Have Jehovah's Witnesses rejected all the pagan ways, that modern Christians follow?

An interesting point, however...

It seems odd, that if Jehovah's Witnesses are to have absolutely no association with anything of pagan origin, why they would print on the cover of every Watchtower and Awake magazine, the names of the months of the year.

These are Pagan!

According to The New Encyclopedia Britannica, "January... (is) named for Janus, god of doorways and beginnings.

"March... (is) Martius, named for the god Mars.

"April... The Romans considered the month sacred to the goddess Venus, and its name may derive from that of her Greek equivalent, Aphrodite.

"June... (is) probably named for the goddess Juno" (Vol. 8, p. 292, parenthesis added).

Other months derive their names from equally pagan origins.

"February: named from Februalia, a time period when sacrifices were made to atone for sins.

"May: named for Maia, the goddess of growth of plants.

"July: named for Julius Caesar.

"August: named for Augustus, the first Roman emperor" (Academic American Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 28).

Thus, the names for the months of the year, which are used by every Jehovah's Witness, have their origins in pagan festivals, false religions and the exaltation of ancient heathen rulers.

The problem for the Jehovah's Witnesses, however, does not stop with the names for the month. The problem of paganism effects the Witness on a daily basis.

Those Pagan Days

Similar to the problem experienced by the Jehovah's Witnesses with relationship to the months of the year, the days of the week also have acquired their names from pagan origins.

"The days assigned by the Romans to the Sun, Moon and Saturn were retained for the corresponding days of the week in English and several related languages. The other weekdays names in English are derived from Anglo-Saxon words for the Gods of Teutonic mythology" (The New Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 12, p. 555).

If the Jehovah's Witnesses reject the idea of birthdays due to their "astrological connection," to be consistent, must they not also reject the names of the week days because of their astrological connection?

Sunday: "To understand the meaning and significance of Sunday as the first day of the week it is necessary to consider the five contributions which have been made to its place in the calendar and to its observance: .PG "1) the worship of the sun among ancient peoples, 2) the popularity of Mithraism among the Romans, 3) the Roman observance of the day of the Sun..." (Collier's Encyclopedia, Vol. 21, p. 632).

Monday: "Derived from Lunae Dies, day of the moon, the name reflects the ancient observance of feast days dedicated to the moon, either as goddess or as planet" (Ibid, Vol. 16, p. 440).

Tuesday: "In the Roman calendar the corresponding day was dies Martis, and the same reference to war is conveyed by the origin of Tuesday. Tiw's day is derived from Tyr or Tir, the wrestler and the sons of Odin, or Woden, the Norse god of war" (Ibid, Vol. 22, p. 506)

Wednesday: "...corresponds to the Roman Dies Marcurii. The name is a derivation of the Scandinavian Woden (Odin), chief deity of Norse mythology" (Ibid, Vol. 23, p. 379).

Thursday: "It derives its name from the Middle English Thoresday, or thursday and it corresponds to the Roman dies Jovis. Thor, the god of strength and thunder, defender and help in war, is the counterpart of Jupiter or Jove" (Ibid, Vol. 22, p. 298).

Friday: "It derives its name from the Germanic name Frigg, given to the wife of the god Odin and meaning `beloved' or `loving'" (Ibid, Vol. 10, p. 416).

Saturday: "...corresponding to the Roman dies Saturni, or `day of Saturn,' the Roman god of agriculture" (Ibid, Vol. 20, p. 449).

If Jehovah's Witnesses are truly concerned about influence from pagan sources, false religions and astrological contamination, they must never again use the names of the months or the days of the week.

Contrary to the wishful thinking of some idiots, Jehovah's Witnesses ARE Christians. And a true Christian is someone who fully rejects the God-dishonoring, unscriptural teaching of the Trinity. To accept the trinity is to reject true Christianity.

FordLTD Built Ford Tough : Your right, there are a lot of groups that claim to be Christian but how can it be said they reject pagan way’s when they still celebrate Christmas, Easter, Halloween and more, all deeply rooted into paganism while not putting emphasis on the one and only celebration the Bible say’s to commemorate, the “Memorial” of Jesus’ death?

MEADOWVALE : Teaching our soul in not immortal is a Bible teaching, it say’s in (Ecclesiastes 9:5) . . .but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, . . . Also the Bible say’s in (Romans 6:23) 23 For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life . . . So how can we be immortal if our soul is not conscious? Rather it was Satan that said the soul was immortal in order to mislead! (Genesis 3:3-4) . . .” 4 At this the serpent said to the woman: “you positively will not die.. . . And false religion is still using that tactic today. Jehovah Witnesses will have no part of it!

Our loving Creator would never think of burning any of His creation for eternity because of a short life of sin, it would not be fair or loving. This is another way Satan malign’s Jehovah’s loving name. Our choice is very simple life or death. that is all.

Sugar: What’s the hummming about? The Bible shows that some of God’s servants in the past wore rings, even ones that had special meaning attached to them. Wearing a signet ring could indicate that one had received authority to act in behalf of the ruler who owned it. (Gen. 41:42; Num. 31:50; Esther 8:2, 8; Job 42:11, 12; Luke 15:22) So, while wedding rings are not mentioned, these true worshipers clearly did not scruple against using rings for more than mere adornment.

No, the way it really is, there has been a thorough house cleaning in Jesus’ congregation! There is no paganism in it at all, there can’t be! It is being directed by Jesus and his Father, Jehovah! WOW!!! Clean clean clean! Excuse me, I’ve got to go polish my shoes. Thank you Kevin!

