Birthday Celebrations?
By Pedward
Birthdays are only one of the celebrations that Jehovah’s Witnesses have banned over the years. Prior to banning, the Watchtower actually kept the list of birthdays in the society’s book Daily Heavenly Manna. Birthdays were allowed because the first president Charles Taze Russell saw nothing wrong with it.
When you look at the Jehovah’s Witness reasoning for not allowing birthdays, you will see that once again they read things into the scripture that are not said. They use basically two scripture verses to prove their interpretation. Genesis 4:20 22, which reads, “Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief Butler and of the chief Baker among his servants. Then he restored the chief Butler to his but their ship again, any place the cup and they were sent. But he hanged the chief Baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.” (NKJV) and Matthew 14: 6 – 10 which reads, “But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and please Herod.
Therefore he promised with and oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” and the King was sorry, nevertheless, because of the house and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.”
Their feelings are that because the word birthday appears in the Bible only in reference to pagan rulers, Pharaoh of Egypt and Herod of Galilee, and both of these men put someone to death during their birthday celebration, then no one should celebrate birthdays. Further, they say that there are no men of faith celebrating birthdays in the Bible. So what they’re saying is that it’s official interpretation is “God’s law” and that because is God’s law, they will use disciplinary procedures to enforce the policy.
First of all, what you have here are some very wicked men. This was nothing new to them. They executed people all the time, not just on their birthday and their statements that the word birthday only appears in the Bible when it’s connected to these men, is not quite true. If you look at Job 1:14 using their own New World Translation we read this, “And his sons went and held a banquet at the house of each one on his own day; and they sent an invited their three sisters to eat and drink with them”.
If you continue to read down the book of Job it’s very clear that it’s referring to his birthday. Job 1:4-5 ” every year when each of Jobs sons had a birthday, he invited his brothers and sisters to his home for a celebration . On these occasions they would eat and drink with great merriment. When these birthday parties ended and sometimes they lasted several days, Job would summon his children “.
(Living Bible) Job 3:1-3 reads “After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job spoke, and said: “may the day perished on which I was born” (NKJV) if you read the Jehovah’s Witness New World Translation, it says in Luke 1:14 “And you will have to wait and great gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth” Luke was talking about John the Baptist birthday being a time of celebration.
Interesting that on July 1, 1979, the Watchtower’s celebrated its own 100th birthday with a special issue titled “keeping watch for 100 years”. So it’s OK To celebrate the “organizations” birthday, but you can’t have a birthday party for your children or even give a card. If you do, you risk being disfellowshiped or diciplined in some why.
I believed celebrating brithdays because is celebrating of life.. the jw celebrate their aniversaries and etc… for me birthdays is celebating one life on this planet… they pagan on birthday is just seem little out there that they parties on weddings,even baby showers… I don’t agree with jw rules abt holidays and etc. I was raised with catholic family and I am myself a catholic too,We learn to celebrate life and enjoy our years here and being alive for more year is gift to be living…
well not only that but they can have baby showers when you really think abou tit baby showers are really just a birthday party for the baby there is cake and presents and games and all that jazz. no different than a birthday party!
Pedward
I cannot understand the Jehovah Witness’s attitude regarding the reasons for not celebrating Birthdays because I believe myself that to celebrate your own birthday is day set aside to rejoice to the Lord. He created us: our birthday, to live on His created world. We did not do anything toward the birthday: He did all the work. It is only just and fair that we take time to thank and praise him for creating us
I believe that we should treat every given day from our Lord as a birthdaY. I do. I praise the Lord EVERY DAY I wake up in the morning, every morning and thank Him
When you have a Society that keeps private notes on their Members, especially regarding their lifestyle, and then get disfellowshiped or disciplined by them, well, looking back at the history books, I thought that this kind of ‘fellowship’ was only active during Hitler’s war on the Jews in 1943 with the same outcome: ‘disciplined’, all 6 million of them!
John the Baptist ‘lost his head’, the Jews were placed into Gas Chambers!! Maybe not due to the issue concerning Birthdays, but JUST BECAUSE THE NAZI’S WERE DIFFERENT to the Jews, not unlike the JEHOVAH WITNESS being different to us!!
I believe we should celebrate birthdays. It is the beginning of His creation physically enjoying the time given to us to enjoy what He has done for us whilst we are on this earth before we are taken to Heaven at a later date
KENNETH
Kenneth, I know what you’re saying, but I would not say that what Hitler did was even close to disfellowshiping. The idea yes, but not the action. Jehovah’s Witness are really no different than us from a human stand point. We all sin and fall short of the glory of God, what you have to remember is that the Jehovah’s Witness follow what the Watchtower says or what the Watchtower tells them the Bible says. They are cut off from the actual Word of God by the Watchtower by having their own bible. So we always try and lead them to the truth by stating the truth from the Word and letting it peirce the heart.
i think in the old testament if they said something they had to keep it just becouse the word b-day is in thair they need to look at the whole story but the all ways do this take a little here & alittle thair its not a cut down its a fact way do you think so meny people have left and im one
pedward what is the difference between disfellowshipping and burning someone in a furnace? my whole family is jw and because i am christian i will now be “dead” to them. symbolic death is just as bad as literal death when it comes to taking away someones whole family. they might as well be dead from all ill ever hear of them again. at least i have the comfort of knowing this is fulfilling prophecy because jesus said he came to divide brother against brother and also it is said that anyone who looses families now will be blessed a hundred fold in this time and in the kingdom to come.
Mindy I know what you mean because I left my family (a crushingly, painfilled day in my life) I am the father of six and my wife has lead my 2 oldest daughters into the JW’s and will now try to lead 3 of my 4 boys into this destructive organization as well. I am now “dead” to her as she wrote in a letter to me and according to her I’m “dead” to my children as well. I’ve been disfellowshipped without ever being a member of the organization. I’m reading anything and everything I can in order to save my children and possibly (not probably) my wife. I’ve never been in so much pain but it pales in comparison to what Jesus went through. I can only say that this ordeal has brought me closer to him, the father, and the holy spirit.