one of my friend b day is coming up and my gf wants to give her a b day gift and yeah should we get our firend a gift or no? bc were abit confuse
2007-11-12 03:44:49 · 17 answers · asked by razgriz009 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No.
Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays, even a few days before or after the actual anniversary of the birth. 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/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/article_01.htm
2007-11-12 04:56:58 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
They do not celebrate birthdays at all because the only people in the Bible that celebrated birthdays were pagans. So, it would be rude to give her a gift.
2007-11-12 03:57:11 · answer #2 · answered by mollyflan 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As Christians, we Witnesses choose to take NO part in Birthday celebrations.
2007-11-12 17:09:39 · answer #3 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sometimes in order for us to show our affection and gratitude we give gifts and is up to the other person to either respect or not that gesture of friendship, if the felling is reciprocal the acceptance should be done without any hesitation...now is up to you to make sure if you want to respect a belief as baseless as the one of not having any celebration of the holidays... but the giving of gifts is no "big" celebration. You could also see if that friend is indeed respectful of your decision of showing your friendship that way. so good luck and hope this helps.....and by the way....Jehovah witness is not a religion. is a cult.
2007-11-12 03:55:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
No. They give gifts, but not birthday gifts.
2007-11-12 05:26:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Birthday celebration is Not a Biblical practice.
The origin of popular customs associated with birthday celebrations are pagan.
“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.
Although Jehovah’s Witnesses respect the right of others to celebrate birthdays, you are no doubt well aware that they choose not to share in such celebrations.
Le livre des religions (The Book of Religions), an encyclopedia widely distributed in France, calls this custom a ritual and lists it among “secular rites.” Although considered to be a harmless secular custom today, birthday celebrations are actually rooted in paganism.
The Encyclopedia Americana (1991 edition) states: “The ancient world of Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Persia celebrated the birthdays of gods, kings, and nobles.” Authors Ralph and Adelin Linton reveal the underlying reason for this. In their book The Lore of Birthdays, they write: “Mesopotamia and Egypt, the cradles of civilization, were also the first lands in which men remembered and honoured their birthdays. The keeping of birthday records was important in ancient times principally because a birth date was essential for the casting of a horoscope.” This direct connection with astrology is a cause of great concern to any who avoid astrology because of what the Bible says about it.—Isaiah 47:13-15.
Not surprisingly then, we read in The World Book Encyclopedia: “The early Christians did not celebrate His (Christ’s) birth because they considered the celebration of anyone’s birth to be a pagan custom.”—Volume 3, page 416.
With the foregoing in mind, Jehovah’s Witnesses choose not to share in birthday festivities. To be sure, the birth of a child is a happy, glorious event. Naturally, all parents rejoice as their children grow and develop with each passing year. Jehovah’s Witnesses also find great joy in demonstrating their love for their family and friends by giving gifts and having good times together. However, in view of the origin of birthday celebrations, they prefer to do so at other times throughout the year.—Luke 15:22-25; Acts 20:35.
If you would like further information & learn more - visit
2007-11-12 06:14:54 · answer #6 · answered by Mr. Cal 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Funny! 10!
2016-04-03 09:36:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of them do give gifts - but not on the birthday. And, further, they kind of pretend it isn't a birthday gift, just a random gift.
Weird, I know, but then it's a weird religion...
2007-11-12 03:49:19 · answer #8 · answered by Bye for now... 5 · 2⤊ 4⤋
No, absolutely not. I watched a JW girl at school flip out and go completely hysterical because her friends decorated her locker for her birthday. JW's do not celebrate the fact God gave them life.
2007-11-12 03:48:50 · answer #9 · answered by LaptopJesus 5 · 1⤊ 4⤋
i have a friend that is a jehovahs witness, and she says that you are not suppose to celebrate any holiday or birthday in anyway.
2007-11-12 03:48:31 · answer #10 · answered by >>P-Love<< 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