Basically, I agree that Jehovah’s Witnesses reject all pagan practices and that our worship of Jehovah is totally pure. However, I would have small disagreement about the wording of your question where you say, “Are Jehovah's Witnesses the only Christians…” Why?

Because there is no other Bible-based religion (other than us) that may be correctly defined as Christian. All of the others are members of “fake Christianity,” harlots of Babylon the Great. There will come a time in the future where Jehovah purifies this planet and when he does it, you can be sure that all false religions (such as Buddhists, Presbyterians, Catholics, Baptists, Islam, etc) will be destroyed, & wiped off the face of the earth. Only true worshippers of Jehovah will remain. All the pagan religions will cease to exist.

SHORT ANSWER:

No, but neither Christians nor Jehovah's Witnesses are defined by how much they don't look like pagans. Christians are not pagans, and neither are Jehovah's Witnesses. My Catholic faith and my worship of Jesus Christ is not limited by anything a pagan does or does not do.

BETTER ANSWER:

It is false to claim that all things pagans ever have done must be excluded from Christianity. Pagans are not Satan incarnate (At least I don't think they are.), so it is not true that all that pagans do is evil. That pagans use candles, sometimes hold hands during ceremonies, and recognize some days as special does not mean that candles, holding hands, or celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ on a particular day of the year are Satanic or evil.

To say that everything a pagan does must not be done by a faithful Christian is absurd.

Consider these examples that show your suggested "rule" is not reasonable:

ABSURD IDEAS FROM THE "RULE" THAT CHRISTIANS CAN NEVER BE LIKE PAGANS AT ALL:

1.) Pagans believe there are beings greater than humans, therefore Christians must deny all supernatural beings.

2.) Pagans sometimes celebrate their religious activities outdoors, therefore Christianity must always be practiced indoors.

3.) Pagans sometimes try to do good things to help people, therefore Christians must never be kind to anyone.

4.) Pagans dispose of the bodies of their dead loved ones in a careful manner, therefore Christians must leave the bodies of the deceased wherever people die.

5.) Pagans have rituals, therefore Christians can't have rituals. Baptisms must be forbidden, because Baptism is a type of ritual, and everyone knows that Pagans have rituals.

6.) Pagans practice their faith with other people, and they talk to each other about paganism, therefor Christians must all be hermits, or at least never talk with other Christians about Jesus, because talking about one's faith is something that pagan's do in groups.

7.) Pagans pray, therefore Christians must never pray.

It is simply absurd to suppose that because pagans used to do something, or may still do something, that Christians must therefore never do that thing - or anything that resembles it. That a pagan celebrates a fertility ritual in the Spring does not mean that Christians can not celebrate Easter in April. That pagans might light candles in honor of trees does not mean that Christians can not light a candle as a reminder of the light of Christian truth.

To insist that Christians must never do anything a pagan might do is to become a type of modern-day Pharisee, an enforcer of hundreds of burdensome and irrelevant rules. Pagans do a lot of things. Honest and faithful Christians don't really care what pagans do - they're pagans!

I have no idea what a wedding ring means to a pagan, nor do I really care. I really don't know why pagans light candles, nor do I really care. I do know that pagans sometimes pray to trees and mountains and oceans, but that does not mean I can not pray to Jesus Christ, just because I'd then be praying, which is something pagans have done.

No pagan activity has any limiting authority over the actions of the followers and worshipers of Jesus Christ, of which I am one. I know what holy water is, and it is not the product of pagans. I also know that when a Catholic priest acts to bring about the changing of mere bread into the body of Jesus Christ, it is not a pagan metamorphosis of the spirit of the wheat goddess, but a dazzling display of the power of the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and The Son - the one and only true God who ever has existed, or ever will or could exist.

The magisterium of the Catholic Church is not obligated to check with any society of pagans regarding what ritual forms The Church may allow. Pagans pray to fruit trees, but I am not rejecting, nor even slightly disappointing, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when I eat peaches and cherries. I don't mimic any pagan communion service when I eat apple pie with my family, because I just don't think apples are the offspring of any pagan deity.

I am Roman Catholic, not pagan.

Pagans are Pagan, not Catholic.

We Catholics and pagans all are human, so we look a lot alike, strikingly similar to Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, but not as well dressed, and our beliefs are profoundly different.

Peace be with you, and with the pagans and Jehovah's Witnesses, on whom I pray that God is merciful in eternity, as I hope and pray He also is merciful on every mere human who ever has or ever will live.

Yes. When we look back at all the things we have thrown out after learning they had pagan origins, then see other religions claiming to be Christian that hold on a death grip to pagan practices, we have .

If we learn some new insights in the future, we will change then as well in order to meet Jehovah God's requirements to have worship that is pure to him.

Now the question you have to ask is after about 150 years, why are other religions, claiming to be Christian, not made changes as well? This is not rocket science. It is just reading for yourself what the Bible says and not accepting someone's word for what it says.

Certainly not. Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus is St. Michael the Archangel, which is not only a gross heresy, it is blasphemous and means they cannot be classed as Christian.

Pagans reject Jesus as the third person of the One True God and so do JWs. So they have that in common with Paganism.

I get it, this is one of those questions asked by a follower of the JW's in order to help them look good? I bet I'm right! Not really a question after all then.

Some religions have tried to root out paganism, but some of their members still participate in some of the holidays or they haven't rooted out ALL paganism from their beliefs.

Jehovah's Witnesses have though.

Yes. As far as others are concerned, I can't think of anyone else who has completely rejected paganism..