Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate birthdays?

Question

Details please!
P.S.-----I would rather Jehovah's Witnesses answer only please!

Answer 1

Because Judge Rutherford, their second president, said they shouldn't.

He also said that Abraham would be resurrected in the year 1925. He wasn't, but a few years later - to show that he hadn't lost faith in the idea that Abraham, et al, would be returning any day, - he had a mansion built in San Diego which he deeded to Abraham, David, etal, then lived in himself. But I digress. (I was just trying to show that the Judge's ideas were not necessarily "on the money".)

Basically, the Judge objected to celebrating just about anything, because there's hardly anything that can't be objected to for some reason if you look hard enough. It was his belief that JW's should set themselves apart from "the world". Why else would anyone object to a day set aside for giving thanks, such as Thanksgiving? Even the Israelites did that, at God's command.

Most of the arguments that JW's give as reasons for not celebrating birthdays are "afterthoughts" which have been developed over the past few decades to support their "birthdays are evil" concept. As of right now, they haven't banned the celebrating of wedding anniversaries, but since such celebrations no doubt began among non-worshipers of Jehovah, it wouldn't be surprising if they eventually forbid them, also. If the men in charge decide to say it's wrong, then JW's will suddenly see it plain as day right in their own Bibles.

Answer 2

I am a Jehovahs Witness and I can say that we dont for a few reasons.
First I would have to say that most people would say that the Bible is inspired of God.
The Bible does have a few mentions of birthdays. One was in
Gen. 40:20-22
and in
matt. 14:6-10
both of these acounts had some one that got killed. In Matt. it was John the Baptist..
We Jehovahs Witnesses take note that gods word reports unfavorably about birthday celebrations and so shun these. Also we try and follow Jesus footsteps although being imperfect we do stumble alot. But there is not one acount of Jesus celibrating Birthdays(his or any one elses) in the Bible.

that would be one reason next would be that the origin of the birthday celebration.

"The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long history. Thir origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The custos of offering congratulations presenting gifts and celebrating complete with lighted candles-in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year... Down to the fourth century Christianity rejected the birthday celebration as a pegan custom"-Schwabische Zeitung (magazine supplement Zeit und Welt), April 3/4, 1981 p.4
The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or daemon who attended his birth and watched over hm in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born. The Romans also subscribed to this idea...This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guafrdian angel, the fairy godmother and the patron saint..The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with tihe Greeks...Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis].. SBirthday candles in fold belief and endowed with special magic for granting wishes.. Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribut to the birthday child and bring good fortune...Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this holiday.. Originally the idea was rooted in magic
Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one it closer to the spirit world on this day -the lore of birthdays (new york 1952) Ralph and Adelin Linton,pp.8, 18-20

Answer 3

Jehovah's Witnesses believe strongly in God Jehovah and in his Son Jesus Christ.

Regarding birthday celebrations, bible students are encouraged to consider:
: 0% of faithful biblical Jews celebrated birthdays
: 0% of first century Christians celebrated birthdays
: 100% of birthdays celebrated in the bible were by debauched enemies of God (See Mark 6:17-29; Gen 40:19-22)

Bible historians (M'Clintock, Strong, and others) have noted that faithful Jews of the bible did not celebrate birthdays, and that ancient pagan birthday celebrations were at least partially intended to honor the patron gods of the particular day.

By comparison with such paganisms, the bible does not even tell us the birthdates of Jesus or ANY of his apostles!

Since such celebrations are not required in true worship, and can easily become a distraction, so Jehovah's Witnesses focus their attention elsewhere. In particular, they are focussed on the preaching work which *IS* a requirement for Christians:

(Luke 10:1-17) [Jesus] the Lord designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of him into every city and place to which he himself was going to come. 2 Then he began to say to them: “The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/rq/article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm

Answer 4

I am not a Jehovah's Witness but I was part of a church at one time called The Worldwide Church of God and that church did not condone celebrating birthdays either. It is because there is not evidence in the bible of anyone who "walked with god" doing this. This was considered a pagan tradition. They believe that gifts were presented to Jesus because he was thought to be a king and this was accepted.

