Why do Jehovah's Witnesses make a big deal out of...?

The Jehovah's Witnesses have built their religion on the back of orthodox Christianity while seeking to distinguish itself from it.

You can see it in everything they believe and profess. Christians believe that Jesus was nailed to a cross. JW's say that it was actually a torture stake. Christians pronounce God's name YHWH as Yahweh. JW's pronounce it as Jehovah. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

Jesus told his disciples, "as often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me." He left it wide open for people to observe the Lord's Supper as often as they choose. Therefore no one has the right or the authority to say otherwise.

I don't think the Jehovah's Witnesses make a big deal out of their Memorial event, which they say replaces the annual Passover. In fact, they seem to have made it virtually inconsequential except to a few thousand people who carry out the requirements Jesus stated. Ninety-nine percent of all JWs do nothing about the event except sit there silently, not participating in it whatsoever, and they actively try to prevent all non-JWs attending from participating too. I think that amounts to demeaning the event - trivialising it.

It's significant that the first century Church was so keenly expecting Jesus to return to Earth within their lifetime that they held the Lord's Supper every time they gathered for worship. They knew they were to publicly proclaim the Lord's death until He came again. Once Jesus had come, they would no longer hold the celebration on Earth, but in Heaven. But the JWs say Jesus returned in 1914 (invisibly). This begs the question, Why do they even keep this event once a year? A second question is, why don't 99% of them just leave the so-called 'anointed' to keep the event, seeing as they are the only ones who participate in it?

Having raised those two questions, I think I'd better post them, and let the JWs have a chance at explaining themselves...

How often is the Memorial to be commemorated, and when?

Jesus did not specifically state how often it was to be done. He simply said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Paul said: “For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1 Cor. 11:26) “As often” need not mean many times a year; it can mean annually over a period of many years. If you commemorate an important event, such as a wedding anniversary, or if a nation commemorates an important event in its history, how often is it done? Once a year on the anniversary date. This would also be consistent with the fact that the Lord’s Evening Meal was instituted on the date of the Jewish Passover, a yearly celebration that no longer had to be kept by Jews who had become Christians.

Jehovah’s Witnesses observe the Memorial after sundown on Nisan 14, according to the reckoning of the Jewish calendar that was common in the first century. The Jewish day begins at sundown and extends until the following sundown. So Jesus died on the same Jewish calendar day that he instituted the Memorial. The beginning of the month of Nisan was the sunset after the new moon nearest the spring equinox became visible in Jerusalem. The Memorial date is 14 days thereafter. (Thus the date for the Memorial may not coincide with that of the Passover kept by modern-day Jews. Why not? The start of their calendar months is set to coincide with the astronomical new moon, not the visible new moon over Jerusalem, which may come 18 to 30 hours later. Also, most Jews today keep the Passover on Nisan 15, not on the 14th as did Jesus in harmony with what was stated in the Mosaic Law.)

"Why do Jehovah's Witnesses make a big deal out of...?"

I don't know? Why do chrsitains make such a big deal out of gay people, since their mythical jesus creature never said ONE WORD about gays anywhere in the NT.

Hypocrisy seems to be a big deal in BuyBull cult groups, doesn't it!

Jesus did not specifically stete how often it was to be done. He simply said: "Keep doing this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19)

Paul said: " For as often as yo eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the lord, untill he arrives." (1 Cor. 11:26)

"As often" need not mean many times a year; it can mean annually over a period of many years.

If you commemorate an important event, such as a wedding anniversary, or if a nation commemorates an important event in its history, how often is it done ? Once a year on the anniversary date.

this would also be consistent with the fact that the Lord's Evening Meal was instituted on the date of the jewish Passover, a yearly celebration that no longer had to be kept by Jews who had become Christians.

I hope it helps you ?

<who cares if [it's] once a year or once a month?> If it doesn't matter, then why are you going on about it? Your quarrel doesn't seem to be with how often an observance is celebrated as much as it is that another group holds a different belief about it than you do. If it doesn't matter, then just ignore them.

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First of all, the Memorial of the Lord's evening meal IS a big deal, because Jesus himself instituted it.

Because he did this at an annual observance he was showing that we should do this annually too. Of course, you can choose to do whatever you choose and whenever your heart tells you. You could even join us if you like, which would be nice.

It seems that by your very question here, the scripture you quoted about "straining out the gnat and swallowing the camel" applies to you who constantly nitpicks at our beliefs, rather than us. Maybe you should devote more time to your own beliefs and stop nitpicking at ours?

https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/lords...

As to why Jehovah’s Witnesses keep the Memorial only once a year, below is the official explanation from page 269 in their Insight Volume 2. Please be aware I am not endorsing their views and I do not agree with their interpretation, but am simply sharing with you what they say.

"How Often Observed: According to Luke and Paul, when instituting the Memorial of his death Jesus said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Lu 22:19; 1Co 11:24) From this it is reasonable to understand that Jesus meant that his followers should celebrate the Lord’s Evening Meal annually, not more often. The Passover, observed in remembrance of Jehovah’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage in 1513 B.C.E., was commemorated only once a year, on the anniversary date of Nisan 14. The Memorial, also an anniversary, would appropriately be held only on Nisan 14.

Paul quoted Jesus as saying regarding the cup, “Keep doing this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me,” and added: “For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1Co 11:25, 26) “Often” can refer to something done only once a year, especially when done for many years. (Heb 9:25, 26) Nisan 14 was the day on which Christ gave his literal body as a sacrifice on the torture stake and poured out his lifeblood for forgiveness of sins. Hence, that was the day of “the death of the Lord” and, consequently, the date to commemorate his death thereafter.

The participants in this meal would be “absent from the Lord” and would celebrate the Lord’s Evening Meal “often” before their death in faithfulness. Then, following their resurrection to heavenly life, they would be together with Christ and would no longer need a remembrancer of him. Regarding the duration of this observance, “until he arrives,” the apostle Paul evidently had reference to Christ’s coming again and receiving them into heaven by a resurrection during the time of his presence."

That last sentence seems to suggest they anticipate their "anointed remnant" will be taken up to heaven during the great tribulation prior to Armageddon - only they don't call it the rapture, of course.

Anyway, the reason they make such a big deal out of this annual event is to entice millions of non-Witnesses to come along to their Kingdom Hall and hopefully, to get lots of them to agree to studying with them and then they can be converted.

Edit: As for why they denounce Christians who come to the Lord's Table frequently, it's because they denounce anything and everything to do with Christians who are not part of their cult. They proudly boast that although they are neither Catholic nor Protestant, they are the only true Christians, that they are God's chosen people and everybody else is part of false religion. That's why they make negative comments about people who remember what Jesus did for us more than once a year.

They're a crazy cult. Never mind them.

Evangilizing makes a great point. They sure do that! Weirdos. 🙄

Imagine if Christmas was every week. It would get old pretty fast, and all its meaning would be lost. Besides, how often did Jesus have his LAST supper?