A question for jehovahs witnesses....?

Question

I do believe in everything the bible says ...... and i have had studies. I do understand why it is not gods wishes for us to celebrate christmas, easter etc but i dont understand the whole birthday thing.... what was jacobs special day that he celebrated with a feast????????????

Answer 1

The only time "Jacob" (or "Israel") and "feast(s)" are used in the same paragraph in the bible is in connection with this faithful man's wedding. No birthday celebration is even implied.

(Genesis 29:21-28) Jacob said to Laban: “Give over my wife, because my days are up, and let me have relations with her.” With that La′ban gathered all the men of the place and made a feast. ...Laban said: “It is not customary to do this way in our place, to give the younger woman before the firstborn. Celebrate to the full the week of this woman. ...Accordingly Jacob did so and celebrated fully the week of this woman, after which he gave him Rachel his daughter as his wife.


Why do Jehovah's Witnesses reject birthday celebrations? They find it impossible to ignore these facts...
: 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/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/article_01.htm

Answer 2

The Bible does not say that birthdays are not to be celebrated or celebrated point blank period. Whoever claims so is a false witness and they have added to the Word of God to suit their own desires (Proverbs 30:5-6). Both birthdays in the Bible did have deaths occure during them, but they were not part of the celebration point blank period. In other words, pagans didn’t seek someone to kill just because of the birthday celebration as some would have us think. And Galatians 4:8-11 is not talking about celebrating birthdays, but about the requirements of the Laws of Moses.
The one thing I have seen quoted here that is true is that a good name is better than fine things, and the day of death is better than the “day of birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1), but even that does not say that God doesn’t want us to celebrate our birthday.
The bottom line is Romans 14. Everyone here should have a good dose of Romans 14, the whole chapter. And stop twisting the Word of God in order to make your religion right.
Read Matthew 28:18. All authority has been given to whom and for how long according to 1 Corinthians 15:24-28? Read Colossians 2:9. Al the fullness is in whom? Read Philippians 2:5-11 and Acts 2:36. Who has been made Lord? All judgment has been given to whom according to John 5:22, 27? That’s why it’s all about Jesus! No one came come to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6). Imagine that.
Respectfully,
Alan Ballou
www.thehealingbook.com

Answer 3

I too am one of Jehovah's Witnesses. The answer to your question was really summed up by 'witness' but I am just re-emphasizing the fact that both accounts in the Bible that dealt with Birthdays were disatrous and very bad in the eyes of Jehovah. Also a little research would tell you that birthday celebrations were pagan.

But for a true answer, it is in the bible. At Ecc. 7:1 it simply states: " A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one's being born." So you might ask why? Because when you are born, you have no accomplishments, no one really knows you and you haven't done anything yet. But when you die, that is when every one remembers you for things you did.

Now I am NOT saying it is wrong to celebrate Birthdays and to celebrate a day of death. I am just saying that the bible even says we shouldn't care for our birthday nor should we celebrate it.

One more thing, if birthdays were ok to be celebrated than why didn't Jesus mention anything about it? When he was growing up he never ever mentioned to anyone to celebrate his birthday (which isn't even known {research}) but yet he did tell his apostles on the passover to celebrate his death.

That is the only thing that the bible mentions to celebrate and nothing else. So plainly yes it is wrong to celebrate birthdays and any other holiday as the bible condemns it. The only thing we do celebrate is the death of Christ Jesus.

Answer 4

There is nothing in the Bible directly that says a person should not celebrate their birthday. There are two examples of birthdays gone "bad".

This is not sufficent to do away with celebrating another year of life.

There really is nothing wrong with Chrismas either whether this is conception Dec. 25 or birth Sept 19 or 20. This is a joyfull event.

The JWs are most definately correct about this gift of God's Saviour being hi-jacked by Satan and his pagan rituals. Commercialism, ceasar's coin, has a overlay today. That is why they teach against it.

This is: "Be in this world but apart from it". Which is to remain pure from the poisons (paganism) of the wicked one.

