Closet Carols

Most people know that Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate birthdays and Christmas.  Being raised as a Witness, I didn’t either.  Their reasoning is somewhat circuitous and contradicting, but here it goes.

1.       The Bible commands us to celebrate Jesus’ death, not his birth.  There is no record of first century Christians celebrating his birth.  (1 Cor. 11:26)

2.       Jesus was probably born in the fall, not December.

3.       The date and many customs were borrowed from the pagan Roman holidays of Saturnalia and Sol Invictus.

4.       Customs such as the tree, holly, mistletoe, feasting, the yule log and gift-giving all have pagan roots.

5.       It has become commercialized, promoting materialism and excess.

Seems like a pretty strong indictment.  As a ten-year-old, I swallowed it hook, line and sinker.  To be loyal, I toed the party line.  I didn’t participate in the school Christmas party.  We didn’t have lights, a tree or gifts.  And I really didn’t miss it.  I didn’t feel deprived even as my peers regaled me with their many gifts.  I believed I was being loyal to God by shunning the holiday, the lights, the tree, the gifts and everything associated with it…except for one thing.

I loved the Christmas carols!

My Dad was not a Witness, and I remember him bringing home Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” album.  The first time I listened to it, I was blown away by the beauty and emotion of the music.  There was “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Silver Bells,” “Silent Night,” and of course, “White Christmas.”  I remember the hairs on the back of my neck tingling and my face getting flushed.  I felt euphoric.  The lyrics and melodies were magnificent, transcendent, even spiritual.  I felt like I was being carried away by something infinitely greater than myself or anything I had experienced before.  I was overwhelmed.  It was a super spiritual experience.

BUT WAIT A MINUTE!  What about my faith and loyalty to the Witnesses and what they taught me?  What about obedience?  I was not supposed to be listening to these pagan songs.  I certainly wasn’t supposed to sing them, let alone enjoy them!  What would God think?  Wouldn’t He punish me for being unfaithful?  What would the elders say?  What would my MOTHER say?  I feared her more than God Himself.

I was conflicted with the desire to be obedient, and the desire to hear those beautiful carols.  I loved the carols but couldn’t sing them in public.  I didn’t know what to do.  In time, I compromised.

My room was in the basement, and I had a large closet under the stairs.  It was large enough for me to set up a chair, table and record player, as long as I didn’t stand upright.  So, from my closet, seated and bent over, I was able to secretly play the “White Christmas” album over and over.  It wasn’t long before I had memorized all the verses of all the songs.  From there I moved on to some more traditional carols such as “O Holy Night,” “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” “The First Noel,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “Joy to the World,” and “We Three Kings.”  I memorized all the verses of these songs also from the privacy of my closet.  And so it went for the next twenty years; I was a closet caroler.

But what about the Witnesses and their arguments about Christmas and its origins?  In time (twenty years later), I was able to see God and my faith in a greater context.  I was 31 when I was able to come out of the closet and sing my beloved carols out loud and with head raised.  First, I realized that the Witnesses were wrong about many things and weren’t the only “true” religion.  Second, I realized that if they were wrong about those things, I should take another look at Christmas.  My conclusions:

1.       The Bible doesn’t prohibit us from celebrating His birthday.  His birth was critical to our salvation.

2.       We don’t know when Jesus was born. 

3.       I’m fine with adopting existing celebrations and adapting them to our beliefs in God and Jesus.

4.       I’m okay with incorporating local customs.  It certainly isn’t pagan anymore.

5.       While Christmas can be materialistic and excessive, it is usually filled with joy, goodwill and Christmas spirit.

Today, I find Christmas to be a joyous time for family, friends and fellowship.  I look forward to carols at church, at home and in the car.  They seem to be everywhere.  Even among non-believers, there is a sense of kindness and Christmas spirit.  Christmas carols in the stores seem to set the mood.  People are friendlier and more considerate.  And most importantly, I feel God’s spirit, joy, love and presence during this time.  Peace on earth, goodwill toward all. (Luke 2:14)