Answer 5

You have received some good answers above, so here is what you should be asking yourself.

What day do you observe the memorial on?

If your first thought is in May, this is the clearest difference between JWs and the rest of Christendom. Christendom teaches people to observe a day in December that is traditionally considered the birth day of Christ, though neither he nor his apostles said to do so. Yes, they do not teach their followers what day Christ did observe, and said for his followers to continue observing.

The Memorial of the Last Supper.

Ask any JW over the age of 12 and they will say Niacin 14, by the old Jewish calendar. This falls at sun down on the first full moon after the Vernal (Spring) Equinox.

Why does Christendom teach a day not promoted by Christ, but does not teach all the specifics about the day he did say to observe? Do they place the traditions of men about those of Christ? Do they think that Christian are not capable to understand this one historical event that was of such importance to Christ? Yes, they do promote Easter, but that was not what Christ said and it rarely falls on Niacin 14.

So, the difference between a JW and Christendom? Jehovah's Witness: Christ first in all things, especially man made traditions. Christendom: Tradition first in all things.

Answer 6

Do Bible references to birthday celebrations put them in a favorable light? The Bible makes only two references to such celebrations:

Gen. 40:20-22: “Now on the third day it turned out to be Pharaoh’s birthday, and he proceeded to make a feast . . . Accordingly he returned the chief of the cupbearers to his post of cupbearer . . . But the chief of the bakers he hung up.”

Matt. 14:6-10: “When Herod’s birthday was being celebrated the daughter of Herodias danced at it and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Then she, under her mother’s coaching, said: ‘Give me here upon a platter the head of John the Baptist.’ . . . He sent and had John beheaded in the prison.”

Everything that is in the Bible is there for a reason. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Jehovah’s Witnesses take note that God’s Word reports unfavorably about birthday celebrations and so shun these.

How did early Christians and Jews of Bible times view birthday celebrations?

“The notion of a birthday festival was far from the ideas of the Christians of this period in general.”—The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries (New York, 1848), Augustus Neander (translated by Henry John Rose), p. 190.

“The later Hebrews looked on the celebration of birthdays as a part of idolatrous worship, a view which would be abundantly confirmed by what they saw of the common observances associated with these days.”—The Imperial Bible-Dictionary (London, 1874), edited by Patrick Fairbairn, Vol. I, p. 225.

What is the origin of popular customs associated with birthday celebrations?

“The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long history. Their origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The customs of offering congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating—complete with lighted candles—in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year. . . . Down to the fourth century Christianity rejected the birthday celebration as a pagan custom.”—Schwäbische Zeitung (magazine supplement Zeit und Welt), April 3/4, 1981, p. 4.

“The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or daemon who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born. The Romans also subscribed to this idea. . . . This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the fairy godmother and the patron saint. . . . The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks. . . . Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. . . . Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes. . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune. . . . Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this holiday. . . . Originally the idea was rooted in magic. . . . Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day.”—The Lore of Birthdays (New York, 1952), Ralph and Adelin Linton, pp. 8, 18-20.

Wholesome gatherings of family and friends at other times to eat, drink, and rejoice are not objectionable

Eccl. 3:12, 13: “There is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during one’s life; and also that every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his hard work. It is the gift of God.”

See also 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Answer 7

I am a Jehovah's Witness and we don't celebrate birthdays because you are then setting aside a day specifically for yourself instead of with Jehovah.

Answer 8

Because (a) nowhere in the Bible does it advocate the celebration of a person's birthday (b) the pagans celebrated birthdays but those occasions mentioned in the Bible were associated with murder and immorality (c) JW's take pride in being different from mainstream Christianity.

Answer 9

because BIrthdays were celebrated primarily if not soley by pagans. In fact it was at a birthday party that John The Baptists got his head chopped off. And the Jews at that time including Jesus himself never celebrated birthdays, his or anyoneelses.

Answer 10

I have been a baptized Witness for over 40 years and I believe that in order for our worship to be pure and acceptable to the true God it is essential to investigate the origin of customs and celebrations and not just do it because everyone does it. You can go to any library and find this information.

In the case of birthday celebrations, the World Book Encyclopedia states that the early Christians considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom. The only two birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible were held in honor of pagan deities. The Romans celebrated the birthday of the goddess Diana and also their sun-god Apollo. Birthday celebrations are also associated with superstition. Many ancient Greeks and Romans believed that a spirit attended the birth of each human and protected that one throughout their life. According to the book, The Love of Birthdays, “This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born.”

The book, Birthday Parties Around the World goes into considerable detail about the origin of birthday celebrations: ‘Birthday parties began years ago in Europe. People believed in good and evil spirits, sometimes called good and evil fairies. Everyone was afraid of these spirits that they would cause harm to the birthday celebrant, and so he was surrounded by friends and relatives whose good wishes, and very presence, would protect him against the unknown dangers that the birthday held. Giving gifts brought even greater protection. Eating together provided a further safeguard and helped to bring the blessings of the good spirits. So the birthday party was originally intended to make a person safe from evil and to insure a good year to come.’

The book explains the origin of many birthday customs. For example: “The reason for using candles goes back to the early Greeks and Romans who thought that candles had magical qualities. They would offer prayers and make wishes to be carried up to the gods by the flames of candles. The gods would then send down their blessings and perhaps answer the prayers.”

Encyclopaedia Judaica says: “The celebration of birthdays is unknown in traditional Jewish ritual.” Customs and Traditions of Israel observes: “The celebration of birthdays has been borrowed from the practices of other nations, as no mention is made of this custom among Jews either in The Bible, Talmud, or writings of the later Sages. In fact, it was an ancient Egyptian custom.”

The two instances mentioned in the Bible are hardly presented as innocent festivities. In Genesis 40:1-22, it gives the account of the birthday feast of the Pharaoh who ruled while Joseph was in an Egyptian prison. Some of those pagans may have been happy over the feast, yet the birthday was linked to the beheading of the chief of Pharaoh’s bakers. The other celebration described in the Scriptures was that of Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great where on that occasion, John the Baptizer was beheaded.

Can you imagine that Jesus or his disciples would feel drawn to the practice of birthday celebrations? Given the known origin of celebrating birthdays, and more important, the unfavorable light in which they are presented in the Bible, Jehovah’s Witnesses have ample reason to abstain from the practice. They do not need to follow this worldly custom, for they can give gifts and have good times together throughout the year. Parents do not have to wait for birthdays or for Christmas, but they can bring gifts to their children at various times during the year. This makes for many happy occasions instead of one or two. Further, the children know that it is their parents who are giving them the gifts, doing so out of love for them. Their gift giving is not obligatory or under the pressure of a party; it is spontaneous sharing of gifts at any time out of generosity and genuine affection. This helps to cement the bond of love between parents and children, and in turn, children are not encouraged to be unthankful to man or God, because of thinking that they are entitled to receive gifts on certain days.

Not all popular customs are wrong, but they are displeasing to God if they are rooted in false religion or if they are in some other way in conflict with Bible principles. Interestingly, most of the popular customs that have survived till today have turned aside from the Bible’s standard of pure worship. So it should not be surprising that many of these customs are based on ancient pagan religious practices, customs that were based on falsehood, misrepresenting God and his purpose. Learning the truth about the pagan origins of popular customs can have a marvelous liberating effect because we do not feel obligated to follow practices that have proved to be a burden, financially and otherwise, to people of the world.
The Bible counsels us today: “Quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2) A sincere desire to please our God Jehovah will help us to do so.

Hope this helps you. Sincerely, Jean