But this is an error they are stiff necked about.

They would be understood by others as being against the paganism which is obvious, but not against joyfully remembering God's Gift to man that being Christ.
As you see Christmas ties into birthdays.

Do not let the knowledge and knowledge the JWs have obscure simple truth.

You will have to be a little more precis with the Jacob's feast day. There was an eating of bread at parture from his father in law?

Answer 5

I am one of Jehovah's Witness. The others have given you as an accurate an answer as you can possibly get with evidence from the Bible. I hope my experience will help you. I was not raised a Jehovah's Witness so at one time I did participate in the holidays and birthdays. With the information I learned from the Bible, I felt that it was important to make sure that I wasn't observing pagan customs that would offend Jehovah. The two deaths in the Bible were in fact tragic. The persons celebrating were in fact rejoicing their day of birth by observing another persons death. It sounds demonic and twisted to ask for somebody's life as you celebrate your own. Jehovah does want us to separate from the world. It would only make sense that we also avoid birthdays. Birthdays are not a Christian custom and neither did the first century Apostles celebrate birthdays. Certainly, Jesus who is Jehovah's son would have asked them to do so. It does not appear in any of the Christian Greek scriptures as a celebration endorsed by Christ.

Answer 6

I am one of Jehovah's Witnesses and I do not celebrate birthdays for two reasons:

1. All customs associated with birthday celebrations come from pagan origins. Do some research on the internet or in any encyclopedia and you will find a list of the origins.

2. I believe that everything in the Bible is there for a reason. There are only two references to birthday celebrations in the scriptures. In both accounts someone is murdered, and that murder is one of the focal points of the stories. It appears that a negative light is being shone on these celebrations in the Bible.

I hope this helps you out. :-) Continue with your studies. Agape!

Answer 7

W e are told to do only one thing in remembrance of Him (and that isn't to celebrate either Easter or Christmas.)

I don't celebrate birthdays either, but I am not a Jehovah's Witness!!! I am a Bible believing Christian and have searched the word for myself. The two b'day celebrations found in scripture ended in death. Sad really.

Answer 8

My Jehovah's Witness parents always told me that if Jesus did not have to celebrate his birthdays as he grew older then I didnt need to either. They would also give me examples in the bible of horrible happenings at birthday parties...for example John lost his head at Herod's birthday celebration. The rehearsed answers were never good enough for me & I tell ya---they'll put reason to anything!

Answer 9

Easter, the Passover was celebrated by Jesus. It was an old testament feast that had nothing to do with bunnys, but we don't do bunnys but celebrate the resurrection of the passover lamb, Jesus
Birthdays are not prohibited in the bible nor are personal celebrations anniversary, ect..

Answer 10

Jehovah God wanted us to use his name. Matthew 6:9, Jesus told us that we should pray: "Our Father in the heavens, let your NAME be SANCTIFIED." Also Isaiah 43:10 also brings out that Jehovah said, "You are my WITNESSES." God is a Title. Even with Arabs. A good dictionary will show you, “Allah” is a shortened form of the Arabic term meaning “the god", this is not a name. The title “God” is neither personal nor distinctive. In the Hebrew Scriptures the same word (ʼElo‧him′) is applied to Jehovah, the true God, and also to false gods. The Imperial Bible-Dictionary says: “It is everywhere a proper name, denoting the personal God and him only; whereas Elohim partakes more of the character of a common noun, denoting usually, indeed, but not necessarily nor uniformly, the Supreme. . . . The Hebrew may say the Elohim, the true God, in opposition to all false gods; but he never says the Jehovah, for Jehovah is the name of the true God only. He says again and again my God . . . ; but never my Jehovah, for when he says my God, he means Jehovah. He speaks of the God of Israel, but never of the Jehovah of Israel, for there is no other Jehovah. He speaks of the living God, but never of the living Jehovah, for he cannot conceive of Jehovah as other than living.” Hope This Helps