talk bad about us. Jehovah’s organization is the Truth, and some of you know that deep down in your hearts. But if this is your choice, I know it certainly will never be my choice. I will always praise and love Jehovah. I would never turn my back on Him and leave. Do you believe you are the true religion? How can you believe you are in the truth if you do not go door-to-door preaching the Kingdom? Are you just a bunch of ‘apostates’ who left the Watchtower because you don’t want to adhere to Bible standards? Do you celebrate pagan holidays, believe in war and the Trinity?” Continue reading “WHO WE ARE – Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses for Jehovah”

Stephen – Ex-Jehovah’s Witness

stephen .:STEPHEN

Born and raised Jehovah’s Witness, Stephen was tired of being “different” from the rest of the kids at school. Acting out at school and rebelling at home, Stephen was kicked out of the house and disfellowshipped from the Kingdom Hall at 18 years of age. Losing his Jehovah’s Witness family, he turned to drugs, sex and alcohol, had 2 children out of wedlock, one dying from SIDS before he was 21 years of age. Divorced and remarried at 25, Stephen was reinstated as a Witness, but continued to engage in sinful behavior behind the “Brothers’” backs. Life was a mess and he knew he needed God in his life, so he turned to Jesus Christ and found unexplainable joy and peace!

Stephen’s Facebook Page

Continue reading “Stephen – Ex-Jehovah’s Witness”

Is Christmas Pagan or Christian?

12 Questions for Jehovah’s Witnesses Challenging Common Objections Against the Christmas Holiday

Jehovah’s Witnesses and other religious groups often abhor the Christmas season with its trappings and rituals. The basis for their rejection of this holiday stems from a focus on the alleged pagan origins of some of the traditions used in Christmas celebrations, the overt materialism surrounding this holiday, the ambiguity regarding the time of the year in which Christ was actually born and the close connection of the date of December 25th to the pagan Roman Saturnalia and British Druid winter solstice celebrations of antiquity. While these concerns have elements of legitimacy, a consideration of the Christian origins of many Christmas traditions are often neglected by those embracing a negative view of Christmas. Our hope is that the following questions and information provided will offer a more balanced perspective on this holiday that will help those questioning whether the act of celebrating Christ’s birth at Christmas time dishonors God:

1. At Luke 2:7-18, Scripture records how God celebrated the birth of His Son by sending the angels and shepherds to honor the baby Jesus and to make His birth known to mankind. Since God became excited about the birth of His Son, why would it be wrong for Christians today to get excited about Jesus’ birth? Continue reading “Is Christmas Pagan or Christian?”

Do the Beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses Prove they are the Only True Religion?

Only True Religion

DO THE BELIEFS OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES PROVE THEY ARE THE ONLY TRUE RELIGION? – 10 Questions for Jehovah’s Witnesses on How to Determine the True Religion

A common tactic used by those who oppose the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses is to present photocopied documentation from Watchtower literature that demonstrates how the Watchtower Society has changed its beliefs and practices over the years. Examples of these changes that are often discussed are given on pages 200-201 of the Watchtower Society’s 1993 history book entitled Jehovah’s Witnesses — Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom. On these pages, the Watchtower Society admits that in the 1920’s Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrated the holidays, including Christmas and birthdays, wore a cross and crown as a badge of identification and even used the cross as a symbol on the front cover of the “Watch Tower” from 1891 to 1931. Continue reading “Do the Beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses Prove they are the Only True Religion?”

Dialogue 4: Are holiday and birthday celebrations pagan?

ccjw-en-ad — **Click Here to Learn More about the Book** of Photocopied Documentation

CHRISTIAN CONVERSATIONS WITH JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES—Biblical Answers To Questions Jehovah’s Witnesses Ask

(WDGR Lesson 11: “Beliefs and Customs That Displease God”)

Why do many individuals in Christendom celebrate birthdays and holidays when these customs originated in paganism? Since Jesus never commanded Christians to celebrate His birth, are Christmas celebrations condemned by God? Continue reading “Dialogue 4: Are holiday and birthday celebrations pagan?”

Dialogue 3a: Is the Watchtower Organization a cult? Part 1

CHRISTIAN CONVERSATIONS WITH JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES—Biblical Answers To Questions Jehovah’s Witnesses Ask

(WDGR LESSON 4: “Who is the Devil?”)

Are personal opinions and independent thinking condemned by God? How can Christian unity exist in a religion that allows its members to disagree on spiritual issues? Do true Christians need the guidance of an organization to understand the Bible? What are the mental manipulation techniques of a cult? Continue reading “Dialogue 3a: Is the Watchtower Organization a cult? Part 1”