QUESTIONS FROM READERS
"Is it appropriate for a Christian to celebrate Memorial Day in light of its past pagan roots?"
Many conscientious ones among Jehovah's people today have wondered if Christians should honor dead people on Memorial Day, in view of the fact that evidently Jehovah judged them worthy of death.
First let us consider what most scholars agree is the original Greek for the term "Memorial Day", meaning literally "a contemporary holiday to honor those who died by the sword." A faithful servant of Jehovah would quickly notice that the nature of a veteran is ungodly. Clearly, it is acceptable for modern-day Christians to benefit from the sacrifice of veterans—such as living in areas where peace is maintained by military, law enforcement, and other worldly institutions—while it is not acceptable to appreciate it.
Jehovah, in His Infinite Wisdom, authorized and committed murder for appropriate things, like hitting your dad, being in the wrong religion, not being a virgin on your wedding night, laughing at old people, fornication, or just killing babies for fun. (Deuteronomy 17:12; Exodus 22:17; Leviticus 20:13; Leviticus 20:27; Exodus 21:15; Proverbs 20:20; Leviticus 20:9; Leviticus 20:10; Leviticus 21:9; Exodus 22:19; Chronicles 15:12-13; Zechariah 13:3; Deuteronomy 13:13-19; Deuteronomy 22:20-21; Deuteronomy 13:7-12; Deuteronomy 17:2-5; Leviticus 24:10-16; Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Deuteronomy 18:20-22; Romans 1:24-32; Numbers 1:48-51; Exodus 31:12-15; 2 Kings 2:23-24; 1Samuel 6:19-20; 1 Kings 20:35-36; 2 Samuel 6:3-7; Isaiah 14:21 NAB; Hosea 9:11-16; Ezekiel 9:5-7; Exodus 12:29-30; Jeremiah 51:20-26; Leviticus 26:21-22; Isaiah 13:15-18; Judges 15:14-15; Acts 5:1-11; 1 Samuel 15:2-3; Jeremiah 48:10; Joshua 19:47; Jeremiah 15:1-4; Ezekiel 35:7-9; Exodus 23:23; Joshua 8:1-29; Joshua 6:20-21; 1 Kings 14:9-16; Judges 20:48; 2 Kings 19:35; Exodus 32:26-29; Joshua 7:19-26; Numbers 25:1-9; 1 Kings 18:36-40 ;Jeremiah 50:21;Judges 18:27-29)
Military personnel carry the sword today for such unapproved reasons like enforcing basic human rights—a reason never approved by Jehovah.
Furthermore, let us consider if Jehovah approves of honoring the dead, as it were, let the reader use discernment.
The practice of remembering our fallen ones once a year is not mentioned in the Bible. If it was important for Christians to do, Jehovah would have mentioned it, don’t you think? The absence of Memorial Day in the Bible clearly means we should not do it. To use an illustration™, we do not use computers, printing presses, automobiles, etc., because those practices are not mentioned in the Bible.
The only annual memorial of death approved is the somber observance of Jesus' sacrifice.
Jehovah’s One and Only True People ™ were given New Light TM almost 100 years ago, that creature worship, like Memorial Day, is Pagan and not pleasing to Jehovah. (Yearbook 1975 p.147)
Watchtower 1951 Oct 1 p.607 stated, “Some Bible commentators suggest that birthday celebrations may have had their origin in the ‘notion of the immortality of the soul’." Surely, brothers, Memorial Day has similar evil origins, and our Bible-trained consciences™ will not allow us to participate in things like barbecues, parades, spending relaxing times with our families, and visiting gravesites.
Consider the implications of the barbecue. As we learned in the 1970s, worldly companies hid blood in hot dogs to infect Jehovah’s people with demonic molecules. Often, dishes called “deviled eggs” and “devil’s food cake” are served as well. Is it appropriate to have an entire celebration centering around this Satanic food? Would we not be showing Satan we are willing to allow his minions into our heart, opening the door to demonic possession?
Worldly employers often force employees to take Memorial Day off. Faithful Christians today spend days like this in field service, studying with their families, playing Bible games at get-togethers, or personal